Way Back Home

Chapter 14: The Birthday Clash

SoHyun landed on her back. She was too petite after all for Joy.

"AHHHHH!!!!!" SoHyun cried with all her lungs.

Sungjae, who was just heavily sleeping moments ago, was awaken by this and came rushing to the scene. Shock was evident in his body as he saw the two girls in his living room.

"OPPA!" Sohyun cried like a baby.

Sungjae quickly went to SoHyun seeing her on the floor. "SoHyun! What happened to you?!" He asked with a worried voice.

"Oppa!!! She hurt me! She attacked me!" SoHyun cried endlessly while pointing at Joy.

Joy couldn't believe at the sudden turn of events. SoHyun was plotting against her.

"T-that's not true, Oppa" Joy could only defend herself.

"Oppa!! I was just preparing breakfast for us. See? I even cooked! Then that lady came here and pushed me! Oppa, I don't think I'm welcome here anymore! I should just leave again!" SoHyun continued her act. Her innocent face was perfectly convincing.

"Shh, shh. That's not true, SoHyun. You belong here, okay? Don't leave us again" Sungjae caressed SoHyun's face.

It was painful for Joy to see this scene. Her hands were crumpling the sides of her dress, trying to bare the pain.

SoHyun saw how this affected Joy and so she immediately thought of the perfect plan to get rid of her.

"B-but Oppa... you don't even love me anymore! You have replaced me with her! I'm leaving!" SoHyun said with even more tears as she tried to get up. She could get an Oscars already with those.

Sungjae's whole system panicked upon hearing SoHyun's statement. He doesn't know what to. All he knows is that he can't just let SoHyun leave. Without thinking, he said "T-that's not true, SoHyun! You know that I love you! Please don't leave" as he hugged SoHyun.

SoHyun looked at Joy who was at the verge of crying and smirked while Sungjae hugged her. She was winning, but she still won't stop yet.

"But Changsub said you love Joy! You're lying to me! I should have never returned!" SoHyun cried again while hitting herself.

"SoHyun, please don't hurt yourself! I-I never said I love h-her... hey, hey please stop" Sungjae was still panicking and was completely absorbed at SoHyun.

But that was it. Those were the words that made Joy's surroundings blurry. She felt like her heart was about to explode of pain.

"I never said I love her."

Joy's knees were starting to get weak. She reached out to the wall to have some support.

SoHyun was rejoicing internally. She always wins... and for her finale, she did one last act.

"Owww! My back hurts so much. I-I can't stand up, Oppa" SoHyun said as she clung to Sungjae's arms.

Joy wasn't in her proper mind as well but being an innately good person, she unconsciously walked towards SoHyun to help her get up. She was the one who pushed her anyways.

"Ahh!! She's going to attack me again, Oppa. Owwww my back!" SoHyun cried.

Seeing her in pain was enough to trigger Sungjae's protective side. "Stop it already, Joy! Seriously, what's wrong with you today? How could you hurt SoHyun? Doesn't mean you're hurt, you can hurt her too!"

Joy was dumbfounded. Why is she the one at fault now? Sungjae didn't even listen to her side. "I-I was just trying to help, Oppa"

"You're not even helping. Her anxiety attacks are back! Why don't you just leave, will you?!" Sungjae said with an irritated tone as he carefully carried SoHyun in a bridal style, leaving Joy whose tears are now falling non-stop.

———
4:47 pm

Joy decided to go the bay. She has been crying since the incident this morning. She didn't know how the world could go against in her in a snap.

"I never said I love her"

"Why don't you just leave, will you?"

Sungjae's voice kept repeating in Joy's head, only to crush her heart several times. Sungjae was the person who made her feel at home in Jeju. She never knew Sungjae would also be the one to wish that she would leave.

It hurt her. It hurt her so much.

But she wants to try just one last time. Jeju has given her so many happy memories. She doesn't want to just let it go.

So she will try.

She took out her phone and texted that one person she longs for the most right now.

(4:50 pm)
To: Oppa
Hello, Oppa. I'm sorry about a while ago. Please hear me out. I didn't mean any harm. I just wanted to have breakfast with you. I'm here at the bay now! The sunset is beautiful. Please come, Oppa. I will wait for you...

Her single text soon became a thread.

(6:30 pm)
To: Oppa
Oppa, the sunset is over. But the stars and moon are shining so brightly! I took a picture already. I'm still here, Oppa. I hope you can come.

——
(9:48 pm)
To: Oppa
Oppa? I saw our favorite ice cream vendor here. He gave me 2 ice cream cones! He thought you were already around. If you're not coming yet, I'm eating these babies all by myself! :P

——
(10:37 pm)
To: Oppa
Oppa, it's getting chilly here. Come quickly! I demand 1 million recharge hugs. I'll give you 2 million in return. That's a good deal, right?

——
(11:29 pm)
To: Oppa
Oppa, are you still with SoHyun? Is she okay now? I hope she is. Maybe I can see you for a little while? Will she let you?

——
(11:59 pm)
To: Oppa
Oppa, there's still one minute before my birthday ends. My only wish is to see you. That would be the best celebration for me.

——
(September 4- 2:34 am)
To: Oppa
Oppa, I guess you're not coming. I... will leave now, then. Take care always, okay?

Joy sent that last text with a heavy heart.

"Everyone lies... promises aren't true" Joy weakly said as she wiped her tears.

She soon made her way back to her unit. Her heart was hurting so much just by looking at the framed photos proudly located on top of the cabinet.

Were these moments just pretend play? Am I just really meant to temporary fill in her space in your heart, Sungjae? N-now that she's here... you can't see me as a person anymore?

Her eyes then shifted to her birthday cake...

There it was on the center of the table, untouched. Tears started to go down on Joy's face again.

Why did I even bother celebrating my birthday?

She took the cake and threw it straight to the trash can.

She then dragged herself to the bedroom and kneeled beside her bed to pull out that one constant thing in her life...

...her luggage.