𝗢𝗡 𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗞 | Hwang Hyunjin.

| t e n |

I should have hurried
It's too late to regret it now.
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earlier.
황현진's pov (Hwang Hyunjin)
"I-I'm s-sorry." I heard a shaken-like voice followed along with a soft sob caught by my left ear, which caused me to look over the girl who's been sleeping at my shoulder.

The tears of hers fall, instantly making me panic as I removed my right earbud to try and wake her up, gently tapping on her shoulder. "..Seunghee?"

"Mom" she barely mumbled as her eyebrows slowly furrowed, her tears fell unstoppably. "Dad." She continued with another apology. "I shouldn't have-."

"Seunghee." I tried waking her up once more but falling deeper into her dreamland, the soft mumbles that were once heard, fell into silence. I sighed softly before reaching out my hand to her face, gently wiping her tears off.

"Why are you helping me when you're hurt too?" I abashedly mumbled at the girl I probably, used to, barely even know.

What is it that I don't know? That no one knows? What's behind your smile? What is it that makes me more curious about you..?

10:45 am

"Jinjinnnnn!!" A girl rushes up after me by the lobby of the hotel, I didn't even bother to turn around, I could already see her smile. "You ready to go for the zoo?"

Was she really the girl I saw crying earlier? She seems fine to me.

"They said we'd go there first!" She continued as I hummed in response, slowly getting comfortable with her presence day by day. "Is she not ashamed?" Someone would whisper around their friends. "She's so clingy, I mean she always follows Hyunjin." Another one would say. But she didn't mind whether the people talked about her or not, she just goes on her way without caring.

"Alright, please make sure everyone's here. Your luggages will be left inside the buses for now as the rooms are still being cleaned, don't worry it'll be ready when we come back." The vice-principal paused for a bit before continuing. "We'll be leaving by 11 am as soon as possible so call your friends if they're not here."

Chitchats then starts to fill up the room.
"Why didn't they just bring us straight to the zoo?" A student whined as the other responded. "They thought the rooms were ready, we can't blame them."
"Yeah plus the school paid for the hotel so let's be nice."

I carried on fidgeting with my hands secretly, not able to speak one word to Seunghee as I was still filled with such thoughts, taking me somewhere else. "야 (yah/hey) Hyunjin!" A familiar voice hits my ears.

I looked up with an inch of hope that it wasn't what I thought it was, but of course, I wasn't dreaming. My best friend's here. He happens to be. "Oh Hyung." I mumbled softly as he gave a gummy smile in return.

"I thought you hated field trips?" He tilted his head at me as I shrugged in response. "I thought I'd go out this week." Few words scarcely left my mouth.

Minho nodded in understanding, chuckling after. "Good to know that Hyunjin's finally going out." He ruffled my hair as if we were still close.

Did I ruin this friendship?
Why does seeing his smile make me feel worse?
Why am I like this?
Why does it seem like he's the only one okay?
What's with all these why's?

"Min!" And there she is, following her boyfriend, Kang Yejin, wearing a smile you wouldn't take your eyes off as it perfectly pared well with the eyes that sparkled like the specks of stardust and cause you to flinch once it lands on you— or maybe just me.

"Oh! Hyunjin! Seunghee!" She chuckled, patting our heads. Seunghee seemed to hate it as she slowly puts her hand away, letting out a burst of awkward laughter. "Hey.." she awkwardly replied.

My eyes couldn't hold eye contact, not even for a second.

Somehow I felt disgusted at myself, somehow I didn't want to talk to my best friend who did nothing wrong but loved a girl and has finally felt happy. He had something he finally deserved.

Nothing was wrong with that, but I still couldn't help feeling my heart flutter whenever I see his girlfriend smile. His girlfriend.

"What's up, love?" Minho would look at his lover as she smiled excitedly. "Our bus is gonna go soon!" She exclaimed once more. "Alright." He chuckled at her before grabbing her hands to hold it then looked at us.

My eyes were focused on their hands as Minho spoke. "We'll see you at the zoo?" I suddenly lacked the energy to answer as I heard another awkward laugh from Seunghee. "Ah, I think so."

"Don't worry we won't bother you two lovebirds that much." Yejin giggled. "We're no-."

"Bus 7, anyone in bus 7 please gather around by bus 7, I repeat anyone in bus 7, please gather around here as it's gonna go soon." Another teacher announced by the lobby as the sight of a bus drives in front of the hotel building.

"Oh, that's our bus! We'll see ya!" Yejin, who seems to be super excited waved with her free hand. "See you two.!" Minho flashes one last smile again before walking out.

My eyes were now focused on the floor, spacing out, all I heard was mumbles then suddenly, a hand waves itself in front of my eyes. "Earth to Hyunjin..?"

"H-huh?" I quickly faced the girl beside me. "Did they-." She nodded before I could even continue. "I'm sorry, I didn't know the seniors would come too. I didn't see them earlier, ah if I had known I wouldn't have come or asked you to come." She fidgets with her hands.

"It's- it's fine, it's not your fault." I let out a sigh. "I just- I really thought I wouldn't feel anything anymore. But I did- still. Ahh, I'm going crazy." I mumbled quietly as Seunghee rubs my back.

"I get it. You're fine. You'll- you'll get over it." She smiled assuringly. "Let's just try to have fun on this trip hm? Maybe you need a little distraction."

"I'll try."

"Alright, that's good enough."