It was the last day. She came to me the net morning. She was dressed nicely and perfectly put makeup. I was so surprised to see her changed. Yesterday was looking so miserable and that day everything had changed.
"Hey. You look so beautiful," I claimed staring at her as she gave me a prideful smirk.
"I'm always beautiful. Never let yourself down or lose your confidence or even doubting if you're looking beautiful," She replied me confidently. Headed to my bedroom and sat on my bed.
"So it's the last day?" I asked looking down.
"Yeah. I'm ready after that to leave you forever. When you finish the book, leave me a copy of it. You can publish it after that," She smiled and stood up facing my huge mirror. I've always asked myself why would she stand up there to tell her story. Was my mirror a special thing or was it containing magic.
'The morning came. I woke up on a noise of small talks between Yeongsoo and Haneul. I opened my eyes getting up. It was already 9 am.
"Dina! Good morning my dear!" Yeongsoo said looking at me getting up.
"Good morning," I opened my eyes looking at her then got surprised by seeing Haneul there.
"What is she doing here?" I asked Yeongsoo looking at her.
"Well, don't worry she's here to help us. We'll have tiring days Dina, just.." Yeongsoo sadly said.
"What? What do you mean?" I asked confusedly.
"Listen honey, it's not time to know all details now. Just do what we'll tell you okay?" Haneul got closer and announced.
"I don't trust you after what you told me yesterday," I angrily replied.
"Just trust her Dina. She was right unfortunately," Yeongsoo replied sadly and couldn't look at me.
"What? What do you mean?" I asked surprisingly. It was strange how Yeonsoo's face expression changed suddenly.
"Just go wash up and change your clothes then we'll talk," Haneul said going away.
I went to the bath room and washed up. I wore my clothes after taking a shower while Yeongsoo was waiting for me in my room. I felt something not good was going to happen. I had always had that sixth sense which told me that something bad would really happen later. I went out of the shower room finding Yeongsoo sad with some confused expressions on her face. Playing with her fingers and was ready to say something.
"Yeongsoo. Are you okay?" I asked looking at her.
"Oh yeah! Did you enjoy your bath?" She replied faking a smile.
"Yup, but you don't seem fine. What's going on?" I sat beside her on the bed.
"Well, a lot of things are happening and I can't tell them to you by myself. Haneul must help me," She said smiling playing with her fingers confusedly. I was able to read body language. Eyes, lips, fingers, reactions. I was never stupid not to find out of course.
"Yeah, then where is she?" I asked looking everywhere.
"She's down stairs."
"Then I'll go calling her!" I pronounced standing up as Yeongsoo stopped me by holding my arm.
"Wait! No. I'll just call for her," She stood up hurrying to hold her phone as I nodded. I looked at her acting strangely. I had never seen Yeongsoo that much worried before. She called her telling her to come to that bedroom.
"Yeongsoo. You don't seem fine. What happened?" I asked after being silent for a while.
"No it's just that.."
"That what?" I looked at her comforting.
"I'm worried about you Dina! I don't want you to get hurt or even suffer. It hurts me instead of you," She suddenly shouted was going to cry at any minute.
"Why worrying? Don't worry. I'm fine and I won't get hurt whatever happens especially Yeongi is by my side," I smiled as Haneul entered.
"The problem is that he's not by your side anymore," Haneul replied closing the room's door.
"What do you mean?" I looked at her strangely. My heart started to beat fast because I was thinking and afraid of what she was saying. Maybe I predicted all this before.
"Listen to us carefully Everdine. You are a good girl and you must follow what we'll tell you because we know what will happen later," Haneul started and sat beside me.
"Okay. What's it?"
"Well.. Myung Hoon is engaged to Ji Hye," Haneul directly repeated that sentence of the previous night.
"Ya! don't start from the end! Let her know the whole story," Yeongsoo shouted at Haneul. I was shocked because his sister was confirming the info. It was like someone hit my head with something heavy.
"Okay okay. Well listen, before about 8 years or 10 years, Myung Hoon and Ji Hye started to date. He loved her so much as she did. Time was passing fast, he went to the army. Stayed there for two years waiting when he'd go out to see his girlfriend again. When he got out he found that she had changed a lot than he knew her before. She wasn't loving him as she used to do before. They broke up after two months I guess and he got hurt a lot. That time he knew you on social media and you were making him feeling better. His life had changed since that time and look what he is now," Haneul was saying all that while I was getting back my memory. I was remembering everything as she was talking. My heart was beating fast. everything was confused and blurry to me. I started to see clearly after her explanation. How me and him fought a lot and separated. We fell apart because he had a break down and was desperate from living. He was suicidal.
She explained to me all his story about his company and about Ji Hye, how she started and he all that game. She gave me every detail. conversations, proofs, pictures, the video. Yeongsoo was also trying to calm me down. I was lost, I didn't know what to do, how to react. I wanted to go far away from that place. My chest was tightening as I was suffocating. My tears started to fall, one after the other until they became a river. I never cry in front of people. Rarely did before. That time was horrible. My day turned to be a black night. Light turned to be dark. My summer became a cold winter. From seeing colors I become seeing things in black and white. My heart exploded, as it was a time bomb. That fire of love inside me started to be consumed. Oxygen had already ran out. I felt like I died and got back alive many times at once. Hurtful enough to feel those scars were born that moment. Like I've been stabbed with a huge knife from the back. I didn't know what to do. I started to shake. But no. I had always been strong and tough to handle like that situation. It was not the first time for me to get hurt. However, that one was the most painful situation I got into. They kept talking. Explained to me for what I had to do. I wasn't focusing with them. I just interrupted them wiping my tears.
"You know what? I'll deal it myself. I'm fine. I will make him regret playing my feelings. I understand he is trying to protect his friends, but he was wrong getting me in this thing from the first," I claimed changing my face expression from being sad to tough.
"Everdine! What you're gonna do? Listen, Ji Hye won't rest until you're totally away!" Yeongsoo shouted trying to stop me.
"Listen. I know what I'm gonna do. It's over now. I will leave to my country this Saturday. I will leave them alone to live happily and he better not to hold onto me later, cause I'll slap him and hit the hell of him!" I claimed angrily. I wanted to shoot someone in the head or beat him until my anger stopped. What made me sad and mad at that time was being played. I felt like I was a doll. My precious feelings were a tool to be played with. They tried to convince me that he has always loved me. I just denied everything.
I went down stairs finding Myung Hoon sitting with Ji Hye. It was a horrible scene. I took a deep breathe telling myself that I was strong and wouldn't care and tried to ignore their existence.
"Good morning Everdine! Here we meet again," She started as I headed to the kitchen. I at first planned not to reply her, then I changed my mind cause it would be a weakness action.
"Good morning! Yeah we do and we won't again," I turned to look at her smirking evilly then ignored her.
"Why not? Did anything happen by chance?" She asked arrogantly then kissed him in front of me.
"Hey babe," Jinwoo went down stairs getting closer to me smiling.
"Hey," I faked a smile at him. I knew that I had to act to survive. My pride before anything else. He hugged me and headed to kitchen again.
"Wanna some cold chocolate?" He asked looking at only me.
"If we have it both yeah," I hid my laugh making a cute expression which made him poking my nose.
Yeongi was burning from jealousy and wanted to punch Jinwoo for that. Yeongsoo and Haneul saw what happened and laughed. Ji Hye kept staring at Jinwoo. With no doubts she was in love with him.
"Where's Chung Min and Hyung Min?" I suddenly asked taking the cup of cold chocolate.
"Swimming in early morning. I'm sure they are waiting for us. Hurry and let's go!" Jinwoo pronounced. "I'll change my clothes and be back. Keep the act up," He continued whispering giving me a cute kiss on my cheek as I giggled nodding and calling him 'babe'. It hurt to act. However, it had always been my savior.
I went up stairs to change. I ignored them as they kept kissing each other for long. I entered my room crying hardly. Both of the girls followed me to comfort me. They knew that I was broken into million pieces. They made me change wearing my swimming clothes getting ready for worse. We went to the beach leaving them kissing on the couch. I couldn't look at them. Seeing the one I love kissing his ex girlfriend whom became his fiance.
"Everdine!" Both Chung Min and Hyung Min came toward me worrying. "Are you okay?" They continued asking.
"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?" I faked a smile to them while Jinwoo hugged me. I wanted to cry but couldn't.
I wasn't talking that much after all what I heard from the girls. Boys tried to calm me down. I wasn't imagining to have a sad ending like that. That day passed heavily on me. Yeongsoo was so worried about me. Haneul was trying hard to get Chung Min back. Jinwoo kept watching over me and handling those scenes of Ji Hye and Myung hoon being both stick to each other. Love had always been the huge problem we face in our lives. It changes our rhythm, our manners, our way of thinking and makes us look as fools for people whom aren't in love. We had lunch and talked about few things which were not important. I was lost in my thoughts. I wasn't focusing with them at all. I suddenly found myself carried by Jinwoo on his back heading to the beach. I kept screaming to let me down, but in a sweet way.
"I won't throw you. I'm a gentleman," He spoke trying to raise up my mood. I laughed for what he said and left him throwing me. "Nah. Let's swim together," He continued laughing. I didn't know that Yeongi and his fiance were watching. We swam and played with water and laughed. I wont lie but I had great time with Jinwoo. He reminded me of what we were doing. He was so loyal. He loved only her and got hurt just for her.
"Why should all this happen? I mean it's unfair," I spoke sadly.
"It's always like that when it comes to love," He comforted.
He had always been right. Mature enough to do what's right. That evening I couldn't eat. Jinwoo advised me to but couldn't. I got enough for that day to be full. I stayed in my room. I fell asleep. I wished it was just nightmare. I wished when I wake up everything would be okay and sweet as it was.
In the next morning, we left the beach house heading to Yeongi's. I headed directly to my bedroom to prepare my things and luggage. I was going to leave two days after. They were coming to check up on me. No one could claim against Yeongi telling him he was so wrong. He warned them not to try anything because he gave up on me. I was avoiding him each time I saw him. Our looks were meeting each other from time to time. I felt like he was completely a stranger. The previous day we were kissing, and the other day we fell apart. I couldn't eat anything. Holidays were so painful at the end. I felt burdened. I wanted and wished to lose memory again. The evening came, I took a shower. The guys were already tired. Haneul finally got back Chung Min. He didn't want to miss the chance. It's rarely to be loved back. I was changing my clothes and didn't notice Yeongi getting in. I widened my eyes from sock as he looked like a drunken.
"What are you doing here?" Once I asked turning my head not to look at him. He came closer grabbing my arms and sticking with the wall breathing closely. I wanted him to be away. I didn't want him to hurt me anymore though it felt so safe inside his arms.
"Why you're doing this?" He whispered looking inside my eyes. His forehead was stuck to mine.
"Doing what?" I replied trying to look away, but he turned my head to face him again.
"You and Jinwoo. What are you trying to do? You know that I feel so jealous when it comes to you. You know that I love only you. How dare you let him kissing you in front of me!" He growled getting more closer to me. He left me no space.
"It's like you weren't kissing her in front of me," I tried to push him away but couldn't. "Why you keep doing this? Why you want me to be yours," I was under his control while he started to kiss me getting down to my neck slowly. He stopped for a while, looking into my eyes. His dark eyes made me fall for him more. He held my face kissing me deeply.
"Don't you realize that you're only mine and I'm only.. Yours," He whispered quietly when I was surrounded by his body and arms and the wall in my room. I didn't believe him. I didn't want to get hurt more than I did.
"You'll get married to her. Don't hunt me. Stop being so selfish and let me go. You hurt me more than anyone did before," As I was spelling those words, he stepped back, looked at me with drunken sad eyes for the last time. I couldn't even look back at him. I put my head on my pillow crying for long until I fell asleep.
Yeongsoo was never stupid. She was unexpected, smart but hid that by acting so crazy. She got a smart idea to save our relationship, her father's company and her brother's friends whom were victims too for the game. Jin Hyuk, the one she used to love before, had enough power and acquaintances with Ji Hye's father and brother. None had that idea because they were busy getting hurt. The only thing which stopped her was scared to call him. She hesitated that day. One day was left for me to leave Korea.
The next morning I didn't want to wake up. I wanted to stay in my bed. I was remembering every detail since I stepped Korea first time. How I got kidnapped, how I met him, how he was treating me, protecting me and caring to me. How he spent a whole day standing by my side when I was sick. How he confessed. how he made me remember all those beautiful memories. Others looked for me and I acted like I was asleep in order to avoid them. Ji Hye left to prepare for the ceremony. Yeongi wanted to have more time with me while I didn't want to see his face again. I got up and went out away from his house. I bought what I had to buy and shopped. I put music not listening to anyone. They kept calling me especially Yeongi. I didn't want to answer. I visited those beautiful places again and took pictures. It was my last day I spent in Korea. Alone and lonely. Jinwoo found me as he was driving. That feeling of desiring to be lost while all you want is to be found again. That was the feeling when I saw him. He was giving me hope.
"Don't leave without letting me know," He claimed as I looked out of the window.
"I'm sorry. I needed to be alone for the last day. At least when I'm far from him I don't get hurt," I replied smiling sadly.
"We decided not to go to the ceremony."
"Why? My flight is much earlier than the party," I turned to look at him.
"It's at the same time. We don't agree on this engagement though. So we won't be going," He smiled to me comforting. I didn't want them to be against their friend. Not for me.
"You guys have to go. He needs you all by his side. I don't want to see him hurt or feeling pain just as I do."
"We decided Everdine," He pronounced. "I personally don't want to see my best friend announcing his engagement with the girl I love," He continued with a sad voice. I kept being silent until we got back home.
Yeongi wasn't home. He left that afternoon to Ji Hye's house to get ready for the ceremony. Yeongsoo was still thinking of that plan. She told nobody. I packed everything. I had dinner with the guys and kept talking and joking. It was a sad ending after all. The next day, they took me to airport and didn't go to the ceremony. I was surprised because they followed me there. Yeongsoo and her boyfriend Hyung Min, Chung Min and his girlfriend Haneul, and Jinwoo. By my side until I left. I cried hugging them.
A sad ending, sad farewell, sad story I had. I kept it all inside and that's why I couldn't take it but came to you that rainy day. I wanted to see him but had no chance. I wanted to hug him more, kiss him, hold his hand, seeing him laughing and take more pictures of him. Those bittersweet times were my favorite. I didn't feel time passing. I was deeply in love with him. I am sure he is now married to her. He deserves the best, or maybe it's me who doesn't deserve him. '
She shed one last tear turning back to look at me crying with her. I was expecting something more happy. I forgot that happy endings exist only in fairy tales or legends or maybe imaginary stories. I wanted to express myself to her. I tried to comfort her. I wanted to do something. I just couldn't.
"Why didn't he come to stop you from leaving?" I asked curiously. I've always wanted to know what is the reason of leaving when two people love each other endlessly. Being loved back is rarely found. Why people lose the chance? Why they waste their time in fighting and hurting each other? It is totally unfair.
"Because I knew that he didn't love me anymore," She replied after a long silence. She sat by my side holding my hand. "Don't do same mistakes. Or you'll pay for them," That was her last advice before leaving. She smiled hugely as all that heavy burden went away by telling her story. She left and never came back again.
To be continued...
~Queen Everdine~