September 2, 2022
Sungjae could not contain his excitement in seeing Joy after being apart for quite a time that he was an hour early for their meet up. He still could not believe that Joy is in Singapore as well, breathing the same air as him. That was honestly a bit cheeky to say, but perhaps their separation years back made him a complete sucker for Joy's presence.
"Hmm. Thirty more minutes," he looked at his wristwatch for the tenth time already, albeit unbothered at all.
He then took his phone and opened his camera to check his face. "Geez. Stop looking like you are going to poop. Relax. You. Are. Handsome. Yook can do it," he softly said to himself in a low tone in an attempt to calm down his nerves. He furtively glanced over his surroundings after realizing that he probably looks comical because of his actions. He gave out a sigh of relief when he had confirmed that no prying eyes were on him.
I just can't wait to see you, Sooyoung. Sungjae thought to himself with a big smile on his face.
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Meanwhile, Joy had been pacing back and forth in her hotel room. Waves of indecision had been drowning her the moment she woke up. She was unconsciously biting her fingernails because of the panic trickling in her veins.
"Ah, jinjja!" Joy slumped her body to the soft queen-sized bed and closed her eyes momentarily. In spite of the competing thoughts in her head right now, one memory broke through.
Stop that, Joy. You always leaving... you always running away will not solve any of your problems. Stop doing that, will you?!
She could hear Wendy's voice crystal clear. Her unnie was right. Every time that she has a problem on hand, her coping mechanism would be running away and keeping all the unresolved pain in her heart. It wasn't healthy anymore. She could not just let herself self-destruct.
Joy gathered herself and brought her body out of the bed.
"No backing out now, Sooyoung," Joy whispered as she finally made her way to the Merlion Park where Sungjae had been waiting for ages, unbeknownst to her.
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The view in front of Sungjae was breathking. His spot at the Merlion Park provided him a great sight of the stunning Singapore city skyline. He thus decided to take out his camera, one thing that he had specifically made sure to bring with the intent to take tons of photos with Joy this time. Their lack of captured memories years back had frustrated him way too much already.
Just as he was about to angle his camera up in the air, his eyes caught a glimpse of a tall lady wearing a simple white dress but insanely radiating with beauty. Sungjae's mouth went agape as his heart pounded like crazy.
"Oppa?" Joy shyly greeted. Her eyes sparkled when she smiled.
Sungjae did not spare a moment and immediately took Joy closer to him, melting her in his arms. "Sooyoung-ah," he uttered softly as he rested his head to the crook of her neck. Her sweet fresh fragrance filled his nose. "You just made the view here in Singapore insignificant. Yeppeuda," he added sincerely.
"Psh, smooth talker" Joy barely said as she tries to mentally scold her heart for beating too fast. Sungjae's physical touch, in spite of its familiarity, always made shivers spark up and down her spine.
After a good minute of hugging, Sungjae finally let go to look at Joy in the eyes. He will never stop getting awestruck with her beauty.
However, being a prankster himself, he let out a little tease. "So you mean you travelled all the way to Singapore just because you missed me? I knew it. You are officially whipped for me, Park Sooyoung," he playfully smirked, hiding the fact that the statement probably applies more the other way around.
Sungjae tilted his head, waiting for a comeback from Joy just like the old times. She had always been competitive when it comes to their teasing. However, Sungjae detected little traces of hesitation in Joy's eyes instead.
"Partly," Joy finally broke her silence. A sense of hope lit up in Sungjae's heart. "...but I also wanted to talk to you about something," she then added.
"W-what is it about?" Sungjae sensed the seriousness in Joy's tone and started to get nervous.
Joy reached out to Sungjae's arm and held it tightly. "Later. I want to enjoy this day first with you. It's my last day here, you know. My flight is at 11 pm. Show me around, please?" Joy smiled, although not as brightly as she used to. "Let's make use of... that," she then teasingly pointed out to Sungjae's camera.
Startled with the revelation that today is Joy's last day in Singapore, on top of her bothering statement, Sungjae could not help but whine. "Sooyoung-ah, w-why then did you just show up to me on your last day? That's totally unfair, you know," Sungjae pouted.
"Pabo, I only have three days here because I can't just leave Wendy unnie for a long time," Joy flicked Sungjae's forehead without warning. "Why don't we just go already so we would not waste our remaining time together?" Joy chuckled before dragging Sungjae to start walking already.
Remaining time together? Sungjae was getting even more troubled deep inside. Joy's statement sounded like it had a double meaning.
"Ya! You walk so slow! I won't get to enjoy my day here. I should have asked for another date," Joy playfully said while removing her hand from his arm, slapping Sungjae back to reality.
He then took back Joy's hand and entangled it with his. "I am the best date you got, Sooyoung-ah. You will totally swoon over me in no time. Let's go!" Sungjae sprightly commented back.
The two then spent the succeeding hours roaming around the city, checking interesting shops here and there, while occasionally doing sweet gestures to each other. For a moment, things were normal again and on the outside, they looked like your typical couple who just could not get enough of each other.
At lunch time, they decided to try out a nearby restaurant that served authentic Singaporean cuisine. Sungjae found it amusing how Joy could order so much, unlike other girls who would act timid during dates.
"Wae? Wae? It's your fault that I'm eating too much. The food here is daebak!" Joy gave Sungjae a death glare before resuming her little feast.
Sungjae chuckled at the sight in front of him. He then bought a napkin to her mouth, dabbing it slowly until the small stain of chili crab was completely removed. "Aegi, aegi. You eat so well. I'm proud," Sungjae said with a smile. "I'm 100% sure you want vanilla ice cream after this?" he then added with a confident tone.
The two laughed until their faces hurt. There they were, looking at each other's souls with a sense of knowing passed between them... or so did Sungjae think. Little did he know things will change in a snap of a finger later.
After their satisfying and tummy-filling lunch, Sungjae brought Joy to the Gardens by the Bay. The massive "supertrees" there were extremely popular, and its Flower Dome that has been proclaimed to be the largest glass greenhouse in the world will surely earn him brownie points.
"Oppa, who is prettier? Me or the flowers?" Joy suddenly went full aegyo mode beside a display of orchids.
"You ask the most obvious questions, Sooyoung-ah," Sungjae rolled his eyes.
Joy pouted, obviously not satisfied with Sungjae's answer. She was about to walk away when Sungjae grabbed her wrist and pulled her into a tight hug. "Of course, you are prettier. I'll never get over you," Sungjae said in his husky voice before placing a soft kiss on Joy's forehead.
"Yaaa, people will see us!" Joy playfully poked Sungjae's tummy while trying to calm the active butterflies in her stomach.
"Alright... but let's take a picture here first! This place is a perfect background to our beautiful and handsome faces," Sungjae teased before reaching out for his camera. Plenty of photos were taken until Sungjae was finally satisfied and decided to go to their next stop.
"Oppa, wait. I want to take your picture, too. Just you," Joy pulled Sungjae and positioned him in front of her. She took her own phone and began taking photos.
Sungjae was confused at the sudden request. Something was not right but he just refused to let that negative feeling ruin their day. He gave a big smile for Joy, and a wacky pose after. "You just could not get enough of me, eh?" he teased after Joy took several photos.
"I just want to remember this day for as long as I can," Joy softly whispered to herself but Sungjae heard it is as well. Curiosity was bursting at the seams and Sungjae was about to ask Joy the real deal when she suddenly spoke first.
"Oppa, can we go to the Marina Bay Sky Park? It's almost sunset time and I heard the view there is the best," Joy asked, as if Sungjae had no choice.
"Of course. Anything that will make you happy," Sungjae agreed with a weird uneasiness building inside of him.
Perhaps all the online reviews were right. The sunset view at the Marina Bay Sky Park was stunning. The two were peacefully sitting at a wooden bench, side by side, just taking in whatever they can.
As the sun was dipping down below the horizon, the sky dyed with hues of oranges and reds. It gave the two a trancelike effect, a kind of warm and fuzzy feeling they could only wish they could keep in their pockets forever.
Sungjae slowly turned his gaze to Joy and a pang of pain was felt on his chest when he saw her eyes glossy. "Sooyoung-ah... for real, w-why did you go here?" he asked at long last. He knew deep inside him that it was not pure coincidence that he and Joy are both in Singapore right now.
"...because I wanted to catch you," Joy briefly started.
"Catch me? Make me understand, Sooyoung-ah," Sungjae looked at Joy with pure longingness. He does not like where this is going.
"You..." Joy bit her lip. "...and SoHyun," she then directed her eyes straight into Sungjae's. Her mind was swirling with flashbacks of the two together on the day of her birthday. "You're together here, right?" she asked, her voice already cracking.
Sungjae's eyes widened. Panic started to shudder through him as he tries to find the right words to explain. "Sooyoung-ah, I-"
He was abruptly cut off when Joy spoke again. "You don't have to answer that, anyways. I saw her on my first day. We talked... to my surprise actually," Joy softly said. Sungjae could only nod glumly.
"Don't worry about it, though. We didn't fight afterwards. We have placed the past to where it belongs... or at least we're on the process of doing that now," Joy chuckled. The universe really has its favorites in playing with people, and she is definitely one of them.
"I found out why she's here... why you're here," she then added. "All the anger and feelings of betrayal seemed to vanish when I finally understood," Joy let out a deep sigh. Her tears now came through and she wiped her eyes clumsily with her dress sleeve.
Sungjae was about to reach out to her to comfort her when she raised her palm, making him stop his plan mid-way.
Joy tried to collect herself again before continuing what she had to say. "I'll be honest with you. I love you. After all these years... even after all the hurt... I still do," she finally confessed. Sungjae was supposed to feel elated hearing those from Joy, but Sungjae could not bring himself to celebrate somehow. He patiently waited for what else Joy would say.
"This trip has been a healing one for me. I had a lot of realizations. I even met a kind soul who gave me advices just like how a mother would," Joy lowered her gaze to the ground and broke into a bittersweet smile. How she could only wish she grew up with her own mother guiding her through this wrecked world... but perhaps she had to learn the harder way.
"Ultimately, I realized that I should not rely on you for my healing. It should start with myself," Joy shifted her gaze back to Sungjae's eyes before finally reaching out for his hand to give it a tight squeeze. "That is why... I won't stop you from being with SoHyun. She needs you. You were meant to be with each other since the beginning. I just came in the picture," she said with a little trace of sorrow in her voice.
Sungjae jolted at Joy's statement. Tension suddenly rushed to his shoulders and face. "Sooyoung-ah, ple-"
He was close to begging when Joy placed a finger on his lips. "Oppa, I don't want to waste any more time talking. I still have to fix my luggage and check-in soon at the airport. Can you please hug me now? Can you please just let me feel how to be chosen, even just this once?" Joy cried in despair.
Sungjae's mind seemed to have malfunctioned and he just gave in to Joy's request, embracing her tightly, praying to the heavens that she would somehow feel his love for her. He could only savor their sense of connection at that moment, as if they were one person.
It was heart wrenching to soon let her go. His fist thumped his chest as Joy slowly walked away from him. Seeing her actually leave was more painful than finding her apartment unit empty years back. His eyes were filled to the brim with tears, and with weak knees, Sungjae walked the opposite way.
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Back at the hotel, Joy looked at her reflection in the mirror. She smiled softly at her bloodshot eyes and red face. Her heart will probably sting for a very long time, but this time she will not have any regrets in her heart.
Leaving someone is different from letting go. Sometimes, letting go would be the better decision for the happiness of more people. Sometimes, letting go would be the only way to find yourself.
She made her way to the airport carrying the beautiful memories she had made here in Singapore with Sungjae. She could not ask for a better trip.
As Joy was about to enter the airport, she was startled when she felt someone hold her wrist, making her turn her back to face the culprit.
"O-Oppa?!" Joy almost screamed in shock.
Sungjae stepped closer to Joy and smiled. "Didn't I tell you that I'll never let you leave me again?"
"B-but..." Joy was lost for words as she could not fathom what was currently happening.
"Let's go, Sooyoung. We'll be late for our flight. Let me explain inside," Sungjae said as his other hand picked up Joy's luggage.
"..and for the record, let me do the talking this time," he said firmly before entangling his hands with Joy's.
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A/N: I was so close to breaking hearts again, but I guess I can't take it as well, lol. Therefore... Sungjae's redemption coming up! Let's hear from him this time, lol. That also means we're down to our final chapter or so, soon? :)
While waiting, check out my recently published story, "Beyond the Contract" on my profile! It will be my next main full story after this one so I hope you will give it support as well. I have published the prologue and part 1 already. Gomawo :)