Jiro scratched his head as his lips slightly twitched, "No I couldn't.."
"Why?" Katherine questioned with a wrinkled eyebrow.
"Get in the car first. We'll talk on our way home." He responded with a blank face.
"Give me the keys. I'll drive." Katherine demanded with a calm voice.
"..."
Ji-Ro took a deep breath and opened his mouth to speak. "Sweetie, did you know why I didn't tell Fei Shuang?"
Katherine shook her head while driving. "No sweetheart, I don't."
"I wanted to tell her but she told me she didn't want to hear anything that had to do with Caofeng ever again. And I think it was best for me not to tell her or else she'd be very furious .Fei Shuang might look strong and tough in the outside but that's just her way of protecting herself from the world."
Hearing Ji-Ro's words, Katherine shook her head in disagreement. "I don't understand your reason and still insist that you tell her, for how long are you going to keep hiding it?! You kept looking at her in the eye and kept quiet. You think she's weak but I don't think so! If you're not going to tell her then I'll tell her myself. I can't bear to keep on watching her like this. I feel so guilty of myself Ji-Ro."
Ji-Ro went silent after hearing her words.It's been long since the last time he heard Katherine call him by his name when they're alone. She too must be having guilty conscience like he did. He opened his eyes and retrieved his phone from his pocket.
"What are you doing now?" She asked in a sad tone.
"I'm calling Fei Fei. If anyone is to tell her that'll be me." He dialed Fei Shuang's number and waited for 3 rings before she answered.
"Hi Ji-Ro ahh, are you home already? ZhenZhu just told me about the Lavender stuff Miss White head was talking about. Is she near? Put her on speak—-"
"Fei Shuang you need to listen to what I'm about to say very carefully. It's very important." Ji-Ro suddenly turned very serious. He gathered all his courage to do this.
'Did Miss White Head left anything in the house? What exactly is going on?' Fei Shuang thought.
"Ok, I'm listening."
"The thing is..." he stopped for a while and took a breath,he lost his courage once more; Katherine held his hand and whispered, "You can do this Sweetheart."
Ji-Ro nodded and continued, "W-Well, I knew.. *cough* I knew Caofeng was cheating on you for about a year."
Ji-Ro hurriedly ended the phone call. He was afraid of how Fei Shuang would react. He took a deep breath and looked at Katherine.
"You did the right thing sweetie,now tell me how you feel." Katherine spoke in delight as she stopped the car at the junction.
"I feel *cough* more at ease." He wiped the sweat on his forehead. He felt like a huge burden was taken off his chest.
"I told you I'd be better to tell her,now—"
Suddenly, they both got interrupted when Ji-Ro's phone rang. Both looking at the screen, Ji-Ro saw Fei Fei's name appear on the screen.
"Pick it up Sweetheart, listen to what she's about to say."
Katherine set her eyes on the road once more and Ji-Ro answered the call, "Fei Fei?"
"You, why did you cut off the call?"
"...." Ji-Ro rolled his eyes internally. He did not respond to Fei Shuang's question, and only fell silent.
Fei Shuang sighed and continued. "Ji-Ro ahh, is that the reason why you've been so sensitive and bought me all those expensive gifts and even offered me money? You should have known me by now that I'm not into luxury life and stuffs."
"Ahem.. Fei Fei I'm really sorry, p-please forgive—"
Hearing Ji-Ro's words, Fei Shuang sighed again and immediately stopped him from finishing his sentence.
"Ji-Ro. Can you please stop it? Didn't i told you that i don't want to hear anything that had to do with Caofeng again? Let's not talk about this and—" she tried to change the topic but was cut off immediately.
"No Fei Fei. I'm really sorry, please don't change the topic. I know you must be so mad at me and I understand. You're like a sister to me and I betrayed you." He sounded so emotional on the phone. He could feel a tear drops tickling down his cheek.
"I know Ji-Ro ahh, i forgive you. And don't worry too because I'm not mad at you. I know it took you so much effort to tell me this but it's all in the past. It won't change anything,trust me. You must be feeling so guilty because of the situation I'm in right now but just know that it's not your fault. It was all my fault from the beginning. I knew I could never be the woman Caofeng needed and i was always busy with work and had no time for him nor my friends. I enslaved myself from working nonstop. This is the price i have to pay,it is no ones burden to carry but mine. So please, don't worry yourself too much." Fei Shuang was so calm even tho she was sad and unhappy about the situation.
"But Fei Fei i—"
"Ji-Ro! You're an amazing person and I'm happy to have you both in my life. If you really care about me then please, don't bring this matter up again. You made a mistake and you've been forgiven. The past is the past and today is today, i guess that's how it goes. Tell Miss White Head that'll try her present straight away,okay?! Good night!"
Fei Shuang sounded so excited on the phone. All the grievances she felt suddenly vanished when she remembered the talk she had with ZhenZhu.
He instantly relaxed, taking a deep breath, and spoke, "Alright, good night Fei Fei."
The phone call ended. Ji-Ro realizes that they already arrived home.
_ _ _ _ _
1:OO, ZhenZhu's apartment.
"Fei Shuang," ZhenZhu stated, "i can't take another shot, I'm feeling s-so tired now." She rubbed her forehead, soothing the headache that was becoming worse by the minute, especially after transporting Fei Shuang's powered wheelchair and belongings to her house. The last thing she wanted now was to lay on her nice warm bed and sleep.
Fei Shuang widened her eyes as she pulled ZhenZhu's arm with one hand and the other holding a bottle of beer. She landed safely on the sofa right next to Fei Shuang.
"You're not going anywhere until y-you *hic* take this final shot with me. I need to d-drown away my sorrows. Come *hic* just this one,p-please?"
"B-but Girlfriend i need to go to sleep on time, *hic* tomorrow is Monday and I'm going to work by 8."
Fei Shuang ignored her sentence and popped the cap of another bottle open, "H-here *hic*. She handed it to ZhenZhu, "drink this first."
ZhenZhu had no other objections but to accept the drink. She knew Fei Shuang wouldn't let her be if she didn't do as she demanded and emptied the bottled.
She stood up and head towards the bedroom as she was walking in the pathway with her hand tracing the wall.
'Oh God! How did i drink this muchh?' Her eyesight was blurry as she slowly walked. Her head was spinning, making her head dizzy.
After puking in a vase on her way, she reached the door and gently swayed it open.
Later on,she then raises both of her hands to avoid colliding with whatever was in her way until she finally made it to her bed.
*bam* ZhenZhu laid on the bed without minding how her sleeping position was. All she wanted was to rest and thus, she fell fast asleep.
While in the sitting room, Fei Shuang was sitting alone on the sofa with empty bottles around and on the table in front of her. She has puked continuously in the candy bowl on the table. With one of her hands on her chest and the other holding an almost empty bottle of beer, Fei Shuang cursed herself for falling for a jerk and blamed herself for her situation. She wasn't mad at Ji-Ro for hiding the truth from her, it wouldn't have changed her destiny actually because she'd still find her way get hit by a car again. Working her a** all day just to provide Caofeng with enough money to forget the fact that he was a TOTAL LOOSER angered her the most! He genuinely sucked at anything he does.
How on earth did she used to be madly in love with him? His flower boy appearance? Well maybe it was because she used to find him heavenly handsome, much like all the other girls of their department. She hated herself even more for just walking away without teaching Caofeng a lesson he'd never forget. Why let it go so easily?
Why was she so FOOLISH as a matured woman? Why? She grabbed another bottle of beer and continuously drank in agony. She wanted to drink herself to death. At this point, she could take drugs and coke, even smoke weed as long as the pain would go away. But where could she find them in her situation? From where does she start?
Her idiotic dreams and decisions had taken her to a dead end called FAILURE. All she ever wanted was to be loved and cared for, but now look at her,nothing but a handicapped who can't even take a shower or ride a bicycle anymore. She would now be considered a secondhand woman as she realizes that her life is in a mess. A deep mess!
Fei Shuang took another sip from her new bottle of beer, finding out that it was, like the previous one, empty. Which made her wonder, how much did she drink from this hour of staying in ZhenZhu's place. All she could see around her were empty bottles and a crate with only two more capped bottles left. How long did she just sit there on the sofa, bathing herself in self-hatred and self-pity, using alcohol as her only friend? Well-not after ZhenZhu retired for sleep.
She couldn't remember, but perhaps it would be better that way to learn how to live alone just like she felt when her family was torn apart.
At the thought of her parents, anger,pain and despair rose up again inside her. Without another thought, Fei Shuang leaned over the arm chair and pulled the last two capped bottles of beer.
She uncapped one of the bottle and kept raining abuses on herself. Pure signs of a drunker continues to show.
FROM THE AUTHOR
Hi everyone, I didn't want to mention this at first but i think it matters. I've been going through a lot this year. I lost so many important people in my life,including my stepmother. At first it was my mothers closest friend who passed away, then it was my grandfather (the only one i had left) and now it's my stepmother. It was horrible and unbearable for me. I guess that's the reason why I couldn't write anymore but I'm not a quitter. I'll try my best to continue living my life as it used to be. Oh God I can't do this without you. Please bear in me for a while. I'll update a chapter every 2-3 days.