Love Hurts [Johnny Suh]

Prologue

"Come on Scarlett, I think you've had enough now." Jungwoo says with a worried tone as he watches me, his eyes empathetic to the mess sitting in front of him.

"I tHiNk YoU'vE hAd eNoUgH nOw!!" I mock him bitterly, my head resting on my arm on the counter. "Honestly, I think I've had enough too."

He removes the bottle of vodka from in front of me and reaches out for the glass in my hand that I tightly hold onto, and shift it closer to me, causing some of the alcohol to slosh out and onto my hand.

I lift my head slightly to drink some of the liquid and let out a sigh as it burns my throat. "I've had enough, honestly... I'm so sick and tired of being played, and used!" I say, my words coming out slurred and loud. "I'm tired of people thinking they can just come into my life and do whatever they want. I'm so tired of being hu—" I'm interrupted by a quick hiccup before continuing, "—hurt every, single, time I open my heart to someone, Jungwoo..."

My face is drowning in wet makeup and tears, and my head is spinning painfully, I feel like throwing up. My dress is too tight, I feel like I might pass out, and my feet are cold because I had to take off my heels.

"Why?" I look up at Jungwoo, and even though they're blurred with tears, I can see the pity in his eyes, "Why me?! What is it always me, hm? Am I cursed? I just don't understand why I always have to go through this. Why I — hic — always get the short end of the stick and get my heart broken... Am I... Am I easy? Am I so naïve and gullible and easy that people think of me as an easy pick? Easy to use?"

He immediately gets up and helps me into an upright position. He puts a hand on my shoulder to help keep me up, and with the other hand, he gently wipes at my wet cheeks with a navy handkerchief he had in his breast pocket but it's not much help.

When he realizes that it's not working and that my tears keep running down my face, he holds me close and rests my head on his chest as he strokes my hair, ignoring the growing wet spot on his shirt.

"You're not any of those things, Scar. You just have a big heart, is all, and that's nothing to be ashamed about. He should be ashamed of taking advantage of you like that, not you, okay? It's okay. It's gonna be okay, I promise. He didn't deserve you, and he doesn't deserve your tears. You're way better off without him, okay?" He tries to calm me down, but it doesn't work, and instead, I feel somewhat worse.

Now I'm full on ugly crying, my sobs very loud as my tears widen the wet spot on his shirt. I'm interrupted by a gag and Jungwoo steps back just in time as I bend over, clearing my guts of nothing but alcohol, bitter tears streaming down my face with every painful hurl, Jungwoo can do nothing but hold my hair back and rub what I guess is supposed to be soothing circles on my back while mustering soft words.

"It hurts..." I cry out once I'm done, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. "It hurts so bad, Jungwoo. Do you have any idea how much it hurts? I really thought he was the one..." My voice gets smaller and smaller as I continue talking.

"I know. I know, and I'm so sorry, Scar, but I promise this isn't the end. You can move on without him — like he was never there... I'll be with you every step of the way." He encourages as he ties my hair up into a bun.

"Jungwoo?" I call him in a small voice, looking up at him with pleading eyes.

"Hm?" He answers, looking back at me with his usual kind and soft eyes.

"Am I unlovable?"

"What? No, of course not..." He quickly reassures me, pulling me into a warm embrace, hugging me tight, as if scared I might break into a million tiny pieces if he doesn't.

"Then why? Why won't they love me? Why — hic — won't anyone love me?"

"You'll find someone who's perfect for you one day, I promise you. For now, just think of him as a stepping stone to getting to the one that truly deserves you, okay? Someone who'll treat you right and never hurt you. You'll find your perfect prince who will never make you cry."

I shake my head slowly. "I think I'm done with this, Woo... I don't want a prince... I don't want anything that has to do with love anymore. I don't think I have it in me to do this again." I hold onto his arm as I close my eyes, they feel heavy.

"Okay." He nods reassuredly, " That's okay. And whatever happens, just remember that I'll always be here for you, okay? Don't think about him, or anything else right now." He holds my cheeks and leans back a bit so he can see my face. "From now on, you're not allowed to be sad anymore, got it?" He says with a soft smile and waits a bit for my answer, but when he realizes that I won't answer him, he asks again, "Got it?"

"I wanna — hic — go home..." I say instead and he sighs, seemingly defeated. Instead of standing up — or attempting to, I lay back down onto the counter.

I hear Jungwoo sigh again before he gets me to sit up and then picks me up, bridal style — the irony — before moving to the door.

"You know, he should be carrying me like this..." I drawl out lazily, a small, bitter laugh escaping past my lips.

"Don't think about him, Scar." He says softly.

"Easy for you to say... You're not the one that was left at the alter..."