Vulnerable Heart

Chapter 20: Uncertain Hearts

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Six months had gone by and with it, time began to put things back into its original place. Before the chaos and the pain. When she and Yi Jeong were not speaking to each other but rather looking past one another, too concentrated on each other's pain and yet worrying and missing one another. That time wasn't too long ago but the wound that had been left in their heart had begun to fade. In Ga Eul's case, she felt as though her heart that had felt like a chaotic storm now had begun to settle.

Was their the occasional wave, of course. There was always that feeling. Ga Eul settled in her mind that it was part of falling in love. Time now seemed so slow when she was not beside that person and when she was with him, time passed in the blink of an eye. The ding of her phone announced that Yi Jeong was outside.

"Let's go inside now Sunbae." Ga Eul spoke gently helping Yi Jeong up. His legs were shaking as he stood whether that from kneeling or from the cold Ga Eul wasn't sure. At the moment all she cared about was getting Yi Jeong inside. She was aware that her Mr. and Mrs. Lee were both at the hospital with Yi Jeong's parents and Ariel. For now, Ga Eul leads Yi Jeong to her house.

The light of the living room was still on. Her parents were nowhere in sight but there were some towels neatly folded and placed on the coffee table along with a pair of clothes for Yi Jeong to change into which Ga Eul recognized as Jae Ha's from so many sleepovers with him and Ariel. Laying a towel first on the couch Ga Eul then sat Yi Jeong down and proceeded to place a towel around his shoulders. Reaching gently to dry his hair.

For the longest of times, there was silence between them. Ga Eul tried to focus on the task at hand. There wasn't much she could say to Yi Jeong at this moment but she'd done what she could. Her heart was unsure of what to feel at the moment. While their kiss allowed her to resolve part of her feelings and come to the conclusion that he too loved her right now all she needed to care about was this moment alone.

Ga Eul was too lost in her thoughts as she continued to dry Yi Jeong's hair to notice that he'd been looking at her. The look in his eyes gentle, at ease, even when there was pain that lingered in his eyes. Feeling arms wrap around her waist Ga Eul was startled her heart racing as Yi Jeong rested his head on her shoulder.

"Sunbae." 

"Ga Eul-yang."

"You shouldn't care for me so much." Yi Jeong spoke, his voice was soft.

"I shouldn't be so selfish as to want to hold on to you forever."

Ga Eul felt Yi Jeong lift his head and before long they were looking at one another once again. She felt unable to speak under Yi Jeong's gaze and could only listen to him.

"Even so. Thank you Ga Eul-yang." Yi Jeong spoke reaching for a towel and placing it on Ga Eul's shoulders drying her hair gently as he did so.

"You cared and believed in me when I didn't believe in myself." With those final words, Yi Jeong pressed a kiss to Ga Eul's forehead.

Ga Eul doesn't remember much in fact, the didn't really speak to each other. The television was on and Ga Eul remembers making tea for the two of them. There was nothing special on television but they sat together in silence. She doesn't remember who fell asleep first only that when she woke up Yi Jeong was hugging her tightly as he slept and a blanket was placed over both of them. When she woke up again Yi Jeong was gone but he'd left her a thank you note and promised to pick her up to get to school later. It was a bit embarrassing, and it still made her heart flutter when she thought of the note which she still kept inside her nightstand drawer.