Princess | kth

Ch.15: Andrea?

I smile.

It's so soft...

My fingers slip through Taehyung's golden locks as he proceeds to wrap bandages over my injured arm. Each strand of his hair slip through my fingers almost as soft as silk. I can't help but smile and awe at it, eyes twinkling and shining like beacons.

But soon, my smile fades away.

He pulls away from me with a slight pout "You messed up my hair."

I ignore his complaint and, instead, reply with a smile.

He chuckles "Whatever, Princess," and finishes wrapping my arm with gauze.

"Hey, why'd you laugh?"

"You're smile's pretty. I couldn't help but get infected by it," he smoothly answers back.

"Gosh, I don't know if I should be hating or loving how cheesy you are."

At school

Physics teacher's absent so I'm free at the moment... should I go to the library? Or should I summon Tae?ㅡ

My thoughts get interrupted when my eyes find Andrea across the hallway. I skip my way towards her, obviously feeling a little too happy.

"Andrea!" I chime, but the joy in me quickly rushes out as I realize the face Andrea has on.

We're now just a couple inches apart yet she hasn't said anything, she just gives me a pained grimace.

"Something's wrong," I whisper, brows furrowed.

"W-What? Wrong? No, why would anything be..." a pause "wrong?" She looks away as her sentence trails off.

I make the move to gently grab her forearm but she quickly pulls away. Strands of her burnt-acacia hair cover her face and it hinders my ability to read her expression.

"Please," is the only word that fall from her lips.

"An-Andrea..." I call out, worried.

My expression softens when I see drops of tears fall off her face and her lips seem to be quivering from holding back too many emotions.

What's happening?

Her glossy, pained eyes turn to me and she let's out a sigh.

I just stare, not knowing what to say.

"I'm sorry. I'm just trying to protect you," her voice comes out weak, a little shaky.

And for some reason her sentence ignites a flame in me and I really can't help but start to argue.

"Protect? This is how you protect? You say hiding some secret and not saying crap is protecting me?" I try to inch closer but she slowly pulls away.

Every step I take forward, she avoids me by taking another step back.

"Yoonha, at least be smart enough to realize I can't just tell you everything. I need the privacy."

"Justㅡ Andrea c'mon! Are we actually doing this?" I retort.

Seeing my best friend all torn and broken hurt me mentally. It made me mad to know that the person I've known for my whole life would be keeping something important away from me...

All this time.

"I just don't want you hurt!" She suddenly booms.

I've never heard her scream like this before -- especially at me.

I open my mouth to say something but nothing comes out. I close it back again with a frown.

"Okay. Sure." I nod as tears of my own start to brim my eyelids "You wanna protect me. That's all right? Then okay, I'll make sure to give you as much as privacy as you want,"

Her fingers clutch the ends of her shirt and she locks eyes with me.

"It's not what you thinkㅡ I really am just trying to help!" She wipes her tear-streaked face with her hand "I'm not trying to break us apart. Why would I do that?"

I can only turn my back against her without a reply and walk out of the nearest exit.

(A/N: helloo!! I'm so so sorry for not being able to update in months! Ever since the start of school, I've been really busy lately. I know that's like everyone's excuse but I really am telling the truth >\\< but heres a vERy DRamAtiC chapter for all of yall. Thank you for being so patient~ [i also had writer's block which sucked] but im happy to say im back on track!! <33)