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"Wh-wh," I try to turn around and break away from his hold, but it's futile. Whoever he is he's insanely strong, I can feel my body bump into what feels like marble. Am I being attacked right now? Does this asshole want my wallet? Cause good luck finding anything useful in there buddy. "I'm going to have to arrest you miss," chills rise onto my skin at the proximity of this voice. His mouth is beside my ear now, cold late Winter air blowing just beside it, and I feel suddenly paralyzed, entranced by the melodic sound of his voice. I stop my racing thoughts for a moment and feel the words tickle my ear. "For being such a beautiful woman." "Jae-Jaewook?" The hands let mine free so I can turn around. Sure enough, that strong body I felt is connected to the sweetest looking face I've ever seen. His eyes are warm and round as they sparkle at me, his lips holding a familiar mischievous smile. It's him. "Jaewook," I breathe out in shock, hand coming to my mouth as I slowly lose my mind. I feel tears brimming in my eyes but the first thing my brain tells my body to do is to hit him as hard as I can. "Ow! Noona, wait—ow—I'm sorry, hold on!" "You little brat! How dare you scare me like that you twerp! Do you want me to die of a heart attack? Is that what you want?" He finally catches my fists, I push against his hold but it's futile. The strength he's built these past four years has made it impossible for me to ever fight against him. "I wanted to surprise you." "What do you mean?" I ask blankly as I finally notice the uniform he's wearing. "Holy shit." Reaching behind him he holds up something that glistens with silver. Handcuffs. "Guess who's a certified police officer now. Kinda." "No fucking way," I gasp. His eyebrows cross in confusion. "Noona? Did you just—" "No way, no way. When did this happen? I thought you had some mandatory end of program trip to go on?" I had attended his graduation in February, but Jaewook had broken the news to me that he wouldn't be coming home just yet, because of some stupid mandatory trip graduates had to go on after. Thinking about it now, there were many holes to his story. He sheepishly lowers his head a bit, that awe-inspiring confidence he had developed wonderfully at university smothering into embers now. "I might have kinda lied. I was applying to join the force. But we really did go on a trip! For three days..." "You damn bastard. You're a little punk you know that Jae?!" I shout at him. "Noona, you've gotten even more ruthless, what happened?" "What happened is—I'M LATE FOR WORK!" With that revelation, I run in the direction of the hospital. I hear him chasing after me with a laugh but don't bother to turn back. After a lecture from my senior and a dreadful night shift at work, Jaewook and I properly meet. While we could have gone to a coffee shop for breakfast, we decided to skip the nonsense and head straight to my apartment. He explained his (idiotic) genius plan to try and land an entrance assistant policeman job before telling me anything. Because of his astounding scores across all subjects in university—even English and French, who could have seen it coming—he was given great recommendations and had a boost above many others entering the job force. I can't help but feel pride in myself for turning him into such a nerd. He apparently has been staying with another policeman-to-be during this time, and had multiple moments where he wanted to give up and forget the whole surprise—I'm guessing those moments were when he was feeling all too frustrated with his self-imposed abstinence. But despite it only being almost two months since I last saw him, the urgency to close the space between us grows unbearable, as if we can feel that dreadful energy buzzing between us until it's all that's left. "I'm so glad you're back," I say heavily as my arms wrap around his neck. Finally, we're alone. Something we haven't been able to do aside from sneaking away from his convocation to steal some kisses in an empty hallway, or the short moments I got any time he'd come over for school vacation. His immeasurable strength is evident as he easily carries me by my legs, walking to the bedroom as his lips reach up to look for my own. "Me too." But the high of being alone together only lasted so long. "Destiny!" Hansoo bangs on my door. "Dee, I know he's in there! Yah, Jae, I'm the one who told you where you'd find her, and you don't even come to thank me?!" More fists banging on the door. I groan, the urge to knock Hansoo out with some anesthesia growing more than ever before. "I KEPT THIS SECRET FOR YOU AND I DON'T EVEN GET A HELLO?!" My eyes snap back onto the man still holding me up. I see his Adam's apple bob nervously. "You told Hansoo and not me," I say as calmly as I can. "You told, Hansoo," I laugh a bit, "the TRUTH, and not ME?!" I'm quickly let down as Jaewook suddenly scurries away and towards the front door. "You know, maybe I should see Hansoo, ask him how things are going." "Nice try Jae," I grab the back of his shirt before he opens the door, but he still manages to open it to a smug looking Hansoo. The blissful feeling of knowing he's back—permanently—put me on a high for the rest of the whole week. After being apart for so long, finally, we can be with each other every day. Despite that distance the last four years, the branches keeping us together never once snapped or strained, they only grew and expanded, and now they are stronger than ever. The End ...