Unforgettable

Chapter 12

"N-Nayeon unnie..." Mina's hesitant voice broke the tense silence that had settled among the group.

"What should I do, Jihyo-ya?" Nayeon's voice wavered as frustration and confusion gripped her. Her emotions were a tangled web, threatening to suffocate her reason.

"What? Are you asking because you don't know?" Jihyo's retort held a hint of exasperation, though her own inner turmoil made her words come across as disjointed and unsteady.

Nayeon's brow furrowed, her attempt to seek guidance met with a wave of Jihyo's frustration. "What are you-"

"You said it yourself! The doctor ate the chocolate from the corner of your mouth, right?" Jihyo's voice gained a sharp edge, an attempt to divert the attention away from her own secrets. She clung to this defense, hoping it would shield her from revealing more than she intended.

The room fell into an uncomfortable silence, tension mounting as Nayeon and her friends grappled with the weight of the accusation. Nayeon's voice faltered as she attempted to explain herself, the words dying on her lips when she caught Momo's disappointed gaze. The truth stared back at her, demanding her acknowledgement.

In that poignant moment, realization dawned upon Nayeon. Her friends were unaware of her true motivations for constantly visiting the doctor. The weight of her actions, her hidden intentions, and the wedge it had driven between her and Jeongyeon pressed heavily upon her. With a heavy sigh, she turned away, the drag of her disabled foot a physical manifestation of the emotional burden she carried.

But Jihyo's anger had reached its peak, fueled by her own frustrations and her fear of exposure. Her words cut through the room, a reckless torrent that left no room for retreat. Accusations flew, blame was assigned, and the air grew heavy with the acrid scent of a friendship on the brink of fracture. "Hey! Don't blame me about those gossips when you yourself is making them worse! Why are you even going to the health center everyday? Even the elders notice something between you and the doctor! You know what? You're leaving Jeongyeon behind that's why she's angry. You only think of yourself just because you have a disability!"

"Cut it out, Jihyo-ya! Are you hearing yourself? You're crossing the line!" Mina's voice rang out, her desperation evident as she tried to intercede, to rescue the bonds that seemed destined to unravel.

Nayeon halted in her tracks, the weight of Jihyo's words sinking in. Her heart clenched as the truth of her actions and the impact they had on Jeongyeon became undeniable. Tears welled up in her eyes as her reality crumbled before her.

Jihyo's voice wavered as remorse began to seep in. "U-unnie-"

"Do you really think of me that way, Jihyo-ya?" Nayeon's voice quivered with a mix of hurt and disbelief. She turned her gaze towards her friends, her eyes searching their faces for a glimmer of understanding. A heavy silence settled over the group, each member wrestling with their own guilt.

"Do you guys think that—that I'm only seeing the doctor because I like him?" Nayeon's voice trembled, revealing the depth of her vulnerability. Her friends, caught in their own assumptions and judgments, began to see the truth in her words. Regret gnawed at their hearts as they recognized the pain they had inadvertently caused.

"N-Nayeon unnie, I—" Jihyo's voice faltered, her own guilt mingling with her confusion.

"You don't even know anything." Nayeon's final words hung in the air, a bitter reminder of the damage done. Slowly, she turned away, the weight of her emotions propelling her forward. Mina's instinctual urge to help her was halted by Momo's gentle restraint, a silent understanding that they needed to give Nayeon space to process.