The Love That Remains

Wang Mei and Fang Aisa's friendship was decided before they are even born. They met when they are toddlers. Ever since then, Wang Mei has been following Fang Aisa around. When Grandfather Wang met Little Aisa, he snorted and declared "Another one of that devil woman."

The devil lady in question was no other than Grandmother Fang.

It's well known in Fang and Wang families that Grandfather Fang hates Grandmother Wang and Grandfather Wang hates Grandmother Fang. The reason remains a mystery to this date. Though, Grandfather Fang and Grandfather Wang are good friends. Just like that, Fang Aisa and Wang Mei have also inherited that friendship.

One can doubt the relationship between the same bloods, but the friendship between Grandmother Fang and Grandmother Wang was thicker than blood. Even after Grandmother Fang died, Grandmother Wang treats Little Aisa like her true granddaughter. She loves her even more than she loves her real grandchildren.

However, Wang Ying Ying never likes Fang Aisa. Wang Mei never understands why. Wang Ying Ying and Wang Mei are identical twins. Though they have the same faces, their temperaments are polar apart.

Wang Ying Ying is as beautiful as a fairy. Her image is pure and feminine, unlike the fiery and tomboyish Wang Mei. To sum up her image, Wang Ying Ying is the traditional white lotus. She is not much different from Sung Jun. Even her father and mother are not aware of her true personality.

Despite the differences between the two sisters, they are actually quite protective of each other. Wang Mei beats up any 'predator' that try to eye her 'docile' sister while Wang Ying Ying deals with her angry father and her distressed mother who are worried about 'delinquent' Wang Mei's future.

On that day, Wang Ying Ying is taking her 'beauty' nap when Wang Mei suddenly barges in not so quietly.

"What do you want, Mei Mei?"

"YiYi, there is an emergency."

Wang Ying Ying narrows her grey eyes. She wonders how her twin angers their parents this time. Wang Ying Ying shakes her head slowly.

"Yi Yi, it's about Aisa," Wang Mei divulges slowly when she sees that her twin has no intention of helping her this time.

"What?" Wang Ying Ying's face twists after she hears her twin. Wang Mei and Fang Aisa are close friends. They are closer than the twin sisters. Wang Ying Ying is sometimes jealous of their relationship, but she knows her limits.

"I have hurt her." Wang Mei breaks into tears. When she finishes speaking, Wang Ying Ying is slapping her younger twin's head.

"How could you hurt the Fang's nose?" Wang Ying Ying yells, "The FANG NOSE!"

Wang Mei covers her mouth to stop her from screaming. Heavens knows that Wang Mei would never hurt Fang Aisa intentionally. Even in her dreams, Wang Mei can never hurt Fang Aisa.

"Don't scream. What if Grandma hears us?" Wang Mei pleads with her twin to calm down. Wang Ying Ying starts to take deep breaths to calm down. She glares at Wang Mei like she is her mortal enemy.

Wang Mei knows that her twin never likes Fang Aisa.

There was a time when Wang Ying Ying wanted to befriend Fang Aisa, but Fang Aisa was always cold and aloof to her. There was one time when she left Wang Ying Ying and Fang Aisa alone together in the playroom. When she returned, Wang Ying Ying has already left and Fang Aisa was leisurely reading the comic book alone. To this day, Wang Ying Ying never approaches Fang Aisa. She evades her like a plague. Wang Ying Ying even avoids looking at Fang Aisa. Wang Mei often wonders what Fang Aisa did to her twin sister that day.

"Oh my god!" Wang Ying Ying buries her fingers in her smooth and silky ink black hair. "She will kill us."

"Who?" Seeing that her twin is more scared than her, Wang Mei's head clears a bit.

"She is the devil girl." Wang Ying Ying starts to panic. "How could you? You are her friend. How could you make this mistake?"

Now, Wang Mei is very curious what Fang Aisa did to her twin.

"Please, don't get angry Grandma Fang!" Wang Ying Ying looks up at the ceiling and prays.

"We will fix her nose. I promise that I will fix her nose and punish my little sister."

Wang Mei gulps.

"Go and ask about her situation. Don't say a word to anyone else. Ask Granny Lan to not say anything to anyone."

Just like that, the twins start the emergency 'FIX FANG NOSE' operation.

Wang Mei nods and runs out of the house. She wants to cry when she hears Granny Lan say that Aisa doesn't want to meet her. Wang Mei is scared, ashamed and sad. She's scared because her grandmother will skin her alive if she finds out that Wang Mei hurt Aisa. She's sad because her friend is clearly angry with her. She is extremely ashamed of what she did.

"She has a scar on her nose. I hope it goes away." Grandma Lan doesn't understand Wang Mei's worries. She is worried about the scar, but not like Wang Mei.

Wang Mei says goodbye to her life. Wang Mei runs back to her sister and tells her about the scar. Wang Ying Ying starts sobbing and acts like her twin is already dead.

"YiYi, stop crying and tell me." Wang Mei points at her sister's vanity table. "Don't you have any magic cream or powder?"

Wang Ying Ying feels that her twin is not as dumb as she thinks. She does have a scar removal cream. It is an expensive cream. But compared to this catastrophe, it is nothing. She gives that cream to Wang Mei gladly and asks her to deliver it to Granny Lan.

Wang Mei does that exactly. Granny Lan is surprised to see that cream.

"Actually," Granny Lan informs to the red-headed sweaty girl. "I am already using this cream on her. The scar is barely visible, but it is still there."

After that, Granny Lan leaves with an excuse that she needs to prepare dinner.

Wang Mei starts crying. She has no idea what to do. Her best friend refuses to meet her. Her sister is acting like she is dead. She has not faced her grandma yet. On top of that, why does she always meet the 'culprit' whenever she runs to Aisa's house? Why is he always here?

"I stay there." The 'culprit' points at the neighborhood building. "My flat number is 523."

"Aisa got hurt because of you." Wang Mei gnashes her teeth. "She's mad at me because of you."

"Let me remind you again. It wasn't my foot that broke her nose." The 'culprit' denies the blames shamelessly. "It was you who jumped to conclusions and decided to kick my head. I don't want to imagine my fate if your foot had found its mark."

"You would be slightly broken in the head." Wang Mei rolls her eyes. "You might have turned into an idiot. But, you are already an idiot. It wouldn't be waste anyway."

The 'culprit' shrugs. "It's still your fault."

Wang Mei can't refuse his words. It is indeed her foot that gave her the scar.

"I am going to die." Wang Mei sits down on the road. "I deserve to die. I hurt my best friend."

The 'culprit' wants to laugh. He holds it in to keep his 'gentleman' image. He sits down next to sobbing Wang Mei.

"We should come here every day and show our sincerity. We will ask for her forgiveness. Maybe Granny Lan will convince her to meet us. Let's work hard together."

Wang Mei sees a ray of hope. Since that day, Wang Mei and the 'culprit' comes twice a day. They often brought sweets and fruits. After a week, Granny Lan finally softens to the two young 'sincere' friends of Fang Aisa and convinces her to meet them.

___

"Young Miss, how are you feeling now?" Granny Lan examines my nose. The wound is healed and leaving a faint scar on the bridge of my nose.

Grandma Lan has been with my grandmother for more than thirty years. After my grandmother passed away, she took care of me. This house is left to me by my grandmother after she died. There are only Granny Lan and me living here. Granny Lan's son works at my grandfather's place. In my past life, Granny Lan was the only one who never left my side. Granny Lan passed way when I was twenty-three. At that time, I went abroad for a business deal. I found out after I came back. Nobody informed me of her demise when I was away.

I have a lot of regrets.

"Granny, I am okay."

"Young miss, they are here again." Granny Lan informs me.

It's been two weeks. I didn't go back to school after that day. My broken nose gave me an excuse to stay at home. Wang Mei and Sung Jun have been visiting every day for the past two weeks, but I refused to meet them every day.

I don't want to see their faces ever again. I don't know what I will do or say if I meet them.

"I don't want to see them, Granny Lan."

"I know what they did, young miss." Granny Lan strokes my hair gently. "You should not be angry with them anymore. It was an accident."

In my past life, Granny Lan never stopped worrying about me. After Wang Mei refused to meet me, she often saw me crying. After I decided to chase Sung Jun to K country, she supported me despite my grandfather's anger. Granny Lan was the only one who stood beside me until her death.

"All right." I give in. I didn't want her to worry about me anymore. In this life, I will treasure her. "I will meet them."

I change into a loose white shirt and blue denim. In the reflection, I have an oval face, some fat on my cheeks and a faint scar on the bridge of my straight nose. My grandmother told me once that I inherited the fang nose. My great-grandfather, my grandfather, my father and I have the same straight and high nose. However, that's where the resemblance ends. My grandmother never talked about my mother. I don't know who she is. I don't know whether she is dead or alive. She is a taboo topic in the fang house.

I go to the living room. Sung Jun and Wang Mei are sitting on the couch. They stand up when they see me. Wang Mei is dressed in navy jeans and a brown shirt. Her red hair is tied into two braids. She gapes at me with nervousness.

Sung Jun is dressed in a white shirt and black trousers. Sung Jun has a lofty smile plastered on his face. He knows his charms and effects on girls.

"Aisa, how are you?" Wang Mei rushes to me and scrutinizes my nose. I purse my lips and say nothing. The concern in her eyes is not fake. Wang Mei never cares about scars. She is born pretty, but her knees and arms are full of scars because of her hard training. "If that scar doesn't go away, you can marry my brother."

I am not surprised. Wang Mei's younger brother is only eleven at the time. It is not the first time that she offers her brother like that. When I scr.a.p.ed my knees once, my grandmother scolded me a lot. Wang Mei was there when she heard my grandmother said, "You won't get married if you have scars."

Ever since then, Wang Mei always offers her brother to marry me when I get scars.

"Wang Mei, I don't want to marry your brother."

I sigh.

I don't know the reason why she broke the friendship with me in my past life. Currently, her love and care for me are authentic. Maybe, this time, I will find out why she left me.

"You can marry him." Wang Mei points at Sung Jun. "Don't worry, Aisa. I will ask my father to make this pretty boy marry you."

Where did that come from? The boy is here and listening. I rub my forehead. Something is wrong with this girl's head.

"I don't want to marry your brother."

"Miss Wang, I said that I will take responsibility for Miss Fang." Sung Jun breaks his silence. He looks at me with amused eyes. "I will marry you, Miss Fang."

___

Wang Mei is only scared of two people in the world: Grandmother Wang and her best friend, Fang Aisa. In her fifteen years of life, Wang Mei has seen her friend get angry twice.

The first time, it's when Wang Mei's classmate said something bad about Wang Mei. Fang Aisa stood up and glared at those boys. She couldn't see her friend's expression because she was standing behind Fang Aisa. But she saw the boys wet their pants from Aisa's deathly gaze alone.

The second time, she saw her friend get angry at Grandmother Fang's funeral. Fang Aisa was only 12. She kept her face expressionless throughout the day. Everyone in the Fang family ignored her. Outside the funeral hall, Fang Aisa beat up her cousin brother into bloody meat. Her cousin brother had said bad words about Grandmother Fang. When the a.d.u.l.ts asked both parties for the fight, Fang Aisa didn't utter a word. It affected Fang Aisa's reputation greatly.

Wang Mei has been thinking that the 'culprit' is her best friend's friend or her crush. She has heard her younger brother practice those 'cheesy' pick up lines at home. Even her twin sister speaks of similar pickup lines that one of her admirers used once. Now, she doesn't know what to say.

She starts sweating when she sees her best friend's expression darken like the clouds. She steps back away from her and the 'culprit'. Wang Mei doesn't know what's going to follow. She keeps her distance to 'avoid' what is going to come. She pities the pretty boy. A part of her also admires Sung Jun for not wetting his pants.

Fang Aisa laughs. Her laugh is cold and penetrating like sharp ice. "What did you say?"

"I will marry-" The 'culprit' stops when he sees Fang Aisa step closer to him. Fang Aisa looks like a silent volcano ready to erupt. He smiles lightly. He didn't imagine it. This girl hates him from every corner of her soul. He doesn't know why, but he will find out the reason

"You want to marry me?" Fang Aisa cracks her knuckles. She doesn't notice the 'culprit' leaning closer to her. Granny Lan is not there, else she would have warned her. Wang Mei is too scared to say anything.

"What happened to your fiancée?"

Sung Jun looks confused. He doesn't have a fiancée. He is just fifteen. He is at an age when he is supposed to experience summer love. Even talking about marriage to Fang Aisa is heavy. Why did he ask her to marry him? He doesn't know. He didn't like it when Wang Mei suggested her brother for Fang Aisa.

He starts questioning why he is even here and asking this odd girl to marry him. They are too young to talk about marriage. Shouldn't he ask her to become his girlfriend instead? When he says that he will take responsibility, that's only because he wants to know how this girl knows him. Her aura is another mystery. Why does she have dark shadows floating around her?

And, why is this girl angry with the idea of marrying him? Does she not find him attractive? This is the first time when someone reacted this way.

"I don't have a fiancé," Sung Jun says quietly. They are so close that their c.h.e.s.ts are almost touching. He inhales her sweet scent. His gaze follows to the girl's lips. If he 'accidentally' leans closer, he can kiss those cherry lips.

"Liar!" Fang Aisa scowls at him darkly. "If you don't have any fiancée now, you will have one in the future."

Does she not have any brain? Of course, he will have a fiancée in the future. He will get married someday. "Miss Fang, do you want to become my fiancée?"

"Absolutely, Not! I don't like your ugly face." Fang Aisa spits out the words with disgust. "Get out of here."

Sung Jun is not affected. But, he is confused. The girl clearly knows him. He has never seen her before. He doesn't remember ever coming across someone like her before.

How does he manage to make her this angry? She clearly hates him.

"Why are you not leaving?"

Fang Aisa and Sung Jun are standing too close. Wang Mei wants to separate them, but she doesn't dare to move. Fang Aisa is too scary right now. Wang Mei is the one who brought this 'culprit' to her home. She fears that Fang Aisa will deal with her next.

"Say," Sung Jun doesn't smile anymore. He has had enough. His eyes have a cold glint. He is smiling, but he is emitting a dangerous aura. "How did I offend you, girl?"

Just like that, Sung Jun shreds his 'gentlemanly' image.

"You offended me in our past life." Fang Aisa blurts out. "You are *$#@%"

Sung Jun grabs her chin and carefully observes Fang Aisa's face. The girl doesn't seem to be lying or joking. But, she is speaking nonsense. What should he do with her, hmm?

Several moments later, the girl and the boy are still glaring at each other. Their noses are almost touching. Things are not looking good between them. Who will make the first move?

Wang Mei wants to intervene. Her friend is in 'danger'. Sung Jun is definitely not Fang Aisa's friend or crush. She should beat the guy for the crisis he has caused her and her friend.

Before she can move, Fang Aisa waves her hand for her to stop. She doesn't spare a glance to Wang Mei. Wang Mei doesn't take another step. It's the empress' decree.

"I don't like you, Fang Aisa." Sung Jun professes. His 'almost' smile doesn't leave his face. Fang Aisa looks like she wants to break his teeth.

"Hateful. Narcissistic. Lying Bastard." She utters the word with her clenched teeth.

"I should show you how much of the bastard I am." So, he wants to teach this girl a lesson. He leans and kisses those cherry lips that he has been eyeing for a while.

___

When his lips touch mine, it sends a static shock through my nerve. Before I can react, he pushes me back until my back hits the wall and pins my wrists on the wall. He presses me with his body to keep me from using my legs to kick his balls.

It takes immense willpower to not kiss him back. I am too old to not understand what it means. I hate that my heart is crazily beating and my body is reacting to the kiss. I hate it that he can still make me feel the way I am feeling. I keep my eyes open to let him see how much I hate it. Despite that, he doesn't let me go. He prods my lips with his tongue, trying to pry it open. I press them together harder. I see the amus.e.m.e.nt in his eyes as he nibbles my lower lip with his teeth. I will hold my breath. I won't open my mouth to give him an opportunity to invade my mouth. I am aware of every trick.

When he lets go of my lips, I step away and gasp for air. He has this winning smile on his face. This brat! I am supposed to be 30 years old mentally. How could a fifteen years old brat make me breathless? If I had known that I was going to be reborn in the past, I would have slept around after he left me and mentally prepare myself for this. Damn! I am ashamed of myself.

Wang Mei opens her mouth to say something. Just then, Granny Lan knocks on the door and comes in with a tray full of snacks and cups of tea.

"Is something wrong, young miss?" She narrows her eyes suspiciously. Her eyes stop on my lips.

"Nothing is wrong." I look away from Sung Jun. Looking anywhere else is better than looking at him. I am resisting the urge to beat him in front of Granny Lan.

Granny Lan sets the table and asks us to sit down for the tea. Wang Mei and I sit together while Sung Jun takes a seat opposite of me. He picks up the cup of tea and drinks. His movements are sophisticated and precise. I don't know whom he is trying to impress. But, I want to pour the hot tea on his face.

Granny Lan watches us quietly.

"Are you staying for dinner?" Granny Lan asks them politely, breaking the heavy silence.

"No," I answer for them. I want them to leave as soon as possible.

"Yes." Sung Jun ignores me and invites himself shamelessly.

"Yooonsh..." I have no idea what Wang Mei is trying to say with her mouth full of snacks. "Iamsahying~"

Granny Lan nods at her. She seems to understand her.

"I will make dinner." Granny Lan finally leaves us alone.

With wronged and annoyed expression, Sung Jun says, "Miss Fang should apologize."

I furrow my brows. Did this idiot just ask me to apologize to him?

"Why should I?" I raise my brows.

Sung Jun's eyes twinkles. He smiles mockingly. "Just a while ago, Miss Fang tried to seduce me."

"Sung Jun, You #$!#-" Sung Jun ignores my cursing and carries on with the farce.

"You intentionally stood close to me when it's inappropriate for a man and woman to stand that close." He takes another sip of tea and speaks like a headmaster is scolding his student. "That morning when I asked you the way to high school, you tried to flirt with me. You even said that I should recognize you when we have clearly never met before."

I have had enough. This guy keeps breaking the limit of shamelessness. I can't tolerate him.

"I didn't seduce you. I didn't flirt with you. I don't even like sissy boys like you."

"What did you say?" Sung Jun growls.

Ho Ho Ho! I know that it's his sore spot. Sung Jun's face is too pretty. Like a girl. He is tall but slender and lean. In my past life, when we went out on dates, he was often mistaken as a girl in boy's clothes. There were even men who flirted with him in front of me. I had to 'save' my ex-boyfriend from leering men. He played me well in my past life.

"Boy with a babyface." I gloat on my victory when I see him getting furious. "If you wear a wig and a dress, you can easily pass for a girl."

"Fang Aisa!" He bellows.

"Besides, I like older men. Well built men in suits. Not someone like you." His face gets darker with each word. "Manly man in their thirties… Men who know how to kiss."

"..."

"Hmph! You think that I would ever try to seduce someone with a face like you?"

"..."

"Ah!" It's Wang Mei who shouts suddenly. "Stop arguing. My head is hurting. I don't understand at all. Aisa, is he your friend or enemy? Do you like him?"

He and I stare into each other eyes. He is waiting for me to answer. What does he expect? I smile at Wang Me and answer her, "Enemy. He's my enemy. He will always be."

Sung Jun gets up and leaves.