“So, do you understand now?”

Yuri, Jinyoung, and Chen nod, wide-eyed. Their food sits untouched and forgotten in front of them.

You had finally told them the story, of Kris’ blackmailing, and sickness, and neediness. You had started with the blackmailing, but then had to backpedal and explain how you first met Kris to Chen, who had been utterly confused.

You glance up at Chen. “So…no hard feelings?” You ask him quietly.

He smiles sadly. “It’s all cool. If this is what fate planned for us, then let it be.”

You grin at him. “That’s a nice quote.”

“I made it up. Just now.” Chen laughs at you.

You stick your tongue out, and Yuri slaps your arm.

“You guys! Jinyoung is still in denial he-ere.” Yuri sings.

You turn to her. “What? What’s wrong with her?”

Yuri whispers to you loudly, “She got dumped.”

Jinyoung turns in her seat and glares at Yuri.

“I did not get dumped! I dumped him! And good riddance!” She rolls her eyes at Yuri, who laughs good-heartedly.

Chen shakes his head. “I’m lost all over again. Maybe I should go find a guy to talk to.”

“Maybe you should.” You quip. Then add after a second thought, “Do you even have any guy friends?”

There’s scattered laughter and Chen replies, “Yes, yes I do.” And sticks his tongue out at you.

Yuri and Jinyoung are in a steadily heated conversation.

“It’s not dumping if he says he doesn’t want you.” Yuri says.

“It’s dumping if you never wanted him in the first place!” Jinyoung snaps back.

You sigh, and slouch in your seat, still paying attention to their argument. Chen takes one glance at them, shoots you an apologetic look, and leaves.

“Coward,” You mouth at him playfully.

Chen laughs loudly and waves at you. You watch him leave, pondering what could have been.

As you walk home, you wonder whether Kris is still sick or not.

Thinking back to how he had smothered himself in blankets earlier, you decide against buying any more medici-

“Ohh, babe I missed you.” A lady purrs.

You feel a muscle beneath your eye twitch. You were approaching a bend in the road, and you get the feeling a couple was 'getting it on' just nearby.

“Mmm, me too…” You hear a familiar voice, but you're too tired to place it right away.

Just as you turn the corner, the small book bag that you carried slips out of your hand, spilling the contents onto the road.

Muttering a curse, you quickly bend down and cram the books back into the bag, not wanting to stay around the pair for too long.

Just as you straighten up again, your bag falls out of your hand.

This time, it isn't an accident.

Kris stands a little way ahead of you, his back more-or-less facing you. His arms are around an older-looking woman. She has one arm around his neck, and one hand in the back pocket of his jeans.

She's wearing a short, slinky dress; the type that you've seen people wear at the bar nearby (when they stagger out, drunk).

You gape, watching their mouths move against each other for a moment, until the lady leans over Kris' shoulder.

“What, darling? Never seen two adults before? Beat it, you've seen enough!” Her lips curl up into a snarl, and you study her for a second.

She wasn't particularly attractive, nor was she ugly. She was somewhere in between, most definitely.

“Well? Go on!” She shouts, snapping you out of your thoughts.

You blink repeatedly and the man finally turns around. You hope fervently that you were wrong, that it wasn’t Kris.

But it is.

You wait anxiously for him to back away from the woman, and claim he didn't know her, that it was all a mistake.

He doesn't.

He doesn't move away from her, nor does the uninterested expression on his face change.

The woman notices your uneasy look. She glances at Kris.

“Someone you know, hmmm?” She purred into his ear.

He scans you up and down.

“Not at all,” he replies smoothly.

You can already feel the tears. You felt them coming before, but now they burn at your eyes, and you blink hard repeatedly to keep them away.

Picking up your bag again, you pointedly -and silently- walk straight past the couple with your head held high. As soon as they're out of your sight, you start to run, tears blinding your sight.

How could he do this to you? Sure, you weren't exclusively dating, but-!

You stop running and lean against your fence to catch your breath.

Whatever. It didn't matter. But if he thought he could just walk back into your house and live with you, he had another thing coming.

Rolling your eyes, you wipe at your face and head inside your house.

You don't stop to wonder why the woman had slipped a 50,000 won bill into Kris' back pocket.

It had completely slipped your mind.

:O oh ho ho~
Kris went to sleep a cutie, woke up a playboy....

I'm fiiiinally getting to the main plot of the story -_-'
took me long enough, huh?

Thanks for all the love, guys!!! Remember to comment~ ^^
Comments = Love = Updates! 

Chapter 23 Preview: "Why won't you love me? Why won't you look at me, dammit!"