*I recommend that you guys listen to Because of Me by Krystal when you read this chapter. I think it really sets the mood and conveys their emotions. >.<

Jjung and Ssul: Age 18

I regained consciousness to the sound of Ssul’s voice. It was faint but I could recognize her voice anywhere so I called out for her.

“Ss… Ssu… Ss-Ssull…” I tried calling her name but the intensity of the pain in my body grew as I grew more conscious. I flinched in pain.

“Jjung! Jjung… I’m here,” she called back. I could now feel my hand against her cheek. I opened my eyes and looked up at her. Her eyes were red and tears were streaming from them and onto my hand.

“Ssul… D-Don’t c-cry…” I managed to get out. I was still a little groggy.

 She flung her arms around me and squeezed me tight. The pain from my injuries was intense but it was worth it just to feel her touch again. I endured the pain not wanting her to let go.

She pulled away and stared sobbing hard.

“You idiot! Why did you do that? Why did you get into a fight? Why did you run off on your own? Do you know how worried I was. You jerk! You stupid jerk…!” she cried as she lightly pounded on my chest.

“Ss-Ssul… please stop. I’m s-sorry okay? I’m sorry!” I pleaded. Has she forgotten that I’m injured?!

She collapsed onto the chair by my bedside and buried her face into my arm. “No, I’m sorry Jjung. This was my fault. I’m sorry… I’m sorry for everything…” She continued to sob.

She had my good arm pinned down and my other arm was in a cast. I could still lift it although it was painful but I laid it on her head and her hair gently. “It’s not your fault… I was a fool… a stupid jerk… How’s AJ hyung?” I asked suddenly remembering that I had punched him out the night before.

“He’s fine… I dropped him off just before I found out about you,” she paused. “Jjung… I need to tell you something.”

“I-I have something to tell you too,” I said. I realized that I should tell her the truth, how I felt, everything. I didn’t want to miss my chance again. I didn’t care if she was with AJ hyung or not. She needed to know how I felt.

“Jjung… please don’t hate me when you hear what I’m about to tell you…”

“I won’t… I don’t care…”

“Just promise me…”

“I won’t… I promise.”

“I have been lying to you!” / “Ssul, I like you (johahae)!” We both said at the same time.

We both stopped and stared at each other.

I decided to speak up first. “Ssul, I don’t care. I don’t care about anything else anymore. I was an idiot. I waited so long to tell you that I like you when I’ve basically known it since we were 14. I was a coward. I was afraid of being rejected, of losing you. So I hid it. I lied to myself. I tried to make the feelings go away. But I couldn’t. I tried but I couldn’t. But when I decided to tell you, I saw you with some other guy. I thought I was too late. And then Suz had confessed to me so I decided to give her a chance but by the time I found out I was wrong I couldn’t hurt her. And then you got together with hyung. It broke my heart but you seemed happy so I didn’t want to say anything. So when I saw how he treated you, I got angry. Angry that I couldn’t have you. Angry that he had you but he didn’t know what he had. But I can’t deny it anymore Ssul. I can’t hide it from you any longer. I like you Ssul. I really like you. I really truly like you. I just want you to know that even if you don’t feel the same…” I poured my heart out to her. I was afraid that if I didn’t get it all out now that I would never find the courage to do it again.

Her eyes locked onto mine, still teary. She cupped my face with her hands, making sure that I couldn’t look away. “Jung Soojung, I like you too! I fell for you ever since I fell on you when we first met. I couldn’t care less if you were an unni or an oppa. You’re my first love and my only love. There’s no one else for me. It’s always been you…”

My mouth gaped open. I was stunned. All this time that I had been doubting myself, she was feeling the same way about me. No, it was even more for her. She knew even before I did. I was so blind and stupid. I wasted so much time being a fool when I could have been with her. “But what about hyung? Aren’t you two together?” I asked remembering that she was in a relationship with my best friend.

“That’s what I was trying to tell you Jjung. It was all a lie. When I saw you and Suzy together, I was heartbroken. Hyung somehow knew that I’ve liked you all this time and decided to help me win you back. I know that that was wrong but I wanted you so bad. I’m sorry. I’m sorry I lied. If I hadn’t you wouldn’t be like this now.”

I was shocked yet again. I allowed the information to sink in.

“Jjungie, please forgive me. I’m so sorry,” she pleaded when I didn’t respond.

“Ssul, I told you… I don’t care about anything else anymore. That’s all in the past now. I wasted so much time because I was scared and stubborn. I don’t want to lose any more time with you,” I told her. “Besides, I tried to do the same thing. I pretended to be dating Luna noona to help her with hyung but I secretly wanted him to have feelings for her so that you would leave him. I feel so bad about it now…”

She leaned in and kissed me on my forehead. I blushed. Everything that we had just confessed had now sunk in and everything became real. My heart started beating against my chest violently. I took her hand and placed it against my chest. I wanted her to feel how I felt. She smiled and ran her other hand through my hair.

“Shhhh… rest now. You have me now so rest easy. We’ll talk more about this when you’re feeling better…” she said to me still my hair.

I held her hand tightly, not letting go as I fell back asleep again…

(AJ’s POV)

I woke up the next morning with a massive hangover. I rubbed my face that was feeling a little swollen. Owww, what happened last night? I wrecked my brain trying to remember what happened. And then it all came back. Luna! Ssul! Jjung! Oh crap! What did I do?! I freaked out and tried calling Ssul but there was no answer. I tried calling Jjung but there was no answer either. I had no choice, I had to call Luna.

“Luna, it’s me AJ. I-I’m sorry about last night. I had way too much to drink. I didn’t know what I was doing…” I tried apologizing the moment she picked up the phone.

“Oppa, this is not the right time for this… Jjung… Jjung is in the hospital. He’s really injured…” she replied. It sounded like she was crying on the other side of the line.

“W-What?! Jjung’s in the hospital? H-How? Is he alright?” I panicked.

“I’m not sure oppa. I haven’t been to the hospital yet. Ssul’s there with him now... Maybe you should go visit him…”

“Will you come with me? I’ll pick you up, just wait for me… I’ll come get you…”

“I can go on my own…” she started but I cut her off.

“I can’t go alone… please just wait for me okay?” I pleaded.

“Fine…”

I hurried out and picked her up. She didn’t say a word to me the entire journey to the hospital. When we reached the hospital we rushed to Jjung’s room. Ssul was just sitting by his bedside holding his hand tightly. Jjung’s parents were there too.

We entered the room and bowed to his parents. They nodded back. Ssul turned to us and gave us a smile. I knew that in a way, that meant that he was alright. I let out a sigh of relief.

“So how is he?” I asked Ssul. I looked at Jjung lying on the bed with his beaten up body and I started feeling really guilty.

Ssul started explaining what had happened to Jjung to the best of her knowledge although she wasn’t too clear on the details either. Then she proceeded to tell us how he had woken up and that they finally confessed to each other their true feelings. I was happy for them; they finally did it, no more secrets.

She then turned to me. “Oppa, I think it’s your turn,” she whispered.

I looked at Luna and then back at Ssul and nodded. I took hold of Luna’s hand and pulled her out of the room. Surprisingly she didn’t struggle and just followed me. I didn’t know where to go for a private conversation so I just took her to the stairwell.

“Luna, I’m sorry for everything that happened but I think it’s time you knew the truth,” I began, still holding onto her hand.

She yanked it away and looked away from me but she stayed.

“Luna, do you still like me?” I asked.

“What?!” she looked at me angrily. “You actually have the audacity to ask me that?! Fine… YES, I LIKE YOU! I LIKE YOU A LOT OKAY?! Is that what you wanted to hear? I know you don’t like me back. I get it. I’ll stop. I’ll give up on you now. Happy?!” she snapped.

“No! That’s not what I want. I want you to keep liking me…”

“You can’t keep doing this to me oppa. You can’t play with my heart like this and expect me to keep coming back to you,” she countered. She turned and tried to leave.

I caught her by the wrist, pulled her around and into my arms. I wrapped my arms around her tightly, not allowing her to leave. She struggled and tried to push me away but it only made me hold onto her tighter.

“I’m sorry Luna. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I didn’t think that my actions would cause you so much pain. I regret them now. Please Luna, just give me one more chance because… because… I like you. I realize now that I like you back Luna. I like you! So please just forgive me,” I confessed.

She stopped struggling and started crying.

“You should know Luna… I wasn’t really with Ssul. I was just helping her get Jjung back. I wanted to tell you so bad but I couldn’t. And then I don’t know when exactly it was but I realized that I liked you, that I’ve liked you all this time but I just didn’t realize it. But I had already hurt you. I don’t want to play that game anymore Luna. Could you not find it in your heart to forgive me?” I explained.

I loosened my grip on her and tried to wipe her tears with my hand but she stopped me. My heart tightened thinking that she was unable to forgive me.

“I get it… I guess I’ve used up all my chances…” I turned and this time it was me who started to leave.

“I didn’t say you could leave…” she finally spoke up.

She caught me by surprise so I turned around in a sudden. The moment I faced her again, she pushed me up against the wall. She grabbed hold of my shirt and pulled herself up to a tiptoe. Then before I could even comprehend what was happening, she pressed he lips against mine. For a moment I was so stunned that I couldn’t move. But then I closed my eyes tightly and started kissing her back. My heart beat wildly as the passion of our kiss resonated throughout our bodies. I guess we had wanted this for longer than we knew. I ran one hand up her back and rested it behind her neck using it to pull her into a deeper kiss. The other arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her body closer to mine…

We finally pulled apart after what seemed like an eternity to catch our breaths.

My eyes scanned every part of her face admiring how beautiful she was. Then I stared at her lips. I bit mine thinking about how much I wanted to kiss her again. She gave me a smirk and pulled me down so that I was now eye level with her. She slowly leaned in. I closed my eyes again, embracing for another kiss. Then I felt her breathing in my ear.

“If you ever hurt me again… I’ll kill you myself…” she whispered.

I knew that I was supposed to feel threatened but all I could do was grin. That’s my girl… Then I pulled her in for another kiss…