THE TRANSFER STUDENT

The Party, Pt. 15

"Where's Jisoo?"

Seokjin stepped into the room a while later, after staying outside at the garden to sort his thoughts out while Jisoo went back in first. To his surprise, the party seemed to be almost over, with a few people such as Jungkook, Jieun, Taehyung and Jisoo missing and almost all the remaining people slouching against random furniture, completely wasted or just tired. His eyes landed on Byulyi, who was just lying on the sofa, her eyes closed, completely knocked out by the alcohol.

"Where's my brother? Where's everyone?" Seokjin swooped in Hoseok's direction, who seemed to be the only sober one in the house at that point. He had only been emceeing all this while, afterall.

Hoseok looked up. "Tae? He left after seeing Jisoo leave the house. I guess they must have gone home together. Jungkook and Jieun... no idea." Hoseok gestured towards Byulyi. "You wanna take you BFF home? She's kinda - okay, completely - stoned, I have no idea how she's gonna make her way home like that."

Seokjin looked down at Byulyi. She was sleeping so soundly, as if she hadn't slept for days. Well- perhaps, she didn't. Because neither did he. Not a single night of rest ever since the day he started realising his feelings for Byulyi, yet didn't know how to break up with Jisoo.

And all that... was finally over. As guilty and apologetic as he was to Jisoo, he was kind of relieved. Perhaps one day, she'd find her happiness too. Someone who loved her, someone who gave her happiness the way he wasn't able to.

Seokjin stooped to the ground, turning around and squatting on the floor. "What are you waiting for?"

"Huh?" Hoseok was startled.

"Get her on my back," Seokjin turned around to look at Hoseok, who immediately obliged and helped him with getting Byulyi onto his back.

"Are you gonna be alright?" Hoseok asked, as Seokjin got to his feet.

"A little heavy," Seokjin smiled weakly. "But I'll make it. Thanks for your party, Hoseok. I really... enj-"

Seokjin stopped short. He was about to say 'enjoyed', but that didn't seem like the right word. He hadn't enjoyed himself that much, in fact the whole party had been a whole emotional rollercoaster for him - from the tension with Jisoo before the party even started, the awkwardness when Byulyi stepped in, his helplessness as he watched Byulyi chug glasses after glasses of alcohol simply because she didn't want him to be in a weird position and then... the break up. Seokjin sighed.

"I really... liked it."

Still, he was glad that it had all happened. If not for what had happened tonight, Seokjin guessed that this break up would have been prolonged for... way too long. And when it actually happened, it might have been way too deep into the relationship that it would hurt the three of them even more deeply.

He had been a coward when he had agreed to date Jisoo, without even considering his true feelings. He had been a coward, when he had realised that he had feelings for Byulyi, but couldn't muster the courage to admit it to Jisoo and break up with her. He had been a coward, because even at the party, when Seokjin's anxiety levels had skyrocketed, Jisoo was the one who had to bring up the topic of breaking up.

He had been a coward from start to end.

As Seokjin made his way towards the door, feeling the warmth of Byulyi's body pressing against his back, Seokjin made a silent vow to himself to never, ever be a coward, ever again. For the sake of himself, everyone around him whom he cared for... and Byulyi, the only other person whom he had hurt the most this entire period.

"Seokjin."

Seokjin heard a small whisper and turned around, only to see Jimin looking at him with a small smile on his face. Yoojung was resting on his shoulder, fast asleep.

Seokjin was sure that Jimin hadn't overheard anything that he and Jisoo had talked about, but he knew that Jimin somehow, knew. Jimin wriggled his free arm in the air, showing Seokjin a thumbs-up and flashing him a sweet smile, which Seokjin interpreted as "good luck".

Seokjin nodded with a grateful smile, then he readjusted Byulyi's position on his back, making sure he was holding on to her tight, before heading out of the door.