‘I miss you. I miss you.’

That phrase kept repeating itself over and over in your head. That was something you had not prepared yourself to hear coming from him. He chose Brenna. Not you. What right does he think he had by saying that to you?

You were stunned into silence, not having the voice to say anything at all. What the hell do you say to that?

Aaron didn’t notice the effect it had on you and continued on. “God I made a huge mistake -----. A terribly huge one.” At that moment, you felt your heart skip a beat. Aaron had sounded so defeated, so regretful. And you were starting to worry that hearing what he had to say next would just confuse your heart, make you think and feel things you’ve worked hard to push away.

So you wanted to put an end to whatever this was heading to. You didn’t want to know. You absolutely did not want to hear anything that he was about to say.

“Look Aaron stop. It’s been so long-“

“No, please at least listen to me first. I beg you. I know I have no right to ask for this favor but I’m being shameless and asking for it anyways. I beg you, please listen to me.” He turned to you and only then did you notice how ragged his face looked. His eyes were surrounded with dark circles and his eyes had sunken. Even his natural pale skin was paler than you had remembered. His cheekbones were protruding and it seemed as if he had not had a good night’s sleep for a while.

“Aaron-“ You started to protest, but the look in his eyes stopped you. You didn’t have to listen to you. He had no right at all to even say what he did after he completely disregarded your feelings. But somehow, you let him continue.

“-----, God I don’t even. I-“He started before rubbing his face tiredly.

“I’m so sorry. So damn sorry. I was an idiot.” He confessed to you. You shook your head, completely unbelieving on what has happened. This was definitely what you would have wished would have happened, but that wish was gone a few months ago. It definitely was not what you wanted now. And the fact that it was happening when your life was finally great, perfect even, made you frustrated.

“Aaron stop it please. Stop.” You almost begged. You didn’t want this, you didn’t need this at all. You were content with hating Aaron and Brenna, content with not having them in your feel. Content on blaming them for everything.

“No. Please ------ listen to me. Just listen. I’m not asking for anything else but for you to listen.” You tried once again to stop him, but his eyes once again stopped the protest you were about to have. It had always been hard for you to say no to him, especially when he had that look in his eyes.

When he noticed that your protests were gone, he turned in his seat, facing your profile. You were uncomfortable with his gazing at you, so you just looked at the street in front, never taking your eyes off of it.

“When I- you know when I confessed to Brenna, when I got her to agree to go out with me and hide it from you, I thought it was okay. I thought I was making the right decision. I have loved Brenna for a long time and it had been one of my biggest wishes to be able to confess to her and have her reciprocate my love.” The small wince that statement caused was barely noticeable, but you were angry at yourself for even having that small reaction. It was a statement you knew was true already so why did it still sting you?

Aaron didn’t notice the reaction you had to what he said and continued on.

“I was happy with her. We were happy. Until I noticed it wasn’t the same. The happiness I felt with her wasn’t the same as the happiness I felt with you. It was like… the happiness that she brought was because of the fact that I finally achieved my long time dream, to have Brenna as my girlfriend. But with you, I was just happy. The times I spent with you, I didn’t think about anything else and all I enjoyed was my time with. I was happy because it was you.”

He looked at the unresponsive you and grabbed one of your hands, getting you to look at him in the eyes.

“I didn’t realize until it was too late that you were the one I wanted, the one I was falling for. ---- you were the one I loved, the one I still love. God what I would do to bring back the past that I had with you.”

He expected you to say something, react at what he was saying, but he was sorely disappointed when all you did was stare at his hand holding yours.

“Brenna noticed I wasn’t happy. She noticed and she knew, she even understood me. She said our relationship was different than what she imagined it would be. So we broke up. Because we both understood that we weren’t right for each other.”

That finally got a reaction from you, got you to say something. “So what?” You almost bit back, but held the bitter note from entering the words you were saying.

“What do you want me to do, what do you want me to say Aaron?” He looked at you with wide eyes and opened his mouth to say something but promptly closed it again. You pulled your hand away from his and stared at him. A slight anger festering inside you.

*What does he think I would say after this? ‘Oh it’s alright I forgive you! Love me ?’ Who does he think he is? Once my life is finally great, he comes in and causes drama?*

“----- I-I really wasn’t expecting anything in return. I just needed to tell you the truth, to tell you how much I love and miss you.”

“You’re selfish you know that Aaron? After I have everything in my life under control, you come in and tell me this, disrupting the life that I now have without you!” You almost screamed at him. You were seething. Your emotions finally caught up to you and the most prominent was anger at him. Anger at the nerve he had to call you up and confess that he loved you.

You didn’t want to deal with him anymore. Standing up, you intended to leave now and forget that all of these ever happened. You didn’t care anymore.

But before you even got a step away from him, he stood up and pulled you to his chest, hugging you like the way he always used to.

You tried fighting him, trying to pull your way from his hands but he wouldn’t budge, wouldn’t even let an inch between you two. You were hitting his shoulders, his arms, basically trying your best to physically get him to let go.

After a minute of two, you lost your energy and almost sagged into his embrace. And that was when you noticed it. A wet spot was forming on your shoulders, the spot right where Aaron’s head rested. And then you heard the sobbing coming from him and the trembling of his shoulders.

That had you stiffening immediately in his embrace. You had never heard Aaron cry like this, let alone this hard. You were awkwardly standing stiff straight in his arms, unsure of what to do at this situation. But after a while, you heard him stop, and take a deep calming breath. You were about to pull yourself away when you felt him tighten his hold on you once more.

“Please ----- don’t be like this. I don’t know how much more I can apologize for what I did. I made a huge mistake, I was an , a big fat jerk to you and I regret every single thing that I did. Please, please I beg you---- I beg you. Give me another chance. I promise to treat you like a princess-no a queen- and do everything right. I love you so much. Please give me a chance to prove this.”

You heard your heart beating so loudly and you knew that he could too. But instead of the overwhelming love or hurt you were suppose to feel at a situation like this, all you felt was… Pity.

“Please-------, give me a chance to prove to you how much I love you. You know we’re great together. I promise never ever to hurt you again. Please ------. It’s been hard for me without you in my life. I need you in my life.”

At that moment, you knew. And you felt bad but you knew.

You didn’t love him anymore. There was even a single though in your mind of being with him. The thought never even occurred of being with him. You felt every emotion you’ve hidden finally leave you at this realization. He wasn’t someone you loved anymore. Your heart didn’t belong to him anymore.

You felt like crying out in joy at this, but stopped yourself. Aaron just confessed his love for you and you felt nothing at all but pity. You had to tell him the truth.

“Aaron, let me go for a while.” You requested in a soft voice, indicating you wouldn’t run away. His tight grip on you finally loosened and you pulled yourself free from his arms.

Smiling gently for the first time, you put your hands to cradle his face. Hope flared in his eyes, but your next statement promptly killed it.

“Aaron, I think I have to thank you. This thing that happened between Brenna, you and I, it was the push I needed to come to Korea. And because of that I finally realized how much I love singing. It got me to the place I am now, happy and living my life. But I realized that at this moment, gratefulness is all I feel towards you.”

Despair covered his face and he tried his best to contain it and stop himself from truly showing you how painful it was to hear that.

Letting go of him and stepping back, you gave him one small smile. “Being a couple was never meant for us Aaron. I finally realize that but I’m sorry that I have to realize this in expense to you being hurt. It really is my turn to apologize now Aaron. I can’t ever be with you.”

Aaron bit his lips as his eyes once again teared up. He looked up at the night sky, trying to keep the tears from falling.

“It’s alright. I wasn’t expecting much but I was just glad to have told you my feelings.” He gave you a sad smile, and you gave one in return. This felt like a final goodbye. Not only for him, but the resentment and hurt you had been bottling up as well. It was time to let it go.

“Go back now, it’s late. It was nice seeing you -----. I truly am glad to see that you are happy and living a good life.” He waved his hand in good bye and did his best to give you one happy smile.

Looking sadly at him, you gave him a smile and turned away, somehow feeling lighter from that experience. You can now move on and the closure you needed was finally met.

Seeing you leave, Aaron gave one last longing look before walking back to his apartment. He said everything he wanted to, and no matter how much he wanted the end of you two to be different, he was glad that you two parted in good terms

~~~

The camera lens shut as soon as you entered the door and was out of sight. A slow grin started on appear on his face. He pushed his glasses up to his brow and anyone could see the greed starting to show in his eyes.  Stepping out behind the bush, he looked at the disappearing back of the foreign guy. He grasped the camera in his fat meaty hands and almost screamed out in success.

“Oh-ho What great news this will make.”

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Wow trouble! oh no! Please comment down below and tell me what you thought of Aaron and this chapter! Thanks for reading and please remember to comment! Your comments give me the push I need to write more! Thanks!