✓ NIGHT DRIVE ━ kim dongyoung

🌕 . . chapter twenty-one.

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❝ but time became better with you. ❞

✧ ೃ༄*ੈ✩

(( listen to doyoung's cover of
all about you for the best
experience ))

( november 09, 2022. )

going down the vehicle with heavy hearts sure was a struggle.

because the moment they stepped foot on the bare road, the brightness of the tunnel towards another life shone on them with enough power to change an individual completely.

the simple thought of it was terrifying.

"what do we do now?"

"do what you want," yangyang said. "make it worth it before you . . y'know. things."

"do we . . do we pull a manwol and chansung?"

"we should, i think?"

they moved into a very awkward yet sweet pose, but instead of taking it seriously, they laughed the energy off.

out of the blue, he commented, "you're so pretty."

"stop." raeil let out a laugh, pushing his hands away from her face for her to singlehandedly hold.

"we just spill our feelings?"

"i've always readied myself for this moment, and i've always wanted say so much. but now i . . i don't know. looking at you just made me . . . forget everything. i'm not complaining though."

". . . . should i leave then?"

he chuckled at her witty response.

"you know what's ironic? the fact that we call each other love and we haven't even told each other our 'i love you's. ridiculous, right?" doyoung added, "so i just wanna-"

but before he could finally say it for the first time, she interfered, "i love you."

"dammit, i was supposed to say it first."

"you don't have to say it because i already know you do."

by the sides, both grim reapers observed the couple in awe.

yangyang then looked to his side after hearing sniffles from his very cousin, his mellow expression turning into one of confusion. "are you crying?!"

"shut up, it's cute." xiaoxiao pushed him away. literally.

"i didn't exactly grow old with you like i planned to. i didn't get to marry you, nor did we have children-" there was a sudden yet short pause as he spoke, "not like we wanted children anyway.

"i didn't fulfill my promise of buying you a big house, or luxury cars, or nine cats. i know i've been a shitty boyfriend. i know you deserve more.... and i'm sorry. but i hope my love was enough for you, since it's the only thing i could actually give you. thank you for accepting that and not leaving me. i'll be much, much better next time."

from how sweet the words were, she didn't even realize how she shifted into a daydream with his voice as the focal point.

"my turn? fuck."

she swallowed up all her pride, trying to prevent the inner emotional meltdown from occurring. "you know, in you, i found my best friend, the person i trust the most, my pillar of strength, my soulmate, and the love of my life. it's all you. it's always been you. you're my everything."

"i don't cry a lot but you . . ." the girl couldn't anymore contain her composure after looking deeper into the features with more sentimentality. it was as if he himself caused a contagion. "oh my god, you."

"we'll come back for each other, yeah?"

"of course."

"let's not be dumbasses in our next lives."

"agree."

and during this very moment, there lingered the brightest smiles with painful tears.

"now come on, m'lady." although he remained shake, doyoung persisted to fulfill his 60s butler agenda, sticking a hand out for her to hold. with a bittersweet smile, she allowed their fingers to intertwine.

this was finally it.

the end of their first beginning.

closer..... and closer.

with a slight tiptoe to reach the range of his hearing as they walked closer to the light, raeil whispered, "i love you."

"yeah, i know," he spoke back, swinging their arms back and forth, "i love you more."

"no, i love you most!"

"i love you mostest!"

now, love? more specifically, true love? it's complex.

because no, true love isn't exactly smothering each other with love on every second of the day. it isn't being unable to be separated in certain events. it isn't babying each other as you filter out everything bad in the world alone. it isn't throwing out insincere 'i love you's just so your partner doesn't feel bad. no, it's something more.

true love is arguing over something petty, then knowing how to voluntarily smother each other with love a second after.

"i love you mostestester!"

true love is pushing away the thought of giving up only to laugh at the seemingly small hardships later in life, deeming them 'memories' you've built up during the process of maturing with each other.

"i love you more than that one k-pop boy."

and you see, true love is . . something to genuinely smile about. something to lift your spirits up.

"well, i love you more, but as you should."

true love makes you feel like you have everything.

"no matter how many lives i'll go through, i'll still love you the most."

and this? this is true love.

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