The Way It Is

twenty

Trigger warning: mentions of bullying/death threats.

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Chapter 20

Two weeks have passed since Yangyang decided to play hide and seek with everyone else. He ignored and avoided not just Yiyeon but also the rest of their friends.

Yiyeon was slowly getting used to it, but she doesn't want to. Not when it would mean losing someone special.

"Yiyeon and the word 'quiet' do not fit together. So mind telling me what's been bugging you?" Yiyeon looked at her cousin, who sat beside her. "Don't look at me like that, idiot."

The girl just shook her head and continued writing in her notebook.

"What are you doing? Am I disturbing you?" Hyunjin asked.

"Not really," she sighed, not even bothering to look at the guy. "I was getting sleepy myself, so you disturbing me is actually making me feel awake. If that makes sense."

Hyunjin nods, "It's your birthday in three days. Do you have any plan in mind?" He asked.

"Oh right. I almost forgot about that," Yiyeon stopped writing and stared at the sky. "I don't have any plans for my birthday. Let's eat barbeque at home, then call my parents and my brother via video call, maybe..." she rubbed her chin.

"Is that all you want?" Hyunjin raised a brow. "No swimming parties this time?"

She shook her head, "The reason why I'm only celebrating my birthday this year is that you're living with me. If you were still in Daegu, I wouldn't bother." She continued writing in her notebook. "Besides, the people who are with me every birthday aren't with me... so what's the point?"

"So I suppose Yangyang is still ignoring you?" Hyunjin asked. He didn't get any response from his cousin, which confirmed his hunches. "And Jeno, too?"

Hyunjin sighed and stretched his legs, "I understand why they're both ignoring you. Jeno, because apparently, he's your ex-boyfriend. But still, Jeno ignoring you doesn't really sound good to me. I mean, even when you guys broke up, he was consistent in talking to you." He cracked his knuckles and looked at the sky. "Yangyang, on the other hand, had feelings for you and tried to hide it all these years. Now that you know it, it's probably difficult for him to talk to you knowing that you guys are the best of friends..."

She closed her notebook and faced him. "Hyunjin... when Jeno and I were doing a project together... he did mention that once we're done with the project, he won't pester me anymore... and he did." She sighed, "Is it bad that I feel disappointed and hurt?"

He squinted her eyes and scooted closer, "Say, Yiyeon-ah..." he raised a brow. "Do you still love Jeno?"

"What kind of question is that?!" Yiyeon exclaimed.

"It's a question you should answer, Yiyeon," Hyunjin said. "It's been asked to you many times, and I think you should answer it already-"

"And if I say yes, what would you do?"

Hyunjin stopped rambling and looked at his cousin. He smiled--a totally unexpected reaction. "If you do, then I think you should talk to him and hear him out. I mean, he did keep on telling you that the reason why you broke up was a misunderstanding... so shoot your shot, I guess?" He chuckled.