"To love is to risk not being loved in return. To hope is to risk pain. To try is to risk failure, but risk must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing."

                                                                                                 -The Girl Behind It All

After trying to cheer up the broken hearted girl, the four decided to head inside a department store. Bad idea, though for what Chaerin doesn’t wanted to see appears in front of her swollen eyes.

“Hello there!?” a familiar voice greeted them.

“Jiyong… you’re here too? I thought—“ Bommie couldn’t even finish her sentence when an another voice steals his attention.

“Oppa, let’s go! Oh, hi!?” ShinYoung enthusiastically greeted her seniors.

Dara patted Chaerin’ back to comfort her and the latter could only look away while clenching her fist. Jiyong is also stunned to see them and could only be reluctantly dragged by his girlfriend. After they trun their back on them, he could swear he got a glimpse of them crowding around Chaerin, as if something’s wrong with her. The fact that she looks like she just came from watching a dramatic film moves his heart out of concern.

‘Is she okay?’ His heart tells him she’s not.

‘Of course she is…’ but his brain counters what his heart whispers.

Chaerin opens her cell phone upon finishing her shift. Only then she realizes that her friends sent her tons of message since four hours ago. Confusedly, she started reading them one by one.

From: Dara

Chae-ah, mission accomplished! ^^

From: Minzy

Girl? Did you opt to work? I suggest that you should go home now. We have good news!

From: Bommie

You better bring us some foods! I’m hungry, and we’re waiting! -_-

From: Dara

Chae?? Where are you now?? I think we need to talk. Call me once you read this.

From: Dara

Chae???

She couldn’t finish reading it all when she notices someone familiar; making her heart beats faster than usual, although he’s back facing her. ‘Why should he be here?’ Chaerin was about to ignore his presence by walking quietly when he calls her, with a tone that is far from the usual.

“Chaerin…”

Carefully, she turns around to face him. And for the first time after a year of secret suffering, she indulges herself by looking straightly on his eyes. She was so used of his loving stares whenever she caught him starring at her before… but now, she could hug herself for the coldness of his gaze. ‘He truly changed.’

“What do you need, Jiyong?” she asks, as calmly as possible.

“Let’s talk.” With that, he turns his back on her, leaving her no other choice but to follow. He led them to a quiet park, but remains quiet. She chooses to break the deafening silence.

“So, what are we going to talk about?” she asks softly.

“Why?” he almost whispers, but enough for her to hear. “Why now?”

‘He knew already…’ Chaerin fight the huge urge to cry. ‘This is it, no turning back.’ “I don’t know… I don’t know.” She felt a lump on .

“I tried to wait… You know I did, though I feel I won’t stand a chance… I still hold on to your words, I still tried to do my best. But that time, when you frantically rub on my face that you will never love me like I do… I was thinking, am I just a nuisance to you? Maybe you just wouldn’t tell it to me straight because we are friends… and being the good girl you are, maybe, you just don’t want to hurt my feelings any further.” His tears slowly drop from his eyes, “That’s why I made a decision, its better if I’m the one who will make a move so you won’t feel guilty over me anymore. I wanted to show you that I am fine… I wanted you to see that I’ll be alright, and we could always be friends. It hurts to think that I’m using ShinYoung just to forget about you…” he looks at her, “But it hurts even more to see that you were living fine, and that I will just ruin your perfect world if I tried to enter your life again.”

“I’m sorry Jiyong…” this time, she couldn’t hold back her tears anymore.

“I may not love her when we started dating, but ShinYoung is not a bad girl. She loves me and accepts me for being like this; hence, I couldn’t help but treasure her somehow… I think it’s much better than waiting for someone who will never love you back.” Regrets and disappointment were visible in his eyes. “I think she doesn’t deserve to be left upon just because someone realizes what she loses.”

“I know I have no right to tell you what to do… but please, listen to me first. It may not bring back the time, but at least let me feel at e