Eccedentesiast |NCT MARK LEE| ✔

Chapter 17: Latibule

|Latibule|

(Noun) - Hiding place; a place of safety and comfort

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Blah - A/N

'Blah' - Thoughts

"Blah" - Dialogue

Blah - Text message

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Home used to be a safe haven. It was a refuge where she could seek comfort in the familiarity of the ambience and in the arms of her loved ones.

Home shouldn't be a place that required her to walk as if she was stepping on eggshells or live in uneasy silence like what she was currently doing.

It became a cold and lonely abode for Saeyoung when all the joy and love seemed to have seeped out of the walls of their home. Her brother was ignoring her existence and her parents were all glares and scowls instead of their once loving smiles and warm laughter.

The only time she had seen them interact during the past three weeks was when they discussed their financial matters. With Johnny's part-time job and Ten's steady modelling career, they had managed to accumulate enough money to pay off their debt.

It was good news. But nothing changed between them. They were still radiating hostile aura every time they had to be in the same room and it was stifling for Saeyoung.

She wished for her family to remain intact but it turned out that they were just falling apart faster.

The only bright side was that there won't be a risk of them becoming homeless anymore. In addition, she didn't have to play her elaborate charade as Jisoo's girlfriend anymore. The girl was no longer of any use to Saeyoung now that her family's monetary problems were solved.

Breaking up with Jisoo was the one thing she was looking forward to most in this period of time where she had nothing to be happy about.

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There was still half an hour left before school starts so Saeyoung spent that time searching for Jisoo. It didn't take her long to find the violet-haired girl as she was in her usual spot underneath the willow tree where their first meeting took place.

Saeyoung didn't even need to call out to her. Her presence was already given away by the rustling noise of the grass susurrating underneath every step she took. The Korean beauty instantly looked up from the thick hardcover book she was reading with fervour earlier on.

"Sae! Good morning!" Jisoo greeted with a seraphic smile gracing her lips upon spotting the tanned girl approaching.

Saeyoung did not respond.

She came to a stop in front of the other female seated on the ground with a stony look on her visage.

The brunette shifted her weight from side to side and bit on her lower lip tentatively. She wasn't going to go back on her decision to break up with Jisoo but it didn't mean it was an easy choice to make.

She actually felt guilty using her for her wealth and connections. Especially when it seemed like Jisoo was truly smitten with her. Nonetheless, she couldn't keep on putting up this fake facade of happiness every time she went out on a date with her. Besides, pretending that she loved Jisoo would hurt her more in the long run than telling her right there and then she wasn't interested. She was doing both of them a favour. Right?