Finale

BGM: Yoona - When The Wind Blows

If only this is not the end...

If only this means the beginning for us.

***

When he had arrived, he quickened her steps to the place Joy was hanging at. It didn't take a while to see her.

She is gorgeous even with all those celebrities surrounding her.

Her hair was nicely tucked in between her ears as it was let down to expose her collarbones.

She seemed normal and fine unlike the desperate tone that she had used on him before.

Maybe it wasn't that bad. She was mingling around and looking genuinely happy to be getting the award.

She had always managed to take his breath away somehow. He was about to approach her when Gong Yoo sunbaenim stopped him in his tracks.

"Sungjae ah..."He fidgeted. Not now.

It felt like everyone is stopping them to interact. Like it was forbidden.

"Oh hyung."

They chatted for a while when he finally let him go. Whispering in his ears... "I'm not dumb" when he pushed Sungjae towards Joy direction. "It was really obvious Yook Sungjae, try to cover it up more. Just in case you need it." Gong Yoo gave his car keys to Sungjae.

Sungjae nodded in understanding as he quickly swoops in to take the alcoholic drink she was about to grab for herself.

She turned to look at him. She was smiling so wide but her eyes were broken.

She looked fine but at that moment when he was close to her. He knew, he just knew.. this Park Sooyoung has been through hell and still is going through it.

What the hell has gone wrong with her?

She looked so done with life.

He felt his fingers curled into a fist.

"Let's get out from here."

He wrapped his coat around her as he walked in front and she followed him from the back with a small distance. Surprisingly, her manager who noticed this let them be.

They were in Gong Yoo's car, she was silent and so was he.

"Where do you want to go?"

"Anywhere... anywhere. Just anywhere without the spotlight."

He used the highway, he thinks it's the safest there.

"Oppa... Is your career worth it?"

Sungjae sneaks a glance at her side profile. She was spacing out. Her gaze fell to the dark sky as if she wanted to be among the stars.

"It depends."

"I'm so tired."

"You can sleep."

"Can i?"

He nodded reassuringly.

"But I can't."

He looked at her in concern and noticed her eyebags that were hidden beneath her make up.

"I guess I'm too pressured with everything. You know how perfectionist I am right."

Sungjae didn't think it was wise to keep driving so he just pulled over at the Han River bridge.

"Oppa do you think I'm desperate for finding you like this?"

He was about to protest when she talked first.. "I am desperate though. I want to get out and breathe but I cannot. I'm so scared of people eyes. It is even scary without the members and I'm getting so many individual schedules I feel guilty to say anything to them. I just feel lonely and I thought you will know since you have been in this stage too."

And you hurt me too much for me to care about burdening you...

"Take me away oppa... take me away to a place where people don't recognize me."

He never thinks he will see this but Sooyoung is almost pleading to him. How done she must have felt to feel this way.

"Who are we kidding. You are too cautious to do that."

"Let's."

Joy eyes widened.

"I'm here with you. I promise I will be here if you want to talk. Let's do it if it will make you feel better."

Joy felt her heart dropped at the sight of his reassuring eyes. The warm look that she had forgotten he had. Just like that, she felt a surging of feelings overcoming her composure.

She started crying. "Oppa... I am tired."

At that moment he saw her breaking down he is done with caring about his god damn image and his freaking reputation.

She was broken. His Joy was broken.

He spared no time as he pulled her close to his body. His big hand enclosing her head as he let her bury her face in his chest.

She was trembling. Just like a baby.

"I will take you away.." He muttered softly on her ears.

Joy just clutched in tighter, her nails were digging his back. Sungjae can feel how drenched his shoulder is by now. She was feeling desperate for any kind of warmth. Any kind of resemble being that pull her back down to earth. She wanted to feel.. she wanted to feel like she is everything to someone.

Not a toy.. not a machine.. not a celebrity.

Just a person.

***

They were just driving. Driving to oblivion... Driving to some gateway that won't remind them of how insane their world is. Frankly, Sungjae doesn't even know where he is going.

It was nighttime and Joy was just staring at him.. looking at his vibrating phone.

"Oppa.. your phone?"

"It is fine."

"It is not.. you can go if you want but just drop me off somewhere.."

"Joy.. just.. can you just not try to push me away now."

She can see how his grip on the steering wheel tightened.. she had never seen this side of him.

"I'm just frustrated okay. You used to.. you used to be so cheery. I don't know. I'm just. I should have been there for you."

"Honestly, I don't even know whether it is you the one who send me the text. I thought it was some strange number. But then... I saw a lot of 6 in the figures. I was kinda hopeful it was you.. apparently, it is you.." She slightly chuckled. "You and your 'yook' obsession."

"You can't seem to get enough of this Yook too." Sungjae .

"Maybe too much." Her face suddenly grew dimmed again.

He didn't like it.. how her mood quickly changed from 100 to 0 really quick. It felt like he was losing her. He was scared. She seemed so broken.. it was such a gimmick to her celeb name.

Joy.

She is the exact opposite of Joy now.

He doesn't know where they ended up at but they were at a small inn and he is sure it was pretty further than Seoul so he doubted the ahjumma knows who they are.

They both bowed to the ahjumma.

Sungjae who noticed the lack of clothing covering Joy, wrap his arms around her shoulder, trying to adjust the coat he gave her to cover her more. She gently smiles at him.

The ahjumma just chuckled amusingly. "So, what are you two newlyweds doing here?"

Sungjae was about to deny the claim only to be cut off by Joy, who simply say "yes.." before holding the hand that was dangling on her shoulder.

He looked at her, trying to search for any kind of expression only to find her blushing while giggling shyly at her statement.

She was smiling... her eyes disappeared as her nose and eyes crinkle.

He looked at her lovingly. "We just want to stay here for a night... we going for a walk now. Will food be prepared as part of the stay?"

"Sure do. It is rare we get some gorgeous couple stopping by. It's in the house."

"Is the room..." Joy suddenly paused.

"One? Yes. You are married right?"

Sungjae felt his ears reddened in an instance.

The same room?!

"It is the only room that is available." The ahjumma emphasized.

Sungjae gulped.

"Okay." Joy just nonchalantly said before pulling him away with her.

"Joy." Sungjae tried to stop her from walking. "I will sleep in the car."

"Can we think about it later oppa? Let's just enjoy the night. I don't want to be alone."

They were just walking side by side as the sound of the sea hitting the sand buried the silentness that grows between them.

"Can you even walk with those heels?" Sungjae kneeled down and looked up to see her looking at him, puzzled. She laughed and shook her head.

"I forgot I am wearing one."

Sungjae laughed and pulled out her heels away. Joy just looked at him with the softest smile ever. She giggled and patted his head.

"Do you like seeing me kneeling that much?"

Joy nodded trying to restrain her laughter.

"Just laugh it away Joy." Sungjae groaned.

"You look cute, oppa. Hehe." She giggled before she started to run away enjoying the feeling of the sand on her feet.

"Ya! Be careful." Sungjae stood up and tried running after her.

"Try to catch me, oppa!" She screamed, encouraging him to run after her.

He just watched as she ran along the beach, her feet dipping the sea. Her face was decorated by her smile.

"It was nice to see you smile again.." Sungjae muttered to himself as he jogged towards her. He hoisted her up over his shoulder only to be hit on the back by the flailing woman.

"Put me down!" She scolded.

"Ya.. you going to get sick at this rate you going."

"Oppa, you are not romantic. Who lift woman like this?!" Joy whined.

He laughed and put her down. She huffed in annoyance and tried to run away again when he lifted her up again. "OPPA!"

This time, he did it gently like the way a groom lift her bride on the wedding night. "Better?"

She giggled.

Sungjae just walked while holding her up.. "You must be tired oppa, let me down."

"Aniyo.."

"There is no camera around oppa, you don't need to try that hard."

Sungjae stopped walking. Surprised by her statement, he lets her go. She just walked in front of him, he never even sees her reaction when she was saying that. It was so dark.

He pulled her hand and was surprised by the sight he was seeing.

She was crying again.

"I'm sorry." He said softly, afraid of breaking her.

"No, I'm sorry oppa. I really am." She sniffled. "What's. wrong. with. me." She wiped her tears forcefully trying to calm down.

Damn it, Joy. Must she be the prettiest human being alive when she is crying... How can he resist?

Just like that... He crashed his lips on hers, his palm holding her head as he tilted his to meet hers.

She was so shocked she barely reacted.

He pulled away, his eyes were so different than how he normally looks. It was the same eyes that looked at her when she asked for recharged. the look that scares her.

"Stop crying." He said as he rested his forehead against her. "Please."

"Oppa.." She said... as she looked at his hooded eyes. Flaming as he looked at her. It burns her. Like he wanted all of her.

She felt loved.

She felt wanted.

Sungjae was about to push her away when she circled her arms around his neck, angling her head to kiss him. When her lips meshed with his... Sungjae groaned and pulled her body closer to him. His hands were all around her back, skin to skin as he took the coat away from her body.

She moaned.

.

He nudged his tongue in and now it was dancing with hers. They are getting breathless but nobody wants to pull back.

He did, finally.

She was still breathless... her eyes closed trying to digest what they just did.

"I love you."

Her eyes shoot open.

"There, I said it." He growled as he messed his perfectly gel hair. "You don;t need to respond. I just don't want you to think I'm taking advantage of you.

"I know oppa."

"Sooyoung ah.. come here." Sungjae sat down and pulled her over. He looked at her in concern as he tugged in the strands of her hair.

"Talk to your members will you?"

"I don't want to trouble them."

"Joy." He slightly raised his voice. He was insistent about it. "That is stupid. You guys are a team. If you act this way, the team will be a mess. You don't want to be the cause of your group demise right? If it is too much to you, pull them over with your spotlight. Go against your management for once and insist to sing with your members."

She didn't respond but Sungjae knows she was thinking about it.

"Joy... we cannot be perfect in this world. Our members don't expect us to be one either. I have been on your spot. Listen to me."

Joy nodded and curved a small smile before leaning her head on Sungjae's shoulder.

"Do you like it?"

Joy looked at him absent-mindedly.. "What are you trying to..."

"Do you like being with oppa that much?"

Joy lets out a loud guttering laugh. He had always like it. The sound and the way she laughs as if her whole body was being shaken by joy. That is why he likes to so much. She was so lovable and expressionful.

"We should go in and sleep. You take the room, I will just sleep in the car."

"We can just sleep in the same room..." Joy smiled teasingly.

He can feel his ears heat up.

"Kidding oppa... Can't we just stay like this? Who knows when we will have this kind of time again." She trailed off, her voice was shaking as if she was holding herself back. "Oppa, what is going to happen with us?"

Sungjae sighed as he leaned in to leave a short kiss on the crown of her head. "We will work it out somehow."

His answer was vague... but somehow she feels contended.

Their lives were filled with uncertainties. Even their fame was never a sure thing. It always felt like they were running into a realm of unknown possibilities.

Maybe this kind of answer was all she needed. Because she knows, he meant it. 

I’ll tell you, I missed you
I’ll tell you, it was so hard
We shouldn’t have ended it like that

by Yook Sungjae

Author's Note

Is it just me? But i love this chapter. LOL