The ride back to Jun's condo was extremely silent. When they reached home, Jun straightaway headed into the kitchen and randomly started pulling stuff out of the fridge.
Ai remembered that after the night they spent in the swing, Jun had similarly prepared a feast the next morning. She figured it was his way of distracting himself from all the confusion and stress piling up within him.
She stood by his side and saw him cutting the veggies in complete silence. His gaze and expression seemed devoid of any emotions or thoughts that might help in understanding what he felt at that moment.
Ai kept quiet for several moments and asked in a hushed tone, "Do you want to talk to me?"
Jun didn't reply. He switched on the stove and poured oil into the pan resting upon the flame. The sizzling sound of the chopped onions frying in the oil echoed in the air. His hand swiftly moved as he marinated the chicken with yogurt and spices.
Ai thought it was better to let him cook as he pleased. She could then talk to him once he felt lighter.
"We will talk once you feel you want to," she whispered gently.
Ai smiled and tiptoed softly to kiss on his cheek. She turned to leave when she felt Jun's hand on her wrist slightly tugging her. She looked back and noticed that Jun had stopped cooking as he put off the gas flame. He washed his hands and stared at the empty space ahead. Jun did stop her from leaving, but he wasn't talking about anything.
She noticed his shoulders faintly trembling and his eyelashes quivering.
"Ai…" He spoke after several long minutes.
She pulled Jun towards the crescent swing and made him sit inside. Then she wanted to sit beside him, but she hesitated to climb seeing the height.
Jun softly smiled and pulled her up easily.
"Thank you." Follow current ɴᴏᴠᴇʟs on N0v3l.Fiɾe.net
"I am your boyfriend. You shouldn't thank me for little things like these."
"I don't like taking anything for granted, especially relationships," Ai seriously replied.
He stared at her and faintly smiled.
Ai scooted closer to him and intertwined her fingers against his. She softly asked, "What is bothering you?"
Naturally, there was the whole chaos of Jin expressing his interest in Ai, but her gut said that there was something else too.
She felt his hand slightly trembling in hers. "Honestly…I don't know what is bothering me more, Ai. I am angry that he said he was interested in you. I am angry that he eyed the woman I love once again. But it hurts to see him acting , especially Jin out of all people."
He gave a tremulous smile as his gaze seemed faraway. "Of all the five siblings, Jin and I were the closest. As far as I remember, he always used to follow me around and stick to my side as much as he could when we were kids. There was that Jin, and…there is this Jin now who accused me of cheating. He-he has changed so much, Ai. He doesn't look the same Jin I knew from before anymore."
It was true that Jin's words and actions truly gave a setback to Jun. Even in his past life when all the chaos ensued, Jin never really acted the way he did today. Today was different. The insensitivity and the malice in his words had shaken his heart not just as a man whose woman was targeted but also as a brother.
"I don't understand. He loves Shui. I know that. Why would he…" he clenched the fingers of his other hand, "why would he say that he likes you?"
Ai thought about it and asked, "Why are you so sure that he likes Shui?"
"I mean I know that he was lying. Jin doesn't like me. Also, I saw him throwing subtle glances at you and Shui on anniversary night when you two were dancing. I had a feeling he looked at Shui more than just a friend or his future sister-in-law and not just because I heard you talking to Shui on New Year's Eve.
But how do you know that Jin likes Shui because Jin doesn't strike me as a person who reveals his feelings, especially in a complicated relationship where his brother likes the same woman."
Jun looked somber, and he lowered his gaze. "Ai, do you remember that I said that I want to talk about something important to you?"
She nodded. She herself wanted to reveal the truth about her rebirth to him.
Jun let out a deep breath and partially turned his body to face her. "You will think that I am crazy after you hear what I have to say."
Ai answered, unfazed. "I also want to talk about something important to you, and I don't think your thing can be as crazy as what I have to tell you. You will think I have lost it."
Jun narrowed his eyes. "Well, you are weird."
"But trust me, you will feel like I am concocting a fantasy story. It is so unreal that sometimes I still feel if it's really happening or I am still dreaming."
Ai frowned. "Tell me. I will believe anything you will say."
After dying once and going through rebirth, Ai was mentally prepared to believe any story or incident even if it might be impossible.
Jun exhaled and stared straight at her. "Will you believe me if I say that I have died once and have been reborn to have a second chance to live my life? That I died in my past life but woke up to realize one day that I have gone ten years back in time?"
Ai fixed her gaze at him for a long time. Her eyelashes refused to blink. She felt as if she heard what he said but at the same time, she didn't.
Jun observed her dazed expression and sighed. "I knew you would feel it's ridiculous."
"No. It's not ridiculous. I believe you because that's what…has happened to me too."