Star in the Mist

☆Hurt☆

You couldn't bear to see what happened next.
Your mouth agape.
You turned away from the view.
You were shaken, as a tear slid down your cheek.
His words earlier meant nothing.
Are you playing with me, Woohyun?
You questioned.
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
You sat the glass of wine on the table where you and Woohyun were at earlier.
It didn't feel right to continue staying any longer. You entered the venue and searched for your mother-in-law.
She sat where she said she would earlier.
You bowed, greeting her friends.
She looked over her shoulder and saw you standing behind her.
"Come sit with us, my sweetheart," your mom insisted, smiling.
"Mom, actually, I wasn't feeling well, so I'm going to leave first," you lied.
As much as you felt guilty for saying that, you knew you couldn't stay there any longer.
You had to sort your feelings and boundaries out.
"Oh, where's Woohyun? Is he taking you home?" She asked in concern.
You didn't want to think about him or the image you saw earlier in the garden.
"N-no, I told him already," you lied.
It was going to be the only way your mother-in-law would allow you to leave.
"Feel better, okay? I'll tell Woohyun to not stay longer. Call me when you get home," she smiled, giving you a hug after.
"Thank you, Mom!" You hugged her back.
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
That image kept replaying in your head.
You wanted to forget it, but the woman's arms around him, her leaning into him, him not backing away.
You wiped the tear away with the back of your hand.
I shouldn't be upset. I have no right to be upset.
You told yourself, hoping that it would make you feel better.
You had hoped it would remind you that you and Woohyun were nothing, at least to you.
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
Just as you were about to take the first step down the stairs, someone
grabbed your arm, pulling you away from taking that first step.
You looked over your shoulder.
"Woohyun."
He had a worried look.
"Where are you going?" he asked.
You didn't know how to respond to him.
You wanted to confront him about it, but you couldn't.
"I...I---"
Nothing came out. How were you going to explain to him?
"Mom said you were going home because you're not feeling good," Woohyun said.
You looked at him, a little surprised.
"Without me?" Woohyun questioned.
His puppy eyes were so easy to forgive, but you were hurt.
After all he said to you a few minutes ago, and then seeing him with someone else a minute after.
"I...didn't want to spoil the fun," you answered.
Woohyun placed the back of his hand on your forehead, checking your temperature.
You lied about feeling sick, so you knew he hasn't going to detect anything.
"Are you okay?" he asked, removing his hand, looking at your eyes.
You slowly nodded your head.
Emotionally, you weren't okay.
"Let's get you home," Woohyun suggested.
"It's okay. I'll catch a cab. You should...enjoy the night," you told him, feeling a little down.
Woohyun held your hand in his.
"I can't enjoy the night, if you aren't here with me," he said, smiling.

Are you lying?
You asked.

Woohyun removed his blazer and draped it around you.
You looked at him, and he sent you a smile.
"Thank you," you said.
"Can you walk? Or do I need to carry you down?" He asked.
"I...I can walk," you replied.
Woohyun interlaced his fingers with yours, sending electric shock throughout your body.
You knew that feeling wasn't normal.
I can't feel like this.
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
After your shower, you walked downstairs, scanning the living room, but there was no sign of him.
You took a sigh of relief as you didn't want to see him.
You sat on the couch, turning on the TV. A drama played, while you inspected a blister forming below your pinky toe.
Aish, I knew I shouldn't have worn those heels.
You told yourself.
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
You walked to the kitchen to grab the first aid kit.
Startling you was Woohyun standing in the kitchen.
"Omo!" You exclaimed, holding onto your chest.
Woohyun looked up from stirring his cup of tea.
"Are you okay?" He asked, setting the teaspoon down and walking over to you.
You looked up at him.
"I'm fine," you replied, "what are you doing it the kitchen?"
"I'm brewing you a cup of tea. You said you weren't feeling well," Woohyun said.
He looked at what you had in your hand.
"Are you hurt?"
You looked at the kit you were holding.
"Blisters."
Without wasting any time asking you more questions, Woohyun swiftly carried you bridal-style.
"W-Woohyun, what are you doing?" You asked.
Woohyun ignored your question, as he walked you two into the living room.
He gently placed you on the couch and took the kit out of your hand.
"I got it," you told him, looking at the kit in his possession.
Woohyun sat on the floor and looked up at you.
You sat there on the couch, looking at him too.
He left you speechless.
The more he continued to act that way, the harder it was for you to restrain yourself from him.
"Which foot?" He asked.
"Right," you replied, not knowing why you did, even though you wanted him to go away.
Woohyun lifted your right foot on top of his knee, inspecting where the blister was.
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
You carefully examined his features.
His pale skin, his sharp nose, his brown eyes.
Then, the image appeared again the moment you stopped on his lips.
You moved your foot away from him, making him look at you.
"I'm sorry. Did that hurt?" he asked.
You looked at him, trying to hide the pain in your eyes.
"I got it from here," you told him.
"I'm almost finished. Put your foot here," Woohyun instructed, as he pointed to his knee.
You hesitated.
Why would he being so nice when he did that back in the garden with another woman?
You were confused.
Am I overthinking this? What if nothing happened?
You questioned.
No, he could have, but I wouldn't have the right to feel this upset about it.
You reminded yourself.
"There," Woohyun said, setting your foot back on the floor.
He looked up at you.
"Stay here. I made that tea for you," Woohyun said, before getting up from his seat on the floor.
"I'll just take a pill."
"Nope! You aren't going to bed until you finish this cup of tea," Woohyun shouted from the kitchen.
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
"I can walk to the room," you told Woohyun as you felt him trailing after you.
"Are you sure?" Woohyun asked.
"Yes, don't worry."
Before you could take a step up, Woohyun grabbed your hand.
You looked over your shoulder.
"Yes?" You asked.
"Are you really okay?"
You gave him a confused look.
"You haven't smiled and been very gloomy ever since we came back from the party," Woohyun stated, caressing your hand.
Am I being too obvious?
You asked yourself.
"Oh, I'm just not feeling well. Maybe we stayed out a little too long outside earlier," you lied.
"I should have given you my blazer," Woohyun said, regrettably.
"No, it's not your fault. I'll be okay tomorrow morning," you told him.
"Good night. Don't lock your door, just in case of an emergency," Woohyun smiled.
"I won't," you slightly chuckled.
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
You became distant from Woohyun.
Woohyun sensed that as well, but he felt maybe you needed the time to readjust your life.
He decided to give you all the space you needed.
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
You walked down the sidewalk, as you listened to the loud traffic and busy crowds, hoping it would distract you.
It's good that we're becoming distant. It'll be easier for me to leave.
You frown to the thought of it.
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
"---------shi?"
You looked over your shoulder.
It was a woman, maybe in her late 20s.
She had a black dress on with a beige trench coat covering her.
You were puzzled as to why she knew your name.
You gave her a slight bow.
"Do I know you?" you asked.
"Can we talk?"
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
You sat across from the woman in a coffee shop she chose.
She looked wealthy.
"Thank you," she said to the waitress bringing out her coffee.
You thanked the girl for bringing out your hot chocolate.
"I'm JiHyun," she greeted, extending her hand out across the table.
You hesitated, before shaking her hand.
"Thank you for your time," she began.
"I wanted to talk to you because it's regarding to Woohyun."
His name caught your attention.
"I know that you're his...wife," she frowned upon saying your title.
"Are you a friend of his?" you asked.
"More than a friend."
Your heart dropped.
You became speechless.
"We were supposed to get married and start a family together," Jihyun began.
"Instead, I decided to follow my dreams," she had tears rolling down her cheeks.
"I wanted to pursue my dream of becoming a dancer, so I left for the States.
I broke it off with him, the day I left. I was scared that
he'd leave me for someone else, and I didn't want to be hurt."
You listened to her story.
"When I came back, I heard the news that he got married to someone.
That someone turned out to be you," she sadly said, wiping her tears away with a piece of tissue.
"The other day I attended a party that he was at as well. He spoke about the life he had with you.
He's not happy, you know that, right?"