F4: Sunflowers ‖ 𝓵.𝓱

22.

"Are you okay?" He asked, looking at her worriedly. 

After getting the napkins, Haechan returned to where he had left the girl, but she was no longer there. He looked everywhere, but the large number of people made it almost impossible to distinguish her. He walked for about five minutes while desperation was taking over his body more and more with each step. Fortunately, he was able to spot her before losing his mind.

"Can we leave?" Dahyun asked, almost mumbled, trying to calm her breath, not able to look straight into his eyes.

Haechan just hummed a positive response and guided the girl out of the festival aisle. He directed her to where his car was parked, trying to make the less physical contact possible. 

Both entered the car and stayed quiet for a moment. After some seconds, he carefully handed her a napkin, catching her attention.

"You have something here," he said, pointing to the corner of his lip. She took it and used it. Once again silence invaded the car. "Do you want to talk about it?" He asked thoughtfully. "I mean, don't feel pressure, just if you want to."

Dahyun sighed and lowered her head. "It's just about that night," she answered with a low tone of voice. "It's nothing..."

"Don't say that," he cut her words, trying not to sound harsh. "It is a big deal and it shouldn't happen in any circumstance," he once again tried to talk tenderly. He could feel she was already scared and stressed.

"I don't know what I did wrong..." The girl mumbled nervously while she started playing with her fingers on her lap, trying to contain her feelings.

"Nothing," he answered firmly. "You did nothing wrong. It wasn't your fault what happened the other Friday," he started saying while looking at her. "Not even the blue card,"  he sighed, not able to look at her. "I'm sorry."

His last words made her look at him.

"I'm sorry for being an asshole," Haechan said ashamed, doing all in his might to avoid her gaze. "Everything that you've been through at school was because of me and I'm so sorry. I'm also sorry that I can not apologize on behalf of that degenerate scumbag that hurt you and touched you without your consent. You don't deserve any of those things. You don't deserve them and weren't your fault."

At that point, tears began to run down the girl's cheeks and her hands trembled slightly. She hadn't dared to open up to anyone since the incident or cry with anyone. She had kept it all for herself, making this the first time since that night that she had let off steam in front of someone.

"You can cry all you want. It's okay," he reassured her, his gaze directed forward once again.

"It wasn't your fault," that's all she had been wanting to hear.

🌻

"Thank you for, well, everything," Dahyun said.

Haechan had parked his car in front of Dahyun's house. After what had happened, he was sure she was tired and needed some rest.

"No problem," he said, looking at his hands on the steering wheel. "And I'm sorry how things turned out today."

"No need to apologize, it wasn't your fault. Maybe would be better next time."

Wait.

"Did she say next time?"