Love Beyond Chains | Enhypen Jake

9

Jay's POV

I remember the first day we met. Jake had seemed so desperate, so hopeless. And I listened as he told me everything- the struggles with his parents, his desperate attempts to find comfort, and even his darkest thoughts. 

I felt honored to be entrusted with such vulnerability. We had known one another for barely five minutes, but he told me everything without hesitation. And of course I listened. I comforted him because I knew that was what he needed. Someone to listen. Someone to just be there. 

And ever since then, we spent almost all of our time together. In his darkest moments, I was there. In my darkest moments, he was there.

But he's not here anymore. He's gone. And now I'm alone.

I should have expected this. I had been noticing the way he acted around Nabi. Every moment he was around her, he acted with special care. As if he liked her. As if he loved her.

But even though I noticed the changes, I told myself there was no reason to worry. I ignored the signs, hoping he'd be over her in a short amount of time. Just like a meaningless crush. After all, she's mine. He knows that she's mine. And I won't share her with anybody.

But I was wrong. Jake's gone now, and so is Nabi. 

How could he do this to me? How could she? How could Jake leave me alone after all that we've been through together?

I'll make him regret it. I'll find them, and make them pay for what they've done. Nabi is mine, and Jake took her away from me. That is unforgivable. Even if I have to cross the world to find them, I will. I'll hunt them down, and they won't see me coming. I'll make them pay for betraying me.

Determination sets in as I plan action. I'll contact hotels, families nearby, anybody who might have seen Jake and Nabi. I'll even drive across Korea if that's what it takes to find them.

///

Days blur into nights, my obsession and anger growing with each passing moment. Each lead, no matter how insignificant, becomes a thread I tug on, hoping it will unravel the mystery of their whereabouts.

The first day, I search frantically, describing Jake and Nabi's appearances and asking if anybody had caught sight of them. To my disappointment, nobody had seen them. I push harder, but that only raises suspicion.

By the second day, I decide to dig deeper. I hack into Jake's email, searching for clues. It's invasive, but I don't care. My anger and need for answers drive me forward. 

But Jake is smarter than I give him credit for. All his emails have been permanently deleted, leaving me with nothing. I chuckle bitterly. He thought ahead. I must admit, he knows me well. Perhaps too well. 

In some quiet moments, doubts creeps in, but I push it aside. I can't afford to second-guess myself now. My resolve is resolute, set in stone. I won't back down now. Nabi is mine, and Jake had no right to take her away from me. I replay all the memories Jake and I shared, the laughter, the shared secrets, the joy. But all it does is fuel my anger. 

Jake thought that I never had a chance with Nabi, that I was just being delusional. But he didn't truly understand. She just needed time. Love grows with patience. With time, she would fall in love with me. I was sure of that. 

But by taking her away, he never gave her a chance. Never gave me a chance. If she had stayed with me any longer- two weeks, one week even- she would start to adore me. That's how all great loves starts, isn't it? One person loves the other, and soon the second will follow. No matter how long it took her, I would have never given up on Nabi. I would care for her with all my heart, until she had no choice but to fall in love with me. 

There are days where I barely sleep.  My mind races with thoughts of where they could be, what they might be doing. Images of them together haunt me, feeding my obsession.

I've tried everything I could think of that may help me find them. All my attempts ended unfruitful. But I can't allow myself to give up. 

Then, an idea strikes me. What if they had fled to Nabi's home? I'm sure that's where Nabi would have wanted to go first. I'm sure she had wanted to check on her family. If I remember correctly, I had constantly seen her with a young girl who I assumed to be her sister. 

This new idea fuels my determination. I stand up quickly, now filled with resolution. I march out of my room, heading quickly to the nearest bus stop. In a matter of ten minutes, I arrive close to Nabi's home, and walk the rest of the way. 

As I approach the house, I slow down, my confidence decreasing. In my excitement, I hadn't really thought out what I would do when I catch them. Rather, I had just acted in eagerness without thinking my plan through. 

When I see Jake and Nabi, what should I do? As I plan out my next steps, I get distracted by the sight of a girl leaving the house. I squint against the sun, trying to figure out if it was truly Nabi. 

As my eyes adjust, I feel my disappointment arise. Although the girl looks similar to Nabi, I'm still able to tell it's not her. Despite the fact that they both have the same black wavy hair and pale skin, this girl looks noticeably younger. Just judging off appearance, she seems to be around fifteen or sixteen years old. 

Beauty must run in their family. Nabi's sister is extraordinarily pretty, and I'm unable to take my eyes off her. Even her walk is so elegant, I can't help but admire her. 

Without thinking, I approach the girl slowly. "Hello there," I say once I'm closer to her. "What's your name?"

She warily looked me up and down, suspicion evident in her face. "Who are you?" she asks, her voice edged with caution.

"I'm a friend of your sister, Nabi," I reply. "Is she home?"

The girl hesitates, her eyes flickering with a mix of surprise and concern. "Nabi...she disappeared," she answers, her voice heavy with grief. "Nobody's seen or heard from her in over a week."

All my eagerness to finally catch Nabi slips away instantly. I was wrong. Again. I had been so confident that I'd find her here, but yet again I've found myself at a dead end.

"Oh, I see..." I say, struggling to find the right words. "That's alright, I'm sure she'll turn up at some point," I assure her. 

She nods, but doesn't say anything else. 

"May I ask what your name is?" I try again.

"Haeun," she tells me hesitantly. "My name is Haeun."

"Well, it was wonderful to meet you Haeun. I hope to see you again." With that said, I quickly turn and walk away, leaving her no time to ask for my name in return.

As I make my way back home, my mind remains on Haeun. She was so beautiful. So innocent. So perfect. I can't shake her from my mind.

///

Every day, I find myself returning to Nabi's home. It's not just about finding Nabi anymore; it's about watching Haeun. From afar, I'll watch her whenever she comes outside to play with her dog, follow her when she decides to take a walk, or simply sit and watch her from her bedroom window. I often stick to crouching behind bushes or large trees to remain undetected, and my methods serve me well. My heart will never forget about Nabi, but for now, maybe I could let a small part of my heart yearn for Haeun.

But one particular day, my desire for Haeun becomes overwhelming. I realize how bad I want her. I need her. At least until I can have Nabi again, my heart will long for Haeun. 

It's there, while I'm hiding behind a bush as I watch Haeun play with her dog, that I realize what I have to do: take her.