That Day I Said I Love You

He Sait It

Jaebum's POV

"Ae.. kwenchanha.. you can cry." Those are the only words that came out from my mouth to console her.

I am so angry with Mark hyung.

I know this would happen.

I just know it.

Just half an hour ago, I felt like I need to follow her once she stepped out of their door, and so I did.

And I'm glad I did coz I wouldn't forgive myself if she was left crying alone in the street.

She was just there, sobbing in my arms, and I couldn't let her go.

Ae. It breaks my heart when you are like this.

Yoo Ae's POV

My phone rang as I was lying on my bed. It has been eight hours since I went out of that ally.

I looked at the caller ID and it's Jaebum oppa.

I realized I haven't thanked him yet, so I answered the phone. "Oppa?"

"Eung. Na-ya.. (Yes. It's me). Come out. I'm here outside of your bedroom door."

"Eh?"

What's he up to? He knows I'm not in the mood right now. I weakly opened my door, and there he is, widely smiling at me.

Then he suddenly grabbed my arm. "Kaja!" and pulled me.

"Oppa!" I complained.

But he dragged me out of my room ignoring my complain.

"Where are you taking me?!" I shouted trying to pull away from his grip, but I can't. "I'm already in my pajamas!"

"It's fine." He said still smiling.

My mom was in front of the TV when we reached the first floor. "You're going now?" she asked. By her looks, she knows about Jaebum oppa's plans and gave permission without even consulting me if I wanna come.

"Ne, eommonim. We'll go back tomorrow." answered Jaebum oppa.

"TOMORROW?!" I exclaimed in shock.

"Geurae." (Yes/okay) my mom replied like she doesn't care if I spent overnight with a guy.

Heol.

"Bye, eommonim!" He bowed and dragged me out of the house.

"EOMMA!!!" I screamed.

Yet she just waved to me with a very pleased smile. Why on earth is my mother like that?!

He continued pulling me until we reached to a camping truck parked a few meters away from my house.

"Where exactly are we going and why did you drag me out of the house, oppa?" I demanded an answer as he locked my seatbelt.

But he just answered me with a smile and started to drive.

"Ae. We're here!" I heard Jaebum oppa's voice. "Get up now."

I didn't realize I fell asleep. The last thing I remembered was I gave up on trying to squeeze an answer from him, and all he did was patt me on the head and smile.

He unbuckled my seatbelt then went out of the truck to open the door for me.

I soulessly went out of the truck and checked my surroundings. I felt the autumn breeze of the wind which made me shiver.

He took out a pink coat from a paper bag just below the passenger seat. I didn't even see there was something like that there a while ago.

"Wear this." He put the coat on my back. "C'mon." then he pushed me gently towards the truck's body. "Go inside."

So I went inside to see a very cozy house-like body of the camping truck.

"Wait there. I'll just set up the bonfire." then he went outside.

I surveyed the camping truck. There's a double deck bed inside, even a sofa, a television, and a mini-cabinet. At another part was the kitchen where I found a small refrigerator, a place where we can cook, a table and some other kitchen stuff. A mini-toilet/shower room is also beside the kitchen.

Jaebum oppa must have spent a lot to rent this truck.

I went out of the truck to see him. He put two chairs and a small table around the fire. He is currently setting up on that table some containers with ingredients of, what I think he is trying to do, barbecue skrewers.

There is also a big telescope a meter behind those chairs, which I clearly know is for stargazing. That is something I really love doing before.

"Oppa.."

He was startled that he accidentally hit the table causing the container of meat to move towards the edge.

"Omo!!!" I ran fast stop it from dropping.

He was also quick enough to get hold of it.

Our eyes met as our hands touched when we tried to both catch the container.

Awkwardness.

I pulled my hand away and looked away pretending to get interested with the surroundings.

Seriously, why did I feel that?

"Ehem." He coughed to get my attention. "So how do you find Noeul Park?"

So this is just Noeul Park? I thought we were somewhere far from Seoul.

"Turns out we are just in Mapo-gu. Disappointed?" he said as if he read my mind.

I shook my head. "Ani. I'm not disappointed. I just thought.. you endured driving for too long while I was just sleeping but you didn't even drive an hour."

He put the container back to its place and spoke, "It was still a long drive due to traffic. It was rush hour when we left."

I just nodded.

"So if you feel guilty for just sleeping, you sit here and help me make some skrewers." He said and pushed me to sit on a chair then he sat on the other one.

He then started to make skrewers looking like he is having fun. He gave me a stick. "You make some skrewers, too. You love making skrewers when we were young!"

I took the stick and put meat and veggies on it.

He's right. I love making skrewers and I love camping as well. He remembered everything I loved doing including stargazing. My father would always take us to camp when he was still alive. And weirdly, Jaebum oppa would always go with us though it's supposed to be a family bonding.

I chuckled at the memory of it.

"Glad you can laugh now." He uttered.

"Eh?"

He took my skrewer and put it on fire along with his, rolling them. I watched him do that.

After a few seconds he suddenly stated..

"Mark hyung's first love is Seulgi."

He didn't look at me and just continued talking, "He, actually, went to Seoul six years ago because of her. He left Seoul four years ago because of her, and went back here again this year because of her."

Six years ago. I haven't met Seulgi yet.

Four years ago. I entered high school and that's when I met Seulgi and became best friends with her.

Jaebum oppa turned to me. His eyes looked worried, asking if he has done the right thing of telling me about it. I didn't say a word because I wanted him to go on.

He sighed before continuing. "Mark hyung and Seulgi met in Taiwan. You know that Seulgi's mom works there, right?" He gave the skrewer. "Eat. You need food to continue listening."

I just stared at it for a few seconds.

"Eating food is good for depression." Oppa said and put the skrewer on my hand. He gestured that I should take a bite and so I did.

He then continued, "They were a happy young couple back then. I and Mark hyung went to the same high school. Seulgi went to the middle school near our school. But Seulgi's parents thought that they are getting serious and they are both too young for a serious relationship so they talk to Hyung about it. Hyung doesn't want to go, but Seulgi's parents made a deal with Mark hyung that left him with no choice but leave."

"What was the choice?" I found myself asking.

Oppa handed me the other skrewer and answered, "Seulgi's dream."

"Seulgi's dream?"

He nodded. "If he continue his relationship with Seulgi, her parents will not allow her to study music."

Both I and Seulgi went to a special high school for music, and majored in music now that we are in the university.

"So he left without telling Seulgi anything for the sake of her dreams. That's why Seulgi pretended not to know him, and we also pretended like it was nothing coz we know it was awkward for them."

Seulgi was a cheerful and very bright person who loves playing around, and never talked about any problem.

I was the dull one who doesn't even talk well until she influenced me with all the strange things that I have done so far.

I never thought she would have a past like this.

"Neo kwenchanha?" Oppa asked.

I nodded and gave him a faint smile. "I am fine."

Yes, I am truthfully fine. I thought I am not ready to hear this topic, or I will get angry at oppa for opening this topic up and telling me everything. I thought I would not be okay hearing the past and knowing what's in between my bestfriend and the guy I have a big crush on.

But I don't feel that way as I heard it.

"Mark hyung.." Jaebum oppa suddenly spoke with anger in his voice. "Seulgi was avoiding him. I know he was just using you because he knows you're Seulgi's bestfriend and he wanted to get news about her from you."

And I don't even feel any anger after knowing that either.

"Why did I even let him do that?" He sighed in frustration. "I should have stopped him. But you were so happy so I thought.. I shouldn't be a hindrance of your happiness but.." He pulled his hair. "Arrggggh! I'm so dumb! I'm si dumb!"

I stood, went to him and held his arms to stop him. I shook my head. "Hajima, oppa." (Don't do that, oppa).

But my tears started to flow down from my eyes.

He stood up and wiped my tears with his thumb. "Mianhae.. I shouldn't have told you everything.."

"Aniya." I shook my head.

Oppa embraced me tightly and patted my back while saying, "Mianhae Yoo Ae-ah.. mianhae.."

"Aniya, oppa.. Mianhae.." as I started to sob again like there is no tomorrow.

I wasn't hurt for knowing that my one big crush loves my bestfriend.

I wasn't hurt because I was just used by Mark oppa as a source of information to know more about Seulgi.

Yes, I got mad and ran off from that ally because I got mad that my bestfriend pretended to be out of the country, and even pretended to be happy with my stories about Mark oppa. But that's not the case now.

I am not mad for knowing how they pulled off a perfect method acting.

Or how they all pretended to be well in front of me, even my own brother, who I think knows everything since six years ago though he was very young back then.

I am crying and mad now because..

I can't stand how I was too insensitive to not even notice how Jaebum oppa tried to protect me from being hurt.

And how he worked so hard to make me feel better after being hurt.

"Mianhae oppa.. Mianhae.." I kept on repeating that. I could not think of any other thing to say, but sorry.

He pushed me out of the embraced and made me face him. "Euljima." (Stop crying) as he wiped my tears again. "We have to make more skrewers and eat a lot. Ah! We have to look at the stars as well. Do you remember where your favorite star is located?"

I nodded.

"Then we'll have to see it later after we eat." He said trying to give me a big smile and pulled me to sit on the chair again.

FLASHBACK

"HAHAHAHAHAHA.."

Everyone of my classmates in elementary school were laughing at me for not being able to do well in

P.E. class. We played Baseball and I always couldn't manage to hit the ball so they laugh at me for being bad at it.

I was crying so hard for being teased.

"Yah!!! STOP IT!!!"

Jaebum oppa went running to me and embraced me.

"Aren't you all bad at other things? Yoo Ae is not good in Baseball but she plays the piano well! You can't even play the piano as good as Yoo Ae. You are all dumb!" He shouted at them trying to defend me.

"Ae-ah.. euljima." He said as he wiped my tears. "C'mon! Let's go and eat ice cream."

END OF FLASHBACK

I felt like I was still the little girl he used to defend all the time. Oppa didn't just bully me, after all. He used to take care of me a lot as well.

"Oppa.."

He was making skrewers again. "Eung?"

"Since we were young.."

"Mwo?" he asked, eyes still on the ingredients.

"You always save me everytime I need some rescue. It's like you always know whenever I need help. When we were young, when I hurt myself from playing, or if I'm being laughed at by my classmates. And.." I remembered how he was there at the ally. "This afternoon.. you were there when I cried.. at the ally. By the way, why were you there?"

He stopped what he was doing, but he didn't answer me.

"How did you know I was there, oppa? Weren't you at my house before I left?"

Jaebum's POV

"This afternoon.. you were there when I cried.. at the ally. By the way, why were you there?"

I was taken aback when she suddenly asked that.

"How did you know I was there, oppa? Weren't you at my house before I left?"

I told myself I will be true to her this time, right? I told myself not so long ago that I would stop acting like I don't care, and show her my feelings, didn't I?

"Oppa. Did you follow me?"

I took a deep breath before answering. "Yes, I did. And I had been following you since that day you and Mark hyung went skateboarding."

She didn't say anything after hearing my reply and just stared at me with a you-did-something-wrong look. So I tried to explain myself, "I just felt something would happen anytime knowing that you're meeting Mark hyung and so.." I sighed feeling guilty for being a stalker. "Look. I'm sorry. It's just---"

"You don't have to, oppa!" she cut me. I could not say a word to defend myself this time. I know that eventhough I have a good reason for following, still, following someone is a wrong thing to do. "If I'll get hurt, just let me be. I deserve that for being insensitive. You don't have to stress yourself over my stupidity. I know you care about me but you don't have to do that. You don't have to---"

"SARANGHAE!" The frustration just built up over me after hearing her words and just blurted it out. "What can I do with my feelings when I love you?!"

I know I stunned her for suddenly confessing. She just sit there without even moving a finger.

There is no turning back now. "You are happy with another guy so what else can I do? If I can't stop you from being with him, then what else could I do in order to protect you? I could only watch you from afar, Ae. That's the only thing I can do."

But right after that moment. That day.. that night I told her "I love you"..

I could not find myself facing her again.

I kept asking myself..

Was it right to tell her how I feel?

But no. It's not the right question.

Because I know what I did was right. It took me years.. more than a decade.. to say that.

The right question is..

Am I ready to accept what will happen next knowing she doesn't feel the same?

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