basketball ➸ lee eunsang

| 45 |

as haeyoung ran out the building, she didn't know where to go. however, she does know that she didn't want to go to class at the moment, for she needed time alone after seeing that note. she figured to go to the 'secret' place her and the boys go to eat lunch most of the time, which was behind the school.

she couldn't believe the person that wrote that note. that person had the audacity to joke about her deceased family, which was wrong in every way possible.

i bet the person that spread this rumor was behind all the other rumors about me, too. haeyoung thought, tears still pouring down her cheeks. she didn't know why she was crying, this whole rumor situation just felt different from
the other rumors that spread about her.

the previous rumors never went this far as people trashing her locker and to write that hideous note, it was always just until death glares and whispers. but she never expected this to happen; she never imagined herself to be breaking down just because of this stupid rumor.

haeyoung took a deep breath. stop crying, haeyoung. she said to herself. you're stronger than this. they're all just desperate from attention.

stop. crying. haeyoung chanted in her head, trying to distract herself by concentrating to hold back her tears.

➸

meanwhile, it was homeroom period. the teacher was checking the attendance one by one, and everyone seemed to be there.

"kim jinah?"

"present."

"lee eunsang?"

"present!"

"kwon haeyoung?"

no answer. eunsang looked to haeyoung's seat, and she wasn't there. huh, eunsang thought, i could've sworn i saw her this morning.

"kwon haeyoung?" the teacher repeated, "i guess she's not present... again."

eunsang raised his hand. "miss, i saw haeyoung this morning, by her locker." he said. "maybe she's in school, should i look for her? she can't skip class."

"oh, yes, sure, eunsang." the teacher said. "go do your duties as the class president."

"yes, miss." eunsang said, standing up and bowing. he went out the classroom, looking around the halls. he passed by haeyoung's locker, and it was still slightly open. he checked inside, and saw all the garbage inside. he gasped in shock, seeing how filthy the inside of her locker is.

then he saw the note. he read it, and was disgusted at how ridiculous and rude it was. considering that eunsang himself has a late family member, it was almost as if he could feel haeyoung's pain while reading the note. he closed haeyoung's locker, knowing where to find her.

➸

haeyoung took another deep breath as she tried to calm herself down. she closed her eyes, trying to get rid of all the nasty thoughts popping up in her head. all of the sudden, she heard footsteps, making her eyes open.

"haeyoung?" a soft voice said, as the footsteps gradually got louder.

haeyoung's head turned to the direction where the footsteps were coming from, and met with eunsang.

as soon as the boy saw haeyoung's tears, his eyes softened and immediately walked closer to her to make her feel better.

but before eunsang could crouch down to her level, haeyoung spoke.

"no." she said, moving away from him.

"what?" eunsang asked, confused.

"you should go back to class. it's not worth your time trying to comfort a worthless girl like me." haeyoung said, looking down.

"what? don't say that to yourself, you aren't worthless." eunsang said.

"yes, i am, eunsang. i don't deserve to be your friend." haeyoung said, looking at eunsang.

"you're so kind, smart, talented," she said, "and then i'm here, just useless. i might as well not exist."

"haeyoung-"

"so please, eunsang, don't waste your time on me." she said, wiping her tears. "i don't deserve you. go be friends with someone like.. yiren or something. be friends with someone that actually is in the same level as y-"

"haeyoung." eunsang said, now louder and more emphasized than before. "why are you spitting out all that nonsense? don't tell that to yourself, you aren't worthless. just look at yourself! you make so many people happy, including me. yes, we may be different, but does that stop us from being friends?" he said.

"believe me, haeyoung. when i say you're worth my time, you are worth my time." he added. "you might as well not exist? that's ridiculous. i don't know what's gotten into you, but please, for god's sake, don't let other people bring you down! don't even compare yourself to yiren! both of you are different, and you are better in so many different ways."

haeyoung looked up to him, then chuckled. "what? why are you telling me this?"

"becau-"

"i'm sorry, eunsang, but are you telling me this because you pity me?"

eunsang was shocked by her words. "no! it's not like that, hae, i promise."

"i already told you, i don't wanna be friends with you." haeyoung said, getting up on her feet. "you are way out of my league. being friends with you just makes me feel inferior. so, please, eunsang, stop."

after haeyoung said those words, she walked out of the back of the building, and ran off.

➸

both of them couldn't sleep that night.

after haeyoung ran off, she went back home. she stayed in her room, and was feeling so much emotions.

what a great start to my year. haeyoung thought, rolling her eyes. her body was overflowing with guilt, and she couldn't believe herself; she just said a bunch of hurtful words to a boy that did nothing wrong to her.

she didn't know what to do; she didn't know how to apologize. she never meant anything she said, and she knew she made a huge mistake.

meanwhile, the boy laid on his bed, thinking of the words haeyoung said. just thinking about it stung his heart like a handful of needles, and it couldn't hurt him anymore. he knew she didn't mean it and that she was just in anger and pain, but it still hurt him.

haeyoung meant the whole world to him, and he couldn't imagine losing her as a friend, and it made him wonder if he did anything wrong.

it's all my fault. both of them thought, sighing as they stared up their ceilings, reflecting on their actions for the rest of the night.

➸