Jongdae's alarm rang off at exactly six o'clock in the morning, to which he answered to with a groan. It read July 17, 2014.

This day marked the seventh year Katherine's been in jail, and honestly, he's been curious ever since about anything that concerns her. For the first two years, he's been racking himself off of posibilities that they'll be together but unfortunately, those years weren't much of help. He'd let himself occupy thoughts of Katherine now since it's this day that marks the day they've separated. And besides, Katrina wasn't there beside him so it makes him feel less guilty about it.

On the third year, he'd met Katrina, the girl working at a bar next to his house in Korea. He'd gone back to Korea after convincing Suho that he'd be fine by himself and that he needed time to be away from Katherine since the prison was just an hour of a drive away from Suho's house.

Five minutes into thinking, his phone rang.

'Jongdae!'

He smiles, partly because he's been missing this voice, and partly because whenever she does call, he gets to say the name--

'Kat.'

-KATHERINE-

Katherine's been granted pardon after seven years. She hadn't been any trouble to any one at the prison, which made her jailmates wonder how in hell did she end up there?

After bidding farewell to her jailmates, she's been out in the open.

'Goodluck, Ms. Oh,' the head officer said before she headed out completely.

During her stay, there wasn't a day where she wouldn't think about what she had done. Even when her early years became so depressing that she entertained thoughts of killing herself, there wasn't a day that she wouldn't smile whenever she thought of Jongdae.

What she had done was wrong and she admits, but then there wasn't anything that she could have done that time if she wanted Jongdae to have his freedom.

Now that she finally has hers again, the least she could do is to find him and explain.

She no longer dreams of getting back together, she just wanted to say sorry.

-JONGDAE-

He rushed up to the eighth floor of the building where his office was located. He eventually became a professor in Philosophy at a university in Korea. After what had happened between him and Katherine, the friends he had met convinced him that it was the best thing he could do if he wanted to move on.

He studied Philosophy on the third year of being away from Katherine and eventually, he met Katrina. A lot had happened ever since but the only thing that he deemed was best at the time was to let loose and try to forget. He had known it would be hard -- he had known it would be painful. He had known what he was about to face: a new life without his light; without the only person he wanted beside him whenever he woke up in the morning. He had known that the life without Katherine wouldn't be the life that he wants, but there was nothing he could do when she had already given up.

'I believe you're new here?'

Jongdae didn't answer, his hand bowed down facing his textbook.

'Boy aren't you rude,' she purposely said a little louder. Jongdae seemed to get the hint and he pulled his head upwards to meet her eyes.

'I'm sorry, I was caught up.'

'You don't say,' she chuckled, her voice a little less rude now that she's gotten his attention.

Clearing his throat, he opted for a friendlier approach.

'I'm Jongdae, by the way,' he smiled a bit, as he extended his hand for her to take.

'Katrina. Call me Kat.'

And that was the first time in three years that he's felt every pain coming back to him.

-KATHERINE-

She had been looking up for a job for the last week now, hoping that she'd have at least a little luck now that she's starting out fresh.

Her report's been a clean slate except for that accusation of murdering a person which was later then proven false. Jongdae had been long gone after he was dismissed and as much as she was dying to know his condition, she knew she needed to know better.

Suho had tried to call her, offering a place to stay and since she didn't really have much choice, she accepted the offer.

'How's the hunt?' Suho asked the moment she walked in.

'Tough luck,' she replied, as she inched her way to the kitchen to get herself a glass of water.

'I would take you in if you want me to, Kat, just take it if you need it,' he said, an amused smiled playing in his lips when he saw her pouting.

'You've done more than enough, Suho, please don't tempt me to take up another bait.'

'Well it's free, just grab it if you want to. That's why it's a bait, right?' with that, he left her in the kitchen.

She sighed and smiled. At least she had Suho. It'll surely take a while before she could afford to go back to Korea, but she was decided that she would. She made a mental note to repay Suho back for everything.

During night time, she was lying down on her bed (in the room both of them occupied) and was sighing almost every five minutes into thinking.

Being without Jongdae all these years was the saddest she's ever lived.

-JONGDAE-

For the past week, the house has been quiet. Without Katrina, everything seemed like a blur for him. Sometimes during the week he found himself doodling her name on one of his class notes, most of the times he found himself staring off to space whenever he finished a course lesson for his next class. Katrina's been gone for a week now when she was called to attend a seminar in Singapore. Everyday one of them would call the other and they would talk, but being away from her made Jongdae feel as if he's empty -- as if he's not used to being alone anymore.

Being alone didn't feel good. He didn't want to get used to it.

'Babe!'

He heard his phone ring, with Katrina's voice echoing inside his study room.

'Babe! Babe! Answer the phoooone~'

He cracked a smile before answering the call, and not long after was greeted by her voice.

'Why does it take you like forever to answer your phone, Jongdae?', he can hear the smile in her voice and it made him smile as well.

'I miss you.'

'Well I miss you too, Kim Jongdae.'

During that night, for some reasons, it made if hard for both of them to sleep. It wasn't because of the lack of warmth that they were honestly not used to, but because they were thinking about what the other was feeling at the moment. Jongdae still felt that sense of betrayal while Katherine's being eaten by the guilt of not fighting for Jongdae.

What they didn't know was that both were still secretly hurting, but not wanting to admit in fear of digging up feelings that weren't supposed to still be there all these years.

While Jongdae would drift off to a peaceful sleep, his heart waiting with a tinge of excitement for Katrina's arrival, he doesn't know that Katherine's feeling the exact opposite.

She sleeps curled up like a ball, clutching onto her blanket out of the coldness that she's feeling inside, while a stray teardrop makes its way down her face. As she enters dreamland, she'll be greeted by Jongdae, the love of her life, making her feel hopeful and truly happy only to be left heartbroken the moment she wakes up in the morning.

While Jongdae would be greeted by a phone call by his wife, Katherine's mornings would always be another slap from the consequences she needs to face the moment she chose to save Jongdae's freedom.

But even so, she still smiles -- she smiles because honestly, it has been the best decision she has ever made.

Tadah! Here it is :( I'm really sad that I didn't like it as much as I thought I would. :( I promise it looked a lot more promising when it was in my head. But I really at every beginning of storied but I promise to make it better next time.

Just a heads up, the future chapters would be really angsty (at least for me) that my chest hurt for the both of them just by thinking what I was thinking. Sorry :(

Also, comments and thoughts are always welcomed. And I'm in the process of considering requeests (if there are any chapters that you'd want me to write about that's been intriguing you since the previous story, just let me know like for ex. someone asked me about Kat's feelings about Kris, right? :))

PLEASE! Just please,

Stay tuned, yes? <3