Chapter 18:

Narrator's POV

Secrets don't last forever.

Two weeks later.

Wednesday.

Luhan bought his ticket to Beijing earlier that week. His flight was in less than a month to visit his family and to attend his sister's wedding. Seulmi refused to go for she didn't have enough money to go and she would never let Luhan pay for an extra ticket. Her and her mother were on money saving mode and did their best not to spend too much since Mr. Han passed away. His will was sent to them recently and many of their relatives helped them financially, also paying a visit as well. They had enough money to keep them living normally again and didn't have to work any extra hours due to the very generous relatives.

Meanwhile, Kai and Jinah haven't been talking. People were starting to question if they were even dating anymore. Neither one of them answered any of those questions, for they didn't know. Kai was perplexed with Jinah's feelings for him and didn't know exactly how to handle them. He knew he couldn't handle anymore feelings even though he's getting over Seulmi quite quickly. He didn't want to move on anymore, actually. He knew that he would miss her no matter how long it’s been. But he also knew that he can't just watch her all his life. He had to find someone else. He just didn't know if Jinah was the right person.

~

Kai went for a walk on the park one Sunday morning, thinking. Hands in my pocket and earphones in his ears, he pondered as he strutted down the trail. Only two people circled around his mind and those two people were Jinah and Seulmi.

He sighed in frustration from all of the issues that flew aroung his head. In frustration, he grabbed the beanie on the top of his head and threw it to the ground about 2 meters in front of him.

*Great now I have to pick that up* He though, annoyed with his self.

He slowly followed where his hat was, but it was too late to pick it up. He bent down to grab it, but saw a familiar pair of sneakers in front of him. Remembering to whom they belonged to, he looked up with expectation. It was her.

Seulmi.

"Sir, you seemed to have dropped your hat-" She paused once she saw his face as both of them straightened up.

"Jongin..." She gulped in shock.

"Seulmi...."

Seulmi instantly hung her head and handed him back his beanie, which he slowly took. She only glanced at him but attempted to speed walk away. Kai interrupted her.

"Seul... Wait..."

She instantly stopped her footsteps.

Kai revealed a slightly pleading tone. "Can we talk?"

~

The two of them awkwardly sat beside each other on a bench, not meeting each other's gaze. Seulmi started talking first.

"I'm supposed to not remember you, Jongin..." She confessed.

Jongin hung his head and slightly nodded. "I see..."

"I don't know what happened to us, Jongin..."

Kai glanced at her, her gaze falling to the floor.

"I didn't intend on hurting you, Seulmi. I swear, I never wanted to hurt you in any way... I just.... I just... Wanted the best for you. I wanted you to find someone better than me, someone who can give you the love and care that you deserve... I left you so you could find someone else. I bullied you so that you would never look back to me and forget me. But those things just made me regret even more."

Kai sighed and his voice was shaky.

"I'm so sorry...." he pleaded leaned his weight against his hands, which settled on his knees. He never looked back up to her eyes, "I'm sorry, I hurt you so much. I'm sorry we ended up this way."

Seulmi sighed as well but felt the pain for she was looking at someone she's missed for over a year. She slowly rubbed his back with her palm and she shook even more, shedding tears.

"It’s alright..." she told him softly, "I got over it..."

Jongin looked up to her and shook his head. "I was afraid, Seul. I was afraid that I would never be able to give you the love that you deserve. I was afraid that one day, you would break down beside me, crying, and I wouldn't know what to do. I was afraid of that."

Seulmi was speechless.

"But my mission is accomplished. You found Luhan... Or was it that... Luhan found you. He knows you more than I do. He loves you more than anyone could even measure. He knows how to treat you well. He protects you, fights for you.... He's everything I've ever wanted to be for you. I wish I was like him to you."

Seulmi shook her head, "You shouldn't compare yourself to Luhan. You two show your love in different ways..."

"But Seul.... How did I ever show my love to you?"

"Through everything we've been through this year.... That's how you love me.... You wished the best for me even when you weren't there for me."

"But I called you a piece of-"

"And I forgive you..." She interrupted him with a slight smile.

A single tear slid down Kai's cheek and he instantly pulled her into a warm, tight hug that both of them have yearned for in a year. Seulmi hugged him back with any hesitations.

"Seul... I- I'm so so so sorry..." he cried as he hugged her tightly.

"Shh... We're over it... It’s okay, Jongin..." She rubbed his back, gently.

The hug lasted for about a minute, both of them cherishing every single moment of it. When the hug broke, Jongin wiped his tears and Seulmi smiled.

"Do you want to start over?" Seulmi asked, softly.

"Is that okay with you?"

"Of course..."

"But Seul..."

"You don't have to worry anymore... We're starting fresh... Putting everything behind us..."

"Seul... That's not the point... There's something that I haven't told anyone... and I think you need to know..."

Seulmi stopped herself and listened. "What is it?"

Jongin hung her head for a moment. "I'm moving to Ulsan..."

Seulmi froze. Jongin kept talking to lighten the tone.

"Umma and Appa actually gave me a choice... Whether to stay here in Seoul or move. My first choice was to stay because you know... I was hoping that one day we would make up... But today seems like that someday... I also wanted to stay here with my friends and you. Maybe also be friends with Luhan, apologize to him too... But my flight is only next week."

Seulmi was in shock, thinking *We were so close to being friends again... But now he's moving... I might never be able to see him again...*

"But I had to choose Ulsan..." Kai continued, "It’s better for my parents. They could possibly get promoted... When I graduate high school, I may probably move back here, go to college here. Maybe we can see each other again by then."

A tear unexpectedly fell upon Seulmi's cheek and she instantly wiped it before Jongin could notice, but he did.

"Seul... We'll see each other again. I promise..." He told her, painfully seeing her cry in front of him.

"The time we make up is the time you tell me you're leaving..." She weakly pointed out the irony.

Kai caressed her cheek and wiped the water that was left there. "I can tell you good news though."

"What?"

"A year ago, I liked you."

Seulmi giggled a little bit. "That doesn't help..."

Kai giggled with her. "I know, you're in a relationship."

"But I liked you too..." Seulmi confessed. "But Luhan got me over it."

Kai chuckled. "It's quite obvious..."

After laughing a little bit, they paused again. Seulmi was first to speak.

"Jongin, promise me that you'll find someone to make you happy soon, whether it’s Jinah or someone else. Find someone to replace me in your life. Because we both know that our spots in our hearts for each other are too big to let someone else gain."

Jongin nodded.

"I can tell you know that you were my happiness back then, my light, and my sunshine..." Seulmi told him.

"You were mine too..."

"But from now on, promise me that you'll try and replace my spot in your heart. I'll try to do the same."

"So find someone else to be our happiness?" Kai rephrased.

Seulmi nodded. "We have to replace our sunshine."

Kai smiled at how Seulmi was so easygoing and sacrificial. He would miss her.

"Promise?" She asked one last time, sticking her pinky out oike how they did when they were children.

Seeing that memory again, Kai smiled wider. Then he connected his pinky with hers, officially promising her to move on.

They hugged one last time, hoping they'll be able to do this again in a few more years.

Seulmi hugged him the tightest, seeming like she didn't want to let go. She whimpered as she hid her face in his shoulder, shedding a few more tears.

"I'm going to miss you so much..." She sobbed in his shoulder.

Kai felt his heart break into pieces, saying goodbye to the person that held his heart for so long. His heart broke.

"I'm going to miss you too, Seul..."

She couldn't let go, she was afraid to. They were both afraid to. They were both afraid that they will never see each other again, but Kai made one last vow to her, which may be his last promise her will ever make to Seulmi.

"We'll see each other again..... I promise."

~

The Next Day.

Seulmi found out that she didn't need to lie anymore. She made up with Kai and all was well. All she has to do now is tell Luhan that she regained her memories after Jongin leaves for Incheon. She would tell him once Jongin is gone. But what she didn't know was that...

He already knew.

~

~

The day Seulmi and Jongin made up.

Luhan was with Lay and Tao, having lunch. Lay was trying to persuade Luhan into joining his dance company while Tao was devouring all of the food Lay treated them.

"I swear, Luhan. Being in the company is super fun. You won't regret it." Lay tried to convince him.

Luhan shrugged, "I don't know... It seems like a lot of work too. I already have so much on my schedule. With school and advanced classes. There's also Seulmi and my aunt to take care of."

"Well what about your weekends?"

"Seulmi and I usually hang out on Saturdays and Sunday is my resting day, but today, you guys seemed to have taken my resting day..." Luhan glared at the both of them, but Tao, of course, wasn't paying attention and just focused on his plate.

"It isn't a waste of time, Luhan. I'm just trying to help you find something fun to do and you look like you would be a good dancer too."

Luhan just rolled his eyes, still not convinced.

Persuading only got more intentive as Lay tried finding research about his dance company.

"See??" Lay held out his phone, showing the comment section on the company website, revealing almost all compliments and good feedback.

"Lay... I'm not prying. Maybe I'll join next year, senior year. Maybe school stress will die down next year."

Lay sighed and gave up. He didn't feel like eating and gave Tao his leftovers. Meanwhile, Luhan was finishing up his food.

Lay just scrolled through his phone, on Twitter, Weibo, Instagram... Until he laid eyes on something unexpected on Instagram. It was a direct message from his friend, Chen. (Direct Message means that the photo was only sent to certain people and is not public)

Post Saying:   Was just strolling down the park when I saw this... :OOO

The photo was of Seulmi and Kai, hugging.

Lay's eyes widened and a tiny gasp was heard from him. Luhan's head shot up from his food.

"You alright?" Luhan asked his younger unicorn-like friend.

Lay was in a daze when he was supposed to answer Luhan back.

"Uhh- Uhh... Yeah..." he stuttered, not sure how to answer.

Lay thought, *Does Luhan know about this? He deserves to know... I mean, Seulmi is his girlfriend and he needs to know. I wouldn't be a good friend if I didn't tell him what's happening.*

Instead of just saying the situation directly, Lay tried his best to keep calm.

"So Luhan..." he called out, catching the deer-like boy's attention.

"Has Seulmi and Kai made up yet?" He asked, trying to act natural.

Luhan shook his head.

"Have they been talking? Or planned in talking?"

Remembering that Seulmi lost her memory of Kai, none of these questions were a 'yes' to Luhan.

"No... Seulmi doesn't plan on interacting with Kai in any way..." He replied before sipping from his drink.

"Are you sure?"

"Why are you asking?" Luhan questioned him.

Lay only sighed, seeming guilty of what he was going to do next. Before showing Luhan the picture, Lay asked for one favor.

"Please forgive me, Luhan. Don't be mad at me, please." He pleaded to Luhan, who was currently perplexed.

"Lay, what are you talking about?" He asked the younger one.

Tao looked over at them from time to time, wondering about what the commotion was about.

Regretting a bit, Lay passed his phone to Luhan, who stared at the photo with a hint of shock but also disbelief. He handed the phone back to Lay and shook his head in denial.

"That's not Seulmi..." Luhan told him.

"Luhan... It’s Seulmi..."

"No its not." Luhan shook his head. "Seulmi would never do that."  *Also... She lost her memory... She wouldn't lie to me.* he thought to himself.

Lay zoomed into the photo, revealing a closer look of Seulmi's face. It was, without a doubt, her.

Still in disbelief, Luhan planned on finding out for himself.

He excused himself from the table after apologizing to the two and thanking Lay for the lunch.

*Please don't let this be true...* He hoped.

~

Monday.

Seulmi was nothing.but happy on Monday while Luhan was worried. They sat down by each other like how they would every day. Luhan didn't talk to her very much even if Seulmi tried making a conversation. All that was on his mind were hopes, hopes that Seulmi wasn't the person in the picture and that she didn't lie to him about losing her memory.

He had to ask her later.

~

Meanwhile, Jinah regretted everything that happened between her and Kai. She always wished that she never confessed to him and they wouldn't be as awkward as they are now. She planned on apologizing to him after class.

Lunch.

Kai was with his friends at lunch when he also planned to tell them something.

"You said that you had something important to say to us, Kai?" Suho brought up once everyone arrived at them table with their food.

Kai nodded. "It’s important."

By then Jinah was casually passing their table with her tray of food, but stopped a few meters away from them once she heard those two words. They didn't really notice her standing there, since her back was towards them.

"What is it, hyung?" Sehun asked in interest.

Kai spit out the words slowly. "I'm moving to Ulsan."

Jinah froze at those words in shock, disappointment, and regret. *He's moving?*

The table was silent and they all stared at Kai.

"Ulsan? But that's so far away! Why are you moving?" Baekhyun asked.

"My parents are migrating to a bigger and better company. I wanted them to do it. Its best for them." Kai explained.

"Well what about you?" Kyungsoo asked him.

"I'm moving back for college. I'll only be gone for a year and a half." Kai told them, optimistically.

"But by that time, we'll all be split up, going to places we want to go. We won't be together anymore."

"I'm sure I'll find at least one of you..."

"But hyung~, what if you don't? We'll never see you again!" Sehun whined.

Jinah was terrified of those words. Kai was the first person she's ever had real feelings for, much to everyone's surprise, but it was true. Now he's leaving.

"I'll try my best to find you, Sehun. I'll keep contact with all of you... My flight is on Saturday. I'll text you guys once I arrive in Ulsan."

Jinah couldn't take much more of this. She left them, heading for any place to hide her running mascara, for she knew nowhere to go to cry. It was her first time to cry for a guy as well. He was her first in everything love had to go through. She left her tray on an abandoned lunch table and ran for the halls, hanging head for no one to see her ruined mascara and tears. Then she found a storage closet, closing the door as she hid inside. She leaned her back against the door, sliding down to the found she cried on her palms, covering her face. Sobs and faint gasps for air often escaped as she cried.

*Why do all the good things in life have to leave me?* she thought to herself.

The bell rang and she didn't go back to class. She felt like it was too painful to see him again after what she heard.

~

Kai went back to class, sitting in his normal seat, expecting Jinah to sit back in her seat beside him. Next thing he knew, he was still waiting until the bell rang. Thinking that she was only running late, when the teacher was reciting roll call, he raised his hand for Jinah, insisting that she will come soon. But then, the class was almost halfway over and there was still no sign of Jinah.

*Where is she?* he wondered, not being able to focus on his work.

For the first time in forever (LOL), he actually turned to the talkative girls behind him and asked them.

"Hey, have you two seen Jinah anywhere?" He asked.

One of them shook her head and the other was thinking. She instantly told him what was on her head.

"I saw her during lunch." she told Kai.

Kai lit up in interest. "What was she doing?"

"She was sort of rushing through the halls, but she was lowering her head. Was she crying?"

Kai grew in confusion and curiosity. "Crying?"

"Did you two break up?"

"No. We didn't." He told her without any hesitation.

"Then what must've happened?"

Kai, himself, had no idea.

*What happened?*

~

This is by far the LONGEST Chapter I have ever posted for this story. Sorry for piling a whole bunch of words on you. First part is so cheesy... I can't even....

EVERYTHING IS CHANGING~ Some of you got what you wanted  Jongin and Seulmi, but some of you also got what you never wanted for Luhan and Seulmi. Jinah is something some of you guys probably already expect. Sorry for such a predictable result. :(( Hate my writing

Thank you sooo very much for reading~ Please comment some feedback and tell me how I'm doing! Upvoting is also appreciated and I will love you forever, giving you a virtual hug~! Saranghaeyo, chings~! Stay healthy~! :DDDD

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Thank you sooo much chingus, for reading this story and giving it a try~ I hope you enjoy~ It means so much to me that you're here^^ I wish you all the very best~ Have a wonderful day ahead of you and please comment your opinions, or even feels^^, down below~ And I would love you forever if you upvote as well~! Thank you sooo very much, chingus~ Saranghaeyoooo <3333