제37회 

The moment that bouquet went into the dustbin, her heart shattered into a thousand pieces.

When he didn't even bother to look back, it shattered a thousand more.

It's my fault. She picked up the bouquet; thankfully the dustbin had zero content that could stain its petals. He bought her roses.

Three roses spell for...

Her body stiffened in front of the elevator. What if Hoya changes his mind and decides to come back?

She hoped.

The kiss, the confessions, the revelations and the hatred she earned; it's a lot to take in.

"I didn’t do it just to see you give up like this."

Confused, Yejin lifted her gaze towards Woohyun. The latter shrugged, his hands pocketed while showing off a smirk. No doubt, it's sarcasm. Immediately she hissed. "Stop talking in riddles. I have enough headaches for one day.” Her voice went bitter, losing traits of optimistic Yejin to a mental breakdown. It was his fault for coming to me like that- Wait. She paused. “You did that on purpose?"

Nothing but an act?

"Yah! That's not funny! You can't just randomly confess to people and kiss them!"

For the first time ever, Shin Yejin blew her top off.

The smirk vanished. His gaze focused on the bouquet, her lips and lastly her eyes. Subtly he tasted his own lips without Yejin noticing.

Yejin, on the other hand, was far from amused by Woohyun's mysterious intention. The thought, however, somehow riled her up. I'm not a doll. I have feelings. She frowns some more.

Oblivious to the fact, he shot a boring look. “If anyone knows better, it should be you.”

Me? She lowered her gaze, stopping at his hands. She can imagine the impact of force delivered at each strike. Sungkyu bled though. Yejin continued being discreet about showing her concern. She has yet to forgive him for staging the confession.

Woohyun swallowed hard. I know now. "I'm leaving." He announced, pressing the elevator button to go down. "Woohyun," She bit her lip, slightly contemplating of whether to say it or not. "Y-your hand, uh... Go bandage it or something."

All of a sudden, she dares not to look at him right in the eye.

He replied with a nod and a reassuring smile, neglecting the heavy feeling in her chest before the metal door closes.

His true expression remains a secret.

Sungkyu's gone. Seolhee's gone. Hoya's gone. Woohyun's gone. They're all gone and mad at me. Who wouldn't?

All she had left was unbearable amount of guilt.

= = = = = = =

"I will tell her. Take care. Bye,"

Seolhee heard the whole conversation from across the room. She averted her gaze to the window, focusing on the fallimg raindrops instead.

It is funny how anger made her drive all the way to Kangwon. She called in sick both for her and Woohyun, turned off her phone and showed up crying on her father's doorstep about two hours later.

The left side of the couch sinks from his body weight. His daughter had not utter a single word since she came, only staring at her phone or spacing out. "That was Yejin," Surprisingly, she rolled her eyes as if the name was foreign.

Seolhee rarely gives in to emotions in matters of trivial conflicts.  In years of their friendship, the girls barely argued. “I didn’t know you have a boyfriend. When are you going to introduce him to me?”

Hearing his name makes her heart ache. She bit her lip hard to refrain herself from tearing up.

What is there to cry about? He already confessed to her. They already kissed. All that’s left is for him to dump me. “He’s not my boyfriend.” Not anymore. The shade of blue sky gradually turns to dark grey, occasionally thunder made its appearances in flashes of white and grumbling sounds. Soon, droplets of rain will be showering the Earth.

Great. Even Nature joins her in sorrow.

It wasn’t long before her prediction came true. The chilly, rainy weather slightly makes her shiver. Her father went back upstairs, figuring the best he could do for now is to give her time to herself.  

Umma. She misses her mother at these times. She’ll know what to do, usually comforting her with a lullaby which melts her stress away.

“My beautiful sunflower.” She used to call her that.

“My name is Shin Yejin. I just moved in from Busan. I hope we can get along,” Her introduction partially describes her personality; bright and friendly.

She was about to turn around when the new girl stood before her. "Seolhee, right?" She responded to the name with a slight nod. Being the opposite of her character, Seolhee was unsure of how to greet the new girl.

Unlike her, Seolhee had zero confidence.

“I saw you earlier. I think you’re pretty, I wanted to tell you that,”

Off all the words, she didn’t expect that. 

“Seolhee, I’m sorry…”

It was the words she didn’t want to hear. She’d rather hear his excuses, anything but an apology.

“You are the girl that I chose. The only girl for me.  I want you to remember that.”

Lies. They’re all lies.  The images of Sungkyu and Yejin locking lips; between reality and hallucination she can’t tell apart. Not anymore.

Her only wish is to stop the flowing tears.

= = = = = = =

Koreans are crazy about alcohols. They have all kinds of alcohols; beer, soju, makgeolli, wine, you name it. They drink for every occasion or for any excuses they can come up with. Even at company dinners, we have to drink even if we don’t want to.

Which is why I don’t understand why people love to drink?

Alcohol is bad for your health. It damages your system in long term run. Alcoh