Chapter 16 - Final.
Please Stay With Me.
Please Stay With Me | Chapter 16 - Final
"Jennifer..."
My ice-cream dropped.
I watched as he watched my ice-cream drop to the ground. I didn't bother caring about my ice-cream, I continued staring at him. Slowly, he started closing the gap between us, he started walking closer towards me. I started to panic and my legs reacted on its own, they started taking little steps backwards.
Jaejoong sighed, he knew I didn't want to get closer to him. He looked at me with a soft expression, something different to what he would usually look at me with ever since I came back from San Francisco. Though, something like what he would usually look at me two years ago. I snapped back to reality.
"I'm sorry," he whispered.
I raised an eyebrow, not really sure why he was apologising. I wasn't in the mood to talk to him, my day was slowly ending perfectly, which was really rare. I didn't want him to ruin my day, why must he coincidentally appear at this time of the day?
"Um... I gotta go," I said.
I turned around and frowned, the direction I'm heading to was opposite to my house. I continued walking and I had a feeling he was chasing after me, so I speed walked and heard him shouting out my name.
"Jennifer!"
That's it, running time. I started running down the side walk as fast as I could, I just want to get away from him. I'm surprised at how fast I could run, he couldn't even catch up to me. We passed four blocks without stopping, and I was getting really tired. I wanted to stop, but I know I couldn't. I don't want to see him, I don't want to talk to him.
I don't want to break my promise.
It was already broken, but it wasn't my fault. It's not like I was the one that went to look for him just to see him. Before I know it, I arrived at a park and I hid behind a large oak tree. I caught my breath before slowly peeking out, only to see Jaejoong looking around the playgrounds, trying to find me.
"JENNIFERRR!" he shouted on top of his lungs.
He stood on one spot and spun around, looking around the area. I stopped peeking and stood straight behind the tree, trying to catch my breath quietly, which was something really hard to do since I've got asthma. I covered my mouth and took deep, deep breaths.
"Can you come out...?" he asked softly.
Slowly, I stopped taking deep breaths and my arms dropped down to my side. I wanted to peek behind the tree, but I was afraid he's going to spot me, so I just stood on the spot and waited for him to continue speaking or even better, leave.
"I know you're here some where, can you please let me see you?" he pleaded.
It was silent for a mere second. I decided to get comfortable and sat down on the barks, with my knees pulled up to my chest, I wrapped my arms around my legs. He didn't speak for another minute and I was wondering whether he left or not. I slowly turned to my right to take a look, he was still standing there.
"I'm sorry... Jennifer, for not recognising you earlier. I remember everything now, I remember all the things we've been through. Most of all, I remember you. Can you pleaseee come out?" he asked once again. "You don't know how hard it's been for me for the past two years. Even though I lost all my memories, deep down in my heart, I've always knew that I was missing someone in my life."
"J—Jaejoong..." I stuttered ever so softly, hoping he couldn't hear.
"That someone is you..." he whispered. "You came back for me, didn't you?"
"Yes," I whispered.
"Two years ago, I was stupid enough to watch you leave me. I was stupid enough to let you leave, without trying to pull you back. Two years later, I will not let the same thing happen again. I won't let you leave me," he said.
He paused.
"Donghae explained everything to me, you guys never dated two years ago. You were only putting on an act, why Jennifer?" he asked. "Did you hated me that much that you wanted me to get out of your world?"
"No..." I shook my head, even though he couldn't see.
Before I know it, I started crying, tears were streaming down my cheeks. I covered my mouth, trying to stop myself from letting out any sounds that will let him know I'm hiding behind the oak tree. I softly sniffed. He paused and stopped talking, which was when I finally calmed down. I wiped the remaining tears on my face and took a few deep breaths. I was about to peek again, but his voice spoke and I jumped a little.
"Jennifer," he called. "I miss you..."
"I miss you too, Kim Jaejoong."
"...I really do."
His last three words were strong enough to bring tears back to me. I slowly stood back on both feet. I tried to calm myself and wiped my tears away, I finally gained the courage to walk out and show myself. I took a step out.
"Jae—"
I noticed he was gone. I frowned and wanted to cry again. This guy that I love... is really unpredictable. I guess this is our destiny, the way things are meant to turn out. I'm leaving in two days and nobody knows about that. So it's obvious that he wouldn't come running up to me the day when I'm leaving, telling me to stay back.
I walked out of the park and turned right, to go back home. Before I turned, I looked to the left to see his back slowly walking away. Suddenly, I lost all my courage to talk to him again. I hate myself, a lot. I stood on the spot watching him with his head low, walking straight.
"Goodbye... Jaejoong," I said softly as a tear escaped my left eye.
-
It was the day that I wasn't looking forward to, it was the 16th. Kikwang and I were on the taxi heading off to the airport. I kept my eyes away from Kikwang and looked out the windows to the scenery, I watched as the buildings go past my eyes one by one. We were nearly at the airport, and I hated the downhearted feeling I got.
The taxi stopped. I hesitantly opened the door and got out, I helped Kikwang with the luggages and paid the taxi driver. We got a trolley and loaded it with our bags and luggages. Kikwang started pushing the trolley into the building, and I slowly trialed along behind him.
We started checking in and sent our luggages to the staff, so they can start loading it into the airplane. It was 8:16am, our plane is leaving at 9am, so we have about half an hour left. We decided to walk around the airport and see what we could buy. Everything was so expensive, the prices were way different compared to two years ago.
Kikwang and I just sat down on the seats near the departure hall. I was playing around with my phone in my hand, somewhat hoping that it was going to vibrate signalling that someone is calling me. I waited. Five minutes passed, ten minutes passed. No one was calling my phone, nor was anyone running to me at the airport.
'Where are you, Jaejoong?'
Why am I hoping that someone will come to pull me back, anyway? No one did two years ago, I guess no one will two years later. Suddenly, I remembered what Jaejoong said two nights ago.
[FLASHBACK]
"Two years ago, I was stupid enough to watch you leave me. I was stupid enough to let you leave, without trying to pull you back. Two years later, I will not let the same thing happen again. I won't let you leave me," he said.
[END OF FLASHBACK]
I'm leaving and he is no where near me. He's not going to chase after me this time, he doesn't even know I'm leaving. I growled silently, hoping Kikwang didn't hear anything. But since I was sitting right beside him, it's impossible for him to not hear anything. I stomped against the tiles hard, everyone could hear my heels making loud noises.
"Jennifer, do you really want to go back?" he asked.
"To where?"
"San Francisco."
No, I don't want to go back to San Francisco, Kikwang. Isn't that obvious? I don't want to go back and get married at such a young age. I don't want to go back and be stuck in the house, with no freedom at all. Most of all, I don't want to go back and never see Jaejoong again. I know that if I leave him for the second time, it's going to hurt more than the first. The first was painful, yet I survived, I don't want to go through the same pain again.
"Oh, of course you want to go back! Your family is there, Nicole is there. There's nothing here at Korea that's got the ability to pull you back, there's nothing special here," he said loudly.
For someone small like him, he can get really annoying.
"Who cares about all your friends, they're not even here to say goodbye to you. Yeah, you don't need those people in your life. They're not worth it, why did we even come to Korea in the first place?" he asked.
He was getting on my nerves.
"San Francisco, we're cominggggggggggggggg!"
"Shut up, Kikwang!" I shouted.
"Admit it, Jennifer!" he shouted back. "You don't want to leave."
"So what if I admit it? It's not going to change anything..." my voice went softer as I kept speaking.
"Go look for your happiness, your world, your Jaejoong."
His words really struck me this time, and I felt the urge to run out of the airport and look for him. I leaned back on the chair and started replaying the memories we've once shared. I still remember the day when I confessed to him, the day when he slammed me against the wall and forced a kiss on me, the day when I hugged him thinking that he lost his basketball match, the night when he hugged me telling me not to leave him...
"I know you still have feelings for me. Why are you doing this?""I thought you gave me another chance...""PLEASE STAY WITH ME!"
His words from that night two years ago came echoing in my mind. I smiled to myself as I pictured him in my arms, I stood up and was ready to leave. Before I left, I thanked Kikwang.
"Thank you, Kikwang..." I said softly.
He smiled and nodded, motioning me to hurry and go look for him. I returned the smile and ran out of the airport with my bag. I impatiently waited for a taxi and trying to call for one. As soon as I caught one, I gave the driver Donghae's address and told him to hurry. I didn't remember the directions nor the address to Jaejoong's house, so I'll need Donghae to take me there.
I impatiently looked out the window and continuously fiddled with my hands, hoping that the taxi will go faster so that I can see Jaejoong earlier. After what seems like ten years, we finally arrived in front of Donghae's house. I paid the taxi driver and ran to Donghae's front porch. I rung the doorbell for the millionth time, waiting for someone to answer the door.
Seconds later, Donghae came and opened the door. He was rubbing his eyes and looked like he just got out of bed. He was quite shocked to see me standing before him, at his house. I frowned and was about to drag him to his car.
"Hurry! Go get your car keys," I said.
"Why?" he asked sleepily.
"Take me to Jaejoong's place..."
-
As soon as Donghae stopped his car in front of Jaejoong's house, I dashed out and ran to the front door while Donghae was still inside the car. I rung the doorbell countless times, while screaming out Jaejoong's name. I continued ringing, wondering whether he's still asleep or not. I didn't stop, I was planning to ring until he answers the door.
It'll be funny if he wasn't home.
I waited for another minute or so, no one answered the door. I shouted his name for the last time and waited for a while, no one opened the door. I sighed, I came to a conclusion that he wasn't at home. Just when I was about to turn around and head over to where Donghae was leaning against his car, the door suddenly opened.
I turned back to see him standing there, looking straight down at me, eyes widened. I smiled out of gratefulness. I ran up and jumped onto him, with my arms wrapped tightly around his neck. I pushed him back into his house and entered by myself. I continued pushing him, till his back softly made contact with a wall.
I broke away from the hug and dropped my bag beside my legs. I looked up at him and smiled, he ree. So much was running through my mind, I didn't know what to say to him. We stared at each other in silence. I suddenly felt his arms tightened around my waist.
"I missed you," he said.
I grinned, I leaned forward and forced a kiss onto him. I broke away.
"This is for being stupid and letting me leave two years ago."
I kissed him again.
"This is for being a loser and chasing me late at night to the park."
I didn't give him time to react and forced another kiss onto his lips. Before I could back away and tell him the reason to my third kiss, I felt his hand holding the back of my head, preventing me from breaking away from the kiss. We continued kissing, this time, it lasted twenty times longer than the other two kisses from before. When we were losing breaths, we both broke away.
"What's this kiss for?" he asked.
"For making me unconditionally and recklessly in love with you," I whispered seductively.
-
[ONE YEAR LATER]
I don't know what else to say but for the past year, I have to admit that it was the best time of my life. Jaejoong and I were finally together, after all those obstacles that we've been through, we still ended up happily together. At times like this, I really believe in those happily ever afters in fairytale stories. It's a fact that, when you're madly in love, everything you see appears to be beautiful, even though they're not literally. It's the mood that makes everything appear more nicer.
My Mum decided to let me be and for one of the rarest times ever, she finally let gave me the decision to choose what I want for my future, and that was Jaejoong. With the help of Kikwang, we were able to convince my Mum to break off the engagement so we can go our separate ways. We're still friends though, great friends.
While linking arms with Jaejoong, we elegantly walked into the restaurant. We browsed around the room to look for the newlywed couple. As soon as I spotted them, I started dragging Jaejoong towards their direction.
"Congradulations!" Jaejoong and I both said in unison.
"Thanks guys," Kikwang said softly. "Let me introduce my wife to you guys, her name is Jennica."
Jennica and I shared a soft hug, while she softly shook hands with Jaejoong. Jaejoong and I came all the way from Korea to San Francisco to attend Kikwang's wedding, we're such good friends. Apparently, Kikwang met Jennica one year ago when we went to Korea to have an holiday. A lot of things happened during that vacation, nothing regretful though.
After having a short talk with Kikwang and Jennica, Jaejoong and I went walking near the fountain outside of the building, while waiting for the wedding ceremony to start. We were holding hands as we walked passed the fountain and arrived on the tip of a mountain.
The sun was slowly setting. I use my free hand to block the brightness and stared straight ahead of myself, it was a great scenery. Jaejoong slowly sat down and pulled me along with him. I sat closely beside him and leaned against his hard chest, while one of his arm was tightly wrapped around my waist. Both my hands held his free hand.
It was quiet, but not awkward. I was hoping that he'll start to say something, so I stayed quiet and waited. Finally, he broke the silence.
"Jennifer," he whispered into my ear.
"Hmm?"
"Do you know how long I've been waiting for you?"
I smiled. His cheesiness sent shivers down my spine and butterflies started dancing in my stomach. Though it felt uncomfortable, I still love it. I love how Jaejoong can simply take over my world and make my day with just one simple sentence.
"Do you know how much I love you?" I asked him.
I softly giggled and straightened up myself. I turned around to face him, he looked down into my eyes affectonately, seductively. He slowly raised his hand up and placed it on my cheek, gently carassing my face with his thumb. Before I know it, he started pushing me down and I layed flat on the grass.
He layed on his side and put all his weight onto his elbow. We smiled to each other before he started leaning in. It took a while and I was getting impatient, I raised my arms up and pulled his head to mine, our lips crashed. We shared a deep and meaningful kiss for a while, before breaking away.
"I love you too, Jennifer."
THE END
Comments