~Natalie's POV~

I was a mess.

As soon as I left the building, I couldn't contain myself from crying. I wasn't even sure why. It might have been the harsh sting of rejection. It might have been the shattering of trust that I had with Seunghyun as soon as I had pieced together that he was somehow the reason Hongki was suddenly so keen on breaking up with me. Or it might have been the sheer vulnerability that comes with the shock of traumatic experiences. But more likely than not, it was all of these things combined.

I walked aimlessly through the streets of Seoul, not really knowing my destination - or even having one, for that matter. I kept myself moving for the simple purpose of ensuring that I wouldn't just break down out in the middle of a public area, but after a while I started getting tired of walking so much. To make matters worse, the lurking overcast sky finally decided that now was a great time to let all of its rain come forth in a sudden downpour. I stopped walking beneath a canopy, watching the water trickle into puddles as the ground instantly became drenched. What was with all the bad weather? I had a feeling it was only going to get worse... A bus pulled up along the curb, letting a few passengers off at the stop. I hopped on, paying the fare and taking a seat at the far back.

After turning off my phone, I stuffed it back in my pocket and watched the blurred city pass by through the window. Vibrations rattled the bus slightly every time it passed over a bump in the road, and rain drops splattered against the outer surface of the glass. The dayl