CHANCES | HVC

13.

part thirteen,
16:59- ;

Stepping foot in the doorway, after spending the past hour wondering my way through the many streets, squinting my eyes to try and look at the small street names on the map, I am welcomed by a small laughter coming from the kitchen.

Furrowing my eyebrows in confusion as to why there was a female laugh echoing through the house I padded my way over to the sound. Father never spoke about another woman, and Lynn never had any of her companions over, so I didn't have a clue who the laughter could've come from.

In the kitchen Father sat on the dining table next to a petit girl with short black hair, large glasses framing her face and dark almond shaped eyes, squinting with laughter as my Father gazed happily at her. She didn't look old, probably my age or even younger, which made me wonder what the hell was going on here. 

"Oh Hana, I didn't hear you come in. I would like to introduce you to someone" Father smiled, a foreign look on his face which only ever appeared on rare occasions. At his words, the tall girl stood up, legs long as she strides over to me, flattening out her pleated skirt. She smelt of strawberries and mint, extending her hand as I took it softly.

"My name is Areum, it's lovely to meet you" her voice is smooth like butter, nothing negative against it as she brought her hand away. I look at Father, furrowing my eyebrows, still not connecting the dots as to why a stunning tall girl by the name of Areum was in our kitchen.

"Hana, Areum is your new tutor" Father smiles, my eyes widened as I took a step back. My new tutor!? "She isn't higher in the hierarchy as Hansol, but Areum is a lovely girl and I'm sure you two will get along just fine." I look back over to the tall girl as she tucks her hair behind her ear, sending me a smile full of straight white teeth.

"Okay" I draw out, I didn't know if I was ready for another tutor, everything would just remind me of the moments with Hansol and the way he despises me now. Areum turns around and takes her place next to my father yet again, the smile never leaving her face.

I couldn't help but think that something felt fishy about this situation, I don't know if it was my instincts or if I was making it all up, but Areum's smile just felt too fake to be real.

"Why don't you sit Hana, get to know Areum" Father gestured his hand to the seat next to my new tutor, giving me a look that said I had no choice but to join them. Hesitantly I pulled out the chair and sat still, hands folded in my lap as I looked at the table.

It felt like yesterday when I was getting ready for my first tutoring session with Hansol, and I couldn't help but feel as though I was betraying him by sitting here, next to a new tutor who looked as if she could pay for everything she wanted with the click of her fingers. The guilt sat on my shoulders, Hansol said he was only working one job now and I felt so much sympathy for him as he now had to work his ass off to pay his rent.

"Hana?" Father spoke up, snapping me out of my daze, I shot my head up from staring at the table to look at Father's cool eyes and plastered smile, "Your last tutor wasn't very good was he?" Father laughed a cold laugh as he looked at Areum. I opened my mouth and closed it rapidly like a fish. How could Father say something like that, even he noticed a change in my grades during my time with Hansol.

"Yeah" I laugh, finding myself obeying his silent request to agree with him, I should've stood up for Hansol, should've told Father that he was wrong and that Hansol was amazing, but I just sat still and lifeless.

I sat still as Areum left my father proud with her smart words and smart attitude, I sat still as Father shook her hand and ushered her out the door, telling her that he was excited for the first session, I sat still as Father left without a glance to his study, where he would indulge in his work without a peep.

"You don't like her Miss Hana?" Lynn took a seat next to me and rubbed my back soothingly, it was only then when I looked at the time and realized that I had been sitting alone for the past half an hour, engrossed in my thoughts.

"I'm not sure yet" I whisper to her, gulping as Lynn rested her arm around my shoulder, in a comforting way.

"Miss-" Lynn started before I cut her off, "I miss Hansol" my voice cracked as I felt tears well up in my eyes, I had only just seen him but I missed him, I missed the old Hansol. The one who would let me try on his bandana and warmed my hands when I was cold. I felt so distance to him, the way he spoke today made my heart ache.

"I know Miss Hana" Lynn gulped, bringing me in her arms to give me a warm and comforting embrace. I sat in Lynn's arms, listening to the steady heartbeat on her chest and the clock on the wall ticking as every second passed.

It wasn't long until a tear started to pour, then two, then ten, then an ocean. I tried to wipe them away but it was no use, I felt too weak to wipe them away anymore as I drenched Lynn's shirt.

"I'm going to go head upstairs" I whispered after a while of letting out my bundled up emotions, pulling away from the maids embrace and dragging my feet to the stairway. The sun was setting, the sky turning to many colors of pink, yellow, orange and blue as it flowed about in the sky. I wiped away any remaining tears, gulping any fresh ones down and pulling open the door to my room, sitting in front of my mirror.

I was a complete mess, hair pointing in different directions, eyes tired and red and my face blotchy and pale. I was making a too big deal out of this, it was just a new tutor and a boy who broke my heart, what's new? I should take the opportunity and block Hansol out of my life, maybe I wouldn't feel so much pain. Picking up the stray hairbrush, I working it through the strands, making it look somewhat presentable as I placed it back down and stood up.

Slowly I walked over to the window sill, pulling it open with great effort as I rested my forearms on the white wood.

The sunset was pretty, it was relaxing and soothing. It reminded me of Jeonghan in some way, I felt relaxed enough around him, and there was no denying that he was beautiful. I shook my head of the thoughts of Jeonghan, not wanting to be anymore but friends with him as I let out a long sigh.

The sun was just about to hit the horizon, the round ball of bright orange light reflecting off the clouds making me let out a small smile at the view. Hanging my head and looking at the floor I fixed my eyes on a brown mop of hair on the grassy ground, legs criss-crossed as they sat, staring at the sunset.

It took me a minute to realize that the brown mop at the base of the house was a person, jumping back into my room I placed a hand to my chest, shocked that it was a robber outside the house, it took me a minute to realize that a robber wouldn't in fact be looking at the sunset.

Standing up straighter and returning my heartbeat back to normal, I slowly walked to the window, peering down I instantly deciphered who the body belonged too. The all too familiar brown scruffy hair was an instant giveaway in which I didn't notice before.

"Hansol?" I whispered down at him. Why on earth was he here when just before, he was the one telling me to leave. At the sound of his voice he hesitantly looked up at me, making me gasp. His face was blotchy like mine, eyes clouded, chocking on sobs as tears poured out of his eyes.