"Are you happy?"
"Huh? What kind of question is that..?" She chuckles while washing the dishes with Iseul.
"I just want to know if Heeseung is taking care of you well," Iseul slightly smiles. She also ask that to break the awkwardness between them because Siyeon wasn't saying anything.
"Yeah he's been taking care of me very well. He loves me so.. Iseul I'm sorry that I stole—"
"Siyeon, it's totally fine! I already forgave you for a long time so you don't need to apologize again. I might actually want to thank you because if it's not because of you.. I wouldn't be together with Jaeyun now. I'm really happy with how things are now." Iseul stops her work, looking up to smile at Siyeon.
Siyeon can feel her eyes become teary. She feels bad. She was being greedy and selfish. She wanted Heeseung to herself because she fell for him. She ended up hurting her own best friend. Did she deserve a friend like Iseul? Iseul is really like an angel. She's always been so kind since kid.
"Iseul!" The 9 year old Kim Siyeon ran towards Iseul.
"Siyeon! Did you just finish your tutor session? Should we go get an ice cream?" Iseul held her hand, walking together to the ice cream shop.
They finally got the ice cream they wanted but Siyeon accidentally dropped the ice cream which made her cry because she really wanted some ice cream. Suddenly Iseul gave her ice cream to Siyeon and wiped the tears on her cheeks.
"Don't cry! You can eat my ice cream!"
"Really..? But that's your ice cream.."
"Yeah!"
Growing up, Siyeon realized that Iseul doesn't like sharing her food but she always shared her food with Siyeon. That's because they're best friends.
"Siyeon.." Iseul wanted to hug her when Heeseung suddenly appeared.
"Omg! Why is my baby crying??" He cupped her face, wiping her tears using his thumb.
Siyeon giggled, softly hitting her boyfriend. Iseul could only smile watching them. She's glad things are becoming better now and she hopes they can always stay happy like this forever.
———
It's 6am in the morning. It's still early but Iseul is already awake because of Siyeon's snore. She gets out from her tent to get some fresh air. She's holding Jungwon's hoodie. She's planning to give it to him once he wakes up. She wonders if he's awake now because he told her yesterday that he wants to see the sunrise. Iseul is sitting on one of the chairs they put on. Suddenly she heard a sound coming from another side. She turns around, seeing Jaeyun's tent moving before someone unzips the tent. Iseul thought Jaeyun or his friends were coming out from there but she didn't expect her to come out from there.
Iseul can feel her heart sink to her stomach as she walks towards her. "Lee Aera."
Aera must have not noticed Iseul seeing how shocked she was when Iseul called out her name. She stops, turning around to face Iseul with an innocent smile on her face. "Hey Iseul, good morning!"
"Why did you come out of that tent?" Iseul points to the tent. She's sure it's Jaeyun's tent! He brought her there yesterday to give her a towel so why did Lee Aera come out from there?? It's not what she thinks right..?
"Oh.. I slept in that tent last night." She fixes her hair and her clothes. She looks messy. Her shirt isn't fully buttoned. That's just making Iseul more nervous.
"But that tent is for the boys."
"How could you be so slow, Iseul? Yunwoo and Juseok didn't sleep in that tent because they're with their girlfriends.. it's just me and him."
"What..?"
"Hah.. again you're so slow. Jaeyun asked me to sleep with him—" Aera touched her cheek that just got slapped from Iseul. That's sting.
"No, you're lying!!" Iseul grabs her shoulder, staring into her eyes but she doesn't look like she's lying.. "Jaeyun won't do something like that. You're lying.." Hold it back, Iseul. Hold the tears.
"Why would I lie? Yeah I know Jaeyun is your boyfriend. He loves you but Iseul.. Jaeyun is still a guy. He might not love me but I think he enjoys what we were doing last night."
"Stop it. I don't want to hear any of your bullshit." Aera must be lying. She's just jealous.
"Aw, Iseul. I feel bad. I know you guys are dating. I didn't want to do it! But Jaeyun asked me.. and for some reason I couldn't push him away because he's so seductive. How could I.. do that when I actually have a feeling for him.."
"I said stop it!! Can't you hear? I don't want to hear anything so please.." Iseul's voice has woken up some of her classmates including Siyeon and Heeseung.
"Iseul.. What's wrong? What's going on here?" Siyeon looks confused. She's still half asleep and Heeseung wraps his arm around her shoulder. But after seeing Iseul's face, she's no longer sleepy. "Iseul, why did you cry? Did you make her cry, Lee Aera??" She glares at the girl standing behind Iseul. "And why are you wearing clothes like that? Can you cover yourself up properly.."
"Siyeon.. I don't want to believe it. I really don't want to believe it. Lee Aera is lying. I won't believe her until I have seen it myself.." Iseul cries on her shoulder.
"What are you trying to say, Iseul? What is it?" Siyeon pats her head. She glances at Heeseung and he just shrugs.
"Uhh.. why is it so loud out here.." Jaeyun comes out from the tent.
Iseul looks at him. She doesn't want to believe it but right now her heart is broken into pieces. Some of them gasped when they realized the situation.
"Jaeyun.. Aera.. what did you guys do last night?" One of them asked.
"What?" Jaeyun looks at Aera in confusion.
"Jaeyun.. I got caught. What should we do?" Aera touches his arm but he immediately pulls away.
"What's wrong with you?? I don't understand what is happening here.. Iseul! What happened? Why did you cry—" Jaeyun wants to go to get his girlfriend not until Heeseung blocks his way to Iseul and Siyeon. "What are you doing, Heeseung?"
"Bro.. look at yourself first. I can't believe you did this.." Heeseung looks so disappointed.
Jaeyun looks down at his shirt. Why is it unbutton? He's sure he didn't unbutton it because he was feeling cold and.. What is this? A lipstick stain on my shirt and my collarbone. What in the world.. "Iseul.. Iseul this isn't what you think—!" Jaeyun pushes Heeseung aside and runs towards Iseul. He grabs her, pulling her into a hug but Iseul keeps hitting his chest. "Iseul! Please believe me!"
"Why?! If you didn't do it, why.."
"Guys.. look inside here." Another friend of theirs shows the inside of Jaeyun's tent.
Messy tent, undergarments, and..
Iseul didn't bear to look at it. She starts breathing heavily due to crying too much. She wants to believe Jaeyun but seeing this.. Jaeyun isn't someone who will do something like this but seeing this.. Why, just why?!?
"Jaeyun.. I think I'm going insane.." Iseul covers her face, trying to calm herself down while Jaeyun is still trying to make her believe him.
Jaeyun holds her hand, not letting her go. "Iseul, I swear I didn't do anything to her. I don't remember.. I don't— argh!" Jaeyun drops to the ground as soon as a punch hits his stomach.
"Jaeyun—!" Iseul wants to help when Jungwon stands in front of her.
"What have you done, you bastard.." Jungwon clenches his fist in anger. Doesn't he remind Jaeyun to never make Iseul cry? He was taking a morning walk and he came back to see this? He heard everything.
"I didn't do anything.. ack!" Jaeyun yelped in pain when Jungwon kicked him at the place he punched just now.
"Jungwon, stop! You're hurting him.." Iseul cries, pulling Jungwon away from Jaeyun. She doesn't want to see Jaeyun being in pain.
"Hurting him? This is nothing, Iseul. He hurts you Iseul! He made you cry! And I hate seeing you cry.." Jungwon lowered his head, feeling himself trembling with anger.
"Jungwon.. please.. I don't want to be here.." Iseul tugs at his sleeve. She doesn't want to look at Jaeyun. She feels betrayed. She feels suffocated to be in here. She wants to leave.
Jungwon sighs, holding her hand before taking her away with him. Jaeyun wants to go chase them, chase Iseul and talk to her but they stop him.
"You're not going anywhere."
———
Iseul isn't saying anything and she just looks down while walking. Jungwon stops and turns to look at her. "Iseul.. hey" He lifted her chin up, looking into her eyes with the softest gaze. Meanwhile for Iseul, she burst into tears once again and all Jungwon did was pull her into a hug.
"Why did this happen to me.. Jungwon? I trusted him. I love him. We're so happy so why.. am I not enough? Am I not pretty enough or.. do I look like I can't satisfy him?" She's sobbing so hard. She clutches onto his shirt.
"Don't say that.. you're pretty. You're so pretty, Iseul. You're the prettiest girl. Don't say that just because of a jerk like him. I thought he'd never hurt you.. I shouldn't have trusted him to be with you. He.. always fails when it comes to protecting you." It hurts Jungwon so much to see the tears of the girl he loves. He wipes all the tears that keep coming out with his thumb. He didn't complain even though his front shirt was wet from her tears.
It really hurt her. She's experiencing the pain again but even worse. She cries so much that her eyes start to sting. She doesn't even realize it's been an hour and they're still standing. Jungwon holds her close so that she won't fall. He can feel himself crying too.
"I'm sorry.. I can't keep my emotions.."
"That's okay, Iseul. It's better to let it out than keeping it." He smiles at her, caressing her hair.
They walk back to their camping site, seeing there's only a few of them outside. Siyeon immediately runs to hug Iseul when she sees her.
"Are you okay?"
"Where's Jaeyun..?" Iseul asks because she can't see him.
"Why are you asking for him? Even after what he did, you still care for him?" Siyeon scoffed.
"No.. that's not it."
"Let's have breakfast first. I'm sure Iseul is hungry." Heeseung comes after doing some stuff with his friends.
"Alright."
———
Iseul doesn't see Jaeyun at all. They said he's in the tent and not coming out but they're going to leave soon. Is he okay? Iseul looks around to see everyone is busy. Siyeon just went somewhere with Heeseung. She wears her sandals and silently walks towards his tent. Jaeyun's shoes are still here. She opens the tent and suddenly a hand pulls her in and wraps his arms around her waist.
"Iseul! I'm so sorry! I'm not asking for your forgiveness but please believe me! I swear.."
"Jaeyun.. I want to believe you." Iseul says and Jaeyun smiles but his smile fades away when Iseul continues, "But from what I see.. I don't think I can"
"Iseul.. Iseul, no! Please don't go!" Jaeyun begs when she pulls herself away from him and gets out of the tent.
"Please give me time.. I'm sorry, "she said for the last time.
Since they're still on holiday, Iseul only stays at her house and does not meet anyone. She turns off her phone so that no one can disturb her. She knows Jaeyun is missing her. He's the reason she turned off the phone. She also knows Jaeyun had come to her house several times, trying to apologize but Sunghoon didn't let him inside because Iseul begged him to do that. He found out what happened and he really tried his best to not show his anger everytime Jaeyun shows up.
Iseul looks at herself in the mirror. It seems like she's losing weight because she can't eat it properly since the accident. She really doesn't know what to do right now. Suddenly there's a knock on her door.
"Iseul, Jungwon is here to see you."
"What.. oh okay. I'm coming." She opens her door and Jungwon is already standing in front of the door.
"You don't look good.. are you eating well? I bought fried chicken. Would you like to eat together?"
She can't say no because Jungwon uses his money to buy it so she just follows him to the kitchen. She rolls her eyes when she sees Sunghoon eating alone. "Are you going to finish it without me?"
"Hahaha! Hurry up and eat before I finish it for real."
"Okay."