Nicole ran on the hallway, palpitating and out of her breath. She stumbled on her way to the counsellor office with a sheet of white paper, tightly on his palm. She placed her palm on the door, steadying her breath before she knocked. She entered after being allowed, smiling brightly to the beautiful counsellor, wearing a full-framed spectacle and has long black hair to her waist.

“I’m sorry for late in returning the form,” she said while handling out the paper.

“It’s ok, the due date is until today,” she replied with a smile. “Looks like you’re having a hard time deciding, confused?” she stared on the form and continued, “Seoul University? I thought you two lovebirds will go to the same college?” she lifted her face to hers, “Long distance relationship?”

“Excuse me?” she asked with widen eyes.

“Didn’t you know?” she paused. “Jinwoon’s going abroad, Australia specifically, Adelaide University.”

“I-I didn’t know,” she stuttered on her words. She dropped her arms, lowered her gaze, looking boringly on the floor. She blinked repeatedly, shaking her head left and right slowly, trying to swallow the words that she just heard.

“I’m sorry,” she said softly, watching her with apologetic eyes, she stood up, trying to calm her with her soothing voice but Nicole just remains silent. “You should talk to him.”

“Excuse me,” she said with trembling voice, with tears started to fill her eyes to the brim and finally poured endlessly to her cheeks as she turned to open the door.

“We need to talk,”

“Hey, what’s wrong? Why are you crying,” he said fondly, raising his hand to wipe her tears on her cheek but she shoves it to her side.

“Don’t,” she said sternly. “All I need is an explanation,” she said bleakly.

“About what?”

She jeered. “I knew about your lies, now it’s time you telling me the truth. That’s all I ask for.”

“Lies?” he paused “I don’t understand, I never lied to you.”

She inhaled deeply, calming her nerves; her tears had been dried up. “Fine, let me rearranged my words. You have been hiding the truth from me, and unfortunately it just came out from somebody else’s mouth,” she stared at him blankly. “College?”

He gaped. “I...”

“Why don’t you just tell me everything,” she started sobbing again. “If you don’t want us to be together, if you want us to go separate ways, just tell me and I’ll try to forget you.” She added, “And how hard it might be, I’ll try to move on without you. No matter if that will kill me, I’ll keep trying,” she said with a tremor, tears streamed indefinitely from her eyes.

He placed his hands on her shoulder. “I’d never want to break up with you,” he said focusing his eyes on her face who avoiding his gaze. “Let me explain,” he said as she tried to jerk away from his grasp and finally lifting her gaze towards him. “My parents want me to study abroad just like my brother and sister. I don’t want to but I don’t have a choice,” he said looking at her eyes that full with tears, covering her eyesight.

“You should tell me when you’ve decided.”

“I know, I should’ve told you. But I don’t want to break your heart.”

She smirked. “Congratulation, you just did,” she whispered as she peel off his hands from her shoulder and walked away.

“Nicole, please. Listen to me, I’m sorry,” he caught her arm, turning her to face him. “Please, forgive me. I love you.”

“I don’t think I can love you anymore,” she jolted from his grip, walking quickly on the corridor, passing the crowd of students who want to return to their class after lunch.

Nicole wept on her bed, hugging her pillow firmly on her chest. Her tears flowed down, staining her cheek and wetting the pillow. She startled from the sound of her cell phone and grabbed reluctantly. “H-hello.”

“Nicole? Hey, what’s wrong? Are you crying?” Hara asked anxiously. “You look so quiet from school. Did something happen?”

“N-nothing,” she stammered. “I’m fine.”

“You didn’t sound fine to me. Come on you can tell me everything.”

“Jinwoon lied to me,” she tearing up again. “You know I hate liar the most.”

“What did he do?”

“He’s going to leave me; he’s going to study abroad.” Tears burst from her eyes. “He lied to me.”

“Maybe he got better explanation.”

“I don’t want to hear anything, not right now.”

“Hey, calm down ok,” she said softly. “Do you need me to come over? I’m on my leave today.”

“No, it’s ok. I’m fine now. Thank you.”

“Just hear him out ok.”

“Sure,” she said nonchalantly. “Bye,” she dropped the call.

Jinwoon had been chasing her since then, crossing her path every day but she had been avoiding, refused to listen to him. She stared on her ringing phone, which rang endlessly every night and day, numerous text messages had been come in, but she just ignored it. She turned off her cell phone and shoves it in her drawer.

“I need to talk to you,” said Jinwoon, blocking her way to the canteen, grabbing her hand.

“I’m sorry. I don’t know you,” she said weakly, pulling her hand from his grip and walked pass him.

“Until when you want to avoid talking to him,” Hara murmured.

“I don’t know. I’m not ready yet,” she smiled feebly. “He just broke my heart; I don’t think I can trust him anymore.”

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Junhyung stared at Jinwoon, who’s frowning, deep in his thought while sitting on the bench. “You look miserable,” he chuckled.

Jinwoon lifted her head and glared at him. “She knows,” he uttered.

“Oh,” he said taking a seat beside him. “Sorry man,” he patted his shoulder. “Did you explain everything?”

“I’ve tried. But she refused to hear me out,” he said shaking his head a little. “I’ve been calling her for days, but she never picked up. Sending her thousands messages but she never replied. I even went to her house but she doesn’t want to see me,” he paused. “I-I don’t know what to do anymore.”

“We’ll figure out how to solve this,”

“Thanks,” he smiled faintly.