Sohye walked quickly, almost running, on the unfamiliar streets of the unfamiliar neighborhood. She didn’t know where she would end up, but she knew she wanted to get away as far possible from that wretched place.

Where he was.

She wiped away the hot tears rolling down her cheeks. She didn’t care if her makeup smudged again. She just felt so ashamed and pitiful and pathetic and infuriated and hurt.

She was a mess, inside and out.

If only he didn’t defend her. If only they didn’t sit next to each other. If only she didn’t go eat with them. If only Seventeen didn’t have to be guests. If only she wasn’t an assistant host. If only the show never even existed.

Maybe none of this would have happened.

If only they never even met in the first place.

Maybe her heart wouldn’t feel so crushed.

She really hated him. She hated him down to the core. Why did he make he have to make her feel this way? Why was she feeling this way?!

She knew the answer. But she dare not admit it.

She continued walking blindly and deaf to everything except her own sobs. She didn’t even realize she got out of the neighborhood. Nor did she realize she was stepping into an intersection.

“SOHYE!”

She gasped as the air escaped her lungs as she was pulled back harshly by the arm. She stumbled into a warm and heaving chest.  The deafening honks of the trucks dawned on her as they sped past, along with murmurs of concern around her.

She was gripped by the shoulders and was forced to face her savior.

“ARE YOU INSANE?!” Wonwoo yelled. “What the hell were you thinking stepping onto the road like that?!” his eyes were wild with fear and worry. He inspected her frantically. “Are you okay? Were you grazed or anything? Are you dizzy?”

“Let go of me!” she pushed strongly and twisted out of his hold. She glared at him. The very person she was running away from was now in front of her eyes. “What are you doing here?!” she spat.

“I was following you, and it was good I—“

“Well, don’t!” she screamed and stalked off, not caring where she was going again.

“Sohye. Sohye!” Wonwoo called. She ignored him. He caught up to her, which wasn’t hard with his long legs. He pulled her arm again. “Soh—“

“I said let go!” she pulled her arm back. “Don’t touch me! Just what do you want?!”

“I’m sorry!” Wonwoo cried out. He took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for everything to happen.”

Sohye scoffed in disbelief. “You didn’t? Well, it happened! But why did it have to? I know! Because you had to go ahead and defend me! You could have just let it be, you know?! It would have been fine. I would have been fine! I didn’t need you!” she screamed.

“So what should I have done, Sohye?” Wonwoo shot back. “Should I have just let it be when I could see just how much you didn’t want to do it? Should I have gone with the flow even when I could see just how hard you were holding back your tears?! Should I have let them watch you cry?! Do you honestly think I should have just let that happen?!”

She bit her lip in irritation. “Yes! You should have! They could have seen me cry but I could have saved myself! I didn’t need saving from someone else! Much less from you! Because I’m not someone you should risk your relationship with your team for! I’m not even someone important! I’m nobody to you, okay?!”

“YOU’RE NOT!” he yelled angrily. Sohye flinched. “You’re not a nobody to me, Sohye.”

Wonwoo’s heart pounded as he said those words. He put all his feelings into it and only wished it got through. He looked into her burning eyes with the same amount of intensity, but with obviously different intentions.

Wherein his was desperation and sincerity, but hers was disappointment and fury.

“Yes, I am. You’ve made it clear to me long ago. For the last year ever since that moment, I was no longer somebody to you. Since then, I was nobody to you.”

Wonwoo felt his determination crumble. Her words slapped him hard in the face with full force and had left him no power to retaliate.

“Soh—“

“STOP saying my name.” she spat.

A few minutes of silence passed between them. Just looking at each other and letting each other’s words sink in.

She sighed. She was tired and worn out from crying, arguing and just about everything. “I’m going home.” she said weakly.

Wonwoo’s eyes lit up. “Let me take you home.”

Sohye scowled. “What? No! I don’t need you to take me home. You’ve done enough.”

“I said I’m sorry! And I’ll say it again because I’m not letting you go home alone like this.”

“I don’t want you to.”

“I’m still going to.”

“Stop it, Wonwoo. I’m serious.”

“So am I, Sohye. Besides, how on earth do you plan to go home? You don’t exactly look good for public transportation.” he pointed out.

She gasped and took out a mirror. She hated to admit it but he was right. She cringed at the sight of her. She was ugly as hell. She wiped all she could with her handkerchief.

“I-I’m taking a cab.” she decided.

“And that’s why I’m taking you home.” he persisted.

“I can go by myself.”

“I’m sure both of us know you can’t.” Wonwoo argued. “You’ve been traumatized ever since one tried to kidnap you and hold you for ransom.”

She bit her lip. “T-That was a long time ago! I’ve changed. I can take care of myself.” To prove it she hailed a cab. One immediately pulled over. She opened the door and was ready to rub in his face how not scared she was.

But she hesitated. Her feet stood rooted to the spot. She looked at the driver, who was looking back at her impatiently. Chills erupted all over her body. She swallowed her pride and temper.

“…Wonwoo…”

“I know.” he smiled.

---

The whole ride was spent in silence, with both of them sitting on both ends. Wonwoo attempted a conversation several times, but was rejected every time so he just chose to shut up.

He was fine with it. Being able to take Sohye home was more than enough for him.

They arrived at the IOI dorm uneventfully. Sohye gave the driver a wad of cash and quickly got off. Wonwoo followed suit.

“What did you get off for?” Sohye said distastefully. “Go back. And apologize to your members.” she ordered.

“That can wait.” he answered. “I want to make sure you get in safely.”

Sohye sighed. She was exhausted beyond belief and decided to give up arguing. And she wanted to give her heart a rest. It’s been going wild and everywhere the whole day that she didn’t know exactly what she felt anymore. All she knew for sure was that she wanted sleep.

“Thanks for bringing me home.” she said softly. “Get home safe.” she turned her back and walked to the gate.

“Sohye?”

She stopped and looked back. “What is it?”

“Can we… talk?” Wonwoo asked nervously.

“About what?” she asked back even if she knew the answer.

“About... us. If that’s okay.”

Sohye gulped back the resurfacing tears. She put up a strong façade and faced him blankly.

“What about it? We’re over, Wonwoo. I… have nothing to say.”

“But, I do.” he swallowed nervously. Sohye waited. “I’m… really sorry.”

“For what?”

“For breaking up with you… that way.” Wonwoo said shamefully.

“Right. That way. Exactly how our skit went earlier. Haaah~ What a trip down memory lane.” she said sarcastically. “Isn’t it funny? We had that exact same conversation a year ago.”

Wonwoo didn’t know how to respond. She laughed dryly. “Back then, I truly thought that you were the one for me until the end. And I believed I was for you, too. But I guess I couldn’t be more wrong.

I believed nothing could break us apart. But not for you, huh? Because then that happened. ‘Til now, I find it hard to believe.”

“Soh—“

“But.” she cut off. “I did. I was fine until now. You guys just had to be guests. And now, everything is in a mess. Why’d you have to make it a mess, Wonwoo? Why’d you have to enter my life again? I wished you just… stayed away.” she said sadly.

Wonwoo felt a pang of pain shoot through his heart. Once again, her words knocked the resolve out of him. He mustered the little leftover strength he had to respond. “I’m really sorry. I’ve been stupid and a jerk. I-I want to make it up to you. I’m willing to do anything for you to forgive me. Please.” he said desperately.

Silence settled on them once more.

“Give up, Wonwoo.” Sohye pursed her lips. She walked toward the gate. “Because I really can’t find it in me to forgive you.”

-----

“Oh! Welcome home, Sohye-ah!” Chungha hugged her happily. She was the only one awake in the dorm. Her eyes widened in shock at the state of her dongsaeng. “Omoyo! You’re a mess! What on earth happened to you? Where’s Nayoung and Pinky?”

“I’m fine, unnie.” Sohye laughed, trying to convince the older female. “I just got sprayed on by a hose somewhere.”

Chungha couldn’t believe a pathetic excuse. But seeing Sohye trying hard to convince her urged her to play along.

“Keurae? Go ahead and wash up then.” she smiled. Sohye returned the smile and walked sadly toward her room. Chungha bit her lip and decided to drop the act. “Sohye-ah, are you really okay?”

Sohye stopped walking. She turned back slowly and Chungha saw the tears that rolled continuously down her cheeks.

“Ani, unnie. I am not okay.” she collapsed on the floor. Chungha rushed to catch her. She hugged her dongsaeng tightly and caressed her back. “Shhh. It’s okay. I’m here. I’m here now. Just cry it out.”

After a few moments, Sohye spoke through her sobs.

“I… I lied, unnie.”

Chungha blinked in confusion. “About what?”

“I lied to him.” Sohye wailed loudly. “A-And I couldn’t forgive him.”

“Who?”

“I couldn’t forgive him, u-unnie.” She sobbed harder into her unnie’s arms. “I can’t forgive him because if I did… If I did…”

“If you did?”

“T-Then I couldn’t hold onto him, anymore.”

-----

Wonwoo slammed the door closed. He stomped angrily into the kitchen and took out cans of beer. He opened one furiously and gulped it down. He slammed the can on the table.

He was crushed.

He was left dazed by Sohye’s final words. The weight of his actions finally dawned on him. It hit him like a ton of ships crashing down.

He regretted it. He regretted being so simple-minded. He regretted succumbing to temptation and selfishness. He regretted listening to what other people thought that time. He regretted replacing her with someone who couldn’t match up to her even in a thousand lifetimes. He regretted letting her go.

He wanted to drown all those regrets in alcohol.

He opened a new one and brought it to his lips, but it was harshly grabbed from him.

“What the f--?!” he stopped when he saw the three oldest members in front of him. He narrowed his eyes.

“I don’t mind you drinking.” Jeonghan said lowly. “But you have a lot to explain right now.”

“Give me the can, hyung.” Wonwoo said just as dangerously. “I’m too ty to deal with your questions.”

“Who is Kim Sohye?”

Wonwoo’s vein popped. He wanted to punch him so bad. “It’s none of your business, hyung.” he spat.

“I beg to differ. You’ve messed up the team.” Joshua said. “Because apparently this girl messed you up so bad you’re getting yourself drunk.” he shook his head disapprovingly.

“You might as well tell us, Wonwoo. You don’t have to keep this burden to yourself.” S.Coups said supportively. “Let us in.”

He clenched his jaw and grit his teeth. He thought of it for a moment and let out a deep sigh. “Kim Sohye is my ex-girlfriend.” he choked back his surfacing tears.

“And I still love her. So much.”

------------

*sobs* It's getting heavier and heavier T^T

Any ideas how you want their backstory written down? I'm still deciding lol.

I hope you like it! If you did, tell me! Bai~~