Chapter Four

“I sense something is different with you…” Mina studies her best-friend, squinting her eyes at her, trying to figure what is different. “What is it?”

Aeiyoung shrugs her shoulders and tells her as she pushes the dinner plate closer to her, “Sit down and just eat.”

“What is it?” she continues to ask. “What happened today?”

She breaks into a giggle, only proving the other that, indeed, something is different with her. “Nothing.” She answers, which only stimulates the lady’s curiosity further.

“Ji Aeiyoung.” Her friend calls sternly.

“Seon Mina.” She calls back in the same manner. “Just eat.”

“Whatever it is, I’ll find out.” She says determinedly, grabbing the chopstick and begins eating.

Aeiyoung continues to look at her food and doesn’t say anything but she listens to the other’s words intently. She knows it’s hard to keep anything from her best-friend – apart from the fact that she is her best-friend, Mina has ways of her knowing things she’s interested and intrigued about.

“Oh, that’s right. I won’t be here from Friday ‘till Monday.” The lady, who just began eating, informs.

Aeiyoung glances up and asks her curiously, “Why not?”

“My boyfriend’s mother’s birthday. I’m going to meet her properly for the first time as Chanyeol’s girlfriend. Apparently, she wants everyone there including her son’s girlfriend and her oldest daughter’s fiancé.” She explains, pouring herself a glass of water.

She nods. “I see. Do you need anything for the trip?”

Mina purses her lips and thinks hard. Then looks at her best-friend sideways, leaving a sarcastic reply, “Some courage.”

Her best-friend breaks into laugh of amusement. “You know, I never imagined hearing you say this again.” She tells her. “Not after being so anxious to tell your parents about your first boyfriend.”

The lady glares at her. “That was when I fifteen, okay?” She says defensively. “I was only forced to tell them because they saw me with him; when they’ve always been strict on boys.”

“You mean, being the conservative parents they are and then they saw you kissing on the streets?” She continues to tease.

“Stop it. You’re not helping.” She whines.

Despite the teasing, Aeiyoung knows she’s really anxious and nervous about meeting her boyfriend’s mother formally. “Come on, Mina. I know how assertive and confident you can be. In fact, much more than I’ll ever be. And you’re polite and sweet. Chanyeol loves you. So, you’ll be just fine. She’ll love you if she loves her son. And eventually, she’ll love you because you’re you and not solely just because you’re Chanyeol’s girlfriend.” She assures genuinely.

“You think so?” She asks.

She bobs her head up and down twice before answering, “Yes.”

Mina looks at her best-friend gratefully. She knows it’s not her habit to sugar-coat her words to make people feel better. If she has nothing good to say or what she’s about to say won’t really do any good, she would just keep shut. But if she has something good to say on other people, she makes sure they know it because first, it is true and second, they deserve to hear it.

“What time did you get home by the way?” She asks her dear best-friend.

“Around six.” She answers. “And you? You came later than usual.”

She rolls her eyes. “Traffic. Because of the concert at the arena. Heaps of people were there. It’s crazy and annoying.”

“Phew, lucky I went to different route.”

“Yes, lucky you.” She agrees. “I wasn’t thinking. — Oh, forget the dishes. I’ll do it since you cooked me some delicious chicken stir fry.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah.” She nods. “Take a rest.”

“I don’t think so.” She answers. “I have to clean up and organise things in the storage. It’s a mess.”

“You don’t have to. Leave it.”

She shakes her head. “It’s irking me.”

“Clean-freak.” Mina remarks.

She scrunches her face playfully. “I wouldn’t say no.”

They both laugh before she heads towards the storage area and the other proceeds to doing the dishes.

After about two and a half hours of cleaning with pure dedication with consistent refusal of Mina’s offer to help, Aeiyoung finishes and decides to take a shower. After, she dries her hair and opens her laptop to continue some of her pending works.

At nine o’ clock, Jongin arrives home. It’s a long and busy day but he can’t say it’s a bad at all. It’s a good day. He quietly enters the foyer and sees his sister, sitting by the spacious lounge area, watching a movie.

“Jaein.” He calls, surprised seeing her there when she should be in Paris.

Quickly, the sister leaps up from the leather couch and runs to embrace her brother.

“Jongin.” She says, hugging him tightly to express how much she missed him.

He hugs her back and when they pull back, he looks at her from head to toe, to check if she’s okay and recalling how his sister looks again after eight months being in Paris. “You didn’t tell me you’ll be back. I could’ve had Gyo to pick you up or me.”

Jaein shakes her head. “It’s okay. I meant to surprise you.” She says. “Though, I did not expect you’d come home this late. I was waiting to eat dinner with you.”

Jongin pokes her head playfully. “That’s why you should’ve called me. I would cancel the meeting for you.”

“But it’s okay now.” She grins. “Please tell me you’re hungry because I am and I want to eat with you.”

He chuckles. Actually, he ate already and he’s full but he will, anyway. Anything for his sister. “Okay.” They head towards the dining area. “Where’s Mikyeong?” He looks for his housekeeper. “Did she take care of you?” He glances at his sister.

“Yes, she did. She cooked something for us to eat and gave me something light to eat while waiting for you as well.”

He smiles. “Trusted she would do so.”

When they reach the dining area, a lady in her forties arrive, is setting up the table. She greets her boss, “Mr Kim.”

Nodding in return, he says, “Thank you for taking care of my sister.”

Mikyeong smiles. “It’s a pleasure, Mr Kim.”

“Have you eaten?” He asks.

“Yes, I have.” She answers formally.

“Good.”

Jaein releases herself from Jongin and gasps at the dishes on the table as she takes a seat. Three dishes are served and she feels troubled because she doesn’t know what to eat first.

The older brother watches her reaction in amusement. He really missed his little sister. “Hungry?” he teases.

“Very!” She responds totally missing her brother’s teasing as she keeps her eye on the table.

He leans rests his arms on the crest rail of the chair, smiling gleefully towards her. “Eat a lot.”

“Will do.” She says, grabs the chopsticks and turns to him. “I’ve been maintaining my weight all this while I was in Paris but I think tonight will be an exception. Thanks to Mikyeong.”

He laughs and takes a seat. “Does Mum, Dad and Sera know you’re here?”

Jaein hums, “Mum and Dad knows because I called them before my flight here – told them to keep it a secret from you and that I don’t want to get picked up. With Sera, I messaged her when I landed and she told me she wants to see me soon after she gets back from Germany.” The very next second she finishes talking, she feeds herself and closes her eyes after few chews. The food is heaven.

“Why keep it a secret from me?” he asks.

She gives him a ‘duh’ look, “Because I wanted to surprise you.” She answers like it was the most stupid question she’s heard all her life.

“Yeah, why?”

“Because then it wouldn’t be a surprise anymore. Plus, I know when I tell you, you’ll either send Gyo, have someone else or… you’ll go yourself to pick me up. I know how busy you are and I don’t want you to worry about that. And, I can take care of myself.” She winks at him.

“But what if something happened to you? If not me, then I can send someone to take you safely here and it’s in no way you’ll be disturbing me.” He tells her as if she doesn’t know.

“I’m safe though, aren’t I?” she reasons.

“You are.” He nods. “Not again though.” He says referring to having no one pick her up or assist her whenever she’s going out.

“You’re still as protective as ever, Jongin.” She comments and drinks a fruit juice. He’s not as protective to Sera as he is to her.

“I’m your brother and you’re my little sister.” He points.

Jaein squints her eyes to him. “Or perhaps, you need a girlfriend…” She thinks, because maybe then, her brother would lay off being so protective to him.

Jongin doesn’t say anything to that but he knows what she’s doing… or more like why she’s saying that. They continue to eat, enjoying Mikyeong’s cooking.

“Are you going to see Mum and Dad tomorrow?” he asks.

“Yeah. – She said she wants me to come as soon as possible.”

“Eight months is long, you know.”

“It is.” She sighs. “And I know Mum misses me a lot, the same with Dad. I miss them too. But anyway,” She diverts the topic, “how was your day?” she asks.

“Long and tiring.” Then his lips curve in a small smile at the reminder of what happened in the morning, “But great.”

She raises an eyebrow suspiciously at her brother. Unusual to hear that from him and to see that smile while he talks about his day. Obviously, something happened out of the ordinary. She’s curious to know. “What happened?”

Jongin doesn’t answer and continues to eat, picking up a chunk of beef from the plate with his chopsticks.

“Brother!” she calls loudly and then asks again calmly but with seriousness, “What happened?’

He keeps silent, looking at her with innocent eyes which only teased the lady.

A thought comes into her head. Though, it’s less likely she decides to ask. It won’t hurt, would it? “Is it a girl?”

He breaks into a happy grin that reaches his ears and avoids her gaze. It’s enough to answer her question.

“It is!” she concludes. Wearing a bright and excited smile, she looks at him, “Well, this is new.” She rests her elbow on the table and her cheek to her palm. “Who is she? What’s her name? Do you like her? Is she your girlfriend?” She bombards him with questions in a calm manner.

“She’s not my girlfriend.” He answers for a start. “…yet.”

“So, you like her!” She exclaims.

He doesn’t answer to that.

“Can I meet her?”

“Maybe. Hopefully.” He tells her in attempt to calm the lady who seemed to have forgotten her food. “Finish what’s on your plate.”

“Why not? And don’t try to divert the topic!”

“I’m not.” He denies. He just didn’t want to give her the chance to expect because at the moment, all he could do is hope and today, he’s hopeful.

Does he like her? Well, he’s about to board there.

***

Wednesday night, a stressed Aeiyoung stands by the lobby of the building where a big function hall is located which potentially could be the venue for one of the events she’s handling. Disorganisations isn’t something she can tolerate even just by a little bit. It pisses her off more because she doesn’t have control over it. It’s been a very hectic day, the sun is down, it’s getting late and things turn out like this. She sighs heavily as she fiddles with her phone to make a call when a hotel staff approaches her with an apologetic face.

“I’m sorry, Ma’am.” She says with her head down.

She wants to snap at her but what good will it do? It’s not like this innocent staff has something to do with it. She’s apologising on behalf of the hotel and not on behalf of her boss because the person Aeiyoung is angry with is not even this staff’s boss. However, she can’t say ‘It’s alright’ when it’s not. Obviously, she’s disappointed and frustrated.

“I’m just very disappointed as we made firm arrangements after Mr Kwang dragged it out for so long. And now we’re here, we can’t even proceed because he is nowhere and no one is briefed to take charge. It’s very unprofessional and it’s risking the hotel’s good reputation.” She explains trying to sound as calm and less frustrated as possible.

Before she gets to reply, her phone rings. Aeiyoung permits her to go and she answers her phone, hovering her finger over the screen and sliding it across.

“Yes?” she snaps.

“Yes, hello too, Aeiyoung.” The caller greets.

The lady pulls the phone away from her ear and looks at the name of the caller. Her eyes widen and curses at herself internally. She takes a deep breath before speaking again.

“I’m sorry about that, Mr–” she corrects herself, “Jongin.”

“You sound frustrated…” he notices. “and stressed.”

She sighs. “I am.” She admits. “Today has been a stressful day and nothing is seemingly to work out.” Jongin doesn’t answer so she continues, thinking she might’ve offended the male or it’s inappropriate for her to talk like that, “It’s okay, though. May I ask why you called? Is there anything I can do for you?”

Ignoring the lady’s question, he asks worriedly, “Have you eaten dinner yet?”

Aeiyoung’s eyes wander. Now that she thinks about it, she has not eaten lunch and obviously, dinner. Today is such a busy day, she barely felt hunger.

“I take your silence as a ‘Yes’?” he speaks again. “How do you think of having dinner with me?”

She looks at her clock. It’s five past eight in the evening. “Have you not had dinner yet?”

“No, I just finished from a four-hour meeting.” Jongin notices her silence, perhaps wondering if she would go to dinner with him or not. But, at the moment, he hopes she’d say yes. He wants to see her again so he tries to be assertive about it. “Where are you? Should I pick you up?”

Her jaw drops by a little, “I don’t think that would be necessary.” He feels his heart drop until she asks, “What dinner do you have in mind?”

He breaks into a smile. It’s a Yes. “I’m thinking some Japanese food. I feel ramen would be perfect.”

“Do you know any good place?”

“Yes, I do.” Jongin stands up and picks up his blazer, heading out of his office. “I know a perfect one.”

“I’ll see you, then.” She says.

He heads towards the lift and tells her the Japanese restaurant he always loved going to. “See you, Aeiyoung. You sure you don’t me to pick you up?”

“I brought my car. I can drive.” She assures.

“Be careful driving.” He reminds. He can’t help but do so. “Message me when you’re there?”

“Okay.” She says calmly, forgetting the stress she’s feeling a moment ago.

Around twenty minutes later, she parks her car at the roadside, in front of the Japanese place he said. She takes her phone out and sends Jongin a message.

To: Kim Jongin
From: Ji Aeiyoung
Sent: Wednesday, 20:25

“I’m parking outside.”

She climbs out of the car, with her bag and locks it. She turns towards the entrance of the restaurant and sees Jongin standing in a relax stance with a bright aura. He walks towards her as she does the same and they meet in the middle, making sure they are not in the other people’s way.

“Hungry?” he asks.

Aeiyoung puts her hand over her stomach with an embarrassed smile. “Starving~.”

Jongin chuckles and bobs his head to the side, towards the restaurant. “Let’s go inside.”

Couples stagger out the same time they enter, they nearly bump into Jongin causing to protectively hold Aeiyoung so she doesn’t stumble back and get hurt. He gives them space as they mutter a sorry and walks off.

He looks at her carefully, leading the lady to make sure she’s okay. “Thank you.” He nods and walk their way inside, towards a table in a closed space, giving them privacy.

“What would you like to eat?” He asks as a waiter approach them, ready to take their order.

“I’ll have Tonkotsu ramen.” She says.

“Shoyu Ramen for me. Chef’s best Sashimi and Tempura.” He glances towards her. “Anything else?”

“Just lemon iced tea please. Otherwise, I’m good with that.” She smiles.

Jongin looks back at the waiter, wordlessly telling him to list that. The waiter does so and bows, telling them that it won’t take long. Jongin looks at her, making the lady feel conscious. He wonders how it is possible to miss someone so much when you only got to meet them in a span of less than a week. It’s weird, it’s scaring him due to unfamiliarity but he doesn’t want anything else. He just wants to see her more and more. He just wants her to be comfortable with him to the point she won’t feel conscious at all.

“Stressful day, you said?” He prompts.

Aeiyoung nods. “So many things happened but barely got anything done. I can’t confirm anything at the venue for one of the event I’m handling because the person who’s supposed to accommodate isn’t there, he didn't give us any prior notice or any reason. And made us wait for who knows how long.” She rolls her eyes at the memory. “And then, before that, there was a mix up with the appointments and then…” She stops when she realises she’s babbling. “I’m talking too much, aren’t I?”

He shakes her head. “I like hearing you talk.”

She bites her bottom lip. “How was your day?”

“Great.” He answers. “Nothing special happened until…”

“Until?”

“Until I got to talk to you and you said yes to have dinner with me.” He finishes, his eyes deep and serious, glowing with sincerity.

Aeiyoung could feel her heart beat and butterflies are in her stomach. But the same time with this, she’s scared. She’s scared because the last time she felt this, she only got so broken that it nearly ruined her. Which then became the deciding factor that she doesn’t want to give this thing people call ‘love’ another chance.

Though, she can’t deny the effect Kim Jongin has on her. She’s probably like one of the many, many girls who are affected by him, swoon over his undeniable and apparent charm. It’s not hard to be charmed by him, Aeiyoung thought. It’s natural. To her, she’s one with the many. She’s nothing different.

But she tries to collect herself together, masking whatever doubts and fears she has running over her system.

“You come here often?” she asks.

He knows what she’s doing but doesn’t say anything about it and gets along, “For Japanese food, being in the country, it’s got to be here.”

The same waiter comes back and serves them iced tea while waiting for their food to be served. When he’s done, he exits again so she asks, “So, you brought girls here before?”

Jongin looks at her intently after hearing the question. He lets a moment beat before answering with a serious tone, “No. You’re the first after my Mum. Otherwise, I only share this place with myself. Not even with my older and younger sister.”

He never came here with his friends or sisters before. Well, he’s told Sehun about it, but they don’t really go here together like they do to other places when they meet to casually hang-out and catch up. This Japanese restaurant is special. It’s a place where he can spend his time alone comfortably and be able to think whenever him and his mind are a mess.

Aeiyoung widens her eyes at how honest Jongin’s answer was and sounded. She doesn’t know she should react. She doesn’t know what to say either.

“I haven’t told you, have I?”

She shakes her head. “You have siblings?”

“Sisters.” He clarifies. “I got one older sister, she’s Sera and one younger sister, which is... Jaein.”

“I see.”

“But I wasn’t referring to that.” He confesses, completely throwing her off-guard and dumbfounded. “I’m referring to the fact that I haven’t told you that I like you.”

When Jongin saw her standing by her car this evening, seeing her after almost two days, he knows he’s already stepped over the boundary between interest and likeness. Both of his feet are stepping on that stage – he likes her. He felt the moment he’s mesmerised seeing her once again. He likes having her around and he likes being around her. She has that sparkle she brings along. And that sparkle attracts him the same way it is mystifying to him.

“I really like you, Ji Aeiyoung.” He officially confesses, being very clear with his words; making sure his sincerity reaches her. “I don’t expect anything from you for now. Be at ease. And please breathe.” He tells her when he noticed she’s holding her breath.

And she breathes. She doesn’t know what to say. What is she supposed to do? Kim Jongin just confessed to her. But he doesn’t let her think over it too much as he returns the question, “Do you have siblings?” He returns.

She clears and answers, “Just me. – I warned you.” She tells him softly. “There’s not much about me.”

He narrows his eyes at her. “I have to disagree with that.” He says. “I think there is much to know in a person who assumes to not have much about her.”

She can’t help but hope that his opinion would stay like that over time and that he won’t regret whatever he said to her, or the time he spent with her. Hopefully, he won’t think that he wasted his precious time on a girl like her. She can’t help but just feel anxious.

“I’m sure of it.” He says without a doubt as if he just read her mind.

She drinks from her very cool iced tea and then asks a question to alter the focus of their conversation on her. “Do you see your family often? I mean, if you don’t live with them.” She wants to ask so many questions she’s been wanting to ask in addition to the ones she has since that Monday morning but she keeps it to herself.

“I moved out a year after I established my company and paid back the money they gave me to start with.” He explains. “I see them when I can, especially my parents. Now, only Jaein lives with them when she’s in the country.”

“She doesn’t live here?”

“Well, she’s here and there. She was in Paris to study fashion. Last Monday night, she came back after eight months being there.”

“Is Sera married?” she asks, considering the fact that he said his only younger sister lives with his parents.

He snorts, as if the thought is outrageous. “No. No one would marry a tough woman like her. Good luck to the guy who’ll take the shot.” He jokes.

Aeiyoung smiles at herself after seeing another side of Jongin. Who would’ve thought that he had this side of him? He seems so youthful and carefree just then and she likes that side of him. “Is she like a dominant kind of person? Or like the type of woman who priorities her career more than anything?”

“No.” He shakes his head. “She spent most of her years studying. She’s a paediatric doctor now but before that, she took Law but dropped out a year before she’s supposed to graduate. And I think it’s because of that, that she didn’t find time to meet men.”

And finally, their food arrives. Her stomach growls as the smell reaches her nose. She now feels the hunger of not eating lunch and eating only a light meal for breakfast this morning.

They enjoy the rest of the evening, digging in their ramen as well as the sashimi and tempura he ordered for both of them. Of course, with the lady trying to free herself from doubts and worries.

“I think, by far, this is the best Tonkotsu ramen I’ve had.” She comments.

“It’s good, isn’t it?”

“It is.” She nods. “It tastes very authentic and flavourful, which I love.”

“Exactly They keep the real flavour of the Japanese food without needing to add any artificial flavour but still having their own touch and twists.”

Aeiyoung bobs her head, totally agreeing with him. “I’m glad you took me here. Another favourite food place to go to added to my list.”

“I’m happy you like it.” He says, satisfied.

They finish their dinner by sharing a small glass of Sekitoba Imo Shochu and Aeiyoung is intending to pay when the waiter let her know that it’s already been put on Jongin’s account.

“Why’d you pay?” she asks. “We could’ve shared.”

They walk out of the restaurant, with one of their crews giving their goodbye’s in Japanese and stand by her car with Jongin’s car parked three cars away from hers. She notices Gyo standing patiently.

“It’s okay. I ordered most of it anyway. You only ordered ramen.” He reasons.

Aeiyoung smiles sweetly, “Thank you for tonight.”

“You’re very welcome.”

Ever since Jongin confessed earlier, Aeiyoung has been carefully thinking about it. She paid attention and responded whenever Jongin would ask a question or whenever he would talk but when they are silent, her thoughts travel back to his confession.

It’d be a lie if she said she isn’t interested. Or that, she did not like him. She does. She likes him too. Since that Friday night they met, she would be lying if she said that encounter was just like any other encounter. He had an impact on her and the more they meet, the more her eyes meet his, the more he calls her name, the more love her heart gets filled. And with every effort he made to reach out to her, when he asked questions about her, when he made sure she’s safe, when he went to her office for coffee, when he called her this evening for dinner, when he opened up on matters that is personal to him, Aeiyoung appreciated every bit of it. She’s thankful and happy.

But along with it all was her fears that continue to besiege and dominate her. Because the first time this happened to her, the last time she felt this, it crushed her. When it started, she felt ecstatic. She felt like she was in the heavens, in a paradise where disasters won’t reach — it overwhelmed her like she’s in a rollercoaster that doesn’t go down or in circles; it only goes up and she liked. She loved it.

But then a time came, when the disaster she thought won’t reach her, actually did right from the very beginning, maybe even before it started. That disaster was just waiting to take a blow on her. It slapped her across the face leaving a painful print in her heart. And she can’t help but think that the same thing would happen again and if she goes through that again, she believes she won’t be able to take it anymore. How can she be so sure that he wouldn’t do whatever he did to her? That Jongin won’t hurt her the way he did. After all, who is she? Who is she for someone like Kim Jongin to like? Moreover, in such a short span of time.

Though, she just couldn’t forget the sincerity she saw in Jongin’s eyes and heard in his voice. And she didn’t want to give him any false hope because she didn’t want to hurt him. Not ever. Because no one deserves to get hurt like the way she did or in any way. But how can she say to stop liking her, to stop whatever feelings he has for her (if ever it’s real and he’s not playing with her) if she, herself, likes him too?

So maybe this is the only way — to be real and be forthright. Then, she’ll leave the choice to him.

“Jongin…” she calls, her voice breaking, scared.

The man doesn’t say anything and looks straight at her. He can tell something is troubling her.

“About that thing… when you told me you like me…” He’s listening carefully to every word she says and he can feel how much courage she’s trying to build in between. He feels it’s important, significant and sensitive to her. He can see it in her eyes so he won’t stop or interrupt her. “I just want to tell you that… I’m scared.”

His brow twitches, confused he asks, “Scared of what?”

“Of everything.” She confesses, holding back her tears as the memory of what happened then, in her teenage years, comes back inside her mind.

She wants to tell him she likes him too but she won’t. She can’t.

“Liking me won’t be easy. And maybe, there’ll come a point when you’ll get tired of it. You’ll get tired of me and you’ll regret telling me you like me. You’ll regret having feelings for me.”

Jongin narrows his eyes at her, before saying, “Don’t be scared.” He repeats tenderly, “Don’t be.”

“But–”

He shakes his head. “If time is something you need, take it. Spend it. All you need.”

Aeiyoung blinks.

“I just told you that I like you so you’ll understand why I keep reaching out. So, you’ll understand why I like seeing you, why I would like to know you.” He explains with calmness and passion. “Everything is a process, Aeiyoung.”

She presses her lips together.

“I’m not asking you to be my girlfriend or to be mine. Not yet.” He clarifies. “But like you, I’m in the process as well. I’m not even asking you to reciprocate anything.” He continues, “I told you I like you because I do. I really do and I wanted you to know.”

“Jongin…”

“I don’t play, Aeiyoung. I’ve done that. I’ve been there before and passed that phase. I don’t want to go back there again.” He tells her sincerely. “So, if one of the things you’re scared about is me playing around, that I’m playing you… get rid of it and trust me.” He smiles considerably, “Let’s start with…” he hums in wonder, “There’s that term you girls call it… Let’s be friends first…or something?” His smile grows a little wider, kind of cheeky. “For now?”

She cracks into a chuckle and he’s relieved to hear that. At least, she’s now smiling. “Okay.”

“It’s good to see you smile.” He comments.

Jongin doesn’t know what exactly is scaring her, what’s the cause of her fears and how it happened. He wants to know because he wants to understand her but for now, he’s going to give it a rest. He’s going to put it aside and take things one at a time. By the time she’s ready, he’s all ready to hear and ultimately, listen. As, in all honesty, just like she is, he is too. But it seems like whenever he’s with her, he tends to forget it all. Because with her, it isn’t the fear that crawls inside his head, it’s the bliss, the happiness, the comfort and contentment.

Though, at the back of his head, he could only wish that when the time comes and they get to the point where she gets to know what’s hiding behind him—the past he’d like to keep folded, she won’t leave and that she’ll choose to stay.

“Drive safe, okay?”

Aeiyoung bobs her head up and down. “I will.”

“Okay.”

AUTHOR's NOTE:

I haven't proofread this so, apologies for any typos and grammars. Gahh, I don't even know how I'm going with this, oh my. I'm worried but oh, well I'm just going to put it here and crossed fingers at everything. HAHA.

Also, I haven't said anything about it, right? The length of the chapters I am going to write is inconsistent, it depends. Sometimes, it's as long as 5k to 6k words, sometimes it'll be as short as 2.5k to around 3k words. I'm sorry for that, too.

See you all in the next chapter.