𝕿𝐇𝐄 𝕯𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐋'𝐒 𝕸𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐒 | 𝐊𝐀𝐍𝐆 𝐘𝐎 𝐇𝐀𝐍 | The Devil Judge

Chapter Seven

   "I was worried," he blurted, still refusing to meet her eyes.

   "Oh?"

   "I'm sorry. About that kiss."

   The smile vanished from her eyes. "Oh."

   His head snapped up, his eyes widening as he rushed to correct himself. "I mean, I'm sorry I did it so suddenly, without your permission- I was worried I might have triggered something and maybe that was why you seem so tired and-" he cut himself off as he finally looked at Ji Eun's face. "You're laughing at me!" He accused.

   "No, I'm not," she protested even as her voice shook with laughter.

   Yo Han huffed and turned away, but gave in when he felt Ji Eun's hand slip into his. He looked back at her to see her smiling at him.

   "I meant what I said this morning," she told him, her eyes looking into his in earnest. "And I also meant it when I said I don't expect you to give me an answer right away or even feel obliged to return my feelings. I just needed you to know that I love you, despite all the trouble you drag me into."

   "I never drag you into trouble, you're the one who insists on following me everywhere." He pointed out.

   She laughed at that, nodding in acknowledgment. But Yo Han wasn't done yet.

   "I-I can't give you a clear answer." He told her haltingly, as if he were choosing his words carefully. "I can't repeat your words to you right now." Something akin to disappointment flickered in her face, her gazing moving down to her bedsheets as she made to pull her hand away.

   "But." He grasped her hand, preventing her hand from leaving his, his other hand coming up to grasp her chin in his fingers and gently forcing her to look up once more. "I do know that I have feelings for you. I know that I like as more than just a friend, I have for ages. But I am not sure it is quite love yet, and I am not confident that I will be the man you deserve. Hush, darling, let me speak." He told her gently when she made to interject. She obediently fell silent.

   "But I want to try. I want to know if what I feel is good enough, is strong enough to be called love. I want to keep you by my side, to protect you and to provide for you. If you are willing to wait for me to decide, if you are willing to wait for me to be confident enough to say those words, and if you're willing to take things slow, I will try to be everything you need, if not what you want."

   The smile that graced her lips was the most beautiful he had ever seen. It was every bit the smile she had worn in their childhood days and more. Her eyes sparkled with pure now and her cheeks were red under his intent gaze.

   "I hadn't quite realised you had a speech prepared." She chuckled. "Well, then, here's mine: Kang Yo Han, I am more than willing to wait for you to make up your mind, and I will always stay by your side even if you decide you don't return my feelings. I'm not sure what you think is a man I deserve, but no matter what you imagine him to be, I would choose you a thousand times over. I love you for you, because you are you. You are everything I need and want. You have never once abandoned me not even when I was a burden and not even when you saw my dark side, and you have never once treated me like I'm fragile because of what I've endured. Loving you was a choice, Yo Han, and it was a one that I made knowingly and one that I never have and never will, regret."