You were helping Jessi make brunch when there was aggressive knocking at the door.

“Unni!! Are you expecting someone?” you called through the house. No reply. With a huff, you wiped your hands on a dish towel and went to open the door. Which you promptly shut.

“Good morning,” the words barely left your lips when you looked up and saw the cause of all your heartbreak.

You cracked the door open once more to make sure it was really him or if you just missed him so much your eyes were playing tricks on you. Unfortunately, they weren’t. You tried to shut the door again but he stuck his foot out just in time to catch the door before it closed. The two of you wrestled back and forth until you figured out that you would lose. So you ditched the door and ran into Jessi’s room where you knew you would be safe. He was right on your heels, but you managed to lock yourself in.

“Oh. Jiho-ya, you’re here.”

“Good morning.”

“Unni, what the . Why is he here?!!”

“Um, jagi. I can hear you.”

With a huff, you cracked open the door and dragged Jessi in by the collar, before slamming another door shut in Jiho’s ugly, beautiful face.

“So. Why is he here.” you gritted out.

“You said you wanted to talk and he asked where you were so,” she offered nonchalantly.

“Ok, but not this soon! I needed mental and emotional and spiritual preparation! Why didn’t you tell me, you traitor!” you whisper shouted.

“Welp,” she shrugged and moved to leave the room.

“Oh no no no. You’re not doing this to me” you tried to block the door but to no avail. She forced her way out and managed to push Jiho in, leaving the two of you awkwardly looking the other down.

You still weren’t ready to talk, even if he was right in front of you and seemed ready to do so. Knowing Jessi, she wouldn’t let you leave the room until you talked to him. Stuck between two unfavorable choices you just decided to avoid both and ignore Jiho.

After he silently watched you stress clean Jessi’s room for awhile, he decided enough was enough and took a step towards you. Seeing the movement in the corner of your eye, you braced yourself and resigned to your fate. If it was going to go down no matter what, you were going to do your best to hold your ground.

“Babe…I’m sorry,” he tried while reaching for your arm.

But you pulled away and continued to ignore him. That was the one thing he hated the most. He thought it was childish and it annoyed him to no end. Maybe it was a little petty, but you felt a small sense of satisfaction in upsetting him after all the suffering you went through. After a few more attempts, he exploded.

“Quit being childish, Y/N. I said I was sorry.”

Those words set off a nuclear bomb inside of you, causing you to whip around and shoot lazers at him.

“Oh so you think just saying sorry is enough to make up for everything that you did? Sorry doesn’t make anything better if you don’t even mean it, Zico” you said, poking your finger into his chest.

When he heard you call him by his stage name, he flinched. You only did that when you were really really upset. But he was never one to back down from a fight.

“Don’t touch me. I did mean it, but if you don’t want to believe it fine. I don’t get why you’re so upset anyways. You know I’m busy so I don’t always have time for us.” he huffed in annoyance.

“Oh so there’s an us now? Didn’t feel that way to me when I’ve been the only one trying. I’m busy too! My life doesn’t revolve around yours, but I still made an effort to check up on you because I love you, you . Sorry for being so goddamn needy while you’re going around partying at clubs and having other girls throw themselves at you without giving a damn about me, right? If you don’t love me anymore just say it to my face. It would hurt a lot less than you ghosting me and then talking about some girl like she’s the second coming of God.” Tears began forming in your eyes in anger and frustration. You repeatedly wiped your eyes with your arms, refusing to let them fall in front of him, but they somehow always did. You couldn’t help it. He was your weakness. Yet you pushed through because you needed to release all the pain you had been keeping bottled up.

“You know that I have a hard enough time believing in love as it is, and an even harder time believing that someone could actually love me for me. And for you, who’s supposed to know me the best, to do this to me hurts me so much. But you don’t give a right, because you don’t need me. So just go. Leave already and stop hurting me.” Upon finishing your rant you heaved, trying to breathe and up your tears at the same time. You had stopped looking him in the eyes awhile back so he wouldn’t know you were about to cry. Hold it in stupid, just until he walks away.

But he didn’t walk away. You didn’t notice because you were looking down but he had been steadily making his way over to you until he was right in front of you. During your rant, he realized how much he had really hurt you. And with softened, apologetic eyes he wrapped his arms around you and placed his head on top of yours.

“Get off of me!” you strugggled in his embrace because you really weren’t ready to forgive him.

But he continued to squeeze you even tighter until you gave up on getting away.

“Y/N. I’m really sorry for treating you less than what you deserved. Even though it’s true that I’ve been really busy, that doesn’t mean I couldn’t have spared even an hour each day to let you know how much I love you. I guess I just took you for granted. You know I would never want to hurt you. You’re the only one for me. The other girls mean nothing.” he whispered reassuringly as he your hair.

As sorry as he sounded, you weren’t done yet. He had put you through a lot of hurt and you didn’t want to think that he could do this again just because you would forgive him because you loved him. “You didn’t mean to but you did. You weren’t thinking about me at all. And despite what people think, I have more self-respect than to just let you treat me as a convenient nuisance. I’ll gladly let Seolhyun take my spot.”

“I know I did, baby. And I swear to you I will never treat you like this again. I know I’m not the best boyfriend, but I want to be for you. Seolhyun means nothing to me. She’s just a friend at most. I swear.”

At that you pushed back just enough to look at his face to see his expressions.

“That’s not what you said last night. And that’s not what Dispatch showed. Don’t lie to me, Jiho.”

He winced when you brought up last night, but he also noticed that you had softened your barriers when you said his name. “I didn’t mean what I said. I was drunk and I really regret that. Plus, you know papparazzi always twists things to make scandals. I was just taking her home because it was late.”

“Fine, I’lll take that. But being drunk is not an excuse. You know about my experiences with alcohol, and I let it slide that you drink so much because there was no harm being done. But I won’t let you hurt me and blame it on being in the wrong state of mind. You still said what you did.”

“I know and I’m sorry. I’ll be more careful. I won’t come home drunk anymore.”

“Don’t say things you don’t mean. I’m not trying to stop you from having fun with your friends. I don’t want to be that kind of girl. But this is a deal breaker. You know what I’ve been through and I won’t stick around to be abused.”

“I know and I’m serious. I won’t come home drunk anymore because I know how I get and I don’t want to hurt you. I promise that I will be better. I really do want you to be a part of my life for a long time, Y/N.” He kissed your forehead, lips lingering.

And with that you finally relented. “I really want you to be a part of my life for a long time too, Jiho.”

He smiled and squeezed you even tighter. He knew that it would take awhile for you to really heal and believe in him again, but he was more than happy to spend time to do so. “I love you and I promise to show you everyday, so that you won’t forget it.”

With a smile, you hugged him back. And giving him a peck on his cheek you replied, “I love you, too.”

“Are you two dumb lovebirds done in there? I need to get ready for a show!” Jessi called from outside.

The two of you looked at each other and laughed.