Chapter 25

He deliberately avoided looking at his side as they drove home, Seunggi was driving while Joohyun sat at the back singing along the song blaring through her phone. It’s raining awkwardness inside the car and he just wanted to open the car door and jump right out, not really caring if the car is moving and he’ll get hit by another speeding car. That pain is more bearable.

“OMG I still can’t believe that my best men are just inside one space!” Joohyun grinned at both of them

“Yonghwa, Joohyun has never stopped talking about you! From the minute we met all she says was Yonghwa this and Yonghwa that, if I hadn’t known better I would’ve mistaken you as her ex boyfriend!” Seunggi laughed

Die bastard

“Really? Well that’s my Joohyun! I mean your Joohyun”  he smiled what the am I saying?? mental slapping himself

AWKWARD

Yes it was useless to even try to make the atmosphere lighter and he doesn’t know if he gives off that feel but he can’t help it, how else would he act? Jump for joy to finally meet the man who’ll be taking away the love of his life? Tell him also that Joohyun talks about him when she barely just gives the regular, he works here, he’s good with this, he does that, nothing really special worth mentioning, especially in this awkward situation?

He forced himself to just close his eyes only to really fall sleep and was just woken up by her when they arrived home. He groggily went out of the car as Joohyun opened the back door with his back pack. She hooked arms with him as she dragged him inside his own house at the same time shouting

“He’s back!” with Seunggi in tow

He only needed to count 5 seconds before a throng of everyone crowded by the door to greet him. The first person he zoomed in was his mom then dad then Jess who hugged him for about 10 more seconds than anyone which puzzled their parents a bit.

“Welcome back!” his aunt hugged him

“Immo I’m not yet back I’m just out for a vacation I still have 3 more months”

“Aigoo it’s only 3 more months you’re almost out!” his uncle tapped his back

He then moved on to hugging Joohyuns parents and their friends. It was only him and Minhyuk who is in the army, the rest of their friends, sans Sungmin, is back and is finishing college. They all moved to the living room while the ladies are in the kitchen, he then decided to go up to his room to change from his uniform. He slowly opened his door only to be welcome by a number of shopping bags. From her.

He walked and plop on his bed and peered through the bags

“I hope you’ll like them”

He looked at the entrance door only to see Joohyun coming in

“Thanks J! as expected you’re the best!”

“You lost weight Yong, was it hard there?”

“Nah, it was much better than what we’ve always imagined, terror seniors, useless comrades, I actually got the best superiors and as you’ve seen earlier I got to meet some really great friends, losing weight was just because we have a lot of work and training to do and since it’s tiring I sometimes eat too little because I’d rather sleep but all else, everything turned out great. You know me J, how else will I last that long if it weren’t”

She nodded while still standing

“Why are you just standing there? Yah! I know you’re getting married but that doesn’t mean you have to be weird!”

She smiled and sat beside him

“I’m really sorry Yong, but I just wanted you to know that even if I didn’t write that much letter and I’m too pre occupied and busy, I think about you every day. There was never a day I didn’t.”

He put his arms around her as she nestled her head on his shoulder

“Me too J, the only thing that was hard during my stay was not being able to see everyone. I guess that’s what really made me not take any vacation. I’d rather endure it all together. Did you know that this is the first time I actually took a leave ever since I enlisted?”

“Yeah”

“I was scared to be in a familiar place again, then leave..I hate sadness” …. familiar place without you

“Yah!It’s just temporary though and you know that!”

“I know but well it’s all water under the bridge J, and as they said I only have 3 months then I’m out!”

She looked at him excitedly “I know right! Then we can hang out again!”

He looked back with a challenging smirk “You think?”

Her face change from excitement to realization of which he just smiled a nodded, yes it will be this hard. Very very hard.

“I’l leave you to change and rest, I’ll just be down stairs” she stood up but he quickly grab her hand

“No! You stay here, let me just change and you can tell me about your prince charming who’s charming everyone downstairs, I must say J you got good eyes” he grab a few clothes and went out, when he came back he was out of his uniform. He began to straighten his room, keeping all clothes in his closet.

“I think we can talk later Yong everyone wants to talk to you, let’s go downstairs first, we can talk about prince charming later.”

“Suit yourself” he then dragged her downstairs where everyone had already began eating and was given plate for the food. They stood side by side while getting the food for each other as what they have always done all throughout these y