love game; ℓ.н/ ρ.נ

chapter 26, reunion and gossip

Third person pov

"What happened to Hana?" 

"She got expelled," Yeona replied. 

Yeona had come to visit her friend in the hospital, along with a bag of Jia's favorite chocolates and snacks. 

"You knew, didn't you?" Jia suspected. "Hana put up the posters, didn't she? She teamed up with those guys because of her jealousy, didn't she? All along, you knew"

Yeona hung her head in shame. Indeed, she knew. 

"I'm sorry, Jia," Yeona started. "She was my friend too, y'know. Just like you. If you were to do something like that - though I know you wouldn't - I wouldn't rat on you" 

"That's not what friends are supposed to do," Jia said. Yeona looked up at her friend, wiping away her tears. "Friends are supposed to stop you from doing wrong. You supported her. You are just as guilty"

"I'm sorry," she said again. "But you won't have to see my face every day now, and I don't know if I will be able to see yours. I'm getting transferred to another school" 

Jia was left silent at that. She was the only friend left. As selfish as it sounded, she didn't want her company to leave.

"Why are you leaving?" She asked. 

"Because of you," she replied. "I've wronged you and I can't live with it. I think it will be better for me and you if we don't see each other."

Jia had specially told everyone to keep away from her ward for some time, as she wanted to spend some alone time with her friend. She expected it to be a happy reunion, full of hugs and gossip. 

The sky had turned a dark shade of gray, rain threatening to fall down. Jay and Heeseung's argument was heard, amidst their tension. 

"Don't," Jia finally said. "Don't leave"

This time Jia knew she wasn't being selfish, but she wanted her best friend to be happy and free of regrets. 

"No Jia. You wouldn't want to see my face again, let alone forgive" 

"I forgive you" 

Yeona's large eyes looked hopefully at Jia. "Are you sure? You won't regret it?" 

"No. I'm sure," Jia smiled at her friend. "As you said, she was your friend too. So I think it's acceptable this time"

Yeona's eyes filled with tears. She broke into a sob and bear-hugged Jia, as the latter calmed her down by patting her back like a baby. She sobbed thank you's and sorries multiple times until Jia had to punch her playfully to stop.

Yeona pulled back from the hug, revealing Jia's shirt to be wet with tears. "I-I'm s-sorry," she started crying again.

Once she was done, Jia offered her some water to calm her down.

"Will you just hear me out?!" they heard Jay's voice boom in the corridor.

"Why are they always fighting?" Jia sighed tiredly.

"You don't know?" Yeona questioned her, rubbing her eyes.

"Yeah, Heeseung told me. It's about some girl"

Yeona laughed. "It's not just some girl, my darling Jia"

"What do you mean?" Jia tilted her head like a confused puppy.

"It's you," Yeona said.

"I- wha-?" Jia had almost choked on her saliva.

"And don't lie, you like one of them, don't you?" Yeona asked, not letting Jia digest any of it.

"I-," Jia sighed. "Yes"

Yeona wriggled her eyebrows at her. "Who is it?~"

"I'm not telling you," Jia said shyly, pulling the blanket over her red face.

"Aw c'mon," Yeona pleaded, pulling the blanket away. The fight lasted for what felt like hours when Jia decided to give up and confess.

"It's Heeseung, alright?! Now leave me alone"

"WOOHOO!" Yeona screeched, letting the whole hospital know. "SO MY DARLING JIA, WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO CONFESS?"

"CONFESS? No way! I don't have the courage to confess," Jia said, her heart almost jumping out of her ribcage from the thought of confessing to the Lee Heeseung. There was Jay to consider too...

 The doors suddenly burst open, revealing Heeseung, who was red in the face. 

"What happened to you?" Yeona questioned him. 

"Nothing," he replied nonchalantly. "Here's your coffee, hone- I mean, Jia"

Heeseung handed her the coffee, almost spilling it, and sat next to her on the bed. Jia looked at Yeona, who wriggled her eyebrows and put her hand over her mouth, and giggled.

"Why are you so weird?" Heeseung asked, checking Jia's wires on her hands and if the machines were working properly or not. 

"She's always weird," Jia replied. She sipped on her coffee, giving Yeona a death glare. 

"I think you both need to be alone for some time," Yeona said, getting up and making her way outside, still giggling. 

"What does she mean?" Heesseung asked Jia, who shrugged her shoulders. 

"I wanted to ask you something," Jia said, fiddling with her fingers. It had been on her mind ever since their last encounter, which resulted in Jay storming off from the room. "Why do you keep kissing me when you like someone else?" 

Heeseung stopped whatever he was doing and looked at her, dumbfounded. He hadn't expected her to ask something like this. He seemed to be thinking hard for a prolonged time, but his response was austere and straightforward. 

"You're right," he said. "But how do you know I like someone else?" 

"You told yourself," she said, acting along. "That you and Jay are fighting over some girl" 

"Right," Heeseung sighed. "We were. He backed off, though. He saw me kissing her and she kissed me back, but when he is with her she seems uncomfortable"

So what Yeona had told her was false. She had given her false hope. Jia hadn't expected her to lie to her about her crush. 

"Oh," was all she said before sending him off, saying she wanted to sleep. 

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for some reason i don't feel satisfied with this story