Chapter 3 O N S R A 3

"Hey sunshine, you good?"

"Yup," Eunae lied, trying to mask the lonely tone dripping from her voice.

It was her birthday, probably one of the happiest days she had always looked forward to. But with the unprecedented change of how her world had turned upside down, the most awaited day that was usually filled with glitters and rainbows and a hundred more memories of laughter was nothing, but a dull normal day.

It seemed unimportant enough not to be even remembered. If anything, she honestly wanted to forget it and all the previous birthdays she had before this.

Everything was running business as usual just like how the recent years had been. She was at home right after school, while her mother was busy building their company from square one to provide her a better future.

Eunae was more than happy that her mother had already recovered and began living than merely existing. It took a series of counselling, years of living apart, and daily yearning to be in Eunha's arms, but they were all worth it. There was nothing she could ask for to see her mother feel much better-to see her well, alive, and kicking.

But at the same time, there were days when she could not seem to push down the loneliness that would creep into her bones once in a while. Sure, she had Jaehyun and his loving parents to always turn to, to shower her with affection and care, and she was very thankful for that.

But then, if she had to be truthful, it still felt a way lot different to have her mother by her side-it just felt different.

Heaving a deep sigh, Eunae closed her eyes and plopped on her bed lazily. She was not in the mood to talk to anyone, and all she ever wanted was for slumber to finally take her in-to help her escape from all the melancholy swathing her whole.

"Jung Jaehyun!" A piercing shriek rumbled from her throat as soon as she felt being lifted and eventually found herself on Jaehyun's shoulder like a sack of rice. His swift action took her breath away and made her world spun around. "Put me down!"

"I said put me down!"

"No."

"What are you even up to? Just put me down!"

"No."

"Hell, yes you will!" She screeched like a broken toy, her fists hitting him lightly on his back as if it would make a difference.

"No."

Struggling from his hold, Eunae tried to reach for his shirt from the back, hoping it would take his attention and give her the peace she had been screaming. "Jaehyun, I'm not kidding, you better put me dow-ah! What the hell!"

A striking pang of pain suddenly made her backside throb. Her cheeks turning into a deep shade of red at the thought of what he did.

"Shut up," Jaehyun muttered nonchalantly after lightly spanking her behind. "We're going to have fun."

"What do you mean?" Eunae nervously exclaimed, her imaginations going wild.

"We're going to have fun," he repeated, cryptically this time around as if getting a hint of how her voice wavered. Her heart immediately hammered against her chest as the thousands of possibilities that came crashing in her mind like a wave that swept her off her feet.

"Jaehyun, I'm not in the mood for games. What are you planning-aw! Hey! Stop that!" She yelled bashfully as his hand met her bottom for the second time.

"Stop asking me questions, then. Trust me, you'll enjoy this," Jaehyun chuckled darkly, tapping her bums repeatedly as if taming her to be a good girl.

Nibbling her bottom lip, clearly embarrassed, Eunae slumped on his shoulder without a fight and stopped struggling. Her eyes were rooted on the dull rough pavements before the lush green grasses filled her view.

Getting a glimpse of what was right in front of her, Eunae could not hide the whirlwind of emotions suddenly coming through, and the millions of butterflies swimming in her stomach. It had been long since she came back to this place and she could not help but feel the pump of adrenaline pulsating through her bloodstream. She had always cursed every memory she had with it and sworn to herself that she would never take a single step back in such place that held all the beautiful memories that had turned to nothing but pain, yet here she was, ironically filled with happiness with the mere sight right in front of her.

"Oh god! This is so fun!" She screamed at the top of her lungs, her hands raised in the air, feeling ecstatic as the wind slapped her face.

"It's fun, isn't? I told you it's going to be fun." Eunae barely heard him speak as the ride took every single bit of her attention. The familiar way as to how it pulled the invisible strings in her stomach and made her feel utterly thrilled seemingly barred every other things there was in her surroundings.

"We're moving higher!" She screeched excitedly, not really minding what he asked.

Holding onto the barrel as their seats went higher, Jaehyun intertwined their hands together before giving her a swift look, "I'm glad you're having fun."

"Jaehyun, look! Isn't that the ice cream parlor we always go to?" Barely giving him a glance as she pointed at the small stall from the sky too excitedly, Eunae did not know that she had just cut him off to which he did not seem to mind. Jaehyun only shook his head and chuckled on his own as he kept his hand around hers.

After the whole fiasco from a while ago, she did not expect that they would be at the amusement park and enjoy every ride there was.

Jaehyun was true to his words when he told her they were going to have fun, because she surely did.

It had been long since she stepped in such place.

The glitz and glamor the park used to have had surely faded before her eyes like a fairy that had lost its wings. The moments that were once filled with blossoming flowers had turned into sharp dangerous knives that pierced her body from within.

Through the years, she still did not have the courage nor any willingness to have a trip down memory lane of how her birthdays had passed when all she could see was the face of her father happily strolling with her-a picture she had long gone forsaken out of her mind.

Eunae used to love amusement parks-it was her safe haven.

With the daily busy schedules of her parents, the time they allot for visiting amusement parks was the core of their family bonding. It held a myriad of memories from the years she could barely stand to the days she could run around on her own.

It was a subtle symbol of a loving and complete family she used to have and which she had already buried six feet under. It was something she would not opt to remember if only she had a choice.

"Stop thinking of him," Jaehyun suddenly demanded, startling her when she felt his thumbs on her cheeks.

"What, again?"

Jaehyun reached for her face and wiped away the unknown streaks of tears that ran down her cheek, "You won't be bawling your eyes out if it weren't for him."

With her mouth falling agape, Eunae nodded her head bashfully and stifled her whimpers. She really could not hide anything from him. Jaehyun could always manage to see through her, and she did not know if it were something she should be thankful for.

The mere fact that he could easily see through her most likely meant he knew her utmost adoration towards him-something she did not know if she should be happy about or terrified to the bones.

She could not bring herself to ask because she could not afford to risk anything they had. She could not risk losing someone, whom she held very dear when she could barely count them with her fingers.

All she knew was that she could not lose anyone. She could not lose her best friend.

She could not afford to lose Jaehyun, too.

"You'll always have me, sunshine. I'll never leave you," he sworn, cupping her cheeks. He looked at her ever so gently before placing a chaste kiss on her forehead. "I'm not like him."

And as always, Jaehyun was true to his words.

When he said he would never leave her, he never really did.

Through the years, he had never left her side. And now that they were just a month away from celebrating their second wedding anniversary, Eunae could only smile bitterly hearing how people envy what they have. Everyone seemed to love how they radiate like perfect lovers with the most unwavering relationship every couple could only wish for.

It was probably the glitz, the glamor, and the grandeur of how their marriage swept the people around them to believe the never-ending façade they had been putting up with. Everyone loved to have the kind of marriage and almost fairy tale love story they have not really knowing what had been happening behind the curtain.

Because like everybody else, little did Eunae know, that walking down the aisle and meeting Jaehyun in front of the altar two years ago, would be a door to the beginning of the end.