Seohyun's POV

Yonghwa grinned at me as I came out of the bookshelves with a humongous pile of books.

"I see you picked out, ah, couple books for me." He stifled his laughter.

"Very funny, Yonghwa," I said, playing along in my stern teacher voice.

"Wait. You aren't going to make me buy all those books, right?" He asked, suddenly serious.

"Why? What's wrong?" I asked innocently. "Are you saying you can't handle this?!" I dumped the pile of books on him playfully.

He staggered, then finally found his balance. I could barely see his face behind the books.

Hmm. Maybe I did pick out too much.

I laughed staring at his expression. 

"You can't be serious. This costs like.. what? $100?" Yonghwan complained, although smiling.

"You're not paying for it, are you?" I smile as I head over to the counter.

Then I remember.

"Do.. do you have my bag?" I say nervously.

"Yeah." Yonghwan hands the bag to me, and our hands meet, but I'm too nervous to properly notice.

There is an awkward silence.

"Well, let's go." I say, clearing my throat.

"Yeah, let's." Yonghwa quickly agrees.

I pay for the books at the counter. The woman there stares at me strangely.

"All these books?" She has a pretty face, and for some reason, I recognize her.

"Um... yeah... do I know you?" I ask.

"What? I've never seen you before..." The woman stares into my face.

Yonghwa comes up behind me and that's when I remember.

I look at her nametag. Park Shinhye. 

So that was the name of his old girlfriend.

"Seohyun, what's taking you-" Yonghwa stops abruptly.

"Hey, Yonghwa." Shinhye said, smiling.

"Hello." Yonghwa said coldly. 

"What, aren't you glad to see me?" Shinhye asked hopefully.

"Let's go, Seohyun."

Shinhye looked at the pile of books that he started to carry out.

"This is the type of girl you settle for after leaving me? A bookworm?" She scoffed.

"Let's go." Yonghwa sounded urgent, but I wanted to find out more.

"After leaving you?" I asked.

Shinhye snorted. "She doesn't know? Well, let me tell you, smart girl, exactly why we broke up."

She leans in close and whispers, "Your boyfriend left me to be with that... Junhee girl."

Junhee.

I fall to the floor, now that it's confirmed. At the mention of that forbidden name, I drop to the floor.

"That's enough!" Yonghwa looks enraged at the mention of that girl's name.

"We're leaving." Yonghwan said, grabbing me rougly by the hand.

I get led out on to the street when I pull away from him.

"Enough with the lies. Is the girl that I saw in the picture, that girl, Junhee?"

My voice trembles as I say her name, the name I'm not supposed to say.

Yonghwa doesn't reply and he starts walking away.

"Yah! Yonghwa! Where are you going?" I run to catch up with him.

"This was a mistake," he mumbled.

"What?" I asked, curious.

"This was all a mistake! I should've never tried to help you!" Yonghwa's face is red.

"What... what's that supposed to mean? You wanted me to die?" I say, shocked.

"No, no... Seohyun... that's not what I meant." Yonghwa starts pulling me back, but I break away from him.

"No, you know what? This was a mistake." I glared into his eyes.

"It was a mistake that I ever trusted you, a guy I barely knew. It was a mistake that I tried to overlook the fact that you lied about going to our school and are hiding things from me. It was a mistake that I tried not to notice that you knew my name before I told you." I spitted out the words at him.

"Well, then what were you trying to ask me?" He asked.

"What are you talking about?"

"What am I supposed to forgive you about?"

My heart drops. "You... you read my notebook?"

"I'm not the only one who's keeping secrets now, am I?" He said softly.

He comes closer. 

"What do you want me to forgive you about?"

I turn silent. 

"If you can't tell me, I guess I can't forgive you."

He starts walking away and I feel so desperate, desperate to keep this real friend that I wished for so long.

You goody-goody! You'll never have any friends.

My classmates hated me from kindergarten.

Seohyun... I can explain.

The only one I trusted in betrayed me.

He's the only one I know that likes me for me.

"I'll tell you!" I scream at him.

He pauses and turns back. "What is it?"

I take a deep breath.

"It... it has something to do with your dead girlfriend."

Yonghwa's eyes turn cold.

"How'd you know she's dead?"

I'm almost afraid to look into those eyes, but I do.

"I have someone I want you to meet."

A/N: Long time, no see! I found some time to post, I found inspiration in the times I was just resting. I'll try to update more regularly now, perhaps once a month, although I have a lot of homework! Thank you to everyone who waited long enough! I hope you like this chapter!