•

the day was finally here. the break was over and classes would return, such as her. she had to go back to campus and to classes in general.

 but things were going to be different now, very much. especially since she was done with kihyun and now jooheon was going to attend the same university. 

it was probably going to be a bit awkward. but she was used to awkward situations by now.

the campus seemed quiet, even though there were plenty people around, everyone seemed somehow tired or probably disappointed to be back. that's common whenever students come back from vacations.

she looked around, wondering if jooheon had arrived already. even though her mom lent them her car for college, jooheon was staying in a different part of the campus, usually with other boys, while boki was with girls. so she hadn't talk nor see him today.

"yah! boki!" a familiar male voice made her stop on her tracks. she sighed in relief when she noticed it wasn't neither jooheon or kihyun. 

it was wonho instead.

he walked hesitant steps towards her, trying to smile. immediately boki knew something was off. 

"wonho?" 

he scratched the back of his head, an awkward smile. he approached her. "how are you? i am sorry i didn't have time to go visit you, you mom invited me a couple of times, but- he sighed as if he was tired, shaking his head softly - i guess i was really busy."

"don't worry. are you okay? is there something wrong?" boki knew her friends by now, wonho was usually a very happy guy, but today he looked really weird.

"no... well... yes, actually- he ran a hand through his hair - there's something i wanted to talk about?" he grabbed her hand softly and pushed her to one of the college's secret halls. 

she frowned. "what is it?" her heart raced with expectation. judging by wonho's face, it didn't seem like good news.

"listen... hawon told me about your break up with kihyun. let me tell you, i am happy, i mean... thanks god."

"then why are you acting weird?"

"well - he bit his lip softly, a frown appearing on his face - i wanted to confess something. 

she felt her temples throbbing at this moment. hawon just confessed something to her yesterday, related to kihyun. And now wonho was trying to confess something as well? was it related with kihyun?

it couldn't be. 

"what is it?" she seemed desperate at this point. wonho on the other hand, seemed embarrased.

"well... i kinda almost got arrested this break-

"what!?" she exclaimed, both quickly looked around to see if there were any curious eyes but they were practically alone in the hallway. 

"shh, keep your voice down! - he exclaimed, swallowing hard - well, remember that videogame i got last month? before its release?"

boki just nodded. "somehow authorities found out and called me for an interrogation, the videogame company wanted to press charges, thanks god my aunt is a lawyer and she got me out of that with a deal." he said looking down. 

"but- h-how did that happen? do they have that kind of technology to track down people who got the videogame before its release?"

wonho looked ar her with a poker face. "of course not. someone told them about me."

"so-someone?" her mind began to work in all directions as a face appeared in her mind.

"someone? how did you get that videogame wonho? wasn't through- she stopped talking when all pieces added in. 

wonho sighed. "i think your boyfriend has something against me. he was the one who "gifted" me the videogame to speak well of him to you." he closed his eyes as if he was regretting everything.

"i was such a fool... i should have known he wasn't doing it with good intentions. boki... i am so so sorry."

she couldn't believe her own ears. was kihyun behind this too?

when things got so out of control? 

why was he attempting against her friends? 

the model academy and the videogame were only means to an end and now everything made sense. but still, it hurt like hell. 

she never expect something like this from kihyun, even if he was the evil incarnate. never ever, messing with her friends like this. 

boki found her fists clenching themselves when anger took over her. "boki?" wonho called her but at this point she was blind with rage. 

"i am going to kill him!" she exclaimed turning on her heels but she was quickly stopped by a gentle hand and someone calling her name with care and sweetness.

"where do you think you're going kumquat?" the familiar voice. it wasn't wonho, but it was someone that made her heart race at this point. 

she turned around to find that silver head staring at her with big and confussed eyes. "jooheon?"

he remained silent, grabbing her forearm. wonho blinked twice at the scene, he stared in silence.

"when did you- she started asking but jooheon sighed.

"cut it, trust me. you don't want to do this." 

boki frowned when she realized he was stopping her from going after kihyun. "are you serious? are you stopping me? he deserves to be punished for this-

"how exactly? what are you going to do? punch him? you're like 5 feet tall wacko... you're a like a hamster wanting to punch, i don't know... a rabbit." 

she rolled her eyes and free herself from his soft grip. "then what is your idea to get back at him?"

he shrugged. "nothing. he's a piece of shit of... i've been trying to warn you since forever but of course you don't listen. people never listen to me and i am always right." 

"this can't stay like this. he has to pay for this!"

wonho cleared his throat and interrupted them. "i am with jooheon in this... it's better if we just let it pass."

"what?" boki was shocked.

"i mean... he has a lot of people on his side boki, you should have seen how merciless were those lawyers with my aunt."

jooheon remained silent staring at boki. "he hurt you wonho, he hurt hawon and probably tons of other people... and you - she said turning to jooheon - do i have to remind you everything he's done to you?"

"so what? i've been knowing the kind of ass he is since day one. he hadn't fooled me not once, not like you and him and hawon and everyone else. but i won't be wasting my energy hating on someone who's not even worthy. i'll let it go kumquat, i am not going to be storing hatred towards someone who's not even aware of the evil that he's causing. i am done with him. i'll live my life the way i want and away from that serpent."

it was true. jooheon was usually right, most of the times, but definitely this time, he was 100% right.

wonho nodded, clearly supporting jooheon's words.

when did he become so mature? it was hard to know. maybe he had been like this always and boki just haven't noticed. 

she looked down, suddenly ashamed of her previous behavior. "i know you want to get back at him, it's probably what we all want. but trust me, it's not worthy." he added. 

their eyes met for a second and she felt the warmth washing away the cold feelings she felt a few seconds ago. because that was the jooheon effect. 

he was warm. and sweet... and all good things.

her heart skipped at beat at the way he was looking at her and suddenly wonho felt like a third wheel for what he cleared his throat. "well... i think there's nothing else to talk about, i have class in 10, gotta go." he said placing a hand on boki's shoulder.

"i trust you won't do anything crazy ok? it's definitely not like you." he said with a sweet voice. jooheon glanced at wonho.

"don't worry. i got her." with this wonho bid his goodbyes and left the pair alone.

"may i walk you to class?" he asked once they walked out of the hallway. she nodded, feeling her cheeks turning bright red.

these moments alone with jooheon made her heart race, especially when their eyes met directly, she felt so full of positive and lovely emotions, emotions she was feeling for the first time.

it was hard to put a name to what they had. jooheon apparently refused to talk about it, to put a lablel to it. but boki understood where this was coming from. 

she knew he valued their friendship so much, the job at boki's mom restaurant, the opportunity to get a degree and to become... to become part of something bigger, a family, even if it was just her mom and her, the restaurant and the college.

he didn't want to lose these newly acquired things that she knew, jooheon treasured. 

but she was dying to tell him how she felt, to tell him that everything was going to be okay because she was 100% sure that things between were going to work. but she also didn't want to put a pressure on him, not with this, not this way. 

"you have class with that wacko?" he suddenly spoke.

she turned to look at him with surprised eyes. "i don't think so. he's advanced." 

he nodded. "good. just try to avoid him and you'll be fine, yes?" he stopped walking when he noticed she did too. 

"this is my classroom." she said smiling, a kind of a sad smile. it's not that she wasn't happy jooheon was with her, but she was kind of sad that he's been delaying "the conversation". 

"right. i also have class... wanna have lunch together? with your friends maybe?" he said. at this point he seemed more mature, serious, not in a bad way. but definitely something inside him had changed probably for the good.

she smiled sweetly this time. "of course. see you at cafeteria at noon?" he just nodded.

boki noticed how he walked away, hands on his pockets as his backpack and him seemed smaller as he walked away towards the other building. 

she sighed and walked inside the classroom. even if she didn't have too much disposition to study, this was the last semester of the year and she had to focus if she wanted to keep up the good grades. 

but even if she tried to focus, after lunch and the other classes she had, she knew there was something eating her up inside. 

and even if she promised she wouldn't do anything against him, she had to. even if it was just talking to him and telling him how of a human trash he was, she couldn't focus on anything until she gets it out of her chest.

that's when she pulled her phone and wrote a quick text and send it. 

it was done. 

boki: meet me in the parking lot in 10 minutes. we need to talk. 

she waited for what seemed hours, but finally after a couple of minutes, a reply arrived.

kihyun: alright.

she swallowed hard as she pulled her phone back into her pocket and steeled herself for what she was going to do. 

boki arrived first, she noticed his white mercedes parked under a tree and walked there to wait for him. as she checked her clock, the anticipation and nervousness grew each passing second. somehow she was checking all the cameras in the parking lot, just to see if they were working. it was hard to know why, since he's never been violent with her, but you never knew.

her hand began to sweat when she noticed him entering the scene in the distance. he walked confidently, hands on the pockets of his black long coat. he looked dashing as always. the memories of the times she'd grow weak whenever she saw him, flashed in her mind. especially when he was wearing those black skinny jeans and that black turtleneck that fit him for the best. his hair looked longer than last time she saw him. he approached her with a carefree air.

"hey." he simply said once he reached her side. he stared at her, eyes shining with something she couldn't' quite decipher.

but boki remained silent. as she started feeling nervous with his imposing presence. "you texted to meet me here... what is it?" 

the way he talked, she realized he was still upset about their last conversation. she swallowed hard and armed with courage.

"i did. we need to talk." 

suddenly a pair of students walked close to them, a car beeped and both got inside a truck that was 6 lots from kihyun's. 

but he never turned to look at them, his eyes were stuck on boki. "fine. wanna?" he said pointing at the car. she knew he was inviting her to have the conversation inside the car. she didn't know if accept. it was true it was going to be more private since this was the campus' parking lot and there were plenty students going to their cars at this time of the day. 

"fine." she said. she heard the beeps and she knew the doors were opened. they both got inside the car, kihyun on the driver's seat and boki on the copilot's seat. he turned on the engine and the a/c and sat there silently waiting for her to start talking. 

kihyun was like a drug. this was a understatement probably. 

even if he was the evil incarnated, she couldn't deny he had an effect on people, on her, that would always make her question everything. 

she glanced at him, at his beautiful side profile and felt her knees growing weak. he was incredibly handsome, probably the most handsome man she'd lay eyes on. 

but jooheon would suddenly pop into her mind, making her feelwarm inside. cheeks flushing and heart racing. he was a different type of handsome, but he was also definitely handsome.

the boy she liked.

the boy that cared about her and would risk anything for her.

"you hurt me... and that i can deal with... but you hurt my friends and that's going pretty far kihyun." she found herself admitting out of nowhere. 

he turned to look at her with unimpressed eyes. "that's why you called me?"

"you have nothing to say?" she asked shocked at the lack of remorse he showed.

he shrugged. "what do you want me to say? that i am sorry? i am not." 

at this point she felt her blood boiling. "how can you be so mean? when did this happen? i thought you cared at least a bit about me."

this apparently hit something inside him. he swallowed hard and his eyes changed slightly, a hint of pain behind the dark of his orbs. "i do... i care about you."he said emphasizing the last words.

she laughed, a sarcastic kind of laugh. "me? just me? but not my friends?" he remained silent, slightly confused.

"that's not exactly caring about me at all... not caring about the people i love, it's not caring about me." 

she noticed his chest going up an down, as if he wanted to say something but was keeping it for himself. "i don't understand exactly why you called me here? to talk about your friends? i thought you want to talk about us." he suddenly spoke.

"about us?" she asked as shocked as confused.

he remained silent, just staring at her. 

"there's no us, kihyun. we're done... i thought we made ourselves clear in our last conversation."

he frowned, his hands holding onto the wheel as he looked away. "we can't date anymore, not after everything you've done to me and the people i care about."

it seemed these concepts were difficult for him to understand. she noticed his hands closing around the wheels, knuckles turning white and jaw clenching slowly.

"i thought we were getting along well... i was giving you time to rethink things..."

"what?" she was in shock. how could he ever think this? she made herself clear last time. she couldn't forgive what he did to jooheon all those years and now to her friends, it was just too much. 

"you know we're the same... right? why do you keep trying to pretend you're good? what we have is special boki - he suddenly grabbed her hand and squeezed it, his eyes with a longing look that she had never seen before - we're made for each other, we understand each other... listen - he said now slightly desperate but keeping his calm tone - if you want me to, i'll apologise to your friends and i'll do whatever you want me to do, okay? and we can put this whole thing behind. we can work out things, i know this for sure. we just needed some time away and we got it. and we can be great together, don't you agree? we're great together." he added in an attempt to get her to his side.

but boki had made up her mind, a long, long time ago. she knew the type of person kihyun was and she was sure she wasn't like him not even in the slightest.

"kihyun-" she started with a sad tone but he interrupted her. 

"no. don't say anything yet, it appears you need more time to ponder this... and i am willing to give it to you... anything you need."

"i like jooheon." she said at the same time. his eyes widened as he leaned back on his seat. clearly shocked.

even though that was the main reason why they fought the last time, boki never told him to his face like this and now that she confirmed that apparently he was infatuated with her, she knew that this confession was going to feel like a bucked of ice cold water to thim, especially because it was about jooheon, his enemy.

an enemy that he had created in his own imagination. because jooheon had never hurt a fly.

he looked down, at his hands and remained silent for a long minute. boki swallowed hard as she kept talking. "that and many others are the reasons why we can't keep dating... i can't forget everything you've done and the fact that you're still convinced that i am like you just disappoints me. i don't know why you got this idea, because i was quiet back in school? i was shy, i didn't believe i was over others, i had trouble expressing myself and connecting with others because of my shyness... it's  not fair for you to say that i believed i was superior to others because i was alone all the time. it wasn't like that kihyun. whenever i avoid people was because i couldn't keep up an conversation out of embarrassment."

he blinked twice as realization hit him. naturally, he's been thinking all these years, that one of the reasons why they were so alike, was that, just as him, boki refused to talk to others because she knew they were inferior and not worthy of their time. 

"we're not the same. in fact, we're really different and i can't be with you knowing this." she finally added.

he didn't have anything to say. everything he believed had been a lie? he's been living in a lie this whole time? 

"i really thought you... that we... were the same." he mumbled to himself as disappointment filled his face and heart.

"i am glad you're dissapointed on me and that you're finally realizing we're not for each other. i like jooheon and i want to be with him... we can't keep fooling ourselves like this kihyun. you hurt jooheon and you hurt my friends and me."

he looked at her, blinking twice, as if he was realizing this for the first time. "why would you do it?" she asked.

he looked down, nothing to say. 

it was true he enjoyed people suffering sometimes, but he never wanted to hurt boki. "i never wanted to hurt you." it was the only sincere thing he had said to this day. 

"i never thought of the consequences of hurting your friends." he finally added.

she sighed. "you need therapy."

"boki- he called her name when he felt she was about to end the conversation - i really love you."

"you don't. kihyun, what you feel it's not love... you thought you found someone like you, someone who worshiped you and you thought we were the same... that's all. we were living a lie, we're not made for each other, i could never be with you after all this."

after a long minute he sighed. "you never loved me?"  

now her heart skipped a beat. she did love him. in fact, he used to mean the world to her, until she realized the real person behind the handsome mask.

"i did. at some point... i was pretty sure of my feelings for you. you were charming and caring... but then, i saw the real you." he looked at her with glassy eyes now.

"but you loved me... even if it was just for a bit. you did." 

she nodded defeated. "i did."

"i love you too... i still do." he kept insisting. but boki knew it wasn't love what he felt. 

"how are you so sure it's love?"

"i don't feel like hurting you... ever." she realized that this was the only concept he understood of "love" and she couldn't argue with that logic. 

she sighed defeated. "i am glad to know that you don't want to hurt me... i hope you start feeling this for more people, but you actually don't hurt them in the future."

there was a long silence between them. "i am sorry." he finally said, closing his eyes and looking away. 

boki wondered if he was crying since he was really tough, but it was hard to know since he was looking through his window.

"at least... does he like you back?" the sudden words took her by surprise. she knew he was talking about jooheon this time.

 "i don't know... we haven't talked about it."

he sighed. "he's a good guy." he admitted through his teeth and with this boki stared at his profile with big eyes. the fact that kihyun was admitting this meant something.

was he really realizing the mistakes he made? the people he hurt? was he... really truly sorry?

"i know..." she simply said.

"i am sorry about your friends too... and if i ever hurt you." she never imagined, in a million years that this conversation would take this course. she was ready to punch him in the face, especially after this morning, when she wanted to beat the crap out of him. 

but jooheon's wise words echoed inside her mind, all the time. it wasn't just worthy.

and now, he was showing remorse, a thing she never imagined she'd see. somehow she felt more at peace after talking to him like this. "thanks." she simply said.

"i know... i need help." he confessed out of nowhere. her eyes widened in shock as she turned to look at him.

help? what kind of help?

"uh?"

"I heard the school counselors suggest it to my parents back then, they just thought they were the crazy ones and never took them seriously... but apparently they were right, right? there's something wrong with me. something eating me inside..." she noticed how his eyes filled with tears and now the tough kihyun she knew, was long forgotten. 

"kihyun- she called his name, placing a hand on his shoulders. seeing him to vulnerable made her feel bad, but she knew he was no saint. 

it was true. he needed help and professional one. "therapy can help with this... but you have to take the first step."

their eyes met for the first time directly, since they got inside the car. "you think there's hope for me?"

"of course i do. there's hope for everyone." 

"i am sorry." he said wiping the tears away and composing himself, feeling like a fool for crying in front of her that way.

"don't... - she started - don't built walls around you, you admitted you were in the wrong... you know you hurt people, you can still get something good out of this. you know what you have to do, right?"

he looked at her and sighed, in defeat, finally nodding. "thank you... for being so understanding boki... i know i hurt you.. i was just trying to deny it." 

she didn't know what to say but she just nodded. "i think this is it."

he looked at her with what seemed to be puppy eyes. he knew she was ending the conversation and that this was going to be probably the last time they'll speak. and it hurt him, like hell. 

"you're leaving?" he asked.

she nodded. "i have to go to talk to someone... but i am glad we worked things out and that we can finally give closure to this. don't you feel lighter?"

he remained silent. it was hard to admit it, especially since he didn't boki out of his life. not yet.

but he knew, he realized at this point, he had fucked up, really bad with her. and that there weren't turning back. 

"i promise... i'll look for help and i'll get better." he finally said, bringing closure and peace at boki's heart. for some reason he seemed genuine and she believed him when he said he was truly sorry for everything. she knew him and she knew he wasn't lying.

"i know."

"boki- he stopped her again when she opened the door to get out. 

"thanks for everything." he finally added, a genuine smile appearing on his beautiful face. he didn't seem holding grudges anymore and boki was happy that even if it was just a tiny bit, she helped him to realize the things he's been doing wrong.

"this is the last time we'll speak." she said with a smile, finally getting out of the car, breathing out and feeling a weight off of her shoulders. the air's scent was sweet and she felt finally free.

free and with enough courage to go to jooheon and confess everything. the campus seemed deserted at this hour and she made it to the boy's building, her legs moved quickly as her eyes looked for jooheon's room. 

her heart raced whenever she approached the door, and once she was right in front of it, she swallowed hard, her heart pounding against her chest, as she composed herself, she knocked on the door and swallowed hard.

a few seconds later the door opened to reveal a sleepy jooheon. he looked really adorable, with his silver locks tousled, wearing only pajama pants with tiny pikachu's on it. 

his eyes were barely opened, he surely thought it was probably one of his friends from the dorm but when he heard his name and the familiar voice his eyes opened like plates. "boki? what are you doing here?" he exclaimed shocked. he looked around the halls and quickly pushed her inside his bedroom and closed the door behind.

"you know girls are not allowed here." he said at the time he realized he was shirtless. his eyes opened like plates but before he could turn around to grab a shirt to put on, boki walked towards him and grabbed his face between her hands and looked into his eyes.

"i like you lee jooheon." she said with rainbows in her eyes. her chest was to come out of her chest but she couldn't care less. 

there were so many things she wanted to say to him, but "i like you" seemed like the perfect start. 

he stared at her with shocked eyes, almost as if his ears couldn't believe what was coming out of boki's lips. 

"w-what?"

"and i know you like me too, you don't have to be afraid of screwing our friendship because that won't happen, we'll be friends forever even if this doesn't work, but i am pretty sure it'll work. because it's you."

"k-kumquat." he mumbled with  a soft voice, cheeks turning bright red as his heart raced at the sudden and unexpected confession. he never imagined boki would say such thing so straightforward. he knew she was the shy type.

but somehow was glad to hear it from her lips. he smiled between her hands and now his hands pushed her towards his body, wrapping her in a tight hug.

"you heard what you said?" he asked against her hair.

"i know what i said." she said, her hands resting at each side of her waist, fists clenched. she wasn't angry but more like anxious.

jooheon swallowed again, he was nervous and he didn't know why but he broke the hug softly and stared down at her. "did you... mean it?"

"i meant every word." there was no need of specify what they were talking about, each of them knew what the other meant.

but having the audible confirmation just made him breathe in relieve. someone cared about him, enough to say all the things she said to him. someone liked him and it was boki. someone he cared and liked back. very much. 

he took a step towards her and for his surprise, she didn't move. it was as if she was comfortable with being this close with him. he looked for her hand and grabbed one of her fingers, he caressed it and then squeezed it softly.

"i am glad you got dumped that day... i am glad i took that shift... i guess... i am also glad my coworker got sick." boki smiled, quickly knowing what he meant.

maybe jooheon didn't have to work that day, maybe he covered someone... but either way, she kinda felt they were meant to know each other.

she took a step towards him, staring into his beautiful dark eyes. "it was meant to happen either way." the words lit up something inside jooheon's chest and suddenly, the only he wanted to do was kissing her.

and that's what he did. 

he didn't feel like he needed some kind of permission from her, he didn't need to ask. he knew, by the way she looked at him and by her body language that she wanted that kiss as much as he did.

and when she returned it, at the time, her hands intertwining in his hair, coming down softly to his neck as she caressed him.

then she felt his hands coming down her back and then caressing her arms and suddenly her heart raced at the proximity they were sharing, his fingers held onto the hem of her jeans as he squeezed her waist, making her take the final step to close the little space between them. 

the heated moment wasn't interrupted even when it started raining hard outside, truth be told, 

they couldn't care less about the weather and the sudden cold in jooheon's room. the heat between their lips was enough to warm up both of them.

and for a second, boki knew, she didn't want let go jooheon. she never felt this way, ever. it was as if she needed him, especially now, after tasting his lips. 

he made a move as if he was to break the kiss, but she took her hands behind his neck to deepen the kiss. jooheon's heart was to come out of his chest in any second, but he also didn't want to let go of her lips. it was his favorite place now.

"k-kumquat- he managed to mumbled between the kiss, as if he was asking her to stop and that's what she did. it was funny how he never imagined he'd be the one who would stop a kiss from boki and he truly felt ashamed for such, but he felt like drowning, he couldn't breathe but at the same time, he liked the feeling.

only their lips broke apart, but the hold on each other remained the same. boki stared at him with sparkly eyes, and right then, she forgot about any other person in her life, especially about kihyun.

she couldn't remember she had a boyfriend or used to. right now, the only important thing and the only thing that raced her heart like crazy, were those beautiful dimples, that crazy but cute silver hair and those hypnotizing deep eyes.

she lifted her hand and caressed his cheek and jooheon couldn't believe what was happening, but at the same time, he didn't want it to end.

"what's happening?" she mumbled, her heart skipping beats like crazy whenever she made direct eye contact with jooheon.

he shrugged, clearly confused but his hold on her waist remain the same. "i have no idea but i like it." 

he quickly closed the space between them again and she grabbed his face and looked for his lips again, this time, she pushed him softly against one of the walls, and for jooheon's surprise, she was soon all over him.

he still couldn't believe how all of this happened but he was not the one to complain. the kiss grew as they remained silently making out in the small room, but as the moment grew hot, they managed to make it to

jooheon's single bed, he grabbing her by the forearm to bring her close, returning their lips to the previous work.

it was as if they couldn't keep their hands to each other, if one removed the hand, the other would look for it. but they needed it. 

they needed the physical contact because it was comforting, because it felt good and right. their mouths remained attached in an intense kiss as they quickly removed the rest of their clothes.jooheon pushed her softly to the bed and as he laid her down, she stared into his eyes for a long second as her hands remained on his chest. both stopped and just looked at each other and sink in the view.

both pair of eyes sparkling at the view each had. and boki's heart raced with anticipation. could she do it?

but without knowing, the same thought was placed in jooheon's head. the air between them turned soft when he grabbed her hand and played with her fingers. boki giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck and brought him close, to the point her lips were close to his ears and her hands running through his silver locks. "maybe it's not the right time." 

jooheon chuckled and softly nodded. "maybe you're right." he said now looking into her eyes. 

the smile didn't fit his face. and it was the first time she had seen him smile this way. big time.

she wondered if maybe they should started dating first? but one thing was sure, the need for each other was there, present in the room, betweem them.

even if the heated moment died down, they both knew it wasn't the right time. but it didn't turn out weird nor awkward.

on the contrary, it turned sweet. it turned understanding and caring. jooheon rolled over and was now laying next to her on her bed. both were in their undies but it didn't feel awkward between them. 

boki giggled as she played with jooheon's silver locks. he put an arm around her and brought her close to him. boths breathings in sync. this was the safe place boki longed. right next to jooheon.

he grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips, placing a small kiss on the back of it. "who would have guessed it?" he mumbled against her skin, making it burn in the instant. a new discovered feeling of boki.

she giggled. "you have something to say back?"

"i guess you know already." he turning to her side, supporting his head on his hand. she smiled.

"it would be nice to have an audible confirmation-

"i like you... a lot. like... like you, like you." he quickly said, she immediately felt the butterflies at war in her stomach. her cheeks turned bright red and he quickly noticed.

"yah... kumquat you're blushing... does this means you like me too?" he asked acting kinda cute.

she felt like melting in that moment. "but of course you do... i am so cool." he added.

boki laughed as she hit his head softly. they remained silent for a long second before she nodded. "i do... you know i do."

"you what?" he wanted to heart it too.

"i like you a lot... like, like you, like you." she repeated with a similar tone he used. both burst in laugh as jooheon leaned down to place a small kiss on her lips. "so... what do we do now? i mean... i assume you're over that wacko since you came to tell me this?" boki laughed as she caressed the back of his neck.

"i am so over him also, i don't want to ruin the moment talking about him, like you said, it's not worthy."

"i couldn't agree more." he said kissing her forehead. they both looked into each other's eyes and smiled. 

that was the place. the safe place she's been craving for. but who would have thought? it was going to be with jooheon. that boy who kicked her out of that aquarium that terrible night but offered soju when she couldn't stop crying over minhyuk?

she never suspected this would be the journey that would lead her to find the happiness she longed, but even if there were bad things, there were also good things and she enjoyed the company and the experiences she lived next to jooheon.

because he brought her happiness and joy and she was thankful for that.

• the end •

 •

a/n: guuuuys, thank you so much for reading this story, omg! 6350 words haha, i know it's long but i didn't want to keep the readers expecting more and more chapters since we're at it. YOU DESERVE A CLOSURE LIKE BOKI AND KI, an ending! i can't believe we're done, it's been a long, long road i know, but i had some difficulties to finish it, since i didn't have much time to write it, but we're finally here. i hope you liked this ending and yay she chose jooheon (naturally haha) either way. what do you think of this ending? what do you think of kihyun's redemption and boki and jooheon's new relationship? also, wanted to let you all know that i have a short part that i'll add as a bonus, it's a cute conversation that happened weeks after this moment. i'll share it right now since i have free time. anyway, thank you so much for the support on this and my other stories. 

lots of love.

author g

 •