“Ch-Chaerin-ah. Jebal.” Dara’s eyes began to water and tears fell down on her cheeks. Dara grabbed her wrist and looked into her adamant eyes pleading Chaerin to listen to her instead. “Jebal.”

Chaerin wanted Dara to hold her longer but she needs to fail her so she removed her hands to her and yelled, “You know what? I don’t want to hear your voice. I don’t want to talk to you. I don’t even want to look at you. And I’m sure as hell I don’t want to be your friend.”

Chaerin left the room without looking to anyone. Dahee tried to follow her but Youngdon blocked her. He shook his head and put his hand on her shoulder. “Don’t. Just stay here. I’ll go follow her.”

Dahee didn’t argue any further and just nodded. Youngdon left the hall and followed Chaerin.

Dara knelt down and sobbed hardly. Bom and Minzy came to her comfort and consoled her. “You’ll get through this Dara-yah.” She’ll get through this.” Bom slides her hand back and forth to Dara’s back as she cried. Dara hugged her friends tightly and stifled from crying.

Dahee sighed in weariness. She was arguing with herself if she must tell any of Chaerin’s friends about what she has just discovered or not. While holding the paper in her hand tightly, Dahee moved and patted Bom’s shoulder.

“Let’s talk for a minute.” Dahee muttered enough for Bom to hear then she went outside the hall where they can talk privately. Bom followed her in a minute and secured if anyone was there.

“What is it so important that we need to get out?”  Bom asked her intrusively.

“Look at this.” Dahee handed the small envelope in her hand. As the moment Bom opened the envelope, her expression changed, and then Dahee explained, “It is Dongwook. He might be somewhere in the party watching Chae’s every movement. You might be wondering if why she was acting like that but, she just did it again for Dara and everyone’s sake.”

Bom returned the letter to the envelope and closed it. She handed it back to Dahee afterwards and said, “It’s my fault. I should’ve faced Dongwook before rather than avoiding him. I must do something for Chaerin. She doesn’t deserve this.”

“She really doesn’t deserve to feel something like that. Dongwook was already consumed by resentment, and Dahee and I also have our faults. We didn’t give our best to enlighten him. All we did was hated him and making him feel bad and lost.” Dahee sighed and sat down to the bench behind her. She looked at Bom and said, “We must do something for Chaerin.”

----

“CL… Chae… Kajimasaeyo!” Youngdon ran to catch up with her but she keeps on walking fast. “LEE CHAERIN!” At that time, Chaerin halted from walking. She never thought of Youngdon yelling at her.  She felt unusual of herself.  Even Youngdon has changed because of her. As soon as Youngdon get to her, he grabbed her hand and pushed her enough for her to face him. “Chae. You didn’t have to do that. Dara-ssi wants to talk with you.”

Chaerin looked into his eyes and there he saw the pain that she truly felt. Tears erupted from her eyes and then she hugged him. “Its… all… my… fault.” She said between sobs. “I changed and hurt all of you. I hurt Sandara. I hurt Dahee. I hurt Jiyong and you. I hurt Bom and the others. I hurt everyone else that I love. Even Dongwook… I was the one who hurt his pride and changed him.”

“Chae…”

“Don’t.” Chaerin shook her head and a few minutes later, she pulled away from the hug and wiped her tears. “Annyeong Dony. Gomawo.” Chaerin gave him a genuine yet plain smile and turned to her heels, walking away from him. Youngdon remained standing in his place as he sees her going far away from him.

Chaerin had a long walk until she found herself in front of her parents’ tombs. It was nightfall then and it’s been a while since she had visited her Mom and now together with her Dad who was gone too. Chaerin closed her eyes and whimpered until someone spoke beside her. “You know that I hate it when you cry. Well, now everybody hates it when you cry.” As Chaerin looked to her left, there’s Jiyong extending a handkerchief in front of her. “Jebal uljima, Hunchae.”

Chaerin shook her head and sat down. She asked him, “What are you doing here?”

Jiyong sat down beside her and said, “It’s not my intention to bother you being alone here. I just want to guarantee that you are safe. We don’t know what Dongwook can do at this point and I can’t let you be alone in times like this… and I do this not because I pity you. I do this because I love you. So please let me be here with you and comfort you.” He wrapped his arm to her shoulders and Chaerin leaned to his shoulder with no doubt, casting the remaining tears in her eyes.

“Mianhe. Jeongmal mianhe Ji---“

“Ssshhh… Don’t be sorry Chae-ah. It’s not all your fault.”

“But it is.”

Jiyong looked at her and smiled. “You know what? Ten years ago, I met this girl in France. This girl’s very verbose and full of happiness. You know, I really hate talkative people until I met this girl.”

“Ji.” Chaerin tried to stop him but he just continued.

“This girl taught me to love, to accept and to be fearless. This girl taught me to fight and never give up.

“Ji. Please.”

“This girl is the one I loved… the one that everybody loves.”

“Stop.” Chaerin said in an icy tone. She pulled away and stood up as Jiyong did the same.

“Chae. There’s no giving up. You hate losing, right?”

“I don’t know. I don’t know myself right now Ji. I guess Bom’s right. I’m being too selfish to the extent that I only do what I think is right. Is it a crime to forego my own happiness just to let them happy?” Chaerin muttered to Jiyong who’s just behind her.

“But we know who you are. We already do. We know that you’ll get through this. Have faith on us Chae as we have our faith on you.” Chaerin turned around and saw his hand offering her to come with him, “Let’s get you home. It’s been another long day. The heiress must get stable starting tomorrow.”

----

“Where are you? You’re going to be okay, right?” It was Bom who’s on the other line of the phone making sure that she’s okay and still breathing.

“I don’t know Bommie. I just… I don’t understand her anymore.” Dara can’t find the right words to explain her feelings so she replied briefly.

“I know I should be telling Chaerin this but I’m telling it to you instead.” Bom sighed and continued, “For all people, you should be the one understanding Chaerin. You know she’s been doing it for you Dara-yah. She’s been doing it for all of us.”  There was a long silent on the other line and Bom thought that Dara was not listening anymore. But after a few minutes, Dara responded.

“Yeah right, she’s doing it for me. She’s doing it for every one of us. But nobody asked her to do everything for our sake, right? Why can’t she just let me or anyone of us help her? I thought we’re all in this together, we fight together, but she just keeps her distance away from me. What on Earth did I do to deserve her denial? Did she really end up on loathing me?” Dara let out all the pain she was holding and cried.

“Uljima Dara-yah. Chaerin has reasons for