Love

Six || Catching Tears

"Park—"

"It's Jimin, you dork," she playfully corrects Chan-woo. 

They must have talked about their issues because they appear to be doing well again this week. His arms are constantly around her and he kisses her so often I wonder if they realize I'm even there. Her smile has returned, but it's sadder. I want her to smile genuinely. I want it to be real. 

I smile tightly at her in an attempt to express my thanks. I look back into my bowl of ramen. She had invited me to get lunch with them and I had agreed. Now, I'm regretting it. 

"Right, sorry. Jimin, can I talk to you outside for a second?" Without waiting for my response, his gives her another kiss on the lips before standing. 

I rise, my throat tight. I want to slap him. Did he even know how much he hurt her just a few days ago? She was clearly still hurt. Is he blind? Is he an idiot? How can he act this way? And in public? 

She looks at me, slight concern evident in the creases of her eyebrows. I wonder why it's there. I look away, swallowing the desire to pat her shoulder and comfort her. Not with Chan-woo watching. Not with the playful smile on his face, but the deadly look in his eye. I follow him against my will. 

Once outside, Chan-woo turns on me. 

I have a friend that lives in the apartment across from Y/n," he says. 

I nod. "That's convenient." My feet shuffle beneath me and I watch them. 

"He said he saw you take her into her apartment a few nights ago."

I nod. I purse my lips so tightly that they're nearly numb. I already can guess what he's hinting at. 

"He said she looked drunk." 

I nod. 

"Really drunk. Nearly passed out."

I nod yet again. 

"And then he said you didn't come out for a good half hour. At least. Might've been over an hour." 

I don't respond. He's wrong. 

"Then you sat on the floor and cried." 

I finally look up from my feet, the glint in my eye daring him to tell me his motive behind all the questions. 

"She's my girlfriend, Park." 

I square my shoulders and stand up straighter. I refuse to break our eye contact, no matter how much bigger than me he is. "What are you accusing me of?" 

"Why were you out with her?" 

"She invited me to walk home with her. We live on the same block. She asked if I was hungry, so we got something to eat and she drank too much." 

"Why would she ask you to go out?" 

Is he seriously this stupid? I think. "We're good friends, Cheong Chan-woo." 

"She's my. Girlfriend." 

"Well from everything she told me, you sure are a shitty boyfriend," I spit. Regret seeps into my whole body, but I don't back down. I can't now. 

It takes him a moment to respond and when he finally does, I stumble back. He grips the front of my coat, pulling me close to his stupid face as he makes an angry noise in the back of his throat. He breath smells terrible. I can't believe she's been letting him kiss her all day with those disgusting lips, that disgusting mouth. 

"Don't you dare touch her. I know everything. You drugged her, didn't you? Why else would you be in her apartment for an hour, huh?" 

He's crazy. I hate him. He's disgusting. 

I push his chest with all the strength in my body. I'm smaller than he is, but the adrenaline in my muscles gives me enough gusto to make him stumble. His grip on my coat loosens for a moment and tightens again, even harder this time. 

"Hell no," I snarl under my breath. "You're crazy, Chan-woo. You clearly don't know anything about your own girlfriend. I would never touch anyone without their permission." 

"Then why were you with her so long!" He shoves me against the stone of the building. I'm barely able to keep my head from banging against the wall. 

"Cheong Chan-woo!" 

We turn toward the new voice, the angry voice, that screams in the doorway of the restaurant. People in the street turn to face her, then turn to face us. 

She stomps over to us as she shoves her stupid boyfriend away from me. His grip is nothing on my coat when she pushes him. She stands between us. Her hair shakes violently as she shouts at him. I don't hear what she says. I'm too mesmerized by the crashing waves of her hair. 

"Come on, Jimin!"

Tears fall quietly from my eyes as I watch her waves pull me deeper into the ocean of her soul. She grips my hand tightly as I stumble lamely behind her, following her through the streets as we leave Chan-woo behind. I don't know where she's taking me, but I can't help but follow. I can't pull away from her as the undertow that is a part of her waves sweeps me farther into her waters than I ever intended to be. I'm trapped in her. 

She's practically flaming as she slams the door of her apartment. I watch as she paces back and forth quickly. Her fingers clench her hair at the roots, as if she's threatening to pull it right out. 

I call out to her. 

She screams with her mouth closed, trying to muffle the sound of her anger. 

I wonder what she said to him. I wonder if she knows what he said to me. I hope she doesn't know what he said. I swallow the humiliated lump rising in my throat and call her name again. 

She falls against the wall and slides down to the floor. I'm thrown back to just a few nights ago. 

"He's making me crazy!" she screams. "I could kill him right now!" 

I move toward her slowly. She cries loudly as I go. She's beginning to pull harshly at her hair. I move quicker and fall on my knees in front of her. I grab her hands and pull them away from her beautiful locks. I love her beautiful hair. She looks up at me through her tears. It's foreign to see her crying while sober. It's a million times more painful. 

"I hate him," she tells me. "I hate him, I hate him, I hate him." She pulls me closer and hides her face in my chest. 

I hold her this time as I hush her. I comfort her. 

"It's okay," I lie. Tears still fall down my own cheeks as the pain stabs through my heart again today. "It'll be okay."

"How could he say those things about you? How could he do that to you? How could he do that to me?" 

My heart hurts. She knows everything. I don't know how to answer. I don't. 

"He's so stupid! He's the biggest idiot shit-head on this whole stupid planet. He's so stupid. I hate him." 

I try to soothe her by touching her hair, stroking it gently. I love her hair. 

When she's finally able to quiet her angry screaming, she looks up at me, right into my eyes. Her eyes are watery still and it enhances their color. They're still so beautiful, even when concealed with the redness from her crying. I love her eyes. 

I want to catch her tears for the rest of my life. I never want to see her eyes red again. 

A/N

Well...I don't know what to say. That took a dramatic turn. 

Shame on you, Cheong Chan-woo!

Words: 1265