Part 7: Familiar Warmth

“Why you’re here?”

Never had Jiyong looked at her with the expression he had right now. His eyes were red, which pictured his broken heart, his resentment. His muscles tensed up and it’s slowly hurting her wrist. He wasn’t aware though, how could he? His mind was circled on her reply, it wanted the answer so bad.

When he found her, standing in front of his chamber door, he nearly believed it. It seemed like a dream, and even if it was, he wished he wouldn’t ever wake up. But then, when reality dragged him back to his state, he remembered his pain, his scream, his frustration that he earned today. It was so painful and drove him crazy, he needed someone to blame. He believed he didn’t deserve to be treated like this. The pain he bore this whole time was someone’s fault, but it wasn’t him, certainly. He wasn’t the one creating this pain, because he loved her, he tried his best to stay in love with her, because it’s what seemed right. There wasn’t other options, he only followed his feeling.

But looking at her at the moment had blurred his mind. Then strange and odd questions began coming back and forth, filling his head, confusing him. In which he had been living in unbreakable pain, why she was not? Why she looked as if she’s fine with everything that happened to him? Why she ditched him for someone he never learnt before? Why?

What happened to her, to Jung Eunji he loved dearly? Where was the girl who once said she loved him? Why he was left alone, in the battle which victory didn’t seem engaging anymore? Why he even bothered this mess if he wouldn’t gain anything at the end? What was this?

This mess led to a new feeling, and he’s aware of the unfamiliar heat running through his body, filling his veins with this new anger.

“Answer me,” he said between his tensed jaw. “Why you’re here inside my house?! You have no right, do you even know that?!”

It’s right. He was right. This girl had no right standing in front of him, inside his house, as if she’s in a mission, perhaps to mock him, or to pity him, or anything, which the sane him would never believe. He was out of that state though. Nothing could help.

She watched him with shimmering eyes. She was a bit shaking if only he could see. It was new, this fear. It was never introduced to her, that he had this side. It’s scaring and breaking her heart at the same time. But then, there was no way she wouldn’t be moved by how awful he looked like right now. There were missing puzzles and it should be able to explain this new look on his eyes.

“I w-was, it’s … I–

“Looking for something Yang Yoseob cannot give you?”

“What?” Her eyes widened in confusion. The name surprised her. “Yoseob oppa has nothing to do with all of this,” she said bold and clear.

Eunji seemed returning to her composed state and it only made his muscle tense up again.

“Oh really? Yoseob oppa has nothing to do with this?” he repeated her sentence with vivid disgust between his words. “It must be great, right? To have an oppa next to you, it must be the easiest way to forget me, right? Are you using him? Or this Yoseob oppa uses you?”

“Sunbae!” she snapped, yanking her hand so hard. Yet, Jiyong was too strong, he didn’t plan to let her go. Eunji growled in frustration. Mimicking his anger, she looked up into his eyes, “Leave him alone. I told you he has nothing to do with us!”

“I wish I can trust you,” he mumbled in disbelief.

“It’s the truth!” she shouted. “What happened to you? This is not you,” she continued with such disappointed tone. “What you did to him? This is not Kwon Jiyong I know!”

“Oh, finally!” he barked, “now you have time to wonder what has happened to me. Should I be thankful?!” he released her hand harshly. It surely left a mark, but none of them paid attention. “Have you even wondered how I’ve been living this whole year?! Have you?! This is not ing easy for me! I loved you, and I still do! I am still ing in love with you! But what I gain for this stupid love, YOU LEAVE ME FOR ANOTHER GUY!”

“I SAID IT’S NOT TRUE!” she yelled even louder.

Completely sank into the anger, she pushed him hard so that she could walk passing him.

Jiyong was lost for two seconds.

It’s not true she said. It was not. Did that mean there wasn’t Yang Yoseob?

Wait.

The late realization dragged him back to his composure. Jiyong immediately turned around, striding towards her direction.

“Eunji, we haven’t finished,” he grabbed her hand again, but she yanked it so quickly, ignoring the change of his voice and continued walking.

Eunji was almost reached the hallway when Jiyong grabbed her wrist again, this time tighter. He pinned her to the wall, right next to his aesthetic glass cabinet.

“I’ve done with you, I’ve done with all of this, this is hurt, Sunbae. Please stop!” she yelled and begged at the same time, with tears falling down her cheeks.

“And do you think this is easy for me?! It is not! That’s why answer me, at least,” he pleaded frustratingly, “just tell me why you’re here? This is giving me stupid hope!”

She avoided the look in front of her, crying by herself. It certainly wasn’t easy for both of them, it hurt her, seeing this new side of him. Today, Jiyong showed her not only his skinny shape, but also his scary temper, but more than any of those, it’s the vivid pain reflected by his eyes which broke her so bad. And all of this scared her. Because clearly if she’s more honest with herself, she would immediately drag herself into him, which her other half strongly opposed, which her sisters despised so much.

“Please,” he begged her, weakly, tiredly. His tears escaped again, falling down his cheeks, just like hers.

She lifted her chin, eventually bringing hers