THE CHOICE IS YOURS

mm [M] mm

I was sitting in my room indulged in deep thought. Seulgi snapped her fingers in front of my face to get my attention. I smiled at her. That smile didn't even survived for seconds. It vanished quicker than it came.

Seulgi sat near me. Her features told that she was at the peak of suspicion. She gave a long stare and said, "I know you're not fine from last week. Tell me what's wrong?"

Seulgi knew me well even though I knew her better. I didn't want to hide anything from her. As I didn't feel like sharing from her. I tried to cover up, "It's just a thing with Lisa."

She was like going to slap me anything then. She took a breath and asked, "A thing with Lisa means nothing than clashes between you too, isn't it?" I had put my face in my hand. She added, "It pains me to say this, eonnie, what's wrong with you two? You both are fighting much lately."

I raised my hand and face her. I couldn't hide the truth anymore. So I decided to tell her everything. "There was this guy, my high school boyfriend. Named Jin who came in between us," I told with hesitation.

Her face lightened up in an instant. "Jin?! As in Kim Seok-jin? The rich player in your high school for whom the girls were drooling at that time," Seulgi said flying in the sky.

I understood if only she also fell for Jin's charms once. I was sure, she would be disappointed with the rest of the story. I said calmly, "Actually I played the player for a bet. But he loved me truly which he was never meant to do due to his stardom. He was broke for the first time in his whole life because of me. So he took his revenge on me using Lisa."

Seulgi's eyes widened in utter shock. She gasped, "If we were in high school now, I'd have seen you as a legend. You played a player. But he took revenge that's so cliché."

I was not in a mood for her silly talks. If I had done the same to her, she would have ripped my head off. I wasn't exaggerating, she was most likely to do it. I got up irritated to leave at once. She held my hand and mouthed a quick sorry. I sat down giving a warning glare.

"Jokes apart. Are you going to make up with Lisa?"

"Of course!" I nodded. "It's not one of those small quarrels which I don't care much. It broke out big. Always she's the one to sort things first. This time, I'll talk to her. Not now, only after some time."

■□■□■□■

One week before,

It was an evening, the climate was humid with a little drizzle. So we took shelter in an outdoor restaurant. It was a simple outlet with six tables under big umbrellas. All the other tables were full except for ours. I was enjoying the mild chillness caressing my skin. I stretched my hands to feel the mild shower. My palm was dotted with very minute droplets. When my eyes met Lisa, she was smiling to herself. I raised my eyebrows. She shook her head with a blink implying nothing.

I saw someone by my side. "Excuse me, sorry to disturb you guys, can I take a seat?" asked the stranger.

"No problem. Take a seat," Lisa answered him.

I turned towards him, I had trouble recognizing him at first but he was the last person I expected to meet. Kim Seok-jin. I couldn't help but to stare at him. He was also doing the same.

"Hey, Irene. Do you remember me?" his eyes twinkled.

"Yeah, Jin. What are you doing here?" I tried to sound casual.

"I'm here to participate in a meeting. How's life?" he was cool with nothing to bother. On the other hand, I was feeling very uncomfortable.

"Good, I'm working in SM. So I shifted here," I stated. I sensed Lisa's growing confusion, "Lisa, this is Jin. He's my..."

"... friend in high school," Jin finished my sentence. I didn't mind to correct it. They shook hands. Guilt washed over my heart, I shouldn't have hurt Jin. Would Lisa mistake me as unreliable?

My phone ringed at the perfect time. It was Yeri, my cousin. I got the break to calm myself. "Excuse me," I said and walked away. The drizzle too reduced. I walked to and fro talking over the phone, also keeping an eye on them.

When I was finished, I went back to them. There was something that troubled me. "I have some work. I'll meet you both later." Jin said a quick excuse and was gone just like that.

I sat on the chair and smiled at Lisa. I did that to know whether she was in a good mood. She gave a fake smile. I decided not to tell her about Jin.

"Was he your ex-boyfriend?" Lisa asked straight to my face.

"Yeah, I played him for a bet but he loved me truly. I agree I hurt him. I did bad, it was years back, you know," I justified myself.

Lisa's features lost its softness. She was angry. I was sure, Jin shared something with her. "Irene, that guy told me things about you."

"So you believe him?" I said, "I hurt him so that he is just brain washing you."

"I didn't believe him. I supported you. You're being paranoid. If you behaved properly...," she trailed.

"The person who did drugs in high need not to teach me, I'm out of here." I stood to leave. I didn't want to talk about it and create a scene.

"Sit down," she ordered and held my wrist, "You can't leave."

"Take your hand right now." She released my wrist. "Listen, you can't always have things your way. I don't know where this relationship is going. The unpleasant events outnumbered the happy moments."

Her eyes widened. "You want to break up, aren't you?"

"We just need some time to make everything better."

"Now I get it. What do you do in the time gap? Be with a random guy, break his heart and come back to me?" she spat.

"Did you just call me a..."

■□■□■□■

Only that much I remembered of that day. Then we just damaged each other with offensive language earning the focus of many. I punched her in the face and she poured water on me. We parted ways.

I couldn't blame Jin totally, we had many things hidden within us which just burst out. I would definitely work things out with Lisa.

Our relationship to us is like an oasis to thirsty travelers,

We think it is present but is not,

We try to pursue it but end up failed.

▬▬▬

[Ugh, i accidentally delete this chapter in my work sheet, i just re-type.]