Chapter 32 – Spring Rain

I just came from the conference room when I felt my phone rang. I saw James' name on the screen, so I answered it immediately.

"Wassup?" I greeted.

"Where are you? It's already eight pm."

I stopped walking and remembered that we were supposed to meet at seven pm. He and Martin had not returned to US yet and we agreed to go out before they leave.

"Shocks! I'm really sorry." I apologized guiltily. It really slipped from my mind! "I just came from a meeting and I totally forgot about the dinner."

I heard him laugh on the other line and said, "That's so you. Still, hurry up. I've been waiting here for an hour."

So I just took my bag from my desk and went out of CJ E&M in a hurry. I even forgot to inform So Eun about it before I left, so I just texted her on my way to the restaurant. I had not found another place to stay yet, so I was still So Eun's housemate.

I was already near when James called again.

"I'm almost there," I said as soon as I hit the 'answer' button.

"I already left, but don't worry. Someone's waiting for you there."

I frowned. "And I thought we're friends."

He laughed so loud it became suspicious of him. "Oh, my loyalty still lies to you. Don't worry."

He had been scheming again.

I only found out what he was up to when I got off the taxi and saw my man standing outside the restaurant. He removed his mask when he saw me climbed out of the ride and smiled. I returned the smile, but I was frowning.

"What are you doing here? Don't you have a schedule?"

Instead of answering any of my questions, he met me halfway and hugged me without saying any word. I looked around and saw passersby staring at us. Worried, I poked his side and said, "Hey, people are looking at us."

But I did not really have an intention to get him off me.

I heard him sigh before he unlocked himself from me. Young Hyun stared at me, then sighed again.

"Is there something wrong?" He was scaring me, really.

He smiled, not the one which would reach his eyes and make my heart flutter. It was sad.

"I'd like to talk to you about some stuff. Let's go somewhere else," he finally said. He took my hand and led me away from there. I let him.

He hailed a taxi and we rode to Haneul Park.

We were both quiet all throughout the drive. He would not look at me, but he was clutching my hand as if afraid to let me go. I did not ask questions and just made some overthinking.

Did I do something that could have made him mad? I should have already told him that I moved. Was he still jealous of James? Did he not like the recent episode of their web drama?

Argh! Whatever.

There were few people in the park that night, probably because of the impending spring rain. Ah, I forgot my umbrella.

"What do you want to talk about?" I finally asked when we reached the part overlooking the Seoul World Cup Stadium. My curiosity and overthinking was killing me.

We stopped walking. He faced me and sighed. He had been sighing a lot since we met earlier that night.

"I'm sorry that I made things hard for you."

Ohhkayyy. What was that about?

My heartbeat became erratic. I was about to cry. He was not breaking up with me, was he?

"I'm sorry that I could not protect you."

"Wait." I took my hands from him and held them up. "What is this all about?"

"That guy, Lee Min Ki told me what he did to your apartment. I also learned that you've been receiving threats."

Uh-oh. I was right. It was about that.

I put my hands down and looked away. "I...I didn't tell you because I don't want you to worry. You have a lot on your schedules already."

He took my hands and held them as he stared directly at my eyes. "That's why I feel sorry, but please...you're not a burden to me. Okay? Tell me if anyone's threatening you, trying to harm you...I'm your white knight, remember?"

Of course, I remembered. "Araseo."

"You have to tell me if you're sad, lost...or drunk." He smiled, teasing me again. "You have to tell me, okay?"

I nodded, a smile plastered on my face. "Yes, sir." Then I remembered what I was curious about. "So why were you there in front of the restaurant instead of James?"

"Wae? You didn't want to see me?"

Who wouldn't want to see him?

"Of course, I wanted to see you. I'm just curious and I thought you don't like James."

"It's not that I don't like him. It's just..." He went serious again. "I'm jealous of him. He knows you long before we met. He was there when you needed him the most."

Wait. Did he already know? Did James tell him?

"If only we've met that time."

I was no longer smiling. My eyes were brimming with tears about to fall.

"Did James tell you?" I asked. I could not understand what I was feeling in that moment. Did I feel betrayed?

"He just told me how much you suffered during those times. How hurt you were. And that you...you almost gave up." He pulled the sleeves on my right arm, exposing the scar on my wrist.

The first drop of tear fell. Then, second...I just let this man went deeper into my life.

"He told me to protect you at all cost, love you unconditionally and not to let you cry. But you're crying now. I think I just failed."

I shook my head and hugged him. I buried my face on his chest as I cry harder.

"I really wish I met you sooner," he said. I felt his hands stroked my back. "Still you've done well."

I pulled myself a bit from him and looked at him. His eyes were sparkling with unshed tears. Oh, Young Hyun.

"Hey, you and your songs have helped me somehow overcome my struggles since then. I've already met you long before you knew."

"Ara." (I know.) He wiped the tears on my cheeks with his thumbs. "What I mean is I should have been by your side during that time."

He's really stubborn.

"Probably, God let me continue on living because He wanted me to meet you now. Not at that time, but now, after I learned to love myself first. Because, Brian, I may not be able to love you when I was broken and hurting."

I stood on my tiptoe and kissed him quick on the lips. Something which made my heart beat faster again.

"Thank you for worrying about me...and for accepting me and my ugly past."

He smiled again, his small eyes getting smaller. Then, he pulled me on a tight hug, my favorite place in the whole universe.

It was when the first drop fell and became a rain shower.

Young Hyun took his jacket off and used it as our shield from the rain. We ran to the direction we came from, but we had not even gone far yet when he just suddenly stopped!

"Brian, let's go! The rain is getting heavier."

"Wait. I just really wanted to do this." He said as if we were not getting soaked.

"Do what?"

Without another word, he dropped his jacket to the ground and pulled me towards him. He closed our remaining distance with a kiss which chased away the cold. His lips were sweet and gentle, my warmth under that spring rain.

He broke the kiss first with these words, "Saranghae. Let's make good memories together. Okay?"

I nodded and let him seal my answer with another kiss.