No one expected that Gyuri could be as wicked as this, reaching to a point where she would hurt herself as long as she would get what she wanted. Even her best friend, Hara, was shocked upon learning about her plan. She was there watching uneasily as Gyuri held a tiny silvery blade in her hands. It might be small but its edges were undoubtedly sharp. Hara could not anymore count how many times she shifted on her seat as her uneasiness grew as her friend drew the sharp weapon inch by inch closer to her skin.

“Be sure to call an emergency after this and don’t forget the tale that you are supposed to tell them,” Gyuri reminded her as she slouched on the sofa in her sweatshirt and sweatpants.

“Gyuri, I really don’t think this is a good id-“

Gyuri did not let her friend finish her sentence. With a swift movement, she slashed her wrist leaving a deep line of wound.

“Gyuri!!!”

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

“It’s my fault, unnie. I am the one to blame.”

“No, Seohyun. It isn’t your fault. It is her own choice. In love, almost always there is this someone that will get hurt. It is unavoidable.”

“I should have listened to her. I am the one who caused this.”

“Don’t feel guilty about it, Seohyun.”

Yuri was fuming with irritation as she recalled her conversation with Seohyun. No matter how much she explained to her, she just would not listen and kept weighing the guilt to herself more than she was able to bear and she refused to let go any bit of it. She was still inexperienced about love, Yuri understood that. The impression of love that Seohyun grew up to know was this beautifully crafted tale of princesses meeting their princes. Yes, there were those evil witches and stepsisters but come on, no one had ever heard of the evil stepsisters committing suicide when prince charming decided to marry Cinderella after she perfectly fitted on the glass shoe. It must have taken Seohyun by surprise. Love can be like a fairy tale but it can’t be so much like that.

How she wished she could go to the hospital and beat Gyuri to her senses, pull out all her hair and drag her down the floor. She knew that physical pain would not sum up to the emotional pain Gyuri brought to Seohyun but at least she could somehow get vengeance. She wanted to declare war against her. She trusted her own intuition that this is one of Gyuri’s tricks that she had in her sleeves. If only Yesung was not there to remind her to take consideration of the recuperating patient, she might have gone off there, creating a scene and a scandal out of herself.

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

“Are you letting go of us, Seohyun?” Kyuhyun asked her. Seohyun glanced at the hands that were holding hers. All she wanted to do right now was to escape from him, to vanish from the spot for she did not know how to answer his question. There was a battle happening between her mind and her heart, a difficult battle. Guilt was the one that’s reeling in her mind and it bothered her big time.

I rather die than not have him. I will die, Seohyun. I will die! Can you afford seeing someone suffering so miserably while the two of you having a blissful time together?

It kept replaying in her mind on repeat reminding her constantly of how their love had cost another person’s life. On the other hand, her heart simply could not let go. She could not suppress its yearning. Each time that she tried to forget about the incident, guilt would always pull her back. Just like a tug of war with two strong opposite forces fighting against each other, she felt like her sanity would snap into two and she needed a time off.

She regretted opening the door for him for she was forced to face and answer the difficult dilemma before she was even ready to resolve it. Kyuhyun was just so persistent despite of her playing deaf to his knocks and pleadings.

“Oppa…” That was all that she could mumble. She turned her face away to avoid his searching gaze.

“The other night, we promised to be strong, right?” Kyuhyun said. Seohyun in her lower lip. She was afraid she had broken that promise. She thought she could be strong. She had not expected incident of this kind would happen. She lowered her head as the tears started escaping from her eyes.

“Just… leave please…” she pleaded. Kyuhyun lifted Seohyun’s face making her look him in the eyes. “I will never leave until you say that you don’t love me anymore.”

“Don’t make it so difficult for me,” she begged. “What’s so difficult, Seo?” Kyuhyun asked, his brows furrowed and his eyes started getting wetter too. “We love each other and that is all that matters.”

“Even if there are other people suffering and have their lives destroyed?” She challenged him with the question that has been bugging her head, the ethical question of love. Kyuhyun stared at her. “It could be a trap, Seohyun. If you still keep on thinking of others, in the end you might be the one who’ll suffer.” He tried to enlighten her but he knew the girl in front of her was just too nice it might be so hard on her.

“I… I don’t know anymore,” She said in a whisper. She shook her head. “I need some time,” Seohyun sobbed as she slipped her hand out of his hold. Kyuhyun sadly watched her fingers slowly uncurling out of his hand. Seohyun ran back inside and closed the door behind her. She felt so weak, her legs could not bear to hold her anymore. She let herself slid down the floor ending up sitting on the floor with her legs sprawled. River of tears flowed down her cheeks as she cried it all out.

Meanwhile, outside the door, Kyuhyun remained rooted in his spot staring at his palm where Seohyun’s hand occupied a space before.

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

“Gyuri, you really know how to play your pieces.”

Kyuhyun marched toward Gyuri’s hospital room. His quick heavy steps thudded against the floor and echoed along the walls of the long white corridor. His eyes glided in every door looking for the right number of her room. When he finally saw it, he pushed the door hard almost knocking it out of its hinges.

Gyuri’s eyes immediately sparkled with delight upon seeing the person she had been anticipating to come but it was immediately gone when Kyuhyun strode to her bedside and…

“SLAP!”

His hand flew up and landed hard on her left cheek. Gyuri was left agape after that. She watched him as she touched her pained cheek. Instantly, her tears fell. Her body was trembling from shock of what happened. Kyuhyun had never laid a hand upon her before. No, he never laid a violent hand upon anybody. It’s a different Kyuhyun that she’s seeing now. His eyes were blazing with hatred that she could hardly imagine.

“YOU’RE PATHETIC!” Kyuhyun bellowed to her. His voice was shaking and his face was contorted with anger and it scared her for she had never seen Kyuhyun to be as mad as he was now. “I was taught not to hurt women but what you did was justdespicable.” He pronounced the last word with gritted teeth. “I know you did this just to get my attention. What do I have to do just for you to leave us alone?!” His fist punched the metal drawer beside her bed causing the things placed on there to shake. It startled Gyuri and it made her flinch. Kyuhyun looked at her sharply waiting for an answer.

“Kyu-Kyuhyun, come with me to Europe. Let’s give us another chance. Just give us a little time and if it does not work out. I will be glad to let you go.” Gyuri answered, looking cautiously at him before she touched the arm nearest to her. Kyuhyun stared at her for a moment. He could not believe her proposal. He shoved her hand roughly and looked outside the window. “You want me to come with you to Europe?” Kyuhyun snickered. He looked at her with that sharp gaze again and the muscles in his face tensed. “That is a totally far-fetched idea!”

“But that’s the only choice I can offer! Take it or leave it! I cannot let you be at peace until you agree with this.”

“Now you’re blackmailing me. You are really desperate.” Kyuhyun muttered as he turned his heels around and walked to the door.

“Kyuhyun, think about it.” She did not care anymore about what he thought of her. Call her desperate, pathetic, crazy. She did not care. It’s her last opportunity to have him back. If she had to drive him off to the edge of mountain, she would. She would leave him no choice but to dive down the cliff.

“For the peace of everyone, it’s your only choice.”