|| Mr Arrogant ; Book 5 || kth

Chapter 7 : By The River

"Here! This is for you. And this is for you," the girl said excitedly while handing her friends each a pair of shiny diamond earrings.

"It's identical," Myonghee whispered in amazement.

They stared at the girl in delight. "Oh gosh! Taeguk! This is beautiful! I'm going to wear it everywhere I go!" Myonghee exclaimed, leaving Taeguk blushing while trying to cover her giggles.

I smiled as I remembered the memories. I still kept the earrings - in fact, I'm still using it at this moment. As I looked at Myonghee and Eunjung, my smile faded. They were talking happily, enjoying their food together. I missed them. Their company. Yes, we became distant after my confession. I know they're jealous, I know. But I didn't have an option to be born in the Kim family, did I? Why are they being so mean to me? Why, why, why? I looked at them once again, and spotted something which made my heart ache. Terribly.

They weren't wearing the earrings. The earrings I bought for them. Not anymore.

Tears started blurring my vision. I played with my hands angrily the more I look at them having fun without me. Sitting alone at the table opposite them, they saw me and started giving me rude and disgusted looks. Hastily, I forced a smile. Tears were burning in my eyes. With one last look at my best friends, I stood up, and left the cafeteria, hurt.

•••

School was finally over. I walked past a river and sat by it, hoping to get some peace from the painful reality. Sitting by this river acts as a remedy whenever I'm at the tip of breaking. It never fails to soothe me. Memories of the three of us sitting on this very bench played through my mind, enjoying ice cream while talking about our problems. I chuckled remembering how we were checking out hot guys walking past the river.

Those were the days where I felt like I was the luckiest girl on Earth, with a happy family and best friends were all I asked for. Though there were problems, they were there for me. Always. But now, I was sitting on the same bench, hopeless and alone. No one was there for me. Maybe it's all my fault. Maybe it's because I don't want to open up. But it's because I don't want to trouble anyone - they have other things to think about. All I hope for now is for everything to be cleared in my mind, then can I get back that piece of me; the happy and cheerful girl.

Sudden anger ripped through me. What did I even do? Why are they being like this? Is it even my fault that your idol 'Kim Taehyung' is my father? I grabbed my hair in anger as tears swelled up in my eyes.

Raindrops started to fall from the sky, slowly wetting my hair and shirt, but I couldn't care less. I don't care if I get sick, or if I get drenched in the rain. I don't care. This hopeless girl is useless. She's stupid, she can't think, she's-

Suddenly, there was a shadow casting over me. Raindrops weren't dropping on me anymore. I looked up slowly. A guy wearing a black hoodie and grey sweatpants was holding an umbrella above my head. He had brown hair, doe-shaped eyes and pale lips. Our eyes met. He stared into my eyes with care and concern evidently displayed in his eyes. It lasted for a while until I shifted my attention to the floor.

He sat on the spot right beside me unexpectedly. "Hi, I'm Lee Junghoon." He extends his hand out, waiting for me to shake it. "Taeguk, Kim Taeguk," I replied.

There was an awkward silence for a moment. "It's fun sitting in the rain, isn't it?" he started the conversation as he looked up at the sky. I smiled and wiped my tears. "It's not bad."

"I like sitting in the rain alone, it helps me calm myself down and allows me to think without any disturbance," he said in his deep voice steadily. "What about you?"

I looked at him, and looked back down at the floor.

"Sometimes you need a shoulder to lie on. Yeah, maybe we just met but you can still tell me what is bothering you. I'm ready to listen," he continued, noticing that I'm not very comfortable with him.

I smiled, once again, and placed my head on his broad shoulder.

For the first time in forever, it felt good to have someone to comfort me. It might be a stranger, but at least he knows what I'm feeling. At least he knows how to help. My family is the same, but I don't feel like conversing with them at this point of time.

I took a deep breath. "How I wish, when I close my eyes, everything would go back to normal. I want this to be a dream. What have I done to them? Why are they treating me like this?" I let out all my worries and suddenly felt saddened again. Warm tears rolled onto my cheeks.

A warm touch was felt on my shoulder. It was his hand.

It soothed me unknowingly. "Even though I might not be at the position to help you, I just want to tell you that 'there will always be sun after rain, even if dark clouds will appear before the sun does, because in the end, the sun will still emerge. In life, our troubles are like dark clouds and rainy days. After those days, a brighter sun will emerge from the horizon'. My mum told me that. She.. she died in a car accident a year ago," his tone lowered gradually. I could tell he was still hurt from his mother's death - who wouldn't?

"I'm so sorry," I let out. I felt bad for him, yet touched that though he was in pain, he still wants to help me through this phase of mine.

"Nah, it's fine," he sighed. "Just know that when you are at the lowest point in life, think about the happy moments you've encountered. Think about it, and smile. Whatever the problem is, I'm sure you can overcome it. Don't be stupid to choose the wrong option - to not live anymore. Here, take this, and when you feel like giving up, look at this, clutch it to your heart and say 'I will never give up'. Okay? For the sake of me," Junghoon passed me a red bandana he took out of his pocket, and let me hold it.

I nodded and sniffed. "Thank you, for everything."

"Come here," he brought me closer and hugged me.

"We can stay here as long as you like," he said as I placed my head on his shoulder once again, and took a deep breath to calm myself down.

And that was probably the last time I ever saw him.