The next few days subsequent to the little drama I had with Hana were full of grief and heartaches, both of us disregarding one another's existence and neglecting our cherished friendship that was gradually breaking apart.

I was currently updating Jin on the Hana's act of betrayal that lead to us developing this unexplainably excruciating ambiance and unsettled tension between us.

"Girls are evil man. Girls are scary creatures." Jin shook his head with folded arms, sharing his obstinate and misconstrued notion on females.

"Shut up dude, you have a girlfriend." I nudged him by his shoulder, feeling bad for Yerim who was just unknowingly referred to as a "scary creature" by her beloved boyfriend.

But as if I had mentioned something wrong, Jin unanticipatedly became mute and speechless with a hint of uneasiness evident in his expression.

"Speaking of Yerim..." he trailed off apprehensively, opening up to me about his worries of their ostensibly perfect relationship.

"Lately, she's been... distant."

"What makes you say that?" I tried my best to comprehend his point of view, although I've never been the best love therapist or advice-giver.

"I dont know man, Yerim's always lost in her thoughts recently and she doesn't act the same around me anymore." Jin furnished me with details, letting out a sigh of discontentment.

"Something's... changed."

Never seeing my best friend so agitated about his girlfriend, I provided him with comforting phrases, "I'm sorry to hear that man. She's probably just going through stuff. Just give her time and she'll probably be fine in no time."

"But the thing is Jungkook, the more I wait for her to go back to normal, the more I overthink and develop these... pessimistic thoughts." Jin said as he buried his face in both of his palms, making it very conspicuous that he's been stressing out about this issue.

"I can't help but worry if she lost feelings for me, if she's thinking of breaking up with me..." he vented about his fatalistic presumptions, taking a short pause before mumbling fearfully, "Or if she's ch-cheating on me..."

I gulped with apprehension at Jin's remark, particularly because he reminded me way too much of my heartbroken self two years ago when I was put in the same exact shoes as him right now.

Yerim did cheat once, and that's an undeniable fact.

But I'm sure she's a changed person now, considering all the generous and considerate things she's done for me so far.

Giving Jin two strong and encouraging pats on his back to smack some fortitude into him, I uttered words that I never expected to escape from my very own mouth.

"Don't worry about it, Yerim's a nice girl."

＊　＊　＊

Fluttering my eyes open after my daily nap in my last period, I upheaved my face from my folded arms and was flabbergasted at the sight of a serene and empty classroom with no students to be found.

I was quickly overwhelmed by a surge of sadness, being reminded that Hana doesn't wake me up anymore like she usually did after school.

Grasping the edges of my desk for support, I dolefully stood up with the sound of my chair screeching against the floor and turned around to seize my backpack.

"Holy shit-" I cursed frightfully as I was assaulted by a mini heart attack, finding Yerim reclining on the counter at the back of the room and staring out the transparent windows with her arms interlaced.

She looked like she was... waiting for someone?

Inching towards her with concern and edginess, I questioned, "Yerim? What's wrong-"

"Jungkook, let's get back together."

.

.

.

What?

I couldn't help but remain thunderstruck from her startling statement, the profound silence in the classroom now suffused with this unbearably awkward atmosphere.

Yerim, who was timidly walking towards me with the reddest cheeks I've ever seen, expounded on her reasoning, "You don't know how happy I was when I saw you after so many years. It revived this unexplainable feeling within me that's been hiding for so long."

Absolutely disgusted by her audacious confession, I furiously gritted my teeth as the antagonism and grudge I held towards her that was slowly vanishing instantly returned even stronger.

"Let's make this clear, you were the one who cheated on me. You left me, broke my heart, and told me that you were embarrassed of me." I pointed at her heatedly and helped her awaken the memories of what she did to me, hoping it'd make her acknowledge how ludicrous she sounded right now.

"I know... I know... And I'm really sorry for what I did Jungkook. I truly do regret it." Yerim lowered her head and articulated her remorse, but I was having difficulty buying the bullshit that was coming out of her mouth.

"I realized that I'm still in love with you! And always seeing you with Hana broke my heart... It hurt me way too much..." she looked up at me once again with a broken facial expression, probably anticipating an "I'm in love you too" from her ex-boyfriend.

Displaying an indifferent face and trying so hard not to let my outrage explode, I queried calmly, "So let me guess, the whole 'Hana called me dumb behind my back' thing was a lie wasn't it?"

"Y-Yeah but I only did it for us! I needed to get rid of her for us to be together again!" Yerim admitted and provided me with her desperate excuse, clasping my right hand with hers while searching for some sort of validation in my eyes.

Snatching my hand away from her frantic hold, I shot an incensed glare at her and scornfully reviled, "You make me sick, you know that? You manipulated me, exploited me, and even ruined my friendship with Hana for your stupid, selfish desires."

Her eyes now brimming with tears, she begged achingly, "Please... Please don't say that..."

"What about Jin? You're really willing to betray your boyfriend like that?" I scolded her for her thoughtlessness and negligence over my best friend who cares so much about her.

"I'll breakup with him today I promise! So please... take me back... I-I miss you so much..." she implored and made it seem like she couldn't care less about her current boyfriend, as if she was merely throwing away her favorite toy that was no longer the center of her attraction.

Damn, so Yerim's been the same old insensitive, egocentric player after all.

I guess I've been fooled by her false persona all along.

With that one special and incomparable person on my mind, I stared at Yerim resolutely with an unwavering heart.

"I'm sorry, but I like someone else."

Black streams of tears endlessly trickled down her cheeks from her disheveled eye makeup, and she was left with no words to say.

Yerim was clearly heartbroken, but I didn't give a single crap about her anymore.

She betrayed me twice, and this was the consequence she rightfully deserved.

"Jungkook..." she muttered weakly and reached out her frail hand, suddenly gripping onto the edge of my uniform sleeve and tugging me towards her body with all her might.

And then, she kissed me.