The young man threw one ball after another against the gym wall. His face filled with frustration. He was angry that he couldn’t protect Taeyeon; he couldn’t even protect the girl he likes.

Flashes of what happened a few weeks ago at school made him threw the ball even harder. The taunting, the whisperings as Taeyeon walked down the hall, the students’ sneer and malicious rumors…and the school’s lack of support really put him in a foul mood.



Irene stood at the sideline shaking her head at Jiyong as he continues to torture himself.

“I’m leaving Jiyong. You’re really pathetic you know that?” Irene chided and turned to leave but stopped when Jiyong shouted,



“Wait!”



He walked up to her and shoved his hands in his back pocket, his feet shifting awkwardly. He hesitated as if he did not really want to know the truth but had to ask for the sake of his sanity. He glanced at the ground, his eyes avoiding hers.



“Irene…is she really pregnant?” Jiyong asked holding his breath.



Irene felt her heart constricted; she wanted to cry for her friend...for both Jiyong and Taeyeon. Jiyong, the boy Taeyeon had loved all through middle school and high school finally took notice of her…and it was too late.



“Yes, she really is pregnant.” Irene said sadly. Jiyong took the news calmly but Irene noticed his hands balling up into fists, it was clenched so hard Irene fear he might injured himself. For a moment Irene thought Jiyong was going to cry. His eyes brimmed with unshed tears, but he conveniently sneezed hard, then he wiped his eyes and nose with his sweaty t-shirt.



“I didn’t know she have a boyfriend.” He said to himself. Nonchalantly as if the news didn’t hurt him at all, he chuckled,



“If I had known she already had a boyfriend I wouldn’t have made a fool of myself by giving her the couple rings.”



Irene scowled at him and hissed,



“You really are a fool! You think if Taeyeon really had a boyfriend she wouldn’t already introduce you to him? You were her protector! Even now she still really likes you…” Irene cove