Between the Lines | Riize Wonbin

Chapter 22: A mistake

Juhee pushed the door open to her house, her heart pounding in her chest. The familiar scent of home wrapped around her, but instead of comfort, it felt suffocating. She had spent the night at Wonbin's, and the memory of their kiss played over and over in her mind-a bittersweet reminder of warmth amidst the chaos of her home life.

As she stepped inside, she was greeted by the sharp sound of her brother's voice cutting through the silence. "Where the hell were you?" Jaehyun stood at the entrance, his arms crossed and eyes narrowed, anger radiating off him in waves.

"Juhee!" Their mother's voice echoed from the kitchen, laced with a mixture of relief and concern. "Thank goodness you're home. We were so worried!"

But Juhee couldn't muster the energy to respond. Instead, she shrugged past Jaehyun, deliberately ignoring him as she made her way upstairs. The weight of her parents' and brother's expectations felt heavy on her shoulders, and she just needed space to breathe.

"Seriously, you can't just disappear like that!" Jaehyun shouted after her, frustration spilling from his words. "You're not a kid anymore, Juhee!"

She slammed her bedroom door shut, cutting off his voice. The sound echoed in her mind, a constant reminder of her growing isolation. For the next three days, Juhee stayed holed up in her room, avoiding family meals and any conversation. The emotional turmoil from the night with Wonbin intertwined with her home life, creating a storm inside her she couldn't escape. She felt anger bubbling beneath her skin, and rather than confront it, she hid away, scrolling through her phone and staring blankly at the walls.

Each time she closed her eyes, flashes of Wonbin invaded her thoughts-their laughter, the warmth of his hand on her waist, the way he looked at her just before their kiss. It was intoxicating and infuriating all at once. How could he so easily dismiss what had happened between them?

On the fourth day, she finally ventured out, desperate for distraction. The library was a safe haven for her; she loved the quiet and the smell of old books. Wandering the shelves, she searched for a book that might ease her restless mind, but instead, she felt more lost than ever.

As she reached for a particularly high book, she stretched on her tiptoes, but it slipped from her grasp. Just as it was about to hit the ground, a familiar hand shot out and caught it mid-fall.

"Juhee," Wonbin said, a hint of relief flashing in his eyes. "There you are."

She turned to him, attempting to play it cool despite the rush of emotions that swirled inside her. "Thanks," she said, feigning nonchalance. "I didn't need help."

Wonbin's expression shifted, a seriousness replacing his casual demeanor. "We need to talk," he said, his tone firm.

"About what?" she asked, crossing her arms defensively, unwilling to let him see the turmoil brewing inside her.

"About the other night. I think it was a mistake." His words hit her like a cold slap.

Juhee felt anger flare up inside her, mixing with hurt. "A mistake?" she echoed, incredulous. "So, what? You think that's all it was?"

"Juhee, listen-"

"No! You don't get to say that after what happened!" she shot back, her voice rising in the quiet library. Heads turned, and she felt the heat rush to her cheeks. "I can't believe you would just brush it off like it didn't mean anything."

"It wasn't supposed to happen like that. I didn't want-"

"Save it, Wonbin," she interrupted, her heart racing. "If you think I'm just going to pretend like we didn't share something real, then maybe you don't know me at all."

His eyes softened, but Juhee could see the resolve in his posture. "We were caught up in the moment, Juhee. I don't want to complicate things between us."

Juhee's breath hitched, a mixture of disbelief and fury coursing through her. "Complicate things? You mean like how I'm already confused about everything?"

With that, she turned on her heel and stormed out of the library, her mind spinning. The anger from their conversation mingled with a sense of betrayal, and she felt tears prick her eyes. Back home, she locked herself in her room once again, avoiding calls and messages, letting the world outside fade into a blur.

Days turned into a haze of confusion and frustration. She found herself staring at the walls, feeling like a ghost in her own life. Her parents hovered, casting worried glances, but she shut them out, the silence of her room providing a false sense of safety. The isolation was comforting, yet stifling, and as the reality of her situation set in, Juhee realized she was grappling with far more than just her feelings for Wonbin.

Finally, on the seventh day of her self-imposed exile, the weight of everything became too much. The guilt of ignoring her family combined with her unresolved feelings for Wonbin pushed her to the edge. She realized she couldn't continue to shut herself away.

Sitting on her bed, she took a deep breath and grabbed her phone. Maybe she needed to reach out, to try to make things right-not just with Wonbin, but with herself.