The Girl He Never Knew | SVT THE8

13 | no longer mine

"Sorry for what?" I frowned, still containing the frustration within me. He wanted me to walk away but here he is, holding me back? "What exactly do you want?" I croaked impatiently.

"I'm confused," he said. Well, so am I. "I'm going through a lot right now."

"I know," I sighed too. Is that not obvious enough?

"You don't have to be a part of this," Myungho explained. Again and again, he's saying the same thing and it makes me more impatient. The whole time I've been trying to tell him that he didn't have to do this alone, but he's not getting it.

"So? Do you want me to leave or stay?" I asked, looking right into his eyes but he avoided mine and stayed silent.

"Do you want me to leave?" I asked again, actually afraid that that would be his answer. My eyes started to water. "Or stay?"

I waited for him to look back at me. I begged with my eyes for him to please take a good look at me... but he couldn't meet mine.

That was almost the breaking point, though we were nothing to begin with.

...

I crashed in bed first thing when I reached home and hid my face deep into my pillow.

Of all the things I've said today... Oh my gosh, Choi Yujin. Never knew I could be so bold.

I lifted my head and stared blankly ahead as I replayed today's events in my mind. "So, did I get rejected?" I said bitterly to myself.

After one intense conversation, all Myungho could answer was sorry.

"I don't need your stupid apology," I muttered frustratedly, punching into my pillow. I expected more than an apology back then but we were interrupted by his phone call, and there was no way I could stop him from leaving because Myunghee was the one calling him.

He took off right after the call and now he got me wondering if everything is okay back at home. Or should I say Seokmin's home?

Oh god, what exactly should I be worried about?

"UGHH!" I groaned and plunged face down into my pillow again, wishing I could sleep forever and never return to school.

...

Well, here I am again seated in class the next morning. Nothing new, just a different day and I found myself waiting for Myungho to come again. I looked at the door with anticipation as my classmates stroll in one at a time, but I was disappointed every single time.

"He's not coming today," Seokmin said when he caught me looking out.

He seems to know everything and I hate it.

"Did something happen at home again?" I mustered courage to ask.

"Not much, he's just being a stubborn big brother. He refused to borrow money from us so he's out earning Myunghee's school fees himself. At this rate, he ain't gonna graduate from high school."

I listened to Seokmin complain endlessly and learned a lot about Myungho in one day. His interests, hobbies, his future all given up because of the situation he's trapped in. With a younger sister to raise and no source of income from his father, Myungho only has a rock brain and his limbs to work in order to pay off his family debts and save up for Myunghee's tuition.