Second Love

Chapter 1

You only get one soul mate in your life. Has he already missed his?

Ji Hoo looked fondly at Jan Di. Sometimes he would consider abandoning her as a hopeless cause and find someone else, but the thought always disappeared before it could fully take form. His heart just didn't seem to care that this girl was already taken, that she would never be his. He would be lying if he said he would be content just watching her, but if that was as far as he could get with her, then he would just have to accept that.

"Sunbae? Are you okay?" He was jolted back to reality as Jan Di's concerned face came into his line of vision.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He shook his head to clear away all the distracting thoughts. "Do you want something to drink?" He got up abruptly before even getting a response from the surprised girl. He needed some space between them right now, or he would start thinking too much about their relationship again.

It wasn't that he didn't like thinking about their relationship, he mused as he slipped a few yen into the vending machine. It was just a sore topic for him, and he started getting depressed whenever it even crossed his mind. And as good and caring a girl as Jan Di was, she still couldn't fully hide her preference of the happier Ji Hoo hwho could always make her laugh instead of the sad and morbid one who still pined after his lost love. Therefore he had promised himself to always remain like that happy Ji Hoo in front of her.

With two cups of that wonderfully cheap coffee she loved in hand and a determined mind frame back in place, he headed back to their usual seats in front of the swimming pool building.

Just in time to see Jan Di with Jun Pyo. They were kissing with such passion that despite himself, Ji Hoo felt a pang of jealousy. He backed behind a wall as to not disturb them. A split second later, he wished he had disturbed them after all.

"Jan Di, you know I love you. Will you marry me?"

In that brief second before her answer, it seemed as if his heart had stopped beating. He didn't care about his friendship with Jun Pyo anymore. He just wanted to do something, anything, to prevent her from saying the word he knew she would utter.

"Yes."

He felt as if he was being consumed from the inside. Everything was pain, just like it had been in the car crash, and just like back then, there was no one to comfort him.

He staggered away from the sight of the happy couple, moaning softly. He couldn't deny it anymore; he had truly loved Jan Di, and seeing her form such a bond with another man was unbearable.

He hadn't even realized his feet had carried him in front of the elevator. He sighed and pressed the "up" button, wanting nothing more than a tall building to jump off of.

As the elevator doors closed, he noticed a smudge of black ink on the side of the elevator railing.

"Jan Di and Jun Pyo, first night together."

Suddenly the elevator seemed way too small. The pain from Jun Pyo's proposal had intensified and he truly felt as if he wanted to die.

Just then, the elevator doors slid open, and in stepped a girl. The first thing he noticed was the bracelet she wore. Unconsciously he reached out to it, hearing the girls slight gasp.

"Sunbae?"

His mind roared. Jan Di had come back to him. This bracelet was the one she had in New Caledonia and left on the sand. She had come back to him.

He rushed at her, wrapping his arms around her, breathing in her scent. He didn't see Jun Pyo anywhere, which was odd considering what he had just witnessed, but he was too weak with relief to care. Someone had come for him after all; he no longer had to endure the pain by himself.

"Ji Hoo sunbae…" her voice shook a little and he looked down tenderly at the woman he loved and always would love.

And got the shock of a lifetime.

Long straight black hair… this wasn't Jan Di! Oh dear, she must think him a pedophile, grabbing her as soon as she got into the elevator. "Uh…" For the first time, he was at a loss for words. "Sorry—"

That was as far as he got into his apology before his emotions got the better of him and he eased into a world of darkness, falling into the arms of a very shocked Chu Ga Eul.