The sky was turning dark as grey clouds started rolling in. Lightnings flashed across the tempered windows as a roaring thunder was followed behind. Jucy was standing by the door with an umbrella in her hand, unsure if this was a good time to get lunch. She was starving. After getting out of bed at almost noon, she figured lunch would do more justice than having brunch.

With a heavy heart, she stepped back inside and closed the door. It was definitely a need to order takeouts instead. Putting down her sling bag on the couch, she sat down against the arm rest and started to dial for takeouts. The wallpaper image that popped on her screen each time she unlocked her phone made her heart sank even further. It was a picture of her boyfriend, Dongwoon.

Jucy and Dongwoon had been together for a very long time. They met when they were in high school; Dongwoon was a senior while Jucy was a freshman. They were both involved in the same after-school curriculum activity; basketball. Reminiscing the old days that were filled with glory would put a smile on Jucy's face. However, things did not eventually remain the same as time goes by. 

It has been a few years now since the both of them have known each other. Jucy scrolled through the text conversations she had with Dongwoon and laid her eyes upon the very latest one. It was one that was sent by her a week ago. "Where are you?" It said, accompanied by two grey ticks by the side.

Jucy had been worried sick about Dongwoon since the day he left for army in Australia. She knew being in the army is part and parcel of life in which most boys would opt to take part in. As much as Jucy wants to spend most of the time with him since their graduation, she had convinced herself far too many times that Dongwoon has the right to make his own life decisions. It was a big deal for him and Jucy trusted her man wholeheartedly.

On the day of his flight departure, they had both promised to keep each other company whenever one was free of schedules. Jucy felt rather skeptical about long-distance relationships, but she loved him so much she couldn't bear to let him go or have them on a break. On the other hand, Dongwoon had assured her that he would always contact her whenever he's free. Jucy was hoping that he would keep his words, however, she had no idea how things would actually turn out to be as seconds and minutes flew by.

When her takeouts arrived, she quickly indulged into it. Eating would brush away all of your problems instantly, but temporarily. The sky outside was still roaring with thunders as pitter-patters of heavy rain drenched across the road. She the tv and tossed the remote aside, hoping that it would make herself feel better with a distraction. She stared blankly at the screen while chewing on her food slowly. Tears started to fill at the brim of her eyes as she went into a daze. 
 

Why are you not getting back to my texts?
Where are you now?
Are you okay?
 

Those words kept ringing inside her head. Jucy knew damn well that she was worried sick about Dongwoon but she couldn't do anything. Dongwoon hasn't been replying to her messages for days, sometimes weeks. She tried calling him but unfortunately, the line did not go through. Everything felt so strange all of a sudden. Jucy was plain confused and scared. What she feared most was being left. From the experiences of her previous relationships, she has sworn to herself that she would not go through hell and endure so much pain ever again. What were the odds?

"You knew, Dongwoon. You knew," she sobbed uncontrollably in her hands. The pain was slowly coming back and she could feel the ache creeping its way back up into her heart. She decided to try her luck and called Dongwoon. One hand was holding the phone to her ear while the other was holding onto a pair of chopsticks. The line buzzed a few times. Nothing. Jucy waited for a while more and hoped he would pick up. Still nothing. 

Frustrated, she hung up the call and furiously went back to her food. 

Later that evening after the storm has calmed down, Jucy decided to take a stroll at the mall. The air was ripe with the pleasant, dewy petrichor of the post-rain afternoon. She had her earphones plugged in while listening to soft, jazz music.

The crowd in the mall seemed manageable. Jucy did not have to squeeze her way through shops after shops, which would eventually make her tired. She stopped in her tracks when a bunch of Daniel Wellington caught her eye from one of the shop booths down at the basement. While busy admiring them, she did not see Dongwoon who was at the opposite end of the floor level. He wasn't alone.

Jucy placed the navy-blue strapped watch back in the display cabinet and thanked the salesman for all the explaination. Dongwoon was strolling along a few booths with a lady, laughing and chatting their hearts out. Jucy's heart skipped a beat. "I know that voice," she mumbled with a furrow. Scanning around the area, she finally caught her attention to the man who was dressed in a black top that looked peculiarly familiar.

She frantically hid herself behind a pillar while eyeing the couple from afar. Short gasps left as she tried to calm herself down. "No way, that can't be," she shook her head in denial. Both curiousity and bravery wrapped her as she whipped out her phone, knowing exactly just what to do. Keeping her eyes peeled on the couple, she quietly followed them from behind, making sure to keep a distance. 

The line started buzzing. Jucy had her focus on Dongwoon, hoping that he would at least pick up the call.

Dongwoon reached out for his phone after feeling the vibration in his pocket. After seeing the name on the caller ID, he immediately fished his phone into his pocket and turned his attention back onto the unknown lady. Jucy watched his actions in astonishment from afar. The gravity was real when she felt her heart deeply sinking.

Whilst having the phone still attached to her ear, she caught up with Dongwoon and blocked his path. Standing only five feet away from him, she stared blankly at Dongwoon's stunned expression. Of course, the top he was wearing looked terribly mundane. It was a black shawl neck sweater Jucy had given him on his birthday last year just before he left. Her attention then diverted to the lady beside him. She had her arm looped onto Dongwoon's. It did not look like they were awkward, rather comfortable.

Jucy deliberately glanced at her phone screen for a moment before keeping it inside her sling bag. A soft sigh escaped her lips as she turned around and drag herself away from the cheater. Taking big steps, Jucy hastily made her way out of the mall and hailed for a cab. She was taken aback when she felt a force tugging on her arm. "Let go of me!" she howled. 

Tears started to fill her eyes as she shot Dongwoon a menacing glare from the side. Dongwoon was just standing there, speechless. "I..."

"Save it," Jucy cut him off. "Save it for someone who cares."

She turned her attention back onto the road while vigorously flagging her hand out. Dongwoon clutched her arm and firmly pulled her to the side. 

"Let go of me you ing liar!" Jucy yelled. Noticing that the public was focusing their attention onto them, Dongwoon pulled her further. He released his grip when they were at a quiet playground. Jucy snapped herself away from him while cradling onto her arm. She clenched her jaw tightly and stared at Dongwoon with disgust. 

"I can explain," he said, his eyes begging for mercy. Dongwoon was busted and he knew it very well.

"No. I don't want to hear it. Any of it," she replied with a slight aggression in her voice. She took out a bunch of stuff out from her sling bag.

"This is for being a liar," she held out the Christmas card that Dongwoon had mailed to her a year ago in one hand. "And this is for misusing my trust and taking it for granted," she held a bunch of polaroid films in the other. Jucy threw all of them to the ground and took out a lighter from her denim pocket. With a flick of her thumb, she dropped the lighter onto the pile of trash and let them burn.

Dongwoon had nothing to say so he kept quiet most of the time. In his defence, he only tried pleading Jucy to listen to him. However, Jucy was already running out of patience. "Did it hurt?" Jucy cooed with sarcasm while gesturing to the pile of burning ashes. Dongwoon hung his head low in response. She shook her head in disbelief as she stared blankly at the man in front of her, feeling the tears filling the brim of her eyes once again. 

"Dongwoon, you knew," she continued while turning away from him. Placing both her hands in the front pockets of her trench coat, she went over to a bench and sat on it. "You knew I needed you here. I trusted you. Were you aware of that? I trusted YOU, Dongwoon," she sobbed in between her sentences. 

Dongwoon slowly made his way over and sat on the other side of the bench, leaving a huge gap in between the both of them. "I'm sorry," was all he could say. Knowing that he had indeed cheated on her, that he had indeed hurt her, Dongwoon could not say anything. He was all clammed-up.

"I need you to answer me honestly. Were you really in Australia to serve the army?" Jucy asked.

He pursed his lips together and shook his head in guilt, "No."

"No? Are you being ing serious right now? You deliberately left me alone and had me waiting for two years for you to come back. Two ing years, Dongwoon" Jucy snapped back at him, feeling more frustrated than ever. She has never been this angry and disappointed with Dongwoon before throughout their relationship but not this one; this one was outrageous.

"And what the hell is wrong with you? Why didn't you get back to my calls and texts? Had me thinking you were actually that "busy" when you're actually not," she continued.

"I'm sorry. I am really sorry, Junhee," Dongwoon surrendered.

"No stop. Don't ever call me by that name ever again," she argued as as she stood up. She wiped away her tears with the tips of her fingers and took a deep breath. Right now, leaving was the best option. Jucy has thought about this for quite sometime and she, too was in deep shock to see that it would actually happen. One of her biggest nightmares had already repeated itself.

"We've discussed about this. I've warned you countless times that I really really despise people who cheat," Jucy said in a calm voice, facing her posture towards Dongwoon. "You knew about my past. You knew I couldn't, ever, trust someone who lies to me. Not even once! Yet you did that one thing I countlessly reminded you not to. I don't know, Dongwoon," she shrugged as she paced back and forth. 

"I don't think we could still be together now, could we? I mean, you didn't even love me to begin with," Jucy scoffed.

"Junhee, I do love you-"

"Stop saying my name!" she screamed at the top of her lungs in Dongwoon's face, almost sounding like a psycho. 

Dongwoon shot up and glared down at her, clearly pissed off. Their faces were so close to each other right now, Jucy could almost feel the rapid pace of Dongwoon's heartbeat. A tear slowly rolled down her cheeks as she was looking into his eyes. Oh how she's missed the tender moments they used to have. However, she couldn't bear to be with a liar, moreover a cheater. 

"As I was saying, you never loved me... and I've lost my trust in you. So it's best if we just end things here and get back to our own lives," Jucy let out a soft sigh as she took a step back. Dongwoon's piercing stares came to a halt and soon, he was feeling guilt all over again. He gazed at her while mentally stabbing his own back. The look in her eyes were longing and he could sense how much she has missed him while he was gone. It was despicably stupid of him to be lying to her for years and on top of that, to be seeing other girls in his free time. Only now Dongwoon realised that he had made such a big mistake and the price to pay? Losing the only girl, a best friend, who was always there for him through high and lows. 

Dongwoon took a step forward and pulled Jucy into an embrace, feeling the warmth of her skin against his. Jucy simply stood motionless there, refusing to respond to his hug. "I am really sorry. I don't mean to hurt you at all. Please forgive me," he muttered under his breath while burying his face onto her shoulder.

Jucy felt nothing despite listening to his words. She was emotionally numb.

With a heavy heart, Jucy pulled herself away from Dongwoon and gazed at the black top he was wearing. "I can't promise you that, but I'll try," she calmly answered as she walked herself backwards, keeping her eyes on the man who used to be her everything for one last time.

"Goodbye, Dongwoon," she said.

With that, Jucy turned around and raced up the stairs to the streets. She paused in her tracks when she heard faint sobbing noises coming from the bushes; where the playground was located just right behind.

Her heart felt twice as heavy but it was a strong decision that she has made for herself. She will be strong. She's moving on.

---

Oh my god. Now that was a fairly long one for a one-shot. Honestly, this is my very first one-shot and I have no idea how lengthy they are supposed to be like. Please do pardon me 😅 I had a few things changed here and there as compared to my RL version. It's just a rough idea of how it is. And yeah, Jucy is the character that i used to roleplay and Dongwoon was the guy that my character dated. But anyway, do let me know in the comments if you enjoyed the story! 😋

ps: Jucy is the rapper from 2012's girlgroup called 'Evol'. They've disbanded after a year cus Stardom was being a total head. You should reaaaaally check out Evol's music if you haven't heard of them. You'll like Jucy, I promise! 😜

- Admin J