CHAPTER 20

Jeongyeon felt her hand trembled.  The hot chocolate on her hands is now cold and long forgotten, the sound of waves clashing is the only thing that breaking that deafening silence between them.

“I got my memories back Jeongyeon” she heard Daniel repeated

She’s at loss for words. She is clearly not expecting his kind of answer. The kind of answer that makes her sudden happiness from earlier crumbled

Jeongyeon wanted to say something but it seem that even her voice losses its courage to talk. He looks at him. Daniel is neither angry nor sad, in fact she couldn’t tell the emotion he is wearing right now

“I- since when?” she asks when she was able force her voice out. She wanted to say some excuses but she knew that it is useless, like a criminal caught redhandedly

“earlier today” He simply answers

“can you leave me for a second?” her voice was so low that even her almost couldn’t hear it. She wants to be alone for the meantime. No, she clearly needs it. She needs the time to recollect her thoughts and emotion. If Daniel would confront him right now, she knew she will fall on her lowest ground

But it seem that Daniel wouldn’t give her the time she needed as he shakes his head unto her disappointment

“please” she pleaded and she doesn’t care if she sound so anxious. Jeongyeon wants to run again.  Away from the emotions she is feeling right now and away from the guy in front of her

“no” Daniel refused as he steps closer to her

Jeongyeon steps back as if she is afraid. yes, she is afraid because the most thing that haunted her for years in now in front of her. Her ghost from the past

“d-don’t come closer, just… just please leave me alone for now” she panicked. She starts walking backward

“no, I am not leaving. We need to talk” Daniel steps forward

“ Run and don’t look back “her mind shouted, and she did, she pivoted herself and run as fast as she can

“Run! Don’t let him catch you” and then really ran as if she afraid to be captured by Daniel. She ran towards within the kilometre stretch of fine sand of Haeundae Beach without looking back at him

“Jeongyeon!” Daniel shouted as he tried to catch up with her, but she chose to ignore his call

The edge of her eyes is becoming hot and she wanted to cry but she don’t want to; she wanted to shout out her lungs out to release the heaviness on her chest but she can’t

Jeongyeon gradually reached to rocky area of the beach, and she knows she reached the deadend, she knew that it’s time for her to stop and face her reality. She suddenly halted her steps then slumps herself in the sand to sit.

She combed her short hair with her hands out of frustration, she closes her eyes and sighs. She is tired, not only physically but also emotionally and mentally. Shes tired from all the crying, she is exhausted from all the lies, but most of all she is drained from all the running

Jeongyeon heard steps towards her, she doesn’t need to open her eyes. She knew it is him

“hey” Daniel gently called but she didn’t answered. She felt that he sat beside her.

They remained quiet for a long time, no words exchanged. Just the sound of clashing waves and few voices from afar from them.

“why?” Daniel decided to break the deafening silence between them

And Jeongyeon stays quiet and eyes remained close. She is actually expecting that question from him but no matter what answer she thought of, nothing came up

“I am not mad nor disappointed” he continued, “it’s just that so many things that I wish I knew, so many questions I wished that be answered”

She felt his hand reached hers. “look at me” he pleaded

She opend her eyes and slowly looked at Daniel. Jeongyeon felt her eyes is becoming hot, she is in the verge of crying. She tried her best not to let a single tear fall

 ”I’m sorry” she said the words she wanted to say for the longest time, eyes not looking at him anymore. She felt she hit her rock bottom.

Suddenly she felt something warm enveloped her. It was Daniel and he is hugging her so gently. The kind of hug she badly needed right now

“sorry” she whispered again

“It