Cherishing you ♡ - Kang Daniel

×[¤ Chapter 20 ¤] ×

○ I'm tired off fighting alone ○

1 hour later~

*Classroom*

"Sempai please teach me!" Soljin begged, crouching down next to Fays table.

"Uwlegh, stop being so cringy." Fay distorted her face, as her fingers started curling inwards to her palm.

"Yah! I'm trying my hardest here to convince you!" Soljin huffed indignantly.

"Alright, alright, I'll teach you but never do such cringy stuff again." Fay said giving her one chance.

"Understood ma'am." Soljin jumped up, and saluted "I'll be in your care."

"You are such a weird person." Fay shook her head, earning a hit on the arm from Solji.

"By the way, why is it so silent behind me?" Fay questioned, defending herself from Soljin.

The both of them turned around and saw Risa totally absorbed in her phone.

"Your face's going to get sucked in." Fay flicked Risa's forehead.

"Ouch." Risa rubbed her forehead "It was important okay?"

"Is it Leo?" Fay hit bulls eye with her sixth sense.

"Yeah..." Risa mumbled, jumping up from her chair "I'll be right back."

Before any off the other two could say anything, she picked up her call and walked out off the classroom.

*Toilets, 3rd floor*

"Hey, so you wanted to talk?" Risa asked, leaning again the sink.

"Hey Risa," Leo answered sounding a bit strained "yeah it's about that text you send me last night."

Risa immediately knew something was off, he said her full name instead off Riri.

"Mhm?" Immediately her heart started beating louder, and she felt herself getting tensed.

"I-I think we have to set something clear Risa." Leo took a deep sigh on the other side off the line.

"What Leo?" Risa's hand started shaking, but her voice didn't break yet.

"Stop asking me such requests." Leo almost begged, "Please Risa, you know I can't."

"I am asking you to go on a date with me Leo." Risa's voice started quivering "A request?! Why can't you even say the word date?! Do you detest the idea so much?!"

"I-I..." Leo started stammering "With Fay inbetween us I can't make a decision."

"That's a lie! You know Fay opposes nothing! It's just something with you Leo!" Risa's eyes started getting teary out off frustration and disbelieve, "I can't understand you! What do you want Leo? What is troubling you?! If you don't tell me, I won't understand."

"I don't know Risa, I don't know." Leo said, his voice getting softer by the second.

"In the past, you always pushed me away with the moral that you can't date your sisters friends." Risa started pacing around "Then you said we were too young, and that if anything went wrong, it would sullen my friendship with Fay. What excuse are you going to come up with now? I'm tired Leo."

The other side off the line kept silent, and Risa took this as a sign to continue.

"I'm done with fighting alone for it Leo. I get no response from you no matter what I try! Do you even care about me?!" A tear finally slipped out off her eye, as her voice betrayed her "It's been seven years, seven freaking years! I wasted my love on you Leo, and after seven freaking years that you led me on, I still haven't learned."

"I do care about you!" Leo immediately defended "I do, I definitely do! I-I just don't know if I can take the next step."

"I'm tired, Leo." Risa felt her anger and energy slipping out, and a hollow feeling filled her "I'm really tired, and I'm losing reasons to hold on."

"I'm sorry Risa, I'm really sorry." Was the only thing Leo could say.

Risa felt her heart freeze for a moment, as those were the exact words she didn't want to hear. Somehow for her it felt like everything was alright, as long as she didn't hear those two words.

"I think I've heard enough Leo." Risa said her voice becoming flat "I'm giving up, there's no point in going on like this."

"Wait Risa, not everything has been said!" Leo protested hearing how her voice sounded, but she didn't wait and ended the call.

Just when she thought she could stay here, voices approached the toilet, and she quickly whiped her tears away. Neighing her head, she walked out off the toilet, not wanting to face anyone right now.

"Risa?" Fay asked, approaching her. She left the classroom in search off Risa, wondering what was taking her so long "Whats wrong?"

"Mhm, nothing." Risa shook her head not looking up.

"Look at me." Fay already knew something was wrong, and she softly grabbed Risa's chin, lifting it.

As she saw her best friends worried face, she couldn't hold back her tears no more,  and a sob escaped her mouth.

"What happened?" Fays face hardened, knowing it was something between Leo and Risa.

"What else is there to happen?" Risa asked in a bitter tone, not caring about the tears streaming down "He led me on for seven years, and now he says he's sorry, and that he can't do it.".

"Can't do what?" Fay asked surprised, totally not grasping the situation.

"I don't know! Love me? Care about me?" Risa's voice raised with every word she said.

"Risa I can't help you, if I don't understand!" Fay said feeling hopeless.

"Me neither!" Risa yelled, luckily the corridor was empty, or people would have thought they were having a fight "Just leave me alone for now Fay! I need to sort my feelings out!"

"Can't I help you?!" Fay asked, desperately reaching an hand out to her.

"N-no! Right now I can't look at you, nor him." Risa turned around, and quickly walked away, leaving behind a Fay who felt hopeless by the whole situation.

"I think there is only one thing I can do for her now." Fay thought to herself, as she pulled out an envelope from her blazer pocket.

She sat down on the window sill, and pulled out a pen from her other pocket. Fay carefully opened the envelope and pulled out the letter.

"This way, at least two off us will be happy." Fay thought as she scribbled something down on the letter, trying her best to make it look the same as the already written handwriting "I'll get used to it. Sometimes you have to let go, because you care."

She carefully put the letter back in the envelope, and stored it in her pocket. After taking a deep breath, she headed to the backyard.  She was mentally preparing herself for what was to come...