✓ READY TO LOVE | JAKE

3 - Roses & Thorns

"I'm going to propose to my girlfriend today, you don't remember?" Sunghoon raised an eyebrow as he asked, but Jake slowly shook his head.

"I forgot." He admitted.

"I can't believe you. Anyways, thank you so much." He placed a hand on his shoulder before he was about to walk inside his house, but then he stopped in his tracks. "Was Soo Yun there?"

The familiar name made Jake look back at Sunghoon as he blinked in confusion. He remembered it. "Yes."

"That little-" He let out a sigh before waving at Jake who just stood there, dazed. And then, he drove away to his house. It was afternoon and Sunghoon planned his proposal for later.

Was it bad that Jake was kind of envious of him? He thought about proposing to Yu Nabi too. He wanted to make her his and spend the rest of his life with her because he believed that she loved him.

How naive of him.

However, it was so unfair that Sunghoon got to live that and not him. It made Jake feel like shit.

Walking inside his house, he took off his shoes and jacket and lay on his bed. He stared at his ceiling and let out a heavy sigh. He used to do that with Nabi a lot.

"Fuck..." Jake ran his fingers through his hair as he sat up, trying to forget about her. She didn't mean anything to him anymore.

He didn't love her anymore. But he loved her a lot a few days ago, so where did all that love go?

"I'm fine." He said. "I'm moving on..."

Yu Nabi wasn't someone worth fighting for, he only realized it once it was too late. But that's why it wasn't too hard to try to move on. She wasn't worth his time and love.

And if anything, she didn't deserve the too much love he gave her.

However, he couldn't just forget their memories. She was his everything and he spent his best time with her.

Jake's gaze landed on his desk as he just stared at it for a while, but then he got up and opened the drawer only to find the letters he had always kept. Then he grabbed them and sat down on his bed as he stared at them.

You're my favorite person. My favorite person to look at, to listen to, to talk to, to be with, you're my favorite person to miss, to love, to be everything. I want to give you everything. You're my everything. I want to share my life with you. I want to make memories with you, so I can look back and be sure I haven't missed out on anything because all I've wanted is you.

When your eyes met mine, my soul pointed at you and whispered to my heart, "Him."

You are the person I'll never stop looking for in a crowded place.

How easy it was to fall for you.

When I found you, my heart found a home.

You are the sweetest feeling I know.

I'm so glad I found you.

He read the letters and scoffed. Was she genuine when she wrote him those letters or was she lying from the start?

Jake placed the letters back in his drawer, hoping that it wasn't another one of her lies. Maybe it was the only thing she was genuine about because the words written in those letters warmed Jake's heart and made him feel her love.

Sometime later, Jake started getting ready to go to Sunghoon's house. His girlfriend was thinking that it was just a party, but in fact, Sunghoon had been preparing for the proposal for a long time.

The love he had for his girl couldn't be described in words. If he loved her less, perhaps he could have described it.

There were a lot of people at that party, that even Jake didn't recognize. After all, Sunghoon was popular wherever he went, so he had a lot of friends and knew a lot of people. But there were also Jake's friends.

"Jake!" Heeseung called as he walked between the guests, making his way toward Jake. "How have you been?" He asked, and Jake wondered if he knew of his embarrassment.

"I've been... okay." He said and cleared his throat.

"I'm glad to hear that, my friend," Heeseung said and patted his back. "No one knows the real reason behind this party other than us. They're going to be so surprised."

"I hope everything goes well," Jake said and looked around them, but right then, his gaze landed on her.

Park Soo Yun.

She was wearing a light blue dress and her hair was down, not like the first time he saw her at the flower shop, with her messy bun and her work uniform. She looked so pretty, no matter what she was wearing.

"What is she..." He muttered as he followed her with his gaze. He wondered why she was there, but then again she was the one to make the bouquet for Sunghoon, perhaps he invited her.

As he got lost in his own thoughts, still staring at her, her eyes met his. She stared at him for a moment before she slightly bowed at him.

She remembered me. Jake thought.

Bowing back, he looked away and pretended to be talking to Heeseung when in fact he was still thinking about her. Oh god, she was so beautiful.

The party was great; the guests were very happy and Sunghoon's girlfriend said yes. It was amazing, although Jake was envious of Sunghoon's happiness. Why couldn't it be him? Why did Nabi have to cheat and lie to him? Why did he have to go through that when the only thing he did was love her?

Jake spent the night rereading Nabi's letters and crying from time to time, thinking about what would have happened in the future if she didn't break his heart so cruelly.

And then the day after arrived, and Jake was looking at his reflection in the mirror. He wore a black suit that matched his bitter smile and his eyes that were full of sadness. After getting ready, he walked out of his house and drove to the flower shop.

Was it to see Soo Yun?

Jake heard a ring as he pushed the door to enter the place, and the same soft voice welcome him once again.

"Hello?" Soo Yun said as she looked towards the door, and when she spotted him, her eyes slightly widened. She had been seeing Jake a lot.

"Hello." Jake smiled at her bitterly before he looked around the shop. "Oh, are you closing?"

"Yes." She said before she gave him a reassuring smile. "But I can stay for a little longer."

"Thank you." He said. Her words somehow warmed his heart.

"How can I help you?"

"I'd like to have a bouquet of carnations," Jake spoke and Soo Yun froze for a while as she kept staring at him, but then she nodded and started preparing his bouquet. And not long after, she was done.

"Here you go." She handed him the bouquet and he paid for it.

"Thank you." He said and bowed at her. "Have a good evening."

"Thank you. You too." And with that, Jake left the shop. But Soo Yun quickly closed the shop and went after him, wondering why he didn't take his car. He kept walking and she kept following him quietly.

She was curious. Why did he need a bouquet of carnations? And why was he wearing a suit?

Soo Yun knew that carnations mean love and loyalty, but she forgot that they also mean eternal grief.

And as Jake walked inside the cemetery, her heart dropped.