***Thank you for your patience everyone. Despite really worrisome weather, my two friends got married happily! Congratulations to them! Thank you for all your well wishes! :D

CH 14

The way that guy touched Sulli’s hand across the table, the way he seemed to squeeze it as the ice cream melted between them, was enough to make Minho grit his teeth in irritation.

“You Sulli…is my biggest regret.” Said Jae Hyun. “And all I wish right now is to turn back time, if only I had a time machine.”

Sulli bit her lip. Minho wanted to stand between them and block Jae Hyun’s view of her. Can’t she just Not bite her lip in front of anyone?

“That’s weird.” Said Sulli. “I didn’t think you’d have regrets about me.”

Jae Hyun’s eye narrowed. He was speechless for a while. Sulli just stared at him with her tear streaked angry eyes as she pulled her hand away from Jae Hyun’s.

“It’s probably better not to talk about the past.” Said Sulli. “We’re working together. It’s better if you have just kept on pretending like you couldn’t remember me… I mean everything… That way, we can work together comfortably. Just like earlier.”

“Hold on Sulli…” Jae Hyun grabbed Sulli’s hand. “Stop right there.”

Sulli tried to pull her hand away but Jae Hyun’s hold was firm this time.

“Please don’t speak as if everything was over.” Said Jae Hyun.

Stupid guy. He let Sulli go and went abroad, getting another girl in a whim. Now he wants to get her back?

“You were the one who broke up with me.” Said Sulli. “You ended it. You were the one who told me it was over.” Said Sulli.

Jae Hyun sighed.

“Yeah… I did.” Said Jae Hyun. “That’s why I came back. I want to explain everything. And I want to correct what I did wrong.”

Sulli closed her eyes as she forcefully pulled her hand way.

“I… don’t think so.” Said Sulli. “It was over for me… It took me a long time, but now it’s all over for me. I don’t want to go back to the past and dig into it anymore… I can’t. I don’t want to.”

“Maybe…maybe if I explain everything…maybe your heart will soften. Maybe you’d understand.” Said Jae Hyun.

Sulli laughed, it sounded bitter though.

“You’re a high class international model, Mr. Ahn.” Said Sulli. “What makes you think I’d believe you’d still want to settle the past? You were gone for six years. You’re so popular now. Why would you still care about a tiny past regret?”

Sulli stood up.

“I…” Sulli took a deep breath. “Don’t go back to things that had already finished. What’s over is over.”

Sulli walked out of the restaurant.

Minho felt that tug in his chest as a proud feeling made his heart swell. Sulli used his words about his relationship with Ailee. Hearing his own words on Sulli’s lips in front of her ex made Minho felt … like he…

Minho closed his eyes.

He wanted to hug her.

Minho felt victorious as he walked out the restaurant and followed Sulli. And then he stopped. He suddenly felt defeated and angry.

Minho saw Sulli leaning against the wall along the narrow street. She was looking at the sky while tears fell from her eyes. He shoulders were dropped as her hands were clenched on her side.

“That was great, Sulli.” Sulli talked to herself. “You did great in there.”

Minho felt that strong urge in his chest as he let his control go and succumbed to his feelings.

----------------------

Sulli walked out of the ice cream restaurant. Her chest is aching too much.

Jae Hyun…

He’s too much! How can he say words as if he still cared about their past when he never once got in touch with her the past six years! How can he say she’s his biggest regret when he got himself a girlfriend as soon as he got to study abroad?

And how can he say all of those things now? Now when she thought she has already let go of everything about him?

Sulli felt like her tears were already starting to fall as she hid herself on a narrow street. She leaned on the wall as the tears started falling.

Good thing she was able to stop the tears in front of Jae Hyun. She didn’t want to make him see her like this. She wanted to appear strong in front of him. She can’t be the weak high school girl he left six years ago, the girl who cried and begged him to stay.

“That was great, Sulli.” Said Sulli. “You did great in there.”

 What did he think she is? Did he think he can just fool her? Does he think she’s still the same naïve young Sulli? Does he think he can just play with her feelings because of their past? Does his international modelling popularity give him the right to do that to her?

He’s so arrogant.

And then Sulli suddenly felt like being pulled into someone’s chest.

Sulli held her breath as she heard that familiar voice.

“Stop crying…”

Sulli closed her eyes as waves of unexplainable emotions shook her.

“My chest aches when I see you cry….”

Sulli felt her ears ringing with Minho’s words and it penetrates her heart like arrows.

Sulli felt Minho’s arms tightening around her.

“So stop crying…” said Minho.

But Minho’s words only fuelled her tears. Sulli cried harder until she couldn’t cry anymore. The entire time, Minho was hugging her, tapping her back to comfort her.

Minho’s embrace felt so warm and comfortable… it felt like…

Sulli shook her thoughts…

She almost felt like Minho’s arm was home. That was a really ridiculous thought!

And then Minho spoke.

“Do I… now know how to comfort someone?” asked Minho.

Sulli’s lips formed a smile.

She recalled their conversation back in Minho’s house in the suburb when she got sick and Minho took care of her. She told him he doesn’t know how to comfort someone.

“Do I pass now in the comforting area?” asked Minho.

Sulli nodded.

“You’ve improved… a little.” Said Sulli, a soft giggle on her voice.

And then Minho spoke words that felt so familiar.

“It’s ok. It’s all right… Things will eventually turn out well… the pain will lessen in time… Everything will heal in time.” Said Minho.

Those words… where did she hear them before? Even the feeling of being comforted in Minho’s arm felt so familiar…

And then something flashed before her eyes. She was sitting on top of Minho. She was hugging him, tapping his back… and those words… She said those words to him…

It was a memory from that night of drunkenness.

Sulli closed her eyes tight.

Minho pulled back a little.

“Are you all right?” asked Minho.

“Where… did you learn how to comfort someone like that?” asked Sulli, slowly opening her eyes.

Minho’s lips arched into a smile.

“From you.” Said Minho.

Sulli bit her lip.

Minho pinched Sulli’s cheek.

“You ruined your make up.” Said Minho.

“Oh no!” Sulli’s eyes widened. Wasn’t the make-up waterproof? Does she look like a movie ghost right now?

Sulli tried to hide her face.

Minho shook his head as he lifted Sulli’s face up.

“No. Don’t hide your face.” Said Minho. “I mean the make-up is ruined. But I see the real you more… Now that the make-up has faded, what I see… is not just beauty. It’s beyond that.”

Can she… be selfish right now?

Can she feel this moment, absorb it?

Just for this instant, can she erase Ailee from her mind? And accept Minho’s words…make it penetrate her heart?

Can she be selfish right now and let her heart hope for something…?

Can she?

“Sulli… sometimes… you don’t know how you could take my breath away.” Said Minho.

And then Sulli’s thought disappeared when Minho leaned closer until his lips touched Sulli’s lips. It was a warm kiss. She could feel his every breath. Her heart is racing. She didn’t know what to feel. Her hands were frozen in the air. All she knows is that… Minho is kissing her so tenderly, her legs are getting weak.

Sulli closed her eyes.

Minho deepened the kiss, tasting Sulli, feeling her, remembering that night of drunkenness, their kisses and the way Sulli