Pains Hidden
Risk and Retaliations
Jay, Aria, and Taeil all walk down the sidewalk heading back to the campus, arms linked together. Jay was on one side of Aria and Taeil on the other, bright and sincere smiles plastered on each of their faces. It had been a while since Aria hung out with both Jay and Taeil, she was always busy with Woohyun, who loved taking her places and spoiling her, who loved keeping her away from her friends, especially Taeil. Aria did not think much of Woohyun's warning in regards to staying away from Taeil and disregarded it, but soon learned that disregarding Woohyun's warning was her biggest mistake. There was not a day that past during the last month when Aria wished she would have listened to Taeil and Jay and left Woohyun alone, because now, a few weeks into their relationship, she has learned that Woohyun was not all he appeared to be. Yeah, Woohyun may have seemed like a sweet and mannered young man to the public, but he was anything but. Woohyun was a mean and rather rude guy, who felt that it was his duty to control who Aria talked to, when she met up with her friends, if she met up with them. Woohyun was controlling and possessive, so the idea of Aria being away from him for too long was looked down upon by him, especially if it meant that she'd be spending time with Taeil. And it is not as if Aria could just walk out of the relationship, no, because she couldn't, not anymore, not when there was so much hanging on the line if she did. One time, Woohyun caught Aria hugging Taeil, one time after they started going out, and that is when he went ballistic, that is when Aria's world as she knew it came crashing down before her eyes, that is when Aria truly began to feel pain. That is when Aria found herself stuck in a relationship she'd much rather not have, there was no turning back now, not unless she want the people she cared about the most hurt.
However, at this moment, none of that mattered to Aria as she walked down the street with Taeil and Jay, her mind totally adrift from Woohyun, her estranged boyfriend no where within a ten mile radius of her brain. All that Aria could find herself focusing on was the fact she was finally spending time with her two best friends, even if one of them was the very same guy who she almost allowed herself to develop a strong disliking for earlier in the semester. It felt as if it had been forever since Aria and Jay had talked, had seen each other, and as the two girls chatted, Aria realized that she was allowing Woohyun to come between her and her best friend, something she had promised herself she would never let happen.
So what if Taeil may be around when I am with Jay...we're just friends after all... Aria would tell herself this, trying her best to justify her being around Taeil, knowing, in the depths of her mind, that it was a lie, that she and Taeil were way more than just friends, even if they were not going to admit it to themselves. It was so refreshing for Aria to be able to hang with Taeil and Jay, the conversation was lively and relaxing, just like before, before Woohyun came into the picture and made Aria's life a living hell.
"...Jay...you know, I really am sorry for not being here for you all this time. I...I just...I guess having a boyfriend is a little bit more time consuming than I was expecting...but that's not an excuse for being away from you. I just want you to know that, no matter what, I will be here for you...that no matter when it is you need me, I will be there for you. I really am sorry about everything, I feel like awful friend...I have been letting you down for the past month and all of this has been happening to you and I had no idea..." Aria could feel the tears welling up in her eyes, bunching up on her bottom lashes,
"No! Aria don't, please don't cry...I understand...I get it...this is your first time being in a real relationship and it's hard I bet-" Aria shook her head and sniffled, she knew that Jay was suffering from her absence, which made it her feel all the worse. All this time that has passed, all the times that Jay needed a shoulder to lean on, all the time she needed someone to cry to, to run, Aria was not there, and it made her feel like dirt.
"No Jay, even if it is something new to me, I am still supposed to be your friend and that means that i am there for you no matter what...boyfriend or no boyfriend...I am so happy that...while i was being a bad friend that you had Taeil...who has proven to be a far greater friend than I have this past month... being there when you needed a friend the most..." Aria tore her eyes off of Jay's face and glanced over at Taeil, who had been looking down at her the entire time, nibbling on his lip and eyes wide and unblinking as watched the short curly haired girl break down. Upon noticing the girl looking up at him through watery eyes, Taeil shook his head free of daze, the dumbfounded expression on his face melting away replaced by a warm smile that melted Aria's heart and made her tears vanish.
"...Jay, I promise i will do better though...I promise I will be there for you every time you need me to be...even if that means that I have to...sneak away from Woohyun in order to do so..." A bright smile tugged at Jay's lips, but fell from her face not five seconds later,
"Wait! Aria, what do you mean sneak away from Woohyun? Is he forcing you to stay away from me and Taeil!? " Jay shouted, stopping in her tracks and grabbing at Aria's sore wrist, a sharp gasp slipping pass her lips. Aria blinked a couple of times, inhaling slowly through her nose as she forced smile and shook her head,
No...he just has a problem with me being near Taeil...and when I am with you...i am with Taeil too...
"No Jay, of course not... There is no way I would ever let a guy keep me from seeing my best friend. Ever. And besides...Woohyun isn't like...there is no way he'd keep me away from you." Aria chirped, pulling her throbbing wrist out of Jay's firm grip and pressing it too her leg.
No, but he'll do everything to keep me away from Taeil...even if that means hurting you. Jay smiled down at Aria, her eyes flooding with relief, afraid that for a second, her dongsaeng meant what she said, that she meant the only way to get away from Woohyun was if she sneaked away.
Taeil kept his mouth shut as he unintentionally listened in on Aria and Jay's conversation, as he watched Aria's every reaction, his ears perking up at every mention of Woohyun, the name setting his blood ablaze. No matter how she claimed she got that bruise on her arm, somewhere deep within Taeil's head he knew that something did not add up right, that Woohyun just may have been the one who bruised Aria.
Or maybe I am just jealous he is the one spending all this time with Aria and not...maybe I am just making him to be the bad guy because I am not the one with Woohyun...maybe he has not hurt her at all....Bull! There was something off about Aria, more than she was letting on, and if that Woohyun fellow had absolutely anything to do with it, if he was doing anything to hurt Aria, Taeil swore that he was going to make the man suffer. The mood changed as the three musketeers approached their destination, Taeil rejoining the conversation,
"So how long have you and Yesung been talking exactly?" Taeil asked as they roamed around the front of the campus, making sure to use Jongwoon's nickname that only he and his other friends knew him by.
"...um...I don't really know exactly...hmm...maybe around the time Aria introduced me to you...a little bit afterwards?" Jay looked down at Aria for confirmation, only to see her dongsaeng laying her head on Taeil's shoulder. Taeil kept his eyes forward as if he did not notice that Aria was lying her head on his shoulder, and nodded his head to Jay's answer. But little did anyone know, the feeling of Aria so close to him made his heart flutter uncontrollably,
"...interesting...it's funny because I noticed a change in Yesung...it was a subtle one at first. But then it got more and more noticeable...and I always wondered why...then we were at the hospital and..." Taeil stopped talking as he remembered the nights he spent together with Aria in Jay's hospital room, every single moment flashing before his eyes,
"...you two would be so engrossed in conversation it was like ya'll forgot me and Taeil was...I don't know...it was cute really, seeing the two of you...click like that..." Aria finished for Taeil, her voice a small whisper as she peered up at him to see him staring straight forward, his eyes sparkling as he continued to recall all of the times they linked to his arm, spent together, as he thought about how his and Aria's relationship has changed over time. Jay looked on at Taeil and Aria at the sudden silence, her lips curling up into a small grin as something occurred to her for the second time about the couple beside her, but keeping the thought to herself,
They look so cute... Jay thought as she looked between Aria and Taeil, the emotions they obviously had for one another floating around in the air,
"Hmm...really? You could tell?" Aria nodded her head against Taeil's shoulder and giggled,
"Yeah, it was pretty...evident...i mean...Yesung looks almost all of his students in the eye when he addresses them...but nothing compares to the way he looks at you Jay...Nothing." Jay could feel her heart begin to flutter as she thought about Jongwoon, as she thought about his eyes and the way they seemed to bore into her every time they gazed at each other.
"So...what do you think that means? Do you think he may...like me?" Jay asked, her eyes still trained on her two friends, her eyebrows furrowing as she listened to the two exchange whispers and chuckles,
"Guys! Did you hear me!? I asked if you think Yesung likes me?" Aria and Taeil jumped at the sound of Jay's whiny exclamation, both of them looking away from one another and averting their attention on Jay. Taeil glanced down at Aria before looking up at Jay who wore a cute pout on her face,
"Maybe you should ask him yourself." Aria whispered, looking over to the right side of where Jay was standing. Jay glanced between Aria and Taeil, her eyes wide with alarm,
"What!? Is he behind me!? Guys! What if he... heard me?" Jay hissed through clenched teeth, her cheeks taking on a deep red color as the feeling of Jongwoon's gaze settled on her back.
"Yup, and looks like he sees you...hello Kim gyosunim!" Aria chirped brightly, standing up to her full height and waving vigorously,
"Shut up! Don't say hi!" Taeil growled, looking down at Aria with a playful frown on his face, shoving her gently.
"Yah!" Aria giggled as she pushed Taeil back, the boy taking her arms and pulling her into him to keep her from attacking. Jay's eyes widened as she watched the two flirt, her heart beating rapidly, threatening to burst free from her chest,
"Ary what the hell!?" Jay whispered furiously, turning around to peek over her shoulder to find Jongwoon standing a little to the right of her, his eyes meeting hers,
"What!? I mean, what was the point of keeping quiet when he obviously sees us..." Taeil chuckled at the girl wrapped in his arms.
"Ah! Hello Aria. Taeil." Jongwoon waved at Aria and nodded his head at Taeil, quickly averting his eyes over to Jay,
"Hello, Jay..." Jay shut her eyes and exhaled heavily, sending Aria an icy glare before finally peering over at Jongwoon.
"Annyeonghaseyo Kim gyosunim. How have you been?" Aria and Taeil watched as Jay and Jongwoon awkwardly conversed,
"I have been better. You know, we never did get to finish our little discussion." Jongwoon finally said when he came with in a few feet of Jay, disregarding his and Jay's audience,
"Oh my grades...right..." Jay muttered, hanging her head low so no one would see the dark blush that colored her cheeks. Taeil and Aria just stood to the side, their backs Jay and Jongwoon as they discussed whatever it was that required them to whisper.
"Do you think they look obvious?" Aria asked quietly, looking over at Taeil, who had his eyes trained on her face,
"Well I can't really see them so I don't know." Aria made a straight face and groaned,
"Then look! Please~" Aria sang sweetly, batting her eyelashes at Taeil and hugging him closer to her. Taeil glanced over his shoulder and sighed.
"Hm, okay well, they just look like they are talking." Aria smiled,
"Yay! That's good! Gomawoyo~" Aria whispered sweetly, earning a wide grin from Taeil, a grin that he could not keep from gracing his lips.
"Hey guys, I'll be right back okay...I have to go talk to Kim gyosunim about some of my failing grades." Aria was so captivated by Taeil's piercing gaze.
"Oh?" Aria could not keep the smile from spreading across her lips as she glanced at her friend,
"Alright Jay,Aria and I will be right here when you come back." Jay nodded her head and flashed Aria and Taeil a small smile before walking over to where Jongwoon was standing near the entrance to the foreign language building, leaving the couple out in the cold weather to wait. Taeil and Aria did not say much of anything to one another as they continued to stroll around the foreign the grounds around the language building, not going too far so when Jay came back out they were easy to spot.
"Oh today was so fun!" Aria exclaimed as she took a few big steps forward and spun around, throwing her head back and peering up into the stars above her head, well, the stars she could see. Taeil watched the girl as she spun around, her long straight hair that was usually curly, flying into her face, her scarf flying off of her neck. Taeil stifled his chuckles as he followed Aria's figure as she ran over to where her scarf landed near a tree, the scene giving him an idea of his own. With the silence of a mouse and the agility of a fox, Taeil scampered over to where Aria was fixing her scarf around her neck, his chest burning as he held in the laughter that was rising in his throat. With an internal countdown, Taeil reached out and grabbed Aria around her waist, picking her up and spinning her around a few times, his laughter echoing off of the buildings as the girl i his arms began to scream and cry out in utter surprise,
"Taeil! Taeil! P-put me down!" Aria squealed, her voice getting carried away in the wind that engulfed them as Taeil continued to spin her around a, his head spinning as a sudden dizzy spell fell over him.
"Gah!" Taeil and Aria cried out as he lost his footing and crashed to the ground, his arms tightening around Aria, who landed safely on top of him with a squeal and a gasp.
"Taeil! Oh my god Taeil!" Aria exclaimed as she scrambled off top of Taeil, who slowly sat up, drawing his knees up to his chest and taking his head between his hands, attempting to shake off the haze.
"Are you okay?" Aria asked as she crawled in front of Taeil, whose body was shaking slightly,
"Taeil?" Aria reached out her hand to touch Taeil when his arms shot out and grabbed Aria, pulling him into his chest, his laughter filling the air once again,
"Taeil you're crazy!" Aria exclaimed as Taeil leaned back and she landed on top of his chest, her lips tugging into a wide grin as she peered down into the young man's eyes.
"No i'm not...i was just bored and when you started chasing after your scarf it gave me an idea..." Taeil stated as he fiddled with the tips of Aria's hair that tickled his face. Aria and Taeil laid there on the ground in the same position for about five minutes, saying absolutely nothing, the both oof them just staring into each other's eyes, getting lost in one another. Taeil brought as hand up to cup Aria's cheek, the temptation far too great for him to resist,
"...you know...I really missed you, Aria...hanging out with Jay has been amazing, she is a great girl...my sweet little sister... and I'd do anything for her...but...ever time I was with Jay... I thought about you...it's just was not the same without you there to...to piss me off...to fight and argue with..." Aria's wide smile waned into a small smirk, her heart beating rapidly as Taeil's fingertips grazed the skin along her neck, the chills that zipped along her spine increasing in intensity the longer his fingers lingered on her skin.
"...I missed you too, Taeil...so much..." Aria whispered as she leaned down and laid her head on Taeil's chest, her mind clear of all other things that did not pertain to Taeil, his words finding a fertile spot in her heart.
...more than you will ever know. Aria could feel Taeil's heart beating in his chest against the side of her head, her lips spreading into a soft smile, the feeling, the sound of his heartbeat soothing and serene,
"...and neither you...nor Jay will have to worry about me being absent from you guys...not anymore...I guess I didn't realize how much I was ignoring you two until I sat down and actually talked with you guys." Aria lied, squeezing her eyes shut to keep the tears from rolling down her cheeks and landing heavy on Taeil's shirt.
Even if that means...putting up with Woohyun ...
Aria and Taeil did not even realize their actions as they snuggled up against one another, as they held each other close, because to them, it all felt natural. Taeil slipped an arm around Aria's waist, holding her against him as the two just laid there in the grass, the soft sounds of their breaths music to their ears. Taeil could not keep the thought from crossing his mind as he contemplated the many different reasons for Aria negelecting them this months, it was so unlike her to do something like that, which was the main thing troubling him, that and the fact that she was spending an excessive amount of time with Woohyun. Taeil knew he was never going to accept the fact that Aria and Woohyun were going out, because he knew, he felt, that there was another guy out there better for her.
Someone like me... Taeil thought as he craned his neck to peer into Aria's face,
"...Aria? Are you awake?" Taeil asked when he noticed that Aria's eyes were shut, her breathing soft and rhythmic,
"...yeah, I'm awake..." Aria giggled slashed whispered,
"...I'm cold." Aria mused silently, another small giggle rising in ,
"And that's funny?" Taeil asked raising an eyebrow skeptically,
"I guess so..." Aria said, her voice rattling as she giggled softly, her eyes trained on Taeil's, which bore into and captured her heart,
"Here." Taeil sat up slowly, unwrapping his arms from around Aria's waist and taking her hands in his, stuffing them in his pockets and pulling her against him,
"Is that better?" Taeil asked as Aria laid her head on his shoulder,
"...yes...much better." Aria whispered, gazing up into Taeil's eyes, her breath catching in as their eyes locked once more.
"...I wonder...what's taking Jay so long..." Taeil wondered suddenly, his eyes still on Aria's face, his insides extremely warm from the close contact he was sharing with Aria.
"Hmm...Jay said that she and Yesung had to talk about grades but..I think they are doing more than just talking..." Taeil snickered,
"Hmph. Is that right? What else would they be doing?" Taeil asked, knowing good well what it was Aria meant by her comment.
"...I don't know..maybe they are talking or they are...hugging...holding each other...kissing...I mean after all...it has been a while since they have really seen each other..." Aria's voice was an airy whisper as she listed the things Jay and Jongwoon could be doing, the tone of her voice sounding border line sweet and sensual, causing Taeil's ears to tingle. It was funny to Taeil that Aria was listing the very things they were doing at the moment, minus the kissing of course, because like Jay and Jongwoo, it had been a while sine they had really seen each other, since they have had time to be together. Even if they were together as only friends.
"...If it were me in Jay's position I would seize every opportunity I had to spend it with the man I loved...even if it were a bit risky..." Taeil glanced away from Aria then, his gaze going down to her arm where he found the bruise, but only settling on it for a brief second.
"Really? You would do that?" Aria nodded her head,
"Yes, I would..." Aria whispered, her voice barely audible to Taeil,
Just like I am doing right now...
"...it's scary because I believe you...I just hope that it never comes down to that...that you never have to risk anything to be with the one you have true feelings for..." Aria sighed softly and bit down on her bottom lip,
It's already too late Taeil... Aria thought as she forced a smile to cross her lips,
"...me too..." Aria breathed, snuggling closer to Taeil, trying to get as close to him as she possible could. Aria didn't know what it was Taeil did, or how, all she knew was that when she was around him she felt pleasantly disoriented, her heart would begin to beat differently, her body would tingle at his touch, warm at the sound of his voice, and weaken at his gaze. When Aria was around Taeil things that she would find otherwise easy to execute became difficult for her to do, such as the simple and instinctive task of breathing, which was a behavior no one, not even her boyfriend, was able to evoke from her. But of course Woohyun would not have the same effect on Aria as Taeil had on her, because deep down, even though Aria would never admit it, Taeil was the one she had true feelings for. Even now, as she sat cradled up against Taeil, her heart beating sixty miles per hour in her chest, Aria could tell that there was more to her feelings than just that of a mutual friendship.
"...A-aria? Aria, is that you there?" The sound of Woohyun's voice felt like that of a gun shot to the heart to Aria, her eyes bounding wide and the air stopping in , her blood now running icy cold. It took everything within Aria to keep from crying right then, it had been a while since Woohyun has had the problem of seeing her with Taeil, the last time being when she stopped to talk to him after class a few days ago.
"Oh, Woohyun! Hey! What are you doing out here?" Woohyun stepped out of the shadows and into the moonlight, his eyes narrowed as he watched Aria slip out of Taeil's arms.
"I could ask you the same...For a second I couldn't tell if that was you or not..." Woohyun chirped brightly, rubbing his hand over his eyes as if the dark was hindering his view, but there was no mistaking what it was he had just witnessed.
"What are you doing Aria?" Woohyun asked, totally disregarding Taeil as if he was not there to begin with.
"We were j-just um...I was waiting for Jay...s-she went to go speak with her teacher. How about you?" Woohyun cocked his head to the side and peered into Aria's face,
"Nothing, I was just on my way to my dorm...i was getting ready to call you..." Aria wrung her hands,
"Ah really?" Woohyun stepped forward,
"Yeah...I had to um...ask you about something..." Aria kept her eyes trained on the ground as she spoke to Woohyun, afraid to meet his death like gaze,
"Ask me what?" Woohyun shook his head,
"...I don't want to say it out loud...it's a little embarrassing..." Woohyun whispered, flashing Taeil and forced and rather hostile smirk before walking over to Aria, taking her hand and yanking her to her feet.
"Well alright..." Aria glanced over her shoulder at Taeil, as Woohyun began to pull her toward the side of the language building, a small smirk plastered on her lips,
"I'll be right back." Aria mouthed, a sugary smile spreading across her lips to assure Taeil that everything was going to be fine, the same sweet smile falling from her face the moment she disappeared behind the wall. Aria gasped as Woohyun tightened the grip he had on her already sore wrist and shoved her into brick wall,
"Oww!" Aria exclaimed as her head slammed into the hard surface, her eyesight blurring as the pain traveled through her limbs but only for a quick second. Woohyun slapped a hand over Aria's mouth at her outburst, his fingers digging dangerously into her cheeks as he sealed her lips shut,
"What the hell was that back there!? Why were you with him!? I thought I told you to stay away from him!" Woohyun hissed as he violently shook Aria, her body banging into the wall repeatedly, the grip he had on her wrist so tight that she could no longer feel her fingers. Immediately tears began to well up in Aria's eyes, fear creeping into her body as Woohyun unleashed his anger on her.
"Ugggh!" The groan that rose in Aria's throat was stifled due to the fact that Woohyun had blocked by his hand, the shock of being so roughly manhandled making it hard for her not to cry out in pain.
"I warned you Aria! I told you not to hang out with him!" Woohyun growled lowly, leaning in so that his face was inches from his girlfriend's. Aria shook her head wildly, trying to free of Woohyun's hand,
"Woohyun! What the hell!? I told you to stop handling me like this!" Aria tried to pull away from Woohyun but he was not letting up anytime soon,
"You'll never learn will you babe...I'll stop handling you the way I do when I am certain you are no longer hanging out with that Taeil guy." Aria rolled her eyes and scoffed, her head throbbing with a dull and increasing pain.
"Woohyun, I already told you he is just a friend!" Aria hissed, her patience for Woohyun growing thin,
" You always say that but it never looks that way to me Aria!" Woohyun snapped, hoisting Aria up against him and shoving her back into the wall.
"It never does! Why the hell should it!? The only reason I am still going out with your prick is because you will not let me leave you!" Aria spat, narrowing her eyes at Woohyun who simply smirked and chuckled,
" Ha! Do I need to remind you of that little...agreement we made...you know the one we made after i caught you and your little pal over there a few days ago? You are not only with me because I won't let you go....it's because you want to be with me..right? Isn't that right Aria!?" Woohyun's tone was dangerous, lethal, the very sound of his voice blood curdling. Aria turned her head away from Woohyun,
"...r-right Woohyun..." Woohyun began to snicker at the sound of Aria's voice so weak and vulnerable, he knew that as long as he held their little agreement above her head, she'd jump at his every command, run to him at his every call.
"That's what I thought. Now," Woohyun leaned in and kissed Aria on her lips, nipping her bottom lip as he roughly her hair,
"...you're going to go over there and tell Taeil that you have to go okay?" Aria kept her eyes trained on the ground beside Woohyun, her blood heating with anger, her head spinning with pain,
"...no Woohyun, I'm not...I have to wait for Jay..." Aria whispered after a few minutes of silence, even though Woohyun was doing all of these things to her, there was no way she was going to let that keep her away from Jay, not after she spilled her guts on their way to the campus, not after she told Jay that she'd be there for her.
"What did you say!?" Woohyun snapped, grabbing Aria's chin and forcing her to look into his face,
"I said no...I have to wait for Jay..." Aria in a sharp breath as Woohyun began to squeeze her cheeks and wrist again.
"You really like pissing me off don't you?" Aria didn't answer Woohyun, she just remained silent as the tears rolled down her cheeks, her body shaking with the fear of what her boyfriend was capable of doing to her.
"Fine. Go over there with Taeil and wait for Jay...see what happens when I see you again." Woohyun shoved Aria's head into the wall again, this time with so much force that he could hear her head collide with the brick. Aria choked on the gasp that rose in , biting down her lip to keep herself from crying out loud, from alerting Taeil, knowing that the moment she did, that Jay would only pay the price. Woohyun let go of Aria's arm and took a couple of steps away from her, watching the girl as she clutched onto the wall for dear life, slowly wiping the tears away from her eyes and cheeks, trying to clean her face up to the best of her ability with just her sleeve.
"Hurry up Aria, Taeil may be getting suspicious." Woohyun mused mockingly, at his teeth when Aria glared up at him,
"Am I supposed to be frightened?" Woohyun asked nonchalantly, folding his arms across his chest and tilting his head to the side, eyes trained dead on Aria's face.
"You know Aria, you don't look too good...maybe you should go home and...lay down before you pass out or something..." Aria's hands clenched into fist at Woohyun's laughter, the sight of him making her stomach fall and her blood run cold. Despite the violent dizzying pain in her head, Aria still found a way to mask it, to cover it all up as if she were perfectly fine, as if Woohyun had not she smacked her head into a brick wall or crushed her wrist. Aria kept a shy smile on her lips as she and Woohyun walked back over to where Taeil was now standing, pacing back and forth in front of a tree, his knuckles white as he pressed his fist against his legs.
"Okay Aria, I guess I'll catch you tomorrow then. Be safe and stay warm. Please." Woohyun said , his voice sounding as sweet as sugar before pulling Aria into an embrace and squeezing her tight,
"...alright Woohyun, you have a good night, i'll um...I'll...t-talk to you later..." Aria's voice was still a little weak, her breathing still short and a tad delayed, but nothing that was too noticeable, so she thought. Taeil stopped pacing at the sound of Woohyun and Aria's voices, looking out of the corner of his eyes to see the two hugging. Taeil's ears burned at the sound of Aria's voice, nothing but a mere whisper in the air, hesitant, her words stuttered and choppy, so unlike her. Woohyun let go of Aria then, leaning down and whispering in her ear,
"Have fun." Woohyun breathed before running off to his business, the shadow of his head casting on a building wall as he whipped out his phone to answer a call. Woohyun's tone was warning and calm, Aria's heart dropping before beating rapidly, her ability to draw breaths gone. If it were not for the fact that she was seconds from passing out, Aria would have stood there frozen in her spot.
"...Aria? Hey, are you okay?" The sound of Taeil's voice was easily masked by the pain swimming around in Aria's head, but that did not stop her from responding,
"Oh yeah! I'm fine...just a little sleepy...man I wish Jay and Jongwoon would...hurry up..." Aria turned her eyes upon Taeil and smiled weakly before taking a seat on the ground before she could collapse. Taeil kept his eyes on Aria as he too took a seat beside her,
"Are you sure? You look a little out of it..." Aria kept her eyes trained on the building in front of her, breathing steadily as the feeling of nausea washed over her.
"I'm fine Taeil, stop worrying okay? We just...talked...he's such a baby sometimes..." Aria fibbed, shakign her head and plastering a wide grin on her lips before drawing her legs up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them, her nails digging into the palms of her hands as she tried to fight the urge to pass out,
"Are you still cold Aria, you're shaking?" Aria looked up at Taeil and forced a smile,
"I guess I am...I do get cold fairly quick..." Aria lied again, it was true that she got cold really quick, but the cold was not the reason she was trembling, not this time.
Taeil peered over at Aria as he took his jacket off to wrap it around her, but when he moved to drape his jacket over her shoulders, she flinched, as if she was caught off guard or afraid. Aria abruptly glanced at Taeil,
"Oh wow, that's sad...you were sitting there the entire time and you still scared me," Aria shook her head, instantly regretting it the moment she went into a minor state of vertigo,
"...I really am as..jumpy as Jay says..." Aria whispered, shutting her eyes as she warded off the growing feelings of nausea and vertigo. Taeil had an awful feeling about Aria, his heart thumped with a lingering pain that spread through his body like a hungry fire, something was wrong, terribly wrong, but he had absolutely no idea what it was that had him so on the edge, or if his intuition was correct.
She was fine just a minute ago... Taeil thought as he kept his gaze trained on Aria, who was still shaking, but much less than she was a few seconds ago. Aria kept her eyes peeled as she searched the shadows for any signs of Woohyun, the pain in her head tugging at her, her body wanting nothing more than to just shut down, but that was something she could not allow to happen, not when Taeil was right beside her watching her, not when she knew the moment she gave away the fact that Woohyun had been putting his hands on her that he'd go and do anything in his power to hurt Jay.
"So, tomorrow Jay, Daehyun, and I were going to go out for lunch at that one restaurant...i forgot the name of it but it is like a few miles from the campus...do you want to come with us? I mean, I am sure Jay is going to ask you again later, but you know...it doesn't hurt to know a little sooner." Taeil leaned back on his hands, looking up at the moon through the many branches that hang above him as he waited for Aria's response,
"Woohyun can come if he wants." Aria peered over at Taeil and smiled, she knew he did not mean that, that the last person he wanted to see was Woohyun, the last person any of them wanted to see.
"That's sweet Taeil, but I don't think Woohyun will be tagging along...I'll be there though." Taeil sat up and smirked at Aria, glad to know that she was back hanging out with them,
"Cool cool, so we will drop by your history class to pick you up." Aria leaned down ever so diligently, curling up into a ball as the pain trickled through her, she was suddenly so tired that the thought of staying up for another minute seemed impossible.
"Okay, I'll be looking for you." Aria muttered, closing her eyes, allowing the scent on Taeil's jacket to engulf her, along with his warmth and comfort, hoping that it was enough to keep he awake.
"...are you c-cold Taeil?" Aria asked innocently, feeling awful for taking Taeil's only means of warmth. Taeil sat up and looked over at where Aria was last seen sitting, only to find her now curled up into a fetal position,
"Aniyo... jeoneun gwaenchanhayo..." Taeil whispered as he watched Aria's eyelids fall over her eyes, wondering when it was she became so exhausted, how it was that a few minutes ago she was bursting with energy and now she was struggling to stay awake. Taeil sat there for a while, watching Aria as she drifted asleep, his eyebrows furrowed,
"Are you okay Aria?" Taeil sighed, there was no way Aria could hear him, not while she was asleep. A few more minutes passed when Jay and Jongwoon both exited the language building, both of them parting ways as if they did not walk in the doors together an a hour ago, as if they did not know each other. Jay waved her hand over at Taeil, who weakly waved back, a small smile on his lips as he glanced from her over to Aria,
"Is she asleep!?" Jay asked as she approached Taeil and Aria, eyes wide as she looked at the younger girl's balled up body.
"Yeah, she knocked out about...hm....seven minutes ago..." Taeil said, shaking his head and looking away from both girls, mind still churning as he simply wondered about Aria, hoping that she was not sick or anything of the sort.
"Is she okay?" Jay asked, kneeling down and touching Aria's cheek,
"Taeil she's shaking." Taeil looked up suddenly,
"Aish! She must be still cold...We should get her inside..." Jay nodded her head and nudged Aria's shoulder,
"Ary I'm back...we can go now and you can sleep in your bed..." Taeil watched as Jay tried to wake Aria up but every attempt was in vain because she just was not responding.
"Aria come on...I'm sorry I took so long..." Jay exclaimed when Aria did not react to her nudging,
"Taeil why won't she wake up!?" Jay asked, her tone hinting at a frantic one as she shook her dongsaeng, this time a little more roughly. Taeil popped up to his feet and hurried over to Jay and Aria, taking Jay by her hand and pulling her up to her full height, away from Aria before she could freak out.
"Okay Jay look at me, you have to calm down alright?" Jay looked Taeil in his eyes and nodded her head, glancing down at Aria, her heart humping in her chest. Taeil had no idea why it was Aria was not waking up or responding and it was scaring him lifeless, she was just awake a few minutes ago,
"She didn't seem sleepy earlier." Taeil nodded his head,
"That's what i said...she didn't really start showing any signs of exhaustion until after she talked to Woohyun." Jay's eyes widened and her hands clenched into fists, the thought that maybe Woohyun had anything to do with what was happening to Aria blossoming in her head.
"...do you think that bastard did something to Aria? If he did I will kill him...Aria! Aria sweetie you need to wake up. Please!" Jay knelt back down and began to shake her dongsaeng again, but Aria still did not budge. Jay in a big gulp of air, her eyes filling with tears,
"Taeil she's not waking up!" Jay's steady breathing started to waver, and each of her breath that she drew became short and cut off,
"Jay! Jay! You have to calm down, please...for Aria you have to calm down...umm...let's go...we need to get her inside and you need to get your inhaler..." Jay nodded her head, the tears that sparkled in her eyes rolling down her cheeks as she watched Taeil lift Aria up into his arms, her head falling back onto his arm. Taeil peered down into Aria's face, his brow furrowing up with concern as he watched her shallow drags of air, glancing over at Jay to see her concentrating on drawing proper breaths, deciding against telling her about Aria's shortness of breath, knowing that it would only frighten her into an attack.
"Okay Jay let's go." Taeil's voice was soothing and soft, his gaze gentle and hopeful as he looked at Jay, the both of them beginning their short journey to the dorm buildings. Even though Taeil appeared to be calm and relaxed, he was anything but, his heart hammered one hundred miles per minute as he and Jay hurried to the dorms, his head spinning as he pondered all the different reason why Aria would not be waking up, trying his best not to jump to conclusions, trying his best not to believe that somewhere between the five minutes she and Woohyun were talking, that he hurt her in the process.
"Jay how are you doing over there?" Taeil asked, glancing at Jay from the corner of his periphery,
"I-I'm okay..." Jay's voice was nothing but a whisper as she answered Taeil, her eyes trained on the floor ahead of her, she knew if she focused on Aria too much that she would surely relapse, or something close to it. Taeil nodded his head as he hurried up the stairs to Jay and Aria's dorm, Jay right beside him, still drawing steady and concentrated breaths. Jay opened the door to her dorm and stepped inside, heading off to her room where she grabbed her inhaler and took a couple pumps, sitting her bed as she caught her breath and wits about herself. Jay clutched the inhaler in her hand as she stood up and exited her room, hastening over to Aria's room,
"...you go home Taeil, I can...handle it from here..." Jay whispered as she watched Taeil tug Aria's scarf from around her neck,
"It's fine Jay, I will take care of Aria, you just go rest. You have been through a lot lately and the last thing you need is stress...well even more stress...did you take your inhaler?" Jay wrapped her arms around herself,
"Yes." Taeil smiled,
"Good. Don't worry Jay, Aria will be fine. I will make sure of it. Now go rest." Jay nodded her head and smiled weakly,
" Okay Taeil...first let me get her into her sleep clothes." Taeil glanced down at Aria's face and sighed before stepping out of the room so Jay could change Aria's clothes. Taeil stooped down next to Aria's door and put his face in his hands,
"What's happening?" Taeil whispered the question out loud, there was something strange happening to Aria and there was no other explanation than Woohyun. It only made since that Woohyun was behind this, there was no way Aria could be doing perfectly fine one moment, but on the verge of blacking out the second she comes back from talking with Woohyun without something happening to her between that time.
But why wouldn't she tell me if he was hurting her...why wouldn't she tell Jay...? Taeil asked this question as if he was going to get a
definite answer.
"Taeil? You okay?" The sound of Jay's soft voice made Taeil jump in his skin,
"Oh Jay...yes, i am fine." Jay smiled,
"Thank you for doing this Taeil...I'm sorry I can't be mu-" Taeil shook his head,
"No Jay it's fine, you don't have to apologize. Just sleep okay, I can handle things from here." Jay laughed,
"You're too sweet Taeil. Thank you again. I'll be back to check on you two alright? Unless I knock out first." Taeil chuckled,
"Okay Jay, happy sleeping." Jay began toward her room,
"I'll try..." Taeil stood up to his feet and brushed off his shirt before entering Aria's room, going over and taking a seat at the edge of her bed.
"Aria wake up...please wake up...let me see those...gorgeous eyes of yours..." Taeil whispered as he gently Aria's hair and caressed her warm cheek, wishing more than anything that the girl that lay right here before his eyes would just open, that she would whisper his name and grab hold of his hand.
Taeil kept close to Aria, not at all leaving her side, taking his stay in the bed right next her, fighting all the urges to fall asleep right there. Taeil didn't know what else to do as he lay there beside Aria, waiting for her to wake up, waiting to once again look into her beautiful brown eyes, except to sing. It was the only way Taeil could keep calm at a time like this, was for him to sing, it was a way that he could express his emotions without giving way to panic, to tears, but that didn't mean he was any less afraid or worried.
I wish you were awake so you could hear me singing...Taeil thought as he his side and peered at Aria's sleeping figure, bringing a hand up to caress her cheek,
"Come on baby girl...you've got to wake up...for Jay you have to wake up...for me...you have to wake up..." Taeil whispered, twirling a lock of Aria's hair between his fingers before tucking it behind her ear. At his light touch, Aria began to shift around, a rather loud groan escaping as the pain crashed into her head. It took Aria a while to come around from her violently dizzying headache, her eye sight still blurry and a bit doubled as she peered up at her ceiling, only for her view to be obstructed by Taeil's face.
"Uggh~!" Aria cried out as that pain that was in her head spread through her life a wild fire, her head spinning with so much intensity that she felt like she was falling out of the sky.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!" Aria sobbed frantically, drawing her knees up to her chest and clutching at her head, the images of Taeil that were in her eyes being replaced by that of Woohyun.
"Aria? Aria, what's the matter? Why are you apologizing?" Taeil grabbed Aria up, slipping an arm under her waist and lifting her into his arms, she was trembling and muttering, her cheeks wet with tears.
"Aria please...tell me what's the matter with you?" Taeil wiped at Aria's eyes, watching her lips as she continued to mumble under her breath, taking hold of her hands as her trembling intensified,
"N-no...Woo-woohyun..." Aria cried as she opened her eyes and peered into Taeil's face,
"Aria, baby girl you have to talk to me...Aria please...what about Woohyun?" Taeil hugged Aria closer to him and placed a hand at the back of her head, earning from the girl a small whimper and a jump,
"Ahh!" Aria exclaimed, bringing a hand up to the back of her head,
"Aria what's going on with you?" Taeil asked calmly, trying his best to soothe the trembling girl in his arms, taking extra care not to bother her head which was obviously the source of her pain.
"Taeil I am so s-sorry...I sh-should have...listened to you...and Jay..." Aria said in between sobs, her lips trembling so much that she struggled to form words, her voice weak and practically inaudible ,
"Aria what are you talking about? What happened?" Aria shook her head and inhaled sharply,
"Woohyun..." At the sound of Woohyun's name coming forth from Aria's mouth, Taeil's blood ran hot,
"Aria what did he do to you!? I will kill him..." Aria shook her head, her sobs becoming even more loud as the tears she held in all this time came tearing through her,
"No...Taeil please...don't...p-please..." Taeil loosened his grip from around Aria,
"What!? Are you serious!? Tell me why I shouldn't go beat his right now?" Aria parted her lips to speak but nothing came out, between the immense pain in her head and the fear in her mind, she did not know if she could bring herself to tell Taeil the secret she had been keeping from him and Jay this entire month.
"Aria please...talk to me..." Aria shook her head ans hut her eyes, drawing shallow ragged breaths as she collected everything she was going to admit to Taeil, trying hard to find her voice that had been masked by fear.
"...Woohyun...he won't let me go Taeil...he won't let me leave him...and I am so scared...because..." Aria wrapped her arms around Taeil then, squeezing him tightly as the pain in her head surged,
"...no one is supposed to know Taeil...no one...he said he'd hurt Jay...and I can't let that happen..." Aria's voice was muffled in Taeil's shirt but that did not stop him from hearing everything she was staying.
"...has he been hitting you...? Aria I will kill him...." Aria shook her head,
"...N-no Taeil please...if you...if you confront him he'll...Jay...." Aria could not bring herself to complete the sentence,
"...but Aria he is hurting you..." Aria inhaled heavily as the exhaustion she had awoken from came rushing back into her body.
"...ugh...I know...b-but...Jay...I can't let...I can't let him hurt her...and if you....Taeil he'll hurt her if he finds out I told you about this..." Aria's voice was lost as she slipped out of consciousness, her hands grasping tightly onto Taeil's shirt as a wave of pain waxed and waned on her skull.
"Aria!" Taeil's voice cracked as the girl slackened in his arms.
"What did he do to you?" Taeil asked as if he was going to get an answer, but all he got was the faint sound Aria's struggled breathing and the frequent tremors. that passed through her body. Taeil did not ever want to let Aria go, especially when he knew, all this time that he had let her go, that she was being abused by Woohyun, that he was more than likely taking advantage of her and harming her in any way he possibly could think of. Taeil could not even imagine how frightened Aria must be, what kind of fear she has developed, and all because that bastard Woohyun wants to take advantage of such a sweet heart like Aria. Taeil hugged Aria closer to him, nuzzling his nose against her hair,
"...I wish you would have told me earlier jagi...at least then I could have protected you...now...it may just be too late..." Taeil whispered into Aria's hair as he rocked the trembling girl in his arms, afraid that if he let her go for even a second that he'd lose her. There was no way Taeil was going to let Aria sacrifice herself, even if it were to protect Jay, he could not allow Aria to risk her life. Taeil could feel the tears burning in the back of his skull as he held the girl he had grown so fond of in his arms, regretting the moment he let her go on that date with Woohyun.
I could have prevented this... Taeil thought as he recalled the moment he let Aria go, the moment he let Aria slip away from him and into danger's arms.
I swear Aria...the moment I get a chance...Woohyun will pay for what he has done to you... Taeil laid down against Aria's pillows, holding the girl to his chest as if she were an infant,
"You won't have to go through this alone Aria...I promise you won't..." Taeil whispered one last thing into Aria's ear as he slipped the covered up and over their bodies, leaving a lingering kiss on her cheek, brushing a thumb lightly over her lips before once again taking her into a warm and everlasting embrace.
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