Till I Met You

TIMY 13

Nayeon stopped speaking. For a moment, all she could do was stare at Jeongyeon's face. Silly! But she really missed him. She think s two decades have passed since they met. Yet Jeongyeon wasn't even looking pleased.

Suddenly she felt hurt and unwelcomed. She averted her eyes. She swallowed hard. She let silence prevail throughout the room.

Jeongyeon just kept staring at her. He filled his chest with air.

What was there to say?

Again, he sighed. "N-Nayeon..."

"I missed you, Jeong..." she said and met his eyes. She tried to search his expressionless face. But his face remained formal.

She feel intimidated. How she wanted to greet him with hug and a kiss! And in fact, she is only restraining herself. But suddenly the reservation was there.

Jeongyeon was aloof, almost cold and distant.

She shrugged. "Well... guess I must be keeping you too long. There's really nothing wrong with me, Jeong. I just wanted to see you..."

And I'm glad to see you, too... Jeongyeong wanted to say. "Nayeon..."

Damn! He felt stupid. Does he have anything else to say but the girl's name?

"Are you sure you don't have any problem?" He carefully studied its beautiful face.

She nodded. "All right. I'm already bothering you a lot..." she said avoiding his eyes. Her tears begin to roll.

"You can never be a burden to me, sweet-"

"Then why are you avoiding me?" Pain was in her voice.

He closed his eyes tightly. Soon Nayeon was already sobbing. He stepped between them and hauled her against him.

Damn! Why does he have to be affected like this?

"I l-love you Jeong..."

"I know, sweetheart... I know." He kissed the top of her head.

"A-and you...love me, don't you?" she asked in her painful voice while sinking into his chest.

He closed his eyes tightly. "I love you..."

"And I love you, Jeong... I love you so much..." She met his eyes. Her face was tear-stained.

And yet, she was still so very beautiful. He fondly wiped away her tears.

"Hush, love...I don't want to see you cry..."

She tried to smile. And he smiled too.

"You don't have to resort to this kind of trick, Nayeon, just to see me."

"Your avoiding me." The accusation returned to her voice.

"I've been busy these past few days," he avoided while sighing.

"I don't want to be jealous of your profession, Jeong, but I have this feeling that you deliberately avoided me. And your hurting me because of that... Couldn't you just spare some of your time to see me? Even just little time of yours I was just asking-"

"I have to choose between my priorities-"

"And where am I to your priorities?"

He turned away. "This visit is taking too long. I still have other patient, Nayeon...I hope you understand..."

"Don't turn your back on me this time, Jeongyeon."

"I do not know what you are saying."

She filled her chest with air before continuing again. "I do not know what my father said to you and you are acting like this." Her tears bagan to fall again. And she was crying almost uncontrollably and her shoulders were shaking. "But I love you, Jeong... and I have never loved any man in my whole life except you... She choked her breath putting her face in her palm.

He restrained himself from approaching the girl again. He was suffering in his own torment. And he was torn between two lingering memories.

I love you, Jeong... and will love you more over time...

My daughter could wreak havoc in your life, Jeong, and leave a hallow that will be void for years to come...

He filled his lungs with air.

Whose word will he believe?