“Sulli, I’m sincerely sorry,” Minho softly uttered. No matter how much he hated Sulli or how much Sulli had disrespected him, Minho still had morales, one of which was his naturally caring and warm-hearted personality. He never would leave someone who was crying for a legitimate reason, and he knew Sulli’s tears had much more to say. There was a story that he didn’t know, and the mighty and arrogant Sulli wasn’t the true Sulli.

Minho feigned his disappearance as he hid behind a wide crystal pole, leaving Sulli collapsed in a puddle of broken tears. She knew that it wasn’t her place to cry in front of Minho the way she did, and she didn’t know why she did in the first place. Sulli couldn’t help but admit that Minho seemed to give off a caring vibe, like a knight in shining armor who would always be there. “I’m really going crazy,” Sulli whispered to herself through broken breaths. “How could I have cried in front of Minho? Pabo Sulli, pabo!” As if her emotions weren’t enough, the clouds from up above began to leak out a few tears of their own, until a gushing downpour of rain reached the ground. She momentarily stopped as she looked outside, allowing her strong facade to disintegrate. Sulli fondly remembered as a little girl stomping in the rain with Krystal, enjoying everything in life. They stuck out their tongues like any other little kids to taste the salty droplets of rain. And then, they felt refreshed for the upcoming days to come. She smiled nostalgically to herself, viewing her own reflection on the glass window, but then she noticed someone else in the reflection. Sulli quickly wiped away her tears, whipping her head around. No one was in sight. Maybe she was hallucinating.

Sulli decided to continue walking to her dorm, but she felt an itching feeling, as if someone were following her every move. Unexpectedly, she turned her head around to see a wide eyed Minho staring back at her. “What are you doing? Sulli croaked. “I thought I told you to leave.”

Minho was caught red-handed. He had the impulse to make sure Sulli was safe. Seeing her cry was his weak spot, and she had hit it full on. “I h-h-happen to be going this w-w-way,” Minho pointed.

“Then why were you being so secretive, were you following me?” Sulli’s red and swollen eyes stared blankly at Minho waiting for an answer.

“Of course not, who do you think you are?” Minho quickly shut his mouth up. Sometimes, the words came out before they ran through his brain and he immediately regretted what he blurted. Sulli began walking away until Minho ran up to her, blocking her from moving forward. “Wait, Sulli, I didn’t mean what I just said.”

“Right, because you were always nice to me,” Sulli sarcastically answered, dismissing Minho. “Haven’t you been pestering me about a date that you have to go on? Go do that, I’m sure I’m causing you more problems.”

“Sulli, I’m not playing with you right now.” Minho looked at Sulli attentively as he tried to search for answers through her eyes. “I know I said something wrong. I’m human, and I still have morales. I don’t purposely hurt people for no reason.”

“You wouldn’t understand.” Sulli shook her head. Why was she in such a situation with Minho anyways? Weren’t they sworn enemies the day they met? With this thought in mind, Sulli knew she couldn’t collapse in front of Minho, not now, and not ever. “You know that I’m rich, right?” Sulli questioned Minho with a loss of her arrogant attitude.

“De,” Minho carefully nodded.

“And you once said that you come from a family not as fortunate as mine, so no matter what I say you wouldn’t understand.”

“Fine, I won’t ask anymore,” Minho surrendered. “Just go back to your dorm.”

But Sulli’s next question caught him off guard. “Why are you doing this? This entire day, you’ve been yelling about your beloved date. I told you to leave, so why are you here?” Sulli let another tear slip as her lips trembled. “Is it out of pity because if it is, I don’t need it.”

“Sulli,” Minho solemnly asserted, “You may think that I’m emotionless but when I see pain, I recognize it.”

“You’re pitying me.” Sulli flatly responded.

“I’m not,” Minho shook his head firmly. “Sulli, just go back to your dorm. We both have school tomorrow.”

“Let’s end the tutoring sessions.” Sulli remarked out of nowhere.

“What?” Minho was taken aback. All this time he had been hoping that such words would leave Sulli’s lips, but hearing them now almost stung him. Yes, it was only three days, but sometimes it was enjoyable to see Sulli’s fuming face and her raging attitude. Yes, it was annoying, but everyone needed something to add interest into their lives. “What about your grades?” Minho tried forming logically coherent sentences. “Aren’t your parents wanting you to have better grades?”

“Stop it with the whole parent thing!” Sulli set her lips into a thin white line. “I just think that whenever you’re present,” Sulli’s voice quivered, “so many things happen. Each day there’s something new. Just maybe, if we end these sessions, we won’t see each other, and as mutual haters of one another, I’m sure you’re beaming internally. I know for sure that before I met you, life was less chaotic.”

“What are you talking about Sulli?” Minho fumed. Sulli had no idea how much effort he put into each tutoring session, planning out the exact materials being taught each day, relaying them to himself just so that he could easily explain it to Sulli with hopes that she would grasp the material quicker. “Fine,” Minho affirmed, regaining the ego that he momentarily lost to Sulli’s tears, “If you want to end the sessions, then so be it, but if your grades go down, don’t come back crying to me.”

“I’ll prove to you that I’m not as dumb as you think. There’s more to me than what meets the eye.” And with that, Sulli limped away, leaving Minho in a sea of emotions. Was it anger, distaste, hatred, or sympathy that he felt? It seemed to be a mixture that clumped into one huge ball of emotions that seemed to sweep across his body.

Minho’s train of thought was interrupted by the ringing of his cellphone. “Yoboseyo.”

“Minho! Where are you? It’s almost 8:00, aren’t tutoring sessions supposed to end at 5:00?”

“Oh, Yuri, mianhae.” Minho carefully worded his words, “There were a couple of complications that postponed the session. Mianhae, chagiya.”

“It’s okay, but meet me at our usual spot soon,” Yuri excitedly answered.

“De, I’ll be there in a few.” But, the excitement that Yuri was expecting to hear was no longer present in his voice. Sitting confused, Yuri wondered what had happened between him and Sulli once again.
__________________

Four months had passed since Minho and Sulli’s incident and last meeting. Not one word was spoken to the other person as avoiding each other became their main priority. For Sulli, she believed that life had been much better after avoiding Minho other than the fact that she had to try so hard to avoid him. It was as if the universe was trying to pull the two together, creating numerous times in which they could have acknowledged one another, however, they chose to ignore one another. It didn’t help that Taemin was the bridge in between, becoming one of Sulli and Krystal’s closest companions.

But, of course avoiding one another was not an option.
__________________

Krystal and Sulli were walking side by side as they exited the last class of the day. As they began approaching their dorm, Sulli’s phone began ringing, and through Sulli’s hateful and disgusted expression, Krystal guessed that it was her father, Choi Minjin.

“Yoboseyo,” Sulli forcefully urged herself to talk. She hated her father with all her might and tried as much as possible to limit their interactions.

“I need you to come home by 5:00 because I have to discuss something with you,” Choi Minjin affirmed with Sulli.

Sulli knew that when Minjin said ‘discuss’, the issue had already been settled. She was just needed to nod her head in obedience as evidence that she approved. Shaking her head in dismay, she gritted her teeth, “De.”

“Why does your father need you?” Krystal questioned after faintly hearing the conversation.

“Krystal,” Sulli threatened upon hearing the word ‘father’.

“Oh, mianhae, I mean what did you just talk about with Choi Minjin,” Krystal corrected herself.

“I’m not sure. He said he wants to discuss something with me.” Sulli sadly sighed to herself, knowing no matter what, Minjin had all the power over her. “I have no say in what he wants, so whatever it is, the issue is already settled.”

“Sulli, don’t think about it that way. You have rights to speak,” Krystal solaced Sulli, bringing her closer to her side.

Sulli knew for a fact that no matter how much Krystal attempted to console her, nothing would change. Minjin was powerful, and was able to control her life. She glanced down at her phone–4:30. She had half an hour to go to place she was supposed to call home. To her, it was more like a hollow confinement that forced her to remain inside when all other kids were out frolicking in the rain. When kids were hanging out with friends, she was locked in to experience Minjin’s wrath being thrashed upon her. All of his stress seemed to be thrown at Sulli through attacks, which if anyone saw her skin, was not limited to verbal ones. Going back to that soulless place was like re-entering a jail cell that she wanted to leave. But, of course, no one could help her, and no one knew about the dreadful attacks––not even Krystal.

“I’ll be going then,” Sulli managed to say. Before leaving, Krystal pulled Sulli in for an embrace. Although no words were said, Sulli knew that Krystal was sending all her love and support for Sulli, wishing her good luck.

As Sulli drove her car, her anxiety began to increase with each passing moment. An internal clock seemed to tick within her, with no way of turning the hour and minute hands back. Her palms began to sweat against the wheels with the mere thought of Minjin surfacing her mind, sending an icy chill down her spine. She couldn’t avoid him, and cowering under his presence was not helping either. Sulli wished, if only someone could help her confront him, be there for her whenever she needed. Yes, Krystal was there, but she knew she couldn’t have her forever.

The mansion neared closer and closer as the ivory pillars came into view. “Maybe this is my life, gilded by wealth, yet truly one filled with pain,” Sulli whispered to herself, cracking a bitter smile to herself. She turned off her car engine and pulled on her arrogan