Cut Eyebrows

27---don't worry, Hanbin is all ears

this is gonna be really long... Not.

***

"For once that doofus isn't trailing me." Sangchil sat down the Hanbin, who was sitting on the bleachers of the basketball court.

His legs sprawled out and he wiped his sweat. "Really? But I thought you liked Taehyung's presence."

"I do—but not 24/7." She sighed and ran her hand through her hair. Her mind was killing her, she couldn't put up with the guilt of lying to Hanbin.

"Hanbin, i'm going to tell you something. I don't know how you'll take it though. Just shut up and listen. I've got some dilemma here."

He sat up. "O...kay?"

She sighed. "Me and Taehyung aren't a thing—we—us—we're not dating. We're faking it."

"Eh? What do you mean? Why would you fake it?" He scratched his head and scrunched his eyebrows.

"Aw, damn. How do I explain this... You know your girlfriend? Soyeon?"

"What about her?"

"Break up with her."

Hanbin coughed. "What? You're telling me to break up with my girlfriend? Could you explain why, please?"

"Are you willing to hear a long tale, Mr. Hanbin?"

"Whatever it takes." He threw his hands in the air. "Tell me, oh great Kwan, what's racking around in your life that's so troubling. I'm all open."

Sangchil faced him. "Your girlfriend, is my high school humiliator. Her "friend", Taejoo—my sister—is also one too."

"Keep going... Soyeon was a bully?"

"Was?" Sangchil scoffed. "Still is."

He gulped. "W-What?"

"Three years ago, or more like four, when I was in high school, I wasn't really the looker. I..." She closed her eyes. "I was teased because of the way I looked. And obviously, I was affected by it. They—Soyeon and Taejoo—made fun of me, especially my eyebrows. So... For decades I suffered." She sucked in a breath. "So this," she waved her hand around her face, "This face isn't my original face. Imagine me with REALLY thick eyebrows, acne, tanned skin, and rough hair."

Hanbin was silent. "Then that means... You changed—a lot. But you didn't have to... I think if you didn't change yourself, you'll still be wonderful." He pressed his lips into a thin line. "Sangchil, you shouldn't change because someone else doesn't like it. Do what you only like, not what someone else likes."

"Ha, easy for you to say. Did you get pushed on in the halls? Gum stuck to your locker's lock? Tripped whenever you went to the front of the class? Hanbin, my life was hell, my whole family even looked down at me. My own sister even got rid of best friend, who is getting married next week."

His eyes showed signs of sympathy. "I'm sorry..."

She held her head. "And escaping here after I met up with Jin again—after tons of years—was like heaven. I cried when I first arrived, thinking "hey, maybe life will be good to me after all"."

They didn't speak after that. Hanbin was in the middle of processing it all when he spoke, "But... What does faking a relationship with Taehyung have to do with it? I mean, I get why you want me to break up with Soyeon. She's a bitch."

"Taehyung... He first confessed to me a long time ago. But I didn't reply to him, because I loved someone else. Well, now, he came back, wanting to find me. Then I met you, who is dating my worst nightmare who also brought along my other nightmare." She blurted all at once. "Hanbin, i'm sorry to say this. I don't think Soyeon really loves you. You may love her, but she's using you to get to me. That's why me and Taehyung made this stupid plan of being in a "relationship" so we could prove her wrong and hopefully expel her."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Hanbin said. "First, Taehyung loved you—he still does—then you left him, but he came back. And then when you guys saw Soyeon, you guys came up with a plan to get back at her?"

"Kinda. I first thought she wouldn't recognize me, but she did."

"Huh." Hanbin's mouth opened. "Wait—back to Taehyung—are you guys in a relationship? Because he loves you and all..."

Sangchil slapped her palm to her face. "No. We're not really dating. The only reason why i'm coming out is because I feel bad for lying all this time and I really want to get it out. I'm done pretending. I'm just gonna... I'm just gonna tell the whole thing. I don't care if she wins."

"She won't win." Hanbin said.

"What?" Sangchil said breathlessly. "Nonono, Hanbin, she already won—"

"No she hasn't." He stood up. "I'm breaking it off with her."

She widened her eyes. "W-Wait! No!"

"Huh? But why? After all she's done to you, she deserves to be lonely and die." Hanbin hissed. "She hurt my friend, and she pays for the damage."

Sangchil placed her hand over his arm. "Just... Not yet. I'm not done."

He sat back down. "Go on."

"The thing is... Being in a "relationship" has gotten me into an awkward state."

"What—are you feeling things for him too?" He asked.

"I—I don't know... I know Tae loves me, he tells me all the time but I—"

"You what?"

"I've told myself for days and months that I won't love him back... But I guess... Being with him made me..."

Hanbin took a hold of her shoulders and looked deeply, deeply into her eyes. He saw tears well up. Sangchil wailed.

"I love Kim Taehyung and I don't know what to do!" She cried.

Hanbin gulped.