Miss No Label

   C H A P T E R  S I X T E E N   

POV:

        The moment I woke up, I almost automatically called her name - Krystal's. I tried for about three times, only to de disappointed with silence's reply. I then realized that I was on the sofa, and not on our bed. I called her name once again, unable to comprehend the emptiness I felt. It took a while for me to fully wake up and remember what happened the night before. I shut my eyes close again, hoping that everything was a dream, or more precisely, a nightmare. 

       "Stupid." I told myself. 

        I reached for my phone again, in hope that Krystal might have replied to even just a single message I sent. I was wrong; there was none. I almost teared up, but knowing that it would lead me nowhere, I stopped myself. Instead, I decided to send her a voice message.

      Good morning, Krystal. I woke up without you and it really . Let's talk things over, shall we? I love you.

       Just as I finished, there came a knock on my door. I suddenly felt so tensed as my hopes got high. Is it Krystal? I asked myself. I immediately jumped off and went to open the door. I had my hopes up, enthusiastic as I anticipated to see her in front of me. I did not even check the monitor to see who was behind my very door.

       "Krys-" I stopped my tracks as I realized I expected wrongly. "Oh. Ni hao, Sara." I uttered after clearing my throat as it felt hoarse and dry after my dismay. Looking at her expression, it was obvious that she was offended of the sudden darkened expression my face showed.

       "You thought it was her?" She asked. "So you still haven't mend things, huh?" 

        I simply shrugged. "Come in."

        "You haven't talked to her since last night?" She questioned again as she entered my place and sat on the sofa.

       "Ey, you gained some meat, Sara. Is the baby eating a lot?" I remarked, trying to get away with the topic. I did not want her to feel guilty. I knew she did not mean to cause such trouble. Knowing me too well, however, Sara simply glared at me. She obviously knew my intention. "Okay okay. I admit. Yes, we still haven't talked. Yes, I haven't seen her since last night and yes, she have not answered a single call from me. And yes, I am definitely clueless of where she exactly  is right now."

        Sara looked at me unknowingly, then shifted her gaze from me to the floor. I knew I just made her feel worse.

       "Hey. Lighten up, kid. I don't want that baby of yours to hate me for making you frown like that. And worse, that baby there would turn out ugly if you frown like a distressed woman." I tried to , which was of no effect. She only sighed deeply and shook her head.

       "I promise I'll help fix the trouble." She said with a nod.

       "Sure. Your stubbornness won't even allow me to reject that, right?"

       "I know you're trying to not make me feel guilty, but I really am, Yixing. I'm guilty for barging in just like that." 

       I shook my head. "I already told you. Don't stress yourself."

       "Hey, did you just wake up?" She almost instantaneously shifted the topic of conversation. "You must be a pain for her. You're such a kid, Yixing. Did you have breakfast already?"

       I shook my head again. "No. Krystal does the cooking, you know."

       "Your mom always tells you to eat proper meals. Don't you remember that?" She started nagging as she made her way to the kitchen. "What do you want to eat?"

        "Nothing." I said, having no appetite because of the emptiness that longed for only one person to fill.

        "Come on, let me at least pour a glass of milk for y-" She paused as she spilled the milk on her shirt. "Oh no!"

        "I'm not surprised. You're always that clumsy." I remarked, earning another glare from her.

        Since I could not let her know that Krystal was staying with me, I could not let her borrow a shirt from Krystal's closet. It brought me no other choice but to let her use a shirt of mine instead. It was not a big deal since we were best friends, anyway.

        "Here. Change into this." I handed her my shirt.

POV:

        "Get up! Now, Krystal. Now!" There she was, Kang Jiyoung, the most effective alarm clock in town.

       "What?" I asked with eyes still half-closed.

       "Get up, Jung Soo Jung." She said right in my ear, leaving me with no other option but to get out of bed.

       "What's the matter?" I asked.

       "Get dressed. Choose anything on my closet." She said in a demanding tone.

       "Hey, am I your slave or something? Why do you keep on ordering?" I whined.

       She sighed deeply and crossed her arms. "Just do as I say, Krystal. Hurry!"

       I did as I was told. I wondered what she was up to. While I was alone at the bathroom, the silence suddenly triggered the new reality that I thought for myself. I remembered what happened the night before. As I did, the pain dominated me once again. I grew afraid - afraid of how I could face the following todays and tomorrows without us - Lay and the Krystal who had him. 

       I took hold of my phone and saw the aler for a voice message from him. I listened to it twice. First instance, I froze. Second instance, I began sobbing uncontrollably. I just listened to it - a mere voice message - and there, just like that, I bursted in tears. I wanted to surrender and go back to him, yet fear held me back. My doubts and insecurities seemed to tell me I had to protect myself from further and worse pain I might inflict into torture. 

       "Okay. What's this about, Jiyoung?" I questioned, raising a brow at her.

       She grabbed my wrists, as if holding me hostage. "We're going to see him."

       "Who?" I questioned despite knowing the answer.

       "Zhang Yixing, of course." She replied.

       "I'm not going. Please, Jiyoung. I can't do that." I shook my head in defense.

       "You have to." She insisted. "You see, Krystal, avoiding him won't get you somewhere. You can't live with doubt forever. You should at least know the truth. If it hurts, then move on. If you got wrong speculations about the situation, then let's applaud. You see, there could have been some misunderstanding. Or if not, then... I'm here as back up. I'll punch him hard enough to deform his well, uh, gorgeous face."

      "I'm afraid." I frankly told her, hanging my head low. I used to be a fighter in terms of anything, but I felt so defeated at that very instance of uncertainty.

       "You can't be afraid forever though. You still have to face him sooner or later. You know what, Krystal, you can't show a guy that you're weak. You have to show him that you can stand up for yourself. Know what I mean?"

        The next thing I knew, I was in front of Lay's condominium building. 

       "I can't do this." I shook my head as I took a step backward.

       "You have to, Krys." Jiyoung said with a pat on my shoulder. "I'll be right here. You go up there, knock on his door and talk things over. Okay?"

       "He might not want to talk to me."

       "Are you insane? He has been calling you endessly, Krystal. Endlessly. And yes, I heard that voice message you listened to inside the bathroom. As far as I could remember, the last sentence was a very clear I love you."

        I stood by his doorstep, in doubt if I should knock. After about thirty long minutes of standing still, I finally balled my hand into a fist and hit his door. I knew the password, yet I took the initiative to settle with knocking. That would be my less desperate-seeming approach.

        I waited for the turn of that very door, but it took a while.

       My doubts triggered into my mind again, yet just as I was about to give up and run away, the knob turned. I kept my fingers crossed, wishing and hoping for the best.

author's note

Okay, a cliffhanger there :)

Comment, okay?