"When Loves Started"..

part-26

Joon Woo's expression softened, and he took a step closer to Eun Ae. He opened his arms, and she hesitantly stepped into them. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly.

For a moment, they just stood there, holding each other. Then, Joon Woo broke away, his eyes filled with regret.

He cupped Eun Ae's face, his thumbs tracing her cheeks. "I'm so sorry, Eun Ae," he whispered. "I'm sorry for what I did to you earlier. I was out of control, and I hurt you."

Eun Ae's eyes welled up with tears, but she smiled weakly. "I know you were hurting, Joon Woo. I'm just sorry I hurt you too."

Joon Woo's eyes filled with tears, and he leaned in, kissing her forehead softly. "Forgive me, Eun Ae. Forgive me for not trusting you, for not believing in you."

Eun Ae's heart melted at his words, and she wrapped her arms around him again. "I forgive you, Joon Woo. I love you."

Joon Woo's arms tightened around her, holding her close. "I love you too, Eun Ae. More than anything."

Joon Woo held her for a long time, his face buried in her hair. Eun Ae felt his tears fall onto her skin, and her heart ached for him.

Finally, he pulled back, his eyes red-rimmed but calm. "I promise to work on my trust issues, Eun Ae. I promise to believe in you, to support you."

Eun Ae smiled, her heart full. "I promise to be patient with you, Joon Woo. To help you through your struggles."

Joon Woo's face softened, and he kissed her lips gently. "Thank you, Eun Ae. Thank you for loving me, for accepting me."

Eun Ae's eyes filled with tears, and she kissed him back, their lips moving in perfect sync.

As they broke apart, Joon Woo smiled, his eyes shining with love. "Let's start fresh, Eun Ae. Let's build our relationship on trust, on love."

Eun Ae nodded, her heart soaring. "Yes, . Let's start fresh."

And with that, they sealed their promise with a kiss, their love shining brighter than ever.

As they hugged, Joon Woo's tears fell onto Eun Ae's shoulder. She stroked his hair, comforting him.

Joon Woo's face contorted in a mix of sadness and gratitude. "You're here now, and that's all that matters."

And with that, they sealed their promise with another kiss, their love shining brighter than ever.

As they stood there, wrapped in each other's arms, exhaustion began to creep in. The emotional rollercoaster they had been on finally caught up with them.

"Let's go to bed, Eun Ae," Joon Woo whispered, his voice laced with fatigue.

Eun Ae nodded, her eyes already drooping. "Okay, Joon Woo. I'm so tired."

Hand in hand, they walked to their bedroom, their steps slow and heavy. They climbed into bed, wrapping their arms around each other.

As they drifted off to sleep, Joon Woo whispered, "I love you, "

Eun Ae smiled, her voice barely audible. "I love you too, Joon Woo."

Their sleep was deep and peaceful, their hearts filled with love and hope for their future together.

Next morning, Eun Ae woke up and looked at the person laying beside her. Joon Woo looked so peaceful while he slept, his face relaxed and his breathing steady. She watched him for a while, taking in the sight of him.

Then, she leaned over and gave a gentle kiss to his forehead. He stirred slightly, but didn't wake up. Eun Ae smiled and got out of bed, heading to the kitchen to get a glass of water. As she drank, she thought about Beom Seok again.

He was already recovered, and she knew he didn't need her help anymore. Maybe he was doing okay now. She had told Joon Woo that she will not  to contact Beom Seok, but she was still unsure about how to explain it to him. She didn't want to hurt him, but she also couldn't just disappear from his life.

Eun Ae sighed, feeling torn. She wished she could talk to someone about this, but who could she turn to?

Eun Ae stood in the kitchen, sipping her water, her mind racing with thoughts of Beom Seok. She felt a pang of guilt for thinking about him, but she couldn't help it. She had promised Joon Woo she would cut ties with Beom Seok, but a part of her still cared for him.

Just then, Joon Woo walked into the kitchen, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "Good morning," he said, smiling at Eun Ae.

Eun Ae forced a smile, trying to shake off her thoughts. "Good morning," she replied.

Joon Woo noticed her distant expression and raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.

Eun Ae hesitated, not wanting to reveal her true thoughts. "I was just thinking about breakfast," she said, forcing a smile. "I didn't have a chance to eat much last night after...what happened."

Joon Woo's expression softened, understanding. "Oh, yeah. Last night was pretty horrible. I don't blame you for not wanting to think about it."

Eun Ae nodded, relieved that Joon Woo had bought her excuse. "Yeah, I just don't want to face it again. I want to focus on something more positive...like breakfast."

Joon Woo chuckled and wrapped his arms around her. "Well, I can help you with that. How about we make some pancakes together?"

Eun Ae smiled, feeling a little guilty for hiding her true thoughts, but also grateful for Joon Woo's understanding and distraction. "That sounds great," she said, hugging him back..

Time had passed, and the evening sun cast a warm glow over the room. Joon Woo sat at his desk, his eyes fixed intently on his laptop screen as he worked on his father's business plans. His parents had insisted he balance his business ventures with his graduation, and he was determined to prove himself.

Eun Ae sat on the couch, her phone in hand, scrolling through her social media feeds. Suddenly, her phone rang, shrill in the quiet evening air. She flinched, her heart skipping a beat as she saw the name on the screen - Beom Seok.

she saw Beom Seok's name flashing on her phone screen. She hadn't expected him to call her, especially not after she had promised Joon Woo she would cut ties with him.

She glanced at Joon Woo, who was engrossed in his work, oblivious to the sudden tension in the room. Eun Ae took a deep breath and quickly got up from the couch, trying not to draw attention to herself.

"Excuse me for a minute," she said casually, trying to sound nonchalant.

Joon Woo nodded absent-mindedly, still typing away on his laptop.

Eun Ae hurried to the bedroom, her heart racing with anticipation and a hint of guilt. She closed the door behind her and took a deep breath before answering the call.

"Hello?" she said, trying to sound calm.

"Hey, Eun Ae," Beom Seok's voice was warm and familiar, sending a pang of nostalgia through her chest. "How are you?"

Eun Ae hesitated, unsure of how to respond. She hadn't expected Beom Seok to sound so...normal. So friendly.

"I'm...I'm good," she stammered, trying to play it cool. "How about you?"

Beom Seok chuckled. "I'm doing great, thanks for asking. I was just thinking about you and wanted to see how you're doing."

Eun Ae's heart skipped another beat. She hadn't expected Beom Seok to be so...thoughtful.

"I...I'm doing okay," she said, trying to downplay her emotions.

There was a pause on the other end of the line, and Eun Ae wondered if she had said something wrong.

"Can we meet up?" Beom Seok asked suddenly, his voice low and serious.

Eun Ae's heart stopped. Meet up? With Beom Seok? After everything that had happened?