Only Exception

10

"I know it will be hard for you to go home so I waited." She stared blankly at him.

Something has shifted with him. With how he treated her. And she doesn't like it. She doesn't even want to entertain the idea of it. 

He opened the car door to let her in. 

And just like earlier, silence is deafening. 

"Aren't you going to ask anything?" Jisoo rested her back as she closed her eyes. It's beginning to rain again, and her heart feels so heavy right now. It's already dark outside. Haein did not answer her. 

"My youngest sister is in there." 

Silence.

"She is there because of drug addiction." Jisoo sighed heavily. Her eyes are still closed as she vents out her heart to him. 

"Jirin just turned 19. And she needed to have therapy for drug withdrawal."

"What?" Haein exclaimed, shocked, breaking his silence. "Isn't that dangerous?" 

She heaved another deep sigh.

"That's why she is there. It is indeed dangerous. They had to detox her from the drugs so her body won't suffer from the withdrawal."

Haein's eyes moved back and forth, from her, and back in the front, while driving. 

"I was a terrible sister for her to end up in that state." Jisoo's voice cracked. Pain and frustration were evident in her voice. 

The rain continued to pour heavily, just how Jisoo wanted to pour her heart aches out. To him. She continued. 

"Her friends, whom he treated like her own brothers," her jaw clenched due to anger, her tears now rolling on her face. It took sometime before she continued. Biting her lip trying to hold everything up. 

"Those fucking asshole influenced her and made her took drugs. For months. And I am a useless sister, so busy trying to provide for my family needs, I didn't even hint anything wrong with her." 

Haein did not utter any word. He decided just to listen to her. He really doesn't have the best words to share with her. 

"And it wasn't just her. They did that to her bestfriend too. And she broke down mentally when she witnessed her bestfriend……" She stopped. She totally lost it. She was crying uncontrollably. 

Haein stopped the car on the side of the road. He caressed her back, trying to pacify her. He tapped her back, as she continued to cry. 

Few moments, her loud cries subside to soft sobs, wiping her own tears. Haein started driving again. 

"I'm sorry." Jisoo whispered. She looked away, focusing on the window. She kept on staring outside, contemplating why she suddenly broke down in front of him.

No one dared to speak after that. They reach her house in no time. 

Jisoo glanced at the rearview mirror, checking her puffy eyes. She fished out a powder, trying to fix herself, hiding her swollen eyes. 

"Thank you for today, Haein. Drive safe."

He nodded. Still lost for words. All he did was just to look at her. 

"Thank you. I really mean it. Thank you." Her last words as she gets out of his car. 

***

Her

It felt nice.

Someone listening to you.