I entreat you, don't go and abandon me, beloved...

Chapter 3 – Why?

 

 

            “Good morning everyone, today I will be giving you a special assignment that will go towards your final grading” our art professor said as he walked in with a stack of booklets.

            “These booklets contain useful information for your project. When you read the contents, some will be happy, some sad and others might not really care. I want everyone to find the most creative way to complete this assignment for 100 marks. Your mark scheme is also included, so good luck class, you have the rest of the hour to decide what you will be doing” he said while distributing the booklets. When I received mine, I looked it over.

 

            Topic:                        Imperfection

            Aim:                            To create a display that relates to imperfection.

            Guidelines:             The assignment can be done with the use of any of the                                                          following…….

 

            As I scanned the booklet I found myself thinking about various things that relates to imperfection. What is imperfection? I propped my head with my hand as I furrowed my eyebrows and tried to understand the topic. Imperfection. I was supposed to be thinking about objects and things, but my stupid love-struck brain was filled with images of Kim Jongin. Kim Jongin…… I got it! I know exactly what I was going to do!

            After class finished, I walked out and made my way to find Yunha. It was her first day out after she damaged her toe and I was slightly worried about people mashing her toe because I knew of her short temper that I could’ve related to once upon a time. As I walked to her class, I immediately frowned.

            Saeli

            There she stood, holding Yunha in a conversation. I could’ve just imagined the things she was putting into Yunha’s head about me. Great. There went my only friend.

            “Oh, Jiyeon. Hi” Saeli waved to me as if ruining my life was nothing big.

            “Hi” I replied coldly.

            “Well Yunha-ssi, I’ll see you around then?” Saeli smiled before walking away.

 

            We walked in silence and I was just dying to know what Saeli said to her. My jaw clenched as I balled my fists, digging my nails into my palm. That Saeli… urgh… I just wish she’d disappear far, far away from my life!

            “Relax Jiyeon” Yunha said next to me and I immediately turned to look at her.

            “I know what happened,” she smiled assuring me.

            “B-but... how?” I asked.

            “Luhan. Actually, he told me everything about you and Jongin and even how Saeli sent those goons to beat Jongin up” she said, anger clear in her voice. I sighed in relief.

            “Great… I thought I was going to lose my only friend” I chuckled sheepishly.

            “But you have Luhan and they” she laughed with me.

            “But they aren’t girls” I added as we shared a laughed.

            “At least that’s what we know” she said in a whisper causing me to cup my mouth and stifle a laugh.

            “Oh my, you’re so mean” I grinned.

            “It’s in my blood” she shrugged it off.

 

 

            “Finally! We thought you guys got lost” Kris exclaimed as we took our seat.

            “Injured toe here!” Yunha glared.

            “No excuses” he stuck his tongue out.

            “Where are the other?” I asked.

            “Why? Missing your boyfriend?” Luhan wiggled his eyebrows at me and I resisted the urge to throw Tao’s juice at him.

            “Yes, I’m missing my boyfriend. Why? Jealous I have one and you don’t?” I smirked as the others laughed.

            “No, psssh… I can get somebody if I wanted” he huffed.

            “The question is if it’ll be a guy or a girl” I teased as the rest just laughed even harder.

            “Ohhhhh~! Lulu, you just got owned!” Kris nudged him and I hi-5’ed Tao.

            “Ok guys, let’s not trouble lulu anymore”  I smiled as the others joined us.

            “Look Jiyeon, your Romeo is coming” Yunha winked at me.

            “One more word and I'm locking you out tonight” I glared and she pretended to zip her lips.

            “I’m so exhausted” Jongin said with a sigh as he sat opposite me at the table.

            “What’s up?” Kris asked.

            “Our dance tutor is making us practice a lot harder than usual…” Sehun answered while Jongin folded his arms and rested his head against it. I wanted to walk over and gently rub his back but I didn’t because we were in public and they would never let me live it down.

            “Aw, you guys should ask him for a rest” Chen said.

            “We can’t, the Program is in a matter of weeks and we’ve been slacking off all this time. Plus, you know Yunho hyung isn’t forceful by nature” Jongin finally answered.

            Program….? Oh right! How could I forget! That would explain the sudden assignment my art teacher assigned us. Does that mean he plans on displaying the best one? Oh well. A figure from across the area caught my attention: Taemin. He was walking to the back of the college. I stood and excused myself.

            “I’m sorry guys, I have to go, I’ll be back soon” I said and walked off to find Taemin.

 

 

            “Taemin!” I called out to him and he stopped walking and turned to look at me.

            “Jiyeon?” he asked confused.

            “I need to talk to you” I said, pulling him to the tree as we sat on the bench and made ourselves comfortable.

            “What is it?” he asked.

            “Saeli” I spoke. His face scrunched into one of confusion.

            “What happened to her?” he asked.

            “Did you know she was here?” I played with the end of my shirt.

            “Yeah, I met her yesterday. How is she by the way? Aren’t you two best friends? Why are you asking me that?” he asked. I chewed on my lip.

            “No, we aren’t” I said avoiding his eyes.

            “…oh…” he said softly.

            “How is everyone?” I asked.

            “They’re good…” he answered in barely a whisper.

           

            “Why did you leave?” I asked after a long period of silence. He stared at me and I could see the guilt in his eyes.

            “I had to leave Jiyeon, you know that! Did you forget what they did to me?” he asked with a dark glint in his eyes.

            “I know… but maybe if you had just listened to him… he wouldn’t have had to do that…” I said.

            “And what? Let him hurt you!?” he shouted causing me to jump back. It was the first time I heard him raise his voice, the first time he raised his voice at me.

            “He didn’t hurt me…” I whispered.

            “Did you forget Jiyeon?! You had nobody! Your parents are dead; you were left an orphan to fend for yourself! Your first foster parents tried to kill you! I had to save you! He would’ve done…done…” his voice broke and he avoided my gaze as I held my breath from the memory.

            “I’m sorry…” he said. I remained silent.

            “You were a huge troublemaker…” he chuckled, shaking his head at the memory.

            “I still remember the day you beat up a boy because he said he disliked my haircut” he chuckled at the memory and I soon found myself chuckling with him.

            “That was then…” I said after a short while.

            “I won’t forgive him… if he had only touched you…” he whispered the last part.

            “Then…. Then why leave?” I asked again.

            “I left you in the care of a good family, I knew they would take care of you and accept you Jiyeon, and I knew what I was doing” he said taking my hand in his.

            “I’m glad I left, because now I can see how much you’ve changed” he circled his thumb on the back side of my hand and I quickly pulled away.

            “No! I still hate you!” I spat as I stood and proceeded to walk away when I felt him grab my wrist.

            “Don’t say that Jiyeon” he said, his voice filled with pain.

            “Let go of me” I ordered but he didn’t listen. Instead, he pulled me towards him and rested his forehead against mine.

            It was wrong. It felt wrong and the guilt was eating me alive. I wanted to pull away. I can’t do this! I can’t hurt Jongin like this! No! I struggled in his grip and finally he let go of me and I was able to breathe again.

            “It’s not like before Taemin… I have someone in my life that I care about and I won’t do this to him” I said and I could feel my eyes redden with the urge to cry.

            “Then do you have no room for me?” he asked with pleading eyes. I looked away.

            “No…” I whispered and hurried away.

            I refused to believe that just happened. I can’t do that to Jongin. As I reached the corner I proceeded to head back into the collage when someone blocked my way and as I saw their face, my heart almost stopped beating.

            Jongin.