"The young prince was the first-ever prince of the kingdom and so he was, more often than not, spoiled. Thus he had the power to do anything he wanted. Once he grew up, he fell in love with his friend and decided to change. For good."

 

Mark recalled as he filled his cup with cola. He furrowed his eyebrows and turned to face Jaemin.

 

"See, the inspiration's obvious."

 

"How in the world is that inspired by Sehyun's story?"

 

Jaemin could only chuckle at Mark's confused face. From what Mark knew, Sehyun wasn't a spoiled brat. The story seemed to be inspired rather by someone else's.

 

"I said inspired not based. There's a difference, hyung."

 

"Huh?"

 

Jaemin threw his empty cup in the trashbag and sighed. He looked back at Mark and started thinking.

 

"Do you remember the part where the prince sent away her whole family just because he felt insecure whenever her brother was around? She had difficulty forgiving the prince despite his strong urge to fix himself."

 

"Yeah..." he said, hesitantly, "So?"

 

"The Prince did his best to change for his sake and the people around him. Yet the one he changed for the most still couldn't accept it."

 

— ☼ —

 

The sound of the leaves blended with the music they heard nearby. The breeze collided with their bare skin, making them feel cold but, at the same time, relaxed.

 

"Spring is near."

 

Donghyuck looked at her and saw that she was staring at the pink-tainted sky slowly turning darker by the second.

 

"Valentine's should come first. Don't you think we should celebrate that as well?"

 

She took a deep breath and shrugged. Her past Valentine's events weren't something to be proud of.

 

"Donghyuck..." she started, "I'm sorry."

 

"For what?"

 

He had a hint of what it was she was apologizing for yet he didn't jump into conclusions. He wanted to know why she did it.

 

"For everything I've done."

 

"Are you kidding me? You're the reason why getting up to go to school is exciting."

 

"I ignored you."

 

Donghyuck stopped. With pursed lips, he nodded but decided to flash her a smirk.

 

"That was nothing. I know you have your reasons."

 

"And that's what I'm sorry for. My reasons."

 

She quickly faced him which caused him to fall silent. He waited for her to explain whatever she had on her mind for the past week.

 

"I..."

 

She suddenly became hesitant.

 

"I... just. I was having a hard time? I guess? I don't know, Donghyuck."

 

She struggled with chosing her words yet Donghyuck did nothing in order to let out whatever she wanted to say.

 

"I trust you a lot. I really do and I hope you believe me but," she bit her bottom lip, "I..."

 

Her voice made her frustration and nervousness evident, one that wasn't even present in the play. Donghyuck only listened all throughout.

 

"The past week, I've been seeing Jeno a lot. I've been working with both you and him. I... I don't know. Seeing him makes me see my past as well."

 

She didn't want to be reminded of something hurtful about the past and talking about this to Donghyuck did exactly that. It was hard for her to keep her composture.

 

"It's still fresh, Donghyuck, I still remember. It was the first time I had a serious relationship and it was the first time I was deeply wounded emotionally as well. Which is why thoughts flood me whenever I see him. And so,"

 

felt like it was blocked and she tried her best to stop the welling of her tears.

 

"I don't want the past to repeat itself. I don't want another wound while the other's still doing it's best to heal."

 

"Which is why you ignored me?"

 

Donghyuck lifted up his head, his smile completely disappearing from his face. He looked at Sehyun.

 

"You ignored me because you think I'm like Jeno?"

 

"No, Donghyuck, that's not–"

 

"And you said you trusted me," he whispered to himself as if what she said was a joke, "You said you trusted me!"

 

"Donghyuck, I do but please list–"

 

"Listen to what? You saying that we shouldn't have any hard feelings? That all of us aren't any different?!?"

 

Donghyuck was now raising his voice at her.

 

"For crying out loud, Sehyun! Just because your past relationships haven't gone well, doesn't mean I'll turn out to be the same. Heck, we're not even in a relationship!"

 

He stood up with anger piling up inside of him.

 

"Donghyuck, please, what I'm trying to say is–"

 

"Stop trying to tell me anything. You've made yourself precise and clear. You don't trust me, you're afraid to and you never will."

 

He ruffled his hair angrily and suddenly burst out madly laughing.

 

"Okay, fine, I flirted with you. Yes, I admit I did because I was afraid that you'd take your eyes off me. But what did you think it was? Huh? Me flirting with you just so I could ditch you? Gosh, Sehyun!"

 

Sehyun tried to grab his hands but he slapped her hands away.

 

"Don't ever talk to me again, Sehyun. Don't even try to get to know me because you never did."

 

He stormed away from the bleachers, not sparing a single look back at her. Her hands and lips were trembling, the situation being unfamiliar to her.

 

She had not imagined everything to go this way. With a misunderstanding between her and the person whom she admired, how would it be resolved? She didn't know.

 

She sighed. The sky was now dyed with black, no stars glimmering in the night sky. The music was still beating loudly and the people, probably having the opposite feeling Sehyun had right now. Excited, grateful, and happy.

 

When Donghyuck's back image completely disappeared from her sight, she walked on towards their classroom, not even thinking about whether or not she would attend the party.

 

Little did she know that someone watched her walk to the building with her tears falling continuously, not ceasing to stop any moment soon.