Jisoo sat on the edge of her bed, trying to sort her scattered thoughts. She was tired; tired from crying, tired of being pushed around, tired of this push and pull game Taehyung kept playing. His mixed signals were draining her emotionally and mentally.

Her usual sparkling, vibrant chocolate eyes were now dull from crying and dark circles colored her face, making her look sick. Looking in the mirror frightened her. The soft vibration from her phone garnered a small response from Jisoo but she opted to ignore the call.

After five minutes of constant ringing, however, impatience won over and she pressed the ‘OK’ button.

“Hello?” she said wearily.

“Are you alright, Kitty?” Yoongi’s worried voice questioned.

She heard some scuffling in the background before a new voice spoke through the phone.

“Open up. We’re at your door,” Jimin said sternly, not taking no for an answer.

The phone went dead and Jisoo just stared at the screen before rising slowly to walk to the door. As soon as she opened it, Yoongi, Hoseok and Jimin came barreling in while Jin, Jungkook and Namjoon followed more calmly.

“Wow, um, you look…” Jungkook started, trailing off as he took in her appearance.

“What do you guys want?” Jisoo asked bluntly.

“Are those gummy bears?” Jimin blurted out, ignoring her question as he crossed her room and snatched up the plastic bag on her nightstand.

Namjoon shrugged at her in an almost apologetic way. “You’re never gonna get rid of him now.”

A few minutes later, the boys and Jisoo were settled around her small room in a circle, munching on the gummy bears in silence. No one spoke, almost as if they were afraid that if the silence broke then all hell would break loose.

“Jisoo.” Namjoon cleared his throat quietly, then suddenly it was clear that this was the real reason they came to visit her that night. “Do you…do you like Taehyung?”

She paused midway from eating a gummy bear and looked to him before turning her gaze to Yoongi, who averted her stare by looking down. “I think you already know the answer to that,” she said, nudging her chin in Yoongi’s direction. That tattletale.

“Yoongi told us you did but we want to hear it from you directly. We need to know,” Namjoon said, a strain in his voice.

She stared at him hard, her gaze unwavering and piercing. “Don’t tell him…”

A beat of silence overcame the group before Jin spoke up.

“Since when?” he asked quietly.

“Probably ten seconds before the Suzy fiasco?” Jisoo guessed sarcastically.

Jin flinched, as did Jungkook and Hoseok.

“Look, it’s not a big deal. I’ll just fold these feelings by myself. I don’t need a pity party. I’m sick of being pitied,” Jisoo spat, anguish and anger mixed in her voice.

“I think it’s a bigger deal than you think. I think Taehyung likes you too—“ Hoseok started.

“Stop!” Jisoo slammed her hand on the nightstand. “Just… stop. Don’t give me false hope like that just for him to crush me with his words again. I’m done, okay? I thought that maybe this could work but it obviously can’t and I’m sure he would say the same. So please, just stop.”

“Jisoo….” Yoongi said solemnly.

“Please leave.” She stood abruptly, making her way to the door. She yanked open the creaky, wooden door and stared at the boys. “I want to be alone.”

Slowly, they filed out of her room, each of them sparing her a sorrowful glance but Jisoo kept her eyes glued to the ground. She didn’t want them to see that she was a hair away from another emotional breakdown.

They had all already seen her cry one too many times. After they left, she closed the door softly behind them and leaned against it, sliding to the ground. Wrapping her arms around her knees, she rest her chin on her legs.

She didn’t belong here.

Eunbi, Sujin, Taehyung, everyone… They were right. A city girl like her didn’t belong in downtown Seoul.

She was a crybaby; fragile, weak… pathetic.

Before her train of thought could go any further, she cut it off.

No more pity parties…. No mor