After you have finished your fish cake and you and JongDae have both thrown your napkins away, you wipe your lips of any stray crumbs. You turn away from the trash can and you start walking. Then you feel arms wrap around your upper back and a chin on your left shoulder. A strong, yet familiar chest rests on your back. You slow your walk to a stop.

You glance at him, unsure of what to do. He mumbles into your ear, "I'm glad you're you."

You're eyes widen and heart flutters without your consent and you push down the feeling. You gulp and ask jokingly, "Who else would I be?"

With his arms still around you, he says with a frown, "Someone different. I know you've changed over the years, and so have I, but in the end, you're still you. That's amazing."

You turn around to face JongDae and he releases you from his grasp. You look at him in his jacket and jeans. A scarf covers his lower face. You crack a small smile.

"I feel the exact same way about you. This morning I was worried."

"Worried about what?" JongDae says as you both start walking.

"About meeting someone who's life is different than what it used to be. I wasn't sure it would be the same as before you...left."

As you and JongDae walk, you both go back to that day. It had been a cloudy day. The air had been cool, cooler than it was normally in March. You two had been walking closely together, not just to stay warm, but because it was normal.

You both remember the kiss.

"___."

You turn to him expectantly and stop walking. "Can I talk to you as myself?" he asks.

You are confused, but say, "You always can JongDae."

He clears his throat and looks away and says, "Do you remember the last time I walked you home?"

You nod slowly. "Yeah, I remember. I think of it a lot." JongDae's face is different now and whatever he was going to say before, has now changed.

"Why?" he asks, his face full of concern.

There are so many answers, but you finally say, "Because you left me that day....Don't get me wrong," you take a step away from JongDae, "I, I thought it was wonderful that you were going to become an idol, I was happy for you."

You realize you say it with a bitter taste. JongDae looks at you with his eyes and says, "I did leave you that day, but I don't regret it."

You look at him really confusedly. Where is this going? JongDae continues, "Because that was the last time I saw you and the first time that I had kissed you."

You touch the spot where his lips brushed years ago, and then awkardly move your hand down to adjust your hair behind your ear. So it hadn't been a dream.

JongDae laughs, "It was right there! I knew you'd remember." He starts walking ahead while you're still frozen. You shake your thoughts, and rush to catch up with him. It was so like him to change an awkward situation.

When you reach his side, JongDae turns to you and keeps walking. He's smiling dorkily at himself. "Yah, you're smiling like you're crazy," you warn teasingly.

"Am I?" he turns to you.

You study his face and say, "Yeah. You are."

JongDae looks at you and stops walking. He takes both your hands and holds them in his own hands. "That's how I feel whenever I think of you. ____, I'm not sure if you ever realized it, but I fell in love with you a long time ago."

You look into his eyes and he looks away shyly. He's so cute. Then he looks at you again and says, "Being apart from you, I thought 'Maybe we were just friends' and 'She's probably forgotten by now', but the days went on, and I knew that I had to see you again to confirm your feelings.

"Seeing you here today, my feelings are," he stutters, "are all over the place." He swallows to recompose himself. He looks at you with those eyes from before, that you could never interpret.

Before he can continue, something registers in your mind and you say, "I get it now."

You take a step back and let go of his hands. You examine his face and say, "I never could pin down what that look was on your face when you looked at me like that. I think I get it now."

JongDae looks a little flustered, but you had to tell him your thoughts. "When you look at me like that, it looks like when you're singing." When you say it, it makes so much sense to you. When he looks at you, his eyes were rested, his smile real, his gaze loving.

JongDae says, "And do you know what I love to do?

"Sing," you answer.

"And I look at you like when I'm singing. Even when we worked at the convenience store I loved you. I kissed you good-bye to show my love for you, and even today," he takes your hands again and you let him. You give him a reassuring squeeze. JongDae looks into your eyes, "I'm still in love with you, ___."

It's as if your heart is melting. You hadn't realized how long you had waited for those words. You hadn't realized you were waiting at all.

JongDae asks, "May I kiss you?"

You awaken from your thoughts and nod. You smile adding, "Since you asked so nicely."

He leans in and releases your hands. He cups one hand around your neck and tilts your chin towards him with the other. You wrap your hand around his neck and place the other on his chest.

His lips are soft. You feel a sweet golden feeling within you as your eyelids flutter closed. It feels so right.

JongDae pulls away first and he rests his forehead on yours. "I had to make sure that you knew how I felt about you," he whispers.

You pull back and look at him. It's your JongDae. He can tell by the way you look in his eyes that you love him back. No words are needed for that.

His eyes become clouded and he says, "I don't know how we'll make it work-"

You peck him on the lips again and he stops talking and raises his eyebrows at you in surprise. You smile. "We'll make it work. If we both waited so long, I don't think time can separate us again."

He says, "If anything, we earned it after all these years, but for you, I wouldn't mind waiting again."

"I would," you say. JongDae furrows his eyebrows and you start walking away from him.

He catches up and you say, "I couldn't make you wait anymore for me. We're going to make this work. I know we will."

JongDae smiles as the two of you walk side by side, fingers brushing and then clutching. His hand feels new, yet the same, a perfect fit for your hand. He has to return soon, so the two of you walk to your house. JongDae drops you off at your door and you slowly shut it, not wanting to see him disappear. He smiles at you and keeps waving goodbye until the door gently clicks shut.

You turn around and smile to yourself. It's actually happened. The boy who's smile lit up your world, who's been at your side for years, who's waited for you for so long, is finally back and you won't let him leave you again.