Chapter 6: Skipping Memories

New beginnings are always hard but the fact that you were able to end something is a mean feat that you should congratulate yourself for. The only question is, when does it end and when did it start?

It was a not so empty study nook in the library and it definitely wasn’t a quiet one. Booming voices bounced off the room and if not for the claustrophobic four walls, a librarian would probably already have the heads of the ones responsible for the noise.

“Don’t you think it’s better for them to just split off instead of this stupid ‘he realized he’s in love and she said I love you too’, the end?”

The man opposite Ji hyo gave her a disappointed look as if she was being stupid but to her defense, she was being realistic. He had been escalating the issue. She wants real, he wants rainbows and hearts and she had to break his fantasy. It would have been sad to crush such spirit but we all have to learn at some point in time, right? It was at least a warning before he truly hurts himself someday. She waited for the younger one to answer wishing she had made her point clear and embedded deeply. The fight was already promising her migraines.

 “Cruel. That you are sis. She was attracted to him, he to her. They had something and you just run away? People won’t buy that kind of ending.”

“Yeah sure, they won’t but in real life --”

“--In real life, students fail if they don’t impress. Writers won’t sell if you don’t add drama. Dramas would stink if you don’t put clichés. A writer’s masterpiece is not mass-terpiece it becomes -terpice because no one would give a . The mass will interpret it differently, even Mona Lisa is considered ugly by most and you know that. Quit parading your pride and do something to save our hides.”

“In reality people get pissed and it’s not always in a clean way. Stop before I punch your pretty face mister.”

“Oh, I’m scared thank you for sparing my pretty. You seem to be so affected by this thing. Tell me Ji hyo… have you ever been in love? ‘Cause I know dramas don’t happen in real life but if you had tried using your heart, you’d know what I’m talking about. Oh, I get it… this,” the young man said shaking the paper in front of the woman, “old wounds? Had your heart broken before?”

“ you. You revise it then Mr. Romantic.”

“I love you too Elsa, careful with where you throw the ice!”

Song Ji hyo slammed the door shut earning her the whole attention of the library. One of the staff coldly glared at her but she shrugged it off and walked briskly leaving her partner in the study room.

It was only when the manuscript in her hands was already crumpled beyond recognition that she relaxed her clenched fist. A litany of thoughts flowed in her mind starting a colorful conversation inside her head.

Attraction doesn’t always end up in love. Even marriage has the choice of forever, death and annulment!

It’s not like if you want to bed a person you already want him there forever!

What does that brat know anyway?

People don’t like unhappy endings? Hah! Then what of Shakespeare. Even ing Romeo and Juliet died at the end. Not so happy endings exist.

She cursed loudly and she almost dropped her pass earning her a disgusted look from the bus driver but what did she care? Beer and burger sounded like heaven after a hard day’s work but even if she knew the best place to get it, she wouldn’t. She won’t step another foot in that place again, ever.

“Hey, umm, Ji hyo-yah?” Jaesuk looked up from his books to study the younger woman’s tired face. He put down his manual and motioned for Ji hyo to sit while he stood up to prepare coffee.

“You spoil me and if I drink that I won’t be able to sleep.” A chuckle echoed from the kitchen and Ji hyo couldn’t help but smile. She watched her best friend fumble in and it was almost relaxing.

“I know you won’t sleep anyway because you have work to do.” He placed a steaming cup in front of her and she took it gratefully almost obscenely at the first sip.

“Gods oppa… I could marry you.”

“No thanks, is not one of my kinks.”

“This is really great. Oppa please kill that bastard too and everything would be perfect.”

Jaesuk fell silent as he analyzed her words. Ji hyo often spoke vaguely and he still couldn’t understand why she hated this new guy so much. It made him wonder if he needs to kill this guy or kill another from her past who put her in this fate. Alas, he never knew the whole story nor had he the courage to ask.

Ji hyo continued to sip coffee as she rehashed what happened to her. Jaesuk patiently listened as she ranted about the new guy her professor paired her up with. The older man had to suppress a chuckle. All this times, even if Ji hyo had changed a lot, she still doesn’t like working with others. He knew the woman, no matter who it is, will still complain and end up like this, hating whoever was stuck with her. But she loved this. She looked much better than the night she asked him to help her and for that, he was grateful.

Jaesuk still can’t bring himself to ask her about it. God knows he wanted to know what happened. He could remember that desperation and hurt in her eyes and it was obviously painful that she was near the brink. He was just thankful she came to him instead of falling into the abyss. And the brave beautiful one made it a