runaway idol / cha eunwoo astro ✔

22 [edited]

Chapter 22: Hurt

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[Eunwoo P.O.V]

Eunbi cries for about half an hour on my shoulder and when she stops, she looks so weak and fragile as if she is a cracked mirror, just waiting for time to scatter into pieces.

"Sorry." Her voice comes out as a whisper that I can barely hear as she gestures towards my wet shirt. I smile, assuring her that it's no big deal.

"Wanna talk about it?" My curiousity is eating me inside that I can't help from asking it. I think I have the right to ask for an explanation, right?

She bites her lower lips, contemplating hard. Waiting for her answer, I, unconsciously, fix her slightly messy hair. She looks up to my eyes when my hand brushes against her hair and for a moment, we just stare at each other.

"I'll tell you all about it but not here." She says without looking away.

My eyebrows furrow, "Then where?"

My question remains in the air. Eunbi grabs my hand and pulls me from the couch to the front door.

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"Firstly, he is my brother." Eunbi says before gulping down a small cup of soju.

Well currently, we are at the soju stall ( the one near her house where she found me for the first time after years, remember?) and looking at all the soju bottles Eunbi has ordered, I think she's planning to get wasted tonight.

"Secondly, I don't acknowledge him as my brother, not anymore and not forever." She takes her second cup before filling it full again.

"Why?" I blurt out.

She gives me a look before drinking her third cup of soju. She grimaces at the taste and fills her cup again.

"You know what that jerk did to me?" She laughs though there's nothing funny to laugh at. "He left, that jerk."

Eunbi downs another cup of soju, "It was a week after our parents were divorced. He and I were the only one left in the house, mom and dad had left to different places as what they said; they need some peace. Hah, what a joke."

She drinks her fifth cup before I can even stop her, "I was broken that time, just like how my family were. I only had him to depend on. But he—"

Eunbi laughs again though a tear escapes from her eyes, "He also left. Do you know why I hate him so much? It's because he left me on my birthday!"

Wiping the tear that trails down her cheek, she takes the soju and downs it straight from the bottle.

"Hey, I think you've drink too much," I try, keyword here is 'try', to take the bottle away and I manage to pull it after the bottle is empty.

Eunbi hiccups before she continues, "And because of that, I hate my birthday too!" She slurs, "But you, Cha Eun— I mean, Lee Dong Min! You give me another reason to celebrate it again!" Eunbi claps her hands, smiling.

My lips form a smile. Is it wrong to think that Eunbi looks awfully cute right now?

Shaking my head at the ridiculous thought, I pour myself a cup too and drink it straight away.

"Anyway, do you know why did he left me??" Her smile is gone, replaced with a frown.

"No." I shake my head.

Eunbi gestures me to come closer which I did, "He wants to chase his dream to become an actor." She whispers before giggling.

"Funny right? I mean, I know he has the look and all but did he have to do it during that time? Couldn't he just stay with me?" Eunbi pouts, eyes glistening with tears,  "I need him badly that time, but he chose his dream over me."

She starts to cry.

"I never heard of him after that. I left the house too and found myself another home in a secluded neighbourhood, hoping that they would never find me again. But he— I don't know how he did it — he managed to find me two years ago."

Eunbi cries louder, "He started to visit me every once in a while, always bringing me birthday presents and apologizing for leaving me alone. But it's too late to do all of that, you know?"

I don't know how to react. I can see how broken she was, or is right now. She is deeply hurt and I think there's only one person in the world that can heal her wounded heart.

"It's better if he didn't show up at all. I hate him so much..." Eunbi trails off, her head dropping to the table.

"Aigoo, she's drunk already?" The soju stall owner approaches our table, "Young man, I think you should bring her home." She says to me with a smile. "Did her brother visit her again?"

I'm shocked that even the soju stall owner knows about Eunbi's story.

I nod my head and she just shakes her head in disapproval, "Eunbi always drinks here until she's drunk whenever her brother comes around. Aigoo, I wonder what her brother had done to her.." The owner mumbles, stroking Eunbi's hair as if she is her daughter.

"Tell Eunbi that I'm sorry for keep asking her to help me handling the drunks before. She's a really nice girl." The owner pats my shoulder before walking away.

"She really is." I mumble, glancing at Eunbi. I help her get on my back before walking home.

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