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Ch 12. Stigma

Yeo Jin - Friday

I woke up feeling so warm and comfortable. I didn't wanted to get out of bed. 

My eyelids felt so heavy, they were difficult to open. 

Serves me right for that, I guess. I did cry my eyes out until I was so tired last night.  

Then I remembered Jungkook came. I felt a bit guilty for crying in front of him.

Sometimes I felt that I don't deserve to have such a good friend like him. It seems like he's been here for me more than I have been there for him.

I must have fallen asleep while watching the movie. He must have been the one who tucked me in bed yesterday.

I reminded myself to thank him later.

I looked out the window. Jungkook was still fast asleep. 

I still don’t know how I put him in our ‘friendship’. Although he didn’t change much, I cannot look at him in the same way I did in the past.

Isn’t it inevitable for people to treat him like a star he is?

But I knew that deep down he is still my best friend.

I shouldn’t keep my distance just because of his status as an ‘idol’.

I didn’t wanted to go to school.

I didn’t wanted to meet Sun Ae, terrified she and her group would attack me again.

I didn’t wanted to meet the Minhyuk oppa, afraid to hear what he would say about this.

I didn’t even wanted to go downstairs to see my mother, as I knew she would be hysterical seeing me like this. 

At the same time, I knew that the girls would be worried sick about me if I didn’t go to school.

Not to mention, I didn’t like missing classes. There’s already enough school work as it is. I don’t want to fall behind just because I wanted to avoid these people. 

I shouldn’t be a coward.

I shouldn’t be so scared of some immature teenage girls. 

I looked in the mirror to see the damage caused. 

I mentally cursed. The bruises on my arms and face were an obvious shade of blue but at least they weren’t swollen anymore.

I sighed to myself. What should I do? I thought. 

I walked to my cupboard to pull out a long sleeved pink blouse and a pair of jeans. 

Perfect. At least the bruises on my arms are not visible anymore. 

I searched for my pair of sunglasses and tried them on.

They did cover the blue bruise under my eye but I doubt I would pass the day without anyone asking me why I’m wearing a pair of shades indoors. I looked absolutely ridiculous, but I guess that would have to do. 

During lunch, I met up with the girls. Kim Sun Ae and her clique were staring at me looking quite surprised that I had the guts to come to school today.

I couldn’t deny that I was still afraid by Sun Ae’s clique.

“Why are you wearing sunglasses?” Sana asked when we were eating our lunch

I took off my sunglasses to reveal my bruised face. The girls gasped.

“I might have been in a fight yesterday.” I told them.

Minhyuk oppa was looking over to our table and walked towards us. 

I stood up and grabbed him by the hand, bringing him far from the eyes of Sun Ae’s clique and my friends.

We stood there alone once again face to face like the first time he asked me out.

“Yeo Jin, I heard what happened yesterday. Are you okay?” Minhyuk oppa said. 

He took off my sunglasses, clearly seeing the damage Sun Ae’s clique has caused. 

“I can’t believe she did this to you.” he said.

I admired Minhyuk oppa's concern but I don’t think I can stand being a walking target of Sun Ae and her clique.

I didn’t wanted to be a coward for running away but this wasn’t the type of relationship I wanted. 

“Oppa, you are a really sweet guy and I really love being around you but I don’t think we belong together.” I said honestly.

It hurt to break the news to someone I genuinely cared about.

“If this is because of Sun Ae, I’ve told her to stop.” he said. 

“People cannot change that easily, oppa.” I said.

He opened his mouth to say something but then stopped himself.

He looked at me, clearly understanding that this was a lost cause.

It’s only been a few days since we started hanging out with each other and things like this happened.

I think neither one of us wanted to know what would happen if I spent more time with him. 

“I’m sorry Yeo Jin, I should have taken better care of you.” he said.

I smiled at him. “It's okay. We can still be friends.” I said, reaching out my hand.

As great of a guy Minhyuk oppa was, I knew that our relationship wasn’t taking us anywhere.

We were never a couple in the first place. 

He shook my hand. 

“Friends.”

Author’s note:

Do you think Yeo Jin made the right decision?