FINAL CHAPTER: Moving On
The studio fell silent as the whole audience, staff, host, and JanEul herself widened their eyes with jaws almost dropping to the floor upon hearing Junsu’s revelation.
“G-G-G-GIRLFRIEND?!? So she’s YOUR girlfriend?!” the host asked in utter surprise. “But, I’m confused! Jaejoong came here a while ago and he…but you…and then…”
“It’s the truth,” Junsu said bluntly as he shrugged.
JanEul’s face turned red automatically. “Eh! O-Oppa…w-wait! That’s---“
“Hyung was just denying everything so that it won’t cause anymore troubles to us and to JanEul. But I figured that there’s no point in hiding these kinds of things to our fans,”
Sunmi, despite being overly surprised, still managed to ask a question. “So…why are you revealing this facts to us all of a sudden?”
Junsu took a deep breath before answering. “Because I’m tired of it. I’m tired of all this issues which are disturbing our personal lives and career. I’m tired of seeing the innocent JanEul being criticized for someone she’s not.” He suddenly glared at the camera, as if giving a warning to the people watching. “And so…I hope that this ends everything. I’m warning you all, leave JanEul alone,”
“Junsu-oppa…” JanEul muttered while listening to Junsu’s serious remarks and warnings.
“I’m very thankful to all the fans who are concerned with this issue. It just shows how much you love us, and we love you all as well. But then…I don’t like what some of you are doing. I’m sorry to say this…but, I’m disappointed with some of the fans. This is not how Cassies are supposed to be. Cassies are kind-hearted, and so I was disappointed with how some of the Cassies took this issue to the next level.” He sighed before continuing. “If something like this happens again…I’m gonna be angry at Cassiopeia,” he said jokingly, with a bit of seriousness. “So please…enough of this.”
Junsu suddenly stood up and took JanEul’s hand while flashing a huge smile on his face. “Let’s go JanEul. We’re done here,”
“W-wha—“ before she could say anything, Junsu already dragged her to the backstage.
Before completely disappearing, Junsu looked back one last time at the studio. “Thanks for allowing us to clear things up. Me and MY girlfriend will be on our way now!”
“O-Oppa! What was that all about?” JanEul finally asked while getting dragged by Junsu towards the parking lot.
Junsu suddenly let go of her hand and faced her with a grin on his face. “I’m great, right?” he asked while giving a thumbs-up.
JanEul just sighed and smiled faintly. “You and your ridiculous schemes,”
Junsu suddenly turned serious. “I told you I’m going to protect you,”
“But you didn’t have to go that far.”
“But you saw it right? You saw Jaejoong-hyung’s interview a while ago,” Junsu asked.
JanEul was hesitant to answer first. Her lips trembled as she remembered about the things that Jaejoong said on live television. “It doesn’t matter,”
“It does matter!” Junsu exclaimed as he wobbled JanEul’s shoulders. “How could you act as if nothing happened? How could you act as if everything’s alright? Why…”
Junsu paused for a while to look at JanEul’s eyes full of sadness and confusion. “…why do you keep on hiding the pain? Why are you keeping it to yourself?”
JanEul bit her lip and avoided Junsu’s gaze. “It’s better this way…because…I don’t want to be pitied,”
This made Junsu even more furious. “Gosh, JanEul! Is this about your pride?!? Can’t you see? There are so many people around you who are willing to give you a helping hand and comfort you! All you had to do is to accept that offer and be thankful! But what did you do? You ran away, and you never gave us a chance to comfort you!”
“I…I…” tears started forming in JanEul’s eyes. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I was scared! I was hurt! I didn’t know what to do! I thought that you all felt the same way as Jae-oppa did! I thought you all hate me too for involving you in this mess!”
“JanEul…” Junsu uttered softly as he tried to calm down.
“I’m just an ordinary girl…DBSK’s no ordinary group. The fans have all the rights to be angry and furious. And so I…I ran away so that everything would be over. I don’t want you to get involved anymore…”
Silence filled the whole parking lot. All they could hear is JanEul’s silent sobbing.
Junsu suddenly grabbed JanEul and hugged her tightly. “Tell me…how could you stop us from getting involved?” he said, finally breaking the silence.
He closed his eyes and smiled. “Don’t you know…eversince you showed up, we couldn’t stop getting involved with you. Whenever something happens to you…we all felt the responsibility to barge in. You became a part of our lives. So tell me…how can’t we get involved?”
“I-I’m sorry for barging into your lives…”
This made Junsu’s hug grow tighter and tighter. “No…you should be sorry for thinking about leaving us…”
JanEul wasn’t able to reply, instead, she just continued to sob even louder.
“Sheesh…this drama is starting to creep me out…” a voice said from behind.
JanEul immediately broke the hug with a flustered face and turned around to face that guy with a familiar voice.
“Aish…Changmin…you party pooper…” Junsu mumbled.
Changmin just stuck out his tongue. “There was no party here anyway,”
He suddenly walked towards JanEul and took out a handkerchief from his pocket. “Here…wipe it all. You look ugly when you’re crying,” he teased as he handed out the hanky.
“You’re still as frank and mean as always,” JanEul remarked as she took the hanky and smiled. “But thanks anyway,”
“But hey…Changmin’s right. Your beautiful, angelic face gets spoiled by your tears…so you better stop crying,” another voice said.
“Yoochun?” JanEul asked upon turning around to see Yoochun walk out from his car with his hands placed inside the pockets of his red jacket.
“Yo,” he greeted as he got nearer.
“I knew that it was you, hyung. Only one guy would be able to come up with those cheesy lines in order to flatter girls,” Changmin commented.
“Bah…you’re just jealous coz you’re not good with handling girls,” Yoochun talked back as he took the handkerchief from JanEul’s grasp and wiped her cheeks himself.
“Yah! Yoochun! Please control your flirty side sometimes,” Yunho, who came from nowhere, suddenly commanded while grabbing Yoochun’s hand.
“Hyung! you’re really weird! Where the hell did you come from?” Changmin asked.
Yunho replied with a wink. “I’m the leader. There’s nothing that I can’t do,”
Junsu laughed. “Pfft…talk about self-esteem,”
“Haha, look who’s talking. Don’t forget that I learned this from you,” Yunho answered.
JanEul looked to the left then to the right and observed the members while they were quarreling with one another. This made her giggle. “Hehe…silly people,”
All of them turned to watch her smiling face. This made them smile in relief too.
“I’m glad to see your smile again,” Yunho remarked.
“We were really worried about you. We thought that you completely left us,” Yoochun stated with a sad tone.
“Yeah! And to think that you still haven’t finished teaching me about new hobbies! What makes you think that you can leave us like that?” Changmin asked as he pouted cutely.
JanEul wiped off her remaining tears. “Sorry for making you all worried,”
“Well, at least you’re still here. That’s all that matters,” said Junsu as he flashed an adorable smile.
Yunho suddenly snapped his fingers, as if remembering something. “Oh yeah! Somebody wants to talk with you personally JanEul,”
“Talk with me? Who?” JanEul asked in curiosity.
Soon enough, they heard faint footsteps coming from behind them. They tilted their heads and saw Jaejoong walking slowly towards them, his head facing the ground.
“Jae-oppa…” JanEul muttered nervously as her smile slowly faded.
Yunho held her hands and looked at her. “Before you come up with any conclusions on your mind, please let Jaejoong explain first. I’m sure he has his reasons,”
JanEul swallowed hard and took a deep breath as she finally wore a smile again. “I understand. Let me talk to him,”
Yunho nodded as he let go of JanEul’s hand and faced his members. “Let’s go guys,” he commanded while walking towards his car.
Yunho stopped on his tracks and walked back towards Junsu’s direction, who remained frozen in the spot where he stands. “Junsu…when I said let’s go, that clearly includes you. So…come one now man,”
Junsu forcefully got dragged by Yunho towards his car. Soon after, their cars completely drove away and left the parking lot, leaving JanEul and Jaejoong alone.
They stood in front of one another with quite a long distance, both facing the ground and remaining speechless.
Jaejoong made the first move by slowly walking towards JanEul, breaking the long distance between them.
“I…I’m sorry…” Jaejoong finally said while his gaze remained at the floor. “What I said earlier in that interview…was hurtful…I’m sorry,”
JanEul just looked at him and didn’t utter a single word. She wanted to say something, but she just couldn’t find the right words to say.
“Are…are you angry at me?” Jaejoong asked after the long silence.
Still, JanEul remained frozen and didn’t say a single word.
Jaejoong lifted his head at last and looked at JanEul. “Please…answer me. Are you angry JanEul?”
JanEul gulped and looked at the other side of the parking lot in order to avoid Jaejoong’s eyes. She still remained silent.
This time, Jaejoong walked towards her and took hold of her shoulders. “I want to know. Are you—“
“Hell yeah I am!” JanEul finally answered bluntly as she glared at Jaejoong with her fierce eyes. “I’m so damn angry! I am!”
Jaejoong was taken aback by JanEul’s sudden frankness. This surprised him since JanEul is a very kind girl who keeps on smiling despite being sad or angry. Seeing JanEul get really furious sent a shock to him.
“I’m sorry…” that was all that Jaejoong could say.
JanEul suddenly stomped back and forth, her heavy steps echoed throughout the parking lot as she continued to stare coldly at Jaejoong. “Sorry! Sorry! Sorry! Gosh! If you’re just here to repeat those words then you might as well join Super Junior! I’m tired of hearing your apologies!”
“B-but what do you want me to say?” Jaejoong asked as his eyes followed JanEul as she paced back and forth.
JanEul immediately stopped pacing and faced Jaejoong. “I just need explanations…”
Jaejoong sighed as he suddenly squatted on the ground and gave JanEul a look which seems to ask her to do the same thing.
JanEul rolled her eyes and squatted in front of Jaejoong. “You have 3 minutes,”
“Wai…what? That’s too short,” Jaejoong grumbled.
JanEul just raised her eyebrows and placed her hands on her hips.
Jaejoong scratched his head and took a deep breath. “Aish…fine,”
He looked at JanEul who is now crossing her arms while waiting for his explanation.
“Look at you…that attitude of yours is quite surprising. It’s kinda scary…but it’s cute,” he commanded as he flashed JanEul a wide grin.
Instead of smiling back, JanEul just stared at her clock. “2 and a half minutes left,”
“Whoa! Wait a minute! I didn’t even know that it started already!”
“2 minutes and 15 seconds left,” JanEul continued, ignoring Jaejoong’s complaints.
“Alright! Alright! Sheesh!” Jaejoong exclaimed as he cleared out his throat.
“Sigh…I don’t know what’s gotten into me during that time. Mixed emotions were overflowing and so I didn’t know what to do. I got replaced in the movie where I was supposed to star in, controversies were spreading all over the place…it drove me nuts. I wanted to end it so badly…and that’s what brought me to the TV station, and say those kinds of things.”
Jaejoong took a glance at JanEul before continuing. “I thought that I was doing the right thing. I thought that if I denied our relationship, all this chaos would come to an end. I wasn’t thinking about the possible ‘side effects’ of my actions. I was so confused that I wasn’t able to consider your feelings. What I did only made things worse for you. I have caused you pain once again. And so…I’m really sorry…”
Jaejoong raised his head to face JanEul, and he saw tears running down from her eyes. “J-JanEul…”
“You’re forgiven. I understand now,” JanEul sniffed as she wiped her tears and stood up. “I’m glad that you explained these things to me Oppa,”
Jaejoong stood up as well and flashed her a smile. “Thanks for forgiving me…”
JanEul smiled back. “Well, now that that’s settled, I think it’s about time to clear things between us,”
Jaejoong’s smile became smaller, but it never faded. He tried his best to remain smiling. “I know…”
“Things have been good, Oppa. I’m really thankful that I met you. But after all that happened, I think that it’s time for me to move on, clear up my mind and continue my studies. And so…” she suddenly reached out her hand to Jaejoong. “…friends?”
Jaejoong stared blankly at her hand at first. Then, he slowly lifted his arms, and shook hands with JanEul. “Friends,”
JanEul smiled while her eyes are fixed at their hands shaking one another. She suddenly noticed that their hands got wet by the continuous droplets…of Jaejoong’s tears.
“O-Oppa…” JanEul uttered as she looked up to see Jaejoong crying silently. She lifted up her hands towards Jaejoong’s face and prepared to wipe his tears.
Jaejoong shoved her hands away gently and turned his back against her. “Hehe…this is embarrassing…” he took out a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his tears with it.
“This is actually the first time that I’ve cried in front of a girl and---“ Jaejoong wasn’t able to finish his sentence since the moment he turned around to face JanEul once again, he saw her crying too.
“Yah…why are you crying too?”
“Because you…*sniff*…are stupid…*sniff*…” JanEul replied while covering her face with her hands.
Jaejoong chuckled faintly. “Hehe, I know, I know.” He suddenly took his car keys from his pocket. “May I give you a ride back home? It’s a friend’s request, and I won’t take no for an answer,”
JanEul wiped her tears with her hands. Then she finally nodded with a smile. “Sure,”
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