Your Reminiscence

She slammed the phone down on the nightstand, feeling a rush of satisfaction at having hung up on him. Jake could be so infuriating, so possessive and controlling, it made her blood boil.

Eunha flopped back onto her pillows, frustrated and irritated. She hated how he always seemed to think that he owned her, that he had the right to dictate who she could and couldn't hang out with.

She tossed and turned for a while, unable to settle her frayed nerves and racing thoughts. Every time she closed her eyes, images of Sunghoon flashed through her mind - his smile, his eyes, his touch....

Eunha groaned aloud in frustration, pressing her palms to her eyes. She knew she should be thinking about how angry she was at Jake, how frustrating his possessiveness was. But the memories of her evening with Sunghoon kept intruding, crowding out all other thoughts.

Eunha spent most of the night tossing and turning, her mind too restless to allow her to sleep. The rain hammered on her window all night, a steady, pounding beat that matched the rhythm of her racing heart.

As the sun slowly peeked above the horizon, washing the sky with a soft pink light, Eunha finally forced herself to get out of bed. She stretched, feeling stiff and weary from the sleepless night, and made her way to the bathroom to start getting ready.

It seemed to take forever to shower and get dressed, her mind unable to focus on trivial tasks. She couldn't shake the mixture of excitement and dread that had settled in her stomach, her heart fluttering with nerves every time she thought about seeing Sunghoon again.

Eunha left the house a few minutes before two, feeling a mixture of hope and anxiety churning in her stomach. It was a crisp, sunny day, the sky a brilliant blue without a single cloud in sight. The air felt cool and fresh as she took a deep breath and started walking towards the park.

As Eunha wandered down the familiar street towards the park, she was hit by a wave of nostalgia. She had walked this route hundreds of times before, but today felt different. Her steps felt faster, more urgent, and she found herself hoping that he was already waiting for her.

The park was only a few blocks away, and before long, she spotted the familiar tall trees that lined the entrance. She quickened her pace, feeling her heart racing with anticipation.

As she entered the park, her eyes scanned the area, searching for the familiar figure. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw him, standing in their usual spot by the maple tree. He was facing away from her, his back to her, and it took every ounce of will power she had not to break into a run towards him.

She stopped just a few feet away and took a moment to compose herself, taking a deep breath to try and calm her racing heart. Then she spoke up, her voice only the tiniest bit shaky. "Hi," she said, and he spun around to look at her.

As he turned to face her, Eunha's eyes flicked to his lips, noticing a small, fading bruise at the corner of his mouth. The sight of it made her heart skip a beat, concern welling up inside her.

"What happened to your lip?" she asked, her voice softening with a mixture of curiosity and worry.

Sunghoon blinked, as if he had forgotten about the bruise. He touched his fingers to the corner of his mouth, feeling the slight swelling there. "Oh, this?" he said with a slight grimace. "Got in a fight a couple days ago."

"A fight?" Eunha repeated, feeling a pang of concern. "What happened? Who did you fight with?"

Sunghoon grimaced again, the movement pulling at the bruised skin. "Just some guy being a jerk," he said, trying to sound casual. "Didn't want to back down, so we ended up throwing a few punches."

Eunha frowned, feeling a mix of anxiety and irritation. "Why would you get into a fight with someone like that? You could've got seriously hurt," she scolded, trying not to let her concern show too much.

Eunha and Sunghoon started walking, making their way out of the park towards a nearby cafe they often visited. As they walked, Eunha couldn't help but glance over at the bruise on his lip, her curiosity getting the best of her.

"Why did you even fight him?" Eunha asked, breaking the silence as they walked. "I mean, it's just a guy being a jerk. Couldn't you have just ignored him?"

Sunghoon shrugged, his hands in his pockets. "He was saying some pretty nasty things about someone I care about," he said quietly, his gaze fixed straight ahead. "It was hard to just ignore him."

Eunha's heart fluttered slightly at his words, her mind racing with questions. She wanted to ask more, to prod further and find out who this person was that he cared about so much that he would get into a fight. But she could tell that he was still feeling defensive, his guard up.

They reached the cafe and found a table by the window, the sunlight streaming through the glass. They both ordered their usual drinks, Eunha getting a chocolatey hot cocoa and Sunghoon ordering a simple black coffee.

Eunha settled back into her chair, trying to think of what to say next. The silence felt awkward, hanging between them like a heavy weight. She glanced at him, taking in the fading bruise on his lips and the distant look in his eyes.

Eunha leaned forward, her voice soft. "So that's why you didn't come to school for a week?" she asked, her curiosity genuine. "Because of the fight?"

Sunghoon ran a hand through his hair, his expression still guarded. "Yeah, pretty much," he replied. "I had a few things to take care of, and didn't really feel like dealing with school on top of it."

Eunha raised an eyebrow, a hint of a smile tugging at her lips. "So you skipped school just to avoid going to class?" she said, a teasing note in her voice.

"Hey, don't make it sound like I'm some kind of delinquent," he protested, his guard slipping just a little. "I didn't skip for fun, you know. I had other stuff going on."

"Mmhmm," Eunha said, skepticism clear in her voice. "What kind of 'stuff' exactly? Getting into a fight with some jerk?"

Sunghoon rolled his eyes, the hint of a smile tugging at his lips. "Oh, shut up, you," he said, mock-irritation in his voice. "It wasn't even that big of a deal. I handled it, didn't I?"

Eunha chuckled, unable to stop herself from smiling at his banter. "Yeah, you handled it by getting yourself a nice shiner," she retorted, gesturing towards the fading bruise on his lip.

Eunha was about to reply when her phone buzzed in her pocket, a soft vibration against her thigh. She frowned, pulling it out to see who was messaging her.

She glanced at the screen, seeing Jake's name displayed there. Her eyebrows furrowed as she unlocked her phone, opening the chat.

Jake's message popped up on the screen, the words short and simple. "Where are you?"

Eunha frowned at the message, a flicker of irritation passing through her. She ignored the message, turning her phone facedown on the table. She looked up at Sunghoon, trying to shake off Jake's intrusion.

Sunghoon was watching her with a curious look, his head cocked slightly to one side. "Everything okay?" he asked, noticing her frown.

Eunha shook her head, pushing the message out of her mind. "Yeah, everything's fine," she said, trying to sound casual.

She leaned forward, fixing her eyes on him. "So, about this fight you got into," she started, not wanting to let the topic drop. "You said you did it to defend someone you care about..."

Eunha's phone buzzed again, the vibration pulling her attention away for a moment. She glanced at the screen, seeing another message from Jake, but she ignored it, flipping the phone facedown on the table again.

Sunghoon took a sip of his coffee, his gaze casual as he spoke. "Hey, I've been meaning to ask you something," he said, his voice offhand.

Eunha looked at him, her curiosity piqued. "Sure, what is it?" she asked, taking a drink of her cocoa.

"How well do you know that guy, Jake?" Sunghoon asked, his eyes fixed on her face

Eunha felt her heart skip a beat, a wave of anxiety washing over her. How did he know about Jake? She hadn't mentioned him at all so far.

She swallowed hard, trying to keep her voice casual. "Uh, how do you know about him?" she asked, her mind racing with excuses.

Sunghoon let out a sigh, a faint hint of disappointment in his voice. "So it is true," he said, his eyes fixed on her face.

Eunha felt a pang of panic, her mind racing with confusion and worry. "Wait, what's true?" she asked, her voice slightly shaky. She could feel her heart racing, her hands trembling slightly.

Sunghoon studied her for a few moments, as if weighing his words carefully. "I've heard some things," he said, his tone cautious. "About you and Jake."

Just as Eunha opened her mouth to reply, her phone buzzed loudly. She jumped at the sound, her eyes flicking to the screen to see Jake's name flashing there.

She stared at the screen, her heart pounding in her chest. Why was he calling her now? She had just seen the message from him, and now he was calling her...

Sunghoon gestured at her phone, his expression neutral. "You should answer it," he said, his voice quiet.

Eunha looked up at him, torn. She didn't want to answer the call, especially not in front of him. But she knew that he was right, knowing that if she didn't answer, Jake would just keep trying.

With a sigh, she picked up the phone, hesitating for just a moment before accepting the call. "Hello?" she said, trying to sound casual despite her racing heart.

As soon as she spoke, Jake's voice came through the speaker, tense and irritated. "Where are you?" he demanded, not bothering with greetings.

Eunha flinched at his tone, feeling a wave of anxiety wash over her. She glanced at Sunghoon, feeling awkward talking about this in front of him. "I'm...out with a friend," she replied, trying to keep her voice steady.

Jake's voice grew more agitated. "Out with a friend? Who?" he demanded, his voice sharp. Eunha could feel the weight of his disapproval, even over the phone.

Eunha hesitated, not wanting to bring up Sunghoon's name. She knew that it would only provoke Jake's jealousy, and she wasn't sure she wanted to deal with that right now. "It's just a friend from school," she said vaguely, trying to keep her tone casual.

Jake scoffed, clearly not satisfied with her answer. "Just a friend," he repeated, his voice dripping with skepticism. "And what are you doing with this 'friend' exactly?"

Eunha felt her stomach twist into a nervous knot as she tried to think of how to answer. She knew that anything she said would likely just upset Jake further. "We're just hanging out," she said, her voice small.

"Just hanging out," Jake echoed sarcastically. "Is that all?"

His tone made it clear that he didn't believe her. Eunha could picture him scowling, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

Jake's voice grew louder, his words sharp and accusing. "Didn't I warn you yesterday about hanging out with guys? And yet here you are, out with a 'friend' again."

Eunha's heart was pounding in her chest as Jake's words echoed in her ears. She wanted to get away from the call, to escape his anger and suspicion. "Look, Jake," she said, trying to keep her voice steady. "We can talk about this later, okay?"

Without waiting for a response, she quickly ended the call and set the phone down on the table with shaking hands. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. It was so exhausting, always having to answer to Jake, constantly being questioned and controlled.

She glanced at Sunghoon, feeling awkward and embarrassed. He had witnessed her exchange with Jake, and she couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking. "Sorry about that," she mumbled, her voice low.

Sunghoon stayed silent for a few moments, his expression unreadable. Eunha shifted in her seat, waiting for his response. His silence made her nervous, wondering if he was judging her for her relationship with Jake.

Sunghoon's voice was quiet as he finally spoke up. "May I ask something?" he said, his eyes fixed on her face.

Eunha's heart skipped a beat, her stomach clenching with anxiety. She swallowed hard, trying to keep her voice steady. "Sure, what is it?" she said, her voice coming out a bit shaky.

Sunghoon hesitated for a moment, as though choosing his words carefully. "What...is your relationship with Jake?" he asked finally, his tone cautious.

Eunha felt a pang of guilt in her chest, knowing that she had been avoiding this question, not just from Sunghoon, but from herself too. Her answer was difficult to articulate, even to herself. "We're engaged," she managed to say, her voice barely above a whisper.

Sunghoon was silent for another moment, his eyes never leaving her face. Eunha could feel his gaze, almost as if he was trying to read through her words and into her soul. "Are you...into it?" he asked finally, his voice quieter than before.

Eunha's breath caught in her throat as his question hung in the air. She had never admitted it out loud, not even to herself, but the truth was that she wasn't into it. She didn't want to be engaged, didn't want to be controlled and manipulated by Jake.

"N-No," she said softly, her voice barely audible. Just saying it out loud made her feel like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. "I'm not into it."

Sunghoon's gaze softened, a hint of empathy in his eyes. He didn't seem surprised by her reply, as though he had already suspected something. "Do you...want to break free from it?" he asked quietly.

As Eunha was about to answer Sunghoon's question, she felt a sudden presence behind her. She turned around, her heart leaping into her throat as she saw Jake standing there, his eyes locked on her and Sunghoon.

"Jake," she said, her voice barely a whisper, her heart pounding in her chest. She hadn't expected him to show up here, hadn't expected him to intrude on her conversation with Sunghoon.

Jake's eyes flicked from Sunghoon to Eunha and back again, his gaze cold and hostile. "A 'friend'," he repeated, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Is that what you call him?"

Eunha felt a pang of guilt and fear in her heart, knowing that Jake was jealous and angry. She wanted to defend Sunghoon, but she knew that anything she said would only fuel the fire.

Jake grabbed Eunha's wrist and yanked her up from her seat, his grip tight and possessive. "I think I've seen enough," he growled, his voice low and dangerous.

Sunghoon's eyes widened as he saw Jake yank Eunha up from her seat. Without hesitation, he stood up and stepped between Jake and Eunha, blocking Jake's path and preventing him from dragging her away.