1 year and 8 months of unrequited love

#8

From here on, it is a flashback—Eun Ji-min's story)

은지민

Welcome back! Hehe

은 국

Were you having a good time playing with Jiyul?

은지율

Dad!!

은 국

Oh my, my daughter!! So pretty

은 국

What were you doing with your brother, Princess?

은지율

Matching with my brother!!! Hehe

은지민

We were putting together a puzzle!

은 국

Yeah, Dad's going to wash up.

은지민

Yes, haha.

은지율

Oppa, Oppa....

은지민

Huh? Jiyul, what's wrong?

은지율

Please help me with this....

은지민

Haha, got it.

이지혜

Jimin~

은지민

Yes, Mom!!

이지혜

May Mom ask you a favor, my Prince?? Haha

은지민

Yes!! Just give me the order!!

이지혜

Can you go to the supermarket and buy this and this for Mom?

은지민

Of course!! I'll be right back!!

은지율

Oppa!!! Where are you going!!!

이지혜

Jiyul, I'm going on an errand for Mom.

은지율

I don't want to... Jiyul wants to go with oppa too.

이지혜

Ugh, that's dangerous. Jiyul is still young.

은지율

*Sob*... I want to follow Jimin oppa too... *Sob*...

이지혜

Ah... what am I going to do...

은지민

Mom, I'll make sure to take her carefully and come back haha

은지민

Just trust me!!

이지혜

Phew... Okay then.

이지혜

Make sure to watch out for cars and strange people!

은지민

I'm in 8th grade now, too, haha.

이지혜

Understood, Prince. Take care on your way.

은지민

yes!!

은지민

Jiyul, hold Oppa's hand tight~ Don't let go, my princess~~

은지율

Yes!!!

trudging along

???

Mommy, my balloon..! T_T

은지율

Ugh..? It's a balloon!!!!!!

Percussion

은지민

J...Jiyul!!

은지민

I have to go with my brother!!!

(The signal is changing...)

은지민

O... uh??

은지민

Jiyul, stop!!!

Tap-

은지율

There's a balloon over there hehehe

Click-

(Horn sound from a distance))))

Bang-

은지민

Eun Jiyul!!!!!

Squeak-

Percussion

*Pow*

은지민

Gasp... gasp...

...

은지민

Huh...? Ji...o...Jiyul...

은지민

Wake up... try...

Red blood began to flow from Jiyul's head.

은지민

Jiyul... Eun Jiyul!!!

Beep-

은지민

Jiyul, it's okay. No, it's okay.

은지민

Oppa, I'm here, right here.

-Here, hurry!!!

은지민

Jiyul, open your eyes, okay?

은지민

Jiyul... ah... please open your eyes...

Tap-

은 국

What happened!!!

이지혜

Ah... no... Jiyul... *Gasp*... no... *Sob*...

은 국

How did this happen?

Beep-

-sorry....

이지혜

(Grabbing the doctor) It's not true, right...? Say it's not true... quickly...

은 국

Save my daughter..!! Please, save her quickly...

I froze on the spot.

이지혜

*Sob*... How could my Jiyul... No... *Sob*...

이지혜

What did that little kid do wrong... *sob*...

은 국

Ha... huff... sob... sob... Jiyul....

I saw it for the first time that day

The sight of Mom and Dad crying

Tap-

이지혜

J...Jimin-ah..!!

은지민

It's...it's all my fault.

은지민

I said I would take responsibility for Jiyul.

은지민

I'm sorry... Jiyul... Oppa is really sorry...

은지민

I'll live my whole life... feeling sorry for the rest of my life...

은지민

I won't... I won't say I'll take responsibility again...

은지민

So... please come back... Jiyul...

은지민

I'm sorry, oppa...

은지민

I'll make sure this never happens again... never again.

은지민

*Sob*... Please... *Gasp*....

I couldn't wash away the guilt that it was because of me.

이지혜

J...Jimin...

은지민

I'm sorry... because of me... because of me, Jiyul...

이지혜

(Hugging Jimin tightly) It's not your fault... Don't blame yourself, Jimin..

The mom holding me

I tried my best to speak while holding back my emotions so as not to show it, but

I was crying

Because of me...

이지혜

Jimin...it's okay...everything will be alright...

은지민

I'm sorry... I'm really... sorry... *sob*

이지혜

It's your fault... *sob*... I told you it wasn't...

Mom, her eyes reddened, looked at me and said

이지혜

Jimin, don't blame yourself. It's all my fault.

은지민

...sorry

I kept repeating only that I was sorry.

Because this was the only thing I could say to my mom.

Because I had nothing to say to Jiyul

...

Two years have passed since then, after such a long, long time.

은지민

Jiyul... I'm here hehe..

은지민

You know, Jiyul...

은지민

There's something I haven't told you...?

은지민

Jiyul

은지민

You're the prettiest in the world..

은지민

Right..? Haha, I haven't forgotten Jiyul's face at all.

은지민

You've grown so much, haven't you...?

은지민

My brother is a high school student now.

은지민

Jiyul is... 7 years old now...

은지민

I'm sorry, Oppa....

은지민

You know the person I love the most is Jiyul, right?

은지민

Oppa, I've never dated before.

은지민

Because we have our Jiyul... hehe

은지민

Actually... I'm sorry... I hate myself for saying this, too...

은지민

(Slumping down) I want to date too...

은지민

But... I keep thinking of you... especially...

은지민

The girl who contacted me...

은지민

You look a lot like me...?

은지민

Your smile is super pretty haha

은지민

But so I...

은지민

I can't get any closer

은지민

Also, I'm afraid I might... ruin someone's life.

은지민

I'm sorry, Jiyul.

은지민

So, I'm going to live thinking only of Jiyul.

은지민

Oppa.... can you forgive me even now...?

은지민

I'm sorry, Jiyul... and

은지민

I miss you... *sob*

And so, I burst into the tears I had been holding back.

I cried for a long time while looking at Jiyul's photo.

은지민

Jiyul

은지민

Oppa, I'm leaving now haha. I'll be back!! Wait for me..!