Lovely Runner 2: Finding Grandma

Chapter 11: Memories & Rain

Sun Jae thinks for a moment, drawing her close and stroking her hair. "We'll find a way." He looks into her eyes with a gentle reassurance. "I'll bring her back to you."

"Sun Jae-ah..." She says, nestling her head against his chest. "Promise not to do anything without me...okay?"

He pauses, her words sinking in. "Because of your dreams?" He asks.

Squeezing him tight, she smiles and closes her eyes, listening to his heartbeat. "Mmm....I don't want to miss this sound again..."

Sun Jae blushes. Closing his eyes, he presses his cheek against her head. "Araseo. As long as you tell me everything too." He glances down, teasing. "Don't start pretending you don't know me." 

Opening her eyes, Sol scowls, shoving him. "Why do you bring the bad things up? I did it for you, but you followed me anyway..."

"Aren't you glad?" He smirks, proud of himself.

"Sun Jae-ah!" She smacks his arm playfully, but misses, accidentally hitting his face.

"Ah!" He flinches, covering his face.

"Omo!" Sol's eyes grow wide, sitting up fast. She takes his face in her small hands. "Are you okay?!!"

Pouting, Sun Jae shakes his head acting like it hurt more than it did. "I don't think so."

"Ah! Sun Jae..." She flinches, trying to peak under his hand to see. "I'm so sorry..." She moves to stand up. "I'll go get something to-"

But Sun Jae catches her wrist, laughing. "I'm okay, Solie. I'm alright."

Her face reddens, embarrassed. Turning, she meets Sun Jae's shining eyes smiling up at her, she can't stay mad when he looks up at her like a child.

Wrapping her arms over his strong shoulders, she feels safe and supported in his embrace. Resting her head on his, she wants to hold on forever. In moments like this, she still can't believe that she can feel the warmth of his touch or hear the sound of his voice.

It's hard to believe she once lived in a world where he was gone before he could ever tell her that he loved her, before she could ever thank him for all he'd done for her, even when she didn't love him back.

With the memories of that time, a cold emptiness fills her heart. She starts to cry, tears blurring her eyes.

"Sol-ah!" Sun Jae says, hearing her cry. "I-I told you, I'm alright." He tells her, not understanding his wife's emotions.

When Sun Jae tries to break away and see if she's okay, she tightens her arms around him. "Ani! Let me stay like this a little more."

He doesn't mind, gently rubbing her back in comfort. Even if he doesn't fully understand her feelings, he won't ask, all he wants to do is make her feel protected, like no matter what darkness might be in her mind, she never feels alone in it.

"Sun Jae-ah..." She sniffles, looking down at him. He brushes a tear from her cheek.

"Sol-ah..." He searches her expression, waiting for her every word as if no one else exists.

"I am glad." She chuckles, despite the tears. "I'm glad you followed me."

Sun Jae laughs too, stretching out his hand and patting her head. "Where else would I go?"

She shakes her head, smiling. "I don't know."

Gently, he pulls her back onto the bed next to him. "See. I have no place to go."

Outside, thunder rumbles, the rain pouring down.

"Aish! Take cover!" Sun Jae jokes, quickly pulling the blanket over their heads.

"Oh!" Sol exclaims, laughing. "What are you doing?"

He lifts the blanket up higher, making a dome. "I'm your umbrella." He smiles, eyes catching the faint light.

"That's right." Sol scrunches her face, nuzzling her nose against his, leaving him blinking and blushing. "You're my umbrella boy." She says.

She grabs his face, squeezing it again. "Why...Why is everything about you so cute?"

He chuckles, amused. "Am I as cute as your poster?"

"Cuter?"

"Chincha?!" He says, grinning.

"Look at these!" She presses her finger into the dimple on his cheek. "I used to wish I could do this."

"Really?" He says, still in disbelief.

"But my favorite thing..." She says, giggling and blushing like her old fan girl self.

"What?" He asks, as if waiting to hear the most important thing in the world.

Im Sol chuckles, burying her face in her hands. "Your mole..."

Sun Jae blinks, confused. "My mole?"

"Mmm-hmm," She nods. "The one on your shoulder. It's so sweet."

He pulls down the collar of his sweater, revealing it. "This one?"

"Sun Jae-ah!" She buries her head in the sheets, her face turning red, as if she'd never seen it before or they weren't married.

"How did you know back then?" He asks, leaning on his elbow, both intrigued and amused.

"The photocards..."

"Photocards?"

"I had 300. All Sun Jae-ah."

"300? Your room must have been covered with..."

"Yep. I was eclipse's number 1 fan."

"So then..." Sun Jae continues, a jealous thought playing in his mind. "You had In Hyuk on your wall looking down at you too?"

"Well...I didn't think of it like that..."

"Hmm." Sun Jae turns on his back, acting offended and crossing his arms.

"Don't be petty." She shakes her head, smiling.

"People would think you're cheating on your husband..."

"Sun Jae," She shoves his arm, playful. "No one would think that."

"I would..." He says seriously, still feigning offense and pulling the blanket off.

"You know what you are?" Im Sol jests. "A big baby."

"A baby?"

"Mmm-hmm. You look like one when you're mad."

"We have a baby."

"I know. I have two." Sol says, teasing.

"Araseo. Araseo." Sun Jae gives up his pettiness. "I just thought I was the only one on your walls..." He huffs, trying hard to let it go.

Sol shakes her head, rolling her eyes at her cute and jealous husband. "You know..." She turns to him. "I've been thinking..."

"What?"

"You must have had the other watch? The one I had was with me in all timelines...but you always had your own in each one."

Sun Jae thinks hard for a moment. Sometimes the timeline of his present life blurs with all those of his past, it makes him forget which parts came first or even happened at all.

"Ah!" He snaps his fingers, a thought igniting. "You're right! I did!"

"Really?!" Sol's eyes light with excitement. "Do you know where it went?!"

"Apaji!" He says, finally.

"Apaji?"

He nods. "When I stopped swimming, he took it and put it in a box to display with my trophies."

"Do you know where that display is?"

"His restaurant..." His eyes grow wide. "I think..."