POMEGRANATES AND TULIPS: Book 2 (Jeon Wonwoo)

01| Bad Advice

I sit up and close my book, hearing the doorbell ring non-stop. A sigh of frustration leaves my lips as I leave my room; feeling annoyed, I open the door quickly before they can ring the bell again.

"Lizzy," Soonyoung cries as he steps inside the apartment and hugs me; I freeze at the sudden action. "Lizzy, Sol broke up with me..." He cries louder; I push the door shut. Soonyoung always visits with smiles and laughter, but today was a bad day for him; I walked backward carefully not to trip. "Okay, Soonyoung, let's sit down," I said, feeling weird at the sudden affection of being hugged.

"Sol dumped you? Soonyoung, you realize you came to the wrong person, right?" I asked. Soonyoung couldn't stop crying and still looked confused by my question. "Okay, okay, sit down, please. I don't want you to trip with tears in your eyes." I said. Soonyoung sat down on the couch. I walked to the kitchen and grabbed a water bottle, "Here...crying causes you to become dehydrated." I said. Soonyoung takes the bottle; I watch him trying to calm himself down as he takes small sips of water.

"What caused Sol to break up with you?" I asked, mentally preparing myself for a 'therapy session.' Soonyoung's lips tremble softly, "I don't know what I did wrong, Lizzy; Sol simply ended things without explanation and left me in the cafe. She left with that guy Seokyeom," Soonyoung cries. A sigh escapes my lips; Soonyoung is too much of a loyal person regarding relationships. I may not be close to him but I've seen the type of man he was with Sol.

"Soonyoung, when Sol was distant with you and kept being strange, did it ever raise speculations for you?" I asked; he shook his head. "Soonyoung, maybe during those weeks of her avoiding you and acting strange, I don't know, perhaps she was cheating on you with Seokyeom," I said, dropping my tone from profession to a softer tone. Judging from the look on Soonyoung, his mind had finally made him realize the truth. But perhaps Sol had her reason to dump him and not confront him about her cheating on him.

Soonyoung was crying uncontrollably; I wasn't the type of person who knew how to comfort people during moments like this. In fact, when I had moments like this, I comfort myself and no one else. I hesitated briefly and brought myself to sit down next to him. In my mind, I tried to convince myself that a simple hug can make someone feel better. Scientifically proven, but was I willing to test that?

I hugged Soonyoung, and my emotions took over; I bite my lip, trying to prevent myself from crying. This feels strange but comforting, "Lizzy...you didn't have to break out of your comfort zone because of me." He cries. I rolled my eyes and let a small smile form on my lips, "Shut up and take it in, because this will be the last time I fight with myself." I said. Soonyoung laughs in between cries, "I should let Eunseo and Hansol know." I said. He lets out a shaky breath, "Okay." He whispers.

The hug only lasted for two minutes before feeling strange again; I called Eunseo first about the Soonyoung situation before dialing Hansol next. "Okay, I'll be over in five. Make sure he doesn't do anything stupid." Hansol let out before hanging up.

Two hours have passed, and Eunseo and Hansol aren't here yet. I bite my lip as Soonyoung distracts himself with the TV and whatever he got from the fridge.

The sound of the keypad going off alerted me, "Hey, I got the text from Hansol. Where's Soonyoung?"  Seokmin asked. "In the living room," I said as Seokmin rushed to Soonyoung; I closed the door. I walk into the living to see Seokmin taking the bottle from Soonyoung, "Yah! Stop drinking, Lizzy; take this and dump it out." Seokmin said, handing me a green bottle with the word Soju. Soonyoung begins to cry at the word dump; I look at Seokmin. "How many bottles did he drink?" He asked, I shrugged my shoulders. "I don't know, I told him to make himself comfortable since Eunseo and Hansol will be here soon," I said.

Seokmin frowns as he tries to comfort a drunk and crying mess, Soonyoung, I still can't believe he was dumped two weeks before Christmas. "Soonyoung, come on, man, you gotta calm yourself down," Seokmin said. "What about Hansol? Where is he?" He asked. I shrugged as I tossed the empty Soju bottles into the trash bin. "Hansol said that he was going to be here in five minutes but it's already been two hours," I said, Seokmin shook his head as Soonyoung rested his head on the table.

"When and how did this happen?" Seokmin asks. I sigh and lean against the counter. "This morning, Soonyoung came knocking on the door crying and began to open bottle after bottle." I said, rubbing my head, easing the headache rising. Soonyoung lifts his head, "Sol! Sol dumped me, Seokmin! She dumped me for that bastard Seokyeom!" Soonyoung sobs as he shakes Seokmin. "Okay, okay, calm down, Soonyoung, relax; you need to stop drinking and sober up," Seokmin said, panicking. I shook my head as the doorbell rang. I walk over and open the door, "I'm late and I apologize but I got caught up with work ." Hansol said. I let him in, "Seokmin is in the living room with Soonyoung." I said as Hansol rushed inside.

"Woah, don't close the door on me," Chan said. I looked at him. "Lee? Did Soonyoung call you?" I asked. He nodded with a pitiful look as Soonyoung cried louder. "Get in," I said, letting him enter before closing the door. "Seokmin is trying to sober him up, and don't make a mess; Eunseo will be here soon." I said, "Where are you going?" Hansol asked. "To my room and call it a night; I'm exhausted," I said, entering my room. I closed the door behind me.

Kim Eunseo, my roommate since the first day of college, she's your typical pretty girl with a sweet personality. Eunseo is the pretty girl who has every guy drool and chase after her, but she's too loyal to notice that. We've been roommates for a long time, I wouldn't necessarily call ourselves best friends more like mutual friends who kept their distance yet know small simple facts about each other. Conversing about all kinds of topics ones that don't involve childhood or high school.

I never minded Eunseo having her rowdy friends over, only sometimes I wish they didn't intervene with my free time. Soonyoung is always the one inviting himself over when Eunseo is or isn't home; at first, I was not too fond of his company and found it stupid that he was wasting his time to befriend me. But time flew by, and I got used to him; today was supposed to be my day off from work. Reading a book, maybe writing a little, if a crying and heartbroken Soonyoung didn't come running to me.

I could no longer proceed with the situation and had to call Eunseo and her boyfriend, Hansol. A sigh escapes my lips as I lay on the floor and stare at the ceiling, letting my thoughts overflow my uneasy mind.

Everyone is wasting their time trying to befriend me; I made an oath that I would keep everyone mutual and at arm's length. I don't want to risk getting myself hurt; I've been through too much to even think of having history repeat itself.