The past between us ||Sim Jake✔️

십구

NOW:

I sat alone on the swing in the balcony. I'd just come back from college a while ago.

It was a beautiful sunny day.

I used to love sunny days.

I used to love a lot of things.

Now, nothing made me happy. It was hard to believe that happiness had ever existed for me. It seemed like a distant dream.

I jerked up when I felt a hand on my shoulder. My eyes widened in shock when I saw who it was.

"Sara?" I sputtered in shock.

I stared at my father's fiancé in bewilderment.

What is she doing here?

She was beautiful.

Like Seoyun.

Same hair. Same eyes.

"Look, my father isn't here. He isn't going to be home for a while." My tone was clipped.

She gave me a small smile. "I know, I came here to talk to you."

My eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"May I sit down?" She asked quietly.

I looked at her warily before finally nodding. I had no idea where this was going.

"I'm sorry." She said finally. "It was all my idea, surprising you that day, dinner, everything. I just wanted to get to know you, I'd heard so much about you. I just realized how insensitive I was being, your mother just passed away I can't believe I actually thought it would be okay to barge in like that. Please, don't take it out on your father. It's my fault not his. He loves you so much Eunji."

She looked at me sadly. "Please don't think I'm trying to take your mothers place. I know I can never replace her."

I let out a humorless chuckle. "That's the thing, it's not you, it's my father who's trying to replace her. She's been dead for hardly a month and he's planning his wedding for God's sake! It's pretty obvious that he didn't love us but can he at least pretend to have a little respect for the woman he'd been married to for eighteen years!"

Sara looked taken aback, she hadn't been expecting my outburst. "Eunji your father wouldn't be marrying me if your mother hadn't given us her blessing."

My eyes widened in shock.

"What are you saying?" I demanded.

She looked utterly confused. "Your father went to see your mother about a year ago and he told her about me. She was the one who urged him to propose in the first place." Her words died down in her throat when she saw my expression.

"You didn't know." She whispered in disbelief. "I'm so sorry! I thought you knew."

"Y-you're lying!" I stuttered.

"I'm sorry. It wasn't my place to tell you." She said quietly.

I felt like I was suffocating.

"Eunji, please just hear me out." She urged. "I came here to tell you that I'm not going to marry your father without your consent. I know you despise me but please know that I'm not your enemy. Yichan and I have decided to postpone the wedding-"

But I was already on my feet.

I couldn't breathe. I needed to get away.

She started to reach out for me but I stepped away.

"Please. I need to be alone right now." I whispered.

Before I even realized it, I was already sprinting outside. I needed to get out of the house.