Not Quite a Prince || Eric Sohn

~ 64 ~

"I have to tell you something," Eric said softly, taking Chanmi's hand and intertwining their fingers. 

He said that, but then stopped, unable to say more. 

Suddenly feeling concerned, she squeezed his hand, trying to offer her support. "Hey," she whispered. "What's the matter?" When he still didn't say anything, she grew more worried. "I'm sure whatever it is, it's not that bad," she teased, trying to lighten the mood. 

"I'm marrying Dayeong," he finally said. "Next month." 

Chanmi was silent for a long moment. For that long moment, she felt nothing. 

"Oh," she whispered, the words suddenly feeling like a stab to her heart. Tears spilled out of her eyes of their own accord. "Oh," she said again, wanting to say more but not able to. 

"I'm sorry," Eric whispered, and though she couldn't look at him, from his voice she knew that he was crying too. He put his hand on her head, running his fingers through her hair and pulling her to his shoulder. "I'm so, so sorry," he cried, his body trembling. 

She started crying harder, sobbing into his shoulder. She held his hand tight, trying to keep herself grounded. 

But how could she do that, when it felt like her world was falling apart?

"I'm sorry," Eric whispered again, sobs shaking his body as he held her. "I can't even try to stop it. If it's not Dayeong, it'll be someone else, and-" 

"I know," she whispered back, squeezing her eyes shut tight and trying to pretend the news wasn't real. Maybe it was nothing but a nightmare. "I know." 

"We'll figure it out," Eric said softly, though he didn't sound very confident. "Somehow, we'll figure it out. I promise." 

Chanmi latched onto those words. I promise. 

"I promise too," she said, her fingers grasping the material of his shirt. "I promise too." 

In her heart, she knew that they both made this promise to each other a long time ago. 

The moment he'd confessed to her. The moment she'd confessed. Their first kiss. This meeting, and every moment in between. 

In every moment with him, her heart had promised his. 

She had to have faith that would pull them through.