𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 | 𝐞𝐧𝐡𝐲𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐣𝐚𝐲

30: 6th first

"You mean if you back out?" Heeseung teased. 

"Precisely," I answered honestly since it was obvious that I was nervous, scared and not confident at all. 

"Fighting, Jay hyung!" Ni-ki hugged me tightly and I appreciated his support. 

This was the start of a hard and adventurous path. 

***

I stood -  cast free - in front of my locker staring at the bouquet of flowers just sitting there. I had chosen a more  colourful array of flowers that were wrapped in pink tissue paper and cellophane. I always thought roses were too cringey and using all the same flower was too plain, especially for Hyerin. In a way, the flowers reminded me of her. 

She had so many beautiful aspects and features that I couldn't possibly choose one to admire the most. 

It was lunch time and I had planned to invite Hyerin to sit with me in the library to 'study for finals'. If all things went well, I'd slip it into an easy conversation and be done with it. The one thing keeping me going is knowing the relief that would come once I confessed. Holding it in, hiding it and keeping it a secret from her was a chore and a half. 

After a few deep breaths, I grabbed the bouquet from my locker and readied myself to meet her in the library. 

"Jongseong!" 

Oh crap. 

As if on cue, Hyerin appeared in the hallway waving at me with a bright smile. She ran towards me with a small skip. My eyes widened realising that I was inches from revealing the flowers right in front of her. I pushed them back inside my locker and slammed it quickly. I leant against it trying to act casual but was fully aware that I looked nowhere near it. 

"What are you doing here, Hyerin?" I pondered casually.

"I'm just heading to the library like you said, isn't this the way there?" Hyerin pointed in the direction of the library.

"I-It is. Of course," I stuttered, "There's a short cut through the English department. We normally go that way. Haha~." 

Never have I wanted to facepalm so bad. Hyerin nodded taking in every word I had said. My awkwardness was leaking from me like steam from a kettle. 

"Shall we go then?" she held out her hand as if to take mine and my heart leaped into my stomach. Did she want to hold hands? Should I take it? God, my palms were so sweaty - I really shouldn't. 

"Oh, silly me!" Hyerin followed with a giggle,"I forgot you don't have your cast on now. I don't need to take your bag or anything."

"Yeah," my voice trailed off in the end with slight disappointment. So she was reaching for my bag and not my hand... This was going great. 

"Actually, I need to pick something up from Jake first. I'll meet you there?" 

"Sure thing, don't keep me waiting," she winked at me before skipping down the hallway. I waited until I couldn't see her before letting out a huge breath. My knees felt weak and my head light. These nerves were destroying me mentally and physically. 

Why did she have to be so adorable? 

I closed my eyes for a second and went to a happier place. Me on the field underneath a pink sky. It calmed me down and soon the excitement began to build. I wanted to go there with Hyerin, but first - I had to tell her how I felt. I said a quick prayer and then grabbed the flowers, again. 

And that's when the yelling started. 

My brows furrowed in concern and curiosity. From where I was stood, I couldn't tell what was being said. However, I knew it wasn't good. With the flowers in hand, I jogged down the hall and a huge crowd had formed. There were students chanting, laughing, shouting and taking pictures. Whatever was going on, I did not stand for any form of bullying. 

I walked up to the crowd and tried to peer over the heads to see what was going on. There was a girl stood in the middle of them all. She was crying and holding a piece of paper. Students were throwing paper and videoing her. Poor girl.

"Eun Hyerin you're a liar!" 

"I can't believe she faked being normal like all of us," 

"She must be pregnant too!" 

Eun Hyerin a liar? And pregnant?

My jaw almost dropped at the accusations being thrown around. I almost couldn't believe it to the point where it was laughable. I tutted thinking these students are so bored that they'd pick on just about anyone. Whether or not what they were saying was true, I needed to get her out of here. I pushed through the people and eventually reached Hyerin. She stood in the middle, hunched over and sobbing silently. I put a protective arm around her, but she didn't acknowledge.

"Let's get out of here," I said but she didn't hear me. I grabbed her wrist and tugged her in one direction. She wouldn't move. 

"Oh look! Your knight in shining armour is here!" one student jeered. 

"Hyerin's baby daddy everyone!" 

What kind of lies were people making up these days? I scoffed, ignoring their idiotic stories. I didn't care for the gossip or rumours - I wanted Hyerin to be safe and out of this mess. I tried again at pulling her from the spot but she was planted there like cement. That was when I spotted the picture she held tightly in her hands. I snatched it from her grip and took a closer look at it.

It was a picture from the fashion show event. 

Quite specifically, it was a picture of Hyerin and I. In the wedding attire. Holding each other close. I sighed in anger and fear. The picture wasn't edited but instead incredibly misleading. Without any context, it really looked like Hyerin and I got married at 18. And of course, it would explain why they were saying that she was pregnant. I knew that none of it was true, but also that we could get in trouble because of it. 

"What does it feel like to be married Park Jay?" 

"Are you ready to be a father?" 

Their comments got worse and worse as the seconds passed. The things people our age come up with were truly horrible and I was having none of it.

I scrunched up the paper and threw it to the ground. The crowd continued to yell and tease us, but I couldn't give a damn about what they were saying. I pulled Hyerin's arm, pushing through the crowd. This time she didn't fight it. 

I was going to get her out of here. Out of this mess. I wasn't going to stop until we were out of reach of those vultures.