Broken • Choi Yeonjun

Blurt

A week has passed since Taehyun had first shown me his grammaire. He had been in and out of the dorm, always coming back with something odd, and sometimes leaving late at night.

It made me wonder what he was up to, but I wasn't going to pry. He was a grown man.

The others have been gone almost all day the past week, work has become very busy for them. It made things easier for me. I didn't have to act as if I was okay all day long, just during dinner.

Today I would have to sneak around, Yeonjun and Taehyun would be home today. Soobin, Beomgyu, and Huening Kai were leaving after breakfast to meet with Dumah, they needed to discuss the influx of demon activity.

I sneak out before anyone else wakes up, headed for the training rooms, where I spend most of my day. I just sit on the floor, training my mind since walking around was becoming too painful. My right foot was now halfway up my calf, whereas my left foot was a few inches past my ankle. Both feet were black, meaning putting any pressure on them caused me so much pain. I had bite into my bottom lip, inner cheek, and tongue so much. My whole mouth was sore, even my teeth from clenching them so often.

I was going to end up with dental problems if this kept up.

Holy shit. I think as I sit down on the training room floor. I bring my phone and earphones out. I needed something other then the very loud silence that was never ending when I was alone up here.

I hate avoiding them, but what was I to do? They had enough going on without me crying about my feet hurting. I felt as if I had done nothing but become a burden to them already, I didn't want to add anything else.

Hours went by as I tossed a tennis ball around. I sat in the middle of the floor, tossing it hard into one wall, closing my eyes, and then trying to catch it with my eyes closed. I had been doing this so often, it was pretty easy now.

I almost shit myself as I scream, someone had just pulled one of my earphones out.

"Taehyun! Don't scare me like that!" I say as I swing my hand at him.

He catches it while laughing so hard he was almost to the point of tears. "Your face." Is all he said as he let me go and fell on his butt, holding his stomach.

"Not funny." I pout as I pause my music. "Why are you sneaking up on me anyways?"

"Can you call it sneaking when I had yelled a few times?" He questioned as he gathered himself. "Your eyes were closed and your music was so loud I could hear it."

I don't respond, there was nothing I could say to that.

"You seem to be getting really good at catching the ball with your eyes closed now."

I hum as I bring the ball back over to me, dropping it into my open hand where I fiddle with it.

"I was coming to see if you wanted to spar? It's been a little while since we have." He said with a smile as he stood up.

There is no way I can do that. But, how do I get out of it without telling him the reason?

"I-I don't really feel up to it..." I trail off as thoughts run through my mind on what was my reason, anything other then the truth.

"Why? You okay?" His eyes went to my sock covered feet.

"I'm on my period." I blurt out.

"Oh..." His eyes went slightly wide as I all but shouted it out.

Kill me, please!! I was so embarrassed.

"Next time." He brought his face back into a neutral look. "Want to join me in the workout room then?"

"Yeah, you go ahead, I'll be there in just a minute." I waited until he was out of the room before I get to my feet. I groan as I stand, my feet burning and aching as I take a few steps trying to get to where I was walking normally. I manage to get across the hall and onto a bench before I let out a breath I was holding. I was going to end up passing out if I kept holding my breath like that.

Everything was going fine as I spent the next hour watching him work out. It was weird just sitting there and not joining him, but I couldn't even try it. Even though I was sitting, my feet barely touching the ground, they still hurt.

"I needed that." Taehyun said as he leaned his hands on his knees. He had just gotten done running on the treadmill.

I offer him a smile, I felt guilty as I kept thinking over how I was going to have to keep lying and hiding this.

"You hungry?"

"Sure." I really wasn't, I haven't had much of an appetite this past week. I had only been eating dinner, some days, nothing at all.

"Is there something other then that wrong?" Taehyun questioned as he stood straight, his eyes on me as he walked over to sit next to me. "I know I've been gone a lot this past week, but I've hardly seen you. Are you doing okay?"

"Yeah, just been trying to stay busy." I lie right through my teeth.

"May I see your feet then?"

Fuck.

"I'd rather keep my socks on, I didn't take a shower last night." That was another lie, I had cried the whole time while I was in the shower. I had to sit on the floor of the shower since it was too painful to stand. I had thought about taking a bath, but the thought of sitting in the same water as my black feet, made me feel icky.

"Evelyn, let me see them."

I stand and keep my back stiff, trying to come off fine. "No, I'm fine, they're fine as well."

"You're clearly lying. Why act this way if they were really fine?"

"I just don't want to be treated like a baby." I try and make an excuse up.

"No one is treating you like that, I just want to see how quickly the black is spreading."

"No." Is all I say as I turn and head for the door. I could taste blood from how hard I was biting my cheek.

"I'm sorry." I hear Taehyun say before I feel his arms around my waist. I yell out as he picks me up and puts me down on my back. "Stay!"

"I'm not a dog!" I yell at him as I try and sit up, only for my body to fall limp. "Don't use your magic on me!"

"Then stop acting so weird and just let me see your feet!" He bit back as he yanked the socks off my feet. "Evelyn..."

I say nothing as I stare at the ceiling, I knew how bad it looked, I had been staring at them for days on end now.

I feel my pants leg tug up.

"How long has it been past your ankles?" Taehyun asked as he let his magic hold on me go.

"A few days." My voice was slightly choked by emotions bubbling up.

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"I'm tired of putting stress on you guys, that's all I've done since I got here." I grab my socks from him and slip them back on. I then struggle to my feet, there was no hiding the pain as I stood up. Getting up on my feet was the hardest part of it all.

"You're in pain, Evelyn."

"I can handle it." I snap out as I head into the hall, I wanted to leave this conversation.