before you / jung jaehyun

eight

[ 9th january 2018, 6:49 pm ]

as jaehyun sat down next to her, aeri sipped on her hot chocolate. while wearing one of jaehyun's hoodie, she watched the movie closely. they were both on his couch, watching princess and the frog.

according to jaehyun, he was trying to cheer her up. because it took quite a long time for aeri to stop crying the day before. the day when she stumbled upon mark. when jaehyun hugged her tight, mark witnessed everything. of course his heart felt a painful sting too.

because mark felt bad, sorry, for treating aeri like trash. and rumour has it, mark lee still wants her. but he just doesnt want to say anything. rumour has it, mark lee is trying to get over her. rumour has it, mark lee still loves her. but whats stopping him from pouring out his whole emotions? jung jaehyun.

mark was about to pull aeri and tell her to follow him, so that he could explain himself. in his own mind, it was just him being the hero. in his own paradise, it was him and aeri together. in his mind, he thought aeri would tell mark that she still loved him, so that he could do the same thing.

but when his eyes saw the way jaehyun hugged his ex girlfriend tight, it stopped him from putting his heart out on his sleeves. he broke up with her but why was it that he was the one feeling pain and regret? he made the decision. but why was he the one feeling bitter?

why could jaehyun hold her in his arms but he couldnt? why could jaehyun feel her soft skin brushing up against his' but not him? why could jaehyun be with her, but not him? mark just walked away angrily. but that just made aeri cry even more.

that day, jaehyun walked her home. and he stayed with her until she stopped crying. the truth was, he had plans. but he ditched them. to be with her. because he knew how it felt. to have loved someone and them leaving you for someone else. he genuinely knew the pain. and he didnt want aeri to feel how he felt before with his previous lovers.

"i hope youre feeling better now," jaehyun softly exclaimed, sighing right after, his hands folded together, he stared at the princess slowly kissing the frog on his big tv screen. aeri hummed, gently smiling to herself. "i've watched this movie so many times, and i can never get tired of it,"

jaehyun just looked at her. her eyes lit up. "i watched this five times. three of them with mark, one of them alone, and now with you," she recalled the times watching the movie. jaehyun let out a soft chuckle. "how are you not sick of this movie yet?" he asked. the girl just sighed while looking at him.

"i just love their relationship. it seems so genuine and pure. the fact that they had different views and status but somehow still managed to fall in love despite their huge differences," she explained, jaehyun pursed his lips. "naveen was such a dick. but tiana made him realize what love really was like," she continued, before looking back at the tv.

jaehyun kept quiet. "i hope i find my tiana," he laughed out loud, brushing his hair back. "and i hope someone looking for his tiana will find you," he sheepishly giggled. aeri just hit the boy with the pillow from his couch. he pretended to wince in pain. they both just laughed it off.

jaehyun and aeri loved to fool around. they got so close in such a small amount of time, it's unbelievable. about a minute later, jaehyun's doorbell rang. he looked so shocked. "im not expecting guests though," he raised his eyebrows, tilting his head, before walking to his door and opening it.

it was his bestfriend jungwoo. jaehyun cursed under his breath and rolled his eyes. "what the hell are you doing here? we literally agreed to leave each other alone," jaehyun groaned. jungwoo scoffed and walked into the room. he took off his leather jacket. in the process, he saw aeri. "you didnt tell me you had guests," jungwoo winked.

jaehyun slammed the door shut and then slapped the back of jungwoo's head. "lay off her man," jaehyun laughed, plotting himself next to aeri on his couch. the girl awkwardly smiled. "oh my god! that's her isnt it? the girl from the laundry shop?" jungwoo jumped up and down in eureka. jaehyun just nodded his head.

"how come yall hanging out now? you really gave her your number? you're such a player," jungwoo said before sitting right next to aeri on her left. "what the hell jungwoo? i literally told you she has been into the cafe before," jaehyun slapped the back of his head with the pillow. aeri just laughed. that night. aeri watched princess and the frog with jaehyun and his bestfriend jungwoo. who was slowly becoming one of her friends.

—
[ 9th january 2018, 10:34pm ]
—

jaehyun was walking aeri back home. it was late and she insisted on taking a walk back home because it just felt like one of those days. but jaehyun refused to let her go home alone. because it was late at night. and she was still in high school. according to jaehyun, men are vicious and ruthless. and it was better that she trust him and let him walk her home.

so now here they are. almost reaching her front door. the wind was blowing, the air felt cold. but she was used to it by now. the cold reminded her of the day where she had to walk back alone on new years. because mark broke up with her.

she tried to shake that memory away. but it was so hard. and she was trying so hard to remove it. i guess some memories are just meant to be kept. what for, we will never know. maybe these memories will come in handy one day. but when will that memory ever be useful to her?

aeri was about to turn to her front porch, about to thank jaehyun for being with her. but when she looked ahead, she saw a familiar figure. no surprise there because it was mark lee. her ex boyfriend standing infront of her house. hands in his pocket, kicking stones, walking back and forth.

the girl groaned. she was scared. not scared of mark. she was afraid that she would cry infront of him again. she was scared. she hasnt moved on yet. it looks like he hasnt too. but what should she do right now? "ah shit," she whispered underneath her breath. jaehyun looked at her, then looked at where she was facing. "do you want me to do something? i can punch him if you want," jaehyun joked around about the latter.

he laughed to himself, he thought his joke was funny. when mark turned around, he saw aeri. they both were looking at each other. but she didnt want to turn away. neither did she want to go and talk to him. she wasnt ready. mark cant just show up infront of her house unexpected and expect her to be okay talking to him.

jaehyun was rambling on and on about how he could teach mark a lesson. but the words went into her right ear and went out the left. it was as if the whole world disappeared and the only person she could see was mark lee. and when she snapped out of her own reverie, she realized mark was walking towards her. her heart beating faster and faster as he takes a step closer to her.

what could she do? what should she do? she was in a crisis. mark was about to call out her name. and what aeri did next was definitely unexpected. but it was the only way she could avoid talking to mark. none of them saw it coming. aeri stopped in her tracks, and pulled jaehyun close to her. jaehyun thought she was about to pull him in for a hug.

but that night, aeri pulled jaehyun in for a kiss. it was quick. and unexpected. but it did make mark avoid her.