You were sitting at the back, isolating yourself from the rest of the people in that room. Everyone else was doing something or talking to someone and you were just there, waiting for her arrival. The tiered seat made it easier for you to see her when she finally came in.

She did her usual routine of greeting the class and setting all her things on the table before taking her seat. She would drink from her tumbler as she looked around the room and you immediately ducked your head and pulled your hood lower, low enough to cover your face. You didn't want her to see you. You didn't want her to think you were obsessed with her or that you're a creepy stalker. You're not. You just wanted to see her before you leave.

"So," she started and you looked up slightly to see her standing beside the table now, "yesterday's discussion was interesting." You didn't know whybut she directed her gaze at the giggling girls in the front row. "Let's see if you guys would participate in this new discussion as much as you did yesterday when we were talking about the wonderful things people say. That includes the erted ones, or as Miss Lee and Miss Kwon put it, y lines that their partners say to them."

The whole class laughed, even the person sitting next to you. You looked at her and sighed. You didn't mean to be a downer but you really didn't have any reason to laugh. You're not even going to try and fake one.

"Settle down, you hyenas." She giggled and you wondered how she managed to do that when here you were, you can't even tug your lips upward and smile. "Let's now go to the other end of the stick. What do you think is the cruelest thing anyone could ever say to you?"

One girl raised her hand and said, "I ate all your food." The whole class erupted in laughter and the girl sitting next to her answered as well, "The pizza's all gone. We didn't leave any for you."

Hands were raised and answers like,  "You have a terrible eyebrow" or "Your hair is awful" were thrown. You saw the girl you came to see sighing in defeat, still having that smile on her face. The same smile that made you feel safe and warm. The same smile you saw the first time you asked her to have dinner with you. The smile that used to be directed to you and you alone. Now it was someone else's and now you have that strange feeling in the pit of your stomach.

That same feeling probaby pushed you to stand up and say, "If you love me let me go." You took your hood off and stood up. "That's the cruelest thing anyone has ever said to me."

"Who is she?"

"I don't know but she's pretty."

You heard the same girls whose answers involved pizza and food in general but you chose to ignore them and focus on her wide eyes that were now glued to you. She didn't say anything and you pulled your together, just enough so you could speak again. "It's cruel to say that to someone especially when you know how much they love you. I think we should consider it as a form of blackmail." This time you try to fake a laugh and the students bought it. Some laughed along with you. The others are just too slow.

"No one should ever go through the pain of loving someone so much that it's used as a leverage for a quick break-up. Don't you think so, Miss Kim?"

She kept mum and you could feel tears building up in the corner of your eyes. "It was stupid of me to think that I'm never going to be hurt anymore. The second time doesn't hurt less. It just took quite some time to sink in."

You grabbed your bag and headed for the door, ignoring the murmurs of the students. You were going to leave the place without turning your back but you heard her calling you. "Sica."

You stopped and turned around to face her, your cheeks stained because you couldn't hold back the tears any longer. "I love you," you croaked out. "If i need to let you go to prove that I would. I am doing it because I do love you. A lot."

You waited for her to speak. You waited for her to take back what she said to you days ago. You waited for her to say she loves you too much to let you leave but there was nothing. You felt like a fool again for even hoping.

You walked away, not bothering to say goodbye. You didn't see the use of it when she's already done that for you.

End.

____

short taengsic angst for valentine's day lol

remember my other one shot "Love...LOL" where taeng is jess' fan. this is sort of part 2 of that. so here taeng (she) is a teacher and jess is still the romance novel writer. they got together and broke up

writing because i'm sad and you know how i am when i'm sad i update. i just can't update my other on-going fanfics though. losing creative juice