Unexpectedly Meeting You Again

thirty-one

Areum took slow steps to her bathroom. Her nails were digging into her skin as she clenched her fists tightly. She looked at herself in the mirror. Her eyes were puffy and red as tears trickled down her face.

Heeseung's harsh words were still fresh in her mind. The fact that he broke up with her at her favourite park where she wished for him to propose to her was killing her. She rested her hands on the sink and sobbed quietly.

"Heeseung, you bastard," she said as her words broke at the end of the sentence. She wiped her tears and lowered her head, closing her eyes.

"I shouldn't be sad about this. It's his loss, right?"

"I should forget all of this and focus on the final exams."

She took a few deep breaths, feeling her heart shattering into pieces. The door to her bedroom was knocked on a few times before it was opened.

Her stepmother walked in and stepped to the bathroom, seeing her stepdaughter crying alone in front of the mirror.

"Areum..." Mrs Jung called, concern rising inside her. The younger girl burst into tears and ran into her stepmother's arms.

Mrs Jung patted her back to comfort her, "What happened?"

"Mom," Areum whimpered, earning the stepmother by surprise. It was the first time Areum called her that. She hugged the girl tighter than before, assuring her that everything was going to be okay.

Heeseung walked into his house, seeing his mother reading a magazine in the living room. Mrs Lee saw her son's swollen red eyes. She immediately stood up, "Honey, what's wrong?"

The boy glanced at his father who was sitting next to his wife. Mr Lee was flashing a worried look, "Heeseung, are you sick? You have to take care of your health for the exams."

Mrs Lee gave her husband a death stare before smacking him hard, "Why can't you be genuinely worried about him for once?! Stop it with these stupid exam grades."

The son scoffed and rushed upstairs to his room. His mother chased after him, "Honey, please talk to me!"

She opened the door and saw her son crying at the corner of his room, burying his face into his knees. She took slow steps towards him before pulling him into her embrace.

"Everything is going to be fine."

Heeseung sobbed and shook his head, "No. I just broke my first love's heart."

"What did you do?"

He told her about his father's threat and how he had to break up with her. Mrs Lee's jaw clenched as anger started boiling inside her.

"I'm going to kill your father," was all she said before leaving the room. She rushed downstairs and slapped her husband who was playing with his phone.

"What the hell?" Mr Lee said angrily. His wife scoffed, "Don't you dare act like you weren't the cause of Heeseung's tears. I can't believe you threatened him to break up with Areum!"

"Oh, he's crying because of that?" He asked, exhaling heavily before averting his attention back to his phone. Mrs Lee scoffed, "I'm sure you didn't realise this but I have never seen our son this happy when he's with Areum. She's the one who encouraged him to go on and study so that they both get good grades and get into a good university."

"Honey–"

"Don't you 'honey' me! You and your stupid ego will be the death of me. I will never forgive you for this. You're sleeping on the couch until Heeseung and Areum's relationship heals."

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"I missed you," Areum breathed out. Heeseung's heart dropped as he stared into her eyes.

I don't think I deserve to be with you. I've hurt you so badly before that I'm afraid I will break your heart again, he thought to himself.

"You don't have to answer to that. It's just a stupid thought," she laughed it off as she walked past him. He grabbed her arm to stop her. His deep voice called her, "Areum."

Her head hung low as she tried to avoid eye contact. He placed a hand against the wall as he leaned forward. Her heart thumped quickly as butterflies started forming in her stomach.

Her back was against the wall as he leaned closer and closer.

Should I kiss her?

He asked himself the question a hundred times. They both closed their eyes as they leaned in. Their lips almost touch when suddenly, Sunghoon barged into the office.

She flinched in shock and pushed him away from her. Heeseung fell to the floor, still startled after what happened. Sunghoon looked at them, feeling confused, "What were you doing?"

"Nothing," Heeseung and Areum said in unison. The confused doctor arched an eyebrow, "Anyway, Heeseung, you have an emergency operation in a minute. We need to go now."

Heeseung nodded and looked at the detective, "You can go now. I'll see you in a few hours."

She nodded and watched as the two surgeons left the office. She held her chest due to nervousness. "Heeseung was about to kiss me," she said to herself.