𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒 | 정원

☆ | 28

✰

"Hey, it's me again." Ellie spoke into the phone as she sat on her bed, tucked under the covers. It had been two days since he stood her up at the amusement park. She had sent him a total of ten voicemails and twenty messages, all of which he hasn't seen nor replied to.

It was as if he had completely disappeared off the face of the earth. "I hope you're okay, please ring me back.. I miss you" she said before hanging up and laying down in her bed - although she knew she wouldn't be getting much sleep, not without Jungwon.

✰

"Still no reply?" Kyujin questioned from her seat opposite Ellie inside the local diner. The two girls deciding to become friends again after Kyujin repeatedly apologised and Ellie just didn't no how to say 'no'.

"Nope." Ellie answered and shook her head with a huff, "but I'm sure he's probably just got something going on." She shrugged, although Kyujin just raised her brow and let out a huff.

"trust me, he's just ignoring you because he's a guy and that's what guys do. Besides, he is best friends with Sunoo, both of them are douchebags." Kyujin commented making Ellie crease her brows and tilt her head at the girl.

"Jungwon isn't that kind of person, he wouldn't just ignore me. He's probably just got a new phone and can't remember my number, that's all." She spoke making kyujin huff and shake her head.

The older girl rolled her eyes and rested her elbows on the table. "Then why haven't you gone to his house? And why hasn't he come to your house to ask for your number for his 'new phone'." She tutted. "Just grow up and open your eyes Ellie, you've been dumped."

Ellie stared down at the table with a frown, behind the snarky comments of kyujin, there was also truth. Why hasn't she gone to his house? Was it because deep down she thought he could actually be avoiding her and she didn't want to pester or annoy him any further? Ellie shrugged and pushed her Diet Coke glass away from her, "I don't care, I believe that he wouldn't do anything to hurt me. Never" Ellie confidently spoke causing kyujin to shrug and mutter a 'whatever'.

✰

Ellie sat on her bed as she stared out the window, the white glow of the many stars decorating the sky shining down on her. Her phone pressed against her ear as tears began to tremble down her face.

'Helloo! It's Jungwon, you just missed me, please leave me a voicemail!'

More tears fell as the same words came from the phone - the same words she has been hearing for the last week. School was starting again and she still hadn't heard from him, these two weeks off of school were supposed to be a relaxing break before she returns to exams and more overflowing stress - yet they had been the complete opposite.

"J-Jungwon, if you want to ignore me that's fine.." she cried through the phone, her eyes glued to the pretty scenery in the sky. "I'm not going to continue to cry and mope over you everyday, I have feelings too and I can't keep wasting my tears on you. If you got tired of me, I get it and it's okay, but please don't keep me in the dark. Tell me how you feel and where you are, just please let me know if you're okay. You won't be hearing from me anymore. If you want to contact me you can be the one to instigate it. I'm not doing it anymore, goodbye Jungwon." She cried out before ending the call and letting all her tears fall down her face as she rests her head and arms on the windowsill.

All while looking at Jungwon's favourite thing, stars, because they 'reminded him of her'

Love is stupid anyway. It only gets you hurt and then makes you regret ever even falling. Love is overrated, Ellie didn't know why so many people wanted to experience it so bad.

✰

Ellie rested her head on her palm as she tiredly listened to the teacher speak about their new science topic. "Okay, everyone get into pairs." She announced making Kyujin cling onto Ellie and squeal with excitement.

"Miss, I don't have a partner." Sunoo's voice spoke up from behind Ellie, causing her to slightly turn around to witness the brunette male sat alone on the two person desk - rather than being next to his usual seat mate, his best friend, Yang Jungwon.

The science teacher nodded and looked around the room. "Just join somebody else and make a three." She stated and Sunoo nodded as he jumped down from the high up stool.

Where was Jungwon? Why hasn't he shown up to school? "I guess Jungwon is taking this whole ghosting faze seriously." Kyujin mocked with a giggle - making Ellie roll her eyes and try to mask the sadness she felt deep down.

She missed him. She really, really, really missed him. She'd do anything just to be able to be partners with him for a science experiment again. She'd do anything just to hear his voice.

✰

Was she crazy? Was she obsessed? Or was she just worried? Ellie had no idea and didn't frankly care what the answer was. There she stood, outside of Jungwon's house with a rapidly beating heart and beads of sweat lacing her palms.

She cleared her throat and confidently (not really) knocked on the door, her heart rate increasing as the seconds carried on. She had always hated this much of anticipation.

Soon enough the door opened to reveal a middle aged women, her eyes red and puffy - almost like she had just finished crying for the tenth time today, her hair was an unbrushed mess. "How can I help you?" Her croaky voice horsed out, giving off the impression that these were her first words of the day.

Ellie nodded her head and tried to best to give the women a warm smile. "Yeah, can I speak to Jungwon, please?" She asked, watching the women's eyes begin to pour with tears as they reddened and her face scrunch up into a saddened anger expression.

"Is this some kind of sick joke?" She cried out, "do you enjoy making fun out of grieving mothers?" She questioned - leaving Ellie to stare in confusion, wondering if she got the right house or not.

"Jungwon died two weeks ago." She snapped making Ellie's ears ring and block out any other sound that was around. Her cheeks burned, but not in the way Jungwon made them burn and turn red - they burned with panic and disbelief.

Before Ellie could even ask any questions, the door had been slammed in her face - leaving her stranded and alone.

Jungwon was.. dead?