Jieun laid next to him, her head resting on his chest. She could hear his heartbeat, a steady thump-thump. Jieun’s hand intertwined with his and he buried his face in her hair.

At the time, her hair was dark brunette. He ran his fingers through it. “Yoseob?”

“Hmm?” He murmured.

“Were you serious about earlier?” She asked him. Jieun hoped Yoseob was just joking.

“Of course. You need to dye your hair red.” He answered with no hint of humor in his inflection.

She frowned. “But… I like it just the way it is now.” Jieun really did.

This time, he lifted her chin so she was making eye-contact with him. The way he looked at her was so possessive, so controlling. She liked it when Yoseob was possessive, but this wasn’t normal. The look in his eyes was wild, as if he was going to… hurt her.

“Just do what I say, Jieun. Do. What. I. Say.” He drawled slowly. It was almost hypnotizing.

She nodded. “I’ll make an appointment, then.”

He cracked a smile. “That’s my girl.” Yoseob held her tighter, to the point where Jieun felt uncomfortable.

Yoseob her cheek ever so delicately. Jieun immediately melted underneath his now gentle touch. All of her fears and worries were momentarily forgotten.

A few days later, they were at Kikwang’s sweet sixteenth party. Yoseob and Jieun had been there for a couple of hours until Yoseob had to excuse himself.

“Babe,” he kept his eyes on the dance floor, where there were scantily clad girls drunkenly grinding on each other, “I’m going to go check out where Kikwang is, okay?”

“Sure, go ahead. I’ll be right here.” She smiled as he disappeared from her sight. She swirled the strong drink in her red solo cup. Jieun smelled it, and then put it down. It was too pungent for her, and she needed to drive home tonight.

Suddenly, someone tapped her on the shoulder. Jieun turned around. A red-faced dark stranger slid up to her, offering her a glass of water. Jieun gratefully took it.

“Thanks. I’m Jieun.” She introduced herself.

“Nam Woohyun. I’m in your class.”

“Oh, are you new? I’ve never seen you around before.” She started to make small talk with him.

“No…” He replied awkwardly.

“I’m sorry, that was kind of rude.” She apologized. Jieun caught sight of Yoseob. He stumbled around the room with Kikwang, hollering and hooting at the girls dancing in a drunken fashion.

Woohyun followed Jieun’s gaze. “I almost forgot you two are going out. Yoseob seems pretty…”

“Drunk? Yeah.” She finished for him, shrugging. Any other girl would’ve been furious, but not Jieun. She trusted her boyfriend enough and never got jealous.

“Nice red hair by the way.” Woohyun complimented her. He checked his phone and smiled at it.

She self-consciously touched her mane of fire-hydrant red hair. “Thank you.”

Yoseob saw Woohyun and Jieun standing next to each other. He stopped laughing.

Jieun saw Woohyun’s phone. “What’s up?”

He shook his head good-naturedly. “It’s my girlfriend, Park Chorong. She just arrived. I’ll see you around, Jieun. It was nice meeting you.”

“Have fun with Chorong. Nice meeting you, too.” Jieun watched Woohyun leave. She smiled to herself. Woohyun seemed like a really nice and easy guy to talk to.

Yoseob sauntered up to her, fuming. “What was that?”

She was alarmed at his sudden presence. “What do you mean?”

“You talking to that guy.” Yoseob barely made out the syllables.

Was he watching her the entire time? “Woohyun? Oh, he was waiting for his girlfriend. She’s here now, though.”

Yoseob grabbed her wrist. “Bull! You’re such a liar.” He yelled at her, making a few people turn heads.

“Let go of me! Yoseob, what are you doing?” She attempted to pull away from him, but it only hurt her more.

He dragged her into an empty bedroom, pushing her to the floor. Jieun gasped. “.” He spat at her.

It was the first time he was physical with her.

Jieun wrapped her arms around herself, frightened. “Yoseob.” She trembled.

“Don’t ing talk to me, you .”

“He has a girlfriend! What are you talking about?” Jieun tried to tell him, but he walked out of the room.

After a few minutes, Jieun collected herself. She timidly walked back into the party, only to find Yoseob making out with a random girl on Kikwang’s couch.

Jieun wiped away her tears that streamed down her face.

Jieun stared down into her hands, her muscles tense as the memory of Kikwang’s party came back to her.

The clock’s hands on the wall seemed to move excruciatingly slow. It was lunch again, and Jieun seemed to tune out everything else as she concentrated on the clock.

She finally turned to Sunhwa, realizing she was talking to her. Jieun looked around, noticing right away that Yongguk wasn’t there.

Jieun knew exactly what to do. She excused herself to go to the bathroom, but instead went to the one place she knew he’d be at.

She needed to see him. Running up the concrete stairs and into the entrance to the ‘place’, she collided into something hard… or rather, someone.

It was Yongguk. She snapped her head up. He looked at her with an equally bewildered expression. Her hands were outstretched on his chest to steady herself, and his on either side of her waist.

Neither of them said anything, until Jieun pulled away from him. He did the same, only with a touch of reluctance.

“What are you doing up here again?” He asked her in a tone of nonchalance. Yongguk would’ve asked her if anything was wrong, and indeed, he wanted to, but that would make him seem like he cared for her.

Judging by the determined glint in her sparkling eyes, Jieun was here with a purpose in mind.

“I need them back. Don’t ask why, but I need it.” She looked him square in the eye.

Yongguk was never going to give it back to her. He knew he never would give her the pills, only because he couldn’t stand to see someone continued to be bound by the chains that dragged his father down.

Maybe one day he’d be able to tell her about his story. Maybe then she’d understand.

No, he knew that was just a wish that would never come true. She was Song Jieun, a girl who would never be able to understand Yongguk. Jieun was just too different from him.

“No matter how much you beg me, I’m not going to let you potentially waste your life away.” Yongguk stepped back.

“Fine, I’ll just get another bottle.” She uttered to herself quietly, but Yongguk was close enough to make out what she said.

“Don’t.” His deep voice was laced with a harsh undertone that conveyed more emotion that he wanted to give off.

Jieun was taken aback by his sudden change in demeanor from carefree to deadly. It was another thing that Yongguk seemed to do so well.

“Why not? Why do you care so much, anyway?” She inquired bitterly. “You hate me. You hate my guts, you hate my existence, you hate me.”

The thick tension in the air between them was only intensified now. Yongguk marveled at how Jieun could floor him at any moment.

After he didn’t respond, she laughed with the same bitter spite. She didn’t know what came over her. Usually, she was calm and radiated her trademark aura of positivity. But after that flashback, she was fueled with a newfound drive.

“See? You hate me. Stop acting like you care.” Jieun sighed. She was getting tired of playing this hot-cold game with Yongguk. Yesterday, it seemed like he could actually tolerate her.

Now, he couldn’t even say he didn’t hate her.

“You don’t need the pills.”

“Yes, I do. I need them to cope.” Her voice was barely above a whisper.

Yongguk had to know. He whipped around to face her. The pleading look on her face was bordering on pathetic.

“Just tell me why, then. It isn’t so hard to give a reason.” Yongguk hated open-ended questions. He wanted answers.

Jieun’s mouth contorted into a sad smile. “I can’t tell anyone. It’s too painful to have to tell the whole story. Perhaps when he comes back.”

“Who is he?”

Jieun realized that maybe, just maybe Yongguk cared about her. Sure, he made her life hell a few weeks ago, but their odd relationship seemed to be past that. There were still those strained feelings and unspoken words between them, and Yongguk could still be a cold-hearted jerk at times. However, he was the only person who figured half of her out.

She didn’t trust him enough. That was it. Jieun could not trust Yongguk. Yongguk had a dangerous feel that Jieun could not get used to. It could’ve been the bad boy personality, but Yongguk wouldn’t get it. He make a fool of her if she let him in.

Jieun shook her head. “Just forget it. Why did I even come up here? Waste of my time…”

Before Yongguk could answer, she continued. “Look, just stay away from me. You’re just adding more stress, and I’m sure you want me to stop talking to you, also. I’ll see you around, Yongguk.”

Jieun walked away with whatever dignity she had left. Surely, she was acting stupid. He probably thought she was stupid. A stupid little girl who needed painkillers to cope with her problems.

She just needed to face it. Yongguk would never like her. He was probably laughing at her right now as she went back to the cafeteria.

Yongguk made a split-second decision. He took off, running after her. She was halfway to her destination when he called after her.

“Song Jieun!” He shouted. Jieun turned around. Yongguk wasn’t even out of breath.

“What now, Yongguk?” She groaned.

Yongguk stuffed his hands in his pockets. “I don’t hate you. I don’t know how I feel about you, but I can assure you it isn’t hate.”

She let out a sigh. “Yongguk, stop pitying me.”

“I’m not pitying you.”

“Leave me alone, Yongguk. You like playing mind games, but I don’t. Don’t worry, I’m not coming near you precious Aston Martin again.” Jieun replied sarcastically.

“You don’t have to stay away. If I wanted you to go away, I would’ve told you the first time you came to the rooftop.” He explained.

He closed the distance between them. Jieun kept shaking her head. “Have a nice day, Yongguk.”

“Jieun!” Yongguk called after her, but he let her go this time.

A small part inside of Jieun wished Yongguk went after her the second time she slipped away.

A/N: Sorry for the later than usual update! I’m on spring break, and I was in Disneyland last weekend. (I’m the biggest kid at heart when it comes to Disney!)

And this chapter isn’t my best work, but I still hope you guys liked it!

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