I didn’t think the day would come so soon for me to tell Jung about that dreadful incident. I’d told Bella about it and she said it would be better if I told no one else. I didn’t even tell my family about it. And I took her word for it. I didn’t even tell Jungkook about this. I couldn’t. I didn’t know why. Not because of whether I was afraid of what he thought of me, no. But for some reason, I couldn’t.

That night, Jung suggested that we went out of campus to talk about it, although I was fine talking about it there. But he decided to take us to our spot – the Highlands. We’d always go there from time to time. It takes our minds off things of the world and just focus on our own little reality. One that doesn’t require for us to think about responsibilities for a few good hours of the night. I like how I can sit back and stare at the city below, thinking how there are still people struggling to meet end’s meet down there with the amount of stress they have to handle. On the Highlands, I get to set myself aside once in a while from the venomous city that breeds nothing but responsibilities, stress, and pressure.

On our way up, we bought ourselves some savouries to munch on. But in the car, I had to put the hot food on my lap since Jung bought a new car and he didn’t want it tainted.

“You’d rather let my thighs burn than let me put it on the ground where it feels nothing?” I argued.

“Look, when I’ve accidentally spilled something by my own doing to my new car, then yes, you may put it on the floor.”

“How gentleman of you, Jung,” I replied sarcastically. “How are you going to attract another girl if you wouldn’t prioritise her instead of your car?”

“Okay, I’m going to show you what’s so amazing about this car later on, okay? And then you would think that burning your lap was all worth it.”

I rolled my eyes. Surely, he thought so.

When we arrived, we parked ourselves by the side of the road and faced ourselves to the city where it looked tiny from above. That’s what I like about being on the Highlands – it’s as if the city couldn’t touch me. The very toxic and stress of it cannot touch me for, at least, a few hours. I just need the Highlands to cleanse myself.

And I’m glad to share that spot with Jung.

;

When I thought we’ve conversed long enough about nonsense, I finally approached the subject to Kira. Despite the fact that I should be more patient, but if I didn’t remind her, she would go the whole night avoiding it. I know that is something that she would do.

“Okay, now, cough it up, Kim Kira.”

“Huh?” She acted like she didn’t know what I was talking about.

I rolled my eyes. “You know, you should try out for theatres because you make a very good actress.”

“You know I hate crowds.” She was avoiding.

“Kira.” I was serious this time. She can’t avoid for long. And to be honest, I think I had the right to know.

She put down her paper plate and took a deep breath. The dim street light illuminated her hair and I was reminded that her hair was purple. No, wait – burgundy. She didn’t look at me in the eye when she began her sentence.

“As a summary, that tool, Mark, is a cause of my trauma.”

I waited for her to continue as she adjusted her sitting position. When she tells me a story, she never looks at me in the eye. Sometimes, she would. I’ve always wondered why she did that but I’ve grown used to it.

“It was a few years back. He’s my friend’s brother. I’d known him through that connection. And when I got to know him, I found out how he’s quite of a… ert. I mean, I didn’t convince myself that before. I just thought he was being a guy. But anyway, there was this one time, I was at their house for a swim. And the bathroom that I took a shower after the swim was located next to his room. I didn’t bring any spare clothes to change into so I wrapped myself in the towel. But as I opened the door, he opened his, and he saw me in my towel.”

When she told me the story, I could imagine it all in my head. And knowing how sensitive she is about that, I could only imagine how embarrassed she must have been.

“I quickly ran for my friend’s room. And I thought he would keep shut about it. But unfortunately, he has my number and he texted me and said that there was nothing to hide anymore. I was scared. Sometimes, he would ask for inappropriate pictures of me but I didn’t give any. But he would give his. I felt so uncomfortable. And for a while, we stopped talking. I was glad. When he came back, I thought he’d changed because from being a hot-tempered guy, he was suddenly all jolly and… well, he wasn’t hot-tempered anymore.

“So, there were countless times where he asked me to hang out but I was busy every time. And when I finally did, we went to the movies. He booked the tickets. He picked me up at the train station and I was already running late because the bus and train got delayed. I should’ve seen it as a sign at that time.”

She gave a sad chuckle.

“Then, he picked me up, and in the car, he didn’t touch