𝗢𝗡𝗘 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗢𝗡𝗟𝗬 ━━━ 엔하이픈

46. dangerous steps

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Aera's POV

It was finally the annual sports day when students from both the university were going to participate in the competitions. "Niki please." I tried budging but the guy pulled me inside the huge field full of people. Some were warming up, some where hanging out with their friends while others roamed around in the hurry fixing the stages and everything else.

Niki made me sat at a place and immediately ran away since he was in the event team himself. I looked around for a bit until I felt a familiar figure sit beside me. Looking at the girl who drank her water, my eyes slightly widened. "Oh Aera." She recognized me. "Hey Heejin." I quietly said as she stared at me. It was quiet for a while until curiousity got the best of me. "Uhm.. how is it with you and J-jake?" I finally said out as she looked at me. I felt her gaze get colder the longer she looked at me. "He is cold. So cold." She said looking straight as I kept quiet. "You caused it Aera. You caused Jake to be like this. So empty and in pain." She said out with a bitter tone breaking my heart. The girl sighed as her friend called and she soon left the place leaving me alone.

I bit my lips standing up and leaving the venue without looking back at anyone anymore. I heard Heeseung's voice from behind but I didn't turn around even once.

Jake's POV

I saw it all. Heejin and Aera talking. I saw it all and heard everything as well. Noticing how Aera's had gotten a lot more sadder than she was before talking to her, I followed the girl. Aera left the venue without looking back even once. I bit my lips seeing her walk slowly before looking down. Sighing, I decided to go to her this time.

Standing in front of Aera's house, I rang the door bell as Aera's dad opened the door. Bowing I came inside and started searching for the girl as her dad informed she was at the backyard. Going to the chosen place, I slowed down my pace hearing soft sobs. Clutching my fists together at the sight of a crying Aera, I looked down breathing heavily.

And there she was sitting down, softly crying while looking at the ground. She looked angry. Angry at herself. Slowly approaching her, I stopped in front of her looking down at the girl who didn't yet look up at me. "Hey cute girl." I softly smiled as Aera looked up immediately. I saw the girl's emotions through her watered up eyes as she stood up not believing that I was right there in front of her. "It's you Jake.." I nodded staring at her.

"Why are you crying?" Aera didn't answer at first. Instead she looked down sniffling. "I don't know." She lied to me as I scoffed. "So you're lying to me now?" The girl looked up at me and stayed like that for a while as I felt her her tear fall down again.

"No matter how much I want you. I know you deserve someone better than me." Her voice broke as she clutched her fists and shut her eyes tightly. I watched her as my lips parted. "Aera listen.." but she didn't let me finish and continued. "No Jake. Please hear me out. One last time." I didn't say anything and let the girl in front of me carry on.

"I know I keep messing around. And unknowingly I kept hurting you because of me. I'm sorry you were in pain because of me. It was never my intention to hurt the guy I loved the most. I'm so sorry." She stopped for a second and painfully let out a chuckle. "I thought I'd be able to get you back but.. I don't think that anymore." I couldn't say anything. She didn't let me say anything until she was done.

"I'm sorry for everything, Jake. No matter how much I miss you right now, I have to accept the fact you aren't mine anymore, right?" She laughed sadly and wiped her tears looking up at me. "It hurts to say I lost the person I loved the most because of my own mistakes. But it's fine. You deserve better. I'm happy for you and Heejin. I hope she never hurts you the way I did. It'll be hard but I'll accept that I lost you forever Sim Jake. And if you want me to go away, I'll willingly leave-"

Before Aera could finish, I pulled her into a tight hug. Wrapping her securely with my hands I rested my hand on her shoulders as she froze at my sudden pull. "Don't ever talk about leaving me aera. You promised me you won't." I said out not leaving her while she was still shocked. "But Jake.."

"Choi Aera. You're dumb. I wanna hate you for being like this." I pulled away and caressed her cheeks. Using my thumbs, I whipped the girl's tears as she looked at me with her big doe eyes. "But I can't. Now listen. Heejin isn't my girlfriend. You've been misunderstanding all this time. I hugged her because I wanted to comfort her after rejecting. And you thought the wrong thing." Finally erasing the misunderstandings, I found her slowly processing it all making me sigh.

"I can't say yes to someone who I don't love Aera." The girl in front looked up at me as she hesitated to say something at first. "Then can you say yes to the person you love Jake?" I felt like I couldn't speak anymore and didn't reply to her for a certain amount of time. Aera sighed making me feel the disappointment and sadness in her voice as she looked away.

"It's fine. I understand it. If staying away from me makes you feel better. I'll stop being annoying-"

"I love you Aera." There you go, I said it to her.

"I can't help but love you. I just can't." Aera couldn't believe what she had just heard and stared at me with her widened orbs. "A-are you serious Jake?" Her 'caught off guard' look made me smile a bit as I nodded. "Trust me, I'm more than serious right now." She tried to stop herself from smiling making me chuckle slightly. "Jake.. I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted." I nodded and smiled widely pulling her to another hug as she hugged me back again. "I love you Aera." She pulled away. "Won't you regret loving me?" I immediately shook my head at her as she softly smiled. "I have always loved you the most Aera. And I'll keep loving you no matter what. Without any regrets." Aera's smile grew wider as she sniffled and wiped her tears away.

"I'm so sorry. I love you so much." I kissed her cheeks and tried my best to stop her from crying even more even now. "I love you more." Aera was quiet for a while before she sighed and raised her head to stare at me. "Do you wanna take a dangerous step and be with me again?" She finally asked me as my smile disappeared. The girl hopefully looked up at me as I looked down and signed.

"No."

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Sad ending????