The familiar dial tone echoes from the ear piece to her ears. She's waiting expectantly for the call to get through and as she hoped, his phone is off. Her call gets diverted to voicemail but she doesn't mind. At least she hears the voice that she has been longing for the entire day.

"You've reached Joonmyun's phone. I'm sorry I can't pick up your call but please a message after the beep or text me. I'll try to get back to you as soon as possible. BEEP!" Sookyung lets the beep linger in the air before hanging up. She feels her eyes begin to sting and takes a deep breath while looking up to hold back the tears. She watches the rain falling against the glass of the phone booth noticing that in the span she was occupied, the weather replicated her emotions.

She sinks to the floor when she could no longer hold the tears back. Holding her legs towards her thin frame, she thinks of his warm embrace and how she longs for him to just wrap his arms around her. How he’d kiss her tears away, how he’d hold her hands giving it a squeeze for comfort and how he’d do anything for her to smile again. All of which are past memories that seem like centuries ago but also wishful thinking for the near future.

Her tears continue to fall silently while she pulls out her own phone and look through the pictures stored in her phone of their happy and peaceful moments. The time he surprised her with an elegant dress and shoes to a charity event. The dusty cream chiffon dress with vines of sparkling crystals embellished across the shear top. It was simply exquisite paired with Ralph and Russo’s Eden heel pump with rose-gold leaves adorning the heels. She felt like she was a princess that night and he was her prince. Oh how she wishes to be transported back to that moment when he led her in a slow dance. His eyes watching her with adoration while she could barely meet his eyes due to embarrassment but she now wishes she looked back into his eyes or to give him a chaste peck or perhaps lean into him more to feel his warmth.

There was so many what-ifs and could-have-beens that have hardened into heavy stones of regret. Stones which she wants to throw away but remain deeply embedded into her heart and too painful to extract. Even if she did throw them away, she would come back to gather them back as it would be a thousand times more painful to try to forget.

She can almost smell the smoke of his first disastrous homemade meal when she gets to the image of his Spaghetti Bolognese. The meatballs were too dry and crumbly while there was not enough Bolognese sauce to go with the spaghetti. The entrée of garlic bread was burnt on the top while the butter and cheese in between have not melted yet. Nevertheless, you were touched at his first attempt and ate it while bearing with the less than perfect meal. The only consolation was that it was edible and you did not get food poisoning. You truly felt special that he had tried to make dinner at all and after the first attempt at dinner, he had practiced extremely hard to perfect his culinary skills so that he may present a more favourable meal to which he succeeded a month later.

She glances at the time to see that it is almost 11 o’clock and decides she would make one more call just before she goes home. Wiping her tear-stained cheeks, she pulls herself up and inserts a coin into the machine. She dials the number that refuses to be erased from her mind and she listens to the dial tone ring a few times. However, instead of being patched to voicemail, the call was answered and she could barely breathe as she hears a deep, “Hello?” She remains still while she continues to listen to his breathing across the line. Another, “Hello?” comes through but with more conviction. She holds her breath and keeps her left hand covering to prevent any sounds escaping while a fresh batch of tears stream down her cheeks and blurring her vision.

Despite the lack of response, he doesn’t hang up. He listens to the subtle breaths and the more distinct sound of rain drumming on windows. He wishes for her to say something, he hasn’t heard her voice in over a month but he respects her silence and will wait patiently until she’s ready to talk to him. He was met with disappointment when he hears the disconnected tone a few minutes later and he sighs heavily while his heart sinks deeper.

“I miss you,” he whispers through the line hoping that perhaps she will feel his longing for her even if she doesn’t hear it. He finally hangs up to check the number displayed on his screen. It was not hers but he knows for sure it was her and could only be her. He leans back into his chair, closing his eyes while the shadows of rain droplets overlay his face while a single tear trails down his face imitating the droplets on the window. He lets the sorrow wash over him while he thinks of her smiles, her small hands and the scent that permeates all around her.

When his eyes open again, he stands up with determination and leaves his apartment with car keys in his hand giving no thought of putting on more clothes for the wet weather outside. He finds himself driving recklessly through the streets with the downpour but his heart urges him to drive faster towards the person who he calls home. When he reaches her apartment, he parks across the street so that she may not notice him. He gets out the car and into the rain when he notices a petite figure holding a broken umbrella. His heart aches as he watches from afar, he wishes with all his heart to run over and block the rain falling upon her pale complexion. He restrains himself, reminding himself that she is no longer his and he cannot protect her like he used to. He watches as she makes her way into the apartment, waiting for her lights to turn on. He gives no notice to the rain dripping down his face and soaking his clothes. He only watches her silhouette on the thin wet curtains that flutter around her open window.

She slowly makes way to the windows to gather the curtains together and to close the window. She glances outside to the dimly lit street below and sees a figure next to a familiar car. Her eyes widen in shock and she quickly withdraws herself from the window. However, the rain comes down even harder and she has no choice to close the window before any more of her floor gets wet. She glances outside again and sees that he still stands under the unforgiving rain. Her mind asks for him to leave but her heart aches for him to come closer. She experiences a fresh bout of tears and quickly wipes them away as she turns around to avoid looking at his solemn tormented expression.

He continues to stand in the rain even after the downpour has stopped. He doesn’t leave until all the lights in her apartment has been turned off. Even then, he waits around for a few more minutes hoping that she may look out her window one more time. He wasn’t disappointed when he saw the curtains in her bedroom shift slightly and a pair of brown orbs watch him in concern.

“Goodnight, my love,” he speaks aloud. She catches on to his message and more tears spring from her eyes, breaking his heart but his heart shatters when she whispers back three words that he longed to hear when they were on the phone.

“I love you,” she closes the curtains and makes her way into the sheets of her bed, tears staining her pillowcase already and her heart breaking at image of her love soaking wet in the street below.

He gets back into the car after a few minutes and eventually drives off with thoughts of a particular girl that loves him so whole-heartedly that she gave him up so that he may continue to live an affluent life but none of that matters if he didn’t have her. With his decision made, he drives towards his parents’ house in the dead of the night with renewed hope that he may reunite with the love of his life with some sacrifices.

Dear Sookyung,

By the time you get this letter, I’ll be gone. I have agreed to take over the New York branch on the circumstances that I may marry you after 4 years. My parents have agreed on this and I want you know that if after the 4 years and you no longer love me, all of this would still be worth it because your happiness means the world to me. I love you and I hope that when I do come back, there’ll be a smile on your face.

Forever yours,

Joonmyun

When she received the letter, she didn’t know whether to cry or smile but she held on to the hope that he will return for her because he was a man of his words and on her ring finger was his engagement ring to her. A Tiffany Setting ring that was simple and elegant just like her with a clear sign of devotion and love for her that was unmeasurable.

Inspiration: Erase - Hyolyn and Jooyoung ft. Iron
Hope you've enjoyed the second chapter. I feel like I'm not very good at writing angst. I prefer fluff since it's so cute and sweet. Please let me know how to improve and comments are dearly appreciated.