Trigger warning: mentions of bullying/death threats.

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Chapter 20

Two weeks have passed since Yangyang decided to play hide and seek with everyone else. He ignored and avoided not just Yiyeon but also the rest of their friends.

Yiyeon was slowly getting used to it, but she doesn't want to. Not when it would mean losing someone special.

"Yiyeon and the word 'quiet' do not fit together. So mind telling me what's been bugging you?" Yiyeon looked at her cousin, who sat beside her. "Don't look at me like that, idiot."

The girl just shook her head and continued writing in her notebook.

"What are you doing? Am I disturbing you?" Hyunjin asked.

"Not really," she sighed, not even bothering to look at the guy. "I was getting sleepy myself, so you disturbing me is actually making me feel awake. If that makes sense."

Hyunjin nods, "It's your birthday in three days. Do you have any plan in mind?" He asked.

"Oh right. I almost forgot about that," Yiyeon stopped writing and stared at the sky. "I don't have any plans for my birthday. Let's eat barbeque at home, then call my parents and my brother via video call, maybe..." she rubbed her chin.

"Is that all you want?" Hyunjin raised a brow. "No swimming parties this time?"

She shook her head, "The reason why I'm only celebrating my birthday this year is that you're living with me. If you were still in Daegu, I wouldn't bother." She continued writing in her notebook. "Besides, the people who are with me every birthday aren't with me... so what's the point?"

"So I suppose Yangyang is still ignoring you?" Hyunjin asked. He didn't get any response from his cousin, which confirmed his hunches. "And Jeno, too?"

Hyunjin sighed and stretched his legs, "I understand why they're both ignoring you. Jeno, because apparently, he's your ex-boyfriend. But still, Jeno ignoring you doesn't really sound good to me. I mean, even when you guys broke up, he was consistent in talking to you." He cracked his knuckles and looked at the sky. "Yangyang, on the other hand, had feelings for you and tried to hide it all these years. Now that you know it, it's probably difficult for him to talk to you knowing that you guys are the best of friends..."

She closed her notebook and faced him. "Hyunjin... when Jeno and I were doing a project together... he did mention that once we're done with the project, he won't pester me anymore... and he did." She sighed, "Is it bad that I feel disappointed and hurt?"

He squinted her eyes and scooted closer, "Say, Yiyeon-ah..." he raised a brow. "Do you still love Jeno?"

"What kind of question is that?!" Yiyeon exclaimed.

"It's a question you should answer, Yiyeon," Hyunjin said. "It's been asked to you many times, and I think you should answer it already-"

"And if I say yes, what would you do?"

Hyunjin stopped rambling and looked at his cousin. He smiled--a totally unexpected reaction. "If you do, then I think you should talk to him and hear him out. I mean, he did keep on telling you that the reason why you broke up was a misunderstanding... so shoot your shot, I guess?" He chuckled.

Yiyeon raised a brow, "You aren't mad?"

"Why would I be mad, idiot?!" He raised a brow and flicked her forehead. "I mean, sure, Jeno's your ex-boyfriend, and you should be moving on from him already, but I still think that your story has its loose ends, and I want you to fix it." He shrugged.

"Talking to him at this moment would be really impossible, though..." She said silently and looked down.

Hyunjin raised a brow and looked at what she was looking at. It was her left hand that had bruises.

"Did you get into a fight?!" He exclaimed as he snatched her hand.

She winced in pain, "What the fuck, Hyunjin!" She yelled and pushed him away. "It already hurts, so why would you grab it harshly?!"

"I'm sorry, my bad..." he chuckled. "But in all seriousness... what happened?"

"It might sound weird coming from a girl, but..." she sighed. "I got into a fistfight yesterday." She pressed her lips into a thin line. "Turns out, the people who are silently torturing me are indeed Jeno's delusional fans. I found it out yesterday because of my co-club members."

"Wait, what?!" Hyunjin raised a brow. "You woke up yesterday and chose violence?! Instead of reporting the damned people?!"

"I was mad, okay?!" Yiyeon yelled back, trying to defend herself. "And earlier, I wasn't even surprised when I saw a doll with knives on its chest."

"Yiyeon, what the fuck?!"

"What do you mean what the fuck?" She raised a brow. "I'm not dead, don't worry," she sighed. "So there goes my chances with talking yo Jeno..."

"Is that why you're here on the soccer field and not on the basketball court?" Hyunjin asked.

"Actually, no. I'm waiting for Sungchan and Jisung to finish." She said. "I'll be interviewing with the soccer team, and it might take a while. So don't wait for me, and go home already," she said and pushed him away.

Hyunjin stood up and rolled his eyes, "Ungrateful brat." He scoffed. "If anything happens, feel free to call me, okay?"

"Thanks, Hyunjin!" She smiled.

Hyunjin patted her head and started to walk away.

***

"Hyunjin's here!!" His friends cheered the moment he entered the coffee shop.

Hyunjin sees Yejin and Daewon bickering over something that was written on the book. Jaemin was almost knocked out. The rest were busy sipping their coffees.

Yejin waved his hands as Hyunjin walked towards their table, "Hey, Hyunjin! Were you able to get some important information from Yiyeon?" She asked.

He pulled an empty chair so that he could sit down. Nodding, he smiled, "She told me that she doesn't have any plans. She said that she'd be okay with a simple barbeque celebration with me," he sighed. "But to be honest, I'm not fine with that..."

The rest looked at each other. "What do you mean?" Jeongmin asked.

"She's not like that..." Hyunjin took a deep breath. "She looked really hurt when she was talking to me earlier. I never thought that her break-up with Jeno would have an impact like this, and as much as it pains me to say this... I don't want her to look like that."

Yejin sighed, "I know what you mean." She closed the book she was reading and leaned forward. "I think she's also deeply affected by Yangyang who's currently ignoring her existence—well, us, too."

"Yangyang would always do something for Yiyeon. I just know it," Daewon said. "I can talk to him, if you guys want."

Hyunjin nodded.

"As for Jeno?" Hyunjin asked.

"Me, Jisung, and Jaemin could try and talk to him," Renjun said. "He just loves her too much. It's impossible."

"Alright, then." Yejin said. "The venue's set according to Sungchan. We'll be celebrating at his aunt's restaurant in Gangnam."

"Wait, Gangnam?" Hyunjin asked. "Do we have enough funds for that?" He asked.

"Don't worry! Sungchan's aunt knows us. She also loves Yiyeon, so... yeah! That explains it, I guess?" Yejin laughed.

"Glad you were able to lose her on the way here," Daewon said.

Yiyeon's cousin shrugged, "She said she'll be interviewing the soccer team."

"She actually fell for that?" Jaemin chuckled. "I do hope Jisung and Sungchan fell for it."

"Don't worry about Sungchan, I told him." Daewon said.

"Well then, it's settled." Hyunjin said, standing up. "I'll be bringing Yiyeon to the restaurant. Just text me the address."

Yejin nodded, "Okay, then."

"See you on September 9."

****

It was starting to get dark. The lamp posts illuminating the pathway were the only source of light in the school campus.

Yiyeon hid behind the wall, her eyes tracing Jeno, who just got out of the auditorium. She could feel her heart racing as she slowly went out of her hiding spot only to walk behind the boy.

Looking around cautiously, she whispered, "Jeno!"

The boy stopped in his tracks as he, too, looked around, before throwing Yiyeon a worried look. The girl stood there, looking at her shoes, as if it was the most interesting thing she'd seen that day.

"Yeon-ah, it's dangerous..." Jeno whispered back. "What are you up to?"

Getting no reply, Jeno grabbed the girl's wrist and pulled her into a more secluded spot. She wasn't speaking, nor looking at him.

Jeno sighed and lifted her chin up. To his surprise, she was crying silently. "W-What—"

Yiyeon wasted no time and engulfed the other in a hug, "I... I'm such a h-horrible person, Jeno..." she sobbed. "This isn't a place where I planned on telling this, but," she wiped her tears away.

Jeno beat her to it and wiped her tears away using his handkerchief. "Slowly, Yiyeon..." he whispered softly.

"On Saturday... can we meet?" She whispered. "You know where..."

His eyes widened as he nodded. "O-Okay...."

Yiyeon smiled at him. "That's all I wanted to say. See you on Saturday, Jeno!" She said as she slowly turned away.

She ran away from the place. She was beyond terrified as she knew that someone could still be watching her.

She looked at the crumpled fabric in her hands and realized that she wasn't able to return his handkerchief. She stopped in her tracks and looked back. She was already out of the campus, and she's scared to risk running back inside.

Sighing, she continued walking.

On Saturday, she'll be talking to Jeno.

And she has decided to hear him out.

Hear the real reason why they broke up.

Jeno, on the other hand, walked in silent. He knows that it will be Yiyeon's birthday in Saturday, and he wonders why she pondered the courage to approach him.

He placed his hands in his pocket and smiled. It wasn't the ideal time and place, but he was happy to hug her once again.

On Saturday, he decides, that he will make it right.

He won't screw up this time.

— tbc.