C h a p t e r 7:

A couple of years passed ever since JiJae left. Everyone graduated from their school and started their life. Things haven’t really changed though, except for JaeJoong. Kim JaeJoong…labeled as the biggest player ever. Every week he’ll be going out with different girls and soon, will dump them. Every day, JaeJoong would try and forget all about JiJae. But, is it working? Not for him.

“Let’s see…Han HyoJoo,” he said to himself as he was walking back home from the bar. He soon accidentally bumped into someone, causing them to fall. “Oh, mianhe,” JaeJoong said and helped her up. She accepted his hand as he gently pulled her up on her feet. “You alright?” She nodded slightly.

“I’m fine,” she answered and looked up. “Well, thank you,” she said and walked away.

She turned the corner and disappeared. JaeJoong stood there, no words, even sounds, coming out. He couldn’t believe it. He couldn’t believe any of it.

“K-Kim JiJae!” he yelled and ran after her. He turned the corner where she had turned but she was nowhere to be seen. “JiJae~ah!”

JiJae ran once she reached the corner. She couldn’t believe that she would see JaeJoong right now. She ran to her house. Once she entered, she was shocked seeing how spotless it is.

“Why is it spotless?” she asked herself, “Isn’t it supposed to be dusty?”

She entered the kitchen, finding a note on the counter. She read through it, seeing how its ChangMin’s writing.

JiJi Dongseng!

ChangMin oppa here! I come to your house every once in a while to clean up, in case you come back home. I’ll see you I hope

ChangMin

JiJae smiled and had tears blurring her vision. She was so happy that he never forgot her. She walked out of her house, heading to his house, hoping he still lives there. She rang the door bell, her heart pounding loudly with happiness to see one of her best friends.

“OPPA!” she squealed when she saw that ChangMin opened the door.

“JiJi!” ChangMin cheered and hugged her back tightly, crying lightly, “I missed you so much.”
 

“Me too, oppa, me too,” said JiJae, letting out her tears.

“Come in,” said ChangMin once they calmed down. She nodded and entered his house. They walked to the kitchen when ChangMin placed a bowl of ramen.

“You cook?” she asked.

“Yeah, I learned so now I can cook for myself,” ChangMin answered.

“I’m proud of you.”

“I know me too. You’ve changed so much. Look at you, and I mean this in such a good way.”

“Gomawo. So…how is everyone?”

“Same…kind of. YunHo and SeulGi are still together. They’re going to get married,” ChangMin answered.
 

“Chincha?” JiJae questioned.

“Mhm and JunSu found a girl name Jang Ri In. YooChun is with BoA. I am with no one…yet,” ChangMin added.

“My poor Minnie didn’t find a girl yet,” said JiJae, “So where are they now?”

“They’re all still here, but YooChun is planning to go back to America and start his career there,” ChangMin said.

“Chincha? What about BoA?”

“She’s coming with him. They just got married.”

“Wow, you didn’t tell me that earlier.”

“Mianhe.”

“Oppa…what about, JaeJoong~oppa?” JiJae asked.

“Uh…Hyung’s changed…since you left,” ChangMin answered.

“What happened to him?” asked JiJae, being worried.

“He’s labeled as a player. He never hangs out with us now. He’s just cold and the opposite of himself,” ChangMin responded.

“He seems nice to me though,” JiJae added having ChangMin’s eyes widened, “I guess he didn’t know who I was. I looked at him in the eyes and I guess he knew. I didn’t want to face him, oppa. Not now. He hurt me,” she said. ChangMin frowned, pushing aside his bowl of ramen. “Oppa, I’ll cook you food, like I promised.” ChangMin looked at her with his eyes widened.

“Chincha?”

“Neh, but you’re helping.”

“I will.”

A couple of hours passed as they caught up to their lives and the food. JiJae waved good bye and headed around the city of Seoul again. She missed the place, surprised that everything didn’t really change. She hugged herself warmly, noticing how chilly it’s getting outside. She turned, seeing the ice cream parlor still being there where JunSu kicked the winning goal. She came in there, wanting to order some ice cream.

“JunSu oppa, I miss you,” JiJae said.

“Same here.” JiJae turned, smiling to see JunSu. She immediately hugged him. “Ice cream on me, araso?”

“Araso, oppa,” JiJae replied, not wanting to fight back.

JunSu ordered and paid. Both walked outside, walking to the park again. They sat on the swing sets, looking at the starry sky.

“Oppa, how are you?” she asked.

“I’ve been great but I missed hanging out with you,” JunSu answered. “How’s JeJu Island?”
 

“Alright. I missed you, too. I miss being here.”

“Ready to face JaeJoong before it’s too late?” JunSu asked her with a very serious tone.

“What do you mean?” JiJae asked.

“I don’t know. I haven’t talked to him 3 weeks after you left. I just know that he plays around with girls,” JunSu answered.
 

“Wae?”

“Trying to forget you. That’s what I heard.”

JiJae looked down, wanting to cry. ‘This is my entire fault,’ she thought. Tears fell as she couldn’t hold them anymore. JunSu looked at her and hugged her, trying to comfort her. She hugged him back, crying on his shoulder.

“It’s my fault, oppa,” JiJae said.

“It isn’t araso? You didn’t do anything to him,” JunSu said, letting go of the embrace.

“Anio, oppa. It is my fault. I did this to him. If I stayed…but if he…I don’t know,” she said, being confused.

“It’s not. Don’t blame yourself. JaeJoong chose this, you didn’t, so let him blame himself.”

“I can’t. This is my fault. Mianhe.”

“Talk to him then,” JunSu said firmly. She looked up at him.

“Talk to him? What if he doesn’t want to talk?” JiJae asked.

“I’ll come with you then. I’ll walk you home now.”

She nodded as they got up. Side by side they walked to her house.

“I’ll talk to him,” JiJae answered when they reached her house.

“When?”

“The next time I see him. I will.”

“Good. Night, JiJi.”

“Night.”