As soon as I get home I head straight into my bathroom, ignoring all the questions Haneul throws at me as I enter the apartment.

“Why are you home so early? Why is your makeup all smeared? Ari...have you been crying?”

I lock the door and slowly slide down onto the floor. I lean my head back and take a deep breath trying to get a handle on my emotions. I push the hair away from my face and try to conjure up the strength to stand up. Wow, my life is complete bull.

When I do find the strength, I don’t dare to look in the mirror as I pass it in fear of seeing the sorry state I’m in. All I can think about is taking a bath, letting my mind take a vacation as I soak my weary body. I fill the bathtub with water and pour my lavender and mint bubble bath into it. I hope that the warm soapy water will help wash away the regret and disappointment I feel while softening my icy cold body.

I rip off the dress and heels that I had specifically chosen for this day, this day that I wanted to be absolutely perfect. Yeah right. Now I can’t even bear to have them on my body, all they do is serve as a continuous reminder of the broken expectations of tonight. But with my belongings lie Jimin's jacket as well. I let my fingers smooth out the soft expensive fabric and I can't help but to think about how dashing he looked in it. I quickly fold the jacket and place it on the counter. Urging myself to forget about it for even at least a moment I turn around towards my bath.

The tub is full so I dip my toe into it testing the temperature before I lower the rest of my body in. I close my eyes and smile slightly at how the bubbles feel around me, warm and soft. Like Jimin -- No.

My eyes snap open and I feel the threat of tears once again as the memory of him walking away from me plays over and over in my head. I swallow the lump in my throat as the first tear spills out. I take a deep breath as I think about the events that occurred after he left, it seems like they were battling for which could make me feel worse. I slip lower and lower into the water until I’m completely submerged. I try to fight the memories but they evade my mind making me relive them again...

Hot wet liquid flows from my eyes like an angry ocean storm, unrelentless and violent. Though my vision is blurred my ears are wide open receiving the many sounds that fill the air. The loud crackling of the fireworks and the families down below me oohing and ahhing at the beautiful display above them. I wonder if the noise my cries emit can be heard by them or are they muffled by the devastating sound of my heart breaking a thousand times over. Suddenly the cold wind became unbearable, the stars dim, and the night seemed to become dark and frightening.

Jimin is gone.

I stagger to my feet not wanting to remain there anymore. Picking up his coat off the ground, I stumble my way towards the door. Flinging the door open I race down the stairs as if I can run away from the sadness that hovers over me like a cloud, inciting rain from my eyes. I stumble a few times because of my heels but the thought of escaping and leaving this place powers me forward. I continue until I'm on the first floor and run down the hallway towards the door. My escape. My freedom.

“Troublemaker!" I didn’t need to look up to know that deep playful voice belonged to Taehyung. “I was just looking for you and Jimin, did you guys get to see the fireworks?”

I don’t bother stopping as I pass him. I just continue running, well really just fast walking. These damn heels. I can't bear for him to see me in this state, despite everything I still have my pride.  He grabs my arm as I try to run past and easily stops me in my tracks. I don't even have enough strength to pull out of his grasp so I just result to lowering my head. Again with my pride.  I squeeze my eyes shut as tightly as possible but salty droplets still manage to slip through as I try to control my ragged breathing.

“Hey, are you okay?”

I don’t respond.

“Troublemaker, look at me,” Taehyung commands, his voice taking an unusually serious tone. When I don't comply he gently lifts my head up himself. Our eyes lock and his widen, presumably at the sight of my tear-stained, makeup-smeared face. Taehyung's features soften and he sighs. His fingers drop from my chin only for him to pull me tightly against him. I burst out in another fit of tears at how much I wished this was Jimin. Why couldn't Jimin have acted like Taehyung? Why couldn't I have liked the right guy? Taehyung automatically pulls me closer to his chest and soothingly pats my head.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

I shake my head "No" because there's absolutely no way I can form coherent words at the moment. He rubs my back and buries my head further into his chest as sobs wrack my body.

"That’s okay too. I’ll just talk then. I don’t know what’s wrong... but I do know that everything will be okay. Eventually, everything will be okay, Ari-ya. I promise.”

With a shaky voice I choke out,“How, how c-can you be so sure? Because my heart...it hurts so much.” I place a hand over my heart feeling the sharp throbbing pain emanating from there as another sob slips through my lips. “I feel like it imploded inside my chest.”  

He pulls me closer running his fingers through my hair, “That sounds really cool. A heart imploding, I’d want to see that.” I stiffen and he chuckles, “Just kidding.” I roll my eyes despite the fact he can't see me and try not to smile at his bad attempt at a joke.

“But seriously, everything will be fine Ari-ya. Don’t you know the saying Time Heals all Things?”

I let his words marinate into my mind as the last of my tears spill out. Time heals all things. Finally calming down and finding some sense of stability, I hiccup and dare to look up at him again. “Do you really believe that? Do you think time can heal a betrayed heart? A hateful heart?"

Looking into my eyes he gives me a small encouraging smile. “Yes, even a hateful and betrayed heart. I really believe that. Not only does time heal things but friends and...and... unconditional love heals things." He averts his eyes but I catch a light dusting of pink coat his cheeks. "I want you to trust me Ari-ya, I’ll help you no matter what it is. So stop crying.”

“Okay Taehyung I’ll- I’ll trust you.” I wipe my eyes dry. Even as I say the words I know they're empty words, empty promises. Trust and I aren’t really on good terms right now.

He grins that infamous gummy box smile of his and I feel a tinge of guilt, “Good because you look really ugly when you cry. Uglier than normal.”

I pull away from him before punching his chest in response to his teasing. He just laughs it off and pinches my cheeks, to which I respond with a glare. I don't know how threatening I look with a mascara-streaked face, but it's the thought that counts.

“There’s the Troublemaker I like to see.”

I manage a small smile and he pulls me back into a hug. I'm so grateful for Taehyung at this moment, for reassuring me and giving me confidence in our friendship and in the fact that when you share your feelings or whatever is on your mind some people actually stay. He ruffles my hair and I groan telling him he's messing up my curls.

“Taehyung is that you?”

We looked over to see Mina walking towards us. “What’s going on? I just saw Jimin practically run out of the school-- Wait, Troublemaker?”

As she draws near she sees my face and her step falters for a split second. Her gaze trails down my face to the jacket, Jimin’s jacket, that I hold in my hand. I ball it up and hid it behind my back not wanting her to see it for some reason. Her eyes linger and a wave of realization passes over her face before it's replaced with regret. I blinked not sure if I saw correctly but then she was staring at me until I caught her and she averted her gaze. Yupp that was regret. But why?

She quickly recovers and resumes walking towards us, mumbling something that sounds like “I should've done this sooner.”

Now I'm even more confused. When she finally stands in front of us she stretches out her hand towards me, “Troublemaker, come on we need to talk. This has been long overdue.” I stare at her taking note of the nervous shake of her hand. I hesitate before I place my hand in hers because of the seriousness in her voice and the strangeness of her behavior.

I try to unwrap my other arm from Taehyung but he grabs my arm before I can. “I don’t think she really wants to talk to anyone right now.”

Mina sighs and pulls me towards her by our clasped hands, “But I need to talk to her, it's important.” I observe her as my curiosity grows. Taehyung slides his hand down my arm and grasps my other hand pulling me towards him. It's like a game of tug of war and they pull me back and forth until Jimin's jacket falls from my hands and drops to the ground. I stare at it as they continued to bicker over me.

“What's so important you can't tell me too?” Taehyung asked.

I yank my hands out of their grasps and squat down to collect the fabric, feeling the material in between my fingers. I feel eyes boring into my neck so I turn to see Mina staring at me before she switches her gaze back to Taehyung.

Mina throws a strained smile his way, a telltale sign that her patience is waning. “Taehyung I’m not going to hurt her. I just need to talk to her alone. Is that okay with you?”  I stand up and stare at the jacket in my hands wondering what I should do with it now that the owner wants nothing to do with me.

Taehyung reluctantly nods his head, “Sure...I'm just trying to make sure she’s okay. Are you feeling alright now?” he asks me. "Troublemaker?"

My attention is brought back to them when I hear my name. I try to smile in an attempt to convince him but even that is a struggle on its own. "Thank you Taehyung, I'm fine now."

He looks doubtful which is understandable but I guess there was something in my expression because he just sighs and nods his head. "Fine. Go. Leave