Perfectly Imperfect | Jung Jaehyun

Chapter 10

Haeun and Jaehyun were sat at a small cosy cafe, giggling over stupid high school stories.

The conversation was taking a dark turn, soon though.
A dark turn to Jaehyun's past, but it was happening, slowly.

Jaehyun prepared for it, though.

"So, your childhood seems way more fun than mine," Haeun said.
Jaehyun had been telling her about all the trouble Yuta, Johnny, Taeil and he had caused.

"Yeah, most of it," He sighed, and sipped his coffee.

"What do you mean?"

"My parents never understood me as a teenager, it was really difficult and I gave up one day. Eventually, they did too, so I stopped acting out and focused on my studies. I'm grateful it was for my own happiness, though. Or I'd never be at rest with myself," Jaehyun had just poured his emotions out.

The emotions he had enveloped for so long, it felt good. And reassuring, he felt he had told the right person.

She smiled, warmly, "That's good. I'm sorry to hear about your parents, but it's good that you focused on your future for the sake of your own happiness, in the end. How did they accept you in the end?"

"After a while, I actually used words. It was recently, though. Only about two years ago, I had told them everything," Jaehyun explained.

"Told them what?"

"How I felt. Lonely. I explained what it actually meant for me, though. It's different for everyone. But for me, it was like I had all those friends around me and I still had this void inside. It could never be filled, not with happiness or love or anything. I stopped trying and then, education and succeeding filled the void within me. I realised, by filling the void, I just had to focus on it and I'd forget about all the problems. It was hard to stop drinking, though."

Haeun listened carefully, comparing her loneliness to his. She too, had a void within, that was once filled by love only to be opened up again, bigger this time.
And focusing on education or work didn't work out for Haeun. Haeun stressed out too easily and adding grades and trying to succeed was worse.

"Everyone goes through difficult times, don't they?" Jaehyun asked her.

"Yes, they do. Um, it's been a nice night, but I think I should go home, now," Haeun wanted to leave before the conversation was about her past.

"Yeah, okay. I'll take you home," Jaehyun paid and took her to his car.

"Haeun, I really want to get to know you. Can we meet up tomorrow?" Jaehyun asked, parked right in front of her apartment.

"Sure, text me the details," Haeun smiled.
She found herself smiling a lot around him and it made her happy. It also made her emotional.

Her eyes teared up and she wiped them away angrily and Jaehyun looked at her in concern.

"Hey, what's wrong?" He asked, leaning in to hold her hands.

"Sorry, I just... can't. I'll see you later," She ran out of the car and Jaehyun resistrained himself from going after her.

He groaned in frustration and slammed his hand on the wheel.
He must have done something wrong or said something stupid.

Jaehyun frowned, her teary eyes broke his heart. He stayed outside for a while longer, not wanting to drive in this mood.

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Hey, everyone! Sorry, I've been gone so long but I've just been so stressed lately

How are you all?

Any questions?