𝐎𝐓𝐀𝐀𝐓 [𝟏] 𝐃𝐞𝐣𝐚 𝐯𝐮 || 𝐋𝐞𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟓

POV Shizuka

If after two weeks of breaking up, I thought I wasn't as sensitive as before, I was wrong.

Especially when I turn on my phone and have three messages, the first from Sumalee:

"I told you she was a bitch."

Then Mi-cha:

"Let me punch her, please."

And the last from Ha-yoon:

"How could she dare to date Lee Know?"

Naturally, I go online and there it is, shock.

"Silver Tears's Chinese rapper Li Daiyu officially dating Stray Kids' s Korean dancer Lee Minho."

I'm frozen in front of my phone, which eventually goes to sleep because I haven't moved.

He didn't want to go public with our relationship, why with her?

No.

Why is he dating her? My friend, dating my ex?

I throw my phone on my bed and let out a sob, arms limp at my sides, staring at my phone. I can't believe what I just read. I was just starting to move on, why does this have to happen?

What jerks.

I angrily wipe away my tears and decide to go to the living room, head held high. It's nothing, I have nothing to do with people like them.

It doesn't affect me.

I'm not sad.

I don't care.

Hoping I can believe it myself.

- "Shizuka!" Hae-ji exclaims when she sees me coming.

All the girls turn to me, except for Daiyu, who isn't there. I even see Yeonjun leave the room, a sign that he's probably reconciled with Sumalee. I'm happy for them, it seems they managed to communicate with each other.

At least one couple that's still work.

- "Are you okay?" Ji-yu asks, eyes glued to her phone.

She doesn't look at me, reading something.

Not the article, I hope.

- "Yes," I say with a smile. "It's nothing."

They give me skeptical looks, but I ignore them and instead prepare my breakfast.

Even though I'm not hungry.

Ji-yu, Sumalee, and Hae-ji eventually leave to train, and Ha-yoon comes closer to me.

- "The truth, now?"

I sigh and look at my plate.

- "It hurts."

Mi-cha rubs my back and says:

- "He's just an asshole, and she's a bitch."

- "He moved on so quickly, it's absurd,"

I smile as they insult Minho. It's mean, but it feels good.

The door suddenly opens with Daiyu stepping in, stopping when she sees me.

- "We'll leave you two to talk," Ha-yoon declares, leaving the dormitory followed by Mi-cha.

I gesture for Daiyu to sit next to me, and she keeps her head down as she settles in.

- "Why?"

- "Sorry..."

I fake a smile, saddened. I never thought this would come from her.

- "I didn't think it would hurt you so much..."

- "We were in love, Daiyu. Of course it hurts, my friend with my ex?"

She looks at the table, tracing invisible shapes with her finger.

- "Did it really have to be him?"

She glances at me sideways, and I add:

- "You don't date your friend's ex !"

- "But it was love at first sight!"

Ouch, that hurts.

- "Did you think of me for a split second?"

- "Of course!"

- "Do you think a true friend would do this?"

She lets out a dry laugh and asks:

- "A true friend would be happy for me, wouldn't they?"

I look at her silently, squinting my eyes and gripping my spoon tightly. I probably have a nice mark now, but I don't care.

Pain too, apparently.

Because betrayal is twice as bitter.

- "That's not the point, I'm asking if you know what you're doing."

- "Yes! And I'm happy with him!"

I close my eyes for a few seconds before announcing:

- "Stay with him if you're happy."

She widens her eyes and leaps from her chair to hug me.

- "Thank you, Shizuka! I'll repay you for this!"

She rushes out of the room without a backward glance.

Hard to repay a lost love.

But if she's happy, that's okay with me too.

Because right now, I feel heartbroken.

If, as she says, she loves him, I don't want to put her through the same thing.

But thinking about it breaks my heart.

How can such a short relationship mean so much to me?

We're not in middle school anymore, it's over, the days of fleeting crushes.