CHAPTER 35: Surreal

Jihyo woke up slowly and stared at the ceiling. She remembered what happen last night. 

When both she and Jinyoung crying, suddenly Jinyoung disappeared. She was panic. She screamed calling his name multiple times, but he didn't show up. She blamed herself all night long for being so selfish, by blaming her brother. But her heart was still hurt. She didn't want to accept reality.

Even now, she still wished that everything was only a dream. That Jinyoung was still alive, waiting for her to have a breakfast together. But when she opened her bedroom door, she couldn't find anyone.

-00-

Jihyo went to school while looking down, she thought that she didn't have energy to get through the lessons, but she didn't have anywhere to go except school. 

As she went inside the class, Youngjae directly commented, "What's with your face? Did you cry all night long?"

Jihyo nodded softly.

"What's wrong? Would you tell me?"

"There are so many things happened in my life that I don't understand, Jae.. Even myself confuse how to tell it to you.." answered Jihyo without looking at him.

Youngjae tried to understand. "That's okay.. Just tell me when you're ready.."

Jihyo looked up and said "Thank you.."

At the same time, Mina came to the class. It was her first day going back to the class after her suicidal attempt. Jihyo didn't catch up the news about Mina's father for the past two days, but she was sure, Mina still needed friend by her side to get through this critical situation. 

"May I go sit with Mina?" Jihyo asked Youngjae.

"Sure.."

Jihyo went to sit next to Mina and was welcomed by Mina's sad smile. She directly commented,, "Your eyes are swollen."

"Yours too.." Jihyo replied and then they were laughing together.

"How are you? Sorry that I'm not calling you for the past two days.. "

Mina chuckled, "You're not calling me for the past year, you know.."

"Ah, that's right! My bad.." They were laughing again for a while, before Mina's expression changed to become serious.

"Actually, my mom called last night."

Jihyo was surprised, "Your mom?"

"My biological mom, Myoui Mizu." Mina looked down. "I thought I will be screaming madly at her for abandoning me, but I.. I only cried.. I only cried listening to her voice, listening to every words she told.. and that made me think.. so this is my mom's voice.. she finally called me.."

Jihyo listened to Mina saying and felt embarrassed, she turned down her mom even though she knew it was not her mom's mistake that she lost her in the first place.

Knowing that Jihyo looked down, Mina asked, "What's wrong Jihyo ya?" 

"Nothing.." Jihyo tried to hide her expression by asking, "So, what will your mom do about this? I mean, after your dad scandal.."

"She said she'll try to take me out from the house." 

"Really?" Jihyo opened her eyes widely.

Mina nodded lightly. "But I don't want to expect anything from her.. Even just calling me is hard for her, what's with taking me out from the house.." Mina looked down and  slowly whispered, "I really want to meet her.."

Jihyo looked at Mina, somehow it made her heart aches. She really wanted to meet her mom, but she can't, meanwhile Jihyo didn't want to meet her mom even her mom must beg for it. She felt like a bad person.

-00-

At lunch time, Youngjae, Bambam, Yugyeom, and Dahyun were in one table. Dahyun waved her hand as she saw Jihyo coming. But then Jihyo came to their table with Mina.

"Why'd you bring her here?" Dahyun directly asked.

"Is it alright? She's our friend.." Jihyo answered as she put down her napkin and sat next to Dahyun.

But Mina was still standing. "You all must be uncomfortable being in the same table with me.. I better go." She bowed and then wanted to walk away, but Jihyo held her hand.

"No. Stay here." Jihyo said firmly. She turned to Dahyun, Yugyeom, Bambam, and Youngjae and asked, "You all don't mind if she eat with us, right?" Jihyo stared at them and kinda forced them to say yes, but Dahyun, Yugyeom, and Bambam avoided her gaze and remained silent.

Youngjae observed Jihyo for a while, he slightly smiled that the powerful Jihyo was back.He concluded, "Yes, that's okay.. let's just stop the fuss and eat."

Mina stole glance at Youngjae and then sat next to Jihyo. Slowly she started to apologize. "I'm sorry if I ever hurt you all. Especially you, Dahyun.."

Dahyun tilted her head to see Mina and said, "You should ask Jihyo forgiveness. You hurt her more than you hurt me."

Jihyo responded fast, "She had apologize to me and I already forgive her."

Dahyun was startled, but then she said, "Okay then, if Jihyo has already forgive you. Then why won't I?" Dahyun reached out her hand initiating a handshake to Mina.

Mina was surprised by Dahyun's generosity to forgive her this easily. She slowly shook Dahyun's hand and then smiled.

Seeing Mina smiled making Jihyo happy. Start from now, let's just be real good friends, Mina. Not only with me, but with them too. Jihyo also smiled as she looked at Dahyun, Yugyeom, and Bambam one by one, but then when she looked at Youngjae, he was staring at her. Jihyo directly looked down, feeling nervous. Meanwhile Youngjae was smiling by himself to see Jihyo nervous.

-00-

When Jihyo and Mina went back to the class, there was already something written on the white board. We don't want to be in the same class with Corrupt Trash x Japanese right winger's daughter!

Mina was shocked, she froze in the class door. Meanwhile Jihyo directly erased it all and yelled, "Please don't do this again!"

Junhwe responded, "Ya Jihyo, we want to get a revenge for what she did to you!" 

Donghyuk added, "Don't you remember, she did the exact thing to you back then?"

Jihyo softened her voice. "Please don't do this. I know how it feel to be bullied. I don't want anyone else feel it too, including Mina."

"Woah, Jihyo ya, you're a saint." Junhwe responded sarcastically. And that made the whole class laughing.

"I'M NOT KIDDING!" Jihyo burst out. "And about her dad, why'd you throw his mistake on Mina? Does she know it? You might not have any idea what your dad do, right? So PLEASE, don't insult her because of her dad." Jihyo said fast and full of emotion. 

As she tried to normalize her heartbeat, Mina approached and told her, "Jihyo, enough.." Mina then turned to see the others. "If my dad has proven to be guilty, then I apologize on his behalf." Mina paused to collect a courage to say, "And I also apologize if I ever hurt you. Please forgive me.." Mina bowed 90 degrees.

The class went silent. It was a rare moment to see Mina bow to other. Didn't have a heart to see Mina bowing any longer, Sana and Momo ran to hug Mina. "I'm sorry, Mina.." "I'm sorry..."

-00-

At the end of the class, Jaebum was waiting for Jihyo in front of the school. But then he saw Youngjae walking alone. He called him. "Choi Youngjae!"

Youngjae looked up and approached him. As he stopped in front of Jaebum, he directly said, "Jihyo is still in the back with Mina.."

"Okay.. I want to talk with you." Jaebum responded shortly.

You take was surprised. "With me?"

"Yeah.. I'm sorry about last Saturday. I selfishly brought Jihyo without considering your feeling. I just want us to stay --"

"That's okay.." Youngjae simply said and bowed.

But when he started walking, Jaebum stopped him with saying, "Just confess!"

Youngjae turned to see Jaebum and gave him a questioning look.

"Yeah, just confess your feeling to Jihyo. Let her know. Let it go" Jaebum told Youngjae firmly.

Youngjae furrowed his eyebrows, feeling more confused. "I swear it's better this way.."

Youngjae's answer made Jaebum mad. "Ya! Let go your feeling, you punk! Get rid of it! Make your heart at peace. Yell at me! Or do anything you want! Please stop looking at me that way.."

Youngjae still furrowed his eyebrows. "How am I looking at you?"

"You look at me like I'm a bad person.. Like I really hurt you by stealing Jihyo from you. Which is NOT the case, because I'm not stealing, she belongs to no one before me."

Youngjae chuckled. "Alright, Hyung. I'm just going to close my eyes every time I met you.." He said that and went away, leaving Jaebum calling him to go back."Ya! You! Seriously.."

At the same time, Jihyo approached Jaebum. "Jaebum ssi?"

Jaebum turned his body to see her. "Oh? Jihyo ya?"

"What are you doing here?" Jihyo simply asked.

"Picking you up, of course." He gave her a broad smile, but then he noticed there was someone next to Jihyo. "Mmm, wait. Is she the one who--"

Knowing what Jaebum would say next, Mina excused to go. "Jihyo ya, I'll go.."

Mina bowed to Jaebum before she go.

Jaebum looked at her in confuse and turned to Jihyo to ask, "Are you friends with her right now?"

"I always friends with her." Jihyo simply answered as she started to walk.

Jaebum and Jihyo were walking together to the bus stop and there they have conversation.

"Jihyo ya, I have listened the story from Mr. & Mrs. Park. Don't you want to listen from their point of view?" Jaebum asked Jihyo, but she was stayed silent. Jaebum asked again, "Don't you think you need to give them chance to explain everything?"

Jihyo looked down, but slowly she answered. "I'm afraid, Jaebum ssi.."

"Afraid?" Jaebum was confused by Jihyo answer.

"They showed up and told me that they are my parents feels surreal to me. Where are they for the past years? I'm afraid that I can't accept their reason and going to hate them more.." Jihyo explained.

"I know it must be hard for you.. But will you feel at ease if you push them away like this for such a long time?" Jaebum then held Jihyo's hand and said, " I  know deep inside your heart you didn't want to do this.. Don't be too hard on yourself, Jihyo ya.."

Jihyo looked at Jaebum in the eyes and felt touched by his words. Somehow it made her heart warm. 

But then Jaebum ssaid "I know it, because you won't run to them in the first place if you don't want forgive them. Am I right?"

Jihyo suddenly felt bitter. The one who Jaebum talked about was not her but Jinyoung. At the same time their bus was coming, Jihyo let go of Jaebum's hand as she stood up and queue to get inside the bus.

Jaebum was surprised that Jihyo let go of his hand, but he thought that it was because Jihyo felt shy. Once they went inside the bus, Jaebum held Jihyo's hand and led her to sit in the back. 

As they sat side by side, Jaebum intertwined his hand with Jihyo's hand that made Jihyo more surprised. She looked up to Jaebum in confuse.

Jaebum replied with a smile. "Don't let it go.. Hold it tight, Jihyo ya.."

Jihyo looked at how their hands were intertwined. It feels...

"It feels surreal, right?"

Jihyo looked at Jaebum, surprised that he seems read her mind.

"It feels surreal to me that now I can hold your hand like this.. that now we are together like this.." Jaebum also looked at how their hands intertwined. "It feel surreal, but it is better like this, right? So don't be scared to meet your parents, Jihyo ya.. Who knows it will be better if you can hold their hands like this.."

Jaebum's words shot Jihyo's heart. Somehow she agreed. She didn't know what will turn out but she already avoid it. She looked at Jaebum and smiled softly.

-00-

While Jaebum and Jihyo on the way home, Jinyoung was sitting on a large bench with Scheduler in front of the house.

"Hyungnim, you must be hating me, right?" Jinyoung asked Sungjin.

"I don't hate you. Moreover, I felt so thankful to you for loving Jisoo more than I love her. You're a super brother!" Sungjin gave him thumbs up.

But it made Jinyoung chuckle. "Heol, you make me more guilty." He heaved a sigh then asked, "So the girl you're ta