I bit my lip when I remembered what happened at Sandeul’s place. I can’t seem to put every piece of the puzzle right. Ji-Hae knows something about Baro, which left me wondering if it was the same thing that Jinyoung and Baro was arguing about when I saw them.

I took one deep breath before entering the campus ground. It’s the first day of the week, as usual people were staring and murmuring when they saw me, but what made me confused was when I saw bunch of gossip girls holding two photos with their hands.

“pssh” I let out a deep breath, at least they were talking about something else other than me. Rolling my eyes away from them, I saw a familiar annoying girl from my peripheral view. It was Sara, I bet she’s back to making fun of me. But, I was able to take her down last time, I’ll give her another taste of that if she ever tries harassing me again.

“hey, Ji-Un~” Sara called, I tightly gripped my hand on the strap of my backpack, but I didn’t bother to look at her. “I guess, you’re the real in this campus huh~.” She muttered as her minions started laughing.

They were right behind me, I was not really going to bother but when she called me a B, that’s when she got my attention. I turned to her raising my eyebrow, “Oh~ so you haven’t learned.”

Instead of answering back, she gave me an evil smile which I think has a meaning behind it, “you haven’t gotten the news?”

“news about what?” I asked, holding myself from snapping at her.

She then gave me a smug smile as her minions started murmuring to each other, “I thought you were smart.” She then shrugged her shoulders and started walking to my direction, “He’s going to be really, really upset when he sees this.” She said as she slapped a piece of photo paper on my chest.

Ouch, that hurt. But the pain I felt after Sara harshly handed the photo to me suddenly flew away when I looked at the photo, what I saw made my heart fall to my stomach. My heart my pounding really hard, everyone in the campus must have seen the photo. I don’t care what they would say or think, there’s only one person whose opinion is important right now, Baro.

Whoever took the photo was just in the right time to snap the photo the moment Lee-Joon kissed me, I wonder why she didn’t take a photo when I slapped him. There’s only one person who could do this, there’s only one who could actually spread such a rumor, Ji-Hae. She must’ve have finally realized that I was the one who’s stopping her and Baro from being together again. That’s why she’s trying to destroy me now.

I have finally snapped back to reality. I was burning in anger, you can actually fry an egg on my head. I took deep breaths, counting one to ten before stomping my way through the hallway, I need to find her. If she was ever going to try ruin us, well sorry for her ‘cause that won’t happen.

“Hey Ji-un~” Lee Joon called, I didn’t really notice if I passed by him, I don’t care. He’s part of the reason why I’m fuming right now. Unfortunately, my legs were too short, and he was able to run after me grabbing my arm as he pulled forcing me to face him.

My eyes furrowed as I look up to him, I don’t have time to talk. My relationship with Baro is on the verge of falling on a cliff here, I raised my hand to stop him from talking when he was about to say anything, “I don’t have time for this.”

I forcefully yanked my arms from him, but he didn’t let me go. “There’s a rumor spreading.. about..” he trailed..

I raised a brow at him giving the I-already-know-look, “Look, to be honest, you were a friend. Or so, I thought you were. But, don’t expect me to forgive you if..” I greeted my teeth unable to say what I was about to say when the thought of losing Baro crossed my mind.

“I’m really sorry..” he said, his voice was full of sorrow and sincerity but it was too late. The rumor about me dating the two new boys in the campus has already spread like a disease.

I looked away from him trying to compose myself again, “I can’t talk right now.” I said in a cold tone. I tried to yank my arm away from his grip, thank god he let me go this time.

Without looking back at him, I darted through the hallway to find the skunk who had spread the photo. I’m hoping that I could clear this up before Baro arrives the campus, because who knows what version of the story he hears. Stories in this campus get overly exaggerated in just a spun of a minute. 

I was hyperventilating because of running and walking hoping to find Ji-hae and clear everything between us once and for all. But then I realized, why do I have to talk to her? she can do whatever she wants. I don’t really care. All I got to worry about right now is Baro. I got to talk to him.

I took my phone from back pack, scrambling my things. At times like this I wished I have actually placed my phone in my pocket. I was scrolling my phonebook for his name, it was easy finding his name because there are only few registered numbers in my phone. I took deep breaths before pressing the call button.

It took just one ring before he answered his phone,

“hey, can’t wait to see me?”

I let out a sigh of relief when I heard his cheerful voice, I guess he wasn’t in the campus yet. So definitely the rumor hasn’t gotten to him. And I’m hoping that I’d see him before Sara, or her minions, or any gossiping body in the campus does.

“I~ uh~ I just want to know where you are right now?”

It took him a few moment to answer my question, I heard a crashing sound from the other line, like a glass shuttering. My heart started pounding in my chest, and I started feeling uneasy.

“I’m at the library.. and guess who’s up in the bulletin board today?”

I can feel his cold voice from the other line. My eyes widened as the thought of him actually seeing the photo on the library bulletin board crossed my mind. I took deep breaths before answering.

“Let me explain first okay? That’s not what you think it is..”

I was breathing so hard as I walked my way to the library, and Baro was not answering on the other line. I can feel tears creeping out from the sides of my eyes.

“Baro~”

I mumbled in between sobs, pleading for him to say something, anything.. I just don’t want him not talking at all. Then I heard a beeping sound on the other line, he hanged up his phone on me. I can’t help but to start crying really hard as I made my way to the library.

I hated myself from doing this to him. I was so stupid for not telling him in the first place. If I had only told him about it, would he be less furious? I know I was too scared. I chicken out every time I tried. But please, don’t let this be reason for him to walk out of my life.

I tried dialing his phone again, but I was out of luck. He was out of coverage area.

When I got to the library, I was really not shocked when I realized he was not there. Horror crossed my face when I saw the crashed glass panel of the bulletin board. It looked like it has been punched. Hard.  Pieces of glass were shattered on the floor. I rubbed my tears away from my eyes hoping that it wasn’t Baro who caused this. I need to find him.

“I don’t really know man, they said someone challenged a fist fight against somebody.” I heard to boys talking as they pass by me. I don’t know but my heart started to feel uneasy.

I don’t know what hit me but I darted my way to the direction of the boys talking, “Where?” I asked them almost out of breath.

They stared down at me as if they were weirded out by my sudden explosion, “at the Amphi theater, that’s what I heard of~” one of the guys said, I did not let him finish I started running to the Amphi theater.

Okay, I know I must not be running there, but out of gut, I felt like it was Baro and Lee-Joon again. They are not going to fight again, not because of me. Not this time. What am I supposed to do? Was I a murderer during my previous life, that I am being punished right now? Why do boys have to be such a pain in the ?

I hated track and field, but right now I’m thanking my PE class for teaching me a little about it because I was able to get to the scene when they were arguing. I guess my guts were right, it was Baro and Lee-Joon who are going to have a fist fight at the Amphi theater.

“Who would kiss someone out of nowhere other than a boy who’d want to get into a girls pants.” Baro scowled while clenching his fist that has few cuts and bruises, Lee-Joon on the other hand tightened his jaw in anger. My eyes widened after hearing such a harsh accusation from Baro.

For his information, no one is getting into anyone’s pants. I tried to get through the crowd, but everyone just won’t budge.

“oh yeah? Well at least I was always honest with her!” Lee-Joon muttered, which made Baro’s expression turn into horror and shock at the same time.

This is the second time that I had seen him wearing his dark expression. Baro then launches a punch at Lee-Joon. This isn’t happening again. I pushed myself through the crowd only stopping when I have finally made my way between the two guys who were about to kill each other.

I was pushing Lee-Joon away from Baro with my hands, “Stop this!!” I shouted out of frustration, and anger. Then people started murmuring again which made me redder than a tomato. Way to go trying to finish college as invincible as a ghost.

I turned to look at Baro, his expression was a mixture of hurt and anger, I wanted to cry and run to him. Wanting to hold him, and take that hurt and anger from him. “So, you’re taking his side again?” Baro said taking deep breaths as if trying to control his remaining patience.

I took a deep breath before raising my head to meet his stare, “I’m not taking anyone's side here.” Then I glared at Lee joon who was rubbing his bruised cheek with the back of his hand then back to Baro, “I asked you to let me explain, right?”  my voice sounded a little helpless as tears started to form on the side of my eyes.

I gulped a lump that had formed in my mouth, Baro was eyeing me down as he rubbed his fingers through his hair out of anger. I know he was angry at me. As a matter of fact, I hate myself right now as well. Baro then turned his back and started walking away from the crowd. I was hoping for him to tell me how much he hates me with a matching punch on the face, but instead he just walked off.

“Baro~” I tried to call him, finally I can’t help it. Tears started their way down my cheeks again. It would have been better if he just told me go away, anything.. not just walk away and give me the cold shoulders. My heart was aching and I felt like something was stabbing it million times.

I was staring down on my feet crying like a baby, I was too weak to even move from where I was standing. Then, I felt a hand grab my hand, and he pulled me out of the crowd. I did not even dare look at the person who was pulling me, I’m just thankful to whoever he/she is.

Then the person handed me a handkerchief. I raised my head and saw the familiar face of Sandeul standing right in front of me. He’s become my friend after that small get together at his place. But, I guess right now he was not being his playful self.

“Are you gonna be okay?” he asked as he patted my head like a puppy, I was still sobbing hard while nodding my head, “Don’t worry.. he could be really stubborn sometimes.” He said as he let out a small smile.

I frowned remembering how Baro had been so good to me for the past few months, and then here I was ruining everything. I started sobbing again at the thought of being left alone again. I guess, I got used to having him that the thought of losing him tears me apart.

“Just give him time..” Sandeul said as he placed his hand on his pocket, “he’ll get over it.” Sandeul smirked, he should be angry because the picture actually looked like I let Lee-Joon kiss me. Technically, I looked like I was cheating on his friend.

“If you’re wondering why I wasn’t angry, Jinyoung told me everything.” He said smiling, I shot my head to look at him, and he was wearing a serious look, “he felt like he needed to warn me about it, because he knew this is going to be a widespread rumor.”

I let out a smug smile, “I know, right? This is too messed up.” I finally blurted

“I can talk to him if you want?” Sandeul said in a hopeful voice

I am not letting him fix this for us. I mean this is our problem, and whatever it is we need to work this out. I’m going to talk to him whether or not he wants to talk. “Thank you”, I smiled at Sandeul and handed him his handkerchief, “I guess I’ll try to fix this, besides this was all my fault.”

Sandeul rolled his eyes, and I think I saw a little anger behind it, “not really, Ji-Hae spread that rumor making you look like you initiated the kiss.”

I let out a sigh at how Ji-hae had so much a pain in the .

Before I took off to bid Sanduel goodbye, I asked him where I could possible find Baro since I’m guessing he’s not going to answer his phone, or he might have turned it off to prevent himself from talking to me. But I won’t let him shut me out.

Baro had skipped English class, I am going to skip my class for the whole day to talk to him. This day will not pass without us fixing this problem. I’m really hopeful that we’d be able to get back from where we left off last Friday.

I was furiously knocking the door to his apartment, he’s not planning on opening it all. But that did not stop me from knocking, “Ba~” his door swung open, and I saw him staring down at me emotionless, gone was his warm eyes. Suddenly I felt pain searing through my heart.

"Hey." I took a deep breath before saying anything, “Can I come in?” I said as I was looking at his hand that has few cuts and bruised, deep inside my heart I wanted to kiss his wounds away. It’s making me breathe really hard just having him here in front of me. He was so near, yet it felt like he was so far.

I bit my lower lip waiting for him to say anything, but it seemed like he’s not going to say anything or even let me in. I raised my head to look at him again, but then his eyes were so cold, as if he was not the Baro I used to love.

Just say something, anything.

“What are you doing here?” he asked in a cold tone, a little harsh in fact. Him giving me a cold shoulder actually made me want to cry at that very moment.

Even I don't know what I was doing here in the first place, I just wanted to talk to him and explain things, “I jsut want to~ to talk to you..” I said sounding really helpless, holding my tears from pouring again. 

“Aren't we talking?” He said flatly, it was emotionless. I took a deep breath forcing myself not to cry.

“Look~ I'm sorry..” I looked at him. I tried to make myself sound sincere as much as I possibly can. I don’t want him thinking the other way around. "The picture isn't really what you think it is."

he tightened his grip on the knob, “Apology accepted..” he said flatly, he now looked furious. I gave him a confused look as I stare right back at him. "Now we can just go back to the way things were supposed to be. Just pretend we never met, or that you even know me.”

I frowned, "What's that suppossed to mean?"

"It means." he took a deep breath before continuing, "You can go back to shutting people out of your life, living like you are the only person in the world. I can go back to my own life, it's like we never even met"

My eyes widened in surprise after hearing him say that, the fact that he looked really determined that he doesn’t to see me anymore made my heart drop to my stomach. He is actually asking me to ignore him, forget about everything, and pretend that we had never met, at all.

“It doesn't work like that, Baro~” I was not able to finish what I was about to say,

“Yes it does~” He said rolling his eyes as he placed his arms in front of his chest. “isn’t this what you want? To be free to do whatever you want with whoever you want? I cut you out from your own world, you had a perfect normal life until you got caught up in- in all this.” he said gesturing to his surroundings.

I froze after hearing him say those words, no one has ever talked to me that way, nor did I let anyone insult me like that, “oh yeah! You talk like you’re my boyfriend. Last time I checked, you just asked me to go out with you, and we’re not official. So stop acting like you are one!” the moment those words came out of my mouth I wanted to take them back.

I saw the same hurt expression, but he was able to shake them off, “You’re actually right, you’re not even my girlfriend. In fact, I don’t even want to be your friend. Now, I feel really stupid for asking someone so dense like you to go out on a date.” He said while staring me down emphasizing on the word you.

My mouth dropped open upon hearing his words, tears started forming on the sides of my eyes as I felt the hurt feeling succumbing my aching heart. I actually felt like I was out of breath, as if my heart stopped pumping air into my blood vessels.

"What about your friends? I can't just ditch them like that." I finally snapped at him.

"No one is ditching anybody." he hissed, "I don't care if you hang out with them. I just don't want hanging out with you. I don't even want you pretending that we're friends when they are around."

Tears pricked the back of my eyes, and my chest started hurting. "So, you've never liked me, at all. Not even as a friend."

Baro swallowed hard, "No." he said coldly, "As far as I'm concerned, you will always be the person who made my life more of a hell than it was before."

I started trembling, my knees were wobbly, and I felt dizzy upon hearing him say those things. "Oh" Biting my lower lip, I raised my head to meet his eyes again, “Did you really mean that?” I asked trying to hold my tears. Somewhere in my heart and mind wanted him to say no.

His eyes were cold, and emotionless as he raised a brow at me, “What do you think?”

I took a deep breath as my heart started to hurt even more, I turned my head away from him convinced that he doesn’t really want to do anything with me now. I swallowed a lump that had formed in my throat, trying my hardest to hold my tears, “thanks for clearing that up for me.. I’m really sorry. I won’t be bothering you again.” I almost choked on my own word then I started walking away.

I started sobbing as I made my way to the stares. My vision was blurry because of the tears. I can’t believe I’m crying. I’m really trying to tell myself that crying isn’t going to help me here. I wanted Baro to run after me and tell me that he didn’t mean to say those things, and that everything would be okay.. that he will run after me, and ask me to go see him again. All my hopes flew as my heart sank deeper after hearing his door shut behind me.

I know this was the right thing. I could've stopped this from the very beginning, but then I chose to take the risk. I took the risk, only to have my heart broken.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A/N:

Baro's POV on the next chap? Yay or Nay? I'm undecided but I'm inclining on writing a POV for him.

I almost cried while writing this chap, to be honest. Did you cry? Leave a comment, don't forget to vote up~!

Love lots :))