68 Stay With Me (1/2)
Daniel was caught off guard by her outburst. He held her tightly as her legs weaken and he slowly enveloped her in his arms. ”Let it out… let it all out.”
Samantha couldn't take it anymore, her loneliness ate her up and her pride betrayed and laughed at her not giving her any face. She clutched Daniel's shirt and she was blubbering on his chest; it was the most unattractive cry but she didn't give a fúck.
”Don't hold back, release it all. You don't have to be scared anymore, I'm here for you. I'm right here.”, he said as his own eyes had tears threatening to fall.
Daniel continued to reassure Samantha whilst stroking her back to give comfort. His heart bled as she suffered but he was very patient with her.
”I'm sorry... I'm so sorry...”, she repeatedly said in between sobs.
Daniel slowly brought her down to sit on the sand. He positioned Samantha between his legs and continued to embrace her as he listened to her speak.
”I didn't forget you... I never did. I'm sorry.”
Samantha revealed her thoughts to Daniel, how she was scared and hurt, how she felt guilty for everything that happened, how she couldn't bear if she would one day cause his tragedy and how she sought temporary relief through extreme activities.
Daniel listened to everything that she wanted to say. Oh, how fragile her heart is, he thought. He understood why she did what she did although he wasn't happy about it. And now that Samantha had let her guard down, it was his turn to make her feel secure enough and more so that she doesn't have to put a wall around her fragile heart. His shirt was soaked with her tears but he was not the least bit bothered.
Her breathing slowed down, and she had stopped crying. After voicing out her confession, she bit her lip so hard that it almost bled.
Daniel held her face in his hand, ”????????????????, ???????????????? ???????? ????????...”, Samantha slowly lifted her sad eyes to look at him.
He looked into her eyes tenderly,
”You don't have to be scared anymore. And you don't have to feel guilty. It's not your fault. Things happen because they're bound to happen with or without your interference. People do terrible things because that's who they are, not because of what you did. And you won't cause me harm, that won't happen.”
”???????????????? ???????????? ????????, ???? ???????????????? ???????????? ???????? ???????????????????????? ???????? ???????? ????????????????????????????????????...”
”????'???????? ???????? ???????????????? ????????????????????????.”
”????'???????? ???????? ???????????????? ????????????????.”
”???????????? ????'???????? ???????? ???????????????? ????????????, ????????????????????????.”
”???????????? ????????????'???? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????????? ????????, ????'???????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????? ???????? ????????. ???????????? ???? ???????????????? ???????? ???????????? ???????????? ???????? ???????????????? ???????????????? ????????.”
Samantha listened intently, her heart throbbed upon hearing those words. Her lips trembled and a few tears fell. This man, this Daniel... her Daniel thawed her cold heart.
”You already cried enough, you shouldn't cry for the same reasons.”
Samantha finally spoke after sometime, ”How could you still like me after everything that I've done?”
Daniel smiled gently and tucked a loose hair behind her ear. ”Silly, you're human and because you're you. No conditions.”
Samantha gave in to her wishes and just wrapped her arms around Daniel's body, burying her face into the crook of his neck; it was so comfortable smelling him.
They stayed in the same position for a long time until Samantha's arms slowly dropped to the side; she fell asleep. Daniel noticed it and carefully, he lifted her up in his arms. He carried her towards the car and drove her home.
...
”Han, come out. I'm outside your cafe.”, Seo Joon spoke on the phone.
Several seconds later, Hannah walked out of the cafe and smiled, ”What are you doing here?”
”Let's go, I'm taking you out for lunch.”, Seo Joon started to walk towards his car but Hannah didn't follow.
”Um... I can't. I-”, Hannah's words were cut short when a Caucasian man appeared next to her,
”Hannah, are you leaving? I thought we're spending the day together?”, said the man in his baritone voice.
Seo Joon turned around and had a puzzled face, ”Oh... looks like you have a date. My bad... I'll see you later then.”, he formed a smile before walking away.
It took Hannah several seconds before she realized what was happening, ”No, wait... Joon! He's not my-”,
Too late, Seo Joon has already gotten inside his car and has driven away.
'How the heck did he leave so fast? He was just in front of me one second ago!', Hannah turned to the blonde beside her and sneered.
”You-- stupid! Why do you have to be so handsome and gay? You scare people! Now he thinks I'm dating you.”, Hannah angrily walked back inside the cafe.
”Is it my fault that I was born good looking? Who was that cutie by the way?”
”No! Don't you ever go after him, Shawn! Don't even think about it!”
Shawn made a face, ”So stingy. Tch.”
”So... did you guys fúck yet?”, he curiously asked with a huge grin on his face.
Hannah's face became so red, she looked like she was about to explode. ”OH MY GOD! You're so nasty! You can't just ask people like that in here. You're not in your country, for Pete's sake; whoever he is.”