Park and Kim

10

It hurt. The way that it felt to not be with them. Hana didn't seem to even notice her absence. Or at least she didn't say anything to her about it. She couldn't blame her, Jin was a really great guy and she loved watching the way he treated her best friend.

Last night, her and Jimin had run into each other in the line for dinner. He had completely ignored her, which was what she had wanted him to do.

But for some reason, her heart just ached. She kept reminding herself that she was doing it for them.

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Jimin just wanted to disappear into a hole. He felt like he saw her everywhere. God, it was awful. She literally couldn't have hurt his pride anymore than she had. He had reached out to her and...ugh.

That guy wasn't around anymore though. Jimin had been keeping his eye out for him.

Not for her, of course. I'm just worried about me and MY friends getting hurt by that dude. She's on her own if anything else happens.

She was over with some students from their class, laughing at something one of the girls said. But she wasn't really laughing, he knew the difference. That was her putting on a show. Why the hell does she do that? Why does she act fine?

And why the hell do I care?

He'd like to say he didn't. Maybe he was emotionally invested because Jae reminded him of his mom in a weird way.

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It was day seven of the two-week trip. Jae packed her bag for the outing, finally beginning to feel comfortable again. She was standing with a girl named Sunny, they had a few classes together and she was super friendly.

Everyone was standing in the clearing waiting for the leaders to show up. They were arriving later and later to each activity. Yesterday, the leader arrived twenty minutes after they were scheduled to leave. Jae sighed, her bag getting heavier by the minute as the sun beat down on all of them.

She knew he was there even before she saw him. She could smell him, as weird as that may sound. He had lived with her family long enough for her to recognize the mint smell that always seemed to permeate the air around him. When she had first met him four years ago, before she really knew him, the scent had been somewhat comfortable and familiar. But now, it seemed cold and made her stomach twist in knots.

She could feel his breath on the back of her neck as he whispered, "Hey, beautiful." She stiffened, he was standing right behind her, so close she could feel his chest against her back. She looked to her left, where Sunny had been standing, and realized that she had disappeared. "Did you miss me?" Sujung didn't wait for her to answer as he let his hands rest on her hips. "Probably not as much as I missed you." He chuckled softly into her ear.

She wanted to run, but her body wouldn't listen, instead she stood frozen in place. To the people around them, they probably seemed like a normal couple, showing some affection to one another before the outing begins.

He dug his fingers into her side, causing a sharp pain that made her face distort into one of anguish. "I'm glad that you came to your senses and aren't clutching onto that short bastard for protection. We're going to have to have a long talk about the way you have been treating me lately. I won't tolerate it." He bent down and pressed his lips to her neck. She closed her eyes, trying to hold the tears at bay, she prayed so hard that he would just let her go.

"I think it's time you stop being such a dick." Jimin's voice was authoritative and powerful in that moment. Jae's eyes snapped open and he was standing right there in front of them with his arms crossed over his chest.

Sujung just laughed.

"I'm serious, dude. Let her go." Jimin didn't move, his feet were planted to the ground, with his head held high.

"Is there some law against what we are doing right now?" Sujung asked in a mocking tone, letting his grip on her tighten.

"She broke up with you a while ago. Be a man and get over it. Stop harassing her." Jae inwardly shrank at the mention of the break-up.

Sujung loosened his grip on Jae and turned him to face her. Chuckling darkly as he spoke, "Is that what you have been telling people? That we broke up?" He looked past Jae and made full eye contact with Jimin. "This is my fiancé."

Jae could only imagine his reaction. He would probably consider her a liar now and leave her to her misery. That's what he should do after what she put him through.

"I don't give a shit what she is to you, its clear to anyone with eyes that she doesn't want you near her. So. Let. Her. Go."

By now, everyone around them was watching. Sujung considered Jimin's words a challenge. He couldn't let anyone stand up to him in front of other people. Especially Jae, she needed to know that playing around with some guy behind his back wasn't something he would just let go of.

He pushed Jae to the side of him and shoved Jimin hard enough to knock him to the ground. Jimin struggled to his feet after having the wind knocked out of him. But just as soon as he was on his feet again Sujung pushed him down harder. "Don't get up again, that bitch isn't worth you getting your ass beat." He kicked him in the side for good measure, confident that his point was getting across.

Sujung felt a hard slap across his face. Hard enough that it stung. He turned to see Jae standing there, holding the hand that she had slapped him with. He felt his face go red. People were staring. He couldn't hit her, not in front of everyone.

So he did the only thing he thought he could do. He turned and walked away. I swear to you, Jae, you will pay dearly for what you did today.