XIV

A week later...

Ryujin was working at the diner that day, she was only going to work half day and she'll have the rest of the day to do whatever she wants.

She was preparing to leave that time and was fixing her belongings, when all of a sudden she spotted a white car stopping infront of the diner from the windows and it was parked at parking area

A certain someone exit the car and they made eye contact and so the person waved at Ryujin.

"Jaemin oppa?" Ryujin whispered upon seeing him outside her workplace. She immediately went out of the diner to go meet him.

"Ryujin, hi, are you done with your work?" Jaemin asked.

She nodded. "Yes oppa."

"That's good to hear. You want to come with me?" he asked her.

"Where are we going?"

Jaemin leaned on his car. "I'm not sure either, anywhere the road leads us I guess. Just for a test drive." he said.

Then Ryu averted her gaze at his car. "Is this... yours?"

Jaemin nodded.

"Wow! It's beautiful. Is it new? I didn't see this when I left this morning." Ryujin said.

"It's actually a surprise gift from my noona, she called this morning and told me it was an early birthday gift and the marketing professional and sales agent delivered it this morning to our house and you were already at your workplace that time." Jaemin explained.

"Oh... I see." she nodded. "Wait, you know how to drive oppa?"

"Well... yeah, Johnny hyung used to teach me how to drive his car and I have friends that also taught me how to drive but... I still don't have a driver's license." Jaemin explained.

"Oh..." she just nodded at him.

"So... should we go?" Jaemin asked her.

Ryujin smiled widely and nodded. "Let's go!"

———

They drove to anywhere the road leads them and Ryujin, who was seated at the passenger's seat, did bought foods and drinks for them at the diner for their lunch.

"Here oppa, I bought us lunch."

She offered him foods and drinks while he was driving.

"Oh wow, thank you Ryujin." he told.

Then he saw a sealed milkshake drink, he couldn't tell what the flavor was but he assumed it was strawberry milkshake again so he gulped.

"You're welcome." said Ryujin.

"I'll just have the drink first, I can't eat the burger and fries while I'm driving." he told and she nodded.

Jaemin was cursing in his head. He really hated strawberry flavored anything and he'll have to finish another cup today. He was so over it but he had to act as if he loved the milkshake 'cause he didn't want to make Ryu upset.

He took a sip of his drink and to his surprise it wasn't strawberry, it was a coffee-flavored milkshake.

He got so surprised that he ended up looking at the drink weirdly, he didn't expected it to be coffee but he liked the flavor.

"Do you like it oppa? I ordered coffee mocha milkshakes, just for a change." she told him and she looked as if she had been anticipating his reaction.

Jaemin nodded. "I like it, you know I like anything coffee-flavored. This is delicious. Thank you, Ryu." he commented.

Ryujin giggled, she was just happy that Jaemin appreciated her choice. "No problem, oppa. I know you don't like strawbery milkshakes."

Then Jaemin glanced at her and he lowkey felt guilty. "Oh no, I like strawberry milkshakes too. That's your favorite, right?" he lied to make her feel better.

She nodded. "It's my favorite but I know you don't like strawberries, I could tell by your facial expressions whenever we drink strawberry milkshakes but it's okay, we all have our own preference in beverages." she explained but she had a smile on.

Jaemin felt a little embarassed. "I'm really sorry, Ryu. I'm sorry about my facial expressions."

Ryu chuckled. "Don't be silly oppa, it's really okay. I know you like coffee too so I bought you coffee milkshake."

Jaemin glance at her and he flashed a smile at her. "Thanks, Ryujin."

———

Jaemin started playing music in his car and he played One Direction playlist. He pressed shuffle and the first song that played made Ryujin smile instantly...

"Oh my gosh! This is my favorite song." she exclaimed and Jaemin smiled back at her.

"Really? That's my favorite too." he told her.

Ryujin chuckled. "We have the same music taste."

When it got to the chorus part, Ryujin started singing the lyrics... "They don't know about the things we do. They don't know about the I love you's. But I bet you if they only knew.  They would just be jealous of us. ~" she sang this with her whole heart, eyes closed and Jaemin kept glancing at her.

Jaemin sang along with her. "They don't know about the up all nights. They don't know I've waited all my life. Just to find a love that feels this right. Baby, they don't know about, they don't know about us. ~"

And what a perfect match their voices were. They both stared at each other after singing that chorus and they both formed a smile on their lips.

Jaemin realized how even more beautiful Ryu was when she smile. The thought of how mesmerizing she was when she smiles made her heart pound like crazy.

Then Ryujin said. "Johnny oppa use to play this song in his car whenever we're together."

That's when Jaemin's smile faded, he almost forgot Johnny existed since he hasn't heard from him in a little while.

"O-oh? Oh really?" Jaemin replied but he sounded kinda disappointed.

She nodded. "He would play one direction's songs for me and we would sing together. It was really fun!" she sighed heavily after reminicing those memories.

"I miss those moments, I miss Johnny oppa so much." she said and she pouted as she looked outside of the window.

Jaemin suddenly felt a little blue when Ryu said that. Seeing Ryu sad makes him sad as well but deep down inside, he knew that she was better off without Johnny.

Jaemin knew that someone out there can love Ryujin wholeheartedly, she deserves the kind of love she gives, genuine and sincere unlike Johnny's.

And who's that certain someone?

Jaemin said. "Don't be sad, Ryu. I'm pretty sure that what's ahead of you is much better than what you left behind. God knows what is best for you and he is leading you to that direction."

———

So they drove somewhere far, away from town. They had a lot of fun singing and chitchatting. Jaemin felt really happy with this. This was prolly one of the few things Jaemin was always afraid of but now, he felt comfortable and very much himself around a female. It was only Ryujin that made him feel this way.

They reached a cliff facing the beautiful ocean and they decided to make a stop so that they could appreciate the breathtaking scenery.

They both sat at the hood of the car, eating their left overs and waiting for the sun to set. Ryujin was closing her eyes as she felt the cool breeze on her face.

"You like it here?" Jaemin asked her.

She nodded. "Yah."

"Me too. It's so relaxing here." he said.

Ryujin suddenly uttered. "Reminds me of home, I miss home."

Jaemin averted her gaze at her. "Home?" he asked her. Ryujin slowly opened her eyes and gaze at him.

"I used to be an island girl, I live at the coast before moving to the urban district." she explained.

"Oh wow, really?"

She nodded. "It was very serene and peaceful there but sadly, my parents and I had to move to the urban district." she explained and she hugged her knees together as she looked infront.

Jaemin suddenly got curious. "Ryujin, if... you don't mind me asking... w-what happened to your parents? I-I mean... why aren't they with you? A-and how did you end up at the urban district?" he asked.

Ryujin returned her gaze back at him, she inhaled deeply before answering him. "Well, a tragedy struck and our home back at the coast got burned to the ground. We had nothing left and we didn't know when, where and how to start our lives again, I was only ten years old that time and it was very traumatic. We had to leave everything behind to create a new start, I had to leave the coast, my friends and the peaceful life I once had. We had to move to a different place so my parents could find jobs, my parents were seeking for a place with many job opportunities but... sadly, we landed in the most dangerous and most scary place I could ever imagine, that I would one day call my home... the urban district."

Jaemin was just patiently listening to her story and he could feel the pain in her story, she was already forming tears in her eyes as she explained everything.

"My parents did find jobs at the urban district, however... these jobs were not the ordinary jobs you could think. The way of living in the urban district had greatly influenced my parents. My mom... she worked at the club where I used to work as I waitress, but she worked there as a stripper and a s*x worker while engaging in dr*g dealing. My dad... well, he became a drug dealer himself. Both of my parents became alcoholic, they would do dr*gs, smoke, engage in crimes and gamble from morning 'til night therefore neglecting me, their only child. I think... they even forgot that they were parents, they forgot they had a child 'cause... they never treated me like their own child ever since we started living in the urban district."

"It was very depressing to grow up and watch your parents transform into these... I don't k-know what to call them..." tears escaped her eyes. "Both of them would fight, almost everyday and their fights also turn physical. I had to witness all of that at a young age, it was traumatizing. I would always sleep with a heavy heart, wishing for things to go back to the way it was but... I know it's never going to happen, I'll never have my peaceful life back." she continued,

Jaemin offered her tissues that time to wipe her tears away and she accepted it. "Thank you, oppa."

She then continued her story. "After the never ending arguments and misunderstandings, my parents decided to part ways. My dad left us to move to a different city, I cried so much when he left us but to him, he felt no remorse, no guilt, no sadness burying us in his past. Living with my mom wasn't easy either, she was abusive towards me. She would hurt me everyday, verbally and physically, she made me drop out from school so that I could start working to help finance her with her gambling. She never really cared about me, she only cared about herself. I started working as a trash collector along with other out of school youths, it was even more depressing 'cause instead of studying, I had to start working and abandon my dreams."

"And then one day, when I came back home from my whole day work as a trash collector... my mom just... left. She just left me... to runaway with another man, no good byes, no talks, no anything... she just abandoned me just like that. I came home to nothing, she took everything with her even the money the I earned from working as a trash collector. Despite being abusive towards me, I cried for her, I cried so much that time but... that's when I realized that... from that day onwards, life would be very different and I had to be stronger because now, I am all alone. There's no one to count on but me, I can't rely on anyone, it's just me and I have to live independently."

She bit her lips as she continued. "I told myself that I would never be like them, I would never mirror what they had done to me. I would never treat my kids the way they treated me. I would prove them that I could stand on my own and that I don't have to be as vile as them to survive. I am a fighter and I can count on myself. They betrayed me, the people whom I loved the most left me and forgot about me. As if... I was never part pf their lives and that was the saddest part." she started crying so much that time and Jaemin felt bad for asking in the first place 'cause now, she was just very emotional.

Knowing about her past made him feel bad, so bad that his guilt is swallowing him whole. Her parents betrayed her, Johnny betrayed and he too was keeping a secret from her, who can she really trust at this point?

"Ryujin...I — I —" he couldn't continue 'cause his heart was so crushed hearing her cry so much. He had never seen her cry like this before.

Instead of talking, Jaemin just did what his heart felt like doing. He leaned closer to her and pulled her for a tight embrace and Ryujin did not hesitate to wrap her hands around him too while crying on his shoulders.

Jaemin patted her back as she cried. "Shh! There, there Ryu, I am awfully sorry for asking. I should not have asked you about that. I am realy sorry."

She did not respond to him because she was still at the verge of weeping. Jaemin tighethed his hug aroung her and tears had fallen from his eyes too but he tried to conceal it by burying his face on her neck.

Jaemin whispered to her. "I'm sorry Ryujin, I'm sorry you have to go through all that. You don't deserve to be in a very awful situation."

Jaemin also added. "But I want you to know that you're not alone 'cause I am here, I am someone you can't count on. I'll never betray you, I'll never hurt you, I'll never leave you. I am always here for you, you have my words."

ctto: neomuloneli
———

They got back on the road after that very emotional talk they had. While they were driving home, Jaemin wanted to uplift her mood so he started telling her jokes while he was driving. She did made Ryujin smile with his jokes but her swollen and puffy eyes still made it obvious that she just cried.

"I'm really sorry for asking that question to you, Ryu and I'm sorry for making you cry. It was never my intention to make you emotional, I just got curious." he apologized to her for the 100th time.

"It's okay, oppa. Sometimes, crying is good. We are humans and crying is normal. Looking back, I kinda realize how awful my past was but it also made me realize how far I've come. I am in a much better situation compared to last time, I got out of pf the urban district, I have a decent job, I am back in school, I have a decent place to live and I met the most amazing person ever..." she turned her gaze back at Jaemin.

And a smile was slowly creeping in his lips when she said that and his heart... oh Lord, his heart was going nuts again for being called the most amazing person.

Little did he know that Ryujin wasn't finished with her sentence. Ryu continued... "and that is Johnny oppa."

The smile slowly faded away when Jaemin heard that and he felt like the butterflies in his stomach die.

"Johnny oppa will always have a special place in my heart, despite everything. He changed my life and I am forever grateful that our paths crossed." she said to Jaemin.

Jaemin said in his head... "The power Johnny hyung holds to make Ryujin fall madly in love with him. She doesn't deserve him, he treated her like trash. She deserves to be loved with all honesty, I can be that guy... wait what? What I even thinking?! Ugh, Jaemin, you're such a sucker. Are you really falling for her?"

"Oh... oh wow... that's so... romantic, I guess." Jaemin commented awkwardly to her, he gave her his best fake smile.

Ryujin smiled back at her. "I am glad that I met you too, oppa. You're such a nice person, thank you for everything. You're such a great friend."

The word 'friend' echoed in his ears but he stille replied. "Right back at you, Ryujin."

And... Jaemin just got friendzoned.

———

They came home and they spotted someone waiting for them just infron of the house. He waved the moment he saw both Ryujin and Jaemin getting out of the car.

"Jeno? Hey bro!" Jae greeted first. "What are you doing here, bro?" Jaemin asked as he approached him and gave him a fist bump.

"Hey bro, hey Ryujin." Jeno replied.

"I came here to visit you, hoping we could play some video games." Jeno said and then he averted his gaze at Jae's car.

"Wow. Is