Limerence

People only learn to hold on to things when it's no longer within reach. They crave touches when the skin can no longer feel, and they lust for life when they're about to lose it. It's the same for Dong Joon and Eun Ae, who were about to face the consequences of sealed lips and unspoken, ardent desire.

Dong Joon tightened his grip on her pale hand. Her cracked lips formed an archaic smile.

"Dong Joon... will you smile at me?" she said.

Her wet nose amplified as she breathed. He raised his head and revealed his teary eyes.

"How can I smile at this moment?"

He brushed his cheeks on the back of her hand.

"I'd rather see you smile for the last time than look at those gloomy eyes," she said with a crackling voice.

"Even if I smile, you know it's fake."

She closed her eyes as tears flowed down her cheeks.

"Dong Joon, listen. I want to be brave this time."

Lights flashed to his chin-length, wavy, black hair as he gazed at her.

"I... I love you," she whispered.

He wept, nose getting bigger as he sniffed.

"Shh."

He caressed her long hair.

"You don't have to say that. I will do the talking for you."

He wiped his tears away and smiled.

"I could've told you earlier. I could've shown you how much I love you more than a friend. I am filled with regrets and it might drown me, better take me with you."

"I'm sorry I was too late," she said.

"Eun Ae..."

He leaned closer to her and kissed her forehead.

"Dong Joon, promise me you won't blame yourself after this. You have done enough for me. You never told me, but you've shown me genuine love..."

He wailed, chest pounding as he breathed.

"You made my life on Earth beautiful... like you are," she said.

"No... please."

His moans resonated all over the room like sirens.

He only spilled a few of his unspoken words, bottled up inside his heart. Eun Ae was his best friend ever since primary school, until they graduated from University. Within those years, he was too timid to confess.

He witnessed how many men came after her, and he could only clench his fists behind them. Those years when he's silent, she waited. Eun Ae dated a few men, but never lasted, because deep within her, she wanted him. The fright of rejection strangled both of them.

Dong Joon was the only son of a billionaire. Their conglomerate includes restaurants, convenience stores, and a chain of hotels. While Eun Ae was the daughter of a judge and their parents were close. Fate paved the way for their hearts to be together, yet they didn't utter a thousand words to express their unnerving infatuation with each other.

Only death weaved their desire and declared it one last time. On the 19th of January, Eun Ae turned to ashes, and they displayed her at Chungah Park Columbarium. Dong Joon stood in front of her tomb in his black tuxedo with hands inside his pocket.

Eun Ae's smile shone in her photo. It was when she graduated from Hankuk University of Foreign Studies Law School. She was with her parents and Dong Joon.

"Isn't she lovely?"

Dong Joon glanced at the man who spoke and stood beside him. It was Hong Jii, her colleague at the Alps Law Firm.

"No doubt," he replied.

Hong Jii placed the flowers he bought beside her photo. Jade Vine was her favorite flower, a rare one in the family of pea and bean. He used to buy it for her after a trip to the Philippines.

"You're too lucky," Hong Jii whispered under his breath.

Dong Joon gazed at him.

"She never looked at me the way she looked at you," he said with swollen eyes.

"I'm sorry."

"1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7."

Dong Joon's brows furrowed.

"What's that? Password to her accounts?" he said.

"How I wish... but it's the number of times she mentioned your name each day when she's with me," Hong Jii replied.

He was Eun Ae's ex-boyfriend, the longest relationship she had.