It's been three months...

I smiled at my mother as she scurried around our kitchen, preparing lunch. I was seated at our dining table, an unopened letter in my hands.

I had graduated from high school with honours exactly two months ago, and now this letter would be a big deciding factor on my future. I opened it with cautious fingers.

"Dear Miss (' '), the State University of Los Angeles is proud to inform you that you have been accepted-"

"Oh my God." I dropped the letter. "Mom!"

My mother stopped, looking at me with eager eyes.

"I got in!" I exclaimed, jumping out of my seat and dancing in a little happy circle while pumping my arms in the air.

My mother's face broke out into a wide smile and she threw her arms around me, joining me in my happy dance.

"Oh I'm so happy for you, (' ')!"

We stilled and she cupped my face, smiling warmly at me with motherly love.

"You make me so proud."

I smiled back. I was proud too. Because I had gotten into my first university of choice. On my own..

And I didn't even need that scholarship Jin-

I stopped myself before the familiar hollowness that came with thinking of Jin could rear its ugly head.

I was over it.

I was over him.

"We'll need to fly you over there right away!" My mother said, releasing me and briskly resuming what she had been doing before, but her excitement for me was obvious as she literally danced her way around the kitchen. "So that you can get settled before the semester starts."

The wide grin on her face was contagious, and I was once again reminded of how cute my mother was.

"You're that eager to get rid of me?" I teased, moving to help her and she smiled sweetly.

"Of course I am, honey."

"Mom!"

She laughed.

~~

Jin gazed out the hotel window at where the LA Ocean met the distant horizon. The beach was crowded down below, just in front of the hotel. But only with the richest upperclassmen and the odd university student, and Jin frowned because he realised that he hated them all, excluding the students. Who were they to decide each other's lives?

Just because they had money.

Thoughts and questions like these had plagued him for the months that had followed moving to Los Angeles, but Jin had been too numb to register them until now.

He heard the door to the penthouse suite open as his wife slipped in, but he kept his eyes on the window and suddenly Sooyoung was at his side. He felt her lips brush his cheek in greeting. "Hello, darling."

He didn't answer, but she wasn't deterred; she never was.

"How was work? Did you sit in a lot of meetings with your father today?"

Jin shrugged in reply. He could smell her perfume, though he hadn't been bothered to remember the name.

"Make conversation with me?" she asked softly, large eyes pleading wordlessly and Jin felt her hands on his arm, waiting.

"How was the beach?" he answered almost mechanically, still without looking at her and he didn't miss the controlled stiffness in the way Sooyoung sighed, withdrew and moved across the room to place a thin silk dressing gown over her mostly exposed body. Her already tanned skin was slightly darkened from the sun and kept its natural glow, along with the rest of her. All of her seemed to glow, but Jin couldn't bring himself to be fazed by it.

Sooyoung was truly a perfect specimen of a woman: upper-class, intelligent, beautiful, elegant and graceful, everything his father had made her out to be, but Jin couldn't bring himself to love her. How could he? When he was already in love with someone else...

"You should have come," she said nonchalantly, feigning indifference, "Relaxed for a bit. The water was wonderful." Jin knew that she hadn't actually gone anywhere near the water; because she was the type who enjoyed observing the waves, basking in the sun with refreshment in hand.

"Perhaps next time," he murmured in response. This was their routine.

There was a long moment of silence before Sooyoung sighed again.

"We're going to have to make this work eventually, Soekjin."

Jin didn't answer but shut his eyes, facing the wall because he knew she was right. It had already been three months. Things couldn't keep on like this; it would drive them both insane. But he didn't move when he felt her hands run up his arms and felt her body press gently against his back.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly and Jin could feel her cheek resting between his shoulder blades, "I've upset you."

He pulled away from her, moving to sit on the corner of their luxurious bed before covering his face with his hands.

"It isn't your fault," he groaned with resignation, "You haven't done anything wrong."

Sooyoung studied him closely from next to the window, with sharp and intelligent eyes.

"Then who has?"

"Society."

"Hm," she hummed with masked emotions.

There was another long silence before Jin finally directed his attention back to the window, where the sky was bathed in orange from the setting sun. Sooyoung regarded him carefully before moving away from the window, and he ignored her until she straddled his lap and immediately set to work unbuttoning his shirt with nimble fingers.

"What are you doing?" Jin demanded but Sooyoung silenced him by placing a slender finger against his lips.

"My duty as a wife," she murmured with suppressed emotion, but there was a deep sadness in her doe eyes that kept Jin from pushing her away. Was it possible that she understood how he felt?

"So please, Seokjin," she whispered, taking both his hands and placing them over her breasts; her eyes bore into his. "Do your duty as a husband."

For a moment, Jin only looked at her. There was another silence; she was waiting for him to make a decision. It was only after he found the pain that was in his heart reflected in Sooyoung's eyes that Jin moved to kiss her...

Jin had never had sex before, but was it meant to be so emotionless? So passionless? Sure it was easy enough to do what he was supposed to (primal instinct had taken care of that), like a robot doing what it was programmed to. And maybe that was exactly what he was, just a robot following orders. Jin felt empty, with his wife curled up against him; he felt young, and he felt as though something had been stolen from him and Sooyoung both. Their freedom.

"I'm sorry," he said softly to the darkness, but Sooyoung wasn't the only one he was apologising to.

~~

2 Weeks Later...

"I want you to phone me as soon as you make it to your hotel room," my mom said, hugging me so tightly I was sure my face was turning a lovely shade of blue.

"Promise me," she said with teary eyes, but they weren't sad tears.

"I promise," I smiled and she released me, sniffling.

"I love you," she smiled, her eyes turning into pretty little crescents and I wiped away tears of my own.

"I love you too," I said, my voice thick with tears and I threw my arms around the smaller woman, burying my face in her shoulder, inhaling her scent. It was familiar, comforting.

I released her after a little while and wiped the tears away with the sleeve of my cardigan.

"Don't miss your flight, honey," she said gently, kissing my cheek and I nodded even though I was still crying. "Okay."

"I'll miss you!" my mother called as I passed through the gates and I turned back to her.

"I'll miss you too!"

~~

I hauled my luggage into the back of the taxi before slamming down the trunk and climbing inside.

"Where to?" the cab driver asked. He had a friendly face and honest eyes. Something I hadn't expected for some reason, but I felt reassured.

"The Sky Tower? That's the name of the hotel I think," I said uncertainly and he nodded at me.

"University student?"

I nodded back and he grinned at me.

"You're a bit early. The semester doesn't start for another four weeks."

I shrugged. "I just need to get settled first."

The car ride there was a blur of bright lights, wide sidewalks and tall buildings and it didn't take long before the cab driver slammed on the brakes and the taxi screeched to a halt in front of one of the tallest and fanciest buildings I had ever seen.

"Well, home sweet home, princess," the cab driver glanced out the window.

Jin used to call me that....

"Shut up," I said under my breath, scolding myself, so that the driver wouldn't think I was talking to him.

I thanked him and paid him before retrieving my bags and wheeling my suitcase to the main entrance.

I stopped, taking in the vast enormity of my situation.

I was standing outside of a five-star hotel. The critics would have given it ten stars if such a ranking actually existed and only the richest of the rich and noblest of the nobles had the honour of staying in such a place.

The State University of Los Angeles just happened to be one of the most acclaimed universities in the world, so it was only natural that the students should stay in one of the most acclaimed hotels in the world.

I scanned the street right in front of the building, observing as limos and ridiculously expensive cars pulled up and discharged incredibly formally clad men and women of all races.

Foreign dignitaries and nobles.I frowned because none of them were carrying any luggage with them. Was there some fancy party happening inside? Not that I even had a chance of getting a glimpse. I was still lower class, even though my mother and I lived comfortably now thanks to Jin.

Jin...

I gulped before straightening my back, ignoring the odd looks that the nobles and upperclassmen who passed me were throwing at me. I smiled confidently.

Because I deserved to be there.

I strode forward, pulling my suitcase behind me, never looking back.

~~

"Is my gown to your satisfaction, darling?" Sooyoung murmured, briefly glancing at her reflection in one of the many gilded mirrors that adorned the walls as they walked toward the hotel's grand hall.

She really is remarkable... Jin thought, realising how strong she was and how difficult it was so suppress one's suffering and true feelings.

They reached the doors and Sooyoung stopped Jin with her arm before he could walk through. She stepped closer to him.

"Your tie," she explained softly, fixing it and Jin stayed silent, watching her.

She stepped back and nodded with satisfaction before straightening and smoothing her glittering silver gown.

"You know what to do," Jin said quietly, turning to the doors and offering Sooyoung his arm. She took it and when he turned his head to look at her, he could see only the deep love of a wife for her husband radiating off her face, reaching even her eyes. She was gifted, truly, because Jin knew that she could easily make all of that disappear in a heartbeat, as easily as flicking a light switch.

He didn't even understand why they were even attending this party since neither of them owned anything as of yet and Jin was certain that Sooyoung probably had similar feelings.

He composed himself before leading them through the widely open doors, because he knew that they would be watched the minute they stepped through them.

Jin knew who to look for first, eyes scanning the crowds of Korean nobility and foreign dignitaries and upperclassmen for his father.

Sooyoung brought her lips to his ear and whispered, "There," before pointing at where his father was standing talking to the patriarch of the Jung family and one of his daughters: Jessica, but Jin knew that he had been watching him and Sooyoung closely from the moment they had set foot into the grand hall.

Sooyoung knew it too, but she smiled sweetly, waving excitedly but politely to her father-in-law and Jin watched his father excuse himself respectfully before he moved to greet them.

Jin bowed respectfully in greeting, "Father."

Sooyoung did the same and the older man returned the gesture before taking his daughter-in-law's hand and kissing it.

"How are you two fairing? Well I hope," he beamed and Jin smiled, "We couldn't be happier." He turned to kiss Sooyoung on the mouth, quickly but lovingly to prove his statement and his father nodded with approval at the gesture of affection.

"I am glad. Please excuse me." He was swept up by the other guests in seconds.

Jin glanced sideways at his wife.

"Shall I find us some refreshments?"

Sooyoung smiled.

"That sounds like a grand idea."

Jin realised, awed by her performance, that if he hadn't known her, hadn't been in her same situation, and hadn't been wearing the same mask.

He might have believed her...

~~

"I'm sorry but the elevators are reserved for the guests attending the party today," the bellhop said apologetically and I glanced at the wide golden doors that opened into the hotel's enormous ballroom. It was brightly illuminated from within. Graceful, tall and elegant figures mingled within the room.

All the nobles and dignitaries I had seen earlier, I realised and nodded back at the bellhop with a reassuring smile.

"That's fine. But how do I get to my room?"

The bellhop directed my gaze to a corner where the sign 'stairs' was evident and all I could do was look down at all my bags and luggage with a sinking feeling.

"Oh..."

The bellhop followed my gaze and jumped.

"Of course staff will take your luggage to your room," he said quickly, hurriedly relieving me of my load and scurrying away. I just watched in bemusement. I had never had my luggage taken by somebody else before.

Well the hotel isn't five stars for nothing.

I looked back at the ballroom, at all the foreigners laughing and drinking out of beautiful slender glasses. They all looked the same. Rich and important and special and-

I wonder if Jin's in there...

I snorted at myself with annoyance, spinning myself around forcefully and started forwards toward the stairs.

All I could see was him and that stupid Sooyoung girl's face.

Why should I even care? Why would I care if he's here?

But I still couldn't stop myself from glancing back over my shoulders at the golden doors and the glittering figures beyond them.

I don't care, I told myself, keeping my gaze trained ahead of me.

I'm over it now; I don't care.

I turned the corner to where the many flights of stairs would eventually lead me to my room.

What would be the point...?

~~

Jin made his way to the elevators with Sooyoung, still smiling like an idiot because who knew who could be watching the both of them? They stepped into the first open one.

The door slid shut and the masks came down. Jin glanced sideways at Sooyoung.

Her face was blank again, placid, but faraway and cool. They were silent all the way back to their hotel suite.

It wasn't long before she was out of her ball gown and in a satin white bikini.

"You're going to the beach?" Jin asked blankly, back at the window and Sooyoung tilted his chin so that he would look sideways at her.

"You should come," she said softly, but Jin shook his head free. "No."

Sooyoung sighed. There was silence.

"Do you know why I go the beach, Seokjin?" she asked at last and Jin shook his head again.

"I go to the beach to watch the waves," she said softly, "To forget everything, just for a little while. To pretend that everything that came before and will come after that moment gets washed away to sea with the tide."

Jin didn't know how to respond, so he kept silent.

Then he was alone.

He looked back out the window, and saw a girl eating an ice cream down below.

(' ') licked the ice cream off the corner of his mouth and giggled before kissing him gently. She beamed at him.

She has the most beautiful smile.

The most beautiful everything.

(' ')...Jin choked and stumbled away from the window with a strangled cry.

I thought I was over this. I thought- I thought-

But all he could see was (' ')'s face on the landing strip outside his mansion back in South Korea. The way her face broke. The way the light had died in her eyes.

"All along...You were just like the rest of them."...

He turned his back to the wall and slid down it before his face contorted and he buried his face in his hands, bringing his knees up to his chin.

"I'm not like them!" he wailed.

I can't do this.

His body shook with sobs, though few tears actually slipped from his eyes.

It's killing me.

He came to a sudden frenzied decision.

I need to get out of here.

He staggered to his feet and bolted for the door, not even bothered to close it behind him before he ran blindly down the hallway. He had no idea where he was going; and where could he even go? He wasn't even sure if he was actually heading for the hotel entrance. He couldn't even see properly because of the moisture blurring his eyes.

It's killing me, was the only thought that repeated itself over and over like a broken tape-recorder.

I'm dying.

He collided with something solid and stumbled backwards, partially snapped out of his hysteria from the contact.

"I'm sor-"

He froze in midsentence. His whole body froze.

Because he realised who he had just ran into.

~~

"Stupid nobles," I muttered, "Making me take the fucking stairs." I wasn't sure why I had thought it might be different here in LA. But it was always the same.

But Jin was never like that

"Fuck," I wailed. Why couldn't I just stop thinking about him?

Why was I so-

I was jerked out of my thoughts when I collided into something hard.

"I'm sor-"

The voice cut off and I felt my body freeze over because I could recognise that voice anywhere.

I staggered back to regain my balance and felt my feet plant themselves solidly into the carpeted floor as I turned into a statue.

Our eyes locked and Jin's chin nearly hit the floor.

My chin nearly hit the floor.

"It's-it's." I couldn't form coherent sentences and I clenched my fists.

It's you...

I opened my mouth to scream at him, to let the tears loose from my eyes, to pound his chest with my fists, to tell him that he betrayed me, hurt me more than anyone ever had, to release all the pent up anger, grief and frustration I had felt over these past few months since he left me. But the curses died on my tongue when I looked at him.

He looked like a wreck: paler, thinner than I remembered, trembling. His eyes were puffy and red from crying. And they were dead. And it scared me. Who was this Jin? What happened to the Jin that had taken me out for ice cream? That had pushed me around a grocery store in a trolley? I didn't recognise him in the Jin that was standing in front of me. This Jin looked haunted, fragile and ready to collapse at any given moment.

And he had ran into me; where had he been running to? Who was he running from?

I was overcome by an immediate and overwhelming urge to help him, to protect him and I wanted to scold myself for it, but I couldn't. Not this time.

"Jin," I whispered and only then did his eyes register me properly, like he was blinking away mist.

"(' ')," his voice cracked and he fell onto his knees, looking up at me like I was God and his day of reckoning had finally come.

"I'm so-I'm so-I'm so-"

His face crumpled as he broke down.

My heart drove me and I rushed forwards, falling onto my knees in front of him and holding his face, pressing my forehead to his as he cried, his eyes shut tightly like he couldn't even bare to look at me. I felt his hands, cold over my own.

I had seen the guilt and self-loathing in his eyes.

Oh, Jin... Why did you do this?

I kissed his forehead and it soothed him enough for me to get him back onto his feet.

"We need to go before someone sees us-"

I yelped with surprise when Jin suddenly shoved me against the wall and then our eyes locked and time stopped.

One heartbeat.

One breath.

Then he was kissing me, pressing against me so hard that I could barely breathe but I still tried to pull him closer. I wanted more of him, needed more of him. I wanted to breathe him, drown in him. There was only him.

My fingers tangled in his hair in a way that was probably just as painful as his fingers digging into my hips but I was beyond caring. I knew pain and that pain was nothing.

He lifted me and I wrapped my legs around his waist, wrapping my arms around his neck as his fingers dug into the backs of my thighs. His tongue was in my mouth and I could taste him and after all this time he still tasted the same. He was so familiar, so comforting, still so perfect.

I still loved him.

I love him.

He could have taken me right there against that fucking wall and I would have loved it, but then the two of us suddenly snapped back to our senses.

"(' ')," he breathed in a low voice against my neck, panting and it sent shivers throughout my body. I fought the urge to just eat his face again.

My feet touched the ground again, but I was still holding onto him like a lifeline.

Goddamnit.

I wanted to be angry, to loudly and dramatically demand why the fuck he had left me, lied to me, betrayed me. To shout and scream in order to convey how confused and hurt I had felt. But I couldn't.

"Jin," I whispered into his shoulder between breaths, "Please... just tell me why..."

"Not here," he murmured into my hair, "We could be watched."

I inhaled sharply. I had forgotten.

Jin was a married man.

"We need to be alone," he said and I could feel his breathe tickle my scalp before he pulled away from me gently, looking down at me through tear stained eyes.

And I felt my pulse speed up.

Because the light was back.

~To be continued...

HEY GUYS, SO I CAME TO THE REALISATION THAT THE PLOT FOR THIS ONE IN PARTICULAR IS UNINTENTIONALLY VERY COMPLICATED AND IT WILL TAKE A PART THREE TO COMPLETE IT. HOPE YOU'RE ALL LOOKING FORWARD TO IT! UNTIL NEXT TIME!