Standing in front of the door, I breathed in deeply before scanning my index finger to get into the apartment. Opening the door slowly, I walked in and took off my shoes, exchanging it for my home slippers. It was early. Too early for Hyukjae oppa to be awake on a Sunday. Taeri, Hyuna and I had woken up early to take a walk around her neighbourhood and to eat breakfast at 5am in the morning. However, as I stepped into the apartment, I had to take a few steps back in shock. Though I was right that Hyukjae oppa was still asleep, I hadn’t expect him to fall asleep on the sofa. It seems like he had been waiting the whole night. He wasn’t even lying down properly. I put my bag down on the dining table and went to my original bedroom to get a blanket. As I covered him up, I couldn’t help but smile. I was pretty sure that if angels were to descend onto earth, they would look exactly like him. With his pretty boy looks, it’s a wonder that he had chosen me back then.

I went to get changed into clothes that were more comfortable. Since ahjumma wasn’t going to be here, I decided to cook breakfast for Hyukjae oppa. I wasn’t a good cook but I did remember what Donghae taught me when I was still staying with him. I got out the kimchi that ahjumma kept in the fridge and prepared everything. I took in a deep breath. It was going to be my first time cooking without supervision. Now, how do I work the stove? I looked around and tried to figure out which one was it that I was supposed to turn. Slowly, I grew more comfortable with the stove as I cooked.

“Haemin, what are you doing?”

His voice startled me, causing me to jump a little.

“AH!”I cried out in pain as my hand accidentally grazed the side of the pan.

“Are you okay?”Hyukjae oppa came over to look at my hand.

“I’m fine. It’s nothing. Did you have a good sleep? Didn’t I say that I wouldn’t be home,”I chided him as I turned back to the stove.

“I thought you would change your mind. What are you cooking?”he asked, looking at the pan.

“Kimchi fried rice?”I answered.

“Kimchi what? Oh…,”Hyukjae oppa quickly regained his composure.

“Er…it doesn’t look appetizing, right? I think we better order take out,”I forced a smile.

“No, no. We’ll just eat this. Let me save it for you,”Hyukjae oppa took the spatula from me.

“I can’t do anything right…,”I sighed as I watched him cook.

“What do you mean? Your café is doing fine,”Hyukjae oppa gave me a sideway glance.

“I can’t even hold onto my first job. I can’t even cook. I ran away from my boyfriend when he proposed. I’m pathetic, right?”I sighed again as he took out some plates.

“Well, your health was at stake so you had to leave your job. You can learn how to cook. And I’m sure your boyfriend wouldn’t blame you for running away,”Hyukjae oppa grinned as he placed the two plates of fried rice on the dining table.

“I had a talk with the girls yesterday. It was my fault for running away and I shouldn’t have hurt you like that. Sorry,”I reached out to hug him.

“I already said it’s alright,”he chuckled.

“They told me how unfair it was for me to want you to forget the past yet I wasn’t doing what I preach. In that way, you wouldn’t be able to forgive yourself over that mistake. So, I hereby promise you that I’ll try my very best to put it all behind,”I let go of him to smile.

“I’ll try my best to put it behind me too. Because, honestly, the image of you hurting and in misery still haunts me sometimes, as well. Every time it does, I always feel like reaching out to hug you so that I’m reminded that you’re still mine,”he sighed.

“Oh, poor baby. Come here,”I hugged him again.

In the silence, we just hugged, reassuring each other of our unwavering love for each other. I didn’t run away because I stopped loving him, I was just afraid. At the end of the day, no matter what happens, I would still go back to this man, simply because I love him and he’s the only person who could love me so much. Slowly, I let go of him, giving him a smile. He leaned in to give me a quick peck of the lips.

“I love you, Haemin,”he caressed my cheeks as he whispered.

“I love you too, Hyukjae oppa. I promise you that I’ll never ever leave your side this time round. We’ll make it work,”I said with determination.

“Does that mean you’ve accepted my marriage proposal?”he asked cheekily.

“Let’s eat now, shall we?”I gestured towards the table while hiding the blush that was creeping up my face.

I’ve got other plans for him for that….but he doesn’t to know about it. Yet!

“Avoiding the topic again, aren’t we? Fine, I did say that I wouldn’t rush your decision,”he chuckled as he ruffled my hair.

We settled down at the dining table and began eating. I told him all about the sleepover we had and how much fun we had since it was our first sleepover in such a long time.

“I wished Soobin was there though,”I smiled sadly.

“She wasn’t there? Where did she go?”Hyukjae oppa looked up.

“Hyuna said she went to Incheon to visit her parents. But the fact that she didn’t even ask Taeri along before she went is weird,”I answered.

“Is there an emergency or something? That’s why she couldn’t get to ask Taeri in time?”he asked me.

“I doubt so. She had the time to tell Hyuna,”I shook my head.

“Why don’t you call her parents if you’re so worried? If she’s there, you’ll be able to rest your mind,”he suggested.

“I don’t have their number,”I sulked.

“Does Taeri know?”Hyukjae oppa asked as he ate another spoonful of rice.

“Nope,”I shook my head again.

“Well, today is Sunday. She’ll be back tonight. You can call her later on and ask. But she’s been acting a little strange eh?”Hyukjae oppa frowned.

“Wait…Hyukjae oppa! Do you think she could have gone to visit Donghae?”I clapped my hands together.

“Donghae again? Even if she did like him, isn’t it weird for her to just go visit a guy in another town?”Hyukjae oppa raised an eyebrow.

“Then, how do you explain the fact that she just disappeared from the city without telling us. If she were to really be visiting her parents, we would have known and Taeri would have been in Incheon with her,”I replied.

“But I’ve been keeping in contact with Donghae, he didn’t mention anything about her,”Hyukjae oppa said.

“He didn’t?”I was disappointed.

I had thought that those two had begun to date which would explain her weird behavior. But if she wasn’t in Incheon and didn’t visit Donghae, then where on earth was she?

“Relax, Haemin. If she said that she’ll be away for the weekend, she’ll be back tonight. She has to report to work tomorrow, anyway. If she’s not back by then, you can start to worry and I will file a missing person report, okay?”Hyukjae oppa reached out for my hand.

I nodded my head though I was unable to hide my worry. I’m gonna kill you when I see you, Park Soobin! WHERE ARE YOU?!

End of Chapter

DarkAngel