Chapter 5: A Battle Betwe (1/1)

Actually, Hyejeong’s true intentions were not solely based on calming Seolhyun down. Of course, she felt like her heart sank and a bunch of thoughts were packed onto her shoulders when she actually saw Seolhyun: no matter what, she still had a weak spot for Seolhyun. That was the main reason she couldn’t break up with Seolhyun even though she was the only member in AoA Cream who said she would never forgive a cheater. And that weakness terrified the hell out of her. Even though she sincerely wanted to comfort Seolhyun, at the same time, she used the opportunity to test her. She didn’t actually know what Seolhyun was crying for: she couldn’t reason it with her own coldness. Not entirely. What if Seolhyun really cheated on her and was feeling guilty? What if she had a tough time making a decision between Hyejeong and that guy? Hyejeong couldn’t get him out of her mind. Yuna was right in her assumptions: Hyejeong still trusted Seolhyun and she knew there would be a good explanation to this all. But she still had a piece of doubt, which kept on increasing her fear. She frequently imagined Seolhyun saying she chose him over her. And she couldn’t bring herself to talk to Seolhyun because of that constant fear torturing her mind and heart. She was dying to know, yet afraid to find out.

But now was the time. She had to bring up this topic no matter how hard it was for her. Seolhyun was staring at her, expecting her to say something. She was still on top of Hyejeong.

“Is there…” Hyejeong started but stopped right away. ‘Someone you went out with? Asked out? Fell in love with? Cheated on me with? How should I even put the question?’ “Anything you’d like to tell me?” was the only option that made sense, according to Hyejeong. Seolhyun quizzically stared at Hyejeong for some time, as if trying to show that she didn’t believe that was the real question.

“.. No?” She said at last, questioningly. “It’s you who seems to want to tell me something.”

“I just…” Hyejeong stopped again. She looked around to see where she put the photo. ‘I left it at Yuna eonni’s! Damn!!’ She widened her eyes as she remembered.

“Eonni, will you tell me or not?” Seolhyun still kept staring at her, awaiting further explanation.

“Do you remember that day?” Hyejeong finally started.

“Which day?”

“The day I asked you where you went.”

“You ask me that every day.” Seolhyun replied, looking away. "I mean, you used to.” She corrected herself quickly.

“Did you go anywhere without telling me?” Hyejeong tried not to mind the hint Seolhyun made in her previous statement.

Seolhyun looked slightly dumbfounded at the question. But the look of surprise quickly vanished as she lowered her head in shame and spoke in a low voice. “…I did.”

. . .

Morning.

The molesting screech of the electronic alarm clock caused Hyejeong to emerge from the light state of sleep. Her eyes squinted shut, trying to ward off the light until she finally managed to open them wide. She reached out her hand to stop the deathly sound coming from the desk and only then she realized her other hand was tightly grasped by Seolhyun. She turned to look at the sleeping figure next to her, amazed by her flawlessness. Even in the morning, with her hair messed and with no make-up at all, she still amazed Hyejeong with all her beauty. Hyejeong would be lying if she told losing Seolhyun was something she could handle. She had to wonder if she was actually wrong, if Seolhyun was indeed as innocent as she looked just then, if somewhere inside of her there was a soft place for Hyejeong yet to stay.  While watching her, she recalled the memories of last night, of what they talked about and what she figured out.

Seolhyun didn’t say anything regarding her “date” with that guy. She mentioned going to some cemetery on her close friend’s death anniversary, talked about how important he was to her, how close they used to be but she said nothing more.

‘She’s lying. Who’d visit a cemetery and go on a date later?’ A part of Hyejeong’s mind remarked.

‘Either way, it shows this isn’t the only place she went without informing me.’ Another part related.

Even though she had almost no positive thoughts about everything that