Semestral break had arrived and you just finished packing your clothes in the luggage you used when you arrived at the city for the first time. Your parents would pick you up tomorrow and all you had to do was wait. Giselle left first and you were shocked when her parents fetch her using a chopper. You knew that her family was wealthy, but you just recently just learned that they were one of the richest families in Japan.

They even invited you to join them for a short vacation in Switzerland but your parents wouldn't be pleased about it.

Since you had nothing else to do, you settled on the couch, opened a bag of chips, and chose a movie to watch. The movie was just starting when your phone buzzed.

Jaemin was calling.

"What?" you asked.

"I'm waiting downstairs."

Your mouth gaped open. "Did you make it a hobby to come over unannounced?"

"Least chance of getting rejected I guess."

"Not today."

"Are you sure about that?"

You groaned and rolled your eyes. There's no point of arguing with a persistent man. "Where are you taking me this time?"

"Since the weather is clear today, how about we go out of the city for a while?"

The thought of going on a roadtrip with him outside of the city brought you so much excitement and you were grinning like a mad woman. When the call ended, you changed into an outfit fitting for the cold weather. Winter was just around the corner and the temperature considerably dropped. When you were satisfied with your fit, you went downstairs to meet him. He was still waiting outside of his car even though it's cold.

"You should've waited inside," you said.

"I can't. I am one with consistency," he replied and smirked, then opened the car door for you.

You were surprised when you saw a bouquet of pink tulips on the passenger's seat.

"Is this for me?" you asked, dumbfounded, as you lifted the bouquet and admired the flowers.

"Yeah," Jaemin replied while hiding a blush. "I passed by a flower shop near your dorm so I thought I might get you one. You don't have to like it. I didn't think about you at all when I saw it."

"I love it, though," you admitted before getting inside the vehicle and he started the engine. The car sped away and you were so excited you couldn't stop humming.

What made you happy was because of his lie.

There were no flower shops near your dorm.

You watched as the scenery outside turned from commercial establishments and industrial buildings to the open sea and countryside. You couldn't open the window because the wind was too cold so you contented yourself by watching. When you opened the radio, the popular song "Dive into You" was blasting through the speakers and it was the perfect roadtrip song to which you sang along.

Jaemin would look at you from time to time and he was satisfied just by seeing you happy. After a two-hour drive, you arrived at this little town called Dreamland, a famous tourist spot on the outskirts of town. It was widely known for its white sand beaches, seafood cuisine, and cobblestone streets. You got out of the car and you went beside Jaemin excitedly.

"What should we try first?" you asked.

"Let's try the seafood cuisine first. I'm starving," he said.

"Good idea!"

You went to the nearest seafood restaurant just along the white sand beach. The view was breathtaking and you took a lot of pictures to show to your parents. You didn't know that Jaemin was also taking a picture of you when you heard the snap sound effect.

"Hey!" you exclaimed and tried to snatch his phone away from him.

"Your face looks ridiculous," he said and showed you one of your epic fail pictures with your mouth wide open.

"You better delete that."

"Why would I?"

"Because I told you so."

"This is my phone, though."

"Oh! Lovely young couples bickering," the owner of the seafood restaurant, a tiny old lady with her gray hair tied in a bun, butt in when she saw you and Jaemin. "They always make this place lively! I still remember back in my day, my husband and I used to fight a lot but we would make up through a sweet and passionate kiss. Oh, to be young again!"

"We're not dating," you said and laughed awkwardly.

"Really?" the old lady pressed. "But you look so good together! I thought you're going out. Are you sure friendship is enough?"

"I will be the prettier one in the relationship if that happens," Jaemin said. "She can't handle that."

The old lady laughed and when she walked away, the food arrived. Your mouth instantly watered at the aroma and you were overwhelmed when you saw how much food was set on the table.

"This is a feast! Are you sure you're not dying? Is this going to be your last meal?"

It was supposed to be a joke but there was something about Jaemin's eyes that mirrored sadness. He knew that the moment wasn't going to last and he was trying to make the most of it. He knew that it's only a matter time before his life wasn't going to be his anymore.

That's why he took a lot of pictures of you secretly. To remember every curve and edge of your face. To remind himself that he was once genuinely happy. However, you had no idea what's about to happen.

You visited the famous landmarks and took a lot of pictures together. It almost felt like a date, but you would kill the idea every time. Time passed by so fast when you're enjoying yourself and it was already dinner time. You settled on a diner near the beach that lets you light up a bonfire and grill your own food. Jaemin volunteered to do the grilling and you watched him in awe.

"You're such a boyfriend material," you said while staring at the bonfire. You just finished eating and now nursing a mug of chocolate milk. "Your future girlfriend will be so lucky."

"You think so?"

You nodded. "Even if you're moody sometimes, even if you're quite weird for some people, you're just... I don't know... perfect in your own way?"

Jaemin smirked. "Stop complimenting me, it's unbecoming of you."

"Can't you just accept it?" you hissed. Hostility dissipated and replaced with a cozy feeling of comfort. "I'm telling the truth. All this time, you were looking out for me, even when I have no idea. You were always there when I need you, at most times I would say. It's crazy because you changed so much but didn't change at the same time. You're still Nana, but a little bit sassy and obsessed with coffee."

"Maybe I'm a boyfriend material only for you."

"That's never gonna happen."

Jaemin didn't say anything as he stoked the fire. He only wanted to hear your voice because he knew he wasn't going to hear it for a long time, probably not ever.

"What made you change?" you asked without thinking. Jaemin was caught off-guard by the question and you instantly realized what you had done. "I'm so sorry I wasn't thinking!"

"No. It's alright. I... I wanted to tell you the truth because I'm afraid... I don't have much time. I wanted to at least let you know what truly happened for the past nine years, to make up for leaving without goodbye."

You let out an audible gasp. "Are you going to die?"

"No, stupid. That would've been better, but no."

"Then what?"

Jaemin cleared his throat and leaned back on his chair. Then he spread his arm and looked at you.

"The fuck are you looking at?"

"Why are you so hostile for no reason?" he asked and shook his head. "Lean on me. I'm cold."

"You're literally in front of the bonfire, why are you cold?"

"Just do as I say," he said. "Please?"

You weren't able to resist when he gave you a pleading look. Or maybe you didn't even try to resist at all. You leaned onto his body, your head resting on his firm shoulder as he wrapped his arms around you. You let out a sigh of contentment.

"Here's how it all began."

Sixteen years ago, before Jaemin was even born.

Na Jae Sook, Na Jaemin's father was summoned to his father's office, a middle-aged man with gray hair and always in his business attire. It was fitting, for he never left his office and his work was his family. Na Junhyeong, also called as the Chairman.

Jae Sook opened the polished wooden door of his father's office. The smell of tobacco permeated the air and he was displeased. The Chairman was forbidden to smoke for it would deteriorate his health but he never listened. He thought he knew everything.

"You know why I called you here," the Chairman began. "Take a seat," he said, gesturing at the leather seat in front of his mahogany table.

Jae Sook remained rooted on his spot. "No, thank you. Let's make the conversation quick. I know what you're going to say."

The Chairman wasn't pleased by his son's behaviour but he spared it. "Alright, then. I'll be straight to the point. I already made an arrangement with the Seo family. You will marry Lorraine Seo in two months time. I want you to leave that peasant girl and start your training as the new CEO of our company."

"Yeon Hee is not a peasant," Jae Sook said through gritted teeth. "She's a decent and independent woman, working as a kindergarten teacher. She's not exploiting somebody's talent for someone's benefit, unlike someone I know."

The Chairman scoffed at his son's sentiments. "This is the way of the world. That girl made you soft, what a shame. Years of educating you went to waste all because of one person."

"I will not marry Lorraine Seo. Please, send my word to the Seo family that I am deeply sorry, but I have no intentions of marrying their daughter."

"What did you say?!" the Chairman bellowed, the veins on his forehead and neck popping. "Since when did you start disobeying my orders?!"

"Since today," Jae Sook answered firmly. "Since my mother told me that I am the master of my own life and I have the power to control what I'm going to be. Not you, not anyone."

Jae Sook's parents were divorced and his father gave her mother a lot of money to silence her but it wasn't enough. She wanted to save her son from her dictator of a husband. The Chairman remarried into a young woman which happened to be his secretary and had three children with her. But even if that's the case, Jae Sook was still the legitimate son, the true heir of the Na Enterprises.

The Chairman let out a bitter laugh. "You don't know what's out there, you foolish child. What does your idiotic mother even know? You can never survive without me or my money. You don't expect me to let you use my resources after you disobeyed me, do you?"

"No, I know that. I know well enough that you're a greedy piece of old shit."

"You insolent child!"

"I'm leaving. I hope you find happiness with your new family. Control them and shape them as you want because they worship you. But I will not follow you like a puppet. I wish you happiness and good health, Father. Goodbye."

"Do not ever come back here!"

Those were the last words the Chairman had told his son. As much as Jae Sook hated to admit it, he was sad to leave his father. But if he stayed, he would lose total control of his life.

When he stepped out of the office, he caught his stepmother eavesdropping. The woman lowered her head and she scurried away from him to enter her husband's office.

Jae Sook took everything he owned and he found Joo Yoon Hee, Jaemin's mother, waiting outside of their manor.

"How did it go?" Yoon Hee asked. Jae Sook planted a kiss on her forehead before answering.

"Better than I expected. I predicted all that he's going to say. Told me to never come back."

Yoon Hee was crestfallen. She didn't want to be the reason why the father and son would break apart. "You can still change your mind. Go back inside, apologize to your father, and marry Lorraine."

Jae Sook looked at Yoon Hee incredulously. "You know that's not what I wanted! The life I wanted is with you, Joo Yoon Hee. I know the risks and I will lose my privilege, but those things never mattered to me or you. You accepted me for who I am, not for my name, and I will risk everything for you."

All they ever needed was each other. They survived even without the excessive wealth.

Two years after the couple got married, Jaemin was born.

Yoon Hee still worked as a kindergarten teacher and Jae Sook worked as a supervisor in a manufacturing company. Life without wealth was hard but they were getting by. He learned a lot of practical things that he would never even learn if he's still sitting in his throne, doted by the servants and surrounded by riches. Jae Sook grew as a person and as the time went by, he realized that leaving his title behind was the best thing he ever did.

Jaemin was raised by his parents full of love and adoration.

"Give love and kindness to other people," Yoon Hee would always say to young Jaemin who would smile at everything that his mother would say. "They need it more than you know."

They moved into a little town and met a couple who had a daughter the same age as Jaemin. That child was you. You grew up together and were inseparable.

They were living peacefully in that little town, away from all the trouble when something unexpected happened.

Jae Sook just got out of his work, extremely exhausted from overtime, when two men wearing an all black attire approached him. He thought they were goons, but he recognized the familiar crest pinned on their chest. That was the symbol he saw while growing up and it's been almost so long since he last saw it.

The symbol of the Na family.

"What happened?" was his first question.

"The Chairman had fallen ill," the man on his right answered. "He requested to see you before he pass. He wanted you to bring your wife and son with you."

"How did he know about my family? Is he spying on me?"

"We cannot answer anything," the man on the left answered. "He just sent us here to rely his message. We're leaving tonight, as per his request."

Jae Sook went home to tell his wife about the Chairman's condition. That night, the family left without saying goodbye to any of their friends, not knowing that everything was just a part of the Chairman's plan. A trap to lure his only son back to his lair.

When the family went to South Korea, Jae Sook expected to see his father in his chambers bedridden, but he was wrong. The Chairman was still strong and he was sitting on the same spot of his office, just like the afternoon Jae Sook left twelve years ago.

"What is this all about?" Jae Sook asked furiously. His wife was left in one of the bedrooms of the manor with Jaemin who was still sleeping.

"Aren't you happy to be back?" the Chairman asked sarcastically.

"Your men said you were ill and you wanted to see us one last time! Don't tell me this is just part of some sick joke?"

"I don't do jokes, son. You're just predictable, so unfit to replace me. I thought you had learned something from running away and pretending to be a tough man, yet you were deceived."

"Because you're my father! Of course I will come back and see you if that's your last wish!" Jae Sook answered hopelessly and the Chairman remained his mouth shut. "You're a sick old man! You've never changed, even after all these years you're still vile!"

"Vile? I doubt it. Here I am, generously welcoming you back to my house after playing house with that woman. I took the brunt of the anger of the Seo family after you selfishly abandoned your responsibility. I even gave your peasant wife and useless son a place in my manor. I wanted to meet my grandson."

Jae Sook shook his head, unwilling to believe what just happened. "No, I will not let my son meet you. We're leaving tonight."

But that didn't happen. The Chairman's men confiscated their passport and they were not permitted to leave the house. Jae Sook and Yoon Hee planned an escape but the security tightened and there were bodyguards following them around everywhere they went.

Jae Sook's stepmother was displeased, their position in the household was threatened now that the legitimate son was back with the Chairman's grandson.

Days turned into years and Jaemin never understood why so many people in the house held such little happiness. It was suffocating, the air was always stiff, and he never felt welcome. He was introduced to the Chairman who never paid him any attention. Jae Sook's stepmother eyed him with disgust and contempt and his cousins never played with him. As he grew up, he learned the history of his family bit by bit.

Jae Sook was forced to replace the Chairman as the CEO, so Jaemin barely saw him at the time, and his mother was growing weak. He also missed you.

One time, Jaemin got into a fight at school with one of the son of a famous businessman. He stood up against one of the bullies and he was beaten up. The Chairman learned about it and he didn't hesitate to slap his own grandson.

"I am ashamed of you!"

"Father!" Yoon Hee exclaimed and pushed the Chairman away from his son.

"Don't touch the Chairman you, dirty rag!" the stepmother exclaimed and slapped Yoon Hee. Jaemin was horrified to see violence in front of his eyes. That was also the first time that he was hit by somebody, and it's not even his own parents.

Yoon Hee endured everything they call her so they would leave Jaemin alone but they spared the innocent child no mercy.

"You are an embarrassment to this family," the Chairman said and Jaemin was hurt more than he had expected. Even if his grandfather didn't pay any attention to him, he still wanted to please him, to make him proud. "If I ever learn that you acted like this again, I will not hesitate to kick you and your mother out of this house."

Jaemin was ashamed of himself even though he did nothing wrong. Words were powerful, especially when spoken by people you look up to. He had never felt so small and ridiculous.

When Jae Sook learned about this, he was furious. They thought Jaemin was asleep, his mother was crying to his father's arms.

"Why are they doing this? My boy didn't kill someone but they acted like he tainted his name."

"All for wealth," Jae Sook whispered. "They are being ridiculous all for the sake of money and glory."

Little did they know that it was just the beginning of the storm.

Jaemin's mother was diagnosed with cancer and that was the only time Jaemin could visit a place other than school and the manor. He had a friend named Lee Jeno who would invite him over to his house but he was afraid to disobey his grandfather's orders. He would visit his mother who was not getting any better despite being confined in the best hospital with the best services with the most experienced doctors. Money wasn't enough to save his mother's life.

And ever since his mother passed, his father changed. He rarely saw him and whenever he did, he wouldn't talk to him. His father gave up.

Jaemin had never felt so alone in his life. He was so young yet he had faced so many hardships and he learned how to take care of himself at such a young age.

Despite all the bad things that had happened to him, he still wanted to please his grandfather.

Years after his mother's death, he grew up into a handsome young man who could make anyone's head turn with just his presence. Soon, his grandfather saw his potential to become the next heir of the Na Enterprises but the stepmother would always get in the way.

She would tell the Chairman false stories about his alleged delinquent behavior and his father would reprimand him without asking the truth.

This led to a drastic change with Jaemin's personality. He became cold and impassive, present but distant. He felt like an empty vessel floating around in the darkness with no destination. He was strictly told not to do anything that could potentially ruin their reputation, told to stay off the radar until it's time for him to be introduced as the member of the Na family.

It seemed funny to think that he was a legitimate heir but the illegitimate ones treat him like an outcast, the outsider.

He didn't mind. Would it matter how he was treated? He lost his mother and his father was slowly drifting away. His grandfather was never proud of him.

Happiness was a thing of the past.

He was just Na Jaemin, an instrument to bring more wealth and strengthen the family business.

When the story ended, you couldn't find any words to say. It was tragic in every sense. You couldn't imagine what it must be like for a young boy to experience those things all at once, and he had to endure it while growing up. There was longing in his eyes and sadness in his voice.

You wrapped him in a tight embrace. There were no words comforting enough to say at the moment so you chose to simply hug him.

"I'm sorry..." you whispered.

"Why are you apologizing? It's not your fault."

"It's not yours either," you said. You pulled away from him and cupped his face. He was momentarily shocked before he leaned to your touch. "I'm so sorry. All this time, I thought you were selfish for leaving without goodbye. You're so strong, for enduring all of those things silently."

Jaemin moved his hand to cup your cheek and caressed it. He was looking at you with loving eyes and you were melting under his gaze. "I'm not really proud of who I have become. That's why I denied about my identity when I first met you. I'm not proud to show to you what person I have grown into during the years I was away."

"You know I will always accept you for who you are," you whispered.

Jaemin's eyes moved from your eyes to your lips. Instinctively, you licked your lower lip and your throat suddenly grew parched. There was something intense and warm looming in the air and you noticed that Jaemin was leaning closer and closer.

"I wanted to be selfish... just one last time..." he whispered to you, lips breaths apart.

"Be selfish then."

"I..." he trailed off. "I am willing to leave everything behind... for you..."

His hand cupping your cheek slid down to the back of your neck and gently pulled you. Your breath hitched and you were staring at him with eyes half open. Everything about him was  intoxicating. More addicting than drugs even though you had never tried one.

"I am willing to do everything for you. I'm a fool for you, (Name). You have the power to command me at anything."

"Is this your form of confession?" you asked, voice raspy.

"Perhaps."

He closed his eyes and you mirrored him. Slowly, his soft lips pressed onto yours and you instinctively pulled him closer to you. His other hand snaked around your waist. You had never felt so ecstatic in your whole life. And to think that you were kissing the man you love, who happened to feel the same, everything felt so perfect at that moment.