love, maybe? | 성훈 √

25 | what does your future look like?

25 | "A part of me is still in love with you. All I want is closure."

The two take a trip to the roof, where Jaeyun takes a breath of relief. Yerin smiles at his delight. Slowly, she follows him to the edge where he stood, leaning down to look down at the people below. "So," Yerin awkwardly starts. Jaeyun looks up, pressing his lips together as he listens. "What did you want to talk about?"

Jaeyun's hesitant, almost as if he regrets bringing her to the roof. He itches the crown of his head, soon leaning on the railing before a brief exhale initiates his response. "Yerin, what does your future look like?"

"That's a deep question," Yerin spits the first thought that comes to her head, inhaling sharply. She gives a moment for her answer to be well thought out, but even the reply itself was a bit questionable. "I guess... working for the rest of my life? Maybe retire early since I already get paid a lot. I want to have kids. I will stay in my current relationship and die peacefully. My future hasn't expanded, but this is the blueprint."

"I see. Your future already has Sunghoon in it," The sentence stuns Yerin. She watches him intently, head slightly tilted. The sun blinds Jaeyun's sights that he has to look down at his hands, tapping against the railings to calm his beating heart. "Do you want to be with him forever? I know it's too soon to ask that, but I want to know."

"You still like me, don't you?" It was as obvious as the sun in the sky. Jaeyun holds his face in his palms, groaning. His frustration gave it away even further. Instead of Yerin getting grossed out or unsure about it, she chuckles. It makes Jaeyun glance over, confused. "I'm sorry, I don't know how to react properly. I know you're not like Woong, here to steal one of us away for the sake of love. At least, not anymore."

"I never had the motive to play such a horrifying game. Since you're taken, I'm not going to steal you from Sunghoon," Jaeyun pouts, sighing. "Listen... a part of me is still in love with you. All I want is closure."

"Love? You're bold to state that out loud, Jaeyun!" She elbows him, causing Jaeyun to glare. "Hehe. In all seriousness, I thank you for wanting to get closure instead of holding it to yourself the whole time. You're brave for that. Thank you for having feelings for me. I know that whenever you protect me, it's because of that. I thank you for all of those times and the future."

"The future?"

"What?" Yerin questions, tsking. "You think you're not part of my future? Come on, Jaeyun. We're best friends for a reason. Why do you think I still poke fun at you at work and volunteering? We're going to stay friends forever!"

Jaeyun's mouth opens slightly, pointing at her. "Why didn't you state that, then!? I wouldn't have confessed!"

Yerin gets defensive. The two become bickering children at eleven in the morning. "Well, I didn't know that! Hey, you're lying, aren't you? You said you wanted closure, you jerk!"

"Jerk!? You're the jerk, idiot!"

"Shut up! I don't want to talk to you anymore!" 

"Wait, Y-Yerin!" She stomps off, leaving Jaeyun defenseless. However, once she leaves the rooftop, Jaeyun grins. He turns back to the rising sun, staring at the limitless sky for some closure instead. "No matter how bitter I become, she's never going to see that side of me. If happiness is what she wants, I'll give it to her forever."

"So," A curious Sunghoon slides toward his girlfriend sitting on the couch, the girl minding her business. She's not amused, however, when Sunghoon kisses her on the cheek as an incentive. "What did you and Jaeyun hyung talk about?"

"None of your business," Sunghoon frowns. Yerin continues typing, glasses sliding down her face. In return, Sunghoon pushes them up for her, and she doesn't bat an eyelash. "Are you worried that he might steal me from you again? Of course, having such a big bouquet of roses... Maybe I should have kept them."

"Stop teasing me and answer!" Sunghoon's too shy to pop the big question, and having his girlfriend know the question already was making him blush. "And besides, I know you wouldn't run off to hyung of all people. Maybe Jongseong hyung if he wasn't taken, or Yeojin if you weren't into men, but you wouldn't stoop that low for Jaeyun hyung!"

"He's the bouquet boy. What are you?"

"Cha Yerin's boyfriend. Duh," His statement makes Yerin close her laptop with a chuckle. "Did I get the right answer?"

"Yeah," She exhales her response, placing her electronics on the coffee table. Rotating her body to face Sunghoon, Yerin grabs his face with the palm of her hands. "Jaeyun wanted closure, dummy. He confessed as he did before. I suppose it's nothing new."

"So what did you tell him?"

"I told him I was glad he felt confident enough to tell me."

"And what did he say?"

"Jaeyun talked about the future, so he referenced it again."

"And what was your response?"

"We bickered," Before Sunghoon could ask what exactly the argument was about, she slid her finger down his nose, frowning. "You're so nosy. Who are you going to gossip to about this? It's just Jaeyun and me being friendly. Nothing more, nothing less."

"Being too friendly is my concern," Sunghoon hugs her, caressing her hair. "I don't want you to have a sudden change of mind. You're already in my picture."

"Your picture?" She quotes.

"Like what you and hyung were talking about... the future," Sunghoon clears his throat, hiding his face in the crook of her neck. His voice was muffled, but Yerin listens close. "You're already in the picture of my future."

Yerin pats him softly, enjoying his shy side. "You're in mine too, Sunghoon. So don't worry. I'm not going anywhere."

Sunghoon lifts his head, softened eyes indulging into hers. Slowly, their lips meet, palms against each other's faces as they smile through the moment. Sunghoon's hands drag down to her shoulders, then down to her hips, intertwining behind her. Before the moment could escalate or continue, Yerin's eyes bulge out of her sockets, removing her lips from his. "Wait! I forgot I have to do payroll!"

"W-Wait, Yerin!" She's already out of his grasp, grabbing her laptop and running across his apartment in a hurry to charge it at his desk. Sunghoon leans his elbow on the couch pillows, chin resting on his hand. He watches her scurry with an expression of endearment, a sigh leaving his lips. "Always so busy and restless. That's why I love her."

Love truly exists, huh?