Wishlist [txtzy#1]

Wishlist-46(ily)

The rhythmic sound of the waves filled the heavy silence as Chaeryeong walked to a quieter spot on the beach, sinking onto the sand with a sigh. The bottle of beer dangled loosely from her fingers as she tilted her head back, gazing at the stars scattered across the inky sky. The cool breeze wrapped around her, but it wasn't enough to calm her restless heart.

Moments later, she heard footsteps approaching. She didn't need to turn around to know it was Taehyun. His presence was something she could feel even before she saw him. He wordlessly sat down beside her, close enough for their shoulders to brush.

Without a word, Taehyun slipped off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders. The faint scent of his cologne was warm and familiar, making her throat tighten.

"You'll never stop caring, will you?" Chaeryeong said softly, her voice tinged with bittersweetness.

Taehyun didn't answer immediately. The silence hung between them, heavy yet unspoken. Finally, he said, "Why would I?"

Her lips curved into a faint, almost sad smile. "Why are you here, Taehyun?" she asked, turning her head slightly to look at him.

"I don't know," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper, but there was something raw in the way he said it.

Chaeryeong exhaled, her shoulders sinking under the weight of her own emotions. "I missed you," she said, her voice trembling slightly, her gaze falling to the beer bottle in her hands.

"I missed you too," Taehyun replied, his voice softer now, gentler. It carried a vulnerability that she hadn't heard in so long.

She hesitated, gathering her thoughts before speaking. "I didn't think I'd be able to face you when I saw you again."

"Why?" he asked, his tone laced with quiet concern.

Tears began to blur her vision as she blinked rapidly, trying to hold them back. "Because," she started, her voice breaking, "I blamed myself for everything. I stayed away because I thought... I thought I was the reason it all went wrong. I still do."

Taehyun turned to her sharply, his eyes glinting with something between disbelief and heartbreak. "Chaeryeong," he said, his voice shaking as he reached out, his hand hovering before resting gently on hers, "why would you ever think that? Nothing that happened was your fault. Nothing."

She finally let the tears fall, streaking her cheeks as her shoulders shook. "But it felt like it was. If I had trusted you more, believed in us more—maybe things would've been different. I pushed you away, and I kept pushing until I couldn't anymore."

Taehyun's hand tightened over hers as his own eyes began to glisten with unshed tears. "Do you know how much it hurt to be avoided by you? To see you pretend like we were strangers?" His voice cracked, and he looked away, his jaw tightening. "And seeing Jisung take care of you... like I once did—" He paused, swallowing hard. "It killed me, Chaeryeong. You don't know how much it hurts."

"Taehyun," Chaeryeong whispered, her voice soft yet firm as she reached out to cup his face, gently forcing him to look at her. "You mean so much more to me than Jisung or anyone else in this world. You always have."

His eyes searched hers, as if trying to find any hint of doubt in her words. "Really?" he asked, his voice quiet but filled with so much hope it made her chest ache.

"Really," she said without hesitation, her gaze steady, her voice resolute.

That was all he needed. In an instant, Taehyun leaned forward, crashing his lips onto hers. The kiss was urgent, almost desperate, as though both of them had been holding back for far too long. His hands came up to cup her cheeks, his thumbs brushing away her tears, while Chaeryeong's fingers tangled in his hair, pulling him closer.

The world around them disappeared, leaving only the sound of the waves and the warmth of each other. Months of distance, pain, and unresolved feelings melted away in that single moment.

When they finally pulled apart, both were breathing heavily, their foreheads resting together. Taehyun's thumb traced her cheek as he whispered, "I love you more than anything in this world, Chaeryeong."

Tears welled in her eyes again, but this time, they weren't from sadness. "I love you more," she murmured, her voice trembling yet certain.

Taehyun smiled—a rare, genuine smile that lit up his entire face. He pressed another gentle kiss to her forehead, pulling her into his arms as they sat together under the night sky, the waves lapping gently at the shore.

For the first time in a long while, it felt like they were whole again.