32: when you're gone

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"𝐈 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧'𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡,"

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"𝐈 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧'𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡,"

~🌙 ~

I stumbled my way back home after dropping Hyerin at her apartment. My mind was clouded with confusion, sadness and regret. I wanted to understand her feelings and support her moving back - but I wasn't. I knew she was happier here: I saw it on her face every morning at school. She didn't have to worry about working for her father or balancing studies. So why was she so desperate to leave? There had to be more to it but it wasn't my place to find out. 

I tried to suppress the emotions gurgling within me and pushed it to the back of my mind. I told myself that it would be a problem for another day. I didn't even want to begin thinking about how I was supposed to confess my feelings for her.

I turned the key and let myself into the house. 

"Eomma, I'm home!"  I called out. I took off my shoes, coat and hung my school bag up. My mother shuffled in from the kitchen and greeted me with a hug. For once, I took in her warmth, wanting to feel comforted. 

"Finally! Your friends have been waiting for you," she announced as she pulled away. 

I turned into the living room and saw the guys all making themselves at home on my couch. My mother had made them snacks and drinks whilst they were engaged with the latest kdrama episode. I chuckled at how their attention was so diverted that they didn't even notice me come in. I parked myself on the armchair and decided to watch with them.

"I wonder when Jay will be back?" Ni-ki sulked, "I want to know how it went."

"Don't we all, Ni-ki," Heeseung comforted by patting his head. I rolled my eyes at their cluelessness before letting out an interrupting cough. 

"Oh! Jay!"

"JAY-AH!" 

"Hyungggg," 

They all cheered, scrambling to their feet. Instantly, I was bombarded with a wave of questions as I expected. Suno wanted to know how Hyerin reacted, Heeseung wanted to know what I said and Jake wanted to know if we were official. Their excitement meant a lot and I didn't want to strip them of it. So, I let them drain their energy by interrogating me on the events at hand. Eventually, they died down noting my silence and I finally found the strength to talk. 

"What happened?" Jungwon shook my arm, looking at me with wide eyes catching on to the fact that I did not have good news to bear. 

"Some students found out about our photoshoot, more specifically, Hyerin and I's photo of the wedding collection," 

"Ah," Heeseung's smile was now painted confusion. 

"They bullied her about it. It was horrible really - the things people came up with on assumption," I rubbed my temples, "She was really upset. I don't think she wants to come back to school."

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