#there hadn't been less than a month since i posted “the shadow knight” and this one already took the place as my longest sl one-shot

[manawari]

Our story.

tagging— @julyarya @i-bring-crack @winter-1023 (you guys gear up cuz this is hecking LONG)

He was six, and so was she.

Jin-woo held his mother's warm hand tightly as he pressed himself against her side. In front of him was a woman and a little girl around his age, with short blonde hair above her shoulders and fair skin, which was complimented by the light blue shirt she wore and a jean skirt.

"Go on, Hae-in," the woman said to her daughter. "Say hi."

The girl, Hae-in, stepped forward and tucked her hands behind her. She dipped her head a little to not meet his gaze. "H— hi."

Jin-woo felt his mother nudge him gently. "What should you say, Jin-woo?" Kyung-hye asked.

"Hello." He said to her.

She looked up, flashing him a bright smile, and giggled.

Hae-in lived two houses away from his. Jin-woo would catch her passing by with her parents, bouncing as she held both of her parents' hands, and her smile was as broad as the daylight. And in some occasions, he'd find her walking by herself, which made him curious to know where she was going. Jin-woo hardly left the house unless he wanted to go with his family, so seeing someone around his age walking outside brought wonders to him.

And it all had to take was his father to push him into going outside whenever Hae-in was walking across. Ill-hwang had figured his son must've been seeing her, yet never had the courage to talk to her.

It was a success. Jin-woo managed to approach her without tripping over his feet. Turned out, Hae-in was heading to the convenience store to buy some food since her parents were away due to work, so she had to rely on herself to get through the day until they were home.

Jin-woo was astounded. Hae-in, a six year old like him, buying her own food? Neither he nor his sister could even imagine if their mother had not left some food for them.

He ended up accompanying her.

"Why didn't your parents leave some food for you? In that way, you won't have to go out." Jin-woo told her as they went past the shelves.

"My mom said they are too busy to cook food. But they already taught me how to do chores." Hae-in replied and took a pack of ramen from the upper shelve on her toes. "What about you?"

"My dad works as a firefighter!" Jin-woo answered, albeit boastfully. He had always admired his father that he would proudly declare it if he was asked. "Although my mom stays at home, she sometimes go out for errands. She doesn't want to leave me and Jin-ah alone."

Hae-in chuckled. "Wow, I'm quite jealous! Mom focuses on her work because it's for my future. She knows how much I want to be an athlete one day."

"Athlete?"

"Yeah! The ones who run around very fast!" She said. "I want to be like them too."

Jin-woo chuckled and was about to reply when he noticed her grab another pack. He raised an eyebrow. "You are going to get two of those?"

"Yes, because the other one is for you," said Hae-in. "I hope you like seafood since that is the least I can do for you coming with me!"

He walked with her to her house and took off his shoes. Everything was too quiet for his own good, considering how Hae-in must've been spending days all by herself; he felt his heart squeeze at the thought — if he had approached her on those days where he found her walking alone, perhaps she wouldn't be as lonely as she was now. The entire house was clean, he wondered if Hae-in always maintained cleanliness or she hardly touched any corner, and Jin-woo had settled on the floor next to the table in front of the couch.

Meanwhile, Hae-in stood on a chair as she placed the pot and turned on the stove to let the water boil. She tore the two packs of seafood noodles and poured them into the heating water, stirring them with two metal chopsticks to soften the noddles. There were three containers stacked next to her in the counter, which must be containing other ingredients. So, Jin-woo got up and made his way toward her.

"Can I help?" He asked.

Hae-in turned over her shoulder and shook her head. "No. You are a guest here, so you must wait. I can handle this just fine!"

"Then, mind if I help wash the dishes with you?" Even though he didn't know how, Jin-woo thought he should start learning a thing or two. He was certain it would make his mother proud.

"Okay." Hae-in nodded with a smile.

They ate afterward. Hae-in had added several chopped shrimps and vegetables, her mother had cut them into small pieces fortunately, so all she did was to put them onto the food. And as promised, Jin-woo helped her clean the dishes as they both stood on top of their chairs, although all he did was rinse since Hae-in knew how to scrub the soap on the utensils.

"Thanks for everything, Jin-woo!" She said to him as she walked with him to the door.

I didn't even do a lot. Jin-woo thought to himself, then he looked around the house. "When are your parents coming home?"

"They'll be home by five."

Hae-in still had a few hours left of being alone. . . Part of Jin-woo wished he could stay longer, but he knew his parents would probably be worried if he chose to spent the rest of the afternoon with Hae-in. After all, his dad only told him to go talk to her and hang out for a bit.

Suddenly, an idea sparked in his head.

At dinner, the whole Sung family was gathered in the table where they indulged in the meal Kyung-hye had prepared. Jin-woo sat across his mother, who was helping Jin-ah with her food, and glanced at his father, who was fondly watching the two as he drew his spoon to his mouth. The oldest child, however, had left his food untouched as thoughts whirled in his mind.

"Can I play with Hae-in tomorrow?" Jin-woo asked.

All eyes were drawn to him in an instant. Kyung-hye let out a smile. "Of course. Her mother had told me she and her husband are busy at work that Hae-in was all by herself at home."

"Then. . . Are we going to have leftovers after this?"

"What are you going to do, son?" Ill-hwang asked him.

Jin-woo just smiled in return.

The next day, he went to Hae-in's house with a bag that carried two tupperwares he had asked his mother to help him prepare. He marched up on the stairs and knocked on the door, he took a step backward to wait for the door to open, but it wasn't long until it was opened by none other than Hae-in. She had her short hair into a ponytail and wore a shirt and a pair of pajamas while she held a broom; sweat beaded on her forehead and some had streamed down her cheeks.

He helped her clean the house.

By lunch, they shared the leftover Jin-woo had brought along. In that way, Hae-in wouldn't have to rush out to buy food. They watched movies in the TV after they had cleaned the dishes and chattered — they both realized how talkative they could get unlike the first time their mothers had introduced them to each other. Jin-woo would talk about the show he had been obsessed about, which was a show filled with shadow monsters and the armored general they went battles with, and Hae-in would just listen in intrigue.

Usually, he would feel bad for talking too much, but looking at Hae-in, Jin-woo felt carefree.

They would play outside of the house if they had gone bored being cooped under the roof. And in some days, Jin-woo would bring his sister along to meet Hae-in, and surprisingly, little Jin-ah was instantly fond of her. Being the only child, Hae-in had witnessed what was it like to have a sibling in shows, but after meeting Jin-ah, it felt like the idea had come to reality — the younger girl was more energetic than her brother and Hae-in wouldn't mind her company.

After a few weeks of being alone in the house until weekends, there was no doubt that Hae-in had been feeling lonely and only watched other kids from the window, not mustering the courage to ask them if she could join. But it wasn't until Jin-woo came and went along with her to the convenience store. Hae-in felt a gradual change since she began to hang out with the boy within her neighborhood; like her, he hardly left the house.

Hae-in soon had begun to spend more time in the Sung residence whenever her parents were out after Kyung-hye and Ill-Hwang expressed how welcome she was in their home. They had become a second family to her. They filled the missing gaps in her soul that she didn't realize they were there.

And, of course. . . There was Jin-woo. The two had gotten closer that nobody would think there was a way they could be separated. Even the entire neighborhood couldn't imagine them playing with other kids when they were much lively around each other.

Jin-woo didn't like to run for a long time as it always exhausted him. Hae-in liked to run, which was why she taught herself how to stretch. Jin-woo was good in maths. Hae-in was good in English. Jin-woo was not easily scared. Hae-in would flinch at a sudden sound. Jin-woo liked to play games in the internet cafe. Hae-in preferred to play in her phone.

These were the difference between them as their friendship extended throughout their growths. However, they didn't go to the same school since Hae-in studied in a private school while Jin-woo studied in public, the same school as his sister, but they would always hang out once they were home or their parents allowed them to help each other on homework.

It was quite tough for Jin-woo when his closest friend was in another school. His friends all lived in a different neighborhood than him, so he was left to go home by himself once they were done playing. Jin-ah had gone home two hours before him.

I'm starving. His stomach grumbled. Lucky for him, he was passing by a convenience store, and remembering he still got some allowance saved, Jin-woo decided to head inside.

Only to feel like someone had grabbed him by his backpack.

"Oh, look! It's Mr. Brilliant!" One of his classmates— er, bullies— smirked. These were the people Jin-woo tend to avoid, yet failed because they had been targeting him right from the start where the teacher had announced he got the highest test score in class.

They never stopped taunting him.

"Let me go!" Jin-woo glared as he pulled the kid's wrist off him.

Then, another kid placed an arm on his shoulder. The bully snickered at him. "Looks like you are buying snacks! Mind if we tag along? Papa sure gives you a lot money."

"Those are my savings!" Jin-woo exclaimed and raised his foot, but someone grabbed his arm to keep him from making any more move. "Let go!"

"Like hell we will~"

"On one condition first! Haha!"

"What are you going to do? Run to your mama and papa?"

"HEY!"

All of the boys steered their heads and saw Hae-in, whose face was burning with ire. Her hands were clenched into fists against her sides. Then, she began to stalk toward them and suddenly, chills ran down Jin-woo's spine.

"Let Jin-woo go!" She scowled.

The three boys spared a look at one another and burst into laughter.

"HAHAHAHA!"

"Who is she? His little friend?"

"This is none of your business, so run off, squirrel." The boy smirked. Hae-in's glare grew sharper. However, he was unfazed. "I don't know where you came from, so just— ow!"

Hae-in kicked him in the back of his leg and quickly grabbed Jin-woo by his arm to drag him away.

"She took Sung!"

"They are getting away!"

Jin-woo managed to catch up on her pace as they dashed across the street, getting away from the bullies as possible. Hae-in kept a firm grip around his wrist. And even though they had gotten farther, their legs couldn't surrender and just kept on running as though an army of monsters were chasing them.

In the end, they found themselves at the ice cream shop.

With Jin-woo's rumbling stomach, mixed with exhaustion, and so was Hae-in, they decided to treat themselves something cold and sweet. Their favorite. But, even with his hunger being satisfied, Jin-woo felt a huge hole inside of him, thinking back to the way his best friend had stood up for him, he felt so vulnerable.

It wasn't the first time Hae-in had defended him against the ones who were picking up on him. She was fierce and brave. She was not afraid to face others despite how bad they were. Unlike him. . . With a futile body and only had his brain to get through anything instead of brawn.

"Are you okay, Jin-woo? You've been silent ever since we sat down." Hae-in said to him.

Jin-woo frowned. After swallowing the chocolate ice cream in his mouth, his set his spoon into his cup and faced his best friend. "You are always the one who protects me, Hae-in. I will never stand a chance against bullies. . . I want to be strong!" He said. "I want to be the one who protects you this time!"

"Jin-woo. . . " Hae-in released a chuckle. "Don't make it into a burden. I'm just doing what I do as your friend, right? Besides, you always help me out with my studies."

"But still," he pouted. "You've been standing up for me, so I want to do the same. I hate being weak."

"Who says you are weak?" Hae-in raised a brow. "Remember when you climbed a tree to get your sister's balloon? That's actually brave of you!"

Jin-woo rolled his eyes. "But I never done something for you. Maybe if I can get strong enough, I'll deal with bullies myself and then—"

"You talk too much." Hae-in cut him off and leaned forward to grab a spoonful of chocolate ice cream from his cup in one sweep.

"Hey! That's mine!"

She pulled out her spoon out of her mouth and smirked. "Not anymore!"

Jin-woo glared and leaned forward to do the same to her cup, but Hae-in dragged it away and poked her tongue at him.

. . . And just like that, all problems were forgotten, and what was left was two best friends making a fool out of each other while finishing their ice creams. It was almost as if nothing had changed between them right from the start. Hae-in would always be successful in cheering Jin-woo up, knowing which things to crack his face into a smile, and how to uplift his spirit.

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He was seventeen, and so was she.

The students walked out the campus, disintegrating into various groups as they headed to their own way. Jin-woo was walking with his small group of friends, he listened to them chatter and laugh about what happened in their classes, then they were thinking about eating tteokbokki before going home. They turned to him and asked if he was available.

Jin-woo opened his mouth to respond when he felt his phone vibrate against his pocket. It was Hae-in.

[ Hae-in (Pickaxe): the match is starting in a few minutes. Are you sure you are coming? ]

Pickaxe — the nickname he placed in her contact as the reminder of the weapon she used to win against him in the mobile game they had played.

"Shit!" Jin-woo couldn't help but curse. He promised her that he would come and watch the competition in the sport's festival of her school. He turned to his friends. "Sorry, guys, I had to go!"

"What? You can't bail us now, Sung!" Tae-woong whined.

"But I made a promise! Don't worry, I'll hang out with you guys next week."

"Next week is finals, dumbass."

Jin-woo sighed. "Maybe tomorrow— see you guys!"

With that, he sprinted across the street and held his hand up to the incoming bus to climb up into the vehicle in hasty steps. Meanwhile, his friends were left in shock. They knew Jin-woo was a man of word, so whatever promise he made, he must fulfill it even if it meant abandoning whatever responsibility he had. They were also aware of that pretty blondie whom he had been best friends with since he was a kid.

"He will never stop prioritizing his other friend, huh?" Tae-woong deadpanned.

Younggil shrugged his shoulders. "What can you say? Hyung talks about her a lot."

"Whatever. Let's move along and eat." Tae-woong intertwined his fingers on the back of his head and led the way. "I won't be surprised if I wake up the next day and they're dating each other."

One of his friends laughed. "You're just afraid that he will get a girlfriend before you!"

"Please, Jin-woo is an idiot when it comes to love," huffed Tae-woong. "I pity him with all my heart."

Jin-woo pushed through the crowd and squeezed against the people as much as he could until he reached the front where a couple of runners dashed past him. He quickly scanned the field, hoping to catch a glimpse of that passionate athlete among them. He got stuck in traffic, so he had no choice but to run all the way to the venue.

Finally, he saw her.

Hae-in, who had been jogging and exercising to maintain her athletic physique, was running ahead of her competitors. Her determination was strong on her face. Jin-woo began to cheer and shout for her even though he was not sure if she was going to hear it. Over the years, Hae-in had been first place, with a few second places, in all competitions she had participated, she had brought home medals that had become the diamonds in her parents' eyes.

Jin-woo had got into track and field in his school as well, yet never chose to be involved in competitions. He had only joined the sport since it gave additional grades for being a member of a club. And it also gave him a new habit to run with Hae-in during their weekend mornings. Hae-in helped him out and became his personal "coach".

He stood near the finishing line, therefore it gave him the clear opportunity to witness the winner. And as expected. . . Hae-in was the one who tore through the ribbon. The crowd went wild, but Jin-woo cheered for her name and waved his hand in the air to catch her attention. Hae-in met his gaze and her lips curved into a broad smile in the midst of her panting breaths.

Her smile had always been the brightest thing ever.

Hae-in was easier to smile than Jin-woo. She wouldn't hide her smile from anything that brought her joy. She was serious about the things she had put her heart into, namely her rising hall of fame in track and field, which was the reason why she always succeed. She never gave up.

[ Jin-woo (Shady Monarch): I'm at the entrance. ]

[ Hae-in (Pickaxe): okay! Wait for me there:) ]

Jin-woo stashed his phone into his pocket. People walked past him as they departed from the festival. He thought of treating her for a meal as a reward for the sweat she had poured herself into just to get to the finishing line. Then, he saw a bunch of girls heading to his direction.

"Hi~" the first one tucked her hair behind her ear. She giggled. "I've never seen you around. What are you doing here, handsome?"

"I'm waiting for someone." Jin-woo answered simply.

"Is that so? Well, the girls and I are wondering if you could join us. We are also meeting some boys as well, so—" the girl paused, noticing he was scrolling through his phone. "Uh, are you listening?"

No response.

"Don't leave us hanging! We can include your friend to our—"

"Jin-woo!"

Jin-woo raised his head and his eyes lit up and left his spot to make his way toward Hae-in, leaving the group of girls as though they did not exist. "Let's go?"

She nodded. "Yes, we should—"

"Oh, I didn't know the star athlete has a boyfriend," the girls walked up to the pair. Their eyes glinted in mischief. "Now I get why you are ignoring us."

Hae-in rolled her eyes. "He's not my boyfriend. He is my best friend."

"Really? In that case," a girl grabbed Jin-woo's arm. He widened his eyes at her. "He is single, right?"

Hae-in caught Jin-woo's helpless look. He was uncomfortable when someone he didn't know touched him so shamelessly. She sighed and stepped closer to the girl. "You should probably let him go. It's making him uneasy."

"She's right." Jin-woo pried the girl's hand off him. He cleared his throat to speak in a blunt tone. "And no, I will not go out with you."

His answer left the girl dropped her jaw in aghast and so did the rest of the group. Jin-woo and Hae-in took the chance to get away from them and left the campus by taking the bus. Right, growing up together meant helping each other out when one was in a terrible situation, and by terrible — having people ask them out on a date.

Jin-woo got to experience them the most. Sure enough, puberty had been too kind with him and blessed him with a fine physique and handsome features, which were enough to attract ladies. He made sure to stay away from them and not entertain them further since he was not into the topic of dating. He preferred to focus on graduating rather than be in a temporary relationship with someone.

Hae-in was the same. With her popularity in sports, male athletes had become enamored with her that Jin-woo heard her stories of guys pestering her. It always aggravated him to know how people kept breaking into her boundaries. He even punched a guy once when it happened right in front of him.

They both struggled and just covered it up with a joke. But, of course, there were times they got teased as lovers and had people, mostly Jin-woo's friends, ask them if they were in a relationship. The two would laugh it out and deny it since they were only best friends.

Jin-woo didn't think of Hae-in as anything else except she was the first and longest friendship he had ever had. And Hae-in shared the same sentiment. They knew each other better than anyone else and were most comfortable when around each other.

They would let their guard down around each other and become the safe place they needed.

. . . Especially when one of them were having the roughest time in life.

When Jin-woo had opened the door, he saw Hae-in, whose eyes were stained with tears and so did her cheeks. Before he could ask, she immediately rushed to his arms and buried her face against his shoulder, sobbing terribly. Jin-woo wrapped his arms around her and rubbed her back with his palm to try soothing her down, feeling his chest clench in pain at the state his best friend had gotten into.

"I need you, Jin-woo," Hae-in whispered and sobbed.

Jin-woo led her to the couch without letting her go from his arms. Jin-ah rubbed Hae-in's back while Kyung-hye placed a glass of water on the coffee table. Ill-hwang sat on the sofa and waited for the conversation, he could tell Hae-in must've ran from home since she couldn't handle the conflict under her roof.

"Hey? What happened?" Jin-woo gently asked her.

Hae-in swallowed and wiped her tears with the back of her hand. "M— my. . . My parents. They were fighting and decided to get a divorce."

"Oh, dear. . . I'm so sorry." Kyung-hye frowned. "I am sure none of it is your fault, so don't blame yourself."

"I'm trying not to." Hae-in murmured.

Jin-woo squeezed her arm. "Everything will be fine, Hae-in. It may take a long time, but I am always here. My family too."

She sniffled. "Thanks, Jin-woo."

"You can spend the night here, Hae-in, if you are not ready to go home." Ill-hwang suggested.

"Dad is right. You can't handle getting home in this state." Jin-woo agreed. "We can watch a movie with Jin-ah since we don't have school tomorrow."

"Yeah! I will make some snacks too." Jin-ah grinned.

Her brother flashed her a disapproving look. "Who says you can step into the kitchen already?"

Hae-in let out a chuckle and wiped her tears without moving away from Jin-woo's side. Kyung-hye decided that she would be the one in charge of the food to stop her two children from bickering and called Ill-hwang to assist her. It was the right decision for her to go to her best friend's house instead of lingering in hers, which was filled with angry shouts coming from both for her parents that reached to her bedroom.

Part of her wished she had a family as happy as Jin-woo's family. The kind of family where all problems would be solved without yelling. But— what would happen now? Could she handle spending her days with having only one parent?

Hae-in shook her head and saw the small smile in Jin-woo's face. It was as if he was telling her not to worry too much. She smiled back.

He was always there for her. . .

Like how she was there for him.

Hae-in was there when he injured himself. She was there when he was having a panic attack due to his mother being admitted to the hospital after fainting. She was there when he was having a hard time with school. She was there when he had lost confidence on himself. . .

They were inseparable and were there for each other in good and bad times.

But. . . How long could they be there for each other?

"Ah, Jin-woo! Are you looking for Hae-in?" The woman asked. "She's in her room."

"Thank you, Mrs. Cha." Jin-woo dipped his head in gratitude and made his way to the direction of her room.

The door was not locked, thankfully, so he first knocked on the door. "Hae-in? It's me. I got your message."

No response.

So, Jin-woo twisted the knob and pushed the door open. Her room had always been clean, as if nobody was occupying it, but it was empty — she wasn't here. The window was open though. Jin-woo made his way toward it and peered his head to the outside and looked up. There she was.

He climbed up and walked across the roof and sat down beside her. The wind was chilly, so it was fortunate that he wore his black hoodie, and the night sky was incredibly vast above them. He turned to Hae-in, who wore an oversized brown sweater over her blue long-sleeved shirt and a pair of white sweatpants.

She caught his eyes and her lips tugged into a smile. "Watch the stars with me? They're beautiful tonight."

Jin-woo flickered his gaze to the sky, specked with countless of stars. He smiled softly. "They are."

"I wish I can stay like this forever, you know? Looking at the stars without thinking about a single problem. . . Everything is so at peace." Hae-in inhaled the gentle, cold air. "Don't you think the same thing, Jin-woo?"

He nodded. "You are right. The night has always been beautiful."

"I probably won't see anything like this. . . " Hae-in murmured. "Because I will be leaving the country."

Jin-woo had never turned his head so fast that he could snap his own neck. "You— what?"

"I am." Hae-in nodded without looking at him. She tucked her knees close to her chest. "A week after my parents were officially separated, my mom met someone from America and decided to move there."

"But we still haven't graduated from school. . . "

"Exactly. But my mom already had everything prepared. I will be spending my college years there too." After a sigh, Hae-in looked at him and smiled, her eyes beginning to glimmer like the stars. "You'll miss me, won't you?"

Jin-woo held back his tears. "Of— of course! What kind of best friend am I if I am not going to miss you?"

"Good to know." Hae-in chuckled. "Do you. . . Do you think everything will change between us, Jin-woo? I'm— I'm scared. What if there will be a day where we—"

"Hey! Nothing is going to change between us. I will still be the Jin-woo you know." He told her. "And you are still the Hae-in I know. Distance means nothing, alright?"

A single tear slid down her cheek. "I don't wanna go."

Me neither. Jin-woo wished he could say the words in his mind right now, but he knew they wouldn't be helpful in the situation. He would only bring Hae-in's spirit down. She needed to do this. She must go with the only family she had left.

He wrapped her into his arms. Even if this might be their last moment, Jin-woo wanted to hold his best friend, protect her from everything, for the last time. He couldn't imagine what his days would be — void of the person who had been in his life ever since he was a kid. They grew up together. They spent so many memories together that they were still not enough.

Hae-in's embrace was firm and strong, almost enough to crush someone. But Jin-woo was used to it. When Hae-in hugs, she was hugging with all her heart, and all words that were left unspoken were there. In their situation, she didn't want to let go, and neither did Jin-woo, she wanted to live her life with the ones she dearly loved close.

"Can you keep a promise?" She murmured. "A promise that you'll come meet me once I return?"

"Of course," he said within a heartbeat, "I promise that I will definitely meet you again."

Two best friends, made a promise under hundreds of stars. That no matter how long their distance was going to be, they would always meet each other, never let their memories together be buried.

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Communication with someone who was thousands of miles away was hard. They tried to reach out to each other as much as they could. But the lines could not meet. It was painful that at one point. . . They just stopped trying. They let their chances dwindle into the air like ashes and could only grasp onto the promise they had made to each other.

Several years marched on, they lived their lives without the knowledge of what the other was doing.

Jin-woo had turned twenty-five.

. . . And so did Hae-in.

After years of living in America, Hae-in was finally given the opportunity to fly to South Korea, her true home. Antares, her stepfather, had already prepared a car that would be awaiting for her arrival in the airport to bring her to the hotel he had accommodated for her.

Her new life wasn't as bad as she thought. Antares was a rich businessman whom her mother had been working for and had been in love with each other. But the thought of their love story made Hae-in's stomach clench in disgust, realizing how easily her mother had given in to the divorce because she was already in love with someone else, so she chose not to think about it and respected Antares as her stepfather.

Antares was actually gentle toward her, unlike in his job where he was strict and known for having a burning temper, though he had never done anything wrong or even laid a hand, so it was difficult for Hae-in to dislike him. He helped her and supported her throughout their years together.

"Are you settled in your room now?"

Hae-in sighed. "I just arrived in the building, dad."

"Okay, that's good. Don't forget to rest as you still have a jet lag from the flight."

"I know."

"I will tell your mother that you have arrived in South Korea. Oh, and—" Antares paused. It took a minute for him to return to the call. "Right. Your Aunt Esha came and told me to remind you to wear the clothes she bought for you."

"Fine. . . "

"Stay safe, Hae-in."

The call ended and the limo stopped in front of the entrance. Hae-in opened the door and snuck out whilst two employees came to bring her luggages out of the back of the car. When she stepped into the building, she was instantly greeted by a familiar face whom she met in college. His glasses glistened under the bright lights and his red hair was parted above his left eyebrow, standing tall and professional in his brown and black suit.

"Look who arrived!" He grinned at her.

"Jong-in." Hae-in smiled in spite of her slacking state. "Have you been waiting long for me?"

"Yes, I have been standing here all night just for you!" Jong-in said, then he flashed her a look. "No, it was your stepdad who told me to wait for you after you had left the airport."

Hae-in laughed. "Well, I should get some rest. See you la— KYA!"

"Surprise!" Someone wrapped their arms around her from behind.

Ah yes, she knew that voice all too well. . . Esil Radiru. One of her closest friends in school and had a soul full of sunshine despite her style of black, gold, and purple. Even so that she had dyed her hair purple since she was young.

"Esil! Since when did you get here?" Hae-in asked. Her jet lag seemed to wear off because of her lively friend.

"I'm just right behind you, duh!" Esil giggled.

Meanwhile, Jong-in sighed and nudged his glasses. "You two should keep it down. I don't want to face the hotel manager because of the ruckus."

The two girls laughed and made their way to the elevator, followed by the hotel employees who were carrying their belongings. They parted ways when they reached their designated floor and the first thing Hae-in did when she entered the room was to drop herself on the bed.

She was in South Korea. . . Home at last.

She missed the weather, the cold season, the streets, the food, the fresh air, the parks, the blossoms, and— her friends.

People whom she was forced to leave behind, but. . . She was here now. Could they still remember her? Hae-in had stopped communicating with any of them due to the timing conflicts and schedules. She took out her phone and scrolled through the numbers which she kept over the years with the hopes of being able to get in touch with them.

She called the first contact.

"CHA HAE-IN?!" It was Lee Ju-hee, one of her closest friends in high school

Hae-in had to move her phone away due to the voice. She laughed. "Yes, it's me."

"Oh my God!! When did you arrive?" Ju-hee asked. "How are you? How was America? Did you become an athlete there too?"

"Easy with the questions!" Hae-in said. "Yes, I arrived just a few moments ago. I've been doing great, most especially now that I still managed to contact you in spite of all these years."

"Of course! I had your number saved no matter what because I knew you'd be going back just like what you said." Ju-hee's smile was evident in her tone that Hae-in could picture it in front of her eyes. "And, it's perfect that you're back! We are having a reunion party and I was hoping that you could come."

Hae-in shifted to the other side of the mattress. "Of course, I will. Where is the party located?"

"At Hotel SSS."

Hae-in suddenly sprung upward. "That's where I am staying!"

Her friend gasped. "Really? OMG!"

Sleep forgotten, the two girls spent the next few hours chatting with each other, catching up on the days Hae-in had missed since she was living in the other side of the globe. Ju-hee was one of her closest friends in high school, along with others that Hae-in was yet to meet again, and she was also now a professional nurse in one of the country's best hospitals.

It was amazing how one of her dearest friends had become successful in life. Hae-in could only wonder what would it be for the rest once she crossed path with them again. After ending the call, she realized she got five hours left to prepare, so lucky for her, Esil was around and she was the only one who could help her.

Hae-in brought out a luggage, which was filled with lavish clothes purchased by Querehsha, Antares' adopted sister, the day before her flight. It took several tries of the clothes before Hae-in chose the right one — she didn't wish to stand out just because she came from another country.

The attire had hugged her figure comfortably. It was a black blouse that showed her shoulder blades, matched with a pair of soft trousers and a golden belt around her waist to accentuate the look; her feet was adorned with brown sandals and her wrist had a silver bracelet that was the same color as her dangling earrings. Her makeup was light and her lips were coated in soft pink to blend in her skin tone.

She was both anxious and thrilled. What would others think of her? Would they still see her as the same Hae-in they had last seen? Hae-in didn't want to make it look like she had changed. She hoped they wouldn't view her as a stranger, and she hoped their reaction would be the same as Ju-hee's.

When the time hit eight o' five, she felt she was ready.

Jong-in and Esil were with her since Ju-hee said it was alright to tag other people along since she would also be bringing along some people to the event. Hae-in wanted to introduce her two friends to her other friends because she thought they deserved to know the ones who had kept her company.

There were already a lot of people in the event when they had arrived in the top floor. Many familiar faces were seen, yet Hae-in only aimed to meet the ones she had dearly missed. It didn't take long for her to find them, they were gathered next to the table that featured desserts as they chattered.

"Ju-hee!" She called out.

Ju-hee turned around and instantly stretched her lips into a broad smile. Her ginger hair was made into a half-ponytail and loose waves down to her waistline. She wore a beautiful green dress that traveled below her knees. "Hae-in!"

The two girls rushed to each other for an embrace, squeezing each other tightly to express how long they had been longing to reunite, then they pulled away. Ju-hee looked over her shoulder and waved her hand. "Guys! She's here!"

Baek Yoon-ho was the next one to greet her. "Hae-in! It's been so long since the last time I'd seen you in school."

"Likewise, Yoon-ho," chuckled Hae-in. She gestured to her two friends. "These are Choi Jong-in and Esil Radiru. They are my friends when I was studying in America."

"Hello! Hae-in told me so much about you all!" Esil smiled with a light bounce in her grey dress.

On the other hand, Jong-in just dipped his head and placed his hand to his chest. "Pleased to meet you."

Yoon-ho huffed. "I didn't know you are friends with royalty, Hae-in."

"For your information, I was raised in a high class family, which is why I have manners." Jong-in told him with a subtle glare.

"You sure don't know how to take compliments, Mr. Choi."

Hae-in rolled her eyes at the two and found another face in their circle. "Byung-gyu! I didn't think you'd be here too!"

"Ju-hee forced me to tag along." Byung-gyu shrugged.

"You two know each other?" Hae-in raised an eyebrow.

"Well, yes. Technically, we are— ow!" Byung-gyu winced when Ju-hee had hit him on the side with her elbow. "What was that for?!"

"I told you I am going to be the one to announce it and you'll announce the other thing!" Ju-hee said. She turned to Hae-in, who was still looking at them in confusion. "Byung-gyu and I are dating. We met in college and thanks to having similar friends, we hit off."

"That's great to hear! I wish you happiness in your relationship." Hae-in smiled.

"Gee. . . You hadn't changed at all." Byung-gyu chuckled. "How did you manage being the same person? Usually, people who hadn't seen each other for a long time will notice major differences."

"I guess that was my goal when I was in the states," Hae-in shrugged. "Mom did say I changed quite a bit, but I didn't mind it too much."

Byung-gyu smiled. "That's good."

"And what is the other thing that you are going to announce, Byung-gyu?" Hae-in asked.

Ju-hee smiled at her boyfriend with an anticipating smile. Byung-gyu rubbed the back of his neck and opened his mouth to speak.

In an instant, Hae-in felt her heart race.

Jin-woo rinsed his hands with the running water and switched the faucet off. He faced his reflection in the mirror and lightly ran his fingers through his hair and fixed his fringes on his forehead, making sure they hadn't left their arrangement. Once he was satisfied, he made his way out of the comfort room and returned to the party to go to his friends.

Tae-gyu was the one who saw him and flashed his signature smirk. There were Jin-ho, Byung-gyu, Yoon-ho, Ju-hee, Hee-jin, and two other people he did not know. He was sure he hadn't seen them either when he was standing amongst the crowd.

He did not understand the point of these events — these were just people showing off how far they had come in life. And since he didn't had one, Byung-gyu dragged him and Tae-gyu because his girlfriend had told him to go. Jin-woo didn't understand how he managed to give into his friend's wishes, and yet, he was here.

But at least it was his excuse to skip his shift in the precinct.

"Hyung! Where did you go?" Jin-ho asked him.

"I just went to the washroom." Jin-woo said. "Did I miss something?"

"Oh, you missed big time!" Tae-gyu placed his hand on his friend's shoulder. "Before anything else, I'd like to introduce you to our guests — Choi Jong-in and Esil Radis."

"It's— Radiru." The purple-haired girl held her index finger.

"You must be Sung Jin-woo." The one with glasses and a maroon suit, Jong-in, spoke.

"The one and only!" Jin-ho chimed in with a toothy grin

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Choi." Jin-woo nodded.

Jong-in grinned in return.

"Wait— are you Jin-woo?" The girl next to him piped up.

"You just heard his name, Esil." Jong-in sighed.

Esil suddenly appeared in front of him and covered her hands on her mouth to let out a gasp. Jin-woo blinked. "Yes?"

"This is so amazing! I finally got to meet the guy Hae-in tells me a lot about!" Esil squealed.

Jin-woo blinked again. But as the words dawned on him, his eyes widened. "Hold on. . . Hae-in is here?!"

"She just got here after you had gone to the washroom." Ju-hee said. "She went outside to get some fresh air, I think."

"Maybe she's just too nervous." Hee-jin giggled. "I can see how her expression changed when Byung-gyu told her about you."

"I'll have to excuse myself, guys," Jin-woo declared.

"Don't worry about us. Go and see Hae-in! Just don't take too long, otherwise we might be speculating interesting things." Tae-gyu wiggled his eyebrows.

He sent him a death glare. "Shut up."

Jin-woo went to the terrace and a breeze swayed his dark blue necktie past his chest. There were less people around here than in the inside, partly due to the frigid atmosphere. He walked around and scanned his surroundings. He wasn't sure if he'd be able to point which one was Hae-in. But Ju-hee said she was here, therefore she could be just around the corner or at the edge to see the city below.

For the first time ever, Jin-woo felt his heart race.

It wasn't the thrill of capturing criminals, and no, it wasn't the thrill of catching up to his favorite episodes either. It was the thrill of meeting the person he had been waiting to come back. She left when they were seventeen, gone for eight years, came back when they were twenty-five.

What should he say to her? Hello? Hi? Jin-woo needed to calm himself down. . .

By the time he got back to his reality, he found her. She had her back facing him while she had her attention to the vast world. Jin-woo had a pounding feeling that it was her, it was the short blonde hair that he knew all his life, so it must be her.

Jin-woo opened his mouth, and then closed it, every word etched in his mind had faded away. He extended his head as if to reach out to her. And finally, his voice came in a whisper like the subtle wind.

"Hae-in."

The world came into a pause. . .

Their eyes met. Memories crashed like waves kissing the sand. Jin-woo had never felt so surreal. . . And just then, a body was pressed to his own and a sweet scent of strawberries wafted in his nose in tresses of gold. Her arms were around his neck — and it all had to take was his arms to envelope her waist to cause his heart to do somersaults.

"You are here." God, her voice sounded like the first drop of blossom would be.

Jin-woo sighed through his nose. "You came back."

"You—" Hae-in failed to hold back her own laugh after she untangled herself from him. "Idiot!"

"What did I do?" Jin-woo looked at her in confusion.

Hae-in smiled widely. "Nothing. I just missed you so much, Jin-woo!"

"I missed you too, Hae-in." Jin-woo chuckled. Much more.

"You look like you're still the same boy I last saw." Hae-in said. "How is it going, Jin-woo?"

"I. . . " Great, he was loss of words again.

She frowned. "Are you okay? Aren't you the one who said that distance means nothing?"

"No, I mean— yes! I—" Jin-woo sighed and scratched the back of his neck. "I'm sorry, Hae-in. I guess I am just too surprised to see you again after almost a decade."

"It's all right. I feel quite the same." Hae-in smiled softly. "If you want, we can sit somewhere and talk."

"That'll be great." Jin-woo smiled back.

They found an empty bench and sat next to each other. The only problem was that there was a few inches of distance between them. At first, they were silent rather than talking in the way they were supposed to. Jin-woo couldn't help but feel frustrated at himself, remembering all those words he had said to her that night, he told her that nothing would change. They were still best friends.

"It's nice to be back in Seoul. I missed this place a lot and never spent a day without thinking about it." Hae-in began. "For the first time in eight years, I felt freedom and at home."

"Well, you made a lot of memories here. And I'm sure you made new ones in America too." Jin-woo said.

"Yeah, but it isn't the same as here. I had a hard time adjusting to everything, especially when you're the stepdaughter of a powerful businessman, but. . . I got through it. I stuck close with Esil and Jong-in." Hae-in said

"That's nice to hear."

"What about you? How have you been in these eight whole years?" She turned to him, her earrings swaying in the light breeze as her hair.

Jin-woo sighed. There had been a lot of things that had happened to him. . . He got through high school with his friends, got a job as a detective, helped his sister with her college fees, witnessed Jin-ah graduate, supported his father when it came to finance, and many others that he lost count of.

To be frank, he had not realized how far he had come. Until now.

"I became a detective." He answered.

"Wow, that is amazing. I remember you once mentioning it, though I can't recall the exact day." Hae-in pondered.

Jin-woo chuckled. "It's been many years, so no need to pressure yourself into remembering it. We start to forget many things as we grow older."

"Indeed." Hae-in concurred. "So. . . Byung-gyu and Ju-hee are dating. What about you? Any particular girl?"

"You won't actually believe if I tell you." Jin-woo snickered. "No, I am not dating anyone."

"What? But you're twenty-five! And look at yourself, I'm sure a lot of women must be swooning over you."

"I just don't have the time."

"You said the same thing even when we were in school." Hae-in huffed.

Jin-woo rolled his eyes. "In that case, let me ask you the same thing. Are you involved with some handsome guy in America?"

"Nope!" Hae-in said, popping the 'p'. "I don't find any suitable guy. Sure, most of them are nice, but I just couldn't see myself getting involved with them in any other way."

"Seems like we are still in the same page after all." Jin-woo grinned.

They talked some more after that. There were little bits of laughter, some teases, some smiles, and subtle glances to remind themselves that this wasn't a dream. Hae-in still looked the same, but as Jin-woo looked closely, she had somehow matured while having that youthful glint radiating from her. She was still as bright and sweet as before.

They eventually stopped when they realized they had left their friends inside and were probably wondering what was taking them so long. So, they got up from the bench and Hae-in suddenly shivered in the wind, Jin-woo peeled off his dark blue blazer to drape it over her shoulders. She smiled at him in return. Jin-woo felt at ease, which he remembered the day he wrapped a towel around Hae-in's body after she was soaked in the rain.

He didn't know how long he had spent talking with Hae-in until he noticed there were some people who were heading to the exit. It seemed the party was over. But his friends were still around though, chattering with Hae-in's new friends.

"There you two are! Geez, have you forgotten about the time?" Yoon-ho said.

"I told you, hyung, they are having a very special moment in their lives!" Tae-gyu said. "How are you feeling, Jin-woo?"

"Good." Jin-woo nodded.

"What about you, Hae-in? You look like you're getting tired." Hee-jin remarked.

"Oh, well, I haven't got some shut-eye since I came to the hotel." Hae-in chuckled. "I think I should head back even though I badly want to catch up with you all."

"Don't worry about it! We can set a date to hang out again." Ju-hee smiled at her in reassurance.

"Thank you, Ju-hee," Hae-in smiled back. She took off the blazer from her shoulders and handed it back to its owner. "Thanks for lending me this, Jin-woo."

"It's alright. Just get some rest." Jin-woo said, taking back his jacket.

Hae-in nodded her head at him and left with Jong-in and Esil out of the hall. Jin-woo watched her departing figure, his mind replayed the time they had spent together in the terrace — the first time they had been around each other in many years. His emotions when he saw the cab drove her away came clashing like it happened yesterday.

"What are you going to do next, hyung-nim?" Jin-ho went to his side.

"What do you mean by that, Jin-ho?"

"Well, since Hae-in is back, surely you have other plans, right?"

Jin-woo looked at his friend with an odd look. "What plans?"

"God, have you lost your braincells during your talk with Ms. Cha? Your childhood best friend is here, so how are you going to hang out with her?" Tae-gyu elaborated. "Besides, we don't know how long she is going to be in Korea."

Oh. It finally dawned on him. Hae-in did mention to him that she had been trying to convince her mother and stepfather to let her go back to South Korea, and only did when she had managed to proved herself enough that she could take care of herself. But she did not mention him how long she would stay. Or even Jin-woo had asked her to. He was too caught up that he had forgotten about such a thing.

He pressed his lips together. "I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?"

"It's been several years, Tae-gyu. How many days she had left before going back again?"

Tae-gyu sighed then rubbed his friend's shoulder. "Admit it, Jin-woo. You are just afraid to see her go away again."

Maybe I do, maybe I might. Jin-woo bit his cheek. "You know what? Let's just go. We still have a shift with Jin-chul tomorrow morning and we can't have him chop our heads off, can we?"

"Right." Tae-gyu chuckled. He turned to the rest. "Hey! Jin-woo wants to go home. Anybody wants to ride with him?"

Jin-woo's eyebrows shot up. "What?!"

"Me!"

"Oh! Can you drop me off at the bookstore?"

"Wait for me, hyung!"

Sigh. . . Jin-woo scratched the side of his hair.

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"Ahhhh!!!!" Esil squealed as she rolled around the bed. She pressed a pillow close to her chest. "Hae-in! You never told me how handsome Jin-woo is!"

"Is that even necessary?" Hae-in said, scrubbing her hair with her towel.

"Oh, come on~ you gotta miss seeing his face!"

She chuckled. "Maybe I do. But it's not like I'm going to babble how good he looks. I don't need words to prove it."

"Ha! So you do agree he's handsome!" Esil pointed her finger at her friend.

"Shut up." Hae-in rolled her eyes. Deep inside, it felt breathtaking to see his face again. That timid boy she had met and grew up with had grown into a man. If anything, she felt as though she was seeing a different person, learning how he had been throughout these years. . . It pierced her heart.

Esil cleared her throat to get her attention. "Are you two going to hang out?"

"I'm not sure, Esil. Jin-woo seems pretty busy with work and I don't want to disturb him into hanging out with me." Hae-in told her.

"But he's your best friend! You haven't seen each other for a long time."

"We're adults now. Not high schoolers. But, I do hope that we'd get some time together just like we used to."

Esil sighed and flipped to her back, placing the pillow on her stomach. "You know, when you two came inside, you look cute together. Are you sure Jin-woo doesn't have a crush on you or you crushing on him?"

"Pfft— me and Jin-woo? No!" Hae-in huffed. "I was gone from his life for eight years, that's impossible."

"But, if you hadn't left, do you think there is a possibility?"

Hae-in fell silent. She continued to scrub her hair with her towel and headed to the bathroom to drape it over the rack then walked back to her room where Esil was patiently waiting for her answer. But instead, she sat on the edge of her bed, letting the mattress dip on her weight, and plopped down.

"I don't know either." She said.

Not once she had thought of herself and Jin-woo being more than friends. Surely, he felt the same way. And yes, Jin-woo was indeed an attractive man in both inside and outside, he could sweep a woman off her feet just by his gaze. But Hae-in had never pictured herself being that "woman".

Besides, Jin-woo would find himself falling for someone else sooner or later.

And Hae-in? She had no hopes for a love life on her own. Her life in America had proved it, and with her status as the stepdaughter of Antares, businessman would come to her and offer her hand in marriage to their sons. That was also the reason she used to persuade her family into allowing her to get flight tickets.

She needed to get away.

After getting a sufficient sleep, Hae-in woke up to a message from Ju-hee, inviting her for lunch. She immediately got up and spent her breakfast with her two friends, Hae-in offered them to come with her, but they declined — Jong-in had a meeting with someone and Esil wanted to see the blossoms. A few moments later, Hae-in left the hotel and went on a cab to bring her to her desired location.

Ju-hee greeted her, along with Hee-jin, Byung-gyu, Yoon-ho, and Tae-gyu, who was wearing a detective uniform with an I.D lace. Hae-in waved her hand at them. However, she noticed there was someone missing in the table. A small part of her crushed, but she didn't want to ruin the mood when she could be with her friends once again.

Like she said, he was busy with his work.

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"You're back early."

Jin-woo looked up from his computer. "Oh, hey!"

Jin-chul rolled his eyes and took a sip on his coffee. "I am surprised Lim Tae-gyu isn't around. The two of you usually return in the office together."

"Well. . . He went off to spend lunch with some of our friends."

"Then why didn't you go?"

"I have some work to do."

"Work? Don't make me laugh, Sung," scoffed Jin-chul. "Since when do you get back to office work so fast? The only time you get motivated is when it's time to chase criminals."

"Ha ha." Jin-woo rolled his eyes. He grabbed a paper from the stack next to him and scrolled down the screen.

"Oh, I heard your childhood friend came back from another country. Are you going to leave work early?"

"I'm not sure." Jin-woo said.

His senior raised an eyebrow. "Why are you not sure? Or maybe you just don't want to?"

Jin-woo stopped moving the mouse.

"Gotcha." Jin-chul let out a grin and took another sip. "A piece of advice, don't hold yourself back because of whatever fear you have. And don't make excuses either. Think about what she feels and do something about it before it's too late."

He walked away after that, leaving Jin-woo in his pool of thoughts.

No, he had a great time when he got reunited with her. All his emotions were true. Sure, he hadn't seen her for so long that he forgot to act normally, but that could've been just one thing. Jin-woo needed to register his emotions before he do something foolish.

He waited for her every day.

When they stopped keeping in touch, Jin-woo still checked his phone. He held on the hope of her coming back no matter how long it would be. If he could, he'd rather keep her in his arms and—

Jin-woo shook his head and concentrated on his work before Jin-chul catches him and says something else. Then, he heard his phone let out a ding.

[ Jin-ah (gremlin): big brother! Can you buy some chicken? Mom's tired from cleaning the house and dad isn't home yet. ]

[ Jin-woo (Psycho Brother): you got a job now. You do it. ]

[ Jin-ah (Gremlin): pleaseee!!!!! JUST THIS ONCE! ]

[ Jin-ah (Gremlin): *sends a bowing gif* ]

Jin-woo sighed.

[ Jin-woo (Psycho Brother): fine. ]

And so, after ending his shift, Jin-woo grabbed his bag and jacket off his chair and bid farewell to his co-workers. He got into his car and drove to the restaurant that served roasted chicken in takeouts. The cashier flashed him a sweet smile in the entire time, yet he chose to patiently waited for his order to arrive.

After his order came, with the chicken being served in a container inside of a plastic bag, Jin-woo took it and made his way out of the restaurant. His car was parked right in front of the place, he took his keys from his pocket when somebody suddenly bumped into him, causing the keys to slip out of his fingers.

"I'm so sorry! I wasn't looking properly in my path!"

As soon as he retrieved his keys from the ground. Jin-woo looked to his right side and his eyes suddenly stretched wide. "Hae-in?"

"Jin-woo!" Hae-in parted her mouth in surprise. She cleared her throat. "It's— it's nice to see you here."

"Same here." Jin-woo nodded his head. He bit his cheek and looked at the bag he was holding. "Uh, do you want to come with me? My sister asked me to buy dinner and since you're here— you should meet them."

She blinked. "Really?"

"Of course. They missed you too, you know?" The corner of his mouth twitched into a grin.

Hae-in smiled and accepted his offer.

The car ride was quiet, almost awkward for his own good. Jin-woo kept throwing furtive glances at Hae-in, who was looking through the window, and not even the music from the radio made a big help. His fingers curled around the steering wheel as he contemplated which sentence to say.

"So. . . You had lunch with the guys." He began.

"Yeah." Hae-in nodded.

"I'm sorry if I wasn't there. I had to finish some work, so I wouldn't have to overtime."

Hae-in's lips twitched into a smile. "I understand."

And just like that, the conversation died.

Was this the effect of an eight-year miscommunication? Everything was just so. . . Awkward.

Fortunately, after enduring another painful few minutes, they finally arrived at the house. Jin-woo pulled into the driveway and turned off the engines. He and Hae-in simultaneously got out of the vehicle and headed to the door; however, Jin-woo could sense her jittery, so he reached out and lightly squeezed her hand in reassurance. They got inside and took off their shoes whilst he handed her a pair of slippers to wear.

"Brother, is that you?" Jin-ah appeared. Right when her gaze found the family's unexpected visitor, she let out a gasp. "HAE-IN!"

Hae-in suddenly had Jin-ah's arms around her tightly. Her face broke into a broad grin. But with her arms trapped in the girl's embrace, she laughed. "I'm so glad to see you, Jin-ah! You've grown a lot. . . "

"I thought you are never coming back!" Jin-ah exclaimed as if she was close to tearing up. She looked at her brother and glowered at him. "Why didn't you tell me that she's here?!"

"Call it a surprise." Jin-woo shrugged plainly.

Ill-hwang and Kyung-hye soon appeared because of the ruckus, they too were elated upon seeing Hae-in in their home. They settled in the dinner table and spent the entire night talking to Hae-in, asking how she had been, and the smile in her face could lit up the entire world. Jin-woo almost lost focus on his meal as he was too occupied with glancing at the woman next to him, it was amusing how his family treated her the same way like before — his parents genuinely adored her and Jin-ah couldn't be happier with the girl who was like a sister to her.

Back then, Hae-in used to eat dinner with them if her parents were still not home. She would help around with the dishes and chatter along. Kyung-hye even let her help with cooking.

Jin-woo chuckled silently to himself. Everything was perfect.

Hae-in stayed longer after dinner to continue talking with Kyung-hye, Ill-hwang, and Jin-ah until Kyung-hye decided it was time for her to get some rest. As expected, Jin-woo would take her home. Jin-ah embraced Hae-in once more and told her to come more often; Hae-in caressed the younger girl's hair and nodded.

If the first car ride was filled with silence, the second one was filled with voices this time. Hae-in expressed how much she missed his family, Jin-woo laughed and gave her more details that she had missed. They joked around through the whole journey until they arrived in the hotel's vicinity, Jin-woo pivoted the wheel around to turn his car's direction to the front.

He walked his best friend to the entrance and stopped as he waited for her to go inside. However, she just stood next to him.

"Jin-woo." Hae-in spoke.

"Yes?"

"You're not. . . Avoiding me, are you?"

Jin-woo paused. The look on Hae-in's face was enough to crack his heart, the sadness and hopefulness whirling in her eyes, and the way she clutched on her bag's strap as if to brace herself. At first, he lowered his head and stashed his hands into his pockets, then he gazed up.

"No. Why would I be avoiding you?" He said.

Hae-in sighed, a small smile curving across her lips. "Nothing. I had a feeling, but I guess I'm just being too sensitive."

Jin-woo stepped closer to her, flashing her a wider smile than hers. "I'm still the same guy, you know?"

"Right. . . " Hae-in chuckled. She threw a glance at the door behind her. "Well, I should head inside. I'll see you soon?"

"Of course."

He watched her walk into the hotel after she waved her hand. Jin-woo's smile slowly subsided, her question repeated in his mind like an echo, his chest clenched at the expression on her face while saying those words.

I'm sorry. Came the unspoken words. I didn't mean to make you feel that way, Hae-in.

Many people, including his friends, looked up to him for being a very brave person. His job brought him into many situations that involved fighting with his bare hands and going against various weapons. But it all had to take was a very special person in his life to crack his armor. . . Jin-woo didn't know how he should face her once more days would begin to pass.

Before her return, he used to dream a lot of what would it be once he crossed paths with her again. But now that she did, it seemed his expectations turned upside down. The line between friendship and something else morphed into a blur. Jin-woo suddenly felt conflicted the more he contemplated deeper into his emotions— why am I feeling this way?

"Sung Jin-woo?"

He turned around and saw a tall man with red hair and a pair of glasses. It was the guy Hae-in had brought along with her in the party. "Oh, it's you— er, John."

"John?" The man widened his eyes in shock at his response. "God— it's Jong-in."

"Sorry." Jin-woo scratched his neck in abashed.

"I'll let this one slide." Jong-in sighed and nudged his glasses. "What are you doing here, Jin-woo? Did you come for Hae-in?"

"No, I just brought her here."

Jong-in nodded. "Then why are you still here? Shouldn't you be heading home now?"

"I am." Jin-woo said and began to make his way to his car, only then to feel a hand on his shoulder.

"You seem conflicted," said Jong-in.

"Not really. . . "

His lips curled into a smirk. "Don't fool me. I studied psychology before I take on business. So tell me. . . Are you feeling anything for my friend, Cha Hae-in?"

"Why do you people always think like that?" Jin-woo groaned and pried Jong-in's hand off his shoulder. He walked to his car and grabbed the door handle.

"She won't stay long in Korea, you know?"

His hand froze.

"Her stepdad only gave her the chance to fly just for her vacation. Sooner or later, she would be called to return to America." Jong-in continued. "Hae-in missed her friends a lot, which is why she plans to spend time with them as much as she can. So I suggest you should stop acting strange."

"Why are you talking like I have feelings for her?" Jin-woo grumbled.

"You don't?" Jong-in scoffed. "My, when Hae-in was telling me about you, I thought you are a rational person. But it seems my judgement has wronged me for the first time."

Jin-woo rolled his eyes and climbed into the driver's seat.

She won't stay long in Korea, you know?

His grip on the steering wheel and in frustration, Jin-woo pressed his forehead against it. He didn't want her to leave. . . He wanted her to stay. Living eight years without learning a single word from her had been a struggle, to the point he felt like it was killing him. He feared that if he spent time with her, the less time she would have left before leaving the country again.

Almost like Hae-in would be the one to break his heart.

"Don't leave me again." He whispered to himself.

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It had been a few weeks since she was back in Seoul. Antares or her mom would call her once in a while, and Hae-in happily answered their calls, telling them how great she had been doing with her friends. Esil and Jong-in also found themselves amongst her old friends, they would come along with her whenever everyone was up for lunch or dinner at a restaurant.

But there was always something missing. . . Jin-woo.

Sure, he would appear every now and then, but he wouldn't take long and leave because he had important things to do. Hae-in, being Hae-in, understood. But sometimes. . . She had enough.

Even their messages had fallen short.

She felt something had changed since the night Jin-woo had brought her back to the hotel. He was different. Strange even. Hae-in felt like he was avoiding her, Ju-hee tried to reassure her that he just liked to put his work first, but part of it didn't sit well with her.

It was night and everyone was gathered in the table. Two sets of stove were settled and a bunch of stripped meat sizzled on the pans. They laughed and chatter to one another in chorus; meanwhile, Hae-in was listening to Jin-ho's plan about setting his own company instead of following his father's footsteps.

"I was thinking if I should name it 'Beautiful World'." Jin-ho said. "What do you think?"

"Uh. . . How sure are you with that name, Jin-ho?" Hae-in asked and grabbed a pork with her chopsticks to put into her mouth. "Any other ideas?"

Jin-ho groaned and took a single chug on his drink. "You could've said it sounds cliche. I need to think of a better name so my father will—"

"Guys! It's Jin-woo!" Byung-gyu exclaimed. "He made it!"

Everyone turned their attention to the newly arrival and Tae-gyu patted on the empty spot, which was right next to Hae-in. However, Hae-in got up.

"I need to go." She said.

"I'll come with you." Esil piped up.

Hae-in held her hand up. "No, just stay here, Esil. I can go home by myself."

Esil nodded. "Okay."

"Hae-in?" Jin-woo looked at her.

"I'm tired, Jin-woo," Hae-in murmured and brushed past him.

"Wait!"

She walked faster to the exit.

She had enough. She had created many new memories with her friends, but not with Jin-woo. Hae-in hadn't gotten to hang out with him as she anticipated for a long time. Work here, busy that. He was really showing that he wanted nothing to do with her.

Hae-in truly lost her best friend.

Tears pierced into her eyes, but she clutched on her bag to stop them from flowing. She glanced forward and checked if there was any transportation vehicle heading to her way.

Then, she felt someone grab her hand.

Hae-in was about to yank it away, but the person kept it firm.

"Hae-in." It was Jin-woo.

She refused to meet his gaze. "What do you want? Shouldn't you be with them?"

"I know." He replied. "But. . . Can you go out with me tomorrow? I'll text you the location."

Hearing those words, Hae-in finally looked up to him.

"I will explain everything."

Everything? Did he mean the reason why he was acting all strange? But, what if he would leave her out of the blue?

No! She silenced her thoughts. Jin-woo was a man of his word, so if he said something like that, he meant it.

" . . . Okay." Hae-in accepted his offer.

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The following day came like a breeze. Esil squealed when Hae-in told her about where she was going and Jong-in just nodded his head, saying that Jin-woo better not mess everything up or else he'd burn his brain. Hae-in somehow couldn't quite understand what her friend meant, yet listened regardless.

She wasn't certain what she should feel once she went out to meet Jin-woo.

For the first time since she came back, not once she had hung out where it was just her and him. Like in the old days. But Jin-woo said he would explain everything to her. . . Could he be using his work as an excuse all this time?

Whatever the reason was, Hae-in deserved to hear what he was about to say. She endured her resentment toward him enough. Idiot, idiot, idiot! She'd scream through her mind every time he slipped into her thoughts.

"I hope you'll have a great time, Hae-in!" Esil smiled brightly from the doorframe. "I'm rooting for the both of you!"

Hae-in playfully rolled her eyes and wrapped her scarf around her neck. "What are you going to do tonight, Esil?"

"I'll just watch TV. Jong-in had left a while ago to meet up with Yoon-ho in the restaurant for a business offer."

He never rests from every opportunity he sees. Hae-in sighed and faced her friend fully. "How do I look?"

She had a blue coat over a black long-sleeved shirt, a brown skirt over her tights, a pair of sneakers, and a white scarf around her neck to protect herself from the cold atmosphere brought by the night. She was only meeting up with Jin-woo, her best friend, after all.

"You look so pretty." Esil smiled genuinely. "Like you are going on a date with Jin-woo."

Her heartbeat increased. Though, Hae-in elected to shake her head off it and spoke. "I'll be heading off now!"

She left the building and rushed across the street to reach for the cab that was about to drive past her if she hadn't summoned it quickly.

Jin-woo told her to meet him at the park. She hoped she wouldn't be late since he hadn't mentioned a specific time, he just said in the message to go to the location by night.

People littered the whole place, merging into small groups or in pairs. Several vendors stood at the corners to attract customers with the deliciously served food and other trinkets sold in cheap prices. Fairy lights stretched across the whole area, glimmering brightly beneath the dark vast sky.

Hae-in scanned through the crowd in search of that tall, dark-haired man who owed her an explanation for his foolishness. After a couple of moments of walking around like a lost puppy, she brought out her phone and began to text him.

[ Hae-in (Pickaxe): where are you? ]

Damn, she didn't realize her contact name was still the same.

"Hey!"

"AH!" Hae-in let out a yelp, causing her steps to lose balance. Luckily, his arm quickly snaked around her waist and she found herself pressed against him.

"Caught you." Jin-woo said.

Noticing the proximity between their faces, Hae-in's cheeks heated up then pushed herself away from him.

She cleared her throat. "I believe you owe me something, Sung."

"I know." Jin-woo let out a smile. "Walk with me?"

Hae-in noticed his outstretched hand and took it. He kept his grip firm, as if he wouldn't allow her to let go, yet it was warm like their embrace in the terrace. But she knew just because they finally had some time together didn't mean his actions from the past few weeks were covered up.

Looking at his face, it was as if Jin-woo was at peace.

But even as much as she liked to appreciate their moment, the resentment was still burning in her heart. Jin-woo better had a proper explanation, otherwise she just wasted her time coming here for him and got her hopes up.

"I know you're probably mad at me." Jin-woo began.

"You think so?" Hae-in failed to resist the urge to scoff.

Jin-woo ignored her tone and continued. "I've been wanting to hang out with you since the beginning, Hae-in. My senior even told me that I am free to leave as early as I'd like after getting tasks done, but then, I chose to be stubborn and let you feel like this."

"Whose fault was it? Have you ever thought of my emotions if you keep leaving out of the blue?" Hae-in said. "Did my departure really affected you so much, Jin-woo? Then, I'm sorry."

Jin-woo felt her hand slipping away from his grasp, but he kept their physical contact intact. "No. . . You did nothing wrong. I am. Which is why I am going to fix everything that needs to be fixed between us."

"Good luck with that. I'd like to see how you are going to make up for the times I dealt with the fear of us becoming strangers because of your excuses!" Hae-in gritted her teeth. All those pent up anger were finally about to be released. "I don't want to lose my best friend, a person who means so much in my life. Tell me, does distance truly mean nothing to us?"

Jin-woo saw a stray tear coming down from the side of her left eye, so he reached out, but Hae-in moved her head away and so did her hand. He swallowed to keep himself together. "Look, I said that I will explain everything, right? I'll do it now and—"

"And then what? Will we still be the same after?" Hae-in's bottom lip quivered.

Jin-woo's heart shattered.

She strode away from him and blended into the crowd.

You failed, idiot! A voice yelled at him from his mind. Shaking his head to fight against it, Jin-woo took off and searched around the place for her. Perhaps if he could've just listened to Jin-chul and his friends, he wouldn't be like this. He and Hae-in wouldn't have been in this situation if he acted like a rational person.

But it was not a right time to blame himself, he must not ruin everything further. Hae-in still had so much to hear from him.

He was sorry. He didn't mean to break her heart.

She was most wonderful person he had ever met. And above all, he had spent a lifetime waiting for her.

Finally. . . He found her at the bridge. The lights still illuminated her figure and the wind brushed her hair in gentle dances, the waves sang softly below her, and Jin-woo approached her carefully. He wouldn't want her to run away from him again. Because this time, not a single word would be left unspoken.

He wrapped his arms around her from behind. Hae-in flinched, so he spoke before she could fight. "I was scared."

She calmed down.

"And I still am. I know you're going to go back sooner or later and I have no right to make you stay." He said. "In fact, I never wanted you to leave at all. But I knew you had to. And since you're here. . . I let myself drown in the fear of seeing you leave again, because believe me, you don't know how hard it will be for me."

"Why are you telling me all of this just now? You—" Hae-in's voice cracked. She hung her head low, her nails digging into the sleeves of his coat. "You're the reason why I wanted to come back so badly, Jin-woo."

"I'm sorry." Jin-woo pressed his forehead on her shoulder. "I'm so sorry. For being a coward."

She laughed humorlessly. "I am glad how aware you are this time."

"I am willing make up for it, Hae-in. Just tell me what to do. You're still my best friend and you always will be, but. . . " Jin-woo trailed off. He gently spun her around to face her completely and kept his arms around her waist whilst her hands found his chest. He briefly pressed his eyes shut, only to open them with determination blazing in his pupils, a juxtaposition to Hae-in's confused ones. "I'd like us to be more than that. I want to love you with no boundaries between us, Hae-in."

If he wasn't so dense, he would've realized that the moment his feelings for her changed the second he saw her again.

He loved her when she was his friend. So he was going to love her like his whole world if she allowed him to.

"Jin-woo. . . " Hae-in managed to let out. "Are you sure?"

"I've never been so sure in my entire life." His lips stretched into a smile.

Her cheeks blushed as she smiled broadly that she dipped her head, her fingers curling against his chest, and even though he couldn't not get a glimpse of her expression, her happiness was palpable that synced with the way his heart was beating against his chest.

Hae-in looked up to his eyes, wearing that smile he wished to treasure so much, and her arms stretched across his chest, locking around his neck to bring his face down while she stepped on her toes. His grip on her waist tightened. As their faces inched closer, they stared into each other, grinning like a pair of idiots.

He had done it. He mended the cracks.

Jin-woo held the back of her head and his gaze lowered to her lips, awaiting and inviting, then crashed them with his own in a quick plunge of his head. Their lips collided furiously, mixed with happiness and sweetness that was planted since the day they had met each other. He swore to himself that he would protect her, though he might not completely did due to various events, but he was certain he wouldn't miss a single thing this time.

She was his. And he was hers.

Jin-woo was no longer afraid. Hae-in took all those fears away as they stood together in the bridge, wrapped in each other's arms while their lips continued to clash, utterly forgetting about the world.

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"Ah, Hae-in! It's a miracle that you called first this time." Antares said. "Did something happen, dearest?"

"Nothing. But, can I ask you a favor, father?" Hae-in asked and flashed a brief look over her shoulder. "Don't worry, I will tell mom and Aunt Esha later."

"What is it?"

"I'd like to cancel my vacation here." Her lips curved into a smile. "Because I will be living here from now on, so I was hoping that you'd accept my decision."

Her stepfather turned silent. But after some moments, he spoke. "Well. . . If that is what you want— what about your work here? You are a track and field instructor."

"I'll move my job as well."

Antares chuckled. "It seems there is nothing that I can do, huh? Very well. I hope you will live a great life there, Hae-in."

"I already am." Hae-in smiled.

Their call ended. And when she kept her phone into her bag, she heard a voice.

"Ready to go?" Jin-woo said after he had just left the restroom.

"Yep!" Hae-in got up from the chair and took his hand before they make their exit out of the restaurant.

Snow had piled up on every corner of the streets, with people heading out to clear the path in their stores, and the piercing cold wind flying throughout the city. Jin-woo and Hae-in walked hand-in-hand, they looked around their surroundings and Hae-in couldn't help but maintain her smile, she dearly missed this season. Winter had always felt different when she was out of the country.

But here, winter came like an angel.

"Seems like you're in deep thought even when you are smiling." Jin-woo remarked.

"Well, something great happened just now!" Hae-in said.

Jin-woo raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

Hae-in moved in front of him and threw her arms around his neck. Even in his state, Jin-woo enveloped his arms around her waist just like he always did.

"You don't have to worry about me leaving, and I don't have to worry about being called back either." She smiled brightly. "I told my stepdad that I wanted to live here and he accepted it!"

Jin-woo's face instantly cracked a smile as if the sun had shone above him for the first time. He pulled her close into an embrace. Hae-in laughed at the way he had her in his arms — firm like he wouldn't let her get away even though she made it clear that she would be stuck with him for the rest of their lives. And her friends too, there was no need for them to say goodbye when they would see her often now.

"You're not gonna let go even though we're in public, are you?" Hae-in jested.

Jin-woo pressed his lips on her forehead, thus sending a wave of warmth across her body. "Nope. I don't care either. You're here and that is all I care about."

Hae-in laughed. Oh, how she loved this man. . .

They met when they were six. Hae-in was alone, Jin-woo came and became her best friend. They had each other's backs throughout thick and thin. They were inseparable and cared for each other unconditionally. An unexpected twist of fate drove a wedge between their paths, burning those dreams they still wished to achieve together, and lived in promises they had left behind. Hae-in came back, and Jin-woo saw a different fate. . .

He fell for his best friend. And so did she.