Vulnerable Heart

Chapter 3: Day 3: Honesty

"Another restless night." Ga Eul thought to herself. It was hard to sleep with the guilt that seemed to be sitting on her chest with the weight of an elephant. The look on Jae Ha's face had told her how disappointed he was in her.

"I hate myself." Ga Eul muttered to herself thinking back to everything that happened so far.

Part of her felt like she would be sick and when she got home that night, and her mother had prepared a nice meal for the family Ga Eul had taken all but two bites of anything.

Checking her clock, she realized it was 5 am and she sighed. Trying to get some sleep would be pointless much like eating because she had far too many dilemmas occurring in her life.

"Dating So Yi Jeong was a bad idea." She'd felt bad about Jae Ha hitting the man and would have understood if he ended their two-week relationship. She had given him the option to do so that morning on more than a whim.

If Ga Eul couldn't find the strength to break up with So Yi Jeong; than he was going to need to break up with her instead. There was this unsettling feeling that had begun to grow inside her stomach indicating that this was either a very bad idea, or Ga Eul was coming down with something. She sincerely hoped that it was the latter.

"I need advice." She thought to herself reaching for her phone and sending a quick message to Ariel hoping that her friend was awake. There were never any coincidences when it came to her friend and she wasn't all that surprised when her phone rang.

"Hello?" Ga Eul answered.

"Hey. Ga Eul. Do you need to talk? My mom asked me to wake an hour earlier to help her with our booth for tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Ga Eul questioned.

"The annual festival. Our boss has a booth too. We've helped for the past two years. You help our boss and I help my mother with her fortune-telling." Ariel chirped happily.

"Right." Ga Eul muttered to herself feeling idiotic for forgetting something that had been routine for the past two years.

"I'll let you get back to your-"

"It's alright Ga Eul. My mother woke me up an hour ago we don't have much to do anyway. Do you want me to come over?" Ariel questioned.

Ga Eul really didn't want to impose on anyone this early in the day when she knew Ariel's family was busy, distinctly she could hear someone talk in the background before a "Hey" was spoken from Ariel and the sound of a phone being snatched away was heard.

"Ga Eul sweetheart this is Mrs. Lee. Please come over I would like to have a word with you." Ariel's mother spoke and upon hearing her Ga Eul was unsure of what to answer.

"Come on Ga Eul there's no need to be afraid." Mrs. Lee spoke a small laugh escaping her. Ga Eul really didn't want to go and "Talk" with Mrs. Lee knowing well the woman would more than likely want to predict more of her misfortunes. Still, Ga Eul realized that no matter what she needed to be respectful of Ariel's mother and comply to her wishes.

"Alright."

"Good." The woman spoke before hanging up. Sighing in defeat Ga Eul began to get ready for her day quickly and then headed to Ariel's place next door.

The street was relatively cold and Ga Eul wished she was allowed to wear normal attire to school instead of her uniform which included a skirt. Though it looked like it wouldn't rain today. She intended to knock on the door but before she could touch the door it was opened by Ariel's father. The man offered Ga Eul a smile while he held a cup of coffee in his hand and took a sip.