Cheater? (Jae x Reader)

Chapter 14

"J-Jae?" you stutter with wide eyes, dumbfounded.

Neither of you dare to say a word. But only moments after your abrupt greeting, he pulls you into a wet embrace; bawling into your shoulder while stroking your hair, clutching you like you would disappear if he ever loosened his grip.

"I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry," he wails in between sobs.

You're completely stunned without a word coming to mind. What the hell is going on? Why is he here, all of a sudden? Why now?

In the midst of your shocked state, Jae pulls back to look into your bewildered eyes. He shows a wobbly smile, eyes wandering around your face, examining every small bit. He tugs a roving strand of hair behind your right ear. You notice how much his lips really tremble as he lets out a short grin.

"Wh-what are you doing here?" you stammer.

"I'm so-sorry I just came barging in here. I-I just couldn't w-wait after Younghyun told me that-"

"What did he tell you?" you cut him off. What on Earth has Younghyun told him?

His facial expression switches from joyful to curious. Why was your tone so serious? Why don't you look happy?

"Well, he told me everything. About Sohyun's cheating and that you wanted to tell me."

You take a deep breath, mentally cursing at Younghyun.

Jae's face changes again, now into a frown. He looks as if he's searching for an answer in your eyes.

"So now you could listen," you mutter, more to yourself than to him.

He lets go of you.

"What?"

"It's unbelievable how you didn't even think about giving me a chance to speak up back then, but now that it's Younghyun, you'll listen."

"Babe, that's-"

"Don't "babe" me. You lost the right to that when you stopped caring about my feelings." You glare at him. He now looks terrified. Frightened. As if he had just seen a ghost.

"Come on, you can't be serious. You know what state I was in, I wasn't-"

"You weren't thinking clearly? Ha! That's no excuse. You should have known better."

"Wait, so now YOU'RE the one scolding ME?" he states rather than asks. "Why?"

"Take a guess," you let out in a sarcastic manner.

"I wouldn't ask if I knew," he complains.

You let out a sigh of irritation.

"You didn't let me say anything back then. You kept going on and on about how this whole situation was my fault, when it, in fact, wasn't. And now you dare to come crawling back, begging for forgiveness."

"Yes, I apologize for being an ass! You were right, I was wrong. What else do you want me to do?" he exclaims in frustration.

"So NOW you know you were wrong? You apologize? Well, guess what. Apology: NOT accepted. You needed someone to tell you before realizing that! It wasn't something you did yourself."

You can clearly see how sorry he is, how much he regrets his actions. But just like back then, it doesn't change a thing.

You remember one of the things you discussed. The reason behind all of this, actually.

Your heart aches. You don't want to bring it up again. You really don't. But you have no choice.

"So you agree this is because of you and that stupid promise?"

"Don't involve him again, please." His voice grows soft like an upsetting memory flashes before his eyes.

"I have to, he is a huge part of this!"

"How?!"

"You made a promise you couldn't keep. And when you realized you didn't, you felt regret eating you up from the inside and tried to make up for it. But. Now that you know something greater happened, something unforeseen that you couldn't control."

You take a moment to collect yourself. To breathe.

"You feel like you have no other choice but to give up on her. You feel like you're finally free. That your hands aren't tied anymore. The only problem is that it's too late, now."

"No," he whispers, several tears slipping from behind the glasses framing his eyes. He takes a step closer, reaching out for you. But you too take a step, back, avoiding his arms.

"I realize I was a fool. But I did what I thought was right. You have to look at it from my point of view. He was my best friend and I made him a promise. I had to do everything I could to keep it. I would feel ashamed and idiotic if I broke it afterwards," he tries. "I cried for days. I wasn't myself. But that was the only thing I had left. I had to keep the memory of him alive."

"You speak as if you were the only one who loved him," you rather calmly let out in frustration. Your fists are curled into firm balls. A burning tingling spreads throughout your entire body.

"Don't you dare think you were the only one who felt that way when he left. Your last moments with him are happy memories, but I was there. I was there when he passed away. Holding his lifeless hand, screaming his name. Begging him not to leave me here alone," you spit, emphasizing the first part of the last sentence.

"You may have cried for days, but I did for months. I felt numb. I could barely even get out of my bed. I still think about him every day. And it hurts. More than you can ever imagine. But I know he wants me to be happy. He wished for me to find love and happiness more than anything."

You try to wipe away the strong flow of tears running down your cheeks. An impossible task, really.

"If you tried so hard to live up to that promise, you should have been there for me as well. I needed you more than ever before. You more than anyone else. 'Taking care of his girl' wasn't just about his sister, you know. I was just as big of a part. Though you seemed to ignore me and focused solely on her."

"(Y/N), I'm sorry," he repeats, once again reaching out to hold you.

"It's too late to apologize, Jae. The damage is done," you whisper, staring coldly into his sorrowful eyes.

"Please don't do this," he whimpers and takes a step back as you slowly approach him.

"Get out," you, very, calmly demand. You don't feel a thing. Not sad. Not hurt. Not relieved, happy, not anything. Just empty.

You know he doesn't want to. His actions are eating him up from the inside. Despite how much you want to just jump into his arms and cry with him, you need to stay put and push him away. You need space. Time. To be alone.

"I said: Get out," you repeat, a little more stern this time. But as he still doesn't budge, you yell at him. "Get out! Now! Leave me alone!"

He looks shocked, stumbling backwards, almost tripping on his way out of the door.

The second he is outside, you slam the door shut, right in his face. You need a moment to recollect yourself, shutting your eyes, not removing the hand from the door. A sharp pain shoots through your body.

Why do I always lose them?