Chapter 13

The air is chilly tonight and a hot cup of coffee is helping a bit warm his cold hands. Sitting on one of the seats facing Han River, YeongCheol is waiting patiently at the cafe in Yanghwa Bridge while gazing at the peaceful waters of the river and the dancing night lights from the nearby city. Nervousness crept in him as the time you both agreed upon draws near. He heaved out a heavy sigh as he looked nervously at the warm mug that's keeping his hands heated. Part of him knows that the possibility of you not showing up tonight is high, but at hte back of his head, he still hopes that you would still do.

10 minutes passed after 9pm and YeongCheol is still sitting alone in the cafe. He once again nervously checked his phone for the time and to see if any message came in. After seeing that no messages came in, he gently placed the phone back on the table. He took another sip of his coffee as he anxiously watch all the people who walked in the cafe wishing that one of them would be you.

Another 15 minutes have passed. He is already starting to get disheartened and is silently debating if he would just give up and leave or stay and still wait for you to arrive. However, he remembered his promise to you that he would wait for you no matter how long it takes. Another heavy sigh escaped him. He is wondering if he made the right choice in making you come on your own. With the looks of it, you not showing up today and leaving him behind is getting really feasible. A pinch of pain in his chest was felt. Just thinking about not being by your side pained him. But then again, he knows that the cause of all your sorrow is because of your so called best friend. He wants so badly to ease all your pain away, but how he will do it is so unclear to him since Jin has been a part of your life and it will be difficult for him to compete with history. He was already considering the first option when he heard the cafe door open and saw you enter the place. His heart fluttered the moment he saw you scanning the place looking for him and a smile escaped his lips. You smiled sweetlly the moment you saw his beautiful place and nodded as you slowly walked towards his direction.

"I'm sorry, I'm late." You shyly said to him as you slowly took the seat in front of him. He just shook his head as the smile never left his face. A sigh of relief is etched in his face and he tried to relax now that you have arrived.

"Have you been waiting that long?" You sadly asked while looking at him. He bit his lip as he once again shook his head.

"I'm just glad you came." He said. A small smile escaped your lips.

"I thought you'd never come." He said in a worried expression despite the happy aura he is emanating.

"Do you want something to drink?" He queried as he shifted from his seat about to get up. This time, you shook your head.

"Thanks, but I think I'll have to pass today."

"Oh," was all YeongCheol was able to answer as he slowly sat back on his chair. You rested your hands slowly on the table and a sigh escaped you.

"Is everything okay, (Y/N)?" A worried expression once again grazed his face the moment the question slipped out of his mouth. You bit your lip as you looked at your fiddling hands that are resting on the wooden table.

"YeongCheol, I came here because I want to tell you my decision face to face. You don't deserve to be stood up and be left alone hanging. You deserve to know the truth." You slowly stretched out your hand and gently took his hands away from the coffee mug that has been keeping them warm the whole time he was waiting for you. His hands now feel a bit cold on your touch as he anticipated what you're going to say.

"You're a wonderful person,  Yo YeongCheol. You're smart, funny and incredibly sweet. Any girl would be so lucky to have you. I was lucky enough to know that you care for me, but... I can't accept your heart right now because my heart loved and was broken by a person so dear to me and as crazy as it sounds, it still belongs to him." You said sadly as  you held his hand tightly. YeongCheol's heart dropped and a pain pinched his chest. You on the other hand continued to hold onto his hand tightly.

"I don't want to be unfair to you and I know you deserve someone better. Better than me."  You said sadly.

"Any girl except you?" He sadly scoffed as he slowly looked away from you. You don't know how to respond to his question so you awkwardly looked down on your hands that's still covering his.

"It's Kim Seojin, isn't it?" He queried with a hint of bitterness in his tone as he tried to look at your face waiting for the answer. You didn't say anything but just snapped your gaze back at him. He immediately got the answer when you didn't deny anything. He bit his lip and sorrowfully nodded. He slowly took his hands away from yours. A bitter smile escaped him.

"I really don't want to intrude or anything, but what is the deal between the two of you?" He asked you curiously as he shoved his hands into his pockets.

"There has been so much history between Seokjin and I. The first time I saw him was when I was in the 5th grade. He was the most gentle and kindest person I have met in my life besides my parents. I guess that's the reason why I was drawn to him. Plus he has this really outrageous laugh that is very contagious that never fails to make me smile when I hear it. Then when he was in trouble, I didn't hesitate to help him. We became friends ever since." A small smile appeared on your face as you recalled those found memories with Jin. YeongCheol on the other hand just kept quiet and listened to your story.

"He... He is the first person who taught me what friendship really means. He's also the first person who made my heart flutter with just his mere presence." Then a sigh escaped you as you look down once again on your hands.

"...And he is the first person who broke my heart and taught me the meaning of pain and sorrow." You said sadly.

"Yet still, I can't imagine living my life without him. Crazy isn't it?" You scoffed as you continued to fiddle with your hands. YeongCheol just smirked.

"Kim Seokjin is a very lucky guy. If I have only met you before he made you fall in love, do you think we would ever have a chance?" He asked hopefully.

"I don't know. Perhaps. Maybe." You answered. He nodded slowly again.

"I guess I came far too late, then." You didn't say anything anymore as you just looked down at the table.

"I don't doubt that you have taken me. Taken my heart. Is it love at first sight? I really don't know me. I don't need a reason. To me, you are perfect. You just make my heart flutter even after all these years and you made me find you again. And even if I know for a fact that when we met that day, your heart was already taken. I just decided to ignore the signs." He wistfully said and a sorrowful gaze was placed on you.

"But still, I took the risk 'cause I know you are worth it. Like a fool, I always thought that if it was me whom you'll love, I know I would have given you everything, would do anything your heart would desire just to see you happy like how I first saw you in high school." Your heart dropped. You never knew that Yo YeongCheol was harboring these feelings towards you for a long time. For you, he is the YeongCheol loved by everyone because of his brains and good looks and people will just do anything to serve him hand and feet. Never have you thought that that YeongCheol was already admiring you from afar. But then, he is not Jin. Despite him being almost perfect, he did not make your heart flutter the way Jin does.

"Until today, I practiced this love confession like a fool. Wishing so hard and hoping that there would even be a slight chance that you would take my heart and let me stay by your side." He sighed and tried to flash a small smile despite the pain he is feeling.

"I'm really sorry, YeongCheol. But I really can't. Please don't hate me." You whispered. YeongCheol just hung his head low to contemplate on what else to say. Another sigh escaped him before he reached out and held your hand.

"Hey, I would never hate you. You are far too special to be hated." He said as he gave your hand a gentle squeeze making you smile a little.

“Look, (Y/N). If he really means that much to you, then you take the risk, no matter what the relationship turns into this time, face it. What matters is you took a shot at it and in the end, you won’t have any regrets.” He gazed upon your face before looking away.

“Like how I did with you.” He said sadly. You lowered your head and avoided his gaze for a moment. If you don’t, tears might break away from your eyes and this is not the right time for that.

“How can you still be so understanding when all I’ve done was break your heart?” You croaked as you tried your very best to fight the tears that are trying to escape. YeongCheol let out a weak smile.

“Because if letting you follow what your heart desires will make you happy, then I would gladly accept it even if it’s painful for me.” He sighed. These words touched you so much that you didn’t notice a tear already escaped your eyes. Once again, he leaned forward and gently wiped away the tear from your cheek. You on the other hand, placed your hand on his while you feel the warmth from his palms. He smiled but gently took his hands away from your face.

“I just wish he would take good care of you and would genuinely make you happy. Because if he doesn’t, I will definitely come back and sweep you away from him.” He said jokingly. A small chuckle escaped you making YeongCheol ease a little.

“Now go and find him before I change my mind and decide to keep you for myself.” You looked at him sadly before standing up. You slowly walked towards him and gently placed a gentle kiss on his forehead, surprising him. He wanted to hug you back just to feel you one last time before he lets you go, but in the end, he decided not to do so and just let you gently hold his face.

“Thank you, YeongCheol.” You whispered before you turned around and walked out of the café leaving YeongCheol. A bitter smile escaped him as he watched you disappear from his sight. He had expected this. It hurts like hell but it was all worth it. He sighed for the nth time that night as he slowly stood up from his seat and walked out of the café. The moment he set foot outside the café, he noticed that the rain was already pouring heavily. Another bitter smile escaped him. He felt that the weather is helping him somehow drown away the tears and pain that won’t escape him while he was with you. He pulled out his phone and sent one last message and placed the phone back in his jacket. With one last look towards the dark sky, he heaved another heavy sigh before walking away in the pouring rain.

--------------------Once again, thank you so much for all the love this story is getting. You all made me happy.

I hope you like this chapter. One more chapter to go. :(