COLLIDE [PARK SUNGHOON]

28.

I let out an ironic laugh through the phone as I shake my head and thank Ye-Jun for his answers before hanging up.

"What's wrong?" I'm met with a twisted face from Sunghoon and he adjusts his sitting position before I take my seat back in the single couch in front of him. A worried look is plastered on his face as he carefully scans my features, trying to read me.

I fidget with my phone and let it slide through my fingers. "Remember that time I told you Ye-Jun had found out about our skating deal? When I was thinking of quitting skating with you."

His face is a little perplexed, but he manages to nod slowly, trying to grasp where I'm heading. "Yes, but what about it? Did he tell your coach?" He makes an assumption and I realise I forgot to tell him we have already made up. 

Quickly shaking my head, I deny it and Sunghoon sits back down after standing up halfway through, probably to go confront him. He would do that even though he doesn't know where Ye-Jun is.

"No no..." I rub my head gently as it gets a bit complicated to explain everything, so I keep it short. "Ye-Jun has already apologised and won't tell my coach, besides it wouldn't matter anymore, but the reason he found out is because of a photo he saw of our training." His eyes go from shocked to a deeper frown as they flick from side to side. A hint of suspicion is visible after my comment about making up with Ye-Jun.

"I'm not following" he admits, muttering softly.

"Sunghoon" I lean forward a little on the couch, resting my elbows on my thighs. "We were always alone when we trained right? Except that one time with your trainer and Areum" I emphasise the last name I mentioned and think back to what Felix said. It all makes sense now. 

She had sent that photo so that I would stop skating and get in trouble, all so that Sunghoon wouldn't have a partner other than her.

"You don't think-"

"Yes, she did, here" I cut him off, quickly showing the screenshot Ye-Jun sent me after we hung up the call, and Sunghoon leans forward intriguingly as I turn the phone over to him. 

Taking hold of the device, he surveys it and shakes his head, feeling conflicted. "Why would she? She has no business with us..." His voice trails off, less and less audible as he says more.

My heart aches a little for him because it stings to realise that your lifelong partner is not the person you thought they were. I shrug my shoulders lightly, feeling as confused as he is. "She sent him a dm using her main account, so that was pretty stupid of her."

"But why? I'm so sorry Dahlia..."

My eyebrows knit together. He shouldn't be sorry, it wasn't his doing. "It's not your fault Sunghoon. She was... jealous, I guess? She must have had a reason" I presume, based on her behaviour.

"Do you remember Felix? The one who almost hit me with a basketball the other day?" I chuckle softly and he averts his gaze from the screen, nodding once. "Yeah, what about him? Is he in this conspiracy as well?" He quickly concludes, trying to figure out his connection.

"God no. Before being transferred here he was at the same school as her and apparently there were rumours that she once threatened a girl who got too close to you or something. She certainly didn't like sharing you..." 

He exhales a long time and rests his elbow on the armrest before leaning his forehead into his palm and rubbing his eyes.

I feel an itch run through my body as I watch him crumble bit by bit. They were just skating partners from different schools and he apparently doesn't know that much about her after all, so his perception of her has most likely changed.