Within These Shadows || Park Chanyeol/Do Kyungsoo || Book 1

35

"Take a seat, please." Ju Hwan sat behind his table while offering Jay the chair in front.

Jay took off her bag and sat down, clearing her throat. She counted to five in her mind, trying to calm her caffeinated nerves. She knew that the memories would come rushing back as soon as she made eye contact with the man sitting before her. And those memories might just make her weak, unable to say whatever she had come to say to him. But she kept chanting Kyungsoo's advice over and over in his head, 'I will become better, I will become better.'

She took a deep breathe before looking up at Ju Hwan. His eyes were still the same; full of emotions. And they smiled along when he smiled. But she wouldn't let them make her weak, not anymore.

"Professor Lim, I wanted to talk to you about something." Jay spoke up.

Lim Ju Hwan said nothing, only kept looking at the girl sitting before him. Five years; he was seeing her after almost five years. In those five years, he had neither come back to Korea, nor contacted her, all because of her request. But sitting there, before Jay at that moment, all the walls he had built up around himself in the past five years, came tumbling down. And he remembered; remembered everything from the start. His little Jay, the girl he had promised to protect along with his dear cousin, was now a grown up lady, no longer in his need of protection. But was he ready to forget it all?

"You don't have to call me Professor, Maya." Ju Hwan smiled. "Oppa is fine."

Jay ignored Ju Hwan's suggestion and proceeded to say what she had come to say. "I apologise for my behavior yesterday, Professor. I shouldn't have run out of the room like that; it was very insulting for you. I'm terribly sorry," Jay got up to bow before him.

"Maya." Ju Hwan sighed.

"Professor, that's all I really had to say. If you would excuse me now, I need to get back to my class. And I'd rather, you call me Jay, or Jayline-whichever is preferable." Jay picked up her bag, slung it across her chest and turned to walk back to the door.

"Maya," Ju Hwan called out firmly, causing the girl to freeze at her spot. "Look at me, Maya."

As much as Jay didn't want to turn around, she hated the affect that Ju Hwan had on her; even now. His voice had that convincing effect in it that had always made her believe him, listen to him, abide by his words. And even after five years, it still made her want to listen to him; so, she turned around, despite her mind yelling at her not to do it.

Seeing Jayline Woods standing right before him, all grown up and beautiful, brought back so many memories for Lim Ju Hwan. It made him study her; she had changed a lot, physically. She looked healthy, was fit, sharp jawline, a bit tanner, hair browner than before and up in a top knot bun, but eyes still as blue as the sky. And those eyes made him see the 4-year-old Jay stand before him instead of the 23-year-old one; the Jay he had met for the first time.

~~~

"Linnie, this is Lim Ju Hwan, Seung Mae's cousin. He has recently moved into the neighborhood. You can call him Aiden oppa." A young Malinda introduced her daughter to Ju Hwan. "Insa hae (say hello)."

"An-an-annyeonghaseyo, Hwan-Hwan oppa. Je ireum-eun Maya ibnida! (Hello, Hwan Hwan oppa. My name is Maya!)" a 4-year-old Jay said, bowing very cutely, causing an 8-year-old Ju Hwan to laugh.

"Annyeong! Maya-ya!" Ju Hwan took out one of the candies he had gotten for Mae and for himself. But seeing Jay, he wanted to give it to her instead of keeping one for himself. And when he saw the sparkle in little Jay's eyes after receiving the candy, he knew he had done the right thing.

Since then, Jay had become an addition to their group of three; Seung Mae, Ju Hwan, and Dae Hyun. The four spent almost every evening playing at the neighborhood playground, went everywhere together, had sleepovers at Mae's place and much more. Slowly, slowly, Jay became a part of Ju Hwan's life; a part- that he had no idea- would be so important.