because it's all mine (i don't wanna sacrifice) | purinz

Epilogue: Flowers bloom in our story that no one knows

Chaewon's tired breathing blended with the hum of train tracks.

Yunjin watched her carefully, her fingers itched to push her hair out of her face, but the fear of hurting her overpowered it.

Maybe she should focus on how lucky she was instead. They'd gotten a private carriage, and out of every opportunity to sit on the other lounge chair and keep to herself, Chaewon was instead leaned into her side and half asleep, tucked in her arm and blanket.

Yunjin turned her head to Chaewon. Maybe she should be grateful instead of overthinking it all, because Chaewon was out of the hospital, and two weeks later they were finally heading home.

Home.

She studied Yunjin's gentle face. She was a little too pale for comfort, but relaxed and genuinely not in the way she looked when loopy off painkillers.

"Chaewonnie?" Yunjin whispered.

"Mmmph..?"

"I'm sorry."

Chaewon blinked her eyes open. She turned her head until the moonlight caught her face, reflecting the fading bruise and scratches on her face. "When are you going to stop apologising?"

"When I no longer feel guilty."

What would have happened if Yunjin hadn't gotten caught up in her old fantasy of a childhood crush? Or the fact that she had kissed Chaewon and embarrassed herself? Would she have still missed it when Chaewon got shot at and been the one to move her out of the way?

The feeling was chewing her up from the inside out. After this, they would probably part ways, but the image of seeing Chaewon collapse in front of her, even two weeks later, and then trying not to freak out when she saw her in a hospital bed was going to hang around for the rest of her life.

"Yunjin..." Chaewon sighed. She slowly managed to sit up. "What happened is done. There is nothing we can do about it anymore... yeah? I'm better now. And we're going home."

Yunjin sighed. She knew worrying herself sick wouldn't do anything. She slowly tilted her head until her cheek pressed to the top of Chaewon's head, and she was drowning in the strong scent of her daffodil shampoo.

Park Dae-Hyun had been arrested on site. Once Yunjin was knocked out cold, Chaewon shoved the man behind her before she collapsed also. Thankfully, other celebrities security kicked in, as well as security on site, so in a matter of seconds the assailant was handcuffed and on the ground, and the area was searched until his accomplices were also gathered up.

They were part of a drug ring, that Dae-Hyun owed close to a hundred thousand dollars to, on top of all of the divorce fees he was continuously refusing to cough up.

Even further, people began to come forward. Directors, how he was a shitty actor to deal with – coworkers, his misogynistic traits and comments blaring through. Blatant mistreatment of his staff on top of everything else.

While evidence was still being collected for a trial and they were trying to figure out what to do with Dae-Hyun, this was the right thing Yunjin needed in trying to cope with watching Chaewon get put back together... slowly. The only reason it took another two weeks was to monitor for internal bleeding and for Chaewon's rib fractures to mend enough she was cleared to travel.

Chaewon pulled her head back. She carefully looked up at Yunjin, the cogs in her head turning. She took in a breath and slid her hand carefully around Yunjin's waist to cup her hip. "I think I also owe you an apology," Chaewon started. She frowned before Yunjin could try to continue. "I wanted to say sorry, for reacting the way I did when you kissed me those weeks ago."

"Unnie—"

"No." Chaewon straightened. She tried not to let the glimmer of a wince grace her face. "No. I've been stupid for a while. And I was stupid all those years ago. When I still liked you just as badly. And I didn't know what to do about it. So somehow, beating you up seemed like the best solution. I know that... that wasn't the case. Obviously. But when you stopped coming to class, then I missed you. And I realised why I wanted your attention so badly."

Yunjin's eyes watered. She knew maybe she was stupid from backtracking so far back in time, but clearly, she hadn't been the only one with their head underwater.

Chaewon's face softened. "So when I heard about this chance... I made myself get on the case. I wanted to see you again. I wanted to try and make it better from my mistakes. I wanted to see you again because I missed you. But when you kissed me, I freaked out and remembered how I reacted. I didn't mean to hurt you again, Yunjin. I never meant any of this."

Yunjin swallowed. "I hope you know I never held any of it to you?" She asked, her tears blurring her vision.

"I'm stupid. I'm a very stupid, arrogant person, Yunjin. And to this day, I regret hurting you. I regret not kissing you back, and making you upset. When all that I want to do is just go home with you, and make up for all the lost time between us. I don't care if you say that work is hard, busy, and long. Because so is mine. And if you say you aren't ready, then neither am I. Or if you don't think you can do long distance, I believe we can. Give me a chance, Huh Yunjin. One chance. Please."

The tears were fast to roll down Yunjin's face. A laugh blurted out of her lips. "You're so sappy, unnie, do you think anyone has told you that?"

Chaewon laughed. It was late at night, they were barely even into Busan, and they should have been asleep. But Chaewon was smiling like Yunjin was the sun and laughing clearer than Yunjin had ever heard. "Well, what else am I meant to say? I've spent the last two weeks watching you cry and freak out if I moved in bed, what else am I meant to say?"

Yunjin groaned, but despite the ache in her cheeks from her smile she still carefully wrapped her arms around Chaewon and pressed her head to her temples to freely breathe in the smell of her shampoo.

Maybe they would be okay. If they took it one day at a time.

She could get through a few years of grief, she could get through whatever was with Chaewon.

"I want to try," Yunjin whispered into her head. "You know I forgive you. We aren't stupid teenagers anymore..."

Chaewon's other hand wiggled out from her blanket. She lifted her hand up and stuck her pinkie out. "Pinkie promise?"

"Pinkie promise." Yunjin grinned and locked her finger with hers.

Chaewon. Chaewon Chaewon Chaewon—

Yunjin was happy, properly, for the first time since she met that snarky girl in high school.