WHEREVER /JJK

Chapter 12 - Caught in the Middle

A/N: Surprise! Two chapters today but it won't always be like this, haha. I always upload first thing in the morning but I will need to leave the house early tomorrow, so I'm uploading tomorrow's chapter now. I hope you are enjoying this fic and thank everyone for reaching this far. Thanks for the votes too. Feel free to comment and share your thoughts ok? Enjoy :)

Jeon

Jeon left ahead of the team early morning after he and Jia talked. He road the bus, trying to clear his head of Jia but without much success. He wanted to sleep on the way back but couldn't. He was feeling guilty, he wanted to be loyal to Hei-Won but also felt a responsibility toward Jia. This is full-on Kdrama shit, he thought ruefully.

Why am I in this situation? I lived a quiet life, I never fooled around. 

He arrived at his place still early. Taking a shower, he dressed up and drove to Hei-Won's place. He wanted to be honest with her, to tell her what happened. Maybe that would ease the guilt he felt, for feeling something for Jia last night. Hei-Won was the last person he would hurt.

"Kookie, aren't you supposed to be at your strat-plan?" Hei-Won asked, surprised when he walked into her place.

"I left early. I had to see you."

"You look on edge, did something happen?" She ran her hand through his hair, looking at him with a worried expression.

"Do you need to be anywhere, Hei-Won? Can we talk now?"

"Of course, we can. I was just going to visit eomma today."

"Let's visit her together, hm? I have something to tell you. Have you eaten breakfast?"

"No, and you probably haven't either. Let me prepare something."

"No, baby. Let's just get food delivered. "

"OK, why don't I just take a shower while you call for delivery? Calm down, after I get dressed, we'll talk."

---

"What's bothering you, Jungkookie?" 

"I hurt Jia with something I said last night."

"Why? What did you say?"

I think I need to start from the beginning and tell you what happened to us before I left New York."

He then told her about how he and Jia met, the kind of arrangement they agreed on after graduation, and why he left New York. Hei-Won just listened quietly, not making any comments for or against Jia. She was trying to understand the situation because she knew Jungkookie was confused.

"We talked last night. I saw Jia crying alone on the beach and I just wanted to comfort her, but..."

"Something happened?"

"Yes....wait, no.....what do you mean something happened?"

Hei-Won was trying to look brave but she was falling apart inside.

"Y-you got back together?"

"Baby, no...........I'm making things worse dammit. "He sighed heavily and tried to compose himself.

"We just talked. I told her about you and me, and I think I hurt her in the process. I feel terrible about it, but I wanted to be honest. She asked if we could go back to the kind of friendship we had then, but I said no."

"Why? What's wrong with still being friends with her?"

"Aren't you worried? Do you trust me that much?"

"There's a part of me that's scared because I think you're still affected by her. For your feelings to last this long, it must mean that what you felt for her were intense emotions. I know you'd never hurt me intentionally, but I can't go through life being scared everyday. "

"But-"

"Are you worried because you still feel something for her?" She said this gently, and it made it so difficult for him to answer.

"Look. I'm a big girl now. I think I can take it if you find out she's the one you really love. "

"Is it so easy for you to let go of me again? Just like last time?"

"You thought that was easy for me? I guess you don't know me that much after all. And you sell yourself short if you think I can get over you that easily. Even Jia turned her life around for you. Have you ever asked her why she relocated to Seoul?"

There were nights when he wondered about that. But her single-mindedness about prioritizing her career always dismissed the thought. But then, Jin also said Jia gave up three contract renewals because of the stringent demand of the clients on her personal life. 

"You won't lose me, Jagiya. Never. The worst that can happen is for you to realize your place is with her after all, and we can become just good friends. I won't be the villain here, I refuse to be one. I can give you up if it will make you happy with her."

"Why do I have to get caught in this situation? Why me?"

"Because you're an awesome person and we both see that. Jia has good taste in men."

"How can you joke about this?"

"I'm trying to lighten you up. I think you're over-reacting."

"Hei-Won, I'm trying my best to stay away from Jia. I don't want to give you anything to worry about."

"I appreciate the effort Kookie, but the more you deprive yourself of her company, the more you will miss her. I know you do this out of loyalty because I helped you get through a rough time. But I don't need you to make sacrifices for me. I want you to stay with me because you love me."

"I do." He reached for both her hands, pulling her to him. 

"I just don't want you to give her up only to regret it later."

"It's my choice, I will live with it. No regrets."

"I don't want you to resent me later."

"Stop thinking that. You'd do the same for me I'm sure."

"Jungkookie, you have no idea at all what I'm capable of doing, to prove that I do love you."

She put her arms around his shoulders and went on tiptoe to kiss him.

For a moment, Jia was forgotten.

---

Hei-Won had a secret, something she couldn't share with Jeon. She needed to talk to someone about it, and somehow, she knew that Jia was someone she can trust, someone who would listen. She also sensed that Jia would do anything for Jeon.

Two days after Jeon when to her place, she called Jia and asked for an appointment. Better to get this out of the way now before it was too late.