Jiwoo. 

I woke up the next morning with a massive headache and a blanket over me.  I had to go. I had to. That was the first thing on my mind. I crept to see if Max was still there. Good, they were knocked out cold. I ran to the door and silently closed it behind me. My heart was pounding in my ears and my blood was running cold. I hopped on the nearest bus and noticed that I didn't have my phone. But, honestly I forgot that Max smashed it to pieces last night. I couldn't bare another second in that apartment. If I did, it would have been a miracle. Unfortunately, I didn't have any money to get another bus back home. So, I settled on walking the rest of the way. 

My body was sore. My heart hurts so much. I felt like I wanted to cry. But, I couldn't bare to do that in public. Honestly. out of all the things that has happened to me with Max, I probably deserved those hits. But, I ran away. I could have stayed but I didn't. I recognized that I didn't even have my keys to get inside my apartment. I banged on the door with my knuckles that had dry blood on them. Did Max really do that to me? 

I heard chatter. It was more than just Heejin in there. God, I feel so embarassed. The door opened and it wasn't the person who I wanted to see. Sooyoung's eyes were wide open when she saw me. I guess she was astounded by the marks on my face and arms. I immediately rolled my eyes and tried to push past her. Jinsoul and Yerim were here as well. Heejin was making breakfast. When she turned her head to see me, she almost dropped her spatula. "Holy hell." 

"What happened?" Jinsoul asked.

"Don't give us a damn lie, please." Heejin placed her hands on her hips. She looked so irritated. 

I opened my mouth to say something but nothing came out. I looked down at my hands that were basically scarred and bloody. I needed to go to the bathroom and wash this off. "Nothing happened..." was all that I managed to whisper. 

Sooyoung grunted in anger. "I'm going to kill Max." I didn't want her to do that. Max was my partner, she wasn't. What even made her say that when we weren't even together? She had her fists clenched together and she looked like she was ready to cry. Heejin sighed heavily. "Can I please have a moment with Jiwoo?" Heejin nodded in agreement and her and the girls went to her room. My heart shook in frustration. How did Heejin even allow Sooyoung into our home? Sooyoung, out of all people? She pinched the bridge of her nose. "I really blame myself for this to be honest. If I didn't up when you graduated, we wouldn't even be going through this situation." 

I rolled my eyes. "Can I please...jus-" 

"No. Let me speak. Because I didn't even have a chance to back then. You pushed me away, Jiwoo. You keep pushing me away. And now, I see that you need someone. Heejin's leaving soon. What the hell are you gonna do when she does?" 

I shrug. "I'll just live with Max, that was my pla-" 

"No you aren't living with that son of a ." 

I gasped. I never seen Sooyoung so angry before. She looked at me with passion in her eyes, but I really didn't want to succumb to this feeling. Those pretty eyes that I fell in love with when I was a freshman. Sooyoung her lips. She didn't bother to try and touch me. She looked as if she was going to reach out to me. But, she restrained herself. "I can't let you do that." 

"And what are you to me, Sooyoung? You walked away." 

"You were the one who pushed me away, Jiwoo. I wanted us to be together. If your family kicked you out, I could have financially provided for you. I wanted to stop playing as if we were just best friends-" 

"Now, it's time for me to cut you off. Heejin and I lived together just fine. And you messed everything up for me-" 

"Jiwoo, you've pushed everything away. What we had. What could have been! There hasn't been a single night I haven't thought about you! I lived a lie for too long. I...packed my things and lost myself for awhile. And now we're back in each other's faces, literally. And you put the blame on me? Jiwoo," Sooyoung huffs. She shook her head. Part of me wanted to smack her, the other half was in dissonance. "Heejin told me everything that has happened since I left for Europe. From the nights you two shared a room to the point you started dating that fickle idiot. You know Max has been sleeping around? Max isn't who you think he is!" That was it right there. Heejin basically sold me out to the person who didn't need to hear everything. 

How dare she say that? Like, hell she doesn't know Max. I nibbled on my bottom lip, recalling the things I seen at the apartment from the underwear to the cigarettes they never smoked. I didn't want to believe it. Max, the one who walked me through the quad when I was lost. The one who took me out to eat. The one who promised me a space to have. The one who believed in me. Max...the different smell of feminine perfume on their collar when they stepped out the dormitories. "Max loves me and you obviously don't know them." 

"I've known that person longer than you. You've only known him for a few months. You call that love?" 

"Well, I heard about you too, Miss 'Yves'." I felt anger fuel me. "Max told me how you were a playgirl! Like you're any better? How so? Max really cherishes me and....they hit me because they want me to be a good girl. They know my true potential-" 

"Jiwoo, listen to yourself please. You....you have that already. You have everything going. You have been singing since forever. Your voice is beautiful enough! Why are you letting someone hit you....I never hit you...your mom never hit you...." 

"What did you expect? Me to fall back in your arms after your little speech?" I felt tightness in my chest. Sooyoung was looking very sad. Pity was in their eyes. I hated it. Every ounce of it. "I don't know who you think you are, but we aren't like that anymore. You and I...we're done. We have been done..." 

Sooyoung shook her head. "No we're not. Cause you know everything that I said was true." She stood close to me. I could practically smell her minty breath and see all the flaws on her face. She smiled at me. I felt weak and my cheeks flush. "And I know that deep down you know that you still love me."