Silence has never felt so engulfing before. The two of us stood there, with no words spoken, for what felt like a really long time. I knew I should have said something, I should have defended myself, but what was there to defend now?

“Seu… Seunghyun… I’m s… sorry.”

I took whatever courage I had left and forced the words out of my throat, but still didn’t have enough to look him in the eyes. When I didn’t get any sort of respond from him, tears were starting to cloud my vision. Then again, what did I expect? For him to easily accept my lame apology and tell me that everything was gonna be okay?

“I’m sorry for doing this. You have all the right to hate me right now, I don’t blame you for that. I deserve all of this.”

I didn’t care how I looked anymore. I was a sobbing mess. Never in my life would have I imagined something like this to happen. My heart was aching so much. For him, for knowing that he will never forgive me. I have never felt more stupid than this. It all started with a game. A silly, thoughtless game. But look at me now. Was I in denial all along? Have I fallen in love with him but my proud self told me otherwise?

“I really like hanging out with you, I… I really do. You’re… different.”

He was still rooted to the ground, face bearing no expression. It was too late, wasn’t it? I didn’t want to lie anymore. I have fallen for him. The realization hit me like a speeding train and to think it had amounted up to this.

“I get it now. Forgive me, Seunghyun.”

With my last words, I turned my back and painfully walked away, hoping that maybe, maybe, he would stop me. And he surprisingly did. He tightened his grasp and spun me around, forcing me to face him.

“Look at me,” he said as his soft delicate fingers lifted up my chin but his eyes, they darkly stared at me, as though staring into my soul. “Remember the wish you’re supposed to grant me?” I slowly nodded, slightly confused as to why he would suddenly bring it up now.

“I know what you want, and if this is the wish then I’ll leave and I promise-” I stuttered in between my sobs, “to not disturb you again but please know that I’m sorry and-“

“Be with me.”

What?

I was stunned. Puzzled. Dumbfounded. He looked so serious and I had never seen this side of him.

“Look, don’t say things you don’t mean and I said I was so-“

With that, my words were cut off when I found myself locking lips with this man in front of me. The sudden intimacy shocked me. I was unable to process whatever was happening. But at the same time I couldn’t not react to the tenderness of his lips. When I returned the kiss, he placed his hands on my waist while I slowly reached for his neck, kiss deepened even more. He sensed my reaction and took this as an answer to his statement.

I would be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed when he broke away from the kiss. But that disappointment turned into contentment when he pulled me in for a hug, arms encircling me. And that moment made me realize how secure I felt being around him. His embrace, his body warmth, his scent… they were all so addictive.

“Don’t cry anymore, okay?” he muttered, wiping my tears with his thumbs. “I guess we still don’t know each other well enough but I’m willing to let my guard down for you.” An audible gulp was heard before he opened his mouth again to speak. “Because I’m afraid… afraid that I can’t let you go.”

The hands that were resting on my cheeks trailed down and caught my fingers, intertwining them. “Just promise me, promise that we will be honest with each other from now on?”

Why would I say no to such sincere eyes?

Seunghyun's POV

She’s a player. She’ll entertain you and make you believe that she’s really in love with you.

The same words kept ringing in my head. Was this the reason why I had this strange attraction towards her? Because she was behaving the same way, playing mindless games with each other?

Wait, she played me?

The realization made me angry but how hypocritical would that be? Hadn’t I been doing the same? But I’ve stopped this game for a while now, I silently thought.

Her voice was shaking but I listened to every word of it. It pained me to see her crying like that and I comprehended that this feelings was mutual because what else could explain the tears that were streaming down her face?

Flashes of past memories came to my mind. I had a genuinely good time with her but the thought of her feeling otherwise confused me right now. I was lost in my thoughts and when I looked up, she was slowly out of my sight.

No. I’m not letting her go. Not her. Not now.

I grabbed her wrist, stopping her from getting further away. “Look at me,” I pleaded while trying to make her face me. “Remember the wish you’re supposed to grant me?” Confusion was written all over her face as she nodded to every of my word. She started rambling her apologies but I wanted none of that now. She wasn’t the only one at fault, I had my fair share of it too.

“Be with me.”

Her face stayed puzzled and it slowly changed into shock. Her eyes widened and with slightly opened, I knew she was going to do more apologizing.

I swallowed whatever confidence I had left in me and in an instance, I crashed my lips against her. When she responded to the kiss, I knew my feelings were returned. Her eyes fluttered open when I broke the kiss and I couldn’t decipher how beautiful yet vulnerable she looked right now. I pulled her in for a hug and it felt like as if our bodies were meant to fit with each other.

“Don’t cry anymore, okay? I guess we still don’t know each other well enough but I’m willing to let my guard down for you.” I held her face closer, struggling to get the next few words out. “Because I’m afraid… afraid that I can’t let you go.” I finally confessed.

“Just promise me, promise that we will be honest with each other from now on?” I mumbled, with our fingers intertwined.

When she looked at me, smiling with such longing spelled in her eyes, I knew this was the end to our games, and the start of something more.