Scared to Love Again (JiTzu x SaHyo)

Chapter 42

Saturday Evening

Jihyo's POV

I cried for what felt like hours until all of my tears had come out. It was still hurting inside but my eyes refused to produce any more tears. I stood up with shaky legs as I used the wall to keep myself from falling over.

I pulled out my phone from my pocket and dialed Tzuyu's number. The ringtone dialed for a few moments before I heard a ringing sound coming from Tzuyu's room. I walked over to Tzuyu's room and found her phone sitting on top of her bed.

I ended the call, slid my phone into my pocket, and walked over to pick up Tzuyu's phone. I sat down on the bed and stared at Tzuyu's phone for a few minutes. I lied down on the bed and hugged the Eevee plush that was still sitting on the bed. I sniffed the plush and could smell Tzuyu's scent.

I didn't know where they came from, but tears started falling from my eyes. I decided to turn on Tzuyu's phone and was surprised to see that Tzuyu had used a picture of me as her background. I swiped up on the phone and it unlocked itself without a passcode. The phone opened itself to what looked like a journal entry that Tzuyu had written and I couldn't help myself from reading it.

"Working at my uncle's factory has been difficult. I am constantly exhausted, and my body feels like it is about to give out. I want to give up and quit, but I need to make enough money to be able to take Jihyo-unnie to Paris. Whenever I have the chance, I take a sneak peek at pictures of Jihyo-unnie that I keep on my phone; they remind me of why I am doing this and give me a small burst of energy that I need to survive the night. I look forward to Jihyo-unnie's expression when I make enough money to give her the tickets," the entry read.

I opened the gallery app and found a folder filled with pictures of me. There were many pictures as far back as the first time we went to the beach together. I covered my mouth as I started to sob as I slowly scrolled through all of the pictures that Tzuyu had of me.

Tzuyu was working so hard for me. She has poor health but still worked through all of it just so that she could take me to Paris like I dreamed of. I felt like the worst person on the planet after realizing that Tzuyu collapsing was all because of me. All of the hardship that she has been through was because of me. All of the heartbreak she just experienced was because of me. All I ever do is cause her pain. Do I really deserve someone like her? Someone who has been so selfless, while I have only been selfish? Is Tzuyu better off... with someone else?

Monday Afternoon

I spent all of Sunday trying to get in contact with Tzuyu and crying my eyes out. I tried calling Dahyun and Chaeyoung's phones, but the calls instantly went to voicemail. I then went to Dahyun and Chaeyoung's apartment and knocked on their door for what felt like half an hour, but no one came to the door. I gave up and went back home and cried myself to sleep while hugging the Eevee plush that Tzuyu gave me.

I let out a sigh before noticing Nayeon and Jeongyeon walking up to me, "Hey, Dahyun and Chaeyoung aren't coming by today?" I asked before the two of them glanced at each other before turning back to me and shaking their heads, "Did they say why?" I asked.

Nayeon nodded her head, "Yeah..."

"Let's just say we don't want to talk about it..." Jeongyeon trailed off.

My eyes widened in realization before I let out a sigh and looked downwards, "Did they... tell you about what happened?"

Jeongyeon let out a sigh, "Yeah..."

"Did you... mean it?" Nayeon asked hesitantly.

Tears started to form in my eyes as I clenched my hands into fists, "No! Of course not!"