Haeri’s POV

I ran toward my class searching for Yixing. I was still wondering why he would wanna meet in class.

“Y-“I stopped as soon as I stepped inside and words got stuck in my throat. I went completely silent before even uttering a word.

My hand which was still holding into the doorknob slowly fell while the other one automatically covered my mouth trying to suppress a loud gasp.

Right at that moment I didn’t care about any explanation that could ever exist. All I saw was Yixing’s lips on Sora’s, and his hands around her waist.

“Haeri” I barely heard his voice, my heartbeats were too loud inside of me. My heart was painfully hammering on my chest and no matter how hard I tried, tears welled up in my eyes so much I could no longer keep them in.

“Haeri wait this is not what you think” he looked at me with scared eyes preparing to run toward me and my feet involuntarily moved backward with every step he took forward.

“Oppa wait!” Sora clutched his arm and it felt like a knife twisted in my chest.

I heard him yelling something but I was already running away from there, gasping hard for air because I was pretty sure I was no longer breathing.

Yixing’s POV

“You crossed all the lines get the hell away of me!” I yelled at Sora who was trying to hold my arm desperately.

“What is it about her that you like so much?” she yelled back, “she’s not even nice!”

“What?” I scoffed, “and you think you are? You think you’re nice?” I was disgusted just by looking at her.

“I am better than her” she spat.

“What the hell makes you think you have anything on her? Don’t you dare talk about Haeri, she’s not the pathetic one trying to break a couple for few months now” I said coldly.

“Can’t you see you deserve better?!” she yelled clutching into my jacket angrily.

“I can’t believe I am lucky enough to have her!!!” my voice filled the empty room as I jerked both her hands off of me, “can’t you understand that you are not even near being as good as her? You’re being pathetic Sora just leave me and Haeri the hell alone! This will get you nowhere with me!” I said sharply before walking away.

I didn’t feel any pain when my shoulder bumped hard into the door as I was running so fast to chase Haeri, but deep in my heart the pain was killing me.

I still had so much hope that Haeri will of course understand that this was a set up but it must have hurt to see what she saw… and it kills me that I caused her that pain.

“Haeriii” I called her name several times but it seemed like she already disappeared. Even when I went outside she was no longer there. I lost her in the crowd of students all wearing similar uniforms.

I ran through the crowd turning left and right, pushing and bumping into people not caring how rude I was. I just wanted to find Haeri and explain everything to her.

“Hey are you looking for someone?” Jongdae asked me.

“Yes have you seen Haeri?” I was breathing heavily due to running but mostly it’s because of the fear in me.

“I told her to meet you in class, she didn’t go?” he asked calmly and I found my hands grabbing his collar.

“Why?” I hissed.

“What do you mean why? Sora said you told her to-“

“ Jongdae! Can’t you see how stupid you are?” he still looked confused but I had no time to explain, I had to find Haeri so I released him and ran toward the bus station instead. She must have gone straight there.

I ran so fast hoping to catch her, my eyes scanned both sides of the roads and every corner or narrow path there until I finally reached the bus and jumped in quickly.

My eyes must have searched the seats more than ten times hoping that maybe I missed her by accident until eventually I had to accept that she wasn’t really there. She was nowhere. And the worst part is she turned her phone off.

At least when it was still on, I still had hope every time I dialed that she might pick up but when she turned it off I became really frustrated.

It was already 7 pm and she still didn’t show up. I called her endlessly. I searched all the streets and shops and parks around but I didn’t see her. I went to her house, knocked and knocked but there was no reply. I even climbed to her room but it was empty.

I was losing my mind, where the hell did she disappear.

Haeri’s POV

I ran to the bathroom because I was in no shape to run outside where students are crowded in front of the school gates. I pushed the door open and fell to the ground hugging my knees between my arms as soon as I found the place was empty.

Something was burning in my chest.

I know it was a set up, I know she must have planned everything but I was just sick of it. She never gives up, she always tries things like that and she puts us into huge fights trying to mess with our trust toward each other. 

It made me tired.

It kept me ing scared till now that one day might come when he’ll eventually fall for her games and let go of me.

And a hundred other thoughts crossed my mind, trying to mess with the trust I hold for Yixing.

Questions like what if he finally fell for her?

What if this time it’s more than one of her sick plans?

What if he really couldn’t resist her anymore?

As if I didn't have a lot of to deal with already. Besides having to live with no father and almost with no mother, I lost the strong connection that i used to have with my friends which were the only ones I had before Yixing. And now that I have him, she jumps onto every opportunity out there to take him away from me.

How much can I endure more?

Why out of everyone there she only wanted what’s mine?

I rested on the ground for about 15 minutes till I finally calmed down a bit. I wiped my tears and washed my face preparing to leave.

I know Yixing already left probably looking for me and it’s good because I didn’t want to see him.

I opened the door and peeked to make sure no one was there before I finally got out. I was on my way to leave when the voice I hated the most in the world filled the empty hall and echoed there.

“I told you before not to be so sure” she paused expecting me to turn to her but I didn’t, I was too afraid to look back. As much as I hate admitting it, but I was afraid he would be standing next to her.

“Liar, you… planned all this” It came as a whisper that I’m not sure he heard.

Her footsteps got louder and louder as she approached me and with every step she took my heartbeats went faster.

Being weak wasn’t one of my traits, but for some reason whether he is with her or not, I couldn’t look at her face, I was afraid.

If I saw her face that scene will play again and again in front of my eyes and I couldn’t handle it.

“I told you before” her tone got harsher as she turned me to face her, “I don’t give up easily Haeri.”

I held my head up high and managed to pull a confident smile, “and I told you before” I jerked her hand that was still on my shoulder, “you’re nothing but a pathetic ” I spat sharply.

She let out a loud laugh, “there’s no around other than you” her laugh died and her tone turned into a very cold and harsh one, like she hates me with all her guts.

“When will you finally realize it Haeri?” she said through her clenched teeth, “when will you understand that he deserves someone much better than you!” she yelled wiping my smile away.

I wouldn’t normally care about what she says but hearing that he deserved someone better than me stabbed me like a knife.

“You know nothing about us” I hissed.

“I know that he is a nice guy that any girl would be lucky to have, and I also know that you’re no more than a mean who only hurts people!” she slightly pushed me.

“What the is your problem Sora? When did I ever hurt you!” I yelled.

Where the hell did she get all the hatred toward me from?!

“You,” she held my collar and began speaking, “you always used to make fun of people, you and your stupid squad. Everyone eventually stopped fighting you and everyone silently accepted all your harsh remarks and all your ed up pranks because they just wanted to fit in, they wanted to avoid problems” her words revealed more and more hate as she went on, “but not everyone can just handle it you know?”

“What the hell are you talking about? We stopped that ing long ago. We no longer fight with or bully anyone” I tried to push her hands off me but she held me so tight.

“I’m talking about Lee Sungjae and Jung Sohee, and about every other person you ended up hurting and i don't care if it was now or long ago” she murmured sternly.

Lee Sungjae?

Jung Sohee?

I frowned trying to remember them. The names sounded familiar but no clear image came into my brain.

“Of course a like you won’t even remember” she laughed bitterly. “Sohee was my best friend in grade 9. She was my one and only friend which someone like you would describe as ‘nerd’ and ‘ugly’.” She pushed me, releasing me and I almost fell to the ground.

“Sungjae was her boyfriend” her eyes suddenly looked like they could kill me, “her boyfriend that she found kissing you in the gym.”

All the memories started to come back along with her words.

So she revenging for something that happened years ago?

“You broke her heart, you cold . It was because of you she transferred and no longer took care of her studies because all she could think about is getting plastic surgery and following strict endless diets. All she thinks about till now is how to be beautiful because she was fed up with the idea that she's ugly and she can never be as beautiful as you are. She still is insecure about herself because he chose you over her! BECAUSE NOT EVERYONE IS STRONG ENOUGH HAERI.”

I couldn’t swallow, everything was stuck in my throat and my lungs felt like they’re not working anymore.

“H-he didn’t… love her” I whispered. “He was cheating on her with so many girls Sora” my lips trembled while I spoke with a barely audible voice.

I was shaking. Was I that bad?

The day he kissed me… he did it without my permission, it was a misunderstanding. I slapped him away but you were already gone. I never dated him; I was never the one he cheated on you with. It wasn’t me Sohee I swear! I would have never done that. He cheated on you with someone else but it wasn’t me Sohee please believe me…

I mentally screamed. I swore and promised that it wasn’t me. I know she’s not hearing it, but all I wanted was for her to believe that I didn’t do it. Because I, right now, know how bad having a broken heart is. Now i can feel the pain she must have felt.

“That passed already” she said finally calming down a little. “What you saw today” she said, “and the pain you’re feeling, you deserve them. You deserve to have a broken heart just like you broke hers. And Yixing, he deserves someone much better than you, I hope he can see that soon.” She spat her final words like venom before she left.

I stood there shivering. I’m not sure if it was the coldness of the empty halls or her words, but I stayed standing there all alone, feeling cold.

The sun started to set and darkness replaced the light slowly. The atmosphere was depressing. It was sad.

“I miss you so much, you have no idea how hard life is without you, if I had you now, then maybe everything would have been easier, just like back when I was six years old.” Tears wouldn’t stop running down my face.

“Dad,” I gasped for air, “I just wish… I wish you never left… I” I cried and pleaded over his grave.

“Come back…”

I’m not a kid anymore; I know he can’t come…

“If you were here today, you wouldn’t have been proud of me right? I failed to sit here beside you and talk to you about the reasons why you should be proud of me, because they don't exist. I am a bad person right? But I didn’t mean to… I never meant to hurt her Dad you believe me right? Maybe I was young and stupid when I called her names but I regret it now. I stopped judging people long ago I swear….

Dad… my heart is broken, and I have nowhere to go. On my way here I saw Sehun and Jongin with Eunha and Jina, they were hanging out together. Maybe they called me but I already set my phone off. And maybe it didn’t even occur to them to call.

I was a bad friend. I deserve being treated like that. I am selfish right? I hurt them before and I hurt Yixing before but he still stayed with me.

He is one pure person carrying the warmest heart ever. He deserves better than me right? They all deserve better than me because dad I failed as a daughter and as a friend and as a human. If I didn’t fail as a girlfriend yet I eventually will…

Dad, tell me what should I do?

I don’t know what to do dad…”

I banged my chest hoping it would stop pounding with pain but it just wouldn’t stop. I felt like this is the worst day of my life. Why am I losing everything?

I’m such a failure… all the words I heard from Sora kept going over my brain again and again and again.

And I finally realized I can’t do this anymore.

I leaned my head against the window, my head kept bumping lightly into it due to the bus movement but it didn’t hurt nor did it bother. The street lights shined on my eyes and it hurt trying to keep them open.

I was still shivering, it wasn’t cold but I was.

The closer I got to home the more my heart broke, the weaker I got, and the more scared I turned.

My awfully slow steps didn’t stop me from eventually reaching his front door. I held my breath deep in for few long seconds before I finally breathed out and I thought now I got to be strong.

After building up my courage, I knocked and waited.

My heart hammered in my chest as I waited for what seemed like eternity for Yixing to open the door, but he didn’t.

I knocked again and waited but got nothing.

I laid my back on the door and slowly slid down to sit on the cold ground, and my eyelids felt so heavy as I waited there for him to come.

Yixing’s POV:

The day was soon ending and I still didn’t find Haeri. Her phone was still off, I searched every place, I scanned every corner and every road, I went in stores and visited every park. She was nowhere.

I walked back home. My shoulders felt tired but not because of searching for her, just because the heaviness I felt like I’m carrying.

My heart suddenly stopped when I saw a figure I recognized on my doorstep.

“Haeri” I whispered from afar before my legs ran wildly toward my door where I found her sitting by my door asleep and curled up hugging her knees against her chest and placing her head above them. Her eyes were softly closed.

“Baby… thank God you’re here baby I was so worried” I don’t even know what I was blabbering but all I know is I was so thankful I finally found her.

I held her face and kissed every bit of it waking her up.

“Haeri you’re finally here” I said pulling her so tightly into my chest and I wrapped my hands around her tiny body refusing to let go of her.

“Yixing” I heard her hoarse low voice, and knew she had been crying.

“I’m sorry baby I’m so sorry I swear it was all a misunderstanding she planned the whole thing and i-“

“Yixing” she softly placed her finger over my lips and called my name again, and I don’t know why I was scared, my heart was beating fast.

“Y-yes?” I realized my lips were shaking.

She stared at my eyes silently. Millions of thoughts crossed her mind I could already tell, but she remained wordlessly staring right into my eyes, and it felt like she stared into my soul.

I did not see my strong cheerful Haeri, I saw a shattered and weak Haeri instead with a lot of tears welling in her eyes and it broke me.

I followed her by standing up, my hands were still around her, and her hands that were clutching so tightly into my jacket started to loosen the grip and I hated the feeling. I wanted her to keep holding onto me.

She broke the eye contact between us and she wouldn’t look into my eyes no matter how hard I searched for hers.

I soon heard her soft voice.

“Let’s break up, Yixing.” She said.