EDIT (032011): Hey guys, like I said I would, I edited in the chapter! My graphics/fanfic offer is at the end of the chapter so go ahead and check it out if you're interested. Like I said, it's all for a good cause! As for this update, it was weird to write because it seemed a little fast paced for me, but it's the story progressing I suppose. March Break is ending, it's pretty sad ): But anyway, I hope you guys like the chapter, comments are love and I hope you're having a great weekend! ♥

Jin Ae froze in her seat, her hands gripping the now lukewarm cup of tea. It was right there, out in the open, the reality Jin Ae had been waiting to hear, but at the same time, dreading.

“J-Jin Ae, say something…” There was a small drop that landed in the tea, a sniff following right after.

“Why…” She said, her voice barely a whisper. Byunghun wanted so much to reach out to her and hug her like how he used to, but he was almost afraid to touch her. She was shaking slightly now, her head still hung low, her long hair falling limply around the sides of her face. Byunghun’s heart was pounding – he finally told her everything from start to finish, after four long years of holding back. But she wasn’t saying anything, not even moving in her seat. She sat rigid, despite small trembles from her tears.

He wanted so much for her to yell at him, tell him that she hated him and the like. But she didn’t yell, she wouldn’t – the Jin Ae he’s known never yelled, she never got angry, only frustrated. How he wanted her to tell him that she hated him because of everything, blamed him for how her parents died. In his eyes, that’s how she should feel and if those were her true feelings, he wasn’t in any position to accept anything else. After all, he pushed her far out of reach, far enough so that she would never come back.

But her she was in front of him, one hundred percent there in the flesh. She slowly lifted her head and turned around to face him, looking him straight in the eye. He knew what was coming; he could feel it in his bones. But she had something else in mind, something different from what he was expecting.

“D-Do you promise me that y-you had n-no intention to h-harm my p-parents?” Although she stuttered because of her tears, the tone of her voice was firm and her look was steady. It was almost impossible for him to look straight into them, but he held her gaze.

“I promise, Jin Ae. You, more than anybody else, know how much I respected your parents. They were like family to me too.” He said as earnestly as possible. Setting her cup down, she abruptly stood up. Byunghun was taken aback but followed suit. He looked at her and they locked eyes again for a moment before her right hand came across his cheek, the hard contact echoing throughout the living room space. Before he had time to react, she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tight.

“The slap was because you said you hated me, and then left me when you should’ve stayed by my side. Also, you should’ve told me everything from the start.” She mumbled into his shoulder.

“Then w-why – “

“This is because I missed my best friend in the whole world.” Her warm words washed over him and he finally wrapped his arms around her.

“I missed you too, Jin Ae. I was afraid that you’d hate me after everything and…I miss them as much as you do. I swear, the gun wasn’t loaded and – “ But Jin Ae pulled away and put her hand over his mouth, giving him a sad smile.

“I believe you.” Byunghun stopped trying to talk into her hand and felt something wet in his eyes. Jin Ae couldn’t help but to grin and laugh a bit.

“Aw, Byunnie Bunnie’s crying.” She giggled and he hastily turned his face away and brushed the wetness from his eyes.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. And hey, who said you could call me that again, huh Weenie?” Jin Ae’s smile faltered and she glared at him.

“You can’t be mean to me right now, not after all this!” She said and he looked at her incredulously.

“Hey, you can’t use the pity card yet, it hasn’t been a full twenty four hours!” She just stuck her tongue out at him and he pushed her forehead.

The rest of the night passed by, the two of them catching up on things that have happened in the last four years. Neither of them noticed the lights grow steadily darker outside until Byunghun left for a bit to go to the bathroom. Jin Ae crossed her legs on the couch and stretched her arms a bit. Then, she heard a faint vibration coming from her bag. That was when she remembered her brother.

Running to her bag, she plunged her arm inside and grabbed her phone.

“Hello?” Jin Ae said rather breathlessly, somewhat afraid of the earful she was, with no doubt, going to get from her brother.

“Park Jin Ae, where have you been?! It’s way past your curfew, it’s freaking dark outside, and you haven’t been picking up your phone in the past, oh I don’t know, four hours!” Jinsang’s normally low voice screeched loudly through the speakers of her phone, causing her to instinctively draw it away a few centimeters.

“J-Jinsang, I can ex – “

“Oh damn right you will explain, I want your back at home in the next ten minutes!”

“But Ji – “

“You come here or I’m not letting you inside the house, got it?” Before Jin Ae could say anything, there was a beep, signaling the end of the conversation. Jin Ae gulped and threw her phone back inside her bag, and began to rub her temples.

“I am so dead…”

“That was Jinsang-hyung, wasn’t it?” Jin Ae spun around and met eyes with a slightly amused looking Byunghun. She rolled her eyes and picked up her bag.

“Sadly, yes and now I’m probably going to end up in a casket when I get home, but it’s definitely much warmer than staying outside and freezing to death. I should get going before Jinsang really locks me out.”

“Come on, I’ll walk you home.” Byunghun said and put his hands on Jin Ae’s shoulders.

“But how will you get home?” Jin Ae asked as she slipped on her shoes.

“I’ll walk back, duh.” Jin Ae just shook her head and stepped outside with Byunghun following closely behind. Although they had been talking almost nonstop a few minutes ago, there was now an awkward silence in the air as they walked along the path towards Jin Ae’s house. Both were thinking about how fast everything seemed to be moving, how only a few hours ago, they were going about their regular lives, not acknowledging each other in the slightest. Never would they have thought that later on, they would make up after Jin Ae was almost…well, you know.

It was a bit chilly because it was nighttime, the moon was half full that night, yet it still illuminated the streets with its eerie, white glow. A small breeze rustled the leaves of the trees, muffling the sounds of their footsteps. All too soon they had reached the front step of Jin Ae’s home and Byunghun stopped just in front of the small steps. Jin Ae climbed up and then turned around so that she was looking down at him. Neither could look at the other in the eye, not quite sure of what to say or how to part.

“So um, I’ll see you tomorrow?” Byunghun mumbled and Jin Ae just smiled and nodded. Just as she was about to fish her keys out of her pocket, the door swung open, revealing a very angry looking Jinsang.

“You – in – NOW.” He pointed to Jin Ae whose eyes widened but she hastily stepped into the house, warily glancing back at Byunghun who was trying to sneak away but Jinsang, who didn’t seem to be in the right state of mind, caught him and glared at the boy.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Before Byunghun could attempt to explain himself, Jin Ae grabbed her brother’s arm and pulled him inside.

“Jinsang, don’t worry, just come inside – I’ll talk to you tomorrow Byunghun.” She said and closed the door and kept a firm grip on her brother. She felt a little bad for leaving Byunghun without a better goodbye but she couldn’t dwell on the thought for much longer as Jinsang finally rounded on her.

“Jin Ae you have no idea how worried sick I am right now, for all I know you could’ve been in a ditch somewhere, or worse!” Jin Ae just looked down at her feet – Jinsang rarely ever yelled at her, and she couldn’t help but to feel guilty.

“Well?! Aren’t you going to say anything? Aren’t you going to tell me why you didn’t go home straight after school? And why Byunghun was standing outside with you just now, out of all people?” He burst, his arms crossed as he looked at his younger sister with furrowed brows. The guilt inside of Jin Ae seemed to halt all her senses, causing her to open and then close it again, not knowing what to say or where to start. It wasn’t like she could just come out and say, “Oh, I followed Byunghun back to his house and nearly got on the way there, and then I found out how Mom and Dad died and why Byunghun said he hated me, no big deal.” Instead, she twiddled her thumbs and rocked back and forth on her heels, not daring to look up.

“Jin Ae, I want answers now please.” He said, evidently trying to make his voice sound calmer. Jin Ae gulped and grudgingly looked up.

“Jinsang,” she started, her voice coming out as a squeak, “you won’t believe what happened today.” Seeing the mix of emotions hiding behind her eyes, Jinsang straightened up and gently pushed Jin Ae over towards the couch and they sat facing each other.