I LOVE YOU MY FRIEND (FAN FICTION) (CHAPTER 35)

CHAPTER 35

    The next morning . . .

    Lena slowly woke up and stared at Jaejoong. He was still sleeping soundly. She carefully arranged a lock of hair that covered Jaejoong's face. And little by little, her heart started to ache.

    After Jaejoong's phone calls to his friends and mother yesterday, he continuously wept in the living room for almost an hour. Then he tried to calm himself down afterwards, and pretended that nothing was wrong.

    She tried to ask him why his eyes looked like he had cried. But he just told her that he had a headache. Then he noticed that her eyes were swollen as well. And she just replied that she too had a headache.

    Both of them lied to one another for the main reason that they wanted to protect each other's feelings. And somehow their act was slowly killing Lena.

    "I'm sorry, Jaejoong," Lena weakly uttered as she continued to stare at him.

    Half an hour passed . . . Lena decided to get out of bed and prepare breakfast. She carefully slipped out of bed and went straight to the kitchen.

    She couldn't explain the strange feeling that she was having. Somehow she could sense that something terrible was going to happen. She didn't know what it was, but she was sure that it was going to come.

    She silently continued to cook silently. And she just tried to brush away the fears that she was having. She tried to focus on what she was cooking. She wanted to make a delicious breakfast for Jaejoong.

    Somehow she wanted to see him smile when he sees the different foods sh had prepared for him. She wanted to make him happy and she wanted to make him forget all his worries even for one moment.

    She had finished working and was already setting the table when Jaejoong walked into the kitchen.

    "What are you doing?" Jaejoong slowly asked.

    "Preparing breakfast," she answered.

    Jaejoong slowly walked up to Lena. Then he lovingly embraced her from behind.

    "I should be the one doing all the cooking. I'm the one who's supposed to be taking care of you," he said sweetly.

    Lena couldn't help but smile. "You're so sweet, Jaejoong. But I also want to take care of you too. I also want to do things for you. I want to make you happy."

    Jaejoong slowly turned Lena around to face him. "You don't have to do things just to make me happy. Having you near me is enough to make me overflowing with joy."

    Lena stared straight into his eyes. "Are you really happy Jaejoong?" she asked seriously.

    Jaejoong tried to put on a smile. "Of course, why do you ask such a silly question?"

    Lena smiled bitterly. "You can't hide your true feelings. Your eyes can't lie. Even since we were young, I can easily tell what your feeling through your eyes."

    Jaejoong felt like a little boy suddenly caught with his crime. He slowly lowered his head as if ashamed of what he had done.

    Lena slowly touched Jaejoong's face. And then she cupped his face with her hands.

    "Do you know when you're sad . . . I am sad too. And when you're hurt . . . I am hurt too? What's wrong Jaejoong? Tell me what's on your mind?"

    Jaejoong looked straight into Lena's eyes. Somehow he wanted to tell her everything. But a voice inside him was preventing him and was telling him to just keep quiet. He didn't want to give her any problems or worries. He wanted to just stay happy and contented in their new life together.

    "Nothing . . . nothing's wrong. What makes you think that something is wrong?" he asked nervously.

    Lena just smiled bitterly and shook her head in disappointment. She was somehow hurt that Jaejoong still wouldn't tell her the truth. Her hands that was holding Jaejoong's face suddenly lost all its strength and just fell down.

    Jaejoong immediately noticed the hurt look on Lena's face. He hurriedly drew her closer and embraced her tightly.

    "I'm sorry . . . Please forgive me," he uttered.

    "Forgive you . . . for what reason?" she slowly asked.

    "I . . .I . . ." he started to say when . . . .

    A loud crashing sound was heard . . . .

    "What was that?" Lena asked worriedly.

    "I think it came from the living room," Jaejoong answered.

    Hurriedly, Jaejoong and Lena went to the living room. Shock and fear suddenly entered their hearts as soon as they entered the room.

    Lying unconscious on the floor were three of the men that were guarding them . . . and standing infront of them were several men . . . and a very familiar figure.

    "Hello Lena . . . I've come to fetch you my dear," the old woman uttered.

    Lena was about to tuen back when two men suddenly appeared out of nowhere and immediately held her arms. She tried to break free but the men just tightened their grip on her.

    Jaejoong saw the men who immediately grabbed Lena. He was about to help her when three large men  suddenly blocked his way. One of the men instantly punched him straight in the face. Then the other men gave him a strong punch in his stomach. And the last man suddenly gave him a strong blow on his back.

    "No! Please stop!" Lena suddenly screamed.

    Jaejoong immediately fell down on his knees. Blood was oozing from his mouth.

    Then one of the men suddenly picked Jaejoong up and started to punch him over and over again. Jaejoong tried to fight, but the men were larger and were much stronger than him.

    The three men continuously gave Jaejoong different punches on different parts of his body. His face was already swollen and full of blood.

    "No . . . please don't hurt him," Lena continuously begged.

    She tried to break free, but couldn't. So she just cried as she watched Jaejoong being beaten to death.

    Jaejoong was already very weak. He was already lying on the floor, but the men still continued to kick him over and over again.

    Lena screamed. She couldn't take the pain anymore. She gathered all her strength and tried to break free again. This time she was able to set herself free. She immediately went to Jaejoong's side.

    One of the men was about to kick Jaejoong, so Lena hurriedly embraced Jaejoong as if to shield him from the attack. She wanted to protect him. She didn't care whether she was going to be hurt or not. All she could think about was she needed to protect Jaejoong as much as she could.

    The man who was about to hurt Jaejoong suddenly stopped. He didn't want to hurt Lena. They had strict instructions to never hurt her in anyway.

    "Lena . . . get away from me. They might hurt you as well. Please . . ." Jaejoong slowly uttered as he tried to get up.

    "No! I will always stay beside you. No matter what happens," Lena replied.

    Lena carefully helped Jaejoong to stand up.

    "Get away from her Lena," the old woman said.

    "No! Please Mother . . . stop this," Lena begged again.

    "Do you really think that I would let that man get away so easily? He has to suffer first," the old woman said.

    Jaejoong tried to get Lena behind him. He was very concerned that she was going to get hurt if she continued to get in between him and the men who were hurting him.

    "How . . . how did you find us?" Jaejoong asked Daichi's mother as he tried to control the pain he was feeling.

    The old woman suddenly laughed. "Ah . . .yes! I should thank you for giving out your location. You basically told us where you were when you called your friends using your phone. Not a very clever move. And I actually thought you were smart. I guess I was wrong."

    Jaejoong suddenly looked at Lena. He immediately became afraid of what she was going to say.

    "Lena . . .I'm sorry . . .Please understand! I needed to call them. I was so worried . . ." Jaejoong tried to explain.

    Lena just shook her head, then smiled. "It's all right. I understand. You don't have to explain."

    "Lena . . ." Jaejoong uttered as he was about to say something else.

    "Enough with your sweet talks! Lena . . . let's go," the old woman shouted.

    "No! Please Mother, can't you understand? I don't love Daichi . . . and Jaejoong is the only man that I will ever love. I've already slept with Jaejoong . . . I'm no longer suited to be Daichi's wife. Please . . . I'm begging you. Please let me go," Lena said.

    "But Lena . . . Daichi loves you. I've never seen him give so much to a girl before. That is how I knew how much you mean to him. He's always been the type to play around and leave the girls he's been with . . . without any reason. But with you . . . he's changed. totally changed. What does that Jaejoong have that my son doesn't? Why can't you just forget him and leave him?" the old woman said.

    "Mother . . . I've loved Jaejoong since I was young. He's the only man I've been dreaming of since I was young," Lena replied.

    "I'm sorry. But I can't let you be with him. You belong with my son and not that useless man," Daichi's mother said.

    "No . . .I won't leave him! I love him!  I want to be with him!" Lena shouted.

    Daichi's mother smiled devilishly. "Take Lena away from that man," she instructed some of the men in the room.

    Jaejoong tried to block the men who were trying to get Lena. But one of the men instantly gave him a punch on his stomach. He immediately cried out in pain.

    "Jaejoong," Lena uttered.

    Two men hurriedly took Lena away from Jaejoong.

    "No, please . . . let me go," Lena screamed.

    "Give that Jaejoong a lesson . . . a lesson he will never forget" the old man said to the men in the room.

    Four men immediately drew in closer to Jaejoong. Two of the men her him by his arms, while the other two kept on punching him.

    Lena cried uncontrollably as she watched in horror. "Please let us go . . . Stop hurting Jaejoong please," she continuously begged.

    Jaejoong felt like his entire body was already getting numb. But he didn't care about the physical pain that he was experiencing. All he cared about was Lena. Somehow he couldn't stand seeing her crying so uncontrollably. He was more concerned about her than himself.

    "Lena, please don't cry. Don't worry about me. I'm all right. . . I can take this," Jaejoong tried to utter.

    Lena suddenly bit her lower lip as she tried to control herself. She could feel that her heart was already very heavy and she was somehow running out of air. She felt like she couldn't take seeing Jaejoong suffer anymore. She felt like she was going to lose her sanity any minute, if she continued to see him in so much pain.

    Then one of the men suddenly appeared with a baseball bat. He immediately went straight to Jaejoong and gave him a strong blow to his back.

    "Aaaaahhhh . . ." Jaejoong cried out in pain. He felt like he was about to fall down, but the men who were holding him still kept him standing.

    Lena just watched in total horror. Her entire mind was already spinning. She was trying to think of a way to help him. How she wished she could help him . . . and comfort him. She could see that Jaejoong was already in so much pain.

    "Please leave him alone," she uttered as tears fell down her face.

    Then Lena noticed that the man holding the baseball bat was looking at Jaejoong's legs. Somehow she immediately sensed that the man was going to hit Jaejoong's legs next. Her mind started to think. She knew she needed to help him. Jaejoong had a knee surgery before and it would be totally bad for him, if he was to be hit on his legs.

    The man was already making a move. He was smiling devilishly, as if he was having a good time making Jaejoong suffer. He had already raised his bat again and was about to hit Jaejoong when . . . .

    Lena pulled herself free from the men who were holding her. And then she immediately rushed to where Jaejoong was. Without any concern about herself, she then blocked the bat that was about to hit Jaejoong's legs. The man was suddenly taken by surprise by what Lena had done. He tried to control his hands, but it was already too late. He had already hit Lena on her back.

    Lena cried out in pain. Blood immediately rushed out of her mouth. Then she suddenly fell down on her knees.

    Jaejoong couldn't believe what he was seeing. "Lena!" he cried out. Slowly tears started falling down his eyes.

    During the time that the men were hurting Jaejoong physically, not even a single tear dropped from his eyes. But after he saw Lena being hurt, it was only then his tears appeared. He didn't care about how much pain they inflict on him, but what he couldn't take was seeing the only woman he loved suffer.

    Lena stared back at Jaejoong. Her heart was somehow crushed as she saw him crying for her. Jaejoong's beautiful face was already ruined and his entire body was already covered with blood and bruises.

    Lena's heart and soul was already crying out in pain, not for herself but for Jaejoong. She wanted everything to stop already. She then slowly looked at Daichi's mother.

    "Look at you dear . . . You're not supposed to get hurt . . . Why do you have to be so stubborn? why do you have to sacrifice yourself for that man," the old woman said with pity in her eyes.

    "Enough please! I can't take it anymore. I'll go with you . . . I'll do everything you want . . . Just let Jaejoong go . . .please," Lena tried to utter. She was trying to ignore the physical pain that she was feeling.

    The old woman stared at Lena seriously. "DO I have your word?"

    Lena nodded. "Yes, I'll do anything you want . . .I'll go with you . . . I'll leave him . . . I'll never try to see him ever again . . ." she suddenly stopped talking. She was already crying uncontrollably. "I will even kill myself . . . if you ask me to . . . just leave him alone."

    "Lena, what are you saying? Please don't leave me. I . . . I can't live without you," Jaejoong uttered.

    Lena stared at Jaejoong. Tears were continuously flowing from his eyes.

    "Jaejoong . . . we can't do this anymore. Too many people are already getting involved. I know eventhough you're not saying anything . . . you're still hurting because of what is happening to your friends and family. I can't bear to see you suffer anymore. So we should stop here," Lena uttered sadly.

    "No . . . I love you . . . I love you . . . That is all that matters to me," Jaejoong shouted.

    Lena shook her head. Then she faced the old woman again. "I promise . . .I'll do everything you want. I'll marry Daichi. In exchange, leave Jaejoong alone and fix all the problems regarding his group and return the jobs that his family members lost. I know you're the one responsible for all of it."

    The old woman smiled. "Clever girl! All right! I promise, I'll leave your precious man alone and arrange everything back to the way it used to be. But make sure you keep your promise as well."

    Lena nodded.

    "No! No! No!" Jaejoong continuously screamed. He couldn't accept what he was hearing.

    Lena looked at Jaejoong as tears continued to fall down her eyes. She really didn't want to leave him. But she knew it was the only way to save him.

    "Mother . . . can you please give us some time alone? Please . . . please . . . I want to say goodbye to him . . ." Lena begged.

    Somehow the old woman's heart softened. "Very well. I'll be waiting for you in the car outside. I hope you keep your promise. Don't try to run away or else worst things might happen."

    Lena smiled bitterly."Don't worry. I won't run away. I'll keep my promise. I just want to have some time alone with him . . . before I go."

    The old woman stared at Lena. Then she looked at Jaejoong. "Let him go," she uttered to the men who were holding Jaejoong.

    The men immediately released Jaejoong. He was already very weak that he just fell down on his knees.

    "Let's go . . ." the old woman said to her men.

    Within minutes, Lena and Jaejoong were finally left alone.
    
    Lena immediately went to Jaejoong's side.

    "I'm sorry . . ." she quickly uttered as tears fell from her eyes. She then pulled out a handkerchied from her pocket and started to wipe away the blood that was oozing from Jaejoong's wounds. But Jaejoong suddenly grabbed her hand and stopped her from what she was doing.

    "Why? Why did you do it? I thought you said you loved me . . . so why are you leaving me?" Jaejoong asked as he stared straight into Lena's eyes.

    "I can't stand seeing you suffer anymore, Jaejoong. I've been watching you these passed few days. I know . . . you're very worried about your friends and family. And . . . and after I heard the phone calls you made to them . . . it was only then I started to realize that what we did was really wrong. I'm sorry . . . for ruining your life," Lena uttered in between sobs.

    "How . . . how did you know about the calls I made yesterday?" Jaejoong asked as if confused.

    "I'm sorry . . . but I've been observing you using the cameras installed in the house," Lena confessed. "And I heard everything about your phone calls to Micky, Max and your mother with the use of the wiretapping device they installed on our phones."

    "Lena . . . we can still get away. Let's run away again," Jaejoong said as he held Lena's hard. Somehow he was losing sanity and he couldn't think straight.

    Lena slowly shook her head. "No, Jaejoong. This is where we've got to stop. No matter where we go, they will still find us. And while we are hiding, we'll be making a lot of innocent people unhappy. I don't want that kind of burden on you . . . So let's just stop . . . and say goodbye now," she said sadly.

    "Don't you love me anymore?" Jaejoong asked. He was hurting so badly, that he had released Lena's hand.

    Lena looked straight into Jaejoong's eyes. "Look at me . . . Jaejoong," she said as she suddenly cupped his face with her hands. "Always remember . . . I love you . . . I will always have you in my heart. No matter where I go . . . no matter whom I'm with . . . you will be the only one in my mind, in my heart and in my soul."

    Jaejoong suddenly embraced Lena. "I don't think I can live without you. What am I supposed to do when I am missing you? What am I supposed to do when I want to see you and talk to you? I'll go crazy without you, Lena. Please don't leave me," he begged.

    Lena bit her lower lip to stop herself from crying out loud. Somehow she couldn't bear the kind of pain that Jaejoong's words were giving her.

    "Sooner or later . . .you'll learn to forget me, Jaejoong. A girl . . . more worthy of your love will come your way. You will fall in love again . . . and you will forget me," she said as tears raced down her cheeks. Her own words were like thorns being stuck into her heart. The pain she was feeling was making her mind spin.

    Jaejoong tightened his embrace. "No! I will never fall in love with someone else. If you leave me . . . I will never open my heart to someone else . . . ever again. You are the only one in my heart and that is the way it will stay . . . forever."

    Lena sobbed. "God Jaejoong! It's so painful . . . but there's no other way. We've got to let go of each other. We've got to accept this. We don't belong with each other . . . ."

    "No! I love you . . . I can't live without you. Before, I was afraid to love you . . . but you gave me strength to open myself and my heart. Before, I knew how to live without you . . . but after I experienced living my life with you . . . now I'm not so sure if I can ever live without you. You're my love . . . you're my life . . . you're like the air that keeps me alive . . . Without you, I won't be able to last a day. You say . . . another girl wil come my way and I will fall in love again. Well I say . . . no matter who comes along . . . I wil always stay in love with you," Jaejoong uttered.

    Lena couldn't take the pain of hearing Jaejoong's words. She slowly broke free from Jaejoong's embrace. Then she stared at his face . . . one last time. She wanted to remember him forever.

    "Goodbye . . .Jaejoong," she slowly uttered. Then she slowly kissed him for the very last time.

    As their lips met, their tears started to fall continuously. They kissed each other with so much love and passion . . . while their hearts were slowly bleeding.

    Lena suddenly stopped kissing Jaejoong. Then she drew herself away from him.

    "Lena!" Jaejoong cried out.

    Slowly Lena tried to stand up. "Goodbye, Jaejoong . . . Take care of yourself . . . Always remember I won't forget you . . . Goodbye," she said as she stood before him.

    Jaejoong suddenly grabbed Lena by her waist, and then he embraced her while he was still kneeling down.

    "Don't leave me! I beg you! Please I love you! I love you!" Jaejoong continuously cried out.

    Lena cried uncontrollably. Then she slowly tried to set herself free from Jaejoong's embrace.

    Jaejoong looked up at Lena with tears in his eyes. "Don't leave me!" he uttered.

    Lena slowly shook her head. "I'm sorry, but we've got to say goodbye . . ." then she slowly turned and started to walk away from Jaejoong.

    "Goodbye . . .Jaejoong . . . I love you . . . That's why I am doing this . . . It's all because I love you," Lena uttered before she finally left the room.

    Jaejoong just stared at the door where Lena disappeared. Somehow everything was just like a dream. He couldn't believe that Lena had left him. He couldn't accept that she no longer belonged to him.

    "Aaaaaaahhhhhh!!!" Jaejoong screamed. He wanted to get all the pain out of his heart. He then started to cry uncontrollably.

    "Lena . . ." he uttered continuously as his heart was slowly dying.