so he's mister popular ; jihoon

Chapter ✧ 28

- ji eun's pov -

I didn't expect this day would come. The day where I get to see him again.

All those years I tried my best not to search his name, and when I successfully did, I convinced myself that I have moved on. That I'm already happy without him in my life.

But now that I've finally seen him in person, I knew that I'm still not over him. I felt the familiar beating of my heart once again when he walked past me.

He sits beside Seunghun without taking his eyes off of me. Yeji called his name, and he looks away immediately.

"You know Ji Eun-ssi?" Seunghun asked Jihoon.

"Yeah. We were..." He looks at me, and looks back to Seunghun.

"School mates at the university I went to before transferring to the university where we both met. We were also in the same organization," Jihoon explains. Oh right. He left the college university after we broke up.

"Oh that's cool. She's my date today." Seunghun smiled, yet Jihoon has no reaction.

"Oh her? Hmm... she's a kind girl. She'll be good for you." I scoffed without making them notice.

"What do you do these days Ji Eun-ssi?" Seunghun asked.

"Oh please drop the formalities." I took my glass of water, and started to drink it.

"Sure. Should I call you Ji Eun then? Or should I call you... mine?"

I choked on the water, and started coughing. Jihoon was coughing with me too. His face was red.

"I'm so sorry. Oh my goodness," Seunghun said, and I coughed a bit more before I finally calmed myself down. I glanced quickly to Jihoon, and looked back to Seunghun who was looking worried.

"I'm okay. Don't worry," I said and smiled.

"But I'm currently working at a construction company as their Interior Designer." I smiled.

"That's great! Well I'm currently managing a technology company. We're doing great too."

"You're strong. Despite of the downfalls. You managed to actually survive?" Yeji sounded like she was shocked about what I said.

"Yes Yeji-ssi. It's because I know how to get up, and... move on." I glanced up to Jihoon who was also staring at me. What a liar, Ji Eun.

°•~•°

"Should I take you home?" Seunghun asked, and I politely declined his offer.

"I have my car, so I'm fine by myself." He nods, and waves goodbye to me.

I got on the car, and drove straight to my own house. I parked it properly, and got off. That's when I saw a bright car light approaching. It stopped behind my car, and when the car lights turned off. I saw his face. Jihoon.

What is he doing here?

He got off, and walked straight towards me without any emotions in his face.

"Why are you here?" I asked. He didn't speak. He observed my house. The house where I live alone.

He looks back at me, and he sighed. "It's nice seeing you again." He said without looking at me.

"Is it Jihoon-ssi?" I asked him. His eyes furrowed hearing my sudden formality.

"You really moved on..." He said softly. I scoffed, and looked back at him.

"What do you expect me to do? Wallow for 5 years, and ask myself again and again where did I go wrong? Ask myself if I was not enough?" Tears started to pour down on my cheeks. Why am I so weak?

"You left without any explanations. You left me there clueless and hanging. I thought...I thought you were going to fulfill your promise. I guess people are right. Boys are good with promising things, but in the end they will never fulfill it."

He was still silent.

"I...I'm sorry Ji Eun." He puts his hands on his face.

"Right as if that will remove all the pain you caused me." I said brushing my hair up.

"Please. Please Ji Eun let me explain. Please forgive me." Explain?

"Just leave me alone, Jihoon," I said and went to the gate to open it.

"Please Ji Eun. Please."

"What again?! Stop doing this! Please?! Everytime you say my name the pain comes back. So please... leave me alone." I was about to open the gate, but he spoke once again.

"I had no choice."

"I had no choice, so I decided to do the most painful thing I could get that time. Yeji told the media about us dating, and everyone won't stop talking about it. I told our CEO to put it down, but he couldn't stop it. The CEO of Yeji's entertainment contacted me, and told me to confirm the issue or else Yeji will lose her career because she spreads false information. I chose not to speak, but he kept on bugging my life. He talked to me the day before your mother's birthday. He told me that he will spread a false issue about me cheating on Yeji with you. He will expose you and your name. I couldn't risk that. One was enough. So I did what I had to do..."

I slowly turned around, and saw him silently crying and sobbing.

"I didn't expect seeing you again because I was trying my best not to see you, so that I won't mess up your life. But you came back in my life just a few hours ago. That made me ask myself. Am I going to let her go again? And If I do...will I regret it again?" He looks up, and his tears were still streaming down his cheeks.

"You..." I approached him, and looked into his eyes. Saddeness and regret. That's what he feels right now. Five years of pain. He felt that too. He was scared of making my life miserable five years ago, and he's still fears that until now.

"Jihoon-ah." I called him. He looks at me still sobbing and crying.

"Don't let me go. Don't make the choice you regretted five years ago."