Start-Up (Seo Dal-Mi x Han Ji-Pyeong) [FanFic]

Chapter 1: The Letters

The rain had stopped. The sun had come out with a new brightness. The universe had shifted, making the cards fall into place.

The birdhouse kept swinging from its pivot point, happier than a moment ago because her secrets were finally out. This is where it had all started.

When Dal-Mi hung up on Do-San after he couldn't confirm his story, Ji-Pyeong knew it was time to let everything out.

"Mr. Han," Dal-mi said, her voice quivering. "Why are you here? How do you know this place?"

Ji-Pyeong considered telling her everything right there but something was stopping him, something that had stopped him all these months. That face. Dal-Mi's face. The anger in it. The realization of betrayal. The realization of being lied to.

He never expected this moment would come, when he would actually tell her about his feelings. He remembered Grandma's expression; how sad she was when he said those hurtful words. None of them were true of course. Grandma was the only real family he had and Dal-Mi's letters provided him a sense of calm and peace. For once, he believed that the world is not that bad a place after all.

"Please answer me," Dal-Mi said, tears bursting from her eyes. "Please say something."

"Yes, you're right," Ji-Pyeong said, not able to take it anymore. "I am the one who wrote you all those letters fifteen years ago. It was your Grandma's idea to write you."

"Then who the hell is Do-San? Why did you use his name instead of yours?"

"It was a random name I saw in a newspaper article that day." The more he confessed, the more ridiculous it all sounded.

"Random name?" Dal-Mi said, wiping her tears. "Wow. You mean to tell me that the guy who I have been in love with all these years didn't even exist. It was all a lie from the beginning."

"No, Ms. Seo," Ji-Pyeong said. "It might have started a lie but I helped change it into reality. For you."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

Ji-Pyeong debated telling her the truth, maybe because he was afraid, she might not want to see him again.

"Please don't lie about anything anymore. I want you to be honest with me." She said, keeping her eyes locked to Ji-Pyeong's.

"Okay, I will." he said. "But not here. Let me take you home. You don't look so well to me. I will clear everything for you once you calm your nerves."

Dal-Mi let out a short laugh, her eyes turning red with time. "Is that even possible anymore?"

"Please, Ms. Seo. I know I have done a terrible thing, but I never meant to hurt you like this. Even if I didn't use my own name in those letters, it was still me. You understood me the most and I wish I hadn't left like that, but I am here now. And all I want is for you to see me as the guy you trusted years ago."

"How do I know he's still there?" Dal-Mi asked, covering her face to let her tears fall without any hindrance.

"Let me prove it to you."  

Ji-Pyeong took a step towards Dal-Mi, but she had already stepped back. 

"I don't think I can take anymore of this for the time being." She said, sniffing. 

Ji-Pyeong stopped dead in his tracks. He wasn't surprised by her reaction. Anyone in her shoes would feel that sting of betrayal. But he needed to show her that what he did was for Dal-Mi's happiness. He needed to show her that what Do-San took from him wasn't just his memory. 

He needed to show her how madly he had fallen in love with her.

"Then how about I write everything down for you? Just like fifteen years ago?" 

Dal-Mi didn't know how to respond to that. Did she really want to re-live her past? Wasn't the present too painful to even go back to those days? She didn't know yet. But she knew one thing.

In order to separate the lie from the truth, she needed to hear his story. She needed to give Ji-Pyeong a shot.

"Okay." She said. "I want to know everything."

Hey everyone. Just wanted to start writing this as soon as I could because it's literally killing me inside. Please vote, comment and share in order to reach as many people as possible who support this duo. 

Team Han Ji-Pyeong fighting.