"I... I can't tell you."
"Chaerim," her coach groaned, "I just want to help you guys."
"I'm sorry. I can't tell you. Not yet at least," Chaerim responded softly. She could feel her voice breaking and tears filling up in her eyes. She quickly wiped her eyes. "Thanks for the bandaids coach-nim. I'm going to go practice now."
**
11:30 pm
Stepping out of the last bus, the cool spring breeze brushed against Chaerim's cheeks. After a long exhausting day of practice, Chaerim usually wanted to soak in a hot bath and sleep for a hundred years, but that was not the case this time. Her main goal was to avoid Sunghoon the best way she could. She sat the farthest away from him on the bus and tried to walk faster than him.
However, as the last two people on the bus, Sunghoon had no choice, but to stand behind her. He tried to distance himself from her, but at the same time, he wanted to apologize. He wanted to apologize so badly, but he just couldn't find the right moment to.
Once Chaerim began walking back to her apartment, Sunghoon attempted to catch up with her.
"Chaeri," he called. She ignored him. "Chaerim. Park Chaerim."
She ignored him once more as she began to walk faster and faster. That's when she felt a warm hand grab her wrist. She turned around with a disgusted face.
"Let go of me," she snapped.
"Chaerim, please... please hear me out," he begged.
She didn't say anything but lowered her gaze, biting on her lower lip.
She was about to cry.
"I'm sorry," he said, "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry for everything. I'm sorry I yelled at you. I'm sorry I lied to you. I'm sorry I didn't consider your feelings about my decision. But most of all, I'm so sorry... I'm so sorry I said those words about your dad. I have no right to say such a thing. You don't have to forgive me. You don't even have to be my friend anymore. All I ask... all I ask is for you to return to your old self. It pains me to see you so sad and not smile. It hurts that you're suffering alone. So please, please smile again."
She jerked her wrist away from his grip and began walking away from him once more. She left him stranded by the bus stop, looking sadly at the ground.
"Aish, that dumbass," she muttered under her breath as tears began to fall from her eyes.
When she finally arrived home, all the lights of the apartment were still off.
"Looks like mom isn't coming home tonight," she sighed with disappointment, "Where's a mom when you need her?"
As she turned the lights on, she saw a letter sitting on the kitchen counter:
Hi Chaerim!
Sorry I won't be home tonight. I have a huge case to work on at the law firm. Make sure you take care of yourself and don't hurt yourself at practice today. I left some banchans (side dishes) in the fridge and there's soup from last night on the stove. Hopefully, you don't come home too late. Sorry baby, mom loves you so much.
Love, Mom
Not even hungry, Chaerim sighed once more as she dropped all her bags heading straight towards the bathroom. Turning on the hot water, she undressed and walked into the shower feeling the soothing drops of hot water fall against her back. She began applying the sweet cherry blossom scented shampoo and massaged it into her scalp. As she rinsed and ran her fingers through her hair, she felt her tangled hair turn smooth and silky like how it was when she brushed it.
Just before she got out of the shower, she felt a weird texture rub against her toes. She looked down in horror to see clumps of her silky black hair all over the bottom of the bathroom tub.
"No!" she gasped, "No, not again."
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a/n: double update!!! i should be working on my school work... its 11:40 pm and I told myself I wasn't gonna procrastinate this year, but here I am *sighs well anyway, I hoped you enjoy this chapter and look forward to reading more!!