“I don’t understand, Somi! You can’t just start rumours, screw up all your friendships and then tell me you love me! It’s not fair!” Yoojung cried.

“Fine. Let me tell you a story about my life. Let me tell you about me. The real me.”

“Somi… You’re scaring me…”

“Listen, here’s my story. I’m sure it will cover everything.”

~~~

Yoojung just nodded her head and waited for the younger girl to speak. Although, she had a feeling that there was no story or that the other girl wouldn’t tell her as she looked like she was deep in thought, contemplating whether to tell her or not. Yoojung just tried to avoid eye contact with the girl so she felt less pressured. Not that it made a difference. After what felt like hours even though it was probably only five minutes maximum, Somi finally spoke again.

“Yoojung, when I tell you this. I don’t want you to judge me. I’ve never told this to anyone before and I’m actually kind of nervous.” Somi’s voice was full of fear.

Yoojung bit her lip and nodded. “I would never judge you over something you tell me, Somi.” She tried to reassure the girl, even though it was her who needed the reassurance because Somi’s words and actions were actually frightening her.

“Oh, but you already have.” Somi chuckled bitterly. “You and the rest. You’ve all judged me.”

“Because you screwed us over!” Yoojung raised her voice slightly, startling Somi. Yoojung really didn’t want to fight. Especially not now. Right now, she just wanted Somi to tell her the truth and open up to her. Taking a breath to calm down, she spoke again. “Please Somi, just tell me the truth. I don’t want to fight any more.”

“I’m sorry.” The younger girl apologized sincerely. She exhaled a deep breath through her nose.

Yoojung couldn’t help but notice that the younger girl was shaking, her breathing was heavy and Yoojung was sure she could see tears forming in her eyes. “Somi… You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to talk about it. It’s okay.” She said softly.

Somi immediately shook her head ‘no.’ “No, Yoojung. I need to. Just let me calm my nerves first.”

Yoojung knew that there was no point arguing with her. It would just create more drama and probably make Somi create more new rumours.

“Alright, Yoojung. So, basically I wanted to get your attention.”

“You had my attention. Somi, you were one of my best friends.” Yoojung argued.

“No! If you’ll listen to me. I wanted your attention all to myself. I wanted you to focus on me and no one else. Not Doyeon, not Sohye, not Nayoung. No one. Just me.”

Yoojung blinked. She had no idea what to say to that. I mean, what could you say? When your best friend basically tells you that she wants to be the centre of your attention 24/7.

“Scared, huh?” Somi smirked and laughed.

Yoojung frowned. Is Somi getting some sort of sadistic kick out of scaring her? What the ? “I…I’m not sure what I’m supposed to say to that.” Yoojung tried to keep her cool and put a brave face on.

“Pfft. Anyways,” Somi shuffled on the bench, trying to get as comfortable as you can get on a wooden park bench. “I never got attention from my family when I was a child. Shocking, right?” Somi bitterly laughed. “I thrived for their attention. That’s why I learnt how to sing because even if it was just them telling me to ‘shut up’ and ‘stop singing,’ I’d be getting their attention.”

“But you seem close to your parents… I don’t understand.” Yoojung was full of confusion. How did she not know that Somi wasn’t getting attention at home? Was everything she knew about Somi a lie?

“Eh, it’s more of an act. We pretend to be the perfect family but really we’re all ignoring each other. My father is supposedly always busy with work,” Somi rolled her eyes. “And my mother… Well, since we moved here from Canada… She just hasn’t been around much.”

“I’m sorry.” Yoojung had no idea what to say.

“Don’t be.” Somi shrugged. “Anyway, I always used to feel upset and lonely about it. I was outcasted in school, no one wanted to be my friend because I was mixed race. Hell, I even got bullied for it.” Somi turned to face Yoojung and tried to create eye contact with her. “But then, Yoojung,” the younger girl gently placed her hand under Yoojung’s chin and gently pushed her head up so that she could properly see her face. “Then I met you.”

“Me?” Yoojung’s voice was shaky.

“Yes, you. You made me smile and laugh and feel somewhat accepted.” Somi smiled. “You made me feel wanted and I never wanted to lose that feeling.”

“What about the others?”

“Yeah, the other’s also helped me but there’s just something about you. Choi Yoojung. You are special to me.” Somi punctuated the last full stop by pausing as she said it. Without realizing she was holding the older girl’s hand and would squeeze it after every word.

“Thank you.” Yoojung nervously chuckled, trying to remove her hand from Somi’s grip as she didn’t want to make Doyeon think that something was going on when it wasn’t.

“But then,” Somi sighed, her eyes going darker and her nostrils flaring up. “Then Doyeon came along and ruined it all.”

“Doyeon, did what?” Yoojung blinked. She was completely lost now.

“Doyeon, she stole you from me. She got your attention. You started ditching us to have your after school lessons with her.”

“That was one time!” Yoojung defended.

“Yes, maybe so but still! I needed you, Yoojung. I needed your attention and I felt like I had completely lost you. So I started the rumours about you and Doyeon to try and separate you and for a moment, I thought it worked! She got into the fake relationship with Suyeon and everything was going to plan… But then, then you had that ing library talk.” Somi gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. “And she said she wished she could call you her girlfriend.”

“So, you were jealous because you felt like if I dated her, I’d forget about you?” Yoojung asked, slowly beginning to understand.

“Yes. And then that stupid confrontation with everyone.” Somi sighed. “That confrontation… That’s when I knew I liked you as more than a friend. Seeing you hurt just made me feel nauseous and knowing that it was because of me… That felt like a punch to the stomach.”

“You must have known that you starting a rumour would hurt me though.” Yoojung said. She was trying to act cold again because she didn’t want to seem soft and easy. She wanted people to take her seriously and not use her forgiving nature against her.

“I didn’t think of the consequences properly. I’m sorry.” Somi apologized. “I’m not trying to blame my parents for their actions either, by the way. I know that it was my choices and actions that broken our trust and ruined our friendship. But I just felt like you should know why I became so desperate to keep you.”

“To keep me?” Yoojung felt somewhat offended by Somi’s words. “I’m not and never was, yours. So you could never keep me.”

“You were my best friend!” Somi cried out, hurt and anger was present in her voice and eyes. “I never wanted to lose you and I did… I lost you to someone who spent their whole high school life bullying you.”

Yoojung didn’t know what to say now. Somi was right. They were best friends and she had been spending time with Doyeon, the person who she should resent after everything that she put her though. And yet, here she was… Basically forgiving Doyeon but not Somi. It didn’t make any sense.

“Please, Yoojung. Please forgive me… Just give me one more chance.” Somi pleaded, desperation in her voice.

“I…” Yoojung hesitated. “I can forgive you but not fully. Same with Doyeon. I can forgive you but never fully trust you or forget what you have done.”

Somi nodded. “I understand… But I thought you’ve forgiven Doyeon?”

“Not completely. As I said; I can forgive but never forget.”

“Yoojung, I just want to say this one last time… I’m sorry and I love you.”

“Somi… I’m sorry but I only like you as a friend.” Yoojung felt bad. The girl had just confessed her feelings and opened up to her properly, and yet she couldn’t give her the answer that she desired.

“You love Doyeon.” Somi said it so that it sounded more like a statement than a question.

Yoojung bit her lip and lowered her head. “I’m not sure, Somi. I’m not sure if I love anyone.”

“Well, I love you.” Somi told her again, as if it would change her mind.

“I’m sorry, Somi. I don’t love you.” Yoojung watched as tears dripped down the younger girl’s cheek. Soon enough, she felt tears flowing down her cheeks too.

This was a mess.

She couldn’t fathom how it happened but she wanted it to end.

~~~ Author’s Note~~~

Hey guys! So here it is… Somi’s backstory. I hope it lived up to your expectations, haha.

Thank you for subscribing, upvoting, commenting and taking the time to read this story! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Have a great day/night! :D <3