Chapter 25
Accidental Love
Jongin's POV
Screw that ing bustard. Honestly, i wouldn't mind if i actually killed him with my own hands right at that moment. Because, he touched something— or rather someone— that belongs to me. To hell with that. He attempted to a girl. My girl. And i just couldn't let him off that easily. All those punches that i gave him, it wasn't enough and i'm still not satisfied that i didn't finish him off to my maximum satisfaction. But Areum..
Goddamn i'm so mad right now. Why does she always have to be an angel? Why does she always have to be so nice, even to someone that only cause pain to her? Why does she look at everything in a positive way when it's clear that all she's been through was anything but positive.
I pulled the tie off my collar, tossed my coat aside and ed my white shirt. The burning flame of frustration and anger wasn't dying down and i didn't know what to do. I hated that she stopped me back there. I hated that she had to be so nice. I hated that she even tried to help him after what he did to her. But i hated myself more for not being able to protect her when i should have.
There was no way i could forgive myself. Daehyun may not have took her innocence away, but he touched her. He ing touched her and as her boyfriend, why wouldn't i be extremely angered by that? If I hadn't woken up in time, god knows what that head might have done to her..
I know she wasn't fine. I know she was still shock by what he did. And i know i should be there for her right now. But I can't seem to even look at her in the eyes. Because if i did, i'll only remember what Daehyun had done to her and then i'll end up being acting ridiculously and make her more frightened than she could have ever been.
She was shivering and shaking. And it was tearing me apart but I couldn't bring myself to pull her into my arms. I couldn't tell her that she was going to be fine now. I couldn't tell her that it's all over and that i'm here for her. I couldn't do that because i wasn't fine myself.
I sighed heavily and placed my arms on my forehead, blocking out the sun rays of the afternoon that were peeping through the curtains. What kind of guy am i if i couldn't even protect my own girl? Would she still want a partner whose as useless as me?
I thought to myself about the million possibilities that could affect our relationship in the days to come. The thoughts continued running in my head, until i got so exhausted that everything suddenly out, putting me to sleep.
Author's POV
The night has come and the couple were still locked up in their own rooms as they continued to hide their grief. Areum had been crying for hours that her eyes were very, very swollen from it. She tried to pull herself together, and forget about the event that had happened on that afternoon, but how could she when her skin was covered with his dirty touches. The more she tried to forget, the more she thought about it.
She didn't have anyone to support her at that moment— the moment when she truly needed someone to tell her that she'll be okay. But no one did. Not even her boyfriend.
She grabbed her phone that was placed on her night stand, and unlocked her screen. 8.15, it showed. Her fingers then naturally made it's way to Sehun's contact but before she pressed it, she contemplated for a minute. She just needed someone to talk to at that point of time, and in addition, she was already starting to miss her best friend. He won't even have to know what happened to her. She didn't want to tell him what happened because she felt disgusted by herself. And what more would people think of her when they know the truth? But now, she just needed her friend, because just hearing his voice could make her calm like he always had for the past few years.
She clicked on his name and sat upright on her bed.
"Sehun." she said weakly when she heard the latter pick up.
"Areum?" he asked, his voice so soothing and calm like nothing bad has ever happened in his life.
She smiled softly and sniffed. "Annyeong Sehun-ah~" she sang in a cheerful way, hoping that her nasal voice wouldn't be noticed by him.
"Annyeong chingu! It hasn't been a week and you've already missed me huh?" he teased and she knew well he had a playful smile behind the phone.
"In fact i do Sehun.." she admitted and let out a weak sigh. She wasn't joking about it and Sehun was starting to sense something strange when he realized the croak in her voice. She would usually make a sarcastic comeback and joke with him but this time, she didn't. He knew something wasn't right.
"Areum-ah.. Did Jongin hurt you?" he asked in a gentle and soft voice. Jongin was the first person to pop in his mind in this situation. He couldn't find any other reasons to why she was acting that way. And her boyfriend lived with her, they lived together and what else could be the cause of her sadness? As far as he knows, she hasn't associated with anyone else besides Jongin.
She shook her head and bit her lip as she tried to hold back her tears that were starting to stream down her face again.
"Ani.." she spoke so softly with her tears that it only came out like the air. She regretted immediately when her voice cracked.
"Cho Areum, are you okay?" he asked worriedly. On the other line, he was already reaching out for his jacket, preparing himself to meet her because at times like this, he knew she needed someone. She wouldn't call him if Jongin had been there for her.
And she lost it. She couldn't hold it in any longer. It didn't matter how long she cried or how much tears she had wasted that day but the hurt she felt was too much for her to handle.
"I'm coming to get you." he said in a low tone that showed how serious he was.
"But-"
"I know where you live now. I'll be there in 10." he hang up. As soon as he did, she buried her head into her knees as she allowed her tears to flow as it is. She was tired of crying but it seems like her tears were just too stubborn to not wet her eyes and face.
Just like Sehun said, he was at their house in just 10 minutes. He waited patiently at the doorstep, not making a single sound like what Areum had told him to do through the text she sent him minutes ago. She didn't know what Jongin was doing at that moment but she certainly didn't want to bother him. He had made it clear that he wanted to be alone— by leaving her to settle for her own sadness and pain and then not checking up on her to see if she was fine or not.
She changed into her black jeggings and a grey jumper before she headed down to meet Sehun. She glanced at Jongin's door for a while as she closed hers and then hugged herself as she walked down.
She opened the main door and was greeted by the cold wind, gushing through her soul and grazing against her tear stained cheeks. Sehun stared at her blankly as he wondered what Jongin had done to her to the point that she looked so different and lifeless in just a day. Her eyes were puffy and red, so was her nose. She was still sniffing like her nose had been a water pipe for the past hours.
He didn't ask any questions— at least not yet. Then he pulled her in for a comforting hug. She buried her face into his chest and tried her very best not to cry again. Don't cry Areum, do not cry..
As much as she needed the comfort, she reluctantly pulled away when she realized where they were. She didn't want Jongin to misunderstand if he saw them cuddling into each other's arms. She didn't want to create another fuss when they haven't even made up from the fight they had before. She didn't want to make things worst...
They walked side by side in silence as Sehun tried to figure out the reasons to her tears. He had went to their house with his motorcycle but Areum decided that she wanted to go on a stroll, and of course he listened.
There was a park about 15 minutes away from the house and when they reached, they settled on the set of swings that was placed in one of the corners of the park. She held onto the chains of the swing and tilted her head up. She inhaled the cold night air and let the wind blow her thoughts away.
Sehun turned towards her and grabbed her hands. It would always make his heart flutter but this time, he decided that it wasn't the right time to think about his petty one-sided feelings. "What happened Areum? It has only been a day since i saw you and that smile you had yesterday, it's gone. Tell me Areum, just tell me everything. I'm here for you.." he her hands with his thumb. A gesture that has never failed to make her feel better.
She sighed and turned to face her best friend. She looked at him with her pitiful eyes and she could already feel her eyes getting wet just by thinking about all the things she wanted to say to him. She bit her lips and shook her head as droplets of tears escaped her eyes slowly.
Sehun stood up and again, he pulled her into his chest where she was able to let out her pain and misery to the point that there were no more tears left for her to cry. "I'm scared Sehun. I'm really really scared." she said in a wobbly and quavering voice.
He hugged her tight and her hair like a mother would do to their daughter who had just went through her first heartbreak. Minutes passed and she finally pulled herself out of his embrace. "I'm sorry." she chuckled weakly.
He shook his head a gave her a soft smile. "It's okay.. Now tell me everything. Don't leave a single detail out because i deserve to know." He told her as they settled back down on the swings.
"Well.." she started. She told him everything and did what he said. She didn't leave a single detail out. She ranted her hearts out and immediately felt better. She told him about the guy who had touched her like she was a , about the fight Daehyun and Jongin had, that he was so close to dying and lastly, to her fight with her boyfriend. She tried to explain it in a way that she wasn't complaining about her boyfriend because as a matter of fact, she wasn't. She was just letting go of everything that she had bottled up since the afternoon. Letting go of the things that she had been meaning to tell someone—to tell her boyfriend to be specific but instead, there she was releasing her sorrow to her only best friend.
By the end of all that, Sehun had been very much pissed from it. Not at Jongin, but at Daehyun. Like what Jongin had mentioned, Sehun had thought the same—how dare he lay his hands on Areum? Sehun wasn't angry at her boyfriend though. Because he tried to picture himself in his shoes, and he understands why Jongin would get so worked up over it. She wouldn't understand because well, she was still new to being in a romantic relationship and she didn't know how to handle it.
Sehun had expressed his anger by clenching his fists and frowning at wherever there was in front of him that Areum thought he was mad at her as well.
"Gosh Areum. You you know that." he told her frankly.
"Wow, that really helps Sehun." she said as she kicked the sand beneath her.
"Well i'm sorry, but someone has to take away that halo away from your head and knock some sense into you." he added.
She blinked her eyes in confusion and tilted her head. "What do you mean?"
"What i mean is, you should stop being so nice to people. That guy had tried to take your innocence away and you'd still be helping him just because he was 'almost dying'. Okay, i get it. Maybe it was wrong of Jongin to beat him up to the point that he was helpless and dying but he deserved it Areum. Stop being so optimistic about everything because people are gonna take advantage of you. And when they do, Jongin would be affected by it because he loves you so much that he didn't want to see you in pain. And when he is, that would only lead to the both of you arguing." he told her.
"I'm not saying that you shouldn't be nice. I'm just saying that you should keep your friends close, but your enemies closer."
She raised an eyebrow as the whole speech became even harder for her to understand. Sehun sighed.
"And what i mean by that is, you can be nice all you want, heck, just be yourself. But be aware with the people you're with so that you won't end up in a mess like you are right now."
She sighed and nodded as she processed every single word he said. "I guess it's partially my fault for not being careful.. But Jongin.. I expected him to at least give me some comfort after that frightening event but he only left me alone like i was able to get over it by myself.."
"He was just as unstable as you were Areum. As your boyfriend, he would obviously feel shaken up from it because he knows that the person he loves was being molested by a sick bustard. He would feel horrible because he wasn't able to do his job to protect you."
"That's exactly what he said." she whispered but it was still heard by Sehun.
"Because as a man, all we ever want to do when we're in love is to keep our lover safe and protected at all times. You're his precious girl and i know he couldn't bear to lose you.." he finished.
"So talk to him alright. Work things out with him. Arguments and fights are normal in a relationship. In fact, what is a relationship without complications?" he smiled genuinely and so did she— she finally knew what she had to do once she reaches home.
Back at the house, Jongin had decided to check on Areum in her room— to see whether she was physically and mentally alright— but he still has no idea that she had left the house to cool down and regain her composure.
He walked out of his room without a top on— not like she hasn't seen him half . Then he knocked on her door and waited until she opened up. But after continuous knocking, she still didn't. And that made him a little worried. So he turned the knob to her door, opened it slowly because he thought that maybe she was just asleep. But he pushed the door open only to meet a silent and quiet atmosphere. He walked around her room while calling out her name, searching for her but to his dismay, she was nowhere to be found.
He even searched the whole entire house, running around while pushing and opening doors he had never thought he would open ever since she moved in. He groaned in frustration and then hurried back to his room to grab his phone that was lying on his bed and quickly dialed her number.
"Where are you Cho Areum?" he asked himself while he walked back and forth in his room. Then he heard a familiar ringtone somewhere around the house. He went into her room again, scanning around, thinking that maybe she had left her phone there. But it wasn't anywhere that visible and yet he could still hear the ringing close by.
He walked out of her room and then made his way down as he heard the ringing get louder and louder. He was already in the living room, heading towards the main door where the ringing got even louder than it was before. Just then, the door opened swiftly, revealing Areum who was still staring at the screen of her phone in her hands.
Jongin looked at her and ended the call as he put his phone away from his ears. He relaxed when he saw that she was just fine but tensed again when he saw Sehun standing behind her. I'm not going to get jealous.. No.. Not now Jongin. He made a mental reminder to himself.
Sehun shared a look with him, as if telling him to do the right thing and fix the mess he had created. Then he placed a hand on Areum's shoulder and told her that he was gonna take his leave. She broke her gaze with Jongin and turned towards Sehun.
"Thank you." she barely said and gave him one last hug, completely oblivious to the burning eyes of her boyfriend from behind. At that moment, she didn't really care about what he'd think of her. Sehun had been there for her and she was very grateful that he was.
He pulled away and patted her head before walking towards his motorcycle but before he could even take a step, Jongin called out to him. "Oh Sehun."
He turned and raised his eyebrows.
"Thank you.." Jongin said with a sigh, causing him to nod as a response.
Areum didn't step in the house until Sehun was completely out of her sight. But even when he was already gone, she didn't budge from her position. She was afraid to face him, afraid that she might lose it again in front of him and afraid that if she did, he would leave her hanging again like he had on the same afternoon.
Jongin was leaning against the frame of the door and staring at Areum, waiting for her to get inside but all she did was stood there like she had been possessed. "Get inside." he finally spoke. Even if it was just two words, she felt her heart pumping so fast because those two words had been the first thing he said to her so far after their fight.
She listened and turned towards the door. She walked in with her head low, trying her best to avoid meeting his gaze although Jongin had already noticed her swollen eyes. And also, she didn't want to see his top because she would just be embarrassed by it and she knew she would blush even if she took just one glance.
He watched her enter slowly and then closed the door behind him. He sighed and took a sit on the sofa of the living room as she stood still, looking down at the floor as if she was ready to take in all the scoldings he would give.
"Come here." he patted the empty space beside him.
She followed his orders like a servant and sat next to him, leaving a gap between the both of them as she sat towards the end of the sofa. Jongin scoffed silently to himself and scooted closer to her while pulling her closer to him by her waist.
He rested his arms around her waist and twisted his body to face her. Her hair was covering her face and she was still trying her best to avoid his eyes. She played with her fingers nervously and bit her lips as she felt Jongin tuck a strand of her hair behind her ears, revealing her pale but still gorgeous face.
He grabbed her hands with his left and the other to tilt her head up to look at him. She finally met his eyes and she could feel the tears forming on the brim of her eyes. But she blinked it away. Then, he started grazing her cheeks so softly that she felt like she could melt just by his touch.
He grabbed her face and inched closer, kissing her swollen eyes to hopefully wash her pain away. He rested his forehead on hers once he was done and softly spoke. "I'm really, really sorry Areum." his voice sounded brittle as if he was about to cry.
"I'm sorry for taking out my frustration on you when you clearly did nothing wrong. I was just- I just love you so so much Areum. And i felt like a jerk because i couldn't protect you. As your man, i wasn't there for you. I'm really sorry Areum, i truly am." She could clearly hear the quaver in his voice and she knew he was starting to choke from the tears he was trying to hold in.
She placed her hands on his cheeks and wiped the droplets of tear that had managed to escape his eyes unknowingly. "I love you too Jongin. So much.. And don't be sorry.. Because it was my fault too, for not taking care of myself and for thinking that he was actually a nice person.. I'm sorry I didn't listen.." Her hands shivered on his face as she spoke.
"Let's stop with the apologies. Just forget about it okay.. You're here now. With me. That's what matters.. You're safe with me now and i promise i'll be a better guy for you in the future. I promise i'll take care of you like you're the most precious gem ever. Because i can't forgive myself and him for what happened back there." he buried himself into the crook of her neck and wrapped himself around her.
"Stop blaming yourself, please.. You're only hurting me by doing that so please Jongin.. Stop thinking that it's your fault because it isn't. Just like what you said, let's forget about it and move on with our lives. It's going to be hard for me but as long as i have you, i know i'll be fine." she hugged him tightly as she sobbed in his arms.
"I love you Areum. I love you very very much, more than you can imagine." he said as he stared into her soft brown eyes. Then he leaned in while he rubbed her arms with his slender fingers. His lips parted slightly and he closed his eyes as he closed the gap between them. The kiss was soft and gentle, and at that point, all the appalling memories of that afternoon slowly faded from her mind.
She was too captivated by his kiss that she didn't realize how red she was turning. Not once has Jongin failed to make her flushed just from his touch. Everyday, i fall in love with you more and more, and that's what scares me. Jongin thought to himself as he pulled away unwillingly, giving them a chance to catch their breaths.
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