Jimin got down from the bus as soon as it stopped, without looking back at Sooyeon, without grabbing her hand, pulling her through the crowd, without his arm hovering over her small frame, protecting her from the gushing people, like he never once failed to do. But he did, on purpose that day. He was the first one that leave the bus, while Sooyeon sat still, eyes tailing him, until he dissapear in the bustling horde. She inhaled the pain that was starting to take over her chest, holding in the almost escaped tears.

"Hey, girl! Aren't you getting out?"

The bus driver's voice snapped her, and she quickly get out of the bus. She weakly stepped towards the building, her mind busy replaying Jimin's cold back figure, leaving, furthering away from her, without even once glancing back at her. She kept on walking, eyes fixed on the front, but she wasn't really thinking anything. A sudden harsh grip makes her to turn backward swiftly, dropping her sling bag with a thud on the floor. She eyed the hand's owner, confused and puzzled. The girl who pulled her shoulder suddenly landed a hard slap right across her face, without even giving Sooyeon to process the whole situation. Numerous gasp and sharp inhalation were heard from the witnesses around. Sooyeon froze. Her cheek started stinging with writhing pain, and started to vividly redden.

"You disgusting . Who do you think you are?!"

She yelled at her face, flowing out all of her anger with her words. Sooyeon slowly looked up at her, her red cheek and bloody lips didn't soften the girl.

"You just come here and you want to steal everything? You are an absolute trash!"

The curse spitted on her face didn't affect Sooyeon at all. She wasn't upset or offended. She was confused, and utterly clueless. She couldn't figure out what did the furious girl meant. But she couldn't say anything. She just stared at her, scanning her facial structure and expression. The girl is pretty, really pretty. Round eyes, arched, neat eyebrows, high cheekbones, and full lips. Her lips were trembling in fury, eyes wavering and slightly tearing, while glaring right into her. She was not only mad. Sooyeon could sense another emotion, stronger than her fury, the emotion that cause her fury, that cause her action, and the emotion that prevent Sooyeon from fighting back. Sadness. It filled every inch of her face.

"You dare to stare me with that trashy eyes of yours? You want to die?!"

She put up her hand again, and Sooyeon flinched, but a hit never ended up on her face. Jungkook tightened his grip on the girl's hand, eyes peering into hers, and she did the same too.

"Are you crazy?" Jungkook's voice barely escaped his clenched teeth.

Minjoo smirked, a psycho-kind of smirk.

"I am. And you know best."

Jungkook threw her hand away harshly and gently took Sooyeon's cold one in his.

"Stop it, Minjoo."

Minjoo stared at the both of them, her sparkling eyes quivered with wrath.

"I suffered for years, I've done a lot of things, I sacrificed a lot of things, just for you to fall in love with this transferred girl? Am I that easy? Am I that worthless?!"

She cried out, her tears falling down drip by drip.

"Minjoo, when will you understand that I have no feelings for you? You can't force someone's feelings."

"And what make you think you can force me to forget you? Even I, even me, can't force myself to do so. You think I didn't try? I tried. A lot of ing times! But I can't."

She started to sob harder, ignoring all the eyes on her. Jungkook swallowed hard, feeling guilty, but was unable to say anything. Sooyeon just stared at her, sympathising.

"I just can't.." She continued with her head down. "I want to. I want to forget you, so badly. I tried so ing hard, but I can't.." Her words trailed off. She then turned around very quickly, and fled away, crashing some students who were surrounding them.

It didn’t take long until the crowd surrounding them earlier to left the scene, some sending Sooyeon sympathy glances before doing so. Sooyeon however, had her feet nailed on the ground, her whole body was numb from the shock. Jungkook stayed by her side, mixed feelings were stirring up in his heavy chest. He took in an amount of air, before looking down to their joined hands. His gaze trailed her arms, until it landed on Sooyeon’s face. Her cheek was still flashed in red, the corner of her lips slightly bleeding. Jungkook cursed at himself internally for not coming to save you earlier. He gave her shivering palm a comforting squeeze, causing her to slowly turn to him. His lips stretched into a faint smile.

“Let’s go.”

Jungkook pulled Sooyeon gently, towards an unknown destination.

“Where?”

Her weak voice mumbling the short question shattered his heart. He felt so guilty. He felt so useless. He should’ve stop Mijoo earlier.

The teacher’s words didn’t make it through Jimin’s eardrums. He was staring right at the teacher, but his mind was filled with Sooyeon. Where was she? It was already the second period. Why wasn’t she in class? She should be. She was right beside him in the bus. They arrived at school together.. But why wasn’t she here?

He slightly turned to look at Jungkook’s empty seat. Jungkook wasn’t here too. What on earth happened to them? He stole a quick glance at Sooyeon’s empty seat, his chest occupied with worries and antsy.

 

*

Jungkook hung his head low, meddling with his fingers without a single word. Sooyeon fixed her position on the bed a bit before slightly facing Jungkook who was sitting on the chair beside the bed.

“Aren’t you going to class?”

Jungkook looked up at her upon hearing her question. She was gazing at him, her eyes free from any emotions. And that make Jungkook weird. Wasn’t she mad? Wasn’t she curious? Why didn’t she ask anything? Why didn’t she force him to explain about Mijoo?

“I can’t leave you alone.” He finally answered.

She pursed her lips, forming a straight light smile.

“I’m fine. Really. I just need to put ice on my cheek, that’s all.” Sooyeon faintly jiggled the bag of ice in her hand, before putting it against her cheek again.

Jungkook eyed the girl, emotions piling up in him.

“I’m sorry.”

His words made Sooyeon furrowed her eyebrows in bewilderment.

“What for?”

“For earlier. I should’ve come earlier.”

“You don’t have to. Nothing can be done anyways.”

“But..”

His words trailed off, and he escaped her gaze.

“Why didn’t you ask anything about Mijoo? You heard our conversation. Don’t you want to know?”

She let out a small, short laugh.

“I think I knew enough from what I heard. But, if you want to tell me more, I’m on.”

Jungkook stared at her with unreadable expression. His tense expression slowly softened as he slightly leaned forward.

“We used to be best friend..” He started off calmly, eyes fixed on his fiddling fingers.

 “Since we were child. We were really close, like really. We went everywhere together, and did everything together. Until last year, she suddenly confessed that she actually had feelings for me, since she was 13. I was so shocked at that time. She was like my younger sister to me, and that was what I told her. She snapped. She changed completely after that. She was still close to me, but not as a friend. She tried so hard so that I accepted her feelings. It made me sad that she was not like her before. She clung to me, convincing me to date her. I felt.. annoyed. I tried to tolerate, as she was my best friend, but she was too pushy. That was when I started distancing myself from her.”

He let out a long, airy sigh.

“I know I shouldn’t have done that. She was my best friend anyway. But she changed so much. She was not her anymore. I just wanted my best friend back. Not the girl who tried really hard to win my heart.”

Jungkook’s gaze leave his fingers, and landed on Sooyeon’s concentrated face. A corner of his lips quirked up bitterly.

“I’m mean, right?”

Sooyeon looked away from him, very slowly, and fixed her gaze vacantly into distance. Jungkook stared at her expressionless face, trying to figure what was on her mind.

“No.” Sooyeon’s short reply broke the silence.

“You’re right. Love cannot be forced.” Sooyeon held back her tears, as her mind started hovering, vividly showing Jimin’s face, reminiscing the happy moments they shared.

‘Love cannot be forced. You can’t force someone else to love you. And you can’t force yourself to love someone else. You can’t force yourself to forget someone you love, someone who make you smile, earnestly happy inside, someone who give you the purpose of living, someone who make you wait for tomorrow, someone who make you don’t yearn to turn back time, and regret your decision for once. No matter how hard you try, You can’t. But that’s exactly what I’m doing. I tried to forget. I act foolishly, abandoning the person who genuinely care about me, trying to erase him off my life. Thinking I’ll get over it after some times.  Thinking he’ll get over it soon. Taking the love he has and his feelings for granted. Using someone else, to forget him. Hurting and lying two souls at the same time. And lying to myself too.’