Another busy morning, Jieun has spent the night with a deep slumber. Seeing how the sky has turned brighter, gets her mood raise up, happier than usual. She yawns, hoping that today is going to be a lot better.

However, as the lady has challenge herself to a game, happiness doesn’t seem to be possible. Just when she arrived at the school gates, the last person she wanted to see has been waiting for her. Kim Myungsoo has spent his time, waiting at the school gate.

Something changes within him, after the incident yesterday. He didn’t give her cold stares; he didn’t even tried to start a conversation. He was looking down, and the rest of INFINITE seems to be bothered because of it. The prince was left in his killer mood.

Jieun walked pass him, without even greeting him. She thought he would just let her go. But she was wrong, it pissed him off even more. She doesn’t really know what has happen that has caused him to be this way. He suddenly grabs her arm, dragging her along with him.

“Kim Myungsoo! Get your hand off me!” Jieun yelled.

“Just follow me, Jieun. I’m not in a good mood today.”

“If you are afraid that people would start to doubt us, just use the backdoor Myungsoo. Nobody will notice us, like how I always did.”

“Oh really? I don’t think it’s a good idea, Jieun.”

“Myungsoo, you really are…”

Jieun wasn’t even able to finish her sentence. Myungsoo suddenly grabs her arm, dragging her roughly. It was Nam Woohyun that causes him to do that. Jieun was trying hard to struggle free, however Woohyun presence cause her to fail. Myungsoo was pissed off seing the guy, and releasing all his anger to Jieun.

“Myungsoo, it hurts!” Jieun yelled.

“Jieun-ah, why do you have to lie?!” He suddenly yelled at her, pushing her to the wall.

Jieun stares at him, she was swimming inside his dark orbs. She stays silent, staying still without even moving. She sealed her lip, shutting it tightly. She was trying hard to read his expression, trying hard to read his heart content. This wasn’t the Kim Myungsoo she knew. Kim Myungsoo was supposed to be a cruel man, not a sulky one.

It was pain. Jieun could see an obvious pain, laying deep inside his heart. It was sadness that fills his heavy chest. He was frustrated and depressed, he was disappointed. But why? There is so much emotion, showing within his eyes. He looks so vulnerable and scared. He looks like he has just faced his own fear.

“Myungsoo-ah,” Jieun changed her cold tone. “What happen?”

He was desperate; just like how she was a few days ago. She doesn’t know the reason why, but she knew he was tired; he wants to stop the world from spinning. He groans in frustration, punching the wall right next to Jieun head, almost causing her to faint.

He let go of Jieun, letting her ran away from him. Jieun walks away, in a softer and polite way. She hates Kim Myungsoo, a lot. However, seeing him like this has changed her perspective. Something must have happen, something really bad. His eyes were telling the truth, Jieun knows that better than anyone else.

“Myungsoo-sii, are you okay?” Jieun asked softly.

“You hate me, Jieun. Just go.” Myungsoo cast her away.

@@@

“Hoya-ssi, can I talk to you?” Jieun has finally encourage herself to meet her former childhood friend again.

“Jieun-ah, stop being so formal to me. Just call me Hoya, like usual.”

“How could I? After all you have done?” Jieun replied calmly.

They both used to be a childhood friends, even closer. Almost every day they play with each other, they like each other very much. However, it was the past. Things have changed. They barely talk to each other, not even once they tried to greet each other. They are no longer in a good term. Lee Ji Eun has lost her trust in him, ever since an accident happen.

It has been more than 10 year, since the accident. However, Jieun couldn’t even get it out of her mind. She still remembers it clearly, how he left her drowning in the sea. She supposed, it wasn’t his fault after all. They are kids, wanting to have some fun and also playing pranks. But one day, his prank has gone out of control. She barely lives after the accident, and he just left.

“IU-ah, couldn’t you just forgive me?” Hoya asked.

“After what you have done? I’m sorry, Hoya-ssi. I don’t think I could. Even if I said I forgive you, deep down I just couldn’t.”

“It was an accident, IU. We are kids, there is nothing I could have done.”

“It wasn’t Hoya-ssi. Remember how you pushed me to the ocean? Letting me drown, threatening my life? Remember how you burned my hair on my birthday? Remember how you almost burn my house?”

“IU-ah, I didn’t mean it.”

“You pushed me, Hoya-ssi. You pushed me to the ocean, knowing how dangerous the waves are. You let me being washed away by the wave, lost in the ocean. Do you know how much scars it left me?”

It’s true. It was supposed to be a prank. That one day, when they went to a beach, Hoya decided to pull a prank on Jieun. It was supposed to be a sight-viewing only. The beach was too dangerous, the waves were strong and big, it was 2 meters tall. The coast guard didn’t allow people to play there, but little kids never listen.

Hoya grabs Jieun arm and brought her closer to the ocean. Jieun has warned him multiple times, but he ignores her. He was very excited to pull the prank. As soon as they arrived, he pushes Jieun to the ocean and ran as fast as he could. He didn’t even bother to look back. She was barely five at the time, her feet wasn’t that much strong. The waves just washed her, to the middle of the ocean.

Jieun was good at swimming but the waves were too much for her. She drowned. When Hoya realizes that Jieun was drowning, he ran away faster. Letting her drown for quite a long time. Ever since the incident, Jieun hates water, she suffers a trauma. Although she manages to live, she has scars deep inside. Because of the incident, she lost her trust in him.

“You have been able to swim, Jieun. You have been able to overcome your fear.”

“Yet the trauma never left me, Hoya. I hate the beach because of you.”

“I’m sorry. Even if I apologize, would it be enough for you?”

Jieun shook her head, giving him a faint smile. She couldn’t forgive him, even if she tried hard. The scar has lived too long inside her, to be able to disappear from her heart. It took her 3 consecutive year to heal and being able to swim again. Nowadays, she is able to swim at a swimming pool, but she never visits a beach.

“And why would you want to talk with me? I have hurt you, after all.”

Jieun sighed. “Kim Myungsoo, what happen to him?”

“Why would you care, Jieun-ssi? You hate him.”

“He’s in trouble, isn’t he? He doesn’t look alright. He looks sad, in pain, desperate..”

“He’s in his killer mood, Jieun. I don’t even know why, he suddenly changed.”

“He look troubled. I do hate him, however I am not a cruel lady, Hoya-ssi.”

“Jieun-ah, I don’t know what happen to him. I just want to say that he will need you.”

“And the reason is…”

“Because you could understand him. You have a heart Jieun, you understand people and their feelings.”

@@@

Jieun couldn’t keep up with her mixed feeling. Myungsoo face keep on appearing inside her head, together with his gaze. It was a painful and depressing one. She could see them clearly. He didn’t even bother hiding them. She knew he could hide them, if he wanted to. Or was it too much for him to bear? Was it to painful?

This is driving him crazy, not to forget Hoya said he would need her. How could she help him? She doesn’t even like him. She can’t be soft on someone she hates. Right now, she could only bottle this up all alone. She couldn’t share it with Woohyun neither Jiyeon. Woohyun has been avoiding her; he didn’t even want to look at her. Jiyeon herself wouldn’t like it, listening to Jieun anxiety over Myungsoo.

She could have just let him be, being a not understanding person. But she can’t, she simply can’t after looking those eyes. She has lot of option, she has an advantage right now, but she can’t use it. What is it that hurt him so much? What is it that she has done to hurt him?

There are also pain, sadness, anger, and disappointment within Woohyun eyes. She could understand them. Woohyun is angry, that is why he keeps silent. She cares about him, as much as a best friend could do. However, Myungsoo expression was a lot deeper, a lot more painful. He too was angry, but the pain was so much more. How someone who is so cruel could become like this?

This is killing her. Jieun rush her steps, dashing out from her classroom. It was empty after all, only Jiyeon and Woohyun were there. They were surprise because of her act, but they choose to ignore her. Their relation has not been good lately, ever since Jieun decided to join the game. Well, Woohyun and Myungsoo are not in a good term. They hate each other.

Jieun rush to Myungsoo class, being overly worried about someone she hates. She feels like throwing up, realizing how worried she was. But those eyes aren’t something that she could ignore. It was an honest feeling of him and she appreciated that. She appreciated him, his honesty to her despite their bad relation.

It was rather dark and gloomy, despite the fact that the sun was shining brightly. Myungsoo was gazing outside the window, while tapping his finger against his desk. The rest of the INFINITE were looking down, hoping Myungsoo would get over his killer mood soon enough. As soon as Jieun took her first step inside, their face brightens.

“Jieun-ssi, you came. Please help him.” Hoya asked, as if nothing has happen between the two.

Jieun took her careful step, approaching him. Myungsoo was drown inside his own world. He didn’t even take glance to look at her, he just keep on staring outside the window. His mysterious aura surrounds the whole class, even she could feel it. She knew he notices her, but he choose to ignore it. He doesn’t want to be bothered.

Hoya drags the rest of INFINITE outside, along with him. His conversation with her just now, must have changed her mind. Jieun is an outstanding person, not only her perfect appearance, but also a beautiful heart. She understands people. Although she has principle- a strict one, she never let people suffers. Sometimes, it’s quite easy to change her mind.

“Kim Myungsoo,” Jieun called him gently. “Are you okay?”

Myungsoo replied her with a stare. It was supposed to be a strong and fierce one, a terrifying and cruel one. However, it didn’t come out that way. It was that honest feelings again, that was reflected from his eyes. Jieun could feel that again and she pities him.

“Myungsoo-ssi, what happen?” Jieun whispers- calm, soft, and soothing.

He gazes through her eyes and she replied his gaze. She didn’t avoid his gaze, his vulnerable self.

“Jieun-ssi, have you ever felt this part of you ache so much that it hurts?” Myungsoo asked.

He gently took Jieun hand, caressing it gently. He didn’t take his eye off her and she once again replied to his gaze. He put Jieun hand to his chest and squeezes it, as if he was in pain. He was trying hard to cast away his pain, yet fails to do so. Jieun was surprise; he has just let her touch him.

It was only the second day of the game. However, Kim Myungsoo has shown Lee Ji Eun, another side of him. His true colors, his true self, that he has been hiding. Something he shouldn’t have shown.