Confident || Changbin

Breaking

As we turn to leave, I hear her mutter under her breath.

"Slut."

"Excuse me?!" I turn around, reeling.

"Heather, that's enough!" Changbin raises his voice.

"Honestly, what is your deal?" I continue. "Are you ever going to tell me why you hate me so much?"

Heather pauses and crosses her arms, looking at me with smug disgust.

"Well?!" I ask again.

She blurts out her answer. "Because I'm jealous of you, Sage! Isn't it obvious?!"

"Jealous? Of me?"

She glances at Changbin before glaring at me again. "You want me to spell it out for you?"

"Spell what out?"

"I'm still in love with Changbin."

Her voice is softer, yet it hits me like a ton of bricks.

"Still? What—"

Oh my God.

As her words start to sink in, my mind starts flooding with all of the clues from the past that I never picked up on.

* * *

"Do you think playing a cute, helpless damsel will make him interested in you?" She accused.

. . .

I can't help but notice that nobody gathers around Heather's chair and I wonder if she's been rude to them before too.

. . .

"Is Heather coming tonight?" I ask Lily nervously.

"No, I don't think so. She doesn't hang out when it's casual like this. She only comes if it's a company sponsored thing, like in New York."

I breathe a sigh of relief. I'm thankful that I won't have to endure her insults, but I still wonder why she doesn't hang out, why her attitude is always so sour but nobody else seems to mind.

. . .

"I know you think you're helping, but I'm capable of taking care of myself." It's Changbin's voice. Who is he with?

"I'm just trying to protect you from what happened last time." Minho. Of course.

Changbin chuckles. "That's rich, coming from you."

. . .

"But... those two have a unique relationship. They have a history and Minho is extremely protective because of that."

"What kind of history?" Lily asks for me.

"It's not our story to tell." Chan whispers, defeated that he can't give me the answers I want.

. . .

"Real professional, you two." Heather rolls her eyes at our flirting.

. . .

Changbin reaches to place a hand in front of the elevator door, preventing it from closing. Heather rounds the corner quickly before we can put enough distance between us, so all she sees is the awkward moment when I step away from Changbin. It looks worse than it is.