long chapter~

-

Sunghoon stopped in the hallway, surprised when he saw Jake and Aera were hugging each other while crying in sobbing. He gasped for breath as he was exhausted from searching for her and his heart was more hurting when he saw the scene.

The moment that he wished would never happen in his life, just showing in front of him now.

The ring from his hand fell on the ground, rolling, and ended up losing from his sight. Sunghoon patted his chest and loss of his words-

"I'm almost making her mine."He said in a whispering tone and turned his body away, leaving the place without greeting Jake, his ex-classmate that everyone thought had already passed away.

He thought that he would get her that night but it ruined up-

Sunghoon took a step to leave, went far away from his house, and left his party without any doubt.

Aera pouted her lips, holding her tears when her eyes met Jake again. She couldn't believe that it was happening. The thing that she thought she was hallucinating and dreaming were happened.

Jake laughed when he saw her crying face,
"Why are you crying? I'm here with you."

Aera hit Jake on his chest,
"Do you think this is funny? You left me for 5 years and made me believed that you had already passed away. Everyone was bad-mouthing about me, telling me that I was a murderer. I was living like a hell without you."

"Why would you believe that? It's just back pain. It's not that critical."

"I hate you for making me changed into this way."Aera hit Jake again but he stopped her by holding her hand. He gently wrapped his arm around her shoulder, locking her head and messed her hair-

"Is this how you greet me? Did you tell me that you hate me? after a long time?"

Aera shouted, telling Jake to let go of her but he ignored her, still messing her hair. She took a chance to tease him by tickling his stomach
because she knew that tickle was his weakness-
Jake shouted too, "Aera, stop it!"
He whizzed, trying to put her hand away, and ended up laughing along with her.

"I still hate you for leaving me alone."Aera
fixed her hair and clothes, leaving Jake alone while holding her laughter.

Jake just shook his head, knowing that her personality never changed since the first day he met her.

Jake changed his clothes, placing the mascot away, and went to the party.

As he stepped into the party, everyone stopped
from minding their own business and watched Jake surprisingly. They were surprised and confused to see him because they thought that he was already passed away. They gave space to Jake, avoiding him because they were still scared of him, especially the moment Jake almost ended someone's life by choking the throat in the classroom. That was the day that they were really afraid of him.

Jay and Yebin saw him too and surprised,
"How did you-"

"It's been a long time." Jake greeted them.

He took a glance at Yebin,
"I deserve an apology from you."

Yebin lowered her gaze and became nervous when the moment she kissed him at the school festival crossed her mind. The fact that she was also the reason behind the accident. If she didn't kiss him that night, Aera would not misunderstand Jake and the accident probably would never happen.

"I'm sorry, Jake. I was in love with you and wanted you to be mine back then. I was betraying my best friend for love and greedy for your attention. I deeply apologize for my mistake. I was regretted and guilty too. I
hope I could turn back the time and let both of you be together happily."

Jake smirked, "Glad that you admitted your mistake. I've almost choked you earlier."

Yebin widened her eyes and took a step away from Jake.

"Do you think this is funny, Jake? You never know how suffering Aera was for these 5 years."

"I know but what should I do, Jay? I can't do anything when I was staying in my hometown. My parents deleted all of the contacts in my phone and allowed me to use it for 3 hours a day. They blocked her contact and also her social media. I just have her pictures in my gallery. I can't do anything to find her back. I was suffering too. I hate that I can't do anything to find her back."

"For these 5 years, I was hoping for both of you to protect her. Although we were not even friends, I still put high hope on you and Sunghoon because I know how much both of you loved her."

"Then why did you come back?"Jay asked
Jake seriously.

"Because I want to take her back."

"It must be easy to you. Left her for several years and came back just wanted to make her yours. I thought I got a chance to get her, but-" Jay sighed.

"Seeing you again, I probably lost my chance."

"At least, you were her first love, "Jake replied.

"Yeah. No matter what happened, I was still her first love. If I realize my feeling for her earlier, she would be mine now. I was regretted."Jay smiled at Jake.

Yebin smiled,
"Stop it. We should enjoy this night. Let's get along well from now on."

"Where is Sunghoon?"Jay asked Yebin anxiously.

"I don't know."

-

  Aera smiled at Jake from far, watching him who was talking to Jay and Yebin. She was happy that his personality changed. Jake was known as a cold-hearted and bad guy back then but now, he often smiled and look interested to get along with people. She watched him, adoring his face in silence. As his eyes met her, she quickly looked away and left the place with a glass of wine still in her hand.

"Oh no. I'm sorry." Aera suddenly bumped into Sunghoon causing the wine to spill on his clothes. "I'm sorry, Sunghoon."She took out a wet tissue and wiped the dirt on his clothes.

Sunghoon gently held her shoulder, put her away from him before walking towards his house.

Aera looked at Sunghoon blankly and ran towards him, stopped him by standing in front of him.

"Sunghoon, what's wrong? why did you cry?"
Aera looked at Sunghoon anxiously.

"Nothing. I need to go, Aera."Sunghoon patted her shoulder and left her again.

Aera was worried about him. So, she ran towards him and held his sleeve making him turned his body to face her.

"I don't know the reason you were crying but I hope you will be okay soon."

"I never saw you this way and it honestly worried me. You were protecting me for several years and I think I should have done the same thing too."

Aera said and gave her tissue to him.
"Use this to wipe your tears. Wash your face. It looks so puffy."

Sunghoon looked at Aera with tears rolling on his cheeks again.
"Don't cry..." Aera stood on her tiptoes and wiped his tears.

"Everything will be okay, Sunghoon. Don't cry."
Aera chuckled and pinched his cheeks like he always did to her when she was crying.

"Let me take a glass of water for you." Aera smiled at him and took a step to leave.

"Aera." Sunghoon approached her and hugged her from behind tightly.

"Let's stay like this for 2 minutes."

"Sunghoon, what's wrong?"

"I know I'm not allowed to do this again after this. It would sound bad to Jake for hugging his love. So, I'm going to do this for the last time before you go to him again."

Aera became silent and listened to him from behind.
"I love you the longest, Song Aera but, we were not meant to be together. I hate it. I hate it."

"You're the only girl who makes me feel different. Every morning, your name always appeared on my mind. Have you eaten? What was she doing? Is she good? Is she having a good sleep?. I always asked myself. You never know how worried I was when I needed to leave you for a business trip. You never know how to hurt I was when you and Jake were together. I was being patient for 5 years because I believe that we will end up together but, Aera-"

Sunghoon tightened the hug, "Jake is the only one in your mind. I'm stupid, Aera. I'm stupid for loving you although I know I will get hurt."

"But don't worry, Aera. Don't feel bad or guilty.
Although I was hurting a lot, I will never regret loving you. I still love you. No matter what happen, I still love you and no one can't stop me."

"You're the only girl I loved."

"Only you."

Aera smiled at Sunghoon and hugged him back,
"Thank you, Park Sunghoon. You're the greatest man ever. I'm appreciated your efforts. I don't know what's special about me to you, but thank you for loving someone like me.
I was stupid, but you still helped me in studying. I was hitting you, but you still be with me and let me hurt you. I was burdening you but you always told me that you were okay.
You're a sweet man to me."

"Only you are the man who treated me like an angel."

"But Sunghoon, you understand my heart, right?"

Sunghoon smiled, "Yes. I know where your heart belongs to and I hope you will live happily with him."

"Thank you for the beautiful memories that we captured together."

"Thank you for keeping the promise to protect me."

Sunghoon looked at Aera and pinched her cheeks,
"I will miss to pinch these chubby cheeks, hug this tiny body and hold this soft hand."

Sunghoon held her hand and looked at it for a long time.

"Let's go. Let's meet Jake." Sunghoon said and wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

They walked towards their friends happily.

"Let go of your hand from her," Jake said. Sunghoon just chuckled and teased him by pulling her closer.

"That's my princess."

"That's my girl," Sunghoon replied to Jake.

"I'm going to Jay."Aera walked towards Jay and laughed when Jake rolled his eyes.

"Look. I'm winning."Jay wrapped his arm around her shoulder, feeling proud.

"So annoying."

"What am I seeing?" Jake shut his eyes.

"I'm going to have a bromance relationship with Jake."Sunghoon locked his arm with Jake.

"What the hell. Go away!"

Sunghoon pouted his lips, doing an aegyo with Jake.

"Oh poor my eyes."Jake pushed Sunghoon away.

"I'm going to take my princess away."Jake held Aera's hand tightly and pulled her away from Jay.

"Stop it."Aera laughed at Jake.

"Let's have a picnic tomorrow. We were planning this 5 years ago but we canceled it because of the accident. Now, let's make it happen."

Yebin avoided Jay and Sunghoon's gaze on her,
"Don't make me remember that day."

"Someone was going to Jeju alone that time-"

"Shut up!" Yebin hit Sunghoon and Jay.

-

"Hug him!" Yebin and Aera said at the same time and laughed loudly.

"No," Jake replied, wanted to leave but Aera stopped him.

"Hug Sunghoon."

"Why the hell I need to hug him?!"

"Both of you didn't get along well back then."

"Come on, Jake. Just hug me."Sunghoon spoke up while Jay was recording them.

"No."

"Jake, do it, "Aera said to Jake.

He shut his eyes and sighed,
"Okay. I will do everything you wanted."Aera laughed at his response, watching Jake was hugging Sunghoon.

"Oh let go of me! How long do you want to hug me?!"

"That's why Aera loved to hug you. Your embrace is so comfortable." Sunghoon said and laughed.

Jake pushed Sunghoon away.

"It's my turn now."Jay gave the camera to Yebin and ran towards Jake to hug him while Jake was running away from him.

"I hate you, Aera!"

-

Aera sat on the mat, watching Jake and Sunghoon were playing soccer while Yebin was taking pictures of them.

"Here is your drink." Jay sat next to Aera and drank his strawberry milk.

"It's strawberry milk!" Aera shouted happily and drank it.

Jay just laughed at her cuteness and took a chance to adore her in silence while she was watching her friends. Aera chuckled, talking to Jay and laughing without knowing that he was just focusing on her that time.

"Seeing you happy already makes me feel happy."

Aera looked at Jay and smiled,
"It's good to stay like this, right?"

Jay nodded,
"Although we didn't end up together, I'm still glad that we still can be friends."

"Jay, "Aera called Jay and looked at him, smiling.

"Do you know how much I'm scared to lose my love, right?"

Jay nodded.

"But Jay-"

"I'm more scared to lose my friends. We were spending our time together for several years and I'm really happy to be with you. I still remembered the day you carried me on your back when we got the penalty. That time, my stomach filled with butterflies because I wanted to be that close to you."

"Back then, I was just a girl who was scared to approach my first love. I was watching you from far, smiling when you were playing with your friends and laughing when you were making a joke."

"I never thought that I would be this close to you, Jay. It felt so miracle. I was glad that you noticed me. It's so fun to be with you. We created a lot of beautiful memories together, right?"

Jay nodded, "Let's eat Jjampong if you have time."

"Yeah, let's eat Jjampong." Aera smiled at Jay and patted his shoulder.

-

After eating the food that they cooked together, Aera decided to have a walk around the park for a few minutes.

She took out the camera, taking a picture of some children who were playing at the park.
She smiled when she saw a teenage couple were taking a picture together.

It reminded me of her old moments with Jake.

"I found you!" Aera jumped a little when Jake hugged her from behind.

"What are you doing?"Jake interlocked his fingers with Aera and tried to take a look at the picture that was captured by Aera.

"Did you take a picture of a guy?"

Aera smiled at Jake,

"You're cheating on me."

"What should I do, Jake? They are too handsome and it makes my stomach filled with butterflies."Aera chuckled when Jake was grabbing the camera from her hand.

"What is this?"Jake became annoyed when he saw a picture of himself.
Aera laughed at Jake,

"You're jealous."

Jake rolled his eyes, still holding her hand tightly.

"Stop with that kind of joke," Jake said.

Aera stopped on her way and turned her body to face Jake.
"Why are you acting like a kid with me?"Aera pinched his cheeks and chuckled when Jake was just letting her did that to him.

Aera slapped his face slowly, pinched his nose, and messed his hair but he still didn't get mad at her for doing that.

"You never get mad at me"

"It because I love you, "Jake replied making Aera smiled.

"How can I get mad at my only princess? I can't even scold you when I saw your face. It gave me butterflies instead." Jake cupped her face and tucked her hair behind her ear.

"Jake, when did you start to fall in love with me?"

"It's so sudden, Aera, "Jake said and laughed.

"I'm just curious."

"Do you remember the day you hugged me to help me from getting hit by the ball?" Aera nodded.

"It was the day my heart started to beat for you."

"When I saw you in the pig mascot, I can't help but smile without me knowing. You look so cute when you got mad at Sunghoon. You look so adorable when you were dancing."

"Do you remember the day you were crying when Jay was kissing Yebin?"

Aera nodded again and listened to Jake,

"I bumped into you, right?" Aera asked Jake and he nodded.

"That time, I went to the school building to search for the student who was in charged to take a picture at the school sports day."

"Why did you search for the student?"

Jake smiled,
"I was wondering if he took a picture of you. So, I found him at the restroom and asked him to send the files to me."

Jake showed his phone to her,
"I set your picture as my lock screen."

Aera shut her eyes,
"I look so ugly in that mascot. I will take a better picture and send it to you soon."

"No. I still love this picture. You look so adorable that time."Jake looked at the picture while smiling like an idiot.

"And look, I was recording your performance at the school festival. You look so beautiful in white, I can't help from adoring you. I was glad that you were my girlfriend at that time. I wanted to shout to everyone, telling them that the beautiful girl who was performing on the stage was my girlfriend but I held it."

Aera laughed at Jake and played the video.
She held the phone while Jake was wrapping his arm around her waist from behind, resting his head on her shoulder.

"I look so ugly."

"What ugly? There is no ugly in your dictionary." Jake replied to her and Aera laughed when she heard Jake was complimenting her.

Aera looked at Jake and chuckled,
"How much do you love me, Jake?"

"Well, I never tried to count the uncountable things, "Jake replied making Aera shy.

"I love you, princess."

"I love you too, Jake." Aera chuckled when Jake placed a kiss on her cheeks.

"You deserve the very best, someone who will back you up without limits, let you grow without borders, and love you without end. Will you let me be the one?"

Aera nodded and hugged Jake tightly,
"You're the only man who gives me a butterfly. I wanted this to happen for a long time-"

"The beginning of our love story ended her."

"Let's make a new chapter as a married couple soon." Aera lifted her head to see Jake and gave a peck on his lips.

Jake shyly nodded and adored her face while smiling like an idiot.

-

"Is this the guy that you met at the cafe, Caesoo?" Aera asked Caesoo while pointing her finger to Jake. Caesoo took a deep breath as she just arrived at the place and took a seat next to Aera with her eyes fixed on Jake.

"This guy?"Caesoo looked at him.

"No." She replied.

"Then who is it?"Aera asked Caesoo blankly.

"How am I supposed to know? He met me again yesterday and asked me about you."

"Who the hell is that man?"Jake asked Aera.

Sunghoon raised his eyebrows,
"Tell us. I want to know too."

"Yes. We might know the man."Jay said.

"He said that Aera knew him well. They made a lot of memories together back then. He looks so rich and he also spoke in English. He is Korean but I think he lived outside of Korea."

"I think he is at 40 years old."

Aera choked on her drinks,
"I don't know that guy! How can I make memories with that old man?"

"I know who it was, "Yebin spoke up causing everyone to look at her with curiosity.

"He lived in Australia after we graduated from high school. He was good-looking too."

"Who is it?"

"Mr.Kang."Yebin replied.

"What the fuck."

the end