Follow Your Heart | jirose

• chapter 17 •

Chaeyoung's Pov
-

"You have to come to work today Pasta" I groan at Lisa's demand and cover my face with my pillow, which is shortly yanked from my grasp after, "Chae, you've avoided work for nearly a week now."

I hiss as she opens the windows, letting the light seep through and invade my room.

"What are you, a fucking vampire?" She chuckles at my unamused expression and pats my head, which is sporting an I-haven't-washed-or-brushed-my-hair-in-days kinda look.

"Please let me stay in for one more day, I promise I'll come in tomorrow." I plea.

"That's what you said yesterday," my once warm duvet which was engulfing me in a warm embrace, is now in Lisa's hands, I reach to claim it back but she chucks it into the corner of the room, "and you also said that the day before that, so Park Chaeyoung, you have no excuses, get up!"

I slink my way out of my bed to my on suite bathroom. I wish the reflection in the mirror wasn't mine, as I stare at my disheveled state. Yet another groan escapes my lips as I wade my fingers through my matted hair.

"Maybe I should just go in looking like this?" I step out and ask Lisa who is currently neatening my bed.

"As your best friend, I simply can not allow that to happen." She places her hand to forehead and shakes her head disapprovingly.

"Who cares though," I sigh, "Jimin will hate me no matter what I turn up looking like." Lisa walks over to wrap her arms around me, I relax into the cuddle, letting the tears roll down my cheeks.

"Chae, Jimin is a businessman above all else. That's why you did what you did right? Because of his professionalism, work ethic, dedication to his business and what not?" I nod slowly, as we pull apart from the hug, "He should be able to be professional then. And he doesn't hate you Pasta, I can promise you that."

"You didn't see the look in his eyes Lalice." That image of his face dropping that has been imprinted in my mind ever since I saw it. It's haunted me over the past couple days, as I can't seem to stop replaying the moment over and over.

"It's not as bad as you think. He loves you Chae."

"Correction, he loved me. Past tense. Meaning not anymore. Meaning I'm heartbroken. Meaning I should just stay at home!" I lunge towards the newly made bed, but Lisa's hands grab me before I make contact with the soft haven.

"Just get washed and dressed. The more you prolong it, the worse it'll get." I face her now, my eyes wide and still a little damp from tears.

"Do you think... if I find a way to solve this Seulgi bullshit... maybe, he might take me back?" I sniffle but manage to utter the sentence I want to say.

"You gave him a second chance, didn't you? Isn't it only fair he does the same?"

"But he said-"

"He was hurt, Chae. People say stupid shit when they're hurting." She looks at me earnestly and i sheepishly shrug at her, causing her to sigh, "Please just get ready, things might be better than you think."

-

"You'll be fine, things will be fine. Just go." Lisa says reassuringly. My hair now washed and straightened, my pajamas now replaced with a blouse and skirt and my slippers now swapped out for a pair of strappy heels.

I could almost pass as someone whose heart wasn't broken. Except for the fact I had been standing by the front desk where Lisa worked, avoiding my boss/ex-boyfriend's office for nearly 20 minutes.