Once More, Love 3

04. Step... Yes?

"Mianhae." Jeongyeon mumbles. He is on the couch with Nayeon while his head is placed over the girl's left shoulder. His hand is a bit shaky while placed on top of his lap. "I... I'm sure you've been having a hard time because of me."

The cafe owner sighs. Her left hand soothing the man's back. "I honestly don't know what to do with you."

"Right." Jeongyeon faintly smiles. "You— you really don't deserve me. M— Mianhae."

Nayeon subtly rolls her eyes. "Don't use that card on me again."

"But—"

"Jeong."

"Yeah?"

Nayeon pauses for a second as if contemplating if she will continue with what she wanted to say. Her hand that has been soothing the man's back, slides to Jeongyeon's upper arm to give it a squeeze. "Tell me. Are the voices back?"

"Hu—" The chef straightens his body to face the other person with him on the couch. "Huh?"

Nayeon flashes a sad smile and asks again with a very soft voice. "Tell me, baby. Did they come back earlier?"

Jeongyeon just stared into Nayeon's eyes for a moment, but eventually nodded.

"And what did they say this time?"

"Umm... That—" The chef shakily heaves in a deep breath. "That— what... good would I get if— if I tell you what I truly feel? That I would just hurt myself if I took that step towards you."

The cafe owner focuses her attention on the man sitting opposite of her. "And...?"

"And— and that— that I will just get hurt myself also in— in the end. Because—" Jeongyeon balls his fists and grabs tightly to the fabric of his silk pants. "Because I'm not good enough. You will— you will just leave me in the end."

Nayeon lets out a sigh. She reaches out to slowly hold both of Jeongyeon's hands. They find each other's eyes as the chef relaxes visibly with his hands untangling with his pants and gently tilting it upwards so that it can interlock with Nayeon's welcoming touch.

The cafe owner glances at their point of contact and smiles sincerely at the man in front of her. "If I ask you to try and continue what you were trying to tell me earlier, can you... can you say it this time?"

"Earlier?"

"Hmm. Before you... you know..." Since they are holding hands, Nayeon uses her lips to pout and point to the direction of the office's desk. "Before what happened... happened."

"I—" The chef diverts his gaze to the floor. "But, I need those pills to—"

"Andwae."

Jeongyeon abruptly raises his head to flash a set of puppy eyes to Nayeon. "W— wae? If you want me to be honest with you, I— I need those pills so that the voices in my head would shut up and leave me alone. Nayeon, I need those to—"

"ANDWAE." The cafe owner is firm with her word. "The last thing I would want to happen is you overdosing because of me."

"But it's not like that. It's not because of—"

"We're going to a psychiatrist next week."

"What— NO! I don't— Nayeon— NO!" The chef suddenly has fear written all over his face. "I don't want to see one of those people again. They— they will send me to a facility and— and I honestly don't like being alone in that kind of—"

"Wait. You—" Nayeon's face went into shock. "You've been put in a facility before?"

The restaurant owner slowly nods.