"There is no key on the piano that sounds bad. It depends on how you play it. So, don't blame the piano, blame yourself." Sejin used to say those words, and they have left a profound impact on Bethi's life ever since they parted ways.
Bethi never truly grasped the passage of time; she found herself constantly lost in a world of dreams. However, when Sejin left for America, Bethi's life took an unexpected turn. She began to realize just how much she had relied on Sejin's presence and support.
In the past, during moments of happiness or sadness, while studying or shopping, Sejin was there for Bethi, from morning till night. He cared for her like a guardian angel. Bethi only began to comprehend the extent of his role in her life once he was gone.
As time went on, Bethi found herself becoming increasingly unpopular. Teachers scolded her for forgetting things, and during physical education classes, when she grew tired from running, nobody offered her a drink of water. She walked home alone, without anyone by her side, and when it rained, she had no one to share an umbrella with. She used to be the epitome of a perfect student, but now she sat alone in a corner of the classroom. The friends she once had were only acquaintances through Sejin.
The realization struck her deeply, and Bethi began to understand the true significance of Sejin's absence. She had taken his presence for granted, failing to recognize the extent of his impact on her life and the void he left behind.
After what felt like an eternity, Bethi's life had finally begun to regain a semblance of normalcy. She and Kota remained together, but the once vibrant connection between them had withered into something superficial and devoid of the genuine passion they once shared. Bethi believed everything was going well, or so she thought, until her final year of school descended upon her like a merciless tempest, shattering her world and forcing her to confront a devastating truth that echoed Sejin's haunting words.
One fateful afternoon after school, Kota approached Bethi with a glimmer of hope in his eyes, his voice trembling with anticipation. "Bethi, would you like to hang out?" he asked, his words laced with longing. For a fleeting moment, her heart fluttered, captivated by the possibility of rekindling their flame. However, reality swiftly interjected. The weight of her part-time job pressed heavily upon her, and with a heavy heart, she mustered the strength to decline his invitation. Kota reluctantly accepted her response, bidding her farewell as he walked away, though a curious absence of disappointment marked his demeanor.
Yet, fate had an unexpected twist in store for Bethi. A phone call shattered the monotony of her day, bearing the news that the shop where she worked would be closed due to unforeseen circumstances. A surge of excitement mingled with nerves coursed through her veins as an idea took shape in her mind. Without hesitation, she resolved to surprise Kota, to demonstrate her unwavering devotion by going out of her way for him. Driven by determination, she made her way toward the school, anticipation and trepidation intertwined.
However, what awaited her shattered her world in an instant. Frozen in disbelief, her heart sank as she stood there, a silent witness to a scene that defied comprehension. Kota, the one she held dear, was kissing another girl in an empty classroom, their lips entwined in a passionate embrace. The sight pierced Bethi's heart like a dagger, rupturing her trust and leaving a trail of shattered dreams in its wake.
Bethi's world spiraled into chaos, emotions crashing against the fragile walls of her heart. Anguish enveloped her, tears welled up in her eyes, threatening to spill over. It was a betrayal that surpassed words, an emotional hurricane that tore through the fragments of her once blissful existence. Deep down, she had sensed something was amiss, but the revelation of Kota's infidelity delivered a blow she couldn't bear to acknowledge.
"What are you doing?" Bethi entered the room and shouted, her voice choked with sorrow.
Both Kota and the girl he was kissing turned to face Bethi, their expressions a mix of surprise and guilt. Overwhelmed with pain, Bethi's voice trembled as she cried out, "What the hell are you doing, Kota?"
Kota responded, his tone laced with annoyance, "Can't you see we're kissing?"
The words cut deep into Bethi's wounded heart, and she shook with a mixture of anger and sadness. "How could you?" she managed to utter, her voice choked with tears.
But Kota, callously pushing her away, retorted, "Leave me alone! Why are you here when you said you couldn't come?"
Bethi's anger flared, fueling her defiance. "You're asking me why I'm here? Kota, tell me first what you're doing with that girl," she shouted at him, her voice filled with pain and righteous anger.
"Don't shout! You're ruining my reputation," Kota pushed Bethi away, callously dismissing her.
"Reputation? Don't joke with me," Bethi snapped back, her voice seething with anger.
With a cruel smirk, the other girl, still entangled with Kota, spoke up, "Yes, reputation. I have it, and you don't. You're just that bitch who spread her legs for the wealthy."
The words hit Bethi like a dagger straight through her heart, her anger giving way to a burning fury. She raised her hand to slap the girl, but Kota intercepted, holding her back. In a cold and indifferent tone, he uttered the words that would break her completely, "Let's break up."
The weight of those words hung in the air, suffocating Bethi as tears continued to stream down her face. "What did you say?" she choked out, her voice trembling with disbelief and sorrow.
"Yes, let's break up. I'm going to date her," Kota declared, pointing at the other girl.
Bethi's voice cracked as she struggled to comprehend the magnitude of the betrayal. "What? You're dating her while cheating on me?" she asked, her voice choked with heartache.
"Yes," Kota replied callously, a cruel laugh escaping his lips.
"Why, Kota? Why are you willing to date that girl?" Bethi's voice trembled with a mixture of pain and confusion, her words barely escaping her quivering lips. She raised her trembling fingers to trace the contours of her own face, her vulnerability laid bare for all to see.
Kota's response cleaved through the air like a sharpened blade, each word a fresh wound upon her already battered heart. "I'm sorry, Bethi, but it's better for my image to be with her. She's a model student and is considered the campus beauty," he callously explained, his words leaving her shattered and devoid of hope. And then, with no remorse evident in his actions, he sealed his betrayal with another kiss in front of Bethi, a final act of cruelty that tore at the very fabric of their relationship.
As tears streamed down Bethi's cheeks, she summoned the strength to ask the question that haunted her every thought. "Do you truly believe she's better than me?" Her voice quivered with a blend of hurt and self-doubt, as if her worth had been called into question by the one person she believed would forever cherish her.
"Yes! You're unbalanced for me! Go back to your other boyfriend, who was it? Sejin," Kota retorted with disdain.
Bethi stood there, her heart shattered into a million pieces, her tears flowing relentlessly. In that moment, amidst the wreckage of her broken dreams.
Bethi who watch her past life whispered to herself, "It's just karma."