Inspiration in writing this: Afterschool's BECAUSE OF YOU { https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGK3P8hRPdQ }

It was 7:00 in the morning and it was raining, making the surrounding gloomy and sad. Jinah was there, sitting on her bed as she had her back against the headboard. She had just awakened from the same dream she has been having for the past week. Glancing at her left side, she picked her phone up from the bedside table and unlocked the screen. Seeing the photo brought a smile to her lips but it also made tears escape her beautiful eyes.

"Why can I still not forget..?" She asked while the photo with her right thumb. Then wiping her tears, she laughed faintly. "It's been.. how long now? Oh.. 3 years already?" She sighed. "I've dreamed of it again.. that we're still together.. and that you're happy with me." She sighed again, louder this time. "I don't know why but I have this urge to see you today.. though it will not do me any good." Putting her phone away, she got up from the bed and got ready for the day.

Not long ago, she applied as a dance professor in the university where she graduated from. Doing so might only bring her more painful memories but she still pursued it anyway.

As soon as she arrived at the university, she closed her umbrella and walked along the covered corridor since it was still pouring. Halfway through the dance studio, she passed by the cafe which used to hold a lot of memories for her. But out of all the happy memories that she could recall, it was a painful one that came to mind that day.

"It.. it also rained that day.." She laughed to herself as she recalled and looked through the front of the cafe, observing some people inside who looked really happy while having their drinks and meals. "Why couldn't I be happy like them? Wae....? It was all because of you!" She softly sighed.

FLASHBACK:

Jinah placed her open umbrella on the floor, just beside the cafe's door, before stepping aside. She was supposed to head home already since her classes already finished but she has received a call from Taeho, asking her to meet up.

She played games in her phone for a few minutes while waiting for him. Soon after, she heard the front door close and was delighted to see Taeho when she looked up.

He spotted her right away and slowly walked towards her direction while drying his partially wet hair with his hands. Grabbing the wooden chair across her, he took a seat and cleared his throat.

"Did you wait long? I'm sorry, it was rather difficult to pass through the hallway with all those students crowding the area." He apologized.

"Aniyeyo.. it's alright, oppa.." Jinah whispered the last part and smiled.

Taeho was the substitute teacher for the dance class since the original teacher was on maternity leave for the past three months. The moment he came, there was an instant positive response from the students and they all liked him. It was also when the attraction between him and Jinah started. Not long after he started teaching, the two of them got closer, and on a different level at well.

When Taeho first tried to tell her how he actually felt, she tried to block it since it will not be good for both of their images but he said that he isn't really a professor there anyway so it's okay.

She agreed to commit to him after realizing their mutual feelings for each other. But since not everyone in the university knows about it, they had been extra careful with their ways and behavior.

"I.." Taeho started. "I invited you today to talk about something important.. Ah, but before that, why don't we order something first?" He glanced around, looking for a server.

Jinah had noticed that he was shaky: from his eyes, lips, voice - but she thought that it may be because of the coldness he felt from the rain.

"Ne, sunbae.." She uttered loudly in case there were some eavesdroppers around.

They ordered pasta and juice and a small piece of cake that they always liked to share with each other. The entire meal was quiet but Jinah could notice that Taeho had been stealing glances at her from time to time and that he was also feeling uneasy at the moment. Not being able to take it anymore, she chose to speak.

"Is there... something wrong? I can tell that you're feeling uneasy right now." She frowned as she asked him.

"You should finish your meal first. I will tell you afterwards." He forced a smile and continued eating but Jinah didn't give up.

"Ani, I think you should just tell me now. Actually, you're making me nervous." She laughed nervously.

Taeho hesitated for a bit with a sigh before breaking it to her. "Okay.. I think we should stop it here..."

"W-what? Oppa, what-''

"Please address me properly when we're in the campus from now on.. and I don't think this so-called relationship is going somewhere good.. so we should just stop while we still can.." He said everything in one go with a cold tone.

"But-"

"You can leave now.. if you don't or can't accept what you've heard just now then leave. And we shouldn't see each other anymore if it's not class-related." He paused. "There.. I've said it all. Happy now?" He looked into her eyes and saw evident hurt and pain in it.

Without saying another word, Jinah harshly stood from her seat and marched out of the cafe with a frown on her face, not caring if a lot of eyes were pierced on her right then.

"Tsk.. crazy girl..." She heard Taeho mutter as she was on her way out.

As soon as she was outside, she grabbed her umbrella from the floor but she almost lost her balance when she stood back so she leaned on the glass door for support.

She didn't realize when she started crying but all she knew was that tears had already started to stream down her face like a fountain. She remained standing there as she kept on gulping hard and breathing heavily, even swallowing some of the tears that have soaked her almost dry lips as she repeatedly hit her own chest with her fist.

Crying in silence while in pain with no one to comfort her was probably one of the worst things that she had ever experienced.

-end-

She had not been aware that she was already standing there for a couple of minutes until sounds of laughter met her ears, making her turn to the direction of it. Her eyes widened instantly when she saw the sight in front of her - there stood Taeho, with a long-haired girl who had an arm wrapped around his.

Jinah received the news before that Taeho was already with someone new just a few days after they broke up but she didn't know who it was. It's her first time knowing and seeing who it actually is.

"S-sunbae.." She stuttered.

"Oh Jinah! Long time no see.." He greeted casually while smiling.

"Ah, I don't go by 'Jinah' anymore. Y-you can call me Nana if you like." She tried her best to return the smile before turning her attention to the girl beside him.

It's true that Jinah changed some of her preferences for the past three years. She even kept her hair short now even though it used to be really long.

"Ms. Lee, right? You're a music professor, right? Its a pleasure to meet you.." She slightly bowed.

"Ne, Jooyeon imnida. It's nice to meet you too, Nana-ssi.." The girl beside Taeho smiled and returned the bow.

"Ah, are you headed to the cafe now?" Jinah added.

"Mhm~ We're about to grab late breakfast." Jooyeon chuckled. "Do you want to join us?"

"Oh.. ani, I have class soon.." Jinah pointed to her watch.

"Then you should go now or you'll be late." Taeho smiled. "See you around, Ji- Nana-ssi."

"Ne! We'll definitely see more of each other. Take care, you two." Jinah smiled and waved to the two. But as soon as the couple walked past her, the wide smile dropped.

Heavily sighing, she took one last glance at them before making her way to the dance studio.

"So.. she's the one." She whispered to herself. "Is it because she's prettier? Finer? More mature?" She laughed alone. "I know I only appear to you as a kid.. someone who can't even handle herself. But you don't know me.. I'm more than that."

She went on with her class, trying to forget about what had happened earlier but it wouldn't seem to leave her mind. Fortunately, the rain has stopped and that had helped lessen her negative emotion at the moment.

Giving her students a little seat work, she left them and went to stroll outside along the corridor. As she continued to walk around at a slow pace, her mind was once again filled with Taeho and him alone.

"Oppa.. why can't I forget? How much more longer do I have to be like this?" She hung her head and leaned against one of the posts. "I hope we can be together again.. please come back."

She closed her eyes for a short while.. but the moment she did, the picture of Taeho with Jooyeon, laughing together, flashed before her again. And that's when she realized that memories of him will continue to haunt her until the day she finally learns to move on and let go.