A few days later, you wake up to soft laughter beside your bed and long fingers brushing the hair out of your face.

“Wake up, sleepyhead,” Jongin chuckles, snatching the blankets from your hands before you can hide under the covers.

You prop yourself up, your hands rubbing the sleep out of your eyes as Jongin’s hands cup your cheeks. Your eyelids part only slightly, your pupils raking over Jongin’s messy hair.

“There’s not much time left before the semester ends,” Jongin hums, thumbs slowly brushing over your cheeks. “Hang in there.”

You lean into his touch, trying not so desperately to hide your pout when Jongin’s hands pull away, only to ruffle your hair. You climb out of bed with sleep disorienting your body, lumber into the kitchen, and plop down in one of the chairs with a plate of burnt toast sitting before you.

“Eat up,” he says, as he positions himself behind your chair and massages your shoulders.

Jongin has shown you much more affection than you’re used too, from greeting you with tight embraces to preparing small and only slightly untasteful meals. Jongin hasn’t once said anything about the sudden turn in your relationship. You haven’t put a label to whatever the two of you are, and as much as you want to, you’re slightly paranoid.

You want to tell him you like him and you want him to claim that he’s yours, but you can’t seem to muster up the courage to.

The door closes with a heavy thud as you step into the room for writing club once more, a knowing smile on Minseok’s face as you walk in.

“You’re early,” Minseok teases. “Jongin’s not here.”

“I know,” you deadpan. “My whole life is not Jongin. I’m early because I need to use the copy machine here.”

“If you say so,” Minseok shrugs, landing him a light smack to the shoulder.

As much as you like Jongin, you’re filled to the brim with frustration whenever his name is mentioned, since it’s been a week since you told Kyungsoo how you feel about him. Yet neither of you make any effort to confess to each other. It’s with every passing day that you feel dregs of doubt settling in your heart, doubt that Jongin is just being overly affectionate and that he doesn’t see you in the same way you see him.

You’re struggling with the copy machine- usually you would urge Kyungsoo into making copies of anything for you. It's after the machine finally whirs to life that it coughs out papers splattered with ink and you heave a sigh of relief. A sudden and very annoying clicking of heels and a flash of brown hair has your teeth clenching and your hands balling into fists,

“I can't believe you got that thing to work,” a cold voice states.

You turn to see Jinhee hovering dangerously close beside you. The copy machine is tucked away in the corner of the large room, away from the people. You decide it’s best to ignore her, even as she attempts to make pump an answer out of you.

“So are you and Jongin together?”

“We’re not,” you finally respond, when she’s asked for the tenth time. “But what's it to you if we are?”

“Jongin is my best friend,” Jinhee fumes. “I have a right to know these things.”

The last of the papers timidly emerges from the machine, and it’s as you reach for the papers that Jinhee slaps a hand on them.

“I’m talking to you,” she hissed. “Are you going to ignore me each time I talk to you?”

You wordlessly reach for your papers, only for Jinhee to swipe them off the machine and onto the floor.

“What are you doing?” you suddenly ask, your voice dropping and solidifying.

“I see the way you and Jongin act, and I see the looks you give each other,” Jinhee huffs in anger. “And I would have to be an idiot to not know you guys like each other.”

You remain silent, hands shoved in your pockets to refrain them from lashing out.

“Honestly, I don't understand why Jongin likes someone like you,” Jinhee continues on. “He does everything for you, yet you’ve done nothing for him. Why should he deserve you?”

You want to maintain your facade, but Jinhee’s words incite insecurity and hurt more than anger. Instead of wanting to spit back at her, doubts crash over your confidence, and you wonder why Jongin likes you. You start to feel the oppressive states of others in the room, yet they do nothing.

“At first, I thought Jongin was just nice to you because he pitied you,” Jinhee says, and the soft flames of an old memory you want to forget is ignited. “Even now, I'm wondering whether he just pities you because no one else likes you.”

Your memories take you back to day in your freshman year of college.

“The only reason why I continued to hang out with you was because you were Kyungsoo’s friend, alright? You looked so pitiful, and Kyungsoo always talked about you. There was nothing else between us.”

Chanyeol had said you were pitiful, too.

“You just get in the way of everything,” Jinhee sighs with frustration.

You feel your hands trembling, the iron mask you’ve held onto so tightly slowly slipping off, revealing your naive, sensitive self. Jinhee continues on, each word hitting you like a bullet, until you can't take it anymore.

“Get away from me!” you shout. Sanity falls from your fingertips and has you grasping so desperately for it when it’s already gone.

Jinhee is taken back by surprise.

You’ve certainly been frustrated with her, but you’ve never rose your voice when you spoke to her. Not to mention, you haven't shown this much emotion to anybody.

“I never asked for this, alright?” you rasp, throat constricting as ruthless memories cloud your mind. “I never asked to meet Jongin, I never asked to meet you, and I never asked to like him.”

Jinhee simply watches as something that seems like guilt and hurt fills her usually sharp eyes.

Your heart eyes suddenly darken as you deliver a blow to Jinhee’s immaculate reputation.

“You said I’m pitiful,” you exhale in a sharp breath, “but I’m not the one constantly confronting a person because they’re with the person I like. Unlike you, I’m not desperate.”

You actually see the red crowning Jinhee’s eyes and the tears that collect in her eyes as each word registers, each word a flame that burns a scar into her mind. The room is heavy with the silence of the other students, who simply watch with wavering eyes.

You suddenly hear the shuffling of feet and low murmurs as a tall figure pushes its way into the room. You turn slowly to see Jongin, eyes seething with anger as he rapidly approaches the two of you. Relief washes over your crumbling figure, for you know Jongin is going to take you out of this situation and hold you until you're able to sew your broken bits back together.

Yet you’re beyond surprised when Jongin marches over to Jinhee and wraps an arm around her.

“What do you think you’re doing?” he shouts at you. “Why are you yelling at Jinhee?”

And you realize, Jongin had walked in perhaps only a few minutes ago, only to see lashing out at Jinhee.

And you feel your fluttering heart softly pulsing to a stop when you realize Jongin is accusing you.

“I know you get frustrated with people sometimes, but that doesn't mean you should say hurtful things to them,” he coldly scolds. You’re not sure whether you’re surprised because Jongin is wrongfully accusing you or because you’ve never seen Jongin angry before. “Why would you do this? You said you would open and stop being cold to others.”

You hold back the tears that slowly begin to burn your eyes.

You’ve trusted Jongin.

But he’s betrayed you.

“Kim Jongin, do you really think I would say harsh things to a person for no reason? Do you think I would pick fights?” you angrily spit at the male, his eyes wavering between confusion and anger. Your eyes rake over his arm, which holds Jinhee, her usually sharp demeanor dimmed to uncertainty.

“You and Chanyeol are no different,” you shake your head. “I thought I could trust you, but you let me down. I should have known you would do this.”

Jongin’s lips part to say something, but you see his furrowed eyebrows unknotting slightly when he sees your eyes glimmering with sorrow.

“Please, don't ever come see me again.”

You let your hair fall down as a partition so no one can see the tears in your eyes. You try to walk away, but Jongin grabs your arm, lowly mumbling, “You still need to explain what’s going on here and apologize to Jinhee.”

You attempt several times to wrench yourself free from Jongin’s strong grip and his unwavering eyes, until another male brushes Jongin’s hand off your arm. Your head tilts up to meet Minseok.

“Go,” Minseok tells you, urging you towards the door. “I’ll handle this.”

Minseok stops Jongin before he can reach you, and you slip through the patches of students in the room to the door. The soft echo of Jongin bickering with Minseok diminishes once the door shuts behind you.

You’re not sure if you should be content or sullen that a handful of students have come to know the incident of you “attacking” model student Jinhee. Luckily, rumors haven't spread like a wildfire, but still, the talk of the incident simmers lowly among those who know.

“Doing alright?” Kyungsoo asks, stepping into his bedroom. A sigh escapes past his lips when he sees you perched at the foot of the bed, your phone relentlessly vibrating beside you.

“Yeah,” you sigh lifelessly. “I'm sorry for being a ty friend,” you grumble. “All I do is cause trouble for you.”

“No,” Kyungsoo shakes his head. “This is my fault. I’m sorry I ever thought about this whole roommate idea.”

The rapid beeping of the microwave from the kitchen blares through the slightly opened door. Kyungsoo throws his head back with a frustrated groan, glasses tilting.

“I was reheating some leftovers for dinner,” he sighs. “Probably burnt it all.”

“Go salvage whatever you can,” you joke, rolling your eyes. “I’ll be fine.”

It’s when Kyungsoo leaves his room do you dive under the covers of his bed. You obviously can’t return to your apartment, when it’s surrounded by Jongin’s papers and clothes and when Jongin himself could be there. You turn on your phone, eyes quickly scanning over the messages Jongin has left.

“I’m sorry.”

“Minseok explained to me what happened.”

“I shouldn’t have yelled at you without knowing what was going on first.”

“I won’t ever talk to Jinhee again.”

“I know I ed up.”

“Please talk to me.”

Once again, hurt induces acrimonious tears as you read Jongin’s apologetic messages. It’s quite a pity, you actually liked Jongin and his affectionate personality. But just as your heart told you the first time he walked into your life, you were deceived by his first impression.

Your phone buzzes again, and you’re about to throw your phone at the wall if Jongin has sent you another message. Yet the hurt in your eyes flushes into annoyance when you see it’s a number you don’t know. Before you can even ask who, the answer is given.

“This is Sehun.”

“I know I said I wouldn’t bother you, but if you’re actually considering that offer to study abroad, there are some things we need to discuss.”

“Please call me to let me know when we can meet up.”

In your right mind, Sehun would be the last person you would want to call in such a pitiful situation like this. However, you’re not in your right mind, and despite his annoyance and not so subtle flirting, you could use his company and his cold words. You swiftly dial his number, and you hear the soft intake of a breath in surprise.

“You actually called?” the male asks in his monotonous voice.

“You told me to,” you respond. You force a cold answer from between your lips, but in your current state, you don’t have the energy to put up your cold facade. The words come out more tired than indifferent.

“You never fail to surprise me,” Sehun chuckles. “Did something happen?”

You gulp, wondering if he knows about the incident with Jinhee and Jongin.

“Why do you say that?” you ask anxiously, fingers threading through your hair and tugging slightly at the strands.

“I can’t imagine why you would ever agree to meet up with me so easily after our past meetings,” he says. “I thought maybe you were in an unusually good mood.”

It’s the exact opposite, really.

“Going back to the topic about the offer,” the male begins. “When can we meet up?”

“Right now,” you insist. As much as you hate to show this side of you, your voice is desperate. You want a distraction from Jongin, a distraction from Jinhee, a distraction from everything, and Oh Sehun is the only one who can fulfill that desire now.

“Right now?” he asks with disbelief. Perhaps he’s never seen you this eager before.

“Yes, right now,” you say. “But you’re going to have to pick me up.”

“Are you at your apartment?”

“Not the same building as last time,” you inform. “The building across the street,”

“Alright, I’ll be looking forward to meeting you soon,” he says, and you can almost hear the smirk that forms on his face. He’s probably thinking that he has won this little game of who can give in to the other first.

Your call ends, and your mind is splitting.

With Jongin having broken your trust, you feel so empty and desperate. You want to have someone who can keep their word and bring you someplace else. And as sly and coquettish as Oh Sehun seems, you know he’s a man who keeps his word, especially after seeing how he hasn’t bothered you after promising not to.

You quickly slip into your sweater and head out of the bedroom of Kyungsoo’s apartment.

“Going somewhere?” Kyungsoo asks, eyebrow dipped in suspicion.

“I’m just going out for some fresh air,” you sigh. “Maybe a walk will help me clear my thoughts.”

“Alright,” he nods.

It’s as you step outside of the building and on the sidewalk that the breezes tickle your cheeks and the slowly fading sun brings warmth to your cold hands. Sehun’s car pulls up beside you, and you wordlessly get in.

“Do you like Italian?” he asks.

You simply nod.

The thick silence in Sehun’s car is cracked when your phone vibrates. You look down, only to see another message from Jongin.

“Please don’t run away from me. Please don’t run away to someone else.”

“Who is it?” Sehun asks, only a speck of curiosity in his voice. “Is it someone important?”

You exhale sharply, “It’s no one important.”

~~

Note: Of course this story wouldn't be complete without a sudden and an angsty turn in the story.