Chapter 51: Love Hurts More than Anything

|Narrator Perspective|

            A whole solemn week passed by with Jiyong and Dara stressed and despondent. It felt as the whole world around them had slowed down and that time itself was staring at them, unmoving, laughing at their faces.

            Although they spent every afternoon together attempting to get back to their normal school routine, like their homework, they couldn’t seem to focus. No words on the page of a chemistry textbook or an English novel was enough to succumb them from their dreary thoughts of CL. It was unbearable for them to know that  CL was going through many hardships, and they had no contact with her.

            Jiyong and Dara called over and over again on CL cell phone number hoping to reach her, but the phone would respond back with a "this id is no longer available, try again". The only thing they could do was pray that everything would get better...

            On Friday, the last day of the school week, Jiyong had dropped off Dara to her class. His mind was reeling over countless thoughts about what has been going on—a routine he was now accustomed to. He walked past lockers and lockers his eyes just gazing over everything as if he were walking through a dark foggy night not caring the staring eyes of wolves. No one took the chance to talk to him after CL had left. Everyone saw him and Dara as a friendship gone wrong and felt that they were now unapproachable. Many rumors had spread but Jiyong never cared to listen… Already, as Jiyong passed a few girls, he could hear his name being whispered as he walked but he never deliberately listened in or looked at them, until he heard someone say something that caught his interest.

Stopping and turning around Jiyong headed back in the direction he came from.

            "I am glad you guys made it back safely" Kai said in relief. Jiyong's eyes widened as he listened in closely eager to confirm his hopes of it being news about CL.

            "If you two need anything let me know and I'll get one of us to bring it over" Kai offered. Still Jiyong wasn't sure if it was CL and Kris… he could just be speculating and it could be just a friend of Kai's.
            "Alright we will come over tonight and make her feel better. That is no problem for us at all you should know that by now" Kai laughed.
            "Take care Kris, and tell CL not to worry about cooking anything for us . . . I know how she is about being a good hostess. For now she just neds rest from the jet lag"

Confirmed. It was CL.

As Kai hung up his phone Jiyong walked towards him and called out his name. Kai stopped and turned around sending a glare towards Jiyong's direction. He knew the negative feelings between them wouldn’t go away easily ever since the day he yelled at CL. He also knew that Kai had all the right to be infuriated at Jiyong for that day, because he too felt that was a grave mistake.

This time, Jiyong thought, he should be more amiable and calm.
            "Was that CL? I need to know if it was her Kai. I really need to go talk to her" Jiyong asked as Kai stared back at him his eyes shooting daggers.
            "I'm sorry Jiyong but I think you are the last person CL wants to see right now. If you haven't heard—"
            "I know what happened!" Jiyong snarled unintentionally. He didn’t mean to be so rash but Kai's cockiness was unbearable especially when he talks about CL as if he knew her for a long time. He knows nothing.

            "What's going on?" Suho interrupted. He was putting on his backpack when he thought he heard Kai's voice outside the classroom. He came out to see if it was him, proving his speculation to be correct.

            "Nothing" Kai snarled. Jiyong knowing that Kai wouldn’t give any information turned to Suho who seemed more mannered and mature.
            "I need to know where CL is" Jiyong  said to SuHo.
            "You don’t understand my position . . . I just need to talk to her that’s all" he assured.

Suho inspected Jiyong with his eyes. His disheveled hair, his frantic eyes, his unusual attire . . . Suho couldn’t help but feel apologetic towards him and felt that maybe he should give him the chance to talk it out.
            "She's staying at Kris's house" Suho admitted as he pulled out a pen and paper and gave him the address.
            "SUHO!" Kai scoffed.
            "Thank you. I owe you one" Jiyong said as he ran away with slip of paper that was his only connection to seeing CL.

            "Traitor" Kai muttered.
 Suho turned around to the grumpy Kai, "We don’t even know the full story Kai, and did you see the way Jiyong looks? Or the girl Dara? They look miserable. How could I not tell him?"

            "I know . ..  I was just thinking of CL and how she's going through a rough time" Kai grumbled as he leaned against the wall relaxing his tense body.

            "I know . . .  " Suho replies as he looks to Kai in mutual understanding. Over the many days they had spent with CL they all had become so attached to