“Jiyong: Let’s break up.

Jiyong: Yes I am. Isn’t this what you want anyway.”

It was official. Chaerin and Jiyong were over. Chaerin felt a sense of relief coming over her, but yet in her heart, she felt this sharp pain that she couldn’t explain. Indeed, she had wanted this breakup since two weeks ago as guilt was getting too much for her to bear. She could not continue with this relationship as much as she knew she was reliant on Jiyong now. For the sake of Hanna, Chaerin felt that there was no way she could face Hanna as a friend if she continued being in a relationship with Jiyong. “Yes. I did the right thing. This is what I should have done long ago.”

That night, Chaerin could neither eat nor drink during dinner. She felt so restless and lifeless, and she did not want to do anything at all. She retired to her bedroom right after dinner and crumbled to the floor, back against her bedroom door. In her room, Christmas presents from Hanna and Jiyong were lying on her table, and pictures of the Iron Triangle smiling happily were plastered on her wall. Looking at all those things that reminded her of the happy times the Iron Triangle spent together, Chaerin could no longer suppress her tears and started sobbing profusely. She felt sorry to both Hanna and Jiyong, the latter especially. She knew he was broken even though he was the one who initiated it, as she could tell from his tone in his texts. She felt bad that she could not be there for him, and even more for the fact that he was hurting because of her.

Her tears were flowing profusely, and as if this was not enough, her iPod on shuffle mode suddenly played a song titled 'Lonely'. Listening to every syllable of the song, Chaerin gained an insight to the deeper meaning of the song, now fully understanding the lyrics of the song:

“The words I’m saying right now,

I don’t know if they’ll hurt you.

They’ll probably make you hate me forever.

You, saying that I’m not the same as I used to be

is not completely untrue.

This changed me into a stranger to myself as well.

…

Baby I’m sorry, even when I’m with you I’m lonely

I must be lacking when it comes to love

Please forgive this horrible person I am.

I’m sorry, this is our story

I must not be worthy of this thing called love

even though I’m by your side.

…

You didn’t do anything wrong

I’m the strange one

It seems I’ve already been prepared long ago for our breakup

I really wanted to treat you well

Out of all times, why is it when I’m confronted by love

I’m shrinking away and am lonely endlessly”

Listening to the song, it was as though her emotions slowly built up in her. All the pain, sadness, anger, frustration and guilt. The song stimulated her emotions and eventually peaked. Chaerin ran towards her wall with all the photographs of the Iron Triangle and started tearing them off her wall, tears spilling over her eyelids and trickling down her face to her shirt. Her entire face and top of her shirt were wet with tears, and the photographs lay tattered on the floor of her bedroom.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Chaerin only allowed herself to break down that one night. The next day, she went to school with a fake smile plastered to her face. It was Hanna’s and her mutual friend, Jihoon’s birthday. Long before the saga yesterday, Hanna and Chaerin had planned to celebrate Jihoon’s birthday before lessons started today. Hence, Chaerin could only act as if nothing had happened.

Hanna and Chaerin spoke to each other, teasing Jihoon about his birthday as if it was just like any other day. But both of them knew that there was something huge that had changed in their lives, but they were running away or hiding from it for now. As proof that they are definitely soul mates, both had the same thought: “For today, let’s just celebrate Jihoon’s birthday in peace and act like our usual selves. Let’s not let us affect Jihoon’s birthday and the light atmosphere for the day.”

How long more can Hanna and Chaerin act as though nothing happened? How long more can Hanna take of silently supporting Chaerin and Jiyong? That leaves Hanna to find out on her own.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Author's Note: Double update here for all my lovely readers! I decided to make this a double update, each showing Jiyong and Chaerin's PoV so that the whole story would not seem so Hanna-centric. But anyway, I guess the end should be coming soon in a few chapters! Didn't think i would get this far but thank you everyone for your support and comments so far! It really warms my heart :) So PLEASE SUBSCRIBE AND COMMENT! THANK YOU :D