018

After what happened earlier that night, the both of them decided to go midnight driving with nowhere to go in mind. But then, the night is so perfect and so they went to where they always go.

The cliff.

It was their comfort place. It is where Sooyeon usually calms whenever she’s crying a river and thinking about things so much that she couldn’t able to get it all out of her mind. It is the perfect place to talk about things that needs to be told. They didn’t know how they got there, though. Donghae just found himself driving to where the cliff is. Sooyeon, on the other hand, has no protest about it. She thinks it’s perfect. She loves to see the overlooking and the city lights that never fails to amaze her every time she sees that.

“You really seemed to know how to make me feel better, huh?” Sooyeon told him as he opened the car door for her.

He let out a chuckle and unknowingly wrapped his arm around her shoulder and somehow, Sooyeon felt safe, protected and at last, home.

This is where I belong. She thought to herself and smiled upon thinking that.

Donghae knew too well how to make her feel better. For weeks and months before, he stood up beside her and he already learned how to calm her nerves down. Maybe that’s why he kind of decided to share this place with her.

He pulled her close and lowered his head to kiss the top of her hair. He loves the smell of her hair, her familiar strawberry scent. Up until now, he couldn’t believe that he got her that easy. Maybe, just maybe, this is his prize for not giving up on waiting for her. They were really right when they say, “Good things come to those who wait”. And for him, having Jung Sooyeon is the best thing that has ever happened to him. He realized that all that he ever wanted was now beside him and he couldn’t ask for more… as of right now. Maybe asking for a kid could wait a little while. He mentally laughed at the last thought.

“In those times you have cried because of that stupid jerk, how can I not learn how to make you feel better?” he answered her with a contented smile on his face. “This is your comfort place. This is where you think things through.”

“I don’t have too much to think off right now. There isn’t really much in mind, just you.” Sooyeon said out of the nowhere and stole a kiss on the cheek from him.

Donghae widened his eyes at what she had just said and done. Did Sooyeon actually kiss him even if it’s just on the cheek? And another thing, since when she became so cheesy? Well, not the typical Jung Sooyeon. He never really expected her to be likes this. He looked at her with a grin slowly forming on his lips.

“You’re really in love with me, aren’t you?” he asked even though the answer is so much clearer than a crystal.

“Back then, I wasn’t really sure if I was feeling the same as you because everything is still blurry and too complicated for me. I prevented you from saying what you truly feel for me because I know to myself that it would be a reason for me to stay. That thing alone is enough to make me stay, Donghae. I admit that I do feel some feelings for you back then. I stopped you, not because I really wanted to leave. The reason why I thought that way was I want to get better.” Sooyeon started to talk to him in a more serious way.

Sooyeon knows he deserves to know her perspective and reason why because if she won’t, everything will just be more complicated than the way it is. She knew what was he going to say that night. She’s not numb to not feel it. She could really feel it with the way he acts around her. Lee Donghae may be hard to read, but his acts show what he has on mind.

“I knew about how you feel, Donghae. I could feel it. The thing is, I don’t want you to fall in love with someone who is broken. My purpose on leaving is to find myself, to get and be better. You don’t deserve a broken girl who is still trapped in the past. I want to be better and you only deserve the better. So thank you, for waiting for me, for not giving up on me. Thank you,” Sooyeon said with tears forming in the corner of her eyes and hugged the man in front of her. He had done so much and waited for so long, he deserves to be happy now.

Sooyeon buried her face on his chest as she held a tight grip on him like she never want to let go ever. If given a chance, she could stay like that forever. That’s all she wanted to do right now, hug him. She felt safe in his arms. His arms felt like home and she knew, with his arms wrapped around her, she knew she’s finally home.

“Thank you, Donghae. Thank you so much.” She started to cry in his arms as she continued to hug him.

With him, beside her. There’s nothing to worry and be scared about. Everything felt safe and alright when Donghae is there. And maybe that’s why she grew fond of her ─ that same goes with him ─ Donghae would always be right there to catch her when she falls and Sooyeon hopes, it will always be like that.

He hugged her back and placed his chin on top of her head. Sooyeon could really get emotional sometimes and now she’s being now. He couldn’t blame her, though. Because that’s what makes up a Jung Sooyeon. She’s beautiful in her own simple ways and whatever she is, he likes everything about her.

“There’s nothing much to be thankful for now, Sooyeon. Being with you is more than enough for me. I should be more thankful, as a matter of fact.” He replied.

She slightly hit him on his arm as she giggled. She felt her cheeks getting hot by just hearing what she had said

“Do you know how to make a vlog?” Sooyeon asked him as soon as they settled down to sit on the ground. They placed a mat and sat as they both stared amazingly at the city lights in front of them.

“Vlog?” he asked back, quite clueless.

Sooyeon looked at him with a weird look and laughed at him right after. “Seriously? From what cave did you come from, boss?”

Donghae frowned and pulled her closer to him. They were sitting side by side, with his right arm wrapped around her shoulder. Her head leaned on to his chest like it’s the most natural thing to do in the world.

“Seriously, you don’t know what a vlog is? Oh my,” Sooyeon continued laughing at him.

“Guess I’m pretty much focused with work that I don’t even know what vlog is. My office is my cave, you know!” Donghae defended for himself as he kissed her hair.

Sooyeon finally stopped laughing at him like there’s no tomorrow. She understands him, though. They are always at the same place, at the same time almost every day and she could see how busy he could get in work. It’s just amazing how he can still manage to balance his priorities. He surely can’t just leave his family and friends and just focus on his work. That would be torture and too much stress.

“Vlog is a shortened term for video blog, silly.” Sooyeon told him and fished out her IPhone from her pocket. “We’ll do our first vlog here and let’s send it to your sister and my best friend, Taeyeon..”

Donghae seemed to like the idea and agreed. “Sure. Jooyeon will surely jump in happiness when she gets the news.”

Sooyeon giggled and started recording.

“OH MY GOD! DONGWOO-OPPA! OUR BABY BROTHER IS NOT GAY!” Jooyeon screamed at the top of her lungs as soon as she finished watching the video that her brother had sent her thirty minutes ago. She just put her daughter to bed when she checked her phone to see Donghae had sent her a video. Much to her surprise, it was him and Sooyeon in the video, letting her know the news.

“News flash, noona! We’re together now!”

Dongwoo suddenly appeared out of nowhere, panting. He ran from his office in their house up to the entertainment room which is upstairs. “WHAT? WHAT WHERE YOU SAYING? WHO’S GAY?!”

Jooyeon gritted her teeth and slightly hit his head. “Pabo! I said Donghae is not gay! Stop teasing him already!”

“Really? How can you be so sure of that, though? I’m just teasing him, you know. It’s not like I mean it.” Dongwoo scratched the back of his head.

“Jokes are half-meant,” Jooyeon hissed and looked up to her brother once again. “Donghae got himself a girlfriend. Guess who.” She was giving her brother a meaningful look while raising her brows up and down.

“IS IT THE END OF THE WORLD NOW?! IS HE FOR REAL?!” Dongwoo asked as he yelled.

Jooyeon hit him hard in his arm. “Ouch! What was that for?”

“Tone down your voice! You might wake my little sunshine!” Jooyeon answered, referring to her lovely daughter.

“Aish, like she never screamed first,” Dongwoo whispered to himself and then asked, “Who’s the girl, by the way?”

“Sooyeon!” Jooyeon cheered and showed the video to her elder brother.

Taeyeon couldn’t believe her eyes. She just received the video that Sooyeon had sent her minutes ago announcing such a big news. She wasn’t even oriented! Taeyeon didn’t know how it happened but there’s one thing she’s very sure of and that is she’s happy for her best friend. She knew Sooyeon had wanted this to happen since she met her but she couldn’t just believe how fast it happened. One second, Sooyeon’s ranting about when will Donghae say he loves her then the second, they’re already together.

She could only shake her head in disbelief and chuckled at the thought on the back of her mind.

“Jung Sooyeon’s really a ninja,” she told herself and messaged her a congratulations.

“Do you remember the time when we used to go country to country?” Sooyeon asked him as her mind tries to go back to what happened way back then and reminisced. Those were the good times of the yesterday she wished would happen once again. Though, it’s really not necessary to do something like that, Donghae still did. He wanted her to feel better and tried to make her forget about everything that bugs her temporarily and somehow, it did. His purpose was to make her happy somehow despite of all the miserable things that is happening to her.

“I only wanted to let you out of the nightmare you put yourself into,” Donghae whispered as he responded. Sooyeon was in between his legs as her back leans against his broad chest. He was trying not to fall asleep but his eyes were tired, he already wanted to close it. And so he did. His eyes were closed and placed his forehead on top of Sooyeon head.

“Are you sleepy?” Sooyeon asked him as she sensed the tiredness in his voice when he responded.

“No,” he lied as he slightly shook his head. “Just tired.”

Sooyeon chuckled a bit. Both of them knew he’s lying. He’s been working every day and night and there would be some times when he’s overtiming and there are also times when he sleeps in his office, forgetting to come home.

Sooyeon just let him. She let him sleep on her lap as she stared at the bright beautiful lights that the city is giving her. It feels like watching a show. She doesn’t know why she finds the city lights entertaining to stare at. The air up in the cliff is so refreshing. There is really something about that place that makes her want to go back every time she wants to.

After a little while of staring at the scenery in front of her, she looked down to see his peaceful sleeping face. Donghae really looks like a kid, especially when he’s asleep. He also looks like a fish at times and no wonder Dongwoo has been teasing him every time they’re fooling around. She saw how tired his face was. He looks stressed and somehow, she felt the urge to take care of him even more now. By doing that, at least, she could help him. Sooyeon smiled and leaned down to kiss the tip of his nose. She could smell that manly scent of him and his aftershave.

“I love you,” she whispered to his ear and giggled a bit.

What surprised her was he kissed her right on her cheek after she said it to him, There was a playful smirk forming on his lips as he opened his eyes. “You know I will always feel the same as you, beautiful stranger.”

“I thought you were asleep?” Sooyeon questioned.

“I was,” he chuckled, sat up and stretched his arms. “But then you woke me up. I’m… kind of a light sleeper.”

Sooyeon sighed and touched his face. “You look so tired already. Do you want to go now?”

Another playful smile appeared on his face. “Go where?”

Sooyeon, knowing he’s up to something no good again, hit him on his arm. “Drive me home then go home, pabo!” she hissed and rolled her eyes.

Donghae held back his laugh and furrowed his brows. “Can I… spend the night at your place?”

Sooyeon widened her eyes and glared at him. “Don’t you have a house?”

“But I’m alone!”

“I share my apartment with my best friend.”

“Then spend the night at my place.” He grinned, his eyes were pleading. “I don’t think I could ever let you go now.”

Sooyeon sighed. “Seriously, Lee Donghae? We’ve been with each other since morning up until now. Won’t you get sick of my face?”

He shook his head as he stared at her. “I could live every ing day by just staring at your beautiful face. That is more than enough to help me survive.”

Sooyeon couldn’t help but to blush. She lightly shoved his face away from her so he wouldn’t see her blushing like a tomato.

“You’re my own version of a drug, Sooyeon. Your face is addicting. Everything about you is very addictive.” Donghae added as he reached for her hand and kissed her knuckles.

“What is even happening to you?” Sooyeon said as she laughed at him.

“Will you spend the night in my place?” he asked, not letting go of her hand.

Sooyeon laughed a bit and looked at their hands, fingers intertwined. “I have no choice, you wouldn’t let go of my hand even if I say no.”

A genuine smile formed on his face. “Thank you,”