Chapter 28
The sun is setting. Colours of pink, red, and yellow are mixed haunting the sky to its end. The breeze is colder than yesterday or maybe Jia glints off their hearts after listening to both sides of the story.
"It's getting colder. I will send you home." Juno faints a smile, his eyes are red-shot and floppy. Jia agreed to him and followed him to his car.
The whole ride is quiet. No one dares to speak nor make a sound. Jia witnesses the sun disappear, feeling the hollow of her heart. Music was played in the background, Jia never felt sorrow but the tranquility of the raw night draws her the memories, bad taste memories that she buried deep inside her.
"I'm sorry for being a jerk to you. Let's continue to be friends Jia... Until then..." Juno looks at her with bliss in his eyes. The grief expression isn't apparent; rather, harmony was written on his face. Jia grinned without saying anything. She bid farewell.
--
"Alright, tomorrow is the day! Don't get nervous and just believe in yourself." Hyuk said while he looked at the members. His voice is profound but steady.
"It amazes me that Hyuk is your best friend," Jia mutters. Juno raised his brows looking offended by her remarks.
"Excuse me? He is rigid and dull. Everyone says that I'm better company than him!"Juno babble the usual. Jia rolled her eyes but the members laughed at his statement while Yumi had a smirk on her face.
"That goes for you too, punk," Hyuk complained but wore his best composure suit while dealing with his best friend.
"Since Jia is the maknae (younger) of the club, let me tell you one thing. Hyuk is a scary fit to his looks." Juno whispers but is heard by everyone. He earned a sharp gaze from Hyuk forcing himself to shut up.
"Stop your nonsense. If you're late tomorrow, anticipate the consequences." Hyuk warned Juno.
"This is a threat!"
--
"Jia, are you commuting again?" Penelope asked out of the blue. Jia flickered as she faced her. She heard how her heartbeat upheavals its rhythm.
"Yup. I'm enjoying it so far." Jia forces a smile, afraid that her nervousness was shown.
"Then come with us! Yejun will drop me at the hospital... Your house is in the same way right?" Penelope asked in enthusiasm. Jia isn't sure because Yejun isn't here with them. As usual, he went to his other curriculum but Hyuk made sure that Yejun is updated in every meeting.
"But is it okay? I'm disturbing you two... I mean." Penelope is surprised by Jia's selection of words. She flushed red like a tomato but maintained her ground.
"It's fine. Yejun suggested it too when I told him." Penelope smiles and it's not an exaggeration but her beauty is shining. Jia blinks thinking of the past when she was irritated with this girl and curses her more because of her ethereal beauty. Jia sighs while they walk side by side.
"I thought before that you're impossible to reach Jia." The two girls are sitting at the bench near the senior building. There are students curiously looking in their way, some boys who obviously have a crush on the pretty girl next to her followed her with admiration.
"I thought that too. Yumi is the only person I'm close with after all." Jia mumbled, smiling after saying Yumi's name.
"But you are kinder than you look. You saved my brother and you're reliable. I can't say every adjective that could describe you, Jia... But sometimes I assume that you're too perfect and the shortcomings are overshadowed by how mature you look at things. It's fascinating." Penelope's gaze is on the students across from them who were busy chit-chatting and laughing. She spoke no harm but Jia stiffened.
"Maybe because I'm more focused on living today than the future," Jia murmurs in a whisper. Her expression is dreadful but Penelope was focused on the students not noticing Jia's eyes screaming in remorse.
"Hmm. I am the same. I also live in the present, rather the future is too far and there's a lot of things needed for my concerns." Penelope's voice is sad yet raw. She smiled and met Jia's gaze. They stare at each other for more than a second. It broke off when Penelope waved her hand to a person across Jia's back.
Yejun is walking tall and Jia witnesses how the students, especially girls, halted their breathing. Yejun hair is ebony black with dark deep brown eyes. His nose is sharp and pointed while his lips are pink disgracing the tints, his jaw is proportionate to his face that made him look approachable. His skin is pale and glints at twilight.
Jia singh avoided eye contact with the man. She doesn't like to face him because of the attacks but Jia manages to correct her expression and wears a small sweet smile.
"Hey there." Jia greeted after Yejun finally beside them.
"I invited Jia. I told you before that it's good for us to be with her to take her home." Penelope is all smiling while Yejun gapes at the girl busy on her phone after greeting him.
"It's fine for me," Yejun mutters, maintaining his gaze on Jia.
"Let's go." Penelope took her things while Jia also got her bag. They walk to the parking lot and are greeted by Yejun's guard and driver.
Jia sits in the backseat with Penelope. Yejun is at the passenger seat with his hand on his jaw sightseeing outside. To Jia's surprise, the two aren't engaging in conversation but Jia thought that may be because she was with them that's why they kept it modest.
Jia dozed off in the traffic. It's the first time that she was stuck in traffic. She was silently thankful that Penelope invited her to take her home. If she commuted and got stock, it would be a disaster falling asleep on the way.
"How are you?" Jia twitches after hearing Yejun's husky voice. He doesn't look back but Jia figures out that he is talking to her because Penelope is in deep slumber. She covered her with a pink blanket that was installed in the car, making Jia think that Yejun prepared it beforehand for her.
"I'm fine," Jia answered. She just woke up from a nap and her brain is still baffled.
"Hmmm, Your fight with Juno was obvious but it's good that you guys made up." Yejun mumble. Jia's eyes widened trying to deny it but she knew that it was futile.
"We didn't fight..." She reasons because it's the truth. But why does she feel like she was lying?
"Juno is like an open book. Hyuk probably noticed it too. I want to know the reason but I don't want to ask him." Jia's heart is beating promptly, her hands are sweating but Jia brushes it off clearing the fog in her mind.
"You're a good friend looking out for him," Jia says and forces a smile even though Yejun isn't facing her.
"I'm curious because it's you," Yejun mutters almost a whisper but Jia only catches the first two words. She didn't force him to repeat nor speak again. Jia looks vague rather surprised, Yejun looks at her but Jia's attention is on the road... They are near her house.
--
"Thank you so much for bringing me home!" Jia smiles at Penelope's sleepy eyes. She patted her messy hair and laughed because Penelope was pouting, looking like a cat.
"Yejun, I did not hear what you said earlier but rest assured that Juno and I aren't fighting just a small misunderstanding. We talk it out already." Jia stares at Yejun's inexpressive face. She raised her hand attempting to pat his head but restrained herself. She waves her goodbye to them before the gate in her home opens.
Jia went to her room ignoring the greeting of the maid. Her cheeks are flushed red and Jia had an abrupt sleep because of embarrassment. She almost made a mistake! Getting carried away because Penelope approaches her. Jia's eyes are big, staring at the ceiling. She forces herself to sleep and after minutes... Jia is sleeping peacefully.
--
"Is it okay?" The girl asked, looking amused while grinning at Haru.
"No." Haru's eyes are murky and grim, he was waiting for Jia at the patio of her room but since he was in the elevated place he witnessed the scene when Jia came out to the car.
"I used to think that you're crazy for allowing her to go back. She's repeating her tragedy, Haru and you're watching her break again." The girl's voice was sharp but Haru didn't answer her.
"It's her wish," Haru remarked. He looks at Jia who's sleeping peacefully.
"And it's cruel for her!" The girl's voice vanishes into the air when Haru disappears from her sight. She looks at Jia with compassion. The girl who tried rewriting faith... That was worse than death itself.
End of chapter 28