Present

Eunha took a glass of champagne when a waiter passed her by, she gave him a small smile of gratitude before she took a sip of the wine and let out a small sighed as the bitter taste hit her bud. She was not a wine enthusiast; she always prefers something cheaper like beer but right now she needs some alcohol in her system and wine is her only option right now.

Her eyes scan around the ballroom, people she’s seen in newspaper and magazine filling up the room. They were high-status names; names that she had heard and read and sometimes imagining what it’d be like to be that successful. Eunha would have never dream that she’d be in the same room as any of them, seeing faces that she only seen in pictures.

And yet here she is.

Eunha looked down, a small bitter smiled latched on her face.

Well, it doesn’t matter as tonight is not about her.

“Did you not enjoy the party?” a voice suddenly coming from her side making her flinched.

She unconsciously tightening her hold on her glass when she heard it. She could easily recognize the voice, after all, she’s been always in love with it. Usually just hearing it could make Eunha’s heart thumping and humming a happy tune as her stomach filled with fluttering butterflies however not this time, all she could feel right now is a sense of numbness as her heart beating painfully as if screaming a voiceless scream while the butterflies in her stomach flutter weakly, as if afraid of what they will bring if they flutter more than that.

“Eunha?”

Eunha let out a small shuddering breath as she closed her eyes, cursing at how her heart jumped happily even for just a beat when she heard the worry in it. Eunha put a smile on her face. A smile that she’s been practicing all night the moment she heard the news before finally looking up and looking at Sowon’s dark brown eyes.

Sowon’s brows furrowed in worry as she looked at Eunha and Eunha had to stop herself from reaching out and caresses the frown away.

It’s not her place anymore.

So instead she put her arm around her waist.

“I’m okay unnie,” Eunha said as she let out a small laugh, hoping that it was enough to stop Sowon from worrying about her, “I’m just not used with this kind of extravagant party.”

Sowon sighed as she rubbed the back of her neck, a habit that she always does when she was annoyed or feeling uncomfortable.

“Yeah I am sorry, I told my uncle that I all I want is just a small party with closest friends and family, but they insist to do this.”

Eunha shook her head, “No, it’s okay unnie. I understand,” and really Eunha did understand after all Sowon is the heir of the Kim Company, one of the biggest companies in South Korea so there is no way that her uncle will just throw a small scales party.

Especially when- Eunha frowned but she quickly shook her head, no this is not the time. Not when Sowon is right in front of her and just a slight change in her attitude and expression will surely be noticed by the older girl.

So instead Eunha took a large gulped of her wine, emptying the glass and put it on the table behind her. A soft tune of melodies playing around the ballroom and Eunha wants to let out a laugh of irony when she recognizes the melodies.

“Unnie,” Eunha softly whispered.

Sowon hummed.

“Dance with me?”

For the last time is what Eunha wanted to add but she let the words died inside her heart.

Sowon smiled before she took Eunha’s smaller hand inside hers and guide the smaller girl to the dance floor.

Eunha let Sowon lead the dance, swaying their bodies following the song’s melodies as she closed her eyes and rest her head on Sowon’s shoulder.

You're in my arms, and all the world is calm

The music playing on for only two

So close together, and when I'm with you

So close to feeling alive

Eunha tightening her grip on Sowon’s shoulder and she could feel how worry loomed over Sowon when she felt her grip as Sowon softly and gently pull her closer as if she wants to shield the smaller girl away from everything that hurt her.

A life goes by, romantic dreams must die

So I bid mine goodbye and never knew

So close was waiting, waiting here with you

And now forever I know

All that I want is to hold you so close

Eunha let out a shuddering breath, this song truly hit too close to her heart and she hates it. She hates it so much that she wants to pull away from Sowon’s hold and just walked towards the singer and begging them to stop.

But Eunha is selfish and probably also a masochist because even though it pains her so much, she doesn’t want to let go of Sowon.

At least not yet.

So close to reaching that famous happy end

Almost believing this one's not pretend

Now you're beside me, and look how far we've come

So far we are so close

As the song reached its , Sowon put both of her hands on Eunha's waist gently hold her up as she twirled the smaller girl in the air and right at that moment as she looked down on Sowon’s dark brown eyes, Eunha feels like everything is all right.

Like they are back on their childhood days where everything is okay.

Oh how could I face the faceless days

If I should lose you now?

Sowon gently put Eunha down and as they stared deeply into each other’s eyes, Eunha could feel the shift in the atmosphere and how time seeming frozen just for the two of them.

We're so close to reaching that famous happy end

Almost believing this one's not pretend

Let's go on dreaming though we know we are

But of course, everything has come to the end. The moment was broken when a man put his hand on Sowon’s shoulder and successfully turned the taller girl's attention towards him.

“May I cut this dance?” the man asked with a smile.

“Oh-“

Eunha quickly pulled away from Sowon’s hold and circling her arms around her, hating the fact that she already missing the warmth that Sowon gave her.

“Of course, Yoosung-ssi,” Eunha said with a small smile as she took a step back when she saw how Yoosung put his arm on Sowon’s waist and pulled her closer.

Her heart thumping painfully while her stomach is now buzzing in pain.

She could feel tears are started to gather in her eyes and so she bites her lips, to stop it.

“Eunha-“ Sowon started but Eunha took another step back.

“I better go find Yuju,” Eunha said, “I am afraid that she will get lost. Please excuse me, Yoosung-ssi,”

Yoosung nodded his head.

Eunha turned around, “Oh and once again, congratulations on your engagement.” she said as she finally let a lone tear falling from her eyes to the beautiful floor.

And as she walks away, the last line of the song echoing around the ballroom.

So close, so close, and still so far.

XXX

5 Years Old

Eunha tightened her grip on her mom's skirts as she tried her best to hide away behind it. She hates to be here, the place where her mom brought her was enormous almost like those castles that she always sees on the fairy tales that her mom read for her at night, however, this place feels so cold and empty.

“Come on Eunha, don’t be afraid.” Her mom whispered soothingly as she gently caressing her head, “It’s okay,”

“But mom, it’s scary here…” Eunha whined making her mom smiled.

“It’s not, everyone here is nice.”

“Really?”

Her mom nodded, “Yes, in fact, I will introduce you to one of them.”

Eunha's eyes light up in happiness, she never meets anyone new before aside from her family and hopes that this nice person wants to be her friend.

“Here,” Her mom said as she pushed a big wooden door, revealing a huge room painted in white with a huge bed and stuff that Eunha never saw before. However, what caught her eyes immediately is the girl who was standing in the middle of the room looking at them with curiosity in her eyes.

“Young miss,” her mom said, bowing slightly towards the girl and Eunha quickly followed. She remembers that her mom always told her it was the polite thing to do when greeting someone they never know before.

“Who is she?” the young miss asked as her eyes never leave Eunha making the girl squirming under the intense gaze.

“This is my daughter,” her mom said, pushing Eunha slightly towards the girl, “Jung Eunha. I can’t leave her in my home alone and so I brought her here, I hope you are okay with it.”

The girl nodded her head before she walked towards Eunha, “Hello, I’m Kim Sowon,” she said, offering her hand towards Eunha who shyly took it.

“D-Do you want to be my friend?” Eunha shyly asked and Sowon looked at her in surprise.

“Eunha,” her mom began but stop when she saw how Sowon smiled.

“Of course, Eunha,” Sowon said making Eunha smiled brightly.

XXX

Present

“Until when are you going to continue like this, Eunha?” Yuju asked as she looked at her best friend who already on her nth glass of beer.

“Until it stops hurting…” Eunha mumbled, her speech slightly slurred as she closed her eyes. Tears running down freely from her eyes towards the stool table, forming a small poodle.

Her head thumping in pain from the alcohol and loud music that echoing around the bar but it feels nothing compared with her heart.

Yuju let out a sighed, ever since Sowon’s engagement was announced Eunha had been spending every night inside her bar. Drinking until she is too drunk to function which usually leads into the smaller girl passed out on the stool and while Yuju is thankful from her best friend patronage, she hates it when she saw her like this.

“It’s not too late to tell her, you know?” Yuju said softly as she put her hand on Eunha’s head and softly caressing it, “You still have time.”

Eunha looked up, eyes red from tears as she let out a small laugh, “Oh Yuju, I wish you are right, that I still have time, but can’t you see? I am already too late to do anything about it.”

“Eunha…”

Eunha shook her head, burying her face onto her hands as her body trembling from the tears, “Yuju… make it stop, please…”

“Oh Eunha,” Yuju quickly walked out from behind the bar and enveloping the smaller girl into a warm embrace.

Eunha quickly grabs Yuju’s shirt, holding it tight as she buried her face on her best friend’s shoulder and sobbing painfully as her friend whispered soothing words to her.

It feels warm, however, Eunha hates it when she realizes how this warmth is different from the one that Sowon gave to her.

XXX

14 years old

“You know that there is a better place than here to sleep, right unnie?” Eunha asked as she is looming over Sowon, shielding the older girl from the sunlight.

Eunha just doesn’t understand why Sowon always loves to sleep under this tree when it barely shielding her from the sun.

“You are here,” Sowon said with a small smile making Eunha rolled her eyes.

The older girl sat up as she patted the spot next to her, signaling Eunha to sit down. Eunha shook her head, a small smile on her face before she sits there.

“Are you okay unnie?” Eunha asked when Sowon didn’t say anything and instead took her hand and played with her fingers.

A frown latched on the older girl’s face and Eunha quickly reaches out her other hand and caressing it away. She always hates it when Sowon frown or sad as she wishes that Sowon will always feel happy.

“I just hate how hard it is to be the only heir of Kim Company.” Sowon said with a sighed, “Everyone expects so much from you and it just so…” Sowon rests her head on Eunha’s shoulder “…tiring” she softly whispered.

“Unnie…” Eunha softly whispered.

“Sometimes, I just don’t know what to do anymore. I feel like I want to just run away from everything.” Sowon softly said, “I know that my uncle did his best to raise me ever since both my parents died from the car crash but his expectation on me just…” Sowon sighed and Eunha frowned.

Sowon sounds so tired and so helpless right now and Eunha hates how she couldn’t do anything about it.

“I wish I could do something for you, unnie…” Eunha whispered as she caressed Sowon’s hand.

“You already are,” Sowon softly said as she intertwined their fingers together and gently squeeze it, making Eunha blushed, “You being here already help me a lot. Promise me that you will never leave me, Eunha.”

Eunha chuckled, “I promise.”

XXX

Present

“What in the world are you thinking?!” SinB shouted angrily while beside her, Yerin put her hand around the younger girl's shoulders, hoping to calm down her girlfriend.

Eunha chewed her bottom lips.

Well, she guessed that her friends will react like this the moment she said yes on Yoosung’s request when he called her yesterday. That’s why she decides to break the news when they all are hanging out in Yerin’s café since they are in a public place so there is no way that friends will make a scene right?

Yeah, no.

She forgot that SinB doesn’t care about that at all.

“Eunha unnie,” Umji called from her side and Eunh quickly turn around and looked at the younger girl who gave her a gentle and yet sad look, “Why? Why you do this to yourself?”

Eunha smiled bitterly, “Because I thought with this, I can let her go. One last present for her from me.”

“Eunha, you are hurting yourself,” Yuju said next to Umji with a frowned.

Eunha bitterly smiled, “It’s already hurting Yuju. Adding this into the pain won’t affect it too much as I think I couldn’t feel more pain than this.”

Yerin let out a sighed while beside her the now a calmer SinB sit down with folded arms, “Eunha, I just hope you make the right choice.”

Eunha nodded her head, “I am, beside Yoosung-ssi told me that Sowon unnie hopes that I will do this.”

“So are you sure you are going to do this? One hundred percent sure??” SinB huffed.

Eunha smiled, “Yes, I will sing the wedding march on Sowon’s unnie wedding day.”

XXX

17 Years Old

Eunha let her tears fell towards her phone, as Sowon name flashed for the nth time for the last two hours. Hundreds of messages coming from the older girl which Eunha decidedly ignore along with her calls.

She closed her eyes as the event from the day before played on her mind.

(“I want you to stay away from my niece,” was the first thing that Mr. Kim told Eunha the moment she walked inside the room.

Eunha blinked in surprise, “Wh-What?“

“Don’t lie, I could see it clearly. The way you look at my niece and the way she looked at you, something is going on about you two and I hate that.” Mr. Kim said as he walked towards Eunha who quickly took a step back when she saw the man is now just a few feet away from her.

“You do know that Sowon is the only heir of this company and having someone like you around her is really disturbing.” He said, frowning, “I can understand that she needs friends when she is a little kid which is why I let her stay with you and your filthy group of friends, however now that she is all grown up and ready to take over the company I think she had to be friends with people with the same class of her. People from the upper class who could expand the company even more.”

Eunha frowned, “With all respect Mr. Kim, this is Sowon’s life! You can’t just control it and expect her to follow your words! Did you know how tired and sad she is this whole time?! How much the burden she carried on her shoulders because of this expectation from you and everyone else?!”

Mr. Kim huffed, “She is a Kim heiress, that’s given.”

“Mr. Kim-“

Mr. Kim took out something from inside his pocket and throw it to Eunha.

“There, it’s a ticket to Japan. I want you to go there and don’t even thinking about coming back or talk to Sowon until she finds someone better than you, a maid daughter.”

Eunha eyes widened, “I-“

“Do you honestly think, that someone like you,” Mr. Kim took a step towards Eunha, eyes daggering in danger, “Someone who doesn’t have anything to offer can make Sowon happy? You will only bring her down, ruined her life and reputation. And besides, don’t you care about your poor mother?”)

Eunha let out a small chuckle as she opens her eyes.

If only she could run through time and be adult now, she can refute all of Mr. Kim's words.

She can show him how successful she had become.

That she will not ruin Sowon’s life.

But alas, she only 17 years old.

She is nothing.

XXX

Present

Eunha looked up at the dark sky above her as she took another gulped of the beer on her hand. The loud music that coming from inside the house was too much for her right now which is why she sneaks out from there towards the back yard.

“Hey,”

Eunha turned around and gave a small smile towards Sowon.

“Hello, unnie,” Eunha said.

“Enjoying the view?”

Eunha nodded, “Yes, too bad no stars showing up.”

Sowon hummed as she walked and stood right beside Eunha, “You always love watching them. I guess some things are never going to change.”

Eunha smiled bitterly, “Yes, I guess so.” She said before turned around, she couldn’t do this. Being alone with Sowon is too hard for her right now, especially right now on the taller girl bachelorette party where she is already tipsy from the canned beers, she’s been drinking without stop since she came two hours ago. “I better get going now.”

Sowon however quickly grab Eunha’s wrist and hold it tightly, not letting the younger girl to take any other step away from her.

“Eunha,” Sowon let out a sighed and Eunha closed her eyes tightly when she heard how tired the taller girl sound, “What happens to us?”

“What do you mean unnie?”

“Look at me,” Sowon pleaded as she tried to turn Eunha around to face her which after quite some struggle, Eunha finally give up and let her body turn towards Sowon. Her eyes however locked down to the ground until Sowon put her fingers under Eunha’s chin and push it upward, “This, what happens? You barely even look at me now.”

“Unnie-“

“Is this because of Yoosung?”

Eunha couldn’t stop herself from flinching at Sowon’s fiancé name and Sowon frowned, “It is, right?”

Eunha put her hand on Sowon’s and pushed it away from her chin, “This is not about him.” She softly whispered.

“Then what is this all about?” Sowon said, and this time Eunha can hear the frustration behind her words, “Ever since you are coming back from god knows where all you do is avoiding me and running away from me! The day of my engagement is the only time you talk to me! You act as if I hurt you when it was you who hurt me! You left me, here all alone without saying anything! You just went missing, no one knows where you are even your mom! Did you know how I feel when you did that to me, Eunha?!” Sowon is shouting now as she gripped Eunha’s shoulder tightly.

Eyes burning in frustration and unshed tears.

“Tell me, Eunha.”

“What do you want me to say, unnie?!” Eunha shouted back, maybe it is because of the beer or maybe it is because of the suppressed feeling of love, hurt and frustration about the situation she is right now, but Eunha couldn’t stop herself as she spat out, “You want me to tell you that how much I love you?! How much it hurt me every time that I saw you walking and smiling together with Yoosung-ssi? How much I want to cry when I saw him putting his arm around you or how much it is killing me every time I imagine he kiss you or when he finally marrying you?!”

“What-“

“Because trust me, it is ing hurt!” Eunha shouted as she slapped Sowon’s hand away from hers, tears are now freely falling from her eyes, “You ask me if I know how you feel when I left you, but did you know how I feel when I do that to you when Mr. Kim-“ Eunha bite her lips, no she shouldn’t say that.

“When my uncle did what?”

Eunha cursed, she and her big mouth.

“Nothing,” Eunha said, wiping her tears away.

“Tell me, Eunha. What my uncle had to do with this!”

“It doesn’t matter!” Eunha shouted as she took a step back, away from Sowon. Her feelings and head are in a mess right now and she felt suffocated. She needs to go away from here, “What matters right now is that you are going to marry Yoosung-ssi in a few days from now on and whatever this-“ Eunha clenched her hands tightly on her shirt, above her painfully beating heart, “had to stop.”

“Eunha-“

“No, stay there unnie. Don’t you dare take a step towards me.” Eunha warned when she saw Sowon walked towards her, “It’s too late now unnie, everything is too late now.” Eunha shook her head, “But I do wish, I truly wish for you to find your happiness and please tell Yoosung-ssi that I am sorry but I can’t sing the wedding march.” she gave Sowon one bitter smile and ran away from the taller girl.

XXX

Three Days Before The Wedding

“Sowon unnie is looking for you, Eunha,” Yerin said as she looked at the smaller girl who had been crashing in her place ever since she got back from the party. The smaller girl looks so fragile and hurt that night and Yerin didn’t even think twice to agree when Eunha asked her if she could stay in her apartment for a few days.

“She looks so… tired, I can see the dark circle under her eyes.” Yerin continued.

Eunha sighed, “She will be okay unnie, she had Yoosung-ssi with her.”

Yerin frowned, “Eunha, I do think that you need to talk with her.”

Eunha shook her head, “No. What am I even going to tell her? I already told her everything and now all I had to do is moving on.”

“Are you sure about this?”

Eunha gave a small pained smiled as she looked at the ticket on her laps, “Yes.”

XXX

Wedding Day

“Thank goodness you answer!” Yerin shouted the moment Eunha accept the call. Eunha was about to board the plane when Yerin suddenly called her and now she couldn’t help but feel worried when she heard how panic her friend is.

“What happens?” Eunha asked.

“Sowon unnie suddenly gone missing!” Yerin shouted, “We were supposed to pick her up to the church this morning, but we couldn’t find her and now we still can’t!”

Eunha frowned in worry as she looked at her watch, it’s already 1 PM so that means Sowon already missing for seven hours.

Eunha bites her lips, she looked towards the boarding gate behind her and let out a sighed.

“Eunha?”

Eunha walked away, “I-I’ll look for her.”

XXX

“Sowon unnie,” Eunha softly called between her ragged breath when she saw Sowon laying under the tree behind their old school, just like how she always did on their younger days.

She’s been looking for the older girl for hours now running from one place to another.

The ice cream shops they used to go before coming back home from school.

The park they used to play where they are little kid.

The pet shop where Sowon always drags her to watch some cute puppies.

And many other places with no result.

Sowon is nowhere in sight.

Eunha almost on the verge of giving up when she realizes that there is one place she hasn’t check yet.

She really wants to hit herself for not checking this place first.

Sowon looked at Eunha, dark circle under her eyes as her eyes glint in emotions that Eunha couldn’t decipher.

Yerin was right, Sowon looks so tired and Eunha blamed herself for this.

“You’re here…” Sowon softly said, she was about to pat the spot next to her, probably out of the habit but stop herself. She looked down towards the ground and sighed, “I-I’m sorry.”

Eunha walked closer towards Sowon before she kneels in front of the older girl, “What are you doing here, unnie?” Eunha softly said, her hands hovering above Sowon’s hands, she wants to hold the older girl's hands and yet at the same time she is scared touching her, “What about the wedding?”

Sowon looked up, “I can’t, Eunha. I can’t do it.”

“Unnie-“

Sowon took Eunha’s hands gently and lightly squeeze it, “Yoosung is a nice guy, he- he was there when I feel miserable because you left me years ago. He was there when I hit the bottom of the ground hard and pulling me back softly,” Eunha flinched, “But he- he is not you Eunha.” Sowon sighed as tears finally fell from her eyes.

“Unnie,” Eunha quickly pulled her hands away from Sowon’s to reached out and wiped Sowon’s tears away.

“I-I feel bad for him, especially because he’s been nothing but kind and understanding towards me. He knows that I couldn’t forget about my feelings towards you and yet, he still wants to marry me. I-“ Sowon let out a sighed and Eunha gasped, “I know what I did to him is not fair. I left him there in the aisle without any explanation but when I learn about your feelings towards me and about what my uncle did to you, I-“

“I confront him you know, that night and he reveals everything to me,” Sowon clenched her hands, “I can’t believe him, how dare he-“

Eunha looked away, “He is right though unnie. I am nothing compared to Yoosung-ssi, even now I still am nothing.”

Sowon put her hands on Eunha’s cheeks, cupping the smaller girl's face. Frowned latched on her face, as she said in a stern voice, “Don’t you dare say that about yourself, Jung Eunha. You are not nothing, you are everything to me. I don’t care about the reputation, I don’t care about if the company can’t be expanded, heck I don’t even care if I must give up my heiress title! All that I care about is for you to be my side because I know that I could do anything if you are there.”

“U-unnie, no…” Eunha shook her head as she finally let herself cry, “Y-You don’t know what you are talking about. L-Leaving Kim Company means that you will lose everything. Y-You-“

“You didn’t hear me, do you?” Sowon softly smiled as she pulled Eunha into her warm embrace, “I told you that you are my everything. Money, company, reputation, all of it can be build. We can search for it again and again, but you Jung Eunha? You are the only one in this whole world and I refuse to let you go.”

Eunha let out a sighed as she buried her face on Sowon’s shoulder.

Her heart thumping the happy tune once again while the butterflies now fluttering again, not scared of anything anymore.

Deep down, Eunha knows that they still have many things to do. They still must face the consequences of their action.

But right now, she finds herself that she doesn’t care at all.

All she wants right now is just to drown inside Sowon’s warm embrace.

A/N: A little angst with happy (?) ending everyone? Hehehe, thank you for loving my stories and reading them! Thanks for the constant support you guys gave me! I hope you guys will like this story. Sorry for the typos and grammar error.

Also the song, if you guys are curious is from disney Enchanted - So Close ^^
One of my fav song

Idk when will I write again, but I hope soon. Love you guys!