Jun was in disbelief. Not just because of the kiss but by the fact that he should have already pushed her away by now. But her light honey brown orbs made the scene of her death flash in front of him. The pain in her eyes at her last breath and the sincerity in them whenever she was by his side in this life - everything stopped Jun from moving an inch.
'You are a coward.'
'Life is not that long for you to shorten it by your own hands'
'Have you calmed down now?'
'I believe you.'
Push her away, push her away, push her Goddamn away!
His thoughts were clear about to push Ai away as soon as possible, but he couldn't made it come to fruition.
This was troubling to him just like his nemesis author MissImperfectlyFine. Wanting to stay away from her world but still keeping her books by his side. Just like that, he wanted to tear away from this fluttering sensation, but he clung onto it, feeling the need to cry.
He had an urge to just cry everything out, wanting to hold onto the little warmth that Ai provided him.
Their accidental kiss lasted for several seconds before the boys laughed.
"It's a kiss!"
"Big brother and pretty sister are statues!"
The crowd in the area coughed and pretended as if they didn't see anything.
That finally woke them up and both took a quick, long step away from each other. Then a sharp silence dropped.
One of the boys giggled. "You look funny."
"Big brother, can we have that toy?"
Jun's stupor broke, and he coldly glared at them.
If they hadn't pushed him in their excitement…
The boys shrieked.
"A devil!"
"No, a villain!"
"Baddie!"
Jun handed them the feather stick. "Leave."
"Yay!"
"Thank you, villain big brother!" They merrily ran away.
But the atmosphere between Jun and Ai was suddenly not so merry.
Ai rubbed her palms together. Even she, who usually had something to say in every situation, failed to get her words.
"...It was just an accident. Don't think much. You are still not my type."
It was clear that she was mumbling whatever came to her mind.
"My break is over. I am heading back."
Jun kept standing, his mind completely blank. He covered his face with his palms.
What the heck…just happened?
The other person who wanted to exclaim about the same situation in shock was none other than Jin, who saw everything happening from the coffee house.
What the heck just happened?
*A few minutes before*
"Jun broke up with me," Shui confessed.
Jin couldn't really register it. "What? Broke up? Bro Jun?"
She wryly smiled. "That's exactly why I am unable to tell this to my family either. I am still unable to digest it myself. Jun was someone who always declared that I would be his wife one day. Ever since I was little, he was always by my side protecting me. His heart was set. He knew what he wanted. So…"
"Wait, wait, wait. Hold on. This is impossible. Everybody knows how bro wants only you. Break up would be the last thing on his mind! Is it because of the argument you two had?" He was aghast.
Shui stiffened. "You know about it?"
"Yeah…Bro didn't want to tell anyone about it but I felt something was off, so I probed him about it."
This argument was before Jun's rebirth, so when he came back in time, that fight had already happened in the past of his second life.
"Around three weeks ago, bro asked you out on a date, but you were busy with the college stuff."
"...That was-"
"A lie. You had already submitted your assignments, so you were free. Bro got mad that you lied to him."
Shui was perturbed. "Of course, I didn't want to lie to him."
She was in a predicament. Jun was his brother, so she didn't know how to express herself. She wondered if it was even right what she felt.
"But…But you know, sometimes Jun…"
Jin quietly let her take her time.
"Please don't get upset, Jin. You might not like what I will say because he is your brother. Even I am not sure. But…sometimes I feel as if I don't have my space around him."
Jin blinked.
"He is a good boyfriend. Really. He cares about me a lot. He is always by my side, but…sometimes it feels too binding to me. He wants to drop me to college, pick me back at home, call me to know how and where I am…at first, I was happy like any girlfriend would. My boyfriend pays attention to me. Who doesn't want it? But lately, I feel it's too much. It feels like he wants to be everywhere where I am even when I am with my friends. It's as if I am smothered by him from all sides."
This was mentally draining for her. Talking about this was as hard as climbing Mount Everest.
"That's why I lied. To be honest, my friends had planned a small karaoke party, and I wished to be there. But I knew Jun would insist to come too. Sometimes I just want to be with my friends. Even if two people are in a relationship, they cannot be by each other's side 24x7. Mom and Dad aren't like that, neither Uncle Jinhai and Aunt Nana. But, I still felt horrible for lying! Jun didn't speak a word to me after that. And then suddenly he said he wants to break up with me. I don't know what to do anymore."
Jin was about to say something when he noticed Jun and Ai opposite the coffee house.
Bro and that…woman again.
He noticed their interaction and was shaken up to see Jun tickling Ai back. He had held her arm and was sort of playing with her.
Was that really his brother who looked at nobody else but Shui?
Seeing him intimate with another woman was like thunder striking him. But what happened next just blew his mind off.
They kissed. Or rather he understood that it was an accident, but what was shocking was that he didn't push her away.
He always detested anybody's touch except Shui's, but now he hadn't broken that kiss at all. Even after Ai replied something in response and hastily left, Jun didn't seem to be disgusted by the kiss.
Jun looked troubled. Confused. A very different expression than what he had expected for someone who he had vowed to marry Shui since he was five years old.
"Jin?" Shui waved her hand in front of him.
He snapped out of his trance and saw Jun leaving in a daze.
"Shui…"
"What's wrong?"
Jin quickly shook his head. "Nothing. Just my imagination…"
Then his deep gaze turned solemn as he peered into Shui's eyes. "Shui, You are Bro's life. Literally. He won't break up with you over that argument. His love is far greater than that," he shook his head. "That's why, please. Talk to him once again. Sort out your differences, and I am sure this misunderstanding will be resolved. His happiness is in you. He can give up on this whole world but never you."