Unexpectedly In Love With You

twenty-seven

Sunghoon poured himself another glass of wine before gulping it down in one shot. He slammed the glass against his desk and rested his head on it. His cheeks became warm and red as the drink went down against his throat.

The door opened and Heeseung walked in, "Yah, Park Sunghoon!"

He ran to his drunk friend worriedly and took away the wine bottle from him. "What happened to you? Why are you still here and drunk? Your shift ended hours ago!" He asked.

Sunghoon sobbed quietly, "Is this how it feels when you got rejected? I tried to win her heart but I failed. I'm so stupid for not confessing to her earlier before she left Seoul. I'm so stupid for kissing another girl in front of her."

Heeseung exhaled tiredly and dragged a chair next to him, patting his friend's back gently. He poured down some wine in the same glass and drank it in one go. He closed his eyes as he felt the alcohol burning his throat.

"I guess our time as the main characters are not here yet. I used to be in love with Edlyn. Jake won."

"I know. I used to make fun of you. And now I'm one of you," Sunghoon said blankly. Heeseung gave him a death stare, "What do you mean, 'one of me'?"

"Nevermind. She doesn't like me anymore. Daera can't return the same feelings that I have. I give up," Sunghoon blinked his tears away.

Heeseung leaned back against his chair, "You can't force people to love you. I know you're used to women throwing themselves at you but some people are different. You have to learn to move on. If you guys are meant for each other, probably one day you guys will meet each other again and probably end up together."

Sunghoon looked at the man next to him, "How did you move on from Edlyn? How do you feel when she loved Jake instead of you?"

"It hurts because she was my first love. Maybe, if we're reborn again in the future, I would try my best and hope that I have a chance with her," Heeseung smiled to himself.

Instead of pouring the wine into the small glass, Sunghoon grabbed the bottle and gulped it. Heeseung widened his eyes, "Yah! Leave some for me!"

"Go buy it yourself!"

•

Daera walked back and forth in her bedroom, holding her phone tightly. The entrance door opened and she flinched in surprise before sprinting out of the bedroom. She widened her eyes in shock when she saw a drunk Sunghoon struggling to walk into the house properly.

"Sunghoon!" She rushed to him and held his arms to support him. He pushed her away, "Get away from me!"

"Why did you drink? Who sent you home?" She asked worriedly before guiding him to the living room. "Why do you care for me when you rejected me?" He burst into tears as he buried his face into one of the pillows.

"Is this why you're drunk? Sunghoon, you can't force me to love you. I care for you as a friend?" She sighed tiredly.

He scoffed, "Didn't you hate me? Please continue to do so. It'll be easier for me to move on."

She ran her fingers through her hair frustratedly. She sat next to him and patted his back gently as he slowly went to his dreamland.

"You deserve so much better than me. I'm sure there's someone better and perfect for you. Please forget about me and move on," she breathed out.

She stood up and was about to go back to her room until he grabbed her wrist, "Stay, please. For the last time, stay next to me. Let me stay in this dream for the last time before I wake up tomorrow. Then, I'll stop bothering you and I'll try to move on."

She sat back down and brushed his hair gently with her fingers as he breathed calmly, falling asleep. His hand was still holding hers tightly but not rough.

A tear escaped Sunghoon's eye and he bit his bottom lip, remembering all the times he had with Daera four years ago. When they both were in love with each other but too scared to tell.

The way she lets him bother her and how he lets her scold him every time. The way she smiled at him brightly when she passed the test and how he brought her home for the first time since her car broke down.

If we were reborn again in the future or a different universe, I will search for you again and change myself to be a better man for you.

I will not fool around with girls. I will take care of your parents like how I take care of you. And I will win your heart.

You will always have a special place in my heart, Kang Daera.