❝EARPHONES❞ ─ k.th

Chapter 012

She stared at his desk with sorrowful eyes. Two days had ready passed and she was still hoping he would change his mind and came back to her, come back to them. She kept denying the voice inside of her head that taunted her, telling her things she didn't want to hear. She couldn't give in, she wouldn't allow her negativity to take over her anymore.

She was worried about him. He was an emotional roller-coaster. One minute he would laugh the night away with her, the next he would be curled up in a ball crying silently to himself as he watched the night go by. Was he going through another breakdown or was he telling the truth? She was too confused to put the jigsaw puzzle back together.

She grabbed her books and pencil case, stuffing it inside of her bag before excusing herself from the class to get some fresh air. She suddenly felt claustrophobic, like she couldn't breathe properly. She sat by herself, watching the tree branches swing backwards and forwards as the leaves danced to the rhythm. She looked to her right, acknowledging the person whom placed themselves beside her. Naeun frowned at the person before turning her head away, staring back at the tree.

"Everyone says this school has the best trees," the feminine voice spoke up, admiring the tree along with Naeun. Naeun only grunted in response, uncertain about how she should reply to the girl.

"If you're here to torment me, go ahead. I couldn't care less anymore," she effortlessly announced, slurring some of her words in the process. She was drunk on sadness, drunk on the feeling of dissipated.

Dahye chuckled, hoping to lighten up the atmosphere but got nothing in response. She studied Naeun, her mannerism, her body language, everything. "How ironic. The day I don't feel like torturing you is the only time you aren't bothered."

Naeun faced Dahye, staring at her emotionless. Although she didn't show any sign of caring, she was curious as to why out of all days, today she decided to be friendly to her. "Why are you talking to me?"

Dahye sighed as she looked away from Naeun, staring intensely at the tree as she tried deciding how to word the situation to her. "The truth is, my hatred towards you wasn't intentionally targeted at you. After his mother's divorce, he kind of lost it. He dated lots of girls, ruined his reputation. Taehyung did it to numb the sadness, but all it did was break him more. Naturally as a friend, I grew frustrated seeing him ruin himself repeatedly. I tried my best to scare off anyone that dared even glancing in his direction, giving them a little warning to back off. But you, you didn't quit, to be more precise, Taehyung didn't quit. He saw something inside of you, and I was too late to step in before he grew fond of you. Now look at you two, broken into millions of shattered pieces."

"No, I'm not here to explain my feelings towards you. I'm aware you aren't a therapist," Dahye shrugged to herself, "I thought I would be a half decent person and clear the air. Yesterday, Taehyung was initially supposed to tell you that he is leaving to study abroad. But for obvious reasons, he felt compelled to tell you the truth, he thought it would only hurt you more. Clearly, he was wrong. I promised him I wouldn't tell you but his train leaves at 8 O'clock tomorrow."

"Why did you go against your word?" she asked with suspicion, feeling a tinge of nostalgia course through her body as she began thinking about yesterday.

Dahye stood up, brushing the dirt off her uniform as she threw her bag over her shoulders. She looked down at Naeun, smiling at her sincerely. "I know I won't be able to keep Taehyung happy forever, I wasn't destined for that role. I'm just his friend but you, you're his world. That's why I went behind my word."

[ chapter twelve, second last update ]