C H O P P Y | kwon minsik

t w e l v e ; encounter

        THE EVENING SEEMED to go at the pace of a snail. It took what seemed like ages until the hosts bid everyone goodnight and the various celebrities in the room made their way towards the doors. Dahye had breathed out in relief when she finally got to stand up and stretch her legs, eager to get some food into her starving stomach.

        Now, she stood in the ballroom where the after party was being held. She was at the cocktail by herself that Kisok had reserved for both of them earlier in the night, trailing the rounded edge of her untouched fluted champagne glass with the tips of her finger. Her eyes traveled across the room absentmindedly—normally she would go up and talk to the people she knew, but tonight she just wanted to be alone. After the hassle of the show had ended and there wasn't anything to occupy her mind to leave out unpleasant thoughts, Seyoon's words had come back to her mind no matter how much she tried to busy herself with something else. Dahye had lost her appetite altogether; her plate filled with the food she was actually looking very forward to eat before remained untouched in front of her, evidence that Seyoon had affected her more than she had expected. It had been six fucking months for crying out loud. Why hadn't she pulled herself out of this gutter of misery and sadness? Why wasn't she able to move on like Seyoon had long before they even broke up. It had been almost a year yet Dahye couldn't seem to get herself completely detached from his influence.

        "Hey," Jay's voice suddenly sounded, breaking her train of thought. He approached her table with a glass of champagne in hand, the other hand busy with fixing the buttons on his jacket. "What are you doing here by yourself?"

        Dahye turned her head to her best friend, hoping that he wouldn't realize the sadness and nervousness in her eyes. She was baffled that just thinking about Seyoon made her feel so low so quickly. "Kisok went to the bathroom. I'm just waiting for him to return."

        Jay frowned at her words, sensing something was off in the way she averted her eyes away and nervously picked at her cuticles, a habit she had had ever since he met her. "Well, our table is just across the room," he pointed off into the distance, but it was hard to see in the darkness and strobe lights. "Why don't you come over and join us? Hyukwoo's been meaning to talk to you anyways."

        Dahye shrugged. "I actually want to stay alone right now, if you don't mind," she scratched her arm. "I'm feeling bit tired anyways, so I might head out early."

        "Are you okay?" Jay's voice was laced with worry. His face became serious in a matter of seconds, his eyes hardening. "Wait a second," he frowned, scanning the younger girl's face intently. "Is this about Seyoon?"

        "No, it's not—"

        "The fuck it's not," he scoffed. "What did he do now? Did he text to you after we talked at the hotel?"

        "No, he didn't," Dahye shook her head rapidly. Then she realized she looked like she was lying. "I mean, why would he text me for? We have nothing to talk about, you said so yourself."

        Jay didn't look too convinced, but for his best friend's sake he decided to let it go. He could see the pain hidden behind Dahye's beautiful brown eyes, even if they were concealed by the pale grey contact lenses she had worn for the evening. Her gaze flitted across his face, pleading with everything she had in her to not push the matter further and just let it go.

        Jay knew that the break up had jarred Dahye and shaken her to core. For two years, Seyoon had been her rock, the man she loved and cherished with everything she had. For two years, they had been inseparable, the power couple of the music industry, loved by everyone alike. But for two years Jay had also seen his best friend be torn apart by Seyoon—he spent countless nights stroking Dahye's hair as she lied on her bed crying over a fight she had with Seyoon, spent sleepless nights trying to console her through her worries of Seyoon being with another woman, spent endless nights trying to make sure she didn't overdose on bottles of vodka and soju. The news of their separation and Seyoon's lies had impacted Dahye as deep as a knife went, changing her entirely. Although Jay and the rest of the group had participated in the effort to bring back the sparkly, happy Dahye they once knew, they had to learn to accept that Dahye would never truly be the same. And this was one of those times when Jay realized that the Dahye who once told him everything now hid herself behind layers of make up and well-worded lies.