All Grown Up

Eleven

I walked into the apartment then slowed as I saw Ji Young on the couch, Seungcheol nowhere in sight.

"Where's Seungcheol?" I asked and she looked at me then smirked.

"He went to the store for me. Like a good boyfriend!" She said and stood, sauntering over to me.

"Speaking of boys! I don't like you living with him!" She said and I pouted.

"Well, we're friends! And he offered his place-"

"And you've got a new job, right?" She asked and tilted her head some.

"Ye-yes." I admitted and she nodded, leaning in closer to me and grinning wide.

"Great! So, get the fuck out of my boyfriend's apartment!" She hissed and I frowned at her, watching as she stood straight. Then I heard the dings of the keypad and watched as Ji Young began to sob when Seungcheol came in.

"Ji Young?! What's wrong?!" Seungcheol asked and rushed to her side.

"He-he was so mean to me, Cheol!"

"Hey, that's my nickname!" I snapped and Seungcheol glared at me.

"What did you do, Chan?!" He asked and I looked at him, shell shocked he believed her stupid act.

"What?! Nothing! She was just-"

"He called me so many mean words, Cheol!" Ji Young sobbed and Seungcheol comforted her, holding her now as he shook his head at me.

"I thought you were better than this, Chan!" He said and I felt like crying. It felt like someone had ripped my heart out and stomped on it, like someone had punched me in the face and said they did it for my own good.

"Cheo-Cheol, I-I didn't-"

"Just get out, Chan!" He snapped and I whimpered, looking at Ji Young now as she held Cheol, sobbing into his shoulder, but sending me a smirk as Seungcheol pet her hair. I shook my head and turned, leaving the apartment. I had no real destination in mind, but I found myself at Jihoon's and Hoshi's place anyway.

"Dino?" Soonyoung croaked as he answered the door, rubbing his eye, and I realized it was now pushing midnight.

"I-I'm sorry!" I whispered, but he shook his head and stepped back, ushering me in.

"Jihoon!" Soonyoung called and shut the door, taking my backpack from me as Jihoon shuffled out of their bedroom. When he saw me, he became alert and rushed over, grabbing my arm.

"Dinosaur?! What happened?!" He asked and I sniffled.

"Ji-Ji Young!" I sobbed and Jihoon sighed.

"Come on, baby! Let's get you into bed, okay?" He smiled and I nodded, shuffling down the hallway to their spare bedroom. As I laid down, Jihoon sat beside me and pet my hair, Hoshi laying behind me to hold me close as I cried myself to sleep.

~*~*~*~

I sighed as I packed away my books then I looked up and forced a smile as Vernon grabbed my shoulder.

"Come on, Dino! Let's go get lunch, okay?" He tried to comfort me and I nodded, sniffling now as I stood and shouldered my bag. We left the class then went to the quad where our friends were, sitting with them. As I sat down, Jeonghan slid me some food then I smiled softly, setting my bag down and beginning to eat.

"Excuse me, are you Lee Chan?" I looked up and saw some girls standing at the end of the table talking to Seungkwan, but he shook his head.

"No, that is over there. Do you need something from him?" He asked as the girls looked at me then the one near the back of the group of four leaned forward, whispering to the first girl and making them all laugh.

"We just wanted to see what a gross gay looks like!" The first girl laughed and Jihoon snarled, but Wonwoo shot up and glared.

"Shut the fuck up!" He snapped as I felt my heart deflate, the girls still laughing.

"Why?! He's so disgusting! I mean, look at him!"

"And to think he's got a crush on Captain Choi!" The third girl laughed and they all started to cackle.

"Stop it!" Soonyoung yelled, which only spurred the girls on.

"You know Captain Choi hates you, right?! He only tolerates you because of your history!" The fourth girl laughed and I heard Mingyu say something, but I didn't really register what he said. I was too busy grabbing my bag and fleeing.

"CHAN!" I heard Jisoo yell after me, heard my friends calling my name, but I kept running. I ran until I got on the bus and barely held in my tears now as I went home. Fuck class, I just had to get away. When I finally got home, I sniffled again and walked in, hearing blissful silence.

"I'm home!" I croaked out to no one and toed my shoes off, sniffling as I went towards my bedroom. I took a deep breath as I set my bag down then I heard the front door open and turned.

"Seungcheol?!" I called out, going to the hallway, but stopped as I saw Ji Young with a tiny purse in her hand and a bottle in the other. It looked like a medicine bottle.

"Hello, Chan!" She grinned and I frowned, backing into the doorframe of my bedroom as she came towards me.

"What-what are you doing here?!" I asked and she chuckled, shaking the bottle of Ibuprofen.

"Offering you a solution!" She grinned and held the bottle out to me. I frowned and slowly grabbed it, eyeing her now.

"A-A solution?" I whispered and she nodded, stepping even closer and getting in my face.

"Because Seungcheol will never love you, Chan! He will never see you as more than just a little, annoying, stupid fucking brat! You're a brat, Chan, and you're so selfish! Did you ever think that Cheol chose SNU to get away from you?! Did you ever stop to think maybe he wasn't leaving Daegu, but leaving you? And like the stupid little cunt that you are, you followed him here! Talk about obsessive-"

"N-no! No, you're wrong!" I argued, shaking my head at her, but she scoffed.

"Am I? Has he ever shown that he loves you, huh? That he'd even so much as think of you in that way? Please, that man is so pussy coded! He loves fucking me, Chan! He'll never love you! He told me so himself! So, save yourself the heartache and swallow that whole bottle!" She laughed and leaned in some, whispering to me now.

"Seungcheol will be so much happier when you're gone! When you're not causing him so many problems, making him worry so much, and taking up all his time! He'd be so much freer without you here to bother him, he'd be so much happier with you dead! Come on, Chan! You and I both know you want to! All it takes is just a few... little... pills!" She whispered to me and I looked down at the bottle in my hand, hearing her walk out now as I stared at the bottle. He... He'd be happier? Freer? Was... Was he trying to leave me in Daegu? Was I really so stupid to not see it? Will he... be happier then... if I leave?