in another life | yang jungwon ✔️

0.8 | found out

[tw: talk of bulimia]

"ayame.." jungwon spoke as the girl opened her eyes slowly, processing her surroundings. she looked around, seeing herself in the nurse's office, again

"what happened?" ayame asked, attempting to sit up in the bed but jungwon stopped her from doing so

"you passed out in class" jungwon explained, "the nurse said you're dehydrated and you haven't been eating well at all. she also said your salivary glands are swollen"

ayame's eyes widened at his last statement, "m-my what?"

"ayame" he spoke, his voice now serious, "your salivary glands are swollen" she placed her own hands on her neck/cheek and definitely they were, "she said that's a symptom of bulimia"

ayame placed her hands in her lap, not responding. the only person who ever known about it was the nurse. it was too obvious that something was going on with ayame for the nurse to just disregard it. other than that, no one knew.

"are you..bulimic?" jungwon asked her, concerned. he's heard stories about people with bulimia and that it's scary but to see it in person was even more scary. he was scared that she was going to yell at him but she didn't.

she didn't intend to tell the boy in front of her about it. if she had a choice, she would not be telling him right now. she was afraid to see how he was going to act and respond because that was the one thing she was always worried about. how would people react if they knew?

"yes" she spoke, sighing afterwards, "i've been like this since last year. i'm scared to eat because i'll end up purging on food" why was she telling him this?, "i can't help it. i hate my body. it's ugly and i can't stand looking at myself in the mirror" why him?, "why do i weigh so much? why don't i look like the idols? why aren't i as skinny as them? i can't stop relapsing from it. the moment i purge, i feel..ashamed, i feel guilty and i feel horrible. i force myself to throw up and i hate this but i can't stop. i want to be skinny. i want to be pretty but i'm not"

jungwon wasn't sure what to say. he didn't want to trigger her at all

"i'm sorry" ayame spoke suddenly after seeing his silence, "that was very sudden but i just.."

jungwon quickly took hold of her hand, holding it softly. she flinched at the touch, staring at their hands while jungwon spoke, "i care about you. you're not alone in this battle ayame. i'm not sure what i should do to help you but can you tell me what would be helpful?"

ayame wasn't sure either. she's never told anyone about this and that fact that jungwon is still technically a new student and she willingly told him says a lot

okay she didn't willingly tell him, she just couldn't lie as there were many signs that she was dealing from bulimia.

"just stay here for now" she replied and he nodded, "and please..do not tell my brother about today..and that i have bulimia"

"he doesn't know?"

"no and i don't want him to know. so please don't tell him"

"but..he's your brother. he deserves to know" jungwon muttered

"i don't want him to worry about me so promise me you won't tell him" she held out her other hand, pinky out, "please"

jungwon reluctantly held out his pinky, clasping it with hers, "i-i promise"

ayame nodded before looking away from the boy.

jungwon observed her side profile. there's a lot about the girl that he doesn't know about and he wants to know everything about her that makes her ayame. he's curious about her and he wants to be someone that she can trust and go too when she needs help.