Prologue
“Autumn! Wait up!” Someone called from behind me, their feet scrambling to match my pace. I paused to give him a chance to reach my distance.
“Lim Jae-beom,” I drawled out in annoyance, “I already told you I can’t go.” And with that, I turned my heel and attempted to make my way home. However, I had only crossed about half a step before I was rudely drawn back beside him.
After a few beats of hesitation, I unwillingly looked up and met Jae-beom’s gaze. Sorrow and regret threatened to suffocate me as I read the emotion in his dark brown eyes. Eyes that had formally held happiness and affection, now housed desperation, pain, and even rage. All emotions caused by me that completely conflicted with his personality.
A sob welled in my throat as I thought about our brief memories together, moments that some may have found too minor to contain any sentimental value, but was worth more than any currency known to man in my perspective.
But what hurt me more than anything else was that I allowed my self to fall in love again and now Jae-beom’s life was on the line because of my greed. I was truly a monster, leading his feelings while I knew he was watching my every move, waiting to pounce on any male that showed an interest in me.
Eventually, my desire overthrew my sense as I numbly brought my hands to his face and affectionately stroked his jaw. I felt his arms encircle around my waist and hugged me tightly against him. His eyes bored into mine as we shared what may be our last tentative moment together.
“JB oppa, you know just as well as I do that I would love to go on a date with you, but I just can’t. There’s a reason why I have to say no, otherwise, I wouldn’t have wasted another second to accept your invitation,” I reminded him gently, pleading for his forgiveness before easing into the disclosure that would crush both him and me.
I took a deep breath to make sure my brewing weeps was still under control, “And for this exact reason, I have to let you go because not doing so would be the most narcissistic deed I’ve done in my life.”
I felt JB’s arms slowly loosen from my waist as my cruel words gradually fixed into place. His usual calm composure was hauntingly crippled. A humorless chuckle escaped his lips, “So this is the result after all I’ve ever done for you. Not even the chance to express how much I love you.”
A gasp escaped my lips despite myself, but I managed to slip back into my impassive facade, “Well, I don’t love you.”
JB smirked, “And I don’t believe you.”
I opened my mouth to tell him off but he cut me off by pressing his lips to mine. I sensed my refusal fade away as I closed my eyes and focused on JB’s lips. Our kiss was everything I predicted and more. A shiver ran through my spine in pleasure as Jae-beom pressed me tighter against him, deepening our caress.
It wasn’t until I tasted the slight sting of salt against his lips, that I realized that we were both crying. Uncontrollable sobs rattled my body as I quivered in fear for the consequences that were soon to come.
