Epilogue - The Story of Boy and Girl
 

With your one word, I laugh
I live day by day, like a mirror
My day is yours

The thing about high school romances: they didn't always work out. In fact, a lot of the time they didn't work out. When people who met when they were sixteen or seventeen or eighteen weren't done growing yet. They were still figuring out who they were and who they wanted to be.

In Naeun and Taemin's case, it was simple. 

The reason: geography. 

The fact that she could meet a boy when she was sixteen whom she could definitely see herself being together with him for the rest of her life. 

And yet.

If the boy was the heir of one successful company and he was expected to inherit the business and he was accepted into a prestigious university abroad, she had to cut losses because he had to go. 

He couldn't not go. 

Naeun loved Taemin so much. She knew that Taemin also loved her just as much. She wanted the best for him, and also for them. She tried her best to keep their relationship last longer but unfortunately she couldn't. The thing was, even though she knew Taemin loved her, he always drove her crazy, before they got together and even after they got together. She was insecure about Taemin's feeling. People changed. Love could also change.
 
It was all piled up until finally, that day came.
 
Naeun looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her makeup was done perfectly. It was natural and matched her dress she wore for today. She was dressed formally for today's event. After all, it was her big day.
 
"Unnie, is this shoes okay for me?" Hayoung, her younger sister entered her room, carrying a pair of shoes.
 
Naeun turned her head to see the shoes. "It's good..."
 
"Seriously, unnie? You can at least a little bit excited. This is your graduation day after all..." Hayoung pouted. She sat on her bed, watching Naeun put finishing touch on her makeup.
 
Naeun rolled her eyes at Hayoung. Hayoung stared at her sister sadly.
 
"I heard it, by the way..." Hayoung said quietly.
 
"Heard what?" Naeun asked.
 
"That night when you were on the phone... With Taemin..."
 
Naeun stopped what she was doing and looked at her sister.
 
"Yeah, you were kinda loud. I think Mom heard it as well. Was that the last time you contact him?"
 
Naeun didn't answer for a while. "Yeah..."
 
"It's been 3 months, then..." Hayoung bit her lip. "Have you ever called him again?"
 
Naeun shook her head, trying to ignore Hayoung's question. She knew where this would lead and she wasn't ready to cry again. At least, not now when she was finally done with her makeup.
 
"You can call him again, you know? At least, today."
 
Once again, Naeun shook his head. "I'm sure he's busy with his school. He won't come home to Seoul from New York just to attend my graduation day, Hayoung..."
 
"Well, who knows?" Hayoung insisted.
 
"Trust me, he won't. Beside, we broke up months ago..."
 
Hayoung snorted. "Yeah, says you!"
 
"What do you mean?" Naeun scowled at Hayoung.
 
"You're the one who says you broke up while you two never really settled your relationship’s nature..."
 
Naeun looked at her from the mirror and narrowed her eyes. "You sneaky little ! You listened to all my conversation!"
 
Hayoung lifted up her hands. "Don't blame me. You were yelling, screaming, sobbing and crying, and you said things..."
 
Naeun's expression suddenly changed drastically. "Yeah, things that I really shouldn't say..."
 
"It's done already... Unnie, you have to settle things with Taemin Oppa, so you can finally move on. I'm sad seeing you like this..." Hayoung looked at Naeun sadly. "You can also talk to me. At least it will ease your heart..."
 
Naeun smiled and walked toward her sister. She hugged her tightly. "Thank you... I appreciate it, but I still need time. I'm still not ready yet..."
 
Hayoung nodded and hugged Naeun back, hoping to send some strength for her beautiful sister. Hayoung admired and loved her sister dearly. Naeun was her role model and she wanted to be just like her when she grew up.
 
Naeun was smart, caring and kind-hearted person and she loved Hayoung so much. She knew it, she could feel it. She didn't like to see Naeun sad and unhappy. Naeun had been like this for quite some time now, since Taemin went abroad to study business and especially since the fight.
 
Taemin graduated last year and his family sent him to study business in US. It had been a year when Naeun and Taemin began their long distance relationship. They had their problems but they always managed to stick together and overcome their problems.
 
Taemin visited Seoul during holiday and that was the only time they could meet since Naeun couldn't go to US because she had school. It was until several months later, their relationship went dry. Naeun didn't know why. Maybe because they missed each other so much, maybe because the phone calls, the video calls, k-talks and text messaging weren't enough. They missed each other greatly and there was nothing they could do to ease the pain.
 
Days went by, the phone calls became rare. Naeun was busy with school. Taemin was busy with his study and university's activities. They still sent text messages or k-talk messages but it was only to update their day. They only called each other when one of them missed the other.
 
But something happened. Naeun's insecurity kicked in, after seeing some pictures from Taemin's SNS pages. It was their biggest fight. They had fights before; even they had broken up several times because of that. But none like that.
 
She cried, she screamed and she cried and she yelled and she cried and cried even more. She said things that she shouldn't say and she regretted it the moment it came out from . They were silent for a straight 15 minutes. Naeun was too pride to say sorry to Taemin and she ended up not able to convey her feeling. He finally hung up on her and since then he never contacted her. When she tried to call him, she chickened out and never had courage to do so. Maybe she was afraid of what Taemin would say. She was afraid to hear the "I'm sorry, I think we should break up" conversation. She wasn't ready.
 
Naeun shook her head, trying hard not to think about that day. This was her graduation day after all. She was finally accepted to study art at her dream university. She had everything she wanted, except one.
 
"I'm getting dressed now. See you downstairs?" Hayoung brought her back from her daydream.
 
Naeun nodded and resumed to her getting ready for the graduation, though her mind wasn't at ease now.
 

~~ IABYKM ~~

 
The school yard buzzed with student activities. Not the usual ones, because today was graduation day for senior year so the parents and also families of the student were also there. The ceremony usually took place in the school auditorium, however this year, Naeun's school wanted to do something different. The weather was nice since last week and the school decided to hold the graduation ceremony at school yard. 

Junsu High School now looked like they held a school festival, instead of a graduation ceremony. But it was a good change. Naeun really liked it.

Naeun sat among the student who graduated today. She was surrounded by happy faces and she couldn't help being happy herself. She was graduating and finally she was going to live up her dreams. 

Her name was called and she moved forward to the stage to accept her diploma. Her teachers congratulated her for her acceptance in Korea National University of Arts, the university she always dreamed of. She could see the beaming faces of her parents and Hayoung in the family section. She waved her diploma to them with big smile and Hayoung whistled loudly, causing people to laugh and Naeun descended the stage blushing. 

Eunji clapped loudly alongside with her when more of their friends accepting their diplomas. Seohyun also graduated last year with Taemin and she was accepted in Seoul Nation University. Now she was pursuing career as journalist. She always wanted to do journalism abroad and she dreamed to be Korea's Christiane Amanpour. Seohyun was always so predictable but it was one of her best traits. They kept in contact since Seohyun was still in the same city with them. 

"NAEUN~AH, CONGRATULATION!!!" Her mother cried and hugged her tightly. "I'm so proud! You're so beautiful up there!"

Naeun hugged her mother awkwardly. She didn't know what to do whenever her mother being overly dramatic. "Thank you, Mom," it ws the only thing she could manage to say.

"Mooooom.. My turn.." Hayoung pulled her mother slightly from Naeun's embrace.

"Oooh, yoou..." Their mother protested yet she stepped back to allow her youngest daughter to hug Naeun. She wiped her tears with her handkerchief while kept praising Naeun.

"Congrats, sis... I'm so proud of you. You're really the best sister I've ever had..." Hayoung said proudly.

"Likewise, Hayoung, likewise..." Naeun hugged her sister back. She pulled back when she felt her tears wanting to come out. She was so mellow these days, especially today. 

"Congratulation, baby girl. We're so proud of you..." Her father then took turn to hug her. Naeun smiled serenely and closed her eyes, relieving in the warmth of her father's arms. She was feeling content, feeling so loved. She was happy that she was able to make her parents proud of her.

Her father stepped back and smiled down at her. Naeun smiled back when she saw her father looked so genuinely happy for her. 

“Thanks, Dad.. I love you so much!” Naeun hugged her father once again before let him go. 

Her father smiled in response and turned to his wife. “We should celebrate this...”

“Oh yes, your Uncle Min already at the restaurant. He’s waiting for us there...” Her mother looked at her wristwatch and tapped it as a sign they should get going to the restaurant now.

“You go ahead. I’ll catch up. I want to say goodbye to my friends first...” 

“Okay then. We’ll take off first. Make sure you’re not taking too long...” Her mother smiled and leaned forward to kiss her cheek. “I’m so proud of you, Naeun...”

Naeun smiled back. “Thank you, Mom...”

She hugged her father and Hayoung before they turned and left for the restaurant. Naeun stared at her family’s back until they faded into the crowd of other students and their families.

Naeun turned around and started walking slowly alongside the pathway to the school yard. She tucked her hands inside her coat’s pocket. She was wearing a cotton trench coat, underneath it, she also wearing the dress for the ceremony. Her makeup was natural and her long hair was curled slightly at the end. She was also wearing high heels for today’s special occasion. She looked beautiful, she felt beautiful but somehow she missed something. Or, more accurately, she missed someone.

Every corner of this school reminded her of Taemin. From the wooden bench at the school yard where he first saw her to the very secluded corner of the school’s library where they felt so fond of because it was the only place where they could make out without any distraction or onlookers.

From the infuriating memory to the embarassing ones.

It was everything to her. The memories were so fresh, especially now that Naeun would leave these too. Every memories with this school and Taemin assaulted her mind, making her harder to breath.

She really missed him and she wanted to see him. She wanted to tell him that she regretted what she had said to him. She regretted the day she let her insecurities took over her logic. She regretted a lot of things from that day, but most, she regretted that she had hurt him.

She stopped. She was back to the place where Taemin saw her for the first time. It was the first day of school and she was sitting on a bench, looking up to the sky. She stared at the said bench and her visions were blurred by tears. She wiped her tears harshly. 

Finally she took out her phone from her coat and opened her screen. She pressed a series of numbers, the numbers that she remembered wholeheartedly. Her fingers paused at the “dial” button. She didn’t know if he would pick up her phone, if he would want to speak to her again, if he would... forgive her. But she had to try, because standing in front of right here, she finally realized that she had to do something for their relationship. 

She pressed “dial”.

She cast her eyes down while waiting for him to pick up her phone. Her thumb played with her coat’s belt, a sign of her nervousness. Her heart thumped faster when she heard the dial’s tone has stopped abruptly and all of sudden, she was overwhelmed with the feeling of acknowledging Taemin on the other side. 

“Naeun...?” 

She heard his voice and she nearly broke down into tears once again. She missed him so much. She missed him so much that it hurt every single time she heard his name or when she was assaulted by his memories, their memories together. 

Naeun couldn’t contain her sob. She closed her eyes and biting her lower lip while trying to apologize to him, to say that she missed him and she wanted him back. But she could only manage to say his name, “T-Taemin...”

“Naeun...” 

Naeun took a deep breath. “Taemin... I know you’re mad at me. I know you probably hate me now. But I want to say...” Naeun sobbed quietly. She couldn’t hold her tears now. “I.... I’m... I’m sorry.. I’m sorry for what I said the other day. I’m sorry that I hurt your feeling. I... I miss you so much and I want to see you again...”

“Naeun...” Taemin sounded so calm that somehow unnerved her.  

“I know I’m being unreasonable right now. You probably have a new girlfriend now, or you’re living your life to the fullest. But I have to say this. I can’t hold it anymore...”

“Naeun...” Now he sounded more urgent, trying to cut her speech.

“Taemin, please listen to me...”

“Naeun!” The urgency on his voice made Naeun stop talking. “Lift your head up...”

Naeun did what he said and her phone dropped from her hand when she saw him standing in front of her, right beside the bench she sat before. 

Is this a dream? Is he really Taemin? 

Taemin who came back to Seoul on the day of her graduation. 

Taemin who flew from US because he wanted to attend her graduation ceremony. 

Her visions blurred by tears and she covered to hold her sobbing. She stepped back when she saw him approaching her. He held her gaze, never taking his eyes off her. 

He looked so good. So gorgeous. So handsome. So... Taemin. 

He finally stood in front of her. He bent to retrieve her phone and taking one of her hand. Naeun shivered from his touch. It had been so long since she last saw him, since he last touched her. 

He put the phone in her hand but he didn’t take his hand away. Instead he guided Naeun’s hand to drop the phone into her coat pocket. When Naeun’s hand free from her phone, he slowly interlaced their fingers. While doing all of that, he never took his eyes off Naeun.

Naeun sobbed loudly now. She took a step forward when Taemin did the same. They were standing so close now, with their fingers interlocking in between them. 

Taemin touched Naeun’s cheek with his other hand, gently wiped her tears. “Don’t cry, baby.. please don’t cry...” He whispered softly. 

Naeun closed her eyes and leaned into his touch. Her hand, that wasn’t interlocked with Taemin’s, lifted up to meet Taemin’s hand on her cheek. “What took you so long?” She whispered back.

Taemin once again interlaced their fingers and brought her hand to his lips. He kissed her fingers softly and looked at her with adoration in his eyes. “I’m waiting for you...”

He let go of her other hand and wrapped his arm around her waist, bringing her closer to him. Naeun sighed when she felt the length of Taemin’s body wrapped her. She truly missed this; she truly missed Taemin.

“I’m sorry. I’m really sorry...”

“No, Naeun. I’m the one who should be blamed. I’m sorry too. If I was more considerate to your feeling...” 

She reached toward him. She pulled him closer to her, so close their chests were almost touching. She closed my eyes against the threat of tears, and struggled to find the right words to say.  “I let my insecurities eating me and you also not doing anything good to ease it... We’re both at fault. The months where we separated and not talking to each others were killing me, Taemin. I barely lived through it and I don’t want to experience the same thing again. I miss you and I want to be with you again...” 

She looked up at him and wrapped her arms around his shoulder when Taemin’s arms automatically went to her waist and lifted her in his embrace. “I don’t want to be separated with you again and... I love you so much...”

Taemin smiled widely. He bent forward, bringing his lips only a breath away from Naeun’s. “I love you too, baby girl... I don’t want to be apart from you anymore...”

Naeun tightened her hold. She cast her eyes down to his lips, suddenly missing the way his lips pressed against her lips. She tilted her head to brush her lips against Taemin's, the softest of touches, the most innocent kiss. “I’ll study hard, Taemin. I’ll try to join the scholarship program so I can finally go to New York with you...”

All of sudden, Taemin captured her lips into a searing kiss that nearly took her breath away. Naeun’s nose scrunched up beside his, and she breathed in the clean, soapy smell of his skin, loving the way the roughness of his chin contrasted with the smoothness of her own.

Their lips parted and she tasted him for the first time after a long time; all warm, soft mouth and heated breath and peppermint. Taemin's hands worked their ways to her hair and he tangled his fingers in the soft strand of her hair, craddling her head as he pulled Naeun closer to him, so close she thought she might disappear inside of him forever. Naeun ran the tip of her tongue along his bottom lip before gently it between hers, and Taemin made this low, needy, breathy grunt. 

It was strange then, stuck in that moment she'd been thinking about forever, because even though they’d been together before, she'd never felt so many things at one time. Sure, they'd kissed a thousand times before but as his soft lips moved against hers, wanting and waiting, pushing and hesitating, she had never felt closer to anyone in her entire life. She'd never felt anything sweeter than his mouth on hers, his breath fanning across her face between frantic, needy kisses. 

And as his fingers explored her neck, collarbone, and traveled the distance from her shoulders to her waist again, Naeun knew that with Taemin, there were a thousand sweeter feelings just waiting for her to find them. 

"I want you," Naeun said breathlessly between soft kisses and delicate touches. "However I can have you."

"You have me, Naeun. You always have me…" Taemin breathed against her cheek. "What if I tell you that I’ve transferred back to Seoul?”

“What?” Naeun pulled back to look at him.

Taemin smiled. “Yes, I’ve transferred back to Seoul because of you. Because I want to be with you. Because I asked my father and he said yes because apparently he also need me here to help him with his business?” 

Naeun stunned. “Are you ing serious?”

Taemin laughed loudly as he smacked a kiss on her lips hard. “How I miss this filthy mouth! Yes, baby girl, I’m so ing serious!”

Naeun exclaimed happily and hugged him tightly. “I love you so ing much, Taemin. I love you so much!”

“Me too, Naeun....” Taemin hugged her back and buried his face in the crook of Naeun’s neck. “I love you so much...”

Naeun sighed happily as she laid her head on Taemin’s shoulder and her arms were around his body. 

Taemin was definitely here. Taemin made her float so high, and he let her see things she never thought she'd see before. Sometimes he floated up with her, always there to keep her safe. But whenever things got out of control or scary, one of them would always be down there on the ground, anchoring the other. 

No, this wouldn't be an ordinary relationship.

This was Taemin and this was her. 

This was them, Taemin and Naeun. Of course, it wouldn't be ordinary. 

You come to me in the fluttering wind
You come to me in the blinding sunshine
I can’t stop, I can’t stop loving you

~~ FIN ~~

So... it's finally done. It's finished. I have to say this is one of the hardest chapter to write but I managed to finish this. So yeah, It's All Because You've Kissed Me is finally complated. Thank you so much for your reviews and your amazing support. See you in my next stories. 

- Diandra