REMEMBER ME?

ACT ONE: CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Saafeyah felt a bit awkward doing her hygiene in a strange place. Last time she was at Woojin's house, she was in heat so it was a bit of a blur.

She put on his shirt from the day before feeling comforted by the scent of his cologne. She wanted to be nice and make Woojin breakfast before leaving. She was very confident in her cooking skills.

Her pancakes were top tier.

Before descending the stairs, Saafeyah just had a bit of an urge to explore. It's not like Woojin would find out...

She opened random doors eventually stumbling upon his study. It was white and had black accents - it was also a bit messy like someone had been working recently.

Saafeyah got a bit curious about what was on the desk. She wondered if the great Woojin had any silly items... like hello kitty pens. She picked up a picture frame but felt sick by what she was seeing...

"Saafeyah."

"Why do you have a picture of Woohyun?!"

Saafeyah stared at the picture of Woohyun with his parents she was guessing. Just looking at the picture all her memories came rushing back.

But she didn't understand why it was here...

Woojin didn't say anything but approached Saafeyah. He gently took the frame from her but still didn't answer.

"I'm asking you a question... Woojin... why? I don't understand."

Saafeyah's heart was beating a mile a minute. She was even struggling to breathe.

"That's me and my parents."

"No," she denied it shaking her head. "That is Woohyun- you- Woojin, you're-"

"So, did you have fun playing my game," Woojin smiled glancing down at the mortified girl. "It was fun for me."

Saafeyah couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"What are you talking about?"

"It was kind of funny when you said you'd recognise your alpha at first sight but couldn't recognise me," he teased leaning into Saafeyah. "I thought it was cruel but you were cute being so passionate-"

"W-why did you do this? No... I'm dreaming this isn't real-"

Saafeyah was silenced the moment Woojin released his pheromones. She recognised the stronger version of that smell... like water... salty, beachy, clear - calming.

And she was angry.

"You lied to me... you were... that alpha during college with the pheromones, it was you..."

The realisation made Saafeyah feel sick.

"You were the one who forgot about me. I didn't have to tell you s-"

"You want me to have remembered you when you were a kid?! You never even told the truth about anything?!"

"Don't take this too seriously," Woojin sighed, "it's not like anyone got hurt... the one time I messed up wasn't on purpose."

"But I'm hurt... how could you do this to me? I waited for you all this time..."

"Saafeyah... don't be dramatic-"

It was on impulse but Saafeyah slapped him. And it was hard. The action surprised her because her hands flew up to her mouth covering it.

"You want to do it again?"

"Woojin... I- I don't know why I did that..."

Saafeyah wanted to comfort him in that moment even if she was upset and confused. She didn't mean to hit him.

"Put some force into it.'"

Woojin felt like he deserved that. Because right now he had wished he did things differently.

"I never hurt you."

Woojin laughed in disbelief, "I was never important to you."

"Then tell me what I did that was so wrong?! All I did was fall in love with a guy who lied to me. So unless you tell me why you're mad, I can't help you."

"Do you know what I had to go through to even be in the same space as you? The fact I got happy like an idiot just because you smiled at me for you to not even remember me... I was an idiot."

Woojin just wanted her to be hurt. Because his ego was hurt and he knew he was wrong.

"You... I can't believe you..."

"So, are you ready to be mates? We can get married now. It's what you wanted right," Woojin asked sarcastically with a bored expression. "Seeing this expression on your face is enough for me."

Saafeyah burst into tears in that moment. And Woojin felt bad... he had gone too far. This whole thing was a step too far.

And even if he was slightly messed up, he didn't want to hurt Saafeyah in that way. He liked messing with her but actually hurting her felt messed up.

"Saafeyah-"

"Don't touch me," she sobbed turning away from him. "I- just don't."

But Woojin ignored her hugging her frame. He was starting to panic at how hard she was crying.

"Saafeyah."

"You should have told me- I- you just let me think I was an awful person?! Why would you do that?!"

"It wasn't serious-"

And all Saafeyah wanted to hear from him was an apology. But he wasn't going to. All her life all she had met were selfish alphas and she was an idiot for thinking Woojin was different.

To him, it was probably funny to mess with a dumb, poor omega.

"I hope you had fun with the games you were playing," she sniffled pushing him away. "I'm not staying here. Right now even looking at you makes me feel sick..."

Woojin watched as Saafeyah got dressed in her dress from the night prior. He felt anxious to watch her leave... he thought it would be way easier to get her to forgive him.

He hadn't planned for it to turn this way.

"I can take you home."

"I... really hate you right now... please leave me alone. I don't want a toxic person in my life."

Woojin thought that some time apart would help Saafeyah's anger to simmer. He didn't really have an excuse for something as stupid as his actions.

But he hated the way Saafeyah was looking at him.

"Monday, I won't let it slide if you talk or look at me like this," he warned. "Fix it by the next time I see you."
...

But he didn't see her that Monday.

Saafeyah quit her job through text on that same Saturday.

On Wednesday he went by her house but her neighbours told him she had moved out. She had left things behind like she wanted to shed whatever it was by force.

Her number no longer worked.

And Woojin decided that he wasn't going to look for her. He realised that at then, he didn't know how to love her without hurting her.