𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 | jinji

"three: beloved"

NINE YEARS LATER

"i found you," jinyoung says breathlessly, eyes wide as the well-grown lady before him shoots him a beautiful, elegant smile. it was way too familiar for jinyoung not to remember.

her used-to-be long black hair was now dyed a brown color, complimenting her milky skin perfectly, and the soft, pastel japanese patterns on her sophisticated thin dress completed her overall look—she was more than pretty underneath the flight of cherry blossom leaves.

"park jinyoung, i'd be amused," the female says as she gazes at her first love warmly. she examines him, observing the amount of changes that he had went through over the massive time they've been apart. "you've changed."

jinyoung was, in all ways, manlier—his body became toned, soft features that she remembered in high school now chiseled—however, jisoo couldn't stop admiring the fact that he was still, in fact, the park jinyoung she had grown to love through the years.

"i heard you and nayeon got married," jinyoung presses his lips in a tight line as the slightly sensitive topic escapes the latter's lips. "i can see it gave you two a lovely angel."

jinyoung's lips automatically curve up as he feels the gaze by his side. he squishes the small hand he held by his left, sparing a glance at his son who was too busy eating a lollipop to mind.

jisoo crouches down. "hi there, what's your name?" she looks at the child sweetly, as the latter simply hides behind his father, rather shy.

"dad, how come she knows how to speak korean? do japanese speak korean, too?" jinyoung simply chuckles.

"hyunjin-ah, this beautiful lady is korean; she's my friend, now say hi." the younger obliges, bashfully waving at the female and quickly retreating right after.

"this is aunt jisoo." hyunjin fails to hear what his father had to say as he became distracted by the falling cherry blossoms landing on his head.

"sorry about that, jisoo. he's really shy. got it from nayeon, i guess."

"where's nayeon, by the way?" jisoo seizes the opportunity to ask as hyunjin joins the group of children playing with the fallen flowers.

"she left us behind," jinyoung heaves a deep breath at the heavy topic. "said she was going to come to japan for her family, and never came back again."

"is that why you're here?" jisoo glances at jinyoung, worry evident in her expression.

"yes. it's time we had divorced. she sent me a letter a month ago, saying it was the last time we'll be meeting and that i shouldn't take hyunjin, but she's his mom, it's just right they have a proper goodbye," jinyoung says as he gazes lovingly at his son.

"jinyoung," the male spares the female a glance, the butterflies in the male's stomach suddenly returning as he sees the familiar gaze of affection in jisoo's eyes. it catches the male off-guard, trying to avoid jisoo's stare. "about the letters—"

jinyoung smiles softly as he remembers.

back in the day, nine years ago, when they were still in high school, jisoo had to leave for japan right after she had sent jinyoung her letters.

it made jinyoung helpless—once jisoo had left, his mind was left with no thoughts but hers.

and so, the only way to reduce the pain and longing felt in his chest, was to make letters of his own. this way, he knew he had held on to the only memories he had of her.

it wasn't everyday, every week, every month—only when jinyoung felt like he needed her back.

he'd write a letter, usually about how he and nayeon were doing, how school was doing, how rather empty it was without her. even then, jinyoung only had friendliness in his letters, until the messages felt rather too lonely for it to be interpreted as friendliness.

for some reason, jinyoung found jisoo's address through nayeon.

not long after, four years after jisoo had left for japan and jinyoung had started to write letters, did he stop. giving up, he had nayeon to comfort him, and found happiness in her love alone.

and now, it was again, a huge, drastic change.

just like nine years ago.

as jisoo busily talks, jinyoung mindlessly gazes at her, love and admiration evident in his eyes as he scans the female from head to toe, especially taking in the moment to appreciate her breathtaking beauty. he loved the way she talked, the way her eyes would crinkle slightly when she smiled, the way she had gained a mannerism where she pouted every once in a while when she couldn't find the right word she was about to say.

jinyoung loved everything about her.

"jinyoung, are you listening?" jinyoung snaps out of his thoughts as jisoo gives him a weren't-you-listening-to-me face, to which the male simply blushes and looks away.

"you weren't listening, were you?" silence overcomes the atmosphere for a mere second, before jisoo erupts into laughter. even then, jinyoung couldn't help but look lovingly at the female before him.

jinyoung knew it was time for him to say everything he had kept.

"jisoo, about the letters, i just wanted to clarify it, right here," he says, taking a deep breath and gathering every inch of courage he had. "i've loved you—"

"mommy!"

the two pause, surprised, sparing a glance towards jinyoung's son who suddenly exclaims from far away.

jinyoung simply stares in horror once witnessing the sight before him.