“So this is how he felt, huh?” Yeon Ah mumbled to herself. It had been 2 weeks since the failed reunion. She had locked herself in her room ever since. “I can’t believe I made him feel this crappy for 5 freaking years….” Tears slid down her cheeks and she didn’t bother wiping them away. Burrowing herself further into her sheets, she cried herself to sleep. Daniel stood outside her bedroom door, listening to the sounds of her despair. ‘I’m sorry, Yeonnie. There’s nothing I can do.’

--

                She woke up and got out of bed. She didn’t know what time it was for her curtains were pulled shut. Her apartment was silent aside from the sounds of her footsteps. In her kitchen, she poured herself a glass of water. She held the cup and just stared at it. ‘Did he lose his appetite as well? Was he not able to even drink a cup of water?’ She placed it on the counter and went to her living room. Her cell phone rang. She didn’t bother picking it up and let it go to voicemail. She curled up on the couch and made herself as small as she could. ‘I miss him…’

--

                “Yah. Yah! Open up! Hurry!” Yeon Ah groggily got off the couch and opened her door. Daniel rushed in and pulled her to the bathroom. He the shower and shoved her into the stall, clothes and all. She stood still and let the warm water soak through. “Snap out of this and wake up. I’ve had to deal with hyung for the past 5 years and I don’t want to see you go through this as well. When was the last time you showered?” he grabbed the shower head and sat her down on the stool. He leant her over and grabbed a bottle of shampoo. He squirted the product into his palm and began to lather it into her hair. Yeon Ah didn’t retaliate when the soap stung her eyes. “Yah, close your eyes!” he hissed, washing out the suds. He conditioned her hair and pulled her out of the stall. “I’m not going to do the next part. You clean yourself up, Sis,” he grabbed the body wash and handed it to her before leaving the bathroom. Yeon Ah looked at the bottle in her hands and then at her reflection. Her face was pale and her cheeks were hollow. She had dropped a lot of weight and looked like she was slowly disappearing. Stripping off the wet clothes, she went back into the shower and washed the grime and filth off her body. She got out of the shower and wrapped a towel around herself. She peeked out the door and saw Daniel waiting outside with some clean clothes.

                “You’ve lost a lot of weight.”

                “Yeah. I know.”

                “Have you been eating?”

                “Do you think I’ve been eating?”

                “Touché.” Daniel hugged his sister close. He could feel her body shaking from her unsteady breaths. She was weaker than he had ever seen her. She probably couldn’t even lift her fencing sabre, let alone the helmet. “You know what? I’m taking you out tomorrow. It’s time you had some fresh air and get out of this place. Locking yourself up is just making you unhealthy and you know it.” Yeon Ah mumbled an okay and drifted off to sleep. Daniel her hair and sighed. He hoped that tomorrow would make her feel better.

--

                Yeon Ah whined as her phone started ringing full blast. ‘Damn that brother of mine. He turned up the volume…’ She scrambled out of bed and grabbed her phone from the dresser.

                “Hello?” she acidly answered the call.

                “You have 15 minutes to get ready and go down stairs. There’ll be a car waiting for you. Don’t be late,” he hastily ended the call before she could give him a piece of her mind. She threw her phone on her bed and was tempted to crawl back in, but stopped herself. ‘He’s doing this for you…So be happy.’ She put on her best smile and washed up.

                She checked her reflection one last time before she grabbed her things and left her apartment. She took the stairs down to the lobby and saw a familiar black van parked outside. Manager Kim got up from the lobby couches and held his arms open. She smiled weakly and met him with a hug.

                “It’s been a while, Manager Kim,” she let go and bowed 90 degrees to him. For all of the hardship that he had to deal with because of her, she held her bow for a little longer.

                “Hey, it’s okay. Let’s go. We have a big day ahead of us,” he chuckled and led the way out. She got into the van and he drove to the mall. The ride was silent, but Yeon Ah felt comfortable. She nodded off to sleep and eventually, they arrived at the mall. “Hey, we’re here. Daniel will meet you at the ~~~~ clothing store [A/N: TOO LAZY TO THINK OF NAME LOL I think Jungle King killed whatever creative genes I had left…XD]. She got out of the car and waved good bye. Checking if it was clear or not, she crossed the street and entered the mall. It was exactly like she had remembered it. Busy and full of life. She watched as couples walked past her, making her heart twang with guilt and depression. Making her way through the halls, she found the store she was looking for. She pulled out her phone and called Daniel.

                “Hey, I’m at the store, where are you?”

                “Just go in. The lady will help you out.” Again, he cut off the call. Leaving her no choice, she quietly entered the store. “Hello?”

                “Hi! You must be Yeon Ah! Daniel called and said he sent you here,” a polite looking sales lady strode over. She led her in and closed the doors behind her. “He rented the store, so you have plenty of time to find your outfit. Here are some pieces that I’ve pulled out for you.” She led her to the change rooms and hung up the clothing. “These are just samples, so if you don’t like any of them, you can browse around. I’ll be at the counter if you need me.” Yeon Ah bowed to the lady and closed the curtains. All of the outfits were classy and elegant dresses. She tried them all on, but didn’t like any of them. ‘What’s there to like? I don’t even need to use these…’ She hung the clothing on the rack outside the change rooms and took a look at the store. She pulled out some simple cocktail dresses to try on. The first two she didn’t like. The third one was okay. The fourth one, she absolutely loved. She was surprised she even liked anything anymore. The dress was a simple green strapless knee-length dress with black lace trim. She matched it with a black cardigan. She found some simple black open-toed heels to finish off the look.

                “I think I’ll take these,” she told the lady and went back into the changing rooms.

                “Ah, don’t change out of them. He says you have to go to the salon next down the hall. I’ve put your other clothes in a bag.”

                “Don’t I need to pay?”

                “It’s been taken care of. Now go~!” Yeon Ah thanked the lady and left the store. People began to stare at her. Most of them recognized her as Daniel’s twin. Although the walk down the hall was short, a crowd of people started to follow her, taking as many pictures as they could. She bowed to them and acknowledged their presence before heading into the salon.

                “Uh, I’m--”

                “We know who you are! Daniel gave us a heads up. Come, we have much to do,” the hair stylist dragged her to the chair. ‘He went all out to make me happy, huh? Thanks, Danny. I think it’s working.’ She smiled at the people around her and sat back in the chair. The stylist waved her hair and fixed up her bangs. She also pinned a small silver hair piece to the side of her head opposite her bangs. “There, perfect. Now go down to the east side underground parking lot. Manager Kim will pick you up from there.” Yeon Ah was shooed out of the salon and she stumbled out into the hall. The crowd was still there and it seemed to have grown in size. She shyly bowed to them and walked towards the east wing. The group followed her and some even asked for pictures. She didn’t want to be rude, so she stopped several times to snap some pictures with the people. Finally, she made it to the elevator and went down to the parking lot. The doors slid open and the van was parked right outside.

                “Very pretty, my dear. Jump in, we have to go,” Manager Kim gave her an ok sign and motioned for her to come in. Yeon Ah got in and jumped up in shock, hitting her head.

                “Yo,” Daniel shot her a peace sign from the back seat.

                “Yah, you scared me,” she reached out to punch him. He slid out of the way and giggled.

                “You look good, Sis,” he gave her two thumbs up. She smiled at his compliment. ‘I feel good too. Maybe I can move on now. It seems like he already has,’ she softly smiled out the window.

                “So, where are we going?”

                “To dinner with mom and dad. You should get some sleep, the restaurant is a bit far,” he told her. He shifted into a more comfortable position in the back seat himself. Yeon Ah leaned her cheek against the seatbelt and slowly fell into a deep sleep. Daniel took a quick peek at his sister before he took out his phone and sent a text.

--

                Yeon Ah felt somebody shaking her. She blindly slapped them away and turned back to sleep.

                “Hey, we’re here. Get up,” Daniel shook her harder and this time, she woke up.

                “We’re here?” she rubbed her eyes and slid out of the car. Daniel followed after her, but instead of getting out of the car, he slid the door close and locked it. Yeon Ah whirled around and glared at her brother. “What the heck is this?” she pulled on the handle with no luck. Daniel jumped into the front seat.

                “Go inside. Reservations are already made and dinner is paid. Just get whatever you want. Enjoy tonight,” he cheekily smiled at her. She raised her fist to punch the window, but slowly lowered it. He was right. She was already here, so might as well enjoy a nice dinner. She waved and turned to leave, but stopped when he called out her name. “You might need this,” he threw a small packet at her. She caught it. It was a small package of tissue.

                “What’s this for?”

                “You’ll see, Jungle King.” Yeon Ah’s jaw dropped at what he called her.

                “How did you know?”

                “It wasn’t that hard to figure out. Jungle King, lion, Leo, Leona. Did you think I wasn’t smart enough to decipher the code name? Good try, Sis, but nothing gets past the almighty Danny!” he waved at her and they drove off. She grinned after him and pocketed the tissue. She opened the doors of the restaurant to find it completely empty. ‘What the…’ she looked around and read the sign next to the hostess’ podium.

                [Chae Yeon Ah, please go to the second floor.]

                She tilted her head in confusion. Maybe her parents were up there waiting for her. But how come Daniel wasn’t with them? Probably wanted a night alone with her after so long. She still hadn’t visited them yet. Shrugging it off, she made her way up the stairs and walked into a dimly lit hallway. Oil lamps hung from the walls and candles lined the floor, leading to a door at the end of the hall. ‘Wait a second…my parents would never--’ her heart fluttered. She had a feeling this day was weird, now she knew why. Following the candle trail, she stood in front of the door and held onto the door knob. Taking a deep breath, she knocked on the door.

                “Come in,” a familiar voice called out from behind the door. Her heart skipped a beat. She turned the handle and opened the door. She was greeted by a room covered in candles. In the center stood Young Won, blue hair and all, grinning from ear to ear. She covered her gaping mouth in shock. Tears threatened to fall from her eyes. “Took you long enough to get here,” he teased, holding out his hand. Yeon Ah carefully walked towards him, afraid that he might disappear if she moved too quickly. ‘This isn’t a dream, is it? He’s real, right?’ she cautiously reached out and touched his hand. The warmth of his touch travelled up her arm and spread throughout her whole entire body. It was real. This wasn’t a dream.

                “Did you…did you plan all of this?” she whispered.

                “You know it. You didn’t think we were over, did you?” he pulled her into a hug.

                “Well, I did. Considering the fact that you walked away and basically said we were through,” she spoke into his chest. He chuckled and she could feel the vibrations of his laughter.

                “The moment I laid eyes on you in the restaurant, I knew what I had to do. Did you know what I went through when you left without a word?” he breathed in her familiar shampoo.

                “I think I got a taste of it these past 2 weeks,” she meekly laughed and pulled away. They looked into each other’s eyes, basking in the glory of getting back into each other’s lives. Young Won leaned down. His breath brushed against her lips.

                “Do you know how long I’ve had to wait for this?”

                “Too long,” she answered and went onto her tippy toes. Their lips met and their minds became one. She felt him her lip and she parted for him. Their tongues danced a tango as they hugged each other close. Breathless, Yeon Ah broke away from the kiss. “I’m sorry I left you. I’m sorry I didn’t call. I’m sorry I was weak and ran away. I’m sorry--” he kissed her silent. When he knew she was quiet, he gave her a train of pecks before pulling away.

                “You have nothing to be sorry about. It’s not in the past. We’re here now, in the present, with the future to look forward to,” he let her go and got down on one knee. Yeon Ah’s eyes widened and she covered her opened mouth yet again. “These past few years, I lived in depression. I hated life and I hated myself. I hated myself for not stopping you in time. I thought about you every day and couldn’t stop thinking about you. I came to realize recently that, I don’t think I could live without you by my side. It was torturous having to live separately from you. What I’m trying to say is, Yeon Ah, will you marry me?” he held out a bouquet of lollipops. It was tied with a white ribbon and on that ribbon, hung a silver engagement ring. A throaty sob escaped from her lips. She stared deep into his eyes which were filled with sincerity and love. She cupped his cheek with her left hand.

                “Yes. Yes. A million times, yes! I’ll marry you,” she laughed with tears in her eyes. Young Won jumped up and pulled her into a kiss. She smiled through it and she felt him do the same. He pulled away and untied the ring. He handed her the lollipops and grabbed her left hand, sliding the ring onto her fourth finger. She hugged his neck and kissed his cheek. She admired her ring in the candle light and took a closer look at the candy. “Wait a second…is this…?”

                “It sure is. That’s your famous raspberry candy.”

                “How did you get it? And as a lollipop for that matter,” she admired the nostalgic candy.

                “I think my parents failed to mention me to their best worker,” he grinned down at her. Yeon Ah’s jaw dropped.

                “Your parents own the candy store?!”

                “Yup. In the future, it’ll be ours,” he hugged her. She smiled into his shirt and hugged him back.

                “Oh yeah, I just remembered,” she pushed him away and pulled out the packet of tissues from her pocket. “Danny sent me in prepared,” she laughed and pulled out a sheet. She blotted her tears away and blew her runny nose. “Ugh, that was attractive,” she chuckled.

                “Anything you do is beautiful to me,” he caressed her cheek.

                “Cheesy,” she stuck her tongue out at him. He rested his forehead against hers.

                “Cheesy or not, we’re together forever. You’re my sour candy girl,” he gave her a peck on the nose.

                “And you’re my cotton candy boy,” she laughed, fluffing up his freshly dyed hair.

IT'S NOT OVER YET ^^. I decided to have one more chapter~ 

COMMENT REPLIES

@ icollectcars: thank you for reading, commenting, and subbing! I know, what was he thinking?! He was thinking up a plan XD

@ meggurs: ah, sorry >_< hopefully this chapter made you smile ^^

@ ilovemuffins: hahaha yes, jungle king XD just for you, I'm writing one more chapter. shh, don't tell the others LOL

@ winterflowr: it was all planned~~ muahahahaha

@ kmn007: she felt his pain, that's for sure. haha, I'll see about the sequel...

@ yannie: updated~ thanks for reading!

@ koreasujufan: hahah he took her back~ and I've gifted to all my readers one more chapter~! yay!

@ theblackcat1236: LOL being stubborn ...I suffer from being stubborn...it's badddd XD she stayed in Japan, but still wrote in Korean ^_~

@ shocked97: don't be sad! this chapter is happy~~ and one more chapter ^^

@ Micha0524: happy update granted~

So, I know I lied and said this was the last chapter, but I felt that the next chapter HAD to be the last chapter. 

See you in the LAST (for sure) Chapter!

-greenninjapanda GNP-