UNREQUITED LOVE

Chapter 12

“I think I also need to figure things out too Yong. I’m sorry.” Seohyun finally whispered as she stood in Yong’s arms after a long while. She doesn’t know what she really needs right now, but one thing’s for sure; all she want is to know the truth and to be able to believe and trust again.

Seohyun let out a huge sigh every time she thinks about the things that occurred the other night. She opened her eyes and thought,

“Today’s the start of our sport’s festival week and I have neither spoken to Hyoyeon, Yonghwa nor Sooyoung since last Saturday. How am I supposed to talk to them?”

After asking Hyoyeon to tell everyone not to contact her and to give her time to think, she realized a lot of things.

She realized that she should have not reacted strongly after seeing Yong and Sooyoung together, despite the fact that she was hurt by her best friend’s actions and found out that Yong and Sooyoung had a complicated relationship in the past.

She thought that she was not in the position to ask so much from Yong, especially since she just met him; actually, she just met all of them.

The feelings she have for Yonghwa are real. She knew it ever since the first day they met; it was just now that she completely understood what it really was since then.

Her sudden burst of happiness just by seeing him, her mood swings, her sometimes erse jealousy and even those feeling that she so far, she can’t explain, it’s all real.

And she knew that she has never felt like this to anyone. Indeed, Yonghwa really is her first.

“Please stay by my side. Stay with me until I figure everything out Hyun.”

Seohyun once again considered about what Yonghwa asked from her the other night and thought,

“How can he ask something like that from me? Does it mean that he also feels something for me? How am I supposed to believe in him if he can’t even tell me the truth between Sooyoung and him?”

Seohyun thought that this is why her parents wanted her to go to normal school; to be strong enough and to stand up after she falls down.

She may have always been a princess, but now, she’ll also have to be her own knight. She loves all of them; Hyoyeon, Sooyoung, Yonghwa and even Doojoon because they were the ones who were there when everything was all new to her.

She didn’t want to lose them. But she did not want to play ignorant princess anymore. She thought,

“If I can’t uncover the truth now, then I’ll have to be brave enough and prepare myself for it. If Yong and Sooyoung really had a relationship from the past, I’ll just have to accept and be fine with it. From now on, I’ll act logically. Always remember Hyun, the brain is superior to the heart. I’ll just have to show everyone that I’m fine, even though it’s killing me inside. And if Yonghwa wanted me to stay and wait for him while he figure things out, then he’ll have to slowly tell me what really is happening or else I’ll have to stay away from him before my heart ends up to pieces to the point that even I can’t fix it.”

As she prepared for the first day of their sports festival, she couldn’t shake off that nervous feeling that she have.  Her hands were cold and her brain simply can’t stop thinking about how she’s going to react around Hyoyeon and Sooyoung today.

She thought about the 300 meter dash they joined together and if Yonghwa would be there to cheer for her . . . or maybe for Sooyoung.

“Are things between us going to change from now on? She thought sadly.

“I don’t want them to.” She continued as her eyes started to water. She quickly wiped them and prevented her tears from falling down.

It was already eight in the morning and Seohyun took a bite of her egg. She cooked it herself and eating it made her feel a bit better.  

She looked out from the open window which was slowly welcoming a breeze of air and thought that it was one of those days that she would simply love to stay outside. The sky’s overcast by the clouds and the air gave out a warm feeling. Seohyun closed her eyes and imagined herself back home. Back when she was drawing the peaceful scenery and life wasn’t this complicated.

Suddenly her phone rang, interrupting her line of thoughts.

RING! RING! RING!

“Hi mom!” Seohyun answered, trying to sound cheerful.

“Hi honey. How- How are you?” Her mom asked.

“I’m fine mom.” Seohyun answered, knowing that her mom already knew a lot of things.

“Oh. Honey, you know that you can always talk to me about anything right? Your dad and I never want you to experience getting hurt. All we ever wanted was – oh never mind, you’ll soon understand what we have planned for you.”

“You don’t have to worry about me mom. I – I have learned a lot of things that I may have never learned if I were there back home.”

“I know honey, but we don’t want you to get hurt. Don’t worry, you won’t get hurt anymore. That’s a promise.”

There was a silence from Seohyun’s line and so her mom continued,

“By the way, you’re running today right? You don’t run so fast honey, are you sure you’re going to be fine?”

“Yes mom, don’t worry. Hyoyeon is a marathon runner, we’ll surely win!” Seohyun answered and thought about how much she missed Hyoyeon. She continued and said,

“Mom, I have to get going, our opening starts at nine today. Bye. I love you.” And then she hung up.

She quickly placed her running shoes inside her bag and an extra shirt. She checked her other things and after she made sure that there’s nothing else missing, she rapidly went to the door.

When she opened it, Seohyun was surprised to see a bouquet of flowers on the floor.

With a stunned look, Seohyun picked it up and thought,

“It looks so fresh and lovely! Who would send me these?” Seohyun figured that the flower may be from her mom to make her feel better. And then she hoped that it might be from Yonghwa.

She noticed that it has a note in it, and she quickly took it to see who it’s from.

“May your day be as wonderful as you are.” –J

“ J.? Who is J? Does J stand for Jung Yonghwa?” Seohyun thought with a smile.

And then she did not know whether she should be happy or if it was even right to be happy to receive something from Yonghwa. Seohyun closed her door and walked while the flowers are still in her hands.

YONGHWA’S POINT OF VIEW (POV)

Sometimes, love is stronger than a man’s conviction. I don’t know why I even feel this way for Seohyun, even though it’s been merely days since I met her. She’s different.

I’ve never felt anything like this for anyone. But my life? My life?

It has been complicated ever since I found out that I was not the person whom I thought I really was. I was lucky enough to have Shin-Hye who helped me find the courage to start looking for who I really am.

A few years ago, after asking Shin-Hye’s personal investigator, all I learned was to look for someone named Choi Sooyoung, who may hold the key to unlocking my past.

Along the way, I met Doojoon who has been one of the persons whom I learned to trust the most. He loved to fight and I don’t know why it may be inherent in me, but I myself am good at fighting too.

We had each other’s back ever since. It was Doojoon and Shin-Hye who helped me find Sooyoung which was not so hard since we simply saw her auditioning in Mr. and Miss Shibuya.

Things were going well when I also joined Mr. Shibuya. Especially for Doojoon who met Hyoyeon back then.

Sooyoung and I hid our real relationship from the media and the more I spent time with Sooyoung, everything seemed to fall down to place and made me understood the real story of my past. Then one day, those men . . . they tried to kill us.

Said that their boss wanted to kill me and Sooyoung to get back from what our father did in the past.

They also tried to kill Doojoon and Hyoyeon first; saying that their boss also told them to destroy the people who meant so much to us so that we may experience how it feels like to lose someone whom you care about.

And it was since that day that Sooyoung and I decided to stay away from each other instead; thinking it would be better not to show our real emotions, especially to the people who mattered most to us.

We stuck with Doojoon and Hyoyeon who were the only ones who knew our secret, aside from Shin-Hye.

But now, how am I supposed to tell Seohyun all these? She might think I’m crazy. I am crazy for asking her to stay and putting her to danger. But I don’t know what to do, all I know is;

Seohyun’s different from any girl that I’ve ever met.

Yonghwa was deep in thought up until this morning. He wasn’t able to have enough sleep these past two nights thinking of a way to settle everything out.

“But how am I supposed to protect Hyun when I don’t even know the person whom I should protect her from?” Yonghwa thought to himself as he walked down the stairs of their building.

Incidentally, he met Seohyun who was just going out to too.

“She looks very pretty today but a bit pale.” Yonghwa thought.

He noticed that she was carrying a bouquet of flowers. They both paused to look at each other and Yonghwa bowed to Seohyun first.

This was the first time they saw each other ever since they had the talk near the temple.

“You’re going to the sports festival?” Yonghwa asked Seohyun first.

“Yeah.” She replied.

“Uhm, by the way, are these from you?” Seohyun asked Yong, referring to the flowers in her hand.

Yonghwa was surprised by her question. Apparently, the flowers are not from him.

“No.” Yonghwa answered, looking a bit irritated thinking about someone giving Seohyun those flowers.

“Oh.” Seohyun answered, looking disappointed.

“I- I left something, my shoes.” Seohyun lied, embarrassed to realize that she just expected the flowers to be from Yong but it really wasn’t.

She bowed and started to walk back to her apartment. Then she looked back and asked Yong,

“Are you going to the sports festival today?”

Yonghwa remembered that she asked him to watch for her 300 meter dash before, and then he answered,

“I’ll try. I still have to go to our station today.”

“Oh. Okay.” Seohyun simply answered and walked back to her apartment.

Seohyun went to her apartment and left the flowers on her bed. She rapidly went out and saw that Yonghwa already left, and so she walked to Seisho High alone.

When she reached Seisho High, the school was flooded with people and the fields have been prepared for different types of games for today.

 Seohyun felt like it was her first day of school again. She knew that Hyoyeon and Sooyoung were around.

She continued to walk in hopes of finding them and nervously thought that whatever happens; happens, once they’re already facing one another; since she doesn’t know how to approach them.

As Seohyun continued to walk and look around, she bumped into a hard masculine chest in front of her.  She quickly backed off and looked up at the person who bumped her.

The person has a very charming smile and a set of mysterious eyes. He held one of Seohyun’s arms and said, “I’m sorry, are you ok?” Seohyun quickly took her arm from him and said,

“I should be the one apologizing since I wasn’t looking to where I was going.”

And then she gave him her all too pleasing smile.

Seohyun thought that the person might not be from Seisho or he might be new from it since he is not wearing the same shirt that the students are required to wear. Instead he wears a simple coat with a V-neck shirt underneath that made him look neat and eye-catching at the same time.“Are you lost?” Seohyun tried to offer for help, even though she doesn’t know the place quite well too.

“I was lost awhile ago, but now, I’m pretty sure I’ve found what I was looking for.” The person replied, seeming to imply something out of his words.

Seohyun did not get what he meant and simply bowed and said,

“Well that’s good. I guess I’ll go ahead.” The person tried to stop her but Seohyun already left.

What Seohyun did not notice was Yonghwa was near them, observing.

Yonghwa walked straight to the person, giving him an icy stare. But the person only sent him a confident smile and a deeper look that shows an obvious dominant side of him.

When Seohyun, Hyoyeon and Sooyoung finally met, Seohyun looked at Sooyoung, then back to Hyoyeon.

Instead of giving an opportunity for awkwardness between them, Hyoyeon ran to Seohyun and gave her a big hug. She started crying on Seohyun’s shoulder, saying inaudible things wherein Seihyun’s pretty sure that she’s apologizing.

Seohyun was taken aback by Hyoyeon’s directness but it also pained her to see Hyoyeon in that situation.

“It was wrong of me to put Hyoyeon through this. It was like making her choose between Sooyoung or me. And I don’t want that. I know she loves us both.”

As both Hyoyeon and Seohyun hugged, Sooyoung and Seohyun looked at each other.

Sooyoung approached her first, her eyes starting to water and said,

“Hyun, I – I never meant to hurt you. I don’t know how I’m going to explain -” Seohyun cut her off and said,

“You don’t have to explain anything Sooyoung. I don’t want to force you into doing something you’re uncomfortable of. If the time comes that you fully trust me, then maybe you can tell me. For now, let’s just take things a bit slower.” Seohyun said with a forced smile, though deep inside her, her emotions are running wild thinking that the girl in front of her, her best friend, Sooyoung, can be Yong’s girlfriend before or maybe up until today.

But Seohyun refused to let herself cry in front of them anymore,

“You’re stronger now Hyun.” She kept on reminding herself.

The three of them walked together, still trying to bring the comfortable atmosphere back between them. Hyoyeon, who was holding Seohyun tightly, looked too happy to have her back again.

“Hyun, are you ready for our 300 meter dash today?” Hyoyeon asked cheerfully.

“Not really. I’m not a fast runner.” Seohyun answered apologizing.

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll be the last runner, while Sooyoung will be the first. You’ll be in between. I’ll take care of everything.” Hyoyeon simply answered with confidence. Obviously running is her element.

When all three of them were in position, Seohyun looked at the people around, trying to find Yonghwa.

Her hands were sweating and trembling at the same time and even her knees felt like jelly.

She did not understand, but it seems like her heart knew that she can do it ones she sees Yonghwa cheering for her. Her brain keeps telling her that it’s unreasonable;

But sometimes, the heart has reasons that even reasons don’t understand.

They were all in position but Yonghwa was still nowhere to be found.

Seohyun saw Doojoon cheering for them, but she couldn’t find Yonghwa.

“You can do this Hyun! Believe in yourself! Believe in yourself!” Seohyun kept on replaying this in her mind.

As she saw that Sooyoung started to run, everything seemed like in slow motion. She extended her arm to her and when she got the baton, she started running as fast as she can.

Seohyun did not notice that her shoelaces got untangled as she started running and without noticing, Seohyun fell on the ground without being able to support herself with her hands.

Seohyun tried to stand up, too embarrassed to look up. But when she looked at the people watching, all her eyes saw was Yonghwa looking hopefully at her to stand up.

Seohyun was too shocked to see Yonghwa there, cheering for her. She abruptly stood up, not feeling any pain and ran as quickly as possible. She passed the baton to Hyoyeon last, but Hyoyeon ran so fast that she outran the other contestants.

She easily reached the finish line without breaking any sweat and won them that event.

Seohyun on the other hand, went to the clinic, after realizing that she got some minor injuries. As she got treatment, she noticed that Yonghwa stood right next to her.

He looked at her with a smile and said,

“You did a great job.” Seohyun understood why his presence made her very happy even though she tried her best not to be. She simply gave him a smile in response, trying not to show too much of what she really felt at that moment.

They stayed like that for quite some time then Hyoyeon came running to them with Doojoon and Sooyoung.

“Hyuuuun!” Hyoyeon shouted and ran to her.

Seohyun looked at Hyoyeon with a smile and then she looked at Sooyoung who seemed not to know what to do next.

Seohyun couldn’t help but think about Yong and Sooyoung and so she quickly gave a lame excuse to leave. She stood up and said,

“I have to get my things in the locker. I need to tell my mom we won. I’ll see you once I get back okay?” Seohyun said, once again with a forced smile.

 Yonghwa noticed what she was trying to do and it bothered him why Seohyun’s trying to distance herself from him when he had tried his best to open his heart to her without giving too much away and putting her in danger.

As Seohyun walked to the locker, he noticed the same person she bumped into awhile ago, slowly approach her with the same charming smile on his face.

“Hello again.” He gracefully said.

Seohyun looked at him, wondering why they kept on seeing each other that day.

The person continued to say, “You were great out there. I cheered for you, you know.” He said, trying to look cute.

“I’m sorry but do I know you?” Seohyun asked the guy.

“Oh. My apologies if I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Jung Jinwoon.” He extended her hands towards Seohyun.

When Seohyun took his hands to shake it, he quickly pulled her hands to his lips and kissed it.

Seohyun’s eyes grew big as she realized what the person just did. The person released her hands and smiled at her,

“I’m sorry for surprising you. I wanted to ask you earlier, did you like the flowers that I sent you?” The guy continued to smile and had a pleased look when he saw Seohyun slowly realized that the flower this morning was from him.

“Who is this guy? Does he know me?” Seohyun thought, still dumbfounded by her realization.

“Oh and by the way, I came here to cheer for you. That’s what I meant earlier when I said that I found what I was looking for.” He smiled looking at her.

Seohyun could not help but blush from his compliment. Receiving something like that from another man; it was all new to her. She could not even say anything.

“I need to go. You’ll have to introduce yourself the next time we meet.” He said and then walked calmly away from her, leaving Seohyun’s mind different questions about this man’s real identity.

END OF CHAPTER 12

Author's Note: This chapter is quite different from the previous ones, in my opinion. But  I hope you still read and comment on it about what you think or may suggest. BTW, thanks for the negative and positive comments! Positive comments really inspires me to continue writing while negative comments makes me want to work harder to reach and convey my ideas to my readers. So comments are highly appreciated and subscribe if you want to :))) Thank you! YongSeo <333