✓ READY TO LOVE | JAKE

25 - Your Eyes Tell

Jake froze when he spotted her among the crowd, staring back at him with wide eyes that carried both pain and surprise. Her eyes could tell him how much she missed him, but how much he hurt her too.

His heart stopped. It started, then stopped again.

"There she is," He muttered, eyes glued on her. He couldn't describe how beautiful she looked right then, nor how he just wanted to wrap his arms around her and hold her close.

Her eyes were glistening and he just wanted to hold her hand and give her a reassuring smile. But then she looked away, staring back at her brother and his bride.

"She's pretty, right?" Jay asked as he stood next to him.

"She's gorgeous."

"Right, that's more accurate." He half-laughed, looking back at Jake. "You love her."

"I do," Jake muttered, smiling bitterly.

"You do know that I love her too." It wasn't a question, and for that Jake nodded.

"I do."

"But the thing is... even though I love her, I'm gonna let her go." He sighed. "I have never seen Soo Yun so happy, not even with me. Her eyes had never smiled like they do whenever she's with you."

Jake looked back at him, eyebrows slightly furrowed. And when he looked back at Soo Yun, she was staring at her brother with teary eyes and a bitter smile. "Will you give up just like that?"

"I'd want to make her happy if I'm ever together with her, but if you make her happier, then I'm ready to step back. However, if you're going to break her heart and not do anything to fix it, I can't just sit and look at her hurting."

"What are you going to do then?" Jake raised an eyebrow at him.

"I'll make her forget about you. Will you be okay, knowing that she forgot about you and loved another man? Ended up being with someone other than you?" He asked, but Jake only closed his eyes and sighed.

"I... I can't."

"Then go to her. Ask her to forgive you and even beg her for it because I know Soo Yun, she might not want to talk to you if you ever hurt her but she still cares and she hurts silently. You see, your body is honest. When you're in physical pain, you cry. But the heart is a liar, it stays quiet even when it's hurting."

Jake just listened to him, head down as he nodded. "But are you really okay?"

"I am. Both of you are my friends and I only want happiness for you." He smiled and Jake couldn't be grateful enough. He wondered how much Jay loved her for him to give up on her because she was happy with someone else.

The wedding ceremony went well, very well actually. Everything was amazing and Sunghoon and Areum looked so beautiful. Everyone cheered for them when they stepped into the middle of the place for their first dance.

They had requested for the song 'Lover' to play and as it did, the two of them started slow dancing while everyone watched them. Soo Yun felt her heart ache at thought of her and Jake slow dancing in the middle of the night. And he did too.

Their eyes met for a moment as he gave her a bitter smile and she didn't know how to react, so she just looked away, hoping that it didn't make him sad. But later, when Sunghoon and Areum were done with their dance, Sunghoon walked toward her.

"Soo Yun, someone wants to dance with you."

All eyes were on her as she felt her heart beat faster. She hated attention, and it was all on her right then.

"Who?" She asked, hesitant. He didn't say anything, just took her hand and pulled her to the center when Jake slowly walked to her. Everyone was cheering for the two, and Jake extended his hand for her to take.

"Will you dance with me?" He asked, eyes staring into hers as her cheeks reddened. Holy f- She looked ethereal and he was about to lose it.

Looking at the guests around them, she felt nervous but then Jake gently grabbed her hand and gave her a reassuring smile. Soo Yun nodded before she placed her other hand on his shoulder.

'I'll be seeing you' started playing and she almost broke into a smile at the deja vu. Slowly dancing, the two of them stared into each other's eyes. Although she felt a little embarrassed, she still danced with him, his hand holding hers sending dancing butterflies to her stomach.

"You look so beautiful." He whispered, still looking into her eyes - the eyes that brought him back to life.

"Thank you." She said, trying her best not to cry.

And when the song came to a stop, the two of them did too and the guests clapped and cheered for the two so much that they felt their hearts race inside their chests.

"Kiss her! Kiss her! Kiss her!" Everyone shouted and Soo Yun widened her eyes. She gulped, feeling too embarrassed. And the only thing that she thought about right then was to run away. And she did.

"Soo Yun!" Jake ran after her, worried and sad. "Soo Yun wait-"

But she already closed the door after her, leaning on it as she panted heavily. Jake's hands and head rested on the door as he sighed.

"Soo Yun, open the door." He muttered as he knocked on it. "Please, open the door..."

However, she couldn't open it. She just sat down against the door and cried silently. She was embarrassed and heartbroken.

"Park Soo Yun..." He called, sitting down against the door too. "I'm sorry. I really regret hurting you and saying that... that I regret loving you. I was an asshole, and if I could take it all back, I would. You're listening, right?"

She rested her head on the door and listened to him but didn't utter a word.

"Since that day, I felt like I was just existing, once again. Because whenever you're not with me, I feel almost like this freaking door between us; it's worthless and it just exists." He sighed. "What was between us was love, Soo Yun. We spent so much time together, learning from each other and growing in love. And I think it's the best love because it's the kind that awakens the soul and makes us reach for more, that plants a fire in our hearts and bring peace to our minds, and that's what you've given me. That's what I hope to give you forever..." He smiled a little although he was hurting.

"You're lying." She muttered as she wiped her tears. "You r-regret everything-"

"Stop." He whispered, almost painfully. "Do you have any clue how much I love you? Okay, I was an asshole to say that but I genuinely regret it. You're my best friend as well as the woman I love, and I do not know which side of you I enjoy the most. I have treasured each side, just as I have treasured all our moments together."

He could hear her sob, and when he slowly stood up, she opened the door. Soo Yun's eyes were brimming with tears as her lips quivered. He held her face in between his hands, his thumb making this circling motion in her cheeks that made it hard for her to concentrate, his eyes pleading and begging.

And it suddenly felt like she was holding his life in the palm of her hand and she's both his savior and destruction, and she could crush him with just a word, kill him, stab him, and he would still love her.

The pain that crossed his eyes shot directly in her heart, and the next thing Jake knew was her pressing her lips lightly on his.

Soo Yun kissed him and cried, and he could feel himself breaking down.

"I thought I lost you..."

She shook her head and whispered while in tears, "I love you, Jake... you'll never lose me." And the two of them just cried, held each other, and healed together.

Sometimes, two people have to fall apart to realize how much they need to fall back together.