I Love You But Is It Too Late?

7. Blood

Kang Chin-hae POV:

Han-jae didn't want me to sit with them.

He did know how much I hated to be alone in crowded places, but still, he literally begged me with his eyes so that I wouldn't sit on their table.

Do you hate me this much?

The question was ringing in my head and I couldn't manage to eat a single spoon of food. Then I decided not to go to the cafeteria anymore. Not until he would make it up with me.

Unfortunately, the following four days brought no hope to me. Han-jae continued to ignore me and I got used to eating instant noodles for lunch while crying.

I was desperate. I wanted to ask someone for advice but to whom could I ask? My parents? They were the worst source ever. A friend? I wasn't close with anyone other than Han-jae who was the main source of my misery.

As I was very bad at communicating, I decided to do what I knew the best. I prepared notes for the upcoming exams for Han-jae like I used to do.

[I won't divorce your father, I won't let them be happy after what they did.]

My mother's message was the last thing I needed. As she refused to listen to logic, I decided not to reply. Trying not to be affected by her message, I grabbed the notes that I prepared for the entire night and went to the lab a bit early.

"Here," I reached the notes to Han-jae, "I prepared them for you," I said with a shaky voice.

"I don't need them," he said coldly as he sat down.

I kept standing with the notes in my hand until I saw a red drop on the white paper, swallowing a word. I put my free hand under my nostril and yes, it was a nosebleed.

Suddenly, Han-jae appeared in front of me, looking at me worried. He grabbed my arm and dragged me into the restroom.

"Are you okay?" he asked while pressing some tissues to my nose.

I beamed with happiness as he finally talked to me. Hastily, I nodded and he let out a breath.

He is still caring about me!

My heart was pounding in my rib cage. "You finally talked to me," the words spilled from my mouth unwittingly.

Han-jae seemed to be taken aback for a second, then he said "tell me why you didn't reply to my messages."

I tossed the bloody tissues to the bin and washed the blood stains, trying to gain some time. I didn't want to lie, but I also didn't want to tell him about my situation. If I told him, he was sure to forgive me, but it would always make me suspect the real reason for his forgiveness. Pity? Understanding?

"What is it so hard to say?"

Lee Han-jae POV:

"What is it so hard to say?" I asked and he looked at me with hesitation. I was getting angry again but I tried to swallow it so that he wouldn't feel intimidated.

"Did you have an accident?"

Chin-hae shook his head.

"Did you lose your phone?"

Another shake.

"Did you read my messages?"

A nod.

"So, you chose not to answer them?"

He opened his mouth but no words came out.

"You don't even trust me, so there is nothing to talk about," I almost yelled and left the restroom with a heavy heart.

What was he hiding? Why the hell he had no faith in me?

Brimming with disappointment and anger, I went back to the lab and saw that the notes he prepared were lying on the table. My eyes stuck to the blood stain and my heart sank. With a sigh, I stuffed the notes to my backpack, but I ghosted him anyway.

Without trust, there wouldn't be anything between us...