“Sooyoung,” Sungjae called, his voice light and his heart heavy.

“Mhmm?” Sooyoung answered for what felt like the last time. Just hearing him say her name so lovingly made her want to tear up again.

“When this song ends, is this really the end for us too?” The dreaded day, the dreaded question - the two things they tried so hard to avoid.

She could only let out a sigh as she held back her tears. Fidgeting in her seat with a sad smile, Sooyoung said, “I don’t want it to be.” The tone of her voice was high but there was a sadness behind it, he could tell. He learned how to read her as time passed - once clueless and now all the wiser.

“Then when the song finishes, we should hold out the last note as long as possible,” he replied somewhat happily to cheer her up.

One of his goals during their short time together, this trial run of some sort, was to make the innocent girl cry. But once he achieved his goal, he felt his fragile heart break and could almost hear hers shatter as well. It was then Sungjae realized that he hated to see her cry.

Sooyoung let out a giggle, her eyes scrunching up and a hand covering the smile he grew to adore so much.

“Alright,” she said, “a prankster until the end.”

“You know I’m really trying my best…” he started to say. She interrupted him with a knowing grin, “I know.”

“...so you won’t cry again.”

Sungjae could see the water gathering in her eyes once more as she averted her gaze to look around the room, around the crew that filmed the show, around the set - looking at anywhere, anything but him.

“What? Why?” She mustered out, her heart beating faster. He didn’t reply; he simply stared and took in the sight of her beauty for the last time - her white skin, her bright yet sad brown eyes, her short brown hair that framed her round face perfectly.

She was a vision, always has been and always will be in his eyes. He felt himself choking up as he thought to himself, will I ever be this close to her again?

He didn’t know the answer to his own question. For all Sungjae knew, the girl he grew to love was so close yet so far.

The auditorium was silent for a few more beats before he gathered up his courage. He felt his body shaking with nervous jitters, much more than the ones he had before serenading her. Leaning towards her petite frame, he asked softly, “Are you ready?”

He could see her failed attempt to get herself together. “No,” she replied in a cute voice.

“You’re not?” I’m not either.

“I’m not.”

“Are you ready?” He heard Sooyoung shoot back.

“I’m ready whenever you are.” She looked away, embarrassed at his words. But she cherished them, holding them close to her heart.

“Since we’ve always been the cute and happy couple…” she fiddled with her earpiece, trying to seem nonchalant, as if nothing would faze her. Both knew it was a lie. She didn’t finish her sentence but he knew what she was meaning to say. He always did. He laughed at her charm.

“Okay?”

“Okay.”

“I won’t cry,” she said to him, trying to convince herself to do so. She would stay true to her words.

“Don’t cry. Make sure of it.” I hate seeing you cry.

Their bodies was turned to face each other completely, expressing the comfort level of the two. They felt at home when they were together, unlike those earlier months when they had the need to sit upright and hold back their true selves.

“This should be our happiest moment.”

“Our happiest?” She laughed in disbelief.

“I know it’s a little weird, isn’t it?”

“...yeah.”

Another silence. More steadying breaths taken.

“Music, please.”

The first beat dropped and matching grins graced their lips. They sang to each other happily, recalling the times they spent together - the good and the bad.

“Sooyoung, you’re a great singer!” He switched parts to make her smile once more.

A high-pitched giggle echoed throughout the room. “Really? I’m not bad at rapping either,” she played along.

“Really?”

“You didn’t know?”

They were halfway through the song. Only a minute more until the end that no one saw coming.

“Then, can I hear you rap?”

Another laugh. “Don’t fall in love with me.”

Too late for that.

He grinned at her attempt, cheering her on. It was their first and last performance as a couple yet they showcased how well they go together - effortlessly harmonious. The way they should always be.

He stood, offering his hand. Her smaller hand slipped into his; the perfect fit. He helped her stand and there they stood face to face, singing their hearts out. All the emotions they wished to convey were said through music, lyrics, and the faint squeezing of hands.

It was almost sad - the way their refreshing song described the way they felt at that exact moment. A young love in which the two were only starting to get to know and understand each other, day by day.

“Young Love,” they both sang. Sungjae held out that last note and Sooyoung followed his lead, something only only recently learned how to do.

Waving to the camera with one hand and holding onto each other with the other, the two thanked everyone for their support happily. With the last bows, the director called cut and thanked the cast and crew for working hard.

And that was it. The end of Yook Sungjae and Joy.

With fingers still intertwined, he led her down the steps of the stage. Sungjae could feel Sooyoung’s filed nails digging into his skin, her hand clutching his tightly. He unwillingly let go, but not before pulling her close to whisper in her ear. “Meet me later, at the river?” She nodded.

Sungjae’s manager pulled him away from her while shooting her short pleasantries. He exited the auditorium first, his head constantly turning to check up on her. “Go,” she mouthed, shooting him a tired smile before he escaped from her view.

Her manager wrapped a jacket around her to cover up and keep her warm. But this warmth wasn’t the kind she was looking for. She craved a different kind, the kind that would help her feel at home. The manager escorted her to their van and turned the radio on, deciding to keep quiet, knowing that the girl was still sensitive.

She looked outside to find a starless sky and bright blurry city lights zooming by.

The quiet ride home was cut short by her meek voice coming from the back of the car. Sooyoung called for her manager’s attention. “Can you drop me off at the river?”

Her manager glanced at the back seat. “Sooyoung…” the older man started, not liking the idea of leaving the young brokenhearted girl alone at a time like this.

“I just need air, I’ll be fine,” Sooyoung shot back. She pushed, “You know the spot. You’ll know where to find me.” She fiddled with her sleeves, a nervous tick she could never give up on. Sungjae would always notice and grab her hand so she could mess with his hands instead. But he wasn’t there, not this time.

Not wanting to disappoint the disheartened girl, her manager did as she pleased. It was unusual to see the girl like this - down and blue. But this was also the stubborn yet happy-go-lucky girl who always wore her heart on her sleeve.

Sooyoung’s manager pulled into one of the parking lots of the Han River, the lot closest to the bench she once occupied with him. The place where she was recharged, where feelings were shared, and confessions were made.

She watched her van drive away with a blank stare before shifting her attention to the river. Lights were reflecting on the water and she wondered if she would ever shine as brightly as they were, much like she did at the beginning of their run. She paid no attention to the people passing by. She simply sat, hugging herself in search for some sort of comfort and shelter from the slight breeze.

She was no longer in the feminine off-the-shoulder top and short skirt; she changed into black leggings, sneakers, and a knit sweater that was one too large for her frame and smelled of the ocean breeze. “Nice sweater, I wonder where you got that from,” she heard a voice from behind say. She felt someone else take a seat on her bench but didn’t dare look. She already knew who it was.

“Is it? Some guy gave it to me. It’s alright, I guess.”

He let out a scoff. “Not even a whole day and now I’m downgraded from ‘husband’ to ‘some guy.’ How cold of you, Sooyoung.”

“Ah, there you go again,” she shot back with an annoyed tone, but he saw a smile hidden by the strands of her hair.

Another silence.

Slowly, Sungjae’s hand reached for hers, his eyes keeping an eye out for her reaction. Naturally, her smaller one found his and placed them on her lap. Sooyoung’s thin fingers played with his as she absentmindedly stared off, not knowing what to say. He watched her with a fond look, one that many people pointed out during their time on the show.

There was still so much she wanted to tell him and for once, she was the one who didn’t know how to put it into words. Speechless is what he left her.

It was like their roles reversed, however, that wasn’t the case at all. The shy boy was simply opening his heart to the stubborn girl who went out of her comfort zone to show how much she cared.

Long gone were the cameras, the crew, and the eagle eyes watching their every move.

Just a boy and a girl learning what it meant to love.

He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and played their song in the background. The action resulted with a playful slap.

“I wasn’t ready,” he confessed.

“I don’t think either of us were.”

“I don’t think I ever will be, though,” he added on. “I’m not ready to put this behind us. I was ready to be me, like be the real me, because of you. We just ran out of time.”

“So wha-” she tried interrupting him before shutting herself up, allowing him to let out whatever he wanted to say.

“So little time, so much more to do,” he almost laughed. “All I know is that I want to spend all my days with you.”

Again, she was left with nothing to say at his honest words.

“I feel like I’ve never seen you act this seriously,” she pointed out, trying to change the topic. She wasn’t ready to the conversation they were leading up to. Was this leading to some sort of closure? She didn’t know and she almost didn’t want to find out.

“I’ve always been serious,” Sungjae retorted, his voice husky unlike his usual persona.

“Yeah, right,” she whispered.

“-about my feelings for you.” She caught the end of his sentence. Sooyoung felt her face heating up at his words.

“When this song ends, is this really the end for us too?” Sungjae relayed the question a few hours from when it was first asked to which Sooyoung gave a different response, “It doesn’t have to be.”

Gathering up the last of her courage, she pried her hand out of his bigger one, inwardly cringing at the loss of heat, before wrapping her arms around his waist and burying her head in the crook of his neck. Sungjae smelled like the ocean breeze - he smelled like home.

Nuzzling his cheek against the crown of her head, he pulled her in. “Do you want it to be?” He asked, his voice almost a whisper.

“No.”

“Me either.”

“Then it’s not the end,” she stated with her muffled voice, her breath tickling his collarbone. He could sense her stubbornness was returning.

“Then what is it? A beginning?”

“Yeah, I like the sound of that.”

Sungjae chuckled, his body shaking with happiness. He ruffled her hair in delight, only to hear her squeak and scramble to fix her part. “Ah, why do you keep doing that?” Sooyoung whined, pretending to be annoyed, her long legs flailing over the ground.

“Because you’re so cute.”

“Ah, stop it!” She giggled and slapped his arm to hide how much his words affected her. “Ah, there you go again! Always hitting me!” He teased. The solemn mood was gone and only laughter filled the area. He continued to by flattering her and laughing when she froze at his words or actions.

“Sooyoung?”

“Hmm, what is it?”

He gently took her small face in his hands, grinning at her confused look. His thumbs brushed the sides of her blushed cheeks and her tinted lips. “Should we just kick off where we left off?” Her big, brown eyes twinkled with curiosity as they locked onto his darker ones. “And how would we do that?”

“Be my girlfriend,” he said confidently, his voice strong. He felt himself leaning down towards her, his eyes stealing glances at her lips.

“Okay,” she breathed, her face coming closer to his.

She hesitated. He didn’t.

A long-awaited kiss sealed their agreement to start all over. And even though it wasn’t going to by an easy road to follow, the two still had so many things they needed to learn and more things they wanted to do together. Their bucket list wasn’t finished and their love wasn’t either.

But that was okay. They still had time; they had all the time in the world.

After all, they were still young.

Though it’s little hard because we’re young,

There’s still a lot of time for us,

Holding hands, looking at each other only,

Let’s move slowly, let’s understand to each other

Love is supposed to be young,

Young love