The Broken Hearts Care Club | (X1/BY9/ITZY/IZ*ONE)

twelve. go away

Ahn Yujin

Yujin was sitting on the ground. Knees up to her chest. Dried tears on her cheeks. She felt awful and wasn't sure what to do or where to go.

At the time the track field seemed like the best place to hide away but now she realized it was more exposed than she thought.

Luckily for her once all the after school activities ended things quieted down and less people were wandering around the campus. But there still were people up and about. Sparse, but there.

"Hey."

She raised her head up at the voice. A little surprised to see her old middle school boyfriend standing there, looking down at her. Immediately she wipes her face. "What are you doing here?" Yujin asked, trying to collect herself.

Minhee doesn't talk to her for three years and now he shows up when she's as much of a mess as when they broke up. What kind of timing was that?

"Someone said they saw you were here. They were worried. So I just wanted to make sure you were okay." He shifted in his stance.

"Great," Yujin muttered to herself.

Of course people knew. And they were all talking about her.

"Yeah, it must suck having people care about you and feel concerned about you," Minhee sarcastically replied. He really couldn't help it.

She squinted her eyes at him. "More like having people talk about you behind your back," Yujin's voice was hoarse from crying, "I don't even think they really care." She rested her head on her arms.

Slowly she scans the area. "Oh my god." She lowers her head.

"What?" Minhee asked, confused by her sudden behavior.

"He's right there," Yujin says before shushing him. He looks around before catching sight of Donghyun and the other student council members.

"Oh, well don't worry about him. I'm here." It was an earnest attempt at being reassuring.

"That makes me feel so much better, thanks." Tears began to well up in her eyes once again. Minhee glanced around unsure of what to do. He didn't like seeing her like this. It was better when she was happy but at a distance.

"Hey," he crouched down, "hey, it's okay." He set his bag down on the ground and sat down next to her. Carefully he placed his hand on her shoulder. "Break ups are hard for everyone."

Yujin yanked her shoulder away from his touch. She glared at the older boy showing no mercy. He let out a breath knowing she was still upset about what happened years ago.

But that was the past. Couldn't they just put it all behind them?

"Don't... I don't need your sympathy. I broke up with him, okay? So, yeah." Her flushed cheeks and puffy eyes didn't help her case.

Minhee furrowed his eyebrows in utter confusion. "Wait, if you were the one to break up with him why are you the one crying?"

"Because sometimes even when you're the one to call it off you're still the one that's being left behind," they locked eyes for a few seconds. Minhee's softened brown ones gazing into Yujin's red, tear-filled ones. Then she looked away. "Not that you would know what that feels like."

It was hard to explain how Minhee felt in that exact moment. In broadest terms 'bad' would be the most accurate. Angry, mostly at himself. Because right now it may be Donghyun but at one point it had been him that made her like this. And truthfully speaking it was something he had forgotten over time.

"Yujin, I—"

"Just go away, Minhee. I... can't... deal with you right now." But he didn't move. He didn't want to. At this point he was invested. She was as much of a fragile as any of the others.

A few minutes went by and Yujin just continued crying softly. He couldn't do much more than witness the sad sight.

She wiped her nose with her sleeve. "You know, when I told him that we should break up he, uh, he at first was confused and then, uh, and then he got angry." Minhee listened to her every word, "he called me a scatterbrain and said I couldn't take anything seriously."

Another tear fell down her face.

"And you know what? He's right. And I knew we weren't meant for each other but we still stayed together. At least now I won't hold him back anymore."

Minhee shook his head. "No." Yujin glanced up at him. "I mean he's not wrong, you are all those things." She whacked his shoulder hard. "But those are some of the best things about you."

She looked back down again not really believing him.

He leans forward to look at her.

"They were some of my favorite things about you," Minhee stated gleefully.

"Really?" Their eyes meet again.

"Mhm," he nods his head, "really."

It was an oddly tender moment. Yujin felt at ease with him which in itself unsettled her greatly.

"Okay," she stood up. "I think I've had enough crying in public for now." She dusts herself off. Minhee goes to stand up too. "I'm gonna go home now. Thanks, I guess."

"Are you walking home?"

"I was going to take the bus."

"Let me go with you," he offered holding his hand out.

"No, I'm fully capable of getting there by myself, thank you very much. Bye." She spun around and started walking away.

Minhee scoffed aloud. "That's what I get for trying to help," he muttered to himself. But then she turned around to look at him one more time. It was a split second action. No more than a short moment. He noticed.

He held back a small smile while making his way towards his house.

Status: edited
Written: January 5, 2020