Jaejoong looked at me silently. I didn't know how long our staring competition was going to last but I was pretty sure that we were in it for longer than five minutes already. I didn't intend to talk yet, not until Jaejoong gave me a response first.

            "Aren't you angry at me?" He said out of the blue.

            I couldn't help but scoff at his words. Trust Jaejoong to answer a question with another question.

            "You're not?" He asked again when I didn't reply.

            "Who's not angry?" I gave him a look of annoyance. Despite the anger I was feeling, my voice was still calm and composed. "Of course I'm angry, Jaejoong. While I try to keep myself out of your sight, you're always here in front of me. I am trying so hard Jaejoong. Why? Why are you still here?"

            "Because I still love you."

            I stopped speaking. I stopped everything, including my heavy breathing. Only my heart hammered in my chest. Its pulse was so fast, I felt like it was going to explode.

            Stop. I want these feelings to stop. 

            "Stop." I said aloud. My tears began to spill. I was pretty sure that my make up was ruined. "Stop toying with me." I wailed. "Stop playing with my heart, Jaejoong."

            "Minji." His gloved hand reached out for my tear-stained cheeks but I managed to slap them away. He winced and I grew worried. I got out off of my seat and inched closer to him, aiming to rip off the glove. It was a successful attempt but beneath the gloves revealed nothing else but a bandaged hand.

            I looked at Jaejoong. My vision were slightly blurred by my warm tears. "What happened to your hand?" I demanded an honest answer.

            "Nothing." Jaejoong replied almost immediately.

            I clenched the hand tightly and he winced again. I grew frustrated with concern. "What did you do now, Jaejoong?"

            Jaejoong tried not to show any pain in his tone of voice. "It was just an accident." Jaejoong gave me a smile that could sooth any worries I had. Entranced by him, he took the opportunity to secure his arms around me and reel me in.

            "Jaejoong." I gasped and tried to escape from him.

            Despite his injury, he had a lot of strength. And he managed to laugh heartily as well.

            "Jaejoong, let go of me." I said between several futile attempts.

            "I suggest you make yourself comfortable." He advised. "I have a lot of explaining to do."

            I took it as a sign to pull away but Jaejoong didn't release me. "Jaejoong, let go. I can't sit down when you're holding me like this."

            I felt his arms loosened and dragged myself away but he held onto me again. He made me sit on his thigh and kept his arms around me. "That should be comfortable enough." 

            "Jaejoong!" I started to become annoyed. "What kind of joke is this?" I looked at his strong arms and tried to pull them off of me. It didn't work. Then I squeezed his hand again, just to make him feel a shot of pain but he didn't cry in agony anymore. Was he lying about his injured hand all along? I looked at him in frustration.

            But there he was, just watching me. And strangely, I couldn't break away from him. My hands eased and I just stared deeply into the eyes of the man I love.

            "You look so beautiful tonight, Minji, so beautiful that I could kiss you." He said dazedly. 

            My heart melted at his words. I was internally conflicted. I wanted to succumb to my feelings and give into him so badly. But I didn't want to let him off so easily, not when I was still uncertain of his love for me. He leaned in and I knew what he was about to do, but I didn't let him. I looked away from his face, hoping that my stance was as cold as the Jaejoong I had first met.

            I heard him sigh. "I'm going to tell you everything. Even the truth that I couldn't tell your father." Jaejoong spilled the beans. "At first, I hated and sought vengeance on your family. But then my hatred towards your family started to subside. It scared me because I still saw you as the enemy. I didn't want to give into your family so I never told your father how I truly felt. I'm telling you this because I don't want to regret it again. No matter how much you and your father had an impact on me, I still hated him back then for killing my mother."

            I remained silent, feeling a mixture of curiosity and shock, insisting that he continued with his story and he did. "Because of your father, I blamed myself for the death of my mum. My father mistreated me because I was the result of her death. Discovering that your father was partially responsible for this, I sought out vengeance like a lost and helpless child."

            He started to scoff at the irony. "But I cannot hate him anymore. Because of him, my father has loved me again. I now know that Doctor Song was only following my mum's wishes and that he didn't mean to kill her. And lastly, he has made me the person I am today and taught me the true initiative in life."

            My lip thinned. "So you left me because you hated me and my father?" I felt like this wasn't enough. It was still irrational.

            "No, that isn't all." Jaejoong commented. "I left you because I thought that my father had killed yours."

            A surge of shock rushed through me.

            "I thought that my father carried the same grudge that I did. So I thought that that led him to destroy your family. I misheard a conversation and thought he had murdered your parents three years ago. That was when I ran away from home, Minji." Jaejoong sighed and chuckled lightly. I could sense a sign of relief in his voice. "But he didn't. My father wasn't responsible for your parents' death. You wouldn't know how happy I felt when he explained the misunderstanding to me."

            I tried not to smile at him but I shared the relief he was feeling. I didn't want Mr. Kim to be responsible for the death of my father and mother. Not when I have grown to love and respect the man.

            "There's still one more reason." Jaejoong intercepted my thoughts. 

            I became attentive at this point. 

            "And that was that you were Song Minji, the girl who loved Gu Jungwoo." Jaejoong admitted, flushing a little. "I swore to myself to never fall in love with Song Minji, my best friend's love. Even so, I still did. You wouldn't know how ecstatic I was, a few weeks ago when I found out that Lee Minni loved me. I thought that at last, I had got over Minji. But in the end, it came crashing down on me. Minni was Minji. Minji was Minni." Jaejoong looked at me solemnly. "And she belonged to Jungwoo."

            I turned away from Jaejoong, feeling a little agitated. After all the things I have done for him, all the things that I have said, he still thought that I was in love with Gu Jungwoo. Satire started to take over me. I arose suddenly, taking Jaejoong by surprise. I looked down at Jaejoong with a vicious glare. "Well, I'm with Yunho now, so you can leave now."

            Jaejoong got off his comfy seat and knelt on the ground before me. Astounded, I took a step back. What was this guy doing? "I'm genuinely sorry for all your misery. I know that this is all my fault. However, I can assure you that my pain was no lesser than yours." Jaejoong looked up at me fiercely. "And I can't leave you, Minji. Not when I am certain that you love me. I'm going to stay by your side until you no longer love me anymore."

            I looked at Jaejoong. The cut on his cheek was still noticeable. His bandaged hand laid by his side. He was patiently waiting for my reply. I really pitied him. Although he has shown his good side to me, he was still the same boy I met many years ago. He still lacked love for himself. More than acing his tests and showing kindness to others, I wanted him to learn to love himself. But here he was, saying that he would stay by me because I loved him. Did he even love me? Or was he just being a good samaritan?

            "Jaejoong." I began, trying to phase my thoughts into words. "I-" I wanted to him to stay with me forever. "I-" I couldn't say it, not when I was questioning his love for me. "Are you sure that you love me, Jaejoong?"

            Jaejoong looked at me. Shock was written all over his face. "Don't you trust me?"

            "I- I don't know." My voice was faltering as I tried to give an explanation. "First you play with me like a toy." I remembered our fake relationship a few months earlier. "And then you start to be nice to me." I remembered when we came to an agreeable compromise. "Then you leave me." That was when I found out that I loved him. "When I go to Seoul to find you, you told me that you loved me." I babbled. "And then you said that you hated me. And now." I paused as I tried to read the expression on his face. "Now you're saying that you want to be with me again." I was mesmerised with the idea of growing old with him but at this moment, I had to segregate between what was real and what was just a dream. Could we possibly grow old together? "I just want to make sure that this is what you really want Jaejoong, because I don't want to get my heart broken again."

            "Minji." Jaejoong spoke at last. "I have loved you from eight years ago or maybe even before that until now. I am on my knees before you, asking for your forgiveness. Please, I beg you Minji, give me another chance." He wasn't looking at me anymore, it was more like he was ashamed to look at me, as if he asking for more than he should. 

            "I'll think about it." I said hastily and started to walk back to my event. My entire being was cursing me. I wanted to forgive him but I didn't want to give into him so easily. I was at a lost of what to do. And so the only thing I could do was run away, like a coward.

            A warm pair of arms surrounded mine, stopping me in my tracks. I tensed at the electric touch. "Actions speak louder than words." Jaejoong spoke closely behind me. "That's what you said a few months ago. And I'm going to show you how much I love you, Minji. Not through what I say, but through what I do."

            I twisted my head to the voice, only to witness Jaejoong as he planted a kiss on my bare shoulder. I froze in position. Even when he looked back up at me with a determined smile, I was as still as a statue. 

            "So wait for me, my sweet, sweet angel, Song Minji." He crooned. He let go of me and walked off towards the party.

            All I could do was watch him from behind. The sudden vision of his expression just before was heart-warming. I knew that he still loved me. I was certain that he wanted to come back to me because he loved me and wanted me. My footsteps started to make my way towards him. My hand reached out towards him. My lips were ready to call out his name. 

            That was until I was yanked off of my path. I was face to face with a very terrified man. 

            "Uncle." I was highly concerned. "What's wrong?"

            He shook even when he was in a standing position. "We have to get away from here." He stuttered. "Mr. Kim told me that Sangwoo might be here tonight. I have to get you out of here."

            Just hearing the criminal's name gave me the shivers as well. "Okay, let's go." 

            My uncle grabbed my hand and dragged me to the lifts. He led me to a black shiny car and we entered the vehicle and zoomed off into the darkness.

                        "What are you doing here, Jaejoong?" Kimmi glared at the man. "Get out of Minni, I mean Minji's life already."

            Jaejoong threw her a mischievious grimace. "And why should I?"

            "Because you can't love her right." Yoochun stated defiantly. "If you can't up your courage and admit to your true feelings then you don't deserve her."

            Yunho shook his head with a chuckle. "Jaejoong is a coward, isn't he?"

            Hana smirked, holding her glass towards Yunho. "A real coward, Yunho."

            "Kim Jaejoong is the most idiotic person I have ever met." Changmin commented, putting an arm on his partner's shoulder.

            "A coward, you guys say?" Jaejoong lifted a brow. 

            Yunho nodded and everyone followed him. 

            "An idiot who lacked courage?" Jaejoong said.

            Again, everyone nodded.

            Jaejoong put on a sly grin and advanced on Hana. He used a finger to lift her chin to look at him. Changmin would have intervened but Jaejoong spoke first. "Minji. I love you. But let me tell you something. I feel that I shouldn't love you. Why, you ask? Because you are Song Minji. The girl my best friend loved. The girl whose father killed my mother. The girl of the parents my father murdered. But still, Minji. I love you." Jaejoong stared dully at Hana whilst everyone around him widened in shock. Jaejoong continued. "Was that what I was supposed to say to her, the girl whose happiness was first priority for me?"

            Everyone was speechless. 

            I'd rather Minji hate me for the rest of my life than tell her something as dreadful as this. Jaejoong thought. Jaejoong smile seemed to become more sincere. "But thank you, Hana. Because of you, I have learnt that my happiness plays a major part in hers. And now that I have discovered the true perpetrators of the Song family's death, I will make everything right and get Minji back."

            Jaejoong then smiled at the group. "I'd hate to admit it, but because each of everyone of you kept nailing into me that Minji still loves me, I'm more determined to win Minji's trust than ever. So thanks, Minji's friends."

            Everyone looked at him dazedly. After some time, Yunho stepped up to him and patted his shoulder. "I don't know how long it has been since I had last seen that smile." He told his childhood friend. "It was a truly happy one."

            Happiness surged within Jaejoong. Soon, very soon, everything he had wished for would be a part of his life. Everything.

            "Jaejoong, there you are." Mr. Kim emerged from the crowd. "Weren't you with Minji?"

            "Yes I was, father." Jaejoong said. The group around him bowed low at the elder man.

            "I thought she was still with you." Mr. Kim questioned. "Where is she now?"

            At those words, Jaejoong began to panic. He grabbed his phone, dialled a number and whisked out of the room. He heard a strange melody at the couches Minji and him had sat at earlier. She had kept her original number. On the couch was a satin silver purse and within it, Minji's phone was ringing. But Minji was nowhere in sight.

                        I checked my body and realised something. "I didn't bring my purse with me uncle. My phone and money are in there." 

            "It's okay." My uncle was still shaking. "I have a phone. We'll call Yunho when we're a good distance from the venue."

            "Are you afraid of Sangwoo, uncle?" I asked. "You seem very anxious."

            "Sangwoo was a very athletic student at our school. He mastered in every sport, including many martial arts." My uncle hit the steering wheel, frustratedly. "I should have known that it was him all along."

            I was confused. "But what does that have to do with my parents' death? He just sounds like a very strong person to me."

            "Sangwoo was madly in love with your mother, Minji." My uncle admitted. "It got very scary. He grew envious of every guy who would hit on her. Your mother and I were the only ones who could soothe him. But in time, even our words had no affect on him. He was enhanced physically but he doesn't have a brain, Minji. He didn't know how he was supposed to love someone."

            "Love should be putting that person's feelings before your own."

            "That's right Minji. Sangwoo was blinded by his unrequited love that he failed to see that Taehee's happiness was first priority. His love destroyed her and her family."

            That explained everything. Sangwoo's actions were due purely to jealousy.  

            "We're here." My uncle said.

            I noticed that the car was stationary. We were surrounded by a thick cluster of trees. "Where are we?" I asked. 

            "It may look dark and scary, Minji, but this is a place I often visit when I have a lot of my mind." My uncle smiled warmly at me. "Let's go for a stroll, shall we?"

            I only nodded, but then felt a strong gust of wind when I opened the car door. I retreated back into the vehicle but my uncle opened the boot and took out a thick cardigan and two pairs of woollen gloves.

            "Here, put these on." He gave me the cardigan and gloves and wore the other pair of gloves. "The place where I sit and contemplate is just a five minute walk from here."

            I wore what he had offered me and felt much more snug. 

            "This place reminds me of your parents." He began when we were quite far in the trees. "Every time I come here, I would think of them."

            "Why? Why does this place remind you of mum and dad, uncle?" I asked curiously.

            "While trying to find the one responsible for their deaths, I would come here when I came to a dead end." He explained. "When I come here, I am reminded of how perfect they were."

            "Yes, my mother was very kind and gentle. On the other hand, my father was amiable and intelligent." I couldn't help but boast about my two parents. 

            "Like angels, am I right?" My uncle smiled at me. 

            I paused to look at him. And then I nodded.

            "And you turned out just like them." My uncle added. He had stopped walking as well.

            I noticed that there wasn't much trees surrounding us anymore. The wind was very strong that I couldn't help but wonder where it was coming from. I turned to face it only to see a vast ocean in the distant darkness. Beneath me was a rocky ground which was highly elevated from the sea below it. A sudden sense of fear erupted within me. I was reminded of the encounter with Sangwoo during camp and then, of the nightmare I had a few weeks ago. 

            I looked at my uncle, petrified, searching for a sign of comfort.

            But his face was stone cold. "Minji." He said icily. "Angels don't belong on this Earth."

            Everything hit me like a boulder. The truth hurt, immensely.

            "SO DIE, MINJI!!!" My uncle howled like a maniac and pushed me towards the cliff's edge. "AND GO TO YOUR RIGHTFUL PLACE!!!"

AN:

whew! everything is revealed now. did it take you by surprise???

sorry for the late update. I was on an interstate trip for about a week. but I am back now and more determined than every to finish this story.

hope you enjoyed it 

whitedreamm