cat next door.

eleven

[hyunjin]

i looked at the reflection on the mirror as i washed my hands. i was smiling like an idiot earlier in the ride but why do i feel like there's something wrong?

something is restraining me from liking dahye and it's keeping me up at night. it's creating a knot in my chest and the more i think about it, the tighter it gets.

cold slapped my face as i splashed running water on my restless face. i need to wake up and stop being a coward. i need to face my fears.

i walked out of the rest room and immediately searched for dahye. my eyes landed on a familiar back profile, which i identify as dahye, talking to a young woman in a fancy button-down and high heels.

i furrowed my brows as i stared at the woman, she looks young in my opinion, maybe two years older than me or so. i slowly made my way to them, their faces getting clearer and my steps becoming heavier.

i stopped midway as the latter walked away, bumping into my shoulders. i stood there, shocked, i looked into dahye's teary eyes and we stood like that for three seconds until she broke the contact and ran to the restroom.

dahye, the girl who was scared of cats. everything make sense to me now, and i regret even remembering about her.

+

"what's your name?"

"my mom said i shouldn't talk to strangers so why should i answer you?"

"okay, i'm jin. that isn't my full name. you can tell me your last name, instead."

"call me kim."

//

"jin, they adopted a cat. i'm scared of cats."

"what? cats are so nice. why are you scared of them?"

"stop laughing at me, will you? i'm serious here."

//

"we fought because of demi. mom scolded her because of that."

"don't worry it'll be fine."

//

"you're not angry because i'm scared of cats, right?"

"no, why would i?"

"i think dahyun is angry at me."

//

"what happened to your neck?"

"demi."

"does it hurt?"

"yes, but my heart hurts more."

//

"kim! why are you crying?"

"dad and mom are fighting because of me."

"what did they say?"

"they're going to separate me and dahyun."

"a-are you leaving?"

"i think so."

"you promised you wouldn't leave me!"

"i did! and i don't want to leave, too. but mom,"

"i'm not listening to you. don't talk to me from now on."

"please, jin. don't leave me, too. they're all leaving me. you can't, too."

"says the one who promised to be friends forever."

"jin,"

"from now on, we are just strangers. forget that we've ever been friends."

"goodbye kim."

+

"hey, what's wrong with the both of you. you didn't even touch your food." seungmin asked as we started walking home.

"did you fight or something?"

i sighed and ran a hand through my hair. we reached the apartment complex and the four dropped us there. we were left with only the two of us. the ride on the lift was silent, the atmosphere thick and heavy.

as we stopped at her apartment, i mustered all the courage left in me.

"dahye, can we talk?" my voice was small and desperate.

"hyunjin, look, not now. i need some time alone." she entered her room and shut the door close and i swear i felt the whole world shut me down.

i went into my room and let the knot tighten until it suffocated me.

i felt guilty and it wasn't a good feeling at all.

[+]

im sorry if this is badly written im not really good at angst

question: is it confusing? tell me your opinions down below