-Mijoo-

--PAST--

 

"Mijoo, are you sure you dont want to stay home?" Kei rubbed my back gently.

"Nah, I'm fine." I turned the tap off and wiped my face dry with the towel that Kei gave me earlier.

"You always have the worst first day of menstruation, why did you come? You could have stayed at home."

"there's recording today."

"Cant you sit off on this one?"

"no." I brushed my hair with my hand, trying to fix the sweaty and sticky look. "I never miss a recording and I wont start now."

"Seriously? You are going to dance like that?" Kei sighed. "Shall I wait for you? I can take you home."

I laughed, "dont be silly. I wont die." 

"Dont say that kind of thing, you know I hate it " Kei said in frustration 

"Ok, I am sorry." I turned around and held Kei's both hands. "If I feel much worse I promise I will take a cab home, ok?"

Kei smiled, "okay, you promised."

--

"Why did I make that promise?" I sighed while leaning my head back against the brick wall.

Ok, it is not really the promise that made me decide to go home. I did feel much worse after all. Usually nothing would stop me from dancing but this one definitely did. They say that giving birth hurts one thousand times more than period pain. If that's the case, I definitely don't want to give birth. Ok no, I am joking. Wait, why am I thinking about these things?

"Mijoo?" 

I closed my eyes slowly, praying that I was only hearing things. I knew that voice very well. I could recognise it even through the pain. 

"Mijoo" The voice sounded again, as if trying to tell me that it was real.

I finally braved myself and turned my head towards him "Hey."

Sungyeol sat next to me, looking good as ALWAYS. "you look pale. Are you okay?"

"I'm good, it's just a very hot day " I fanned myself with my hand, useless gesture. "What are you doing here?"

"Ah I am meeting my friend but she forgot her phone so I am just waiting now..." He said softly, probably hoping I didnt catch all his words, but I did.

His friend that he is waiting for is a she. I wonder if that friend is...

"Sungyeol." 

Speaking of the she.

I watched as Naeun was walking over to where we were sitting. It took me all of my -whatever is left- energy not to scoff. Who on earth walk like they glide? Or does she intentionally do it so her hair would beautifully bounced over her shoulder? Wait, did I say beautifully? Urgh

"Halo." She greeted me politely, although I could see all the questions in her face. Probably wondering why Sungyeol and I are still talking to each other after we broke up.

"Hi " i tried to reply as casually as possible.

"Are you ready to go? We need to go now if we want to catch the start of the movie." Naeun asked Sungyeol, didnt seem to mind that I was there to hear their conversation. In fact, it was as if she wanted me too. 

Sungyeol looked at me. "Naeun is driving. Do you want us to drop you off?"

"Ah no no, Dont worry about me. I was about to call a cab." 

He frowned, "you dont like to take cab. You only take cab when...wait, Are you sick??" 

I bit my tongue. Shouldn't have said that. I love that he was worried for me, especially in front of Naeun, but I hate it when people make a big deal about me being sick.

"Just period pain, no big deal."

"But you have bad period pain." He emphasized.

"Ah come on please, don't make it sound worse than it is." I waved my hand, "go now, or you will miss the trailers." 

Sungyeol's most favourite part about watching movie in the cinema is the trailers, he is weird like that.

"No, we will drive you home, come." He took my hand but I slapped it away.

It hasnt been that long since we broke up, i dont need a reminder of how right it feels whenever he holds my hand.

"I said no! can you please just go now?" I unknowingly raised my voice. I blamed my messed up hormones.

Sungyeol was so stunned, he didn't say anything after my blow up. 

I shifted my glance. Great, even Naeun had judgmental look on her face.

"Ok, I will go ahead, then." Sungyeol stood up. That's when I saw it... He wasnt angry... That expression... He was dissapointed. 

I watched them walk away. Even from behind they look so good together. 

I would have cried from seeing it, if it werent for the sudden sharp pain in my stomach. It was so painful that I started to see dots, and no matter how many times I blinked, they wouldn't go away.

And then it went dark.

 

-----

 

I felt something cold touching my skin. It was very nice. 

I opened my eyes and Sungyeol's face was the first thing I see. He was pressing a towel on my forehead.

"How are you feeling?"

About what? 

Wait, why am I in his room?

"You are so stupid." He spoke again. This time I frowned in dislike. "You should have let me take you home. Do you know how scared I was when I turned back and saw you lying on the ground??"

My question was how come no one else found me before he did. Maybe fate was not done making fun of me.

"Where is Naeun?" Of course, that would be my biggest worry at the time. If only I could roll my eyes at myself.

"She left after helping me take you home."

home.... He still called his place our home.

"I see." I grabbed the side of the blanket and flipped it open, "I should go now "

"Dont be silly, you need to rest some more." Sungyeol pushed me gently by the shoulder, forcing me to lie back down on the bed. 

"I can rest at home " i insisted.

Sungyeol then sighed loudly while brushing his hair back. Sign that he was frustrated... Most likely at me.... Not, definitely at me.

"Look. I know we broke up, but that doesn't mean I stop caring for you. I can't just walk away knowing you are not okay. I am not used to it and I dont want to get used to it. It's not like we suddenly became stranger after we broke up. I mean, you even asked for us to stay friends."

That's true... I did say that.

"But what about Naeun?" I asked.

"What about Naeun?" He repeated my question in a different tone, slightly upset, as if I pushed a button with my question.

"I am sure she wont be happy if we stay friends."

"Even if she isnt, it's not her business whether or not we do. " Sungyeol said nonchalantly.

"You dont care if your girlfriend is not happy?" 

"Seriously? Are we going to have the same argument even after we broke up?" He laughed. 

I could only smile pitifully. 

"Mijoo... We broke up because it didn't work out for us, not because I stopped loving you. I am not expecting anything to happen between us again, but neither am I thinking about starting one with another... Well not right now." He winked, "I meant it back then when I said I didnt have any feelings for Naeun, and I still mean it now."

"Said someone who was supposed to go on a date with her." I muttered under my breath.

"We were going to watch a movie as a reference for our new project." 

I rolled my eyes, "yeah yeah."

Sungyeol patted my arm twice, "I am going to buy dinner for us, why dont you get some more rest?"

Sungyeol was right... We cant just suddenly act like strangers. Okay, that was a lie... To be honest, i am not ready to fully let him out of my life... For now, I will borrow this time to be with him, a little bit longer, until he found someone else.

Unfortunately for me... that time didn't last long.

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