Jade and Joshua were once the quintessential high school sweethearts, their young love blooming in the hallways of their school, filled with laughter and shared dreams. However, an unforeseen event shattered their once unbreakable bond, sending them...
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"Girl! Are you serious? This isn't some prank, is it?" Jayoung's voice crackled with excitement through the phone. Jiwon sighed, rolling her eyes at her best friend's hyperactive reaction. "No, I'm not joking," she replied, but another squeal erupted from Jayoung's end, nearly drowning out her words.
"Calm down, Anneliese," Jiwon said, but Jayoung was too caught up in her enthusiasm to notice. "I mean, I get it! Joshua is finally apologising for all those years!" Jayoung rambled on, her voice bubbling with hope. "Maybe he's trying to reconnect with you!"
Jiwon felt an exasperated frown tug at her lips. "If Joshua thinks one dinner can make up for eight years of silence, he's sorely mistaken. And if he believes that sending his teammate to ask me out on his behalf will fix everything, he's deluded," she spat, her frustration spilling over. The line fell silent.
Sensing Jayoung's lack of contradiction, Jiwon pressed on, her voice thick with emotion. "He doesn't care about the years of torture and guilt he's put me through, Jayoung. I don't know about you, but one dinner won't change any of that."
The two friends lapsed into silence, the soft purr of Jiwon's Mercedes the only sound breaking the stillness. "Jiwon," Jayoung finally ventured, her tone more serious. Jiwon hummed in response, prompting her to continue. "You know what happened when you left so abruptly last night?"
"What about it?" Jiwon asked, her voice blunt.
"Joshua was about to follow you, but Eric stopped him," Jayoung explained, her curiosity piqued. "He said something about giving you space and time. There's definitely a secret between them that we don't know."
Jiwon fell silent, inviting Jayoung to elaborate. "I overheard Eric trying to explain to him that relationships don't just resolve themselves. He mentioned something about time and patience."
"Are you suggesting that Joshua's trying to make up for everything he's put us through?" Jiwon asked, scepticism lacing her voice. "Yes," Jayoung replied firmly.
A bitter chuckle escaped Jiwon's lips as the golden lights of a restaurant flickered into view, illuminating her surroundings. "Listen, Jiwon, he was on the verge of tears when you left yesterday. All I'm saying is, give him a chance!" Desperation tinged Jayoung's voice, making Jiwon's heart twist.
"Whether he was ready to cry or not doesn't matter, Jayoung. My answer remains the same—I'm not ready to forgive him." She said it with resolve as she pulled into the gravel driveway. Jayoung fell silent, and Jiwon seized the moment to end the call without a goodbye, the weight of their conversation hanging heavy in the air.
Resting her head against the steering wheel, Jiwon took a deep breath, trying to quell the storm of emotions swirling inside her. Deep down, she knew Jayoung was right. Her defiance felt flimsy and unconvincing. But the thought of forgiving Joshua so easily was unfathomable. She lifted her head, pressing her back against the plush seat, and there he was again—Joshua, looming in her mind for the second time that day.
