Facade

Jiwon didn't know what to say so he just sat beside her, his head down. Yena couldn't stop crying. She knew she had to stop but she couldn't. And she certainly couldn't go home looking like that. Her parents would just question her to no end. Yena couldn't allow that. Her parents would lecture her. She didn't need that. She was already as messed up as she is. She couldn't allow anything else to put her down.

The male suddenly wraps one arm around her shoulders, pulling her in to give her a slight hug. She continued to cry, trying to calm down. It's been so long since someone had comforted her this way. Yena was still suspicious of people but it was different with Jiwon. She felt he could understand this. Maybe he could. Maybe he couldn't. She didn't know.

After several minutes, her breathing slowly decreased, her sobs came to a halt. She was finally calm. She didn't let go of Jiwon and neither did he let go of her. They both stayed silent as they were, not knowing what words to say. Yena, having felt it was her fault for making him stay, was the first to speak.

"I'm sorry you had to see me like this," she apologized, slowly pulling away from him. She looked down at her feet. Jiwon couldn't respond but he had to try.

"It's okay..."

She sniffed once more, taking out her phone to check herself. "Are my eyes still red?"

Jiwon looked, shaking his head. "No, they're fine..."

She stands up, taking her bag, and so does he. "Thank you for staying with me."

Jiwon gives her a small nod. She leaves first but she stops after taking a step outside. "Could you... not tell anyone about this?"

The latter only gives a soft smile. Wouldn't he be such an asshole if he were to do just that? "Of course not. You can trust me on this one."

---

For the following days, Jiwon stuck by Yena. He wanted to make sure she wouldn't break down like that anymore. Wherever she went, he'd follow her behind. He wasn't sure if he was annoying her but if he did, she must have put in so much effort not to show it. Yena continued with her usual routine; checking the classrooms in the morning, posting some announcements on the boards, and re-reading through the mistakes of each student in their class - for what reason, Jiwon didn't know. It was on the last day of the week that she started looking brighter.

"Jiwon, do you think you could help me with something?" she asked.

"What is it?" he happily replies, willing to help her with anything she needed.

"We have the Chemistry exam next week," she started. "Could you help me out? I kind of suck at that subject."

Jiwon blinked. Her name was placed ninth out of eighty in the grade for this subject - what is she saying? "Uh, sure? But you know you're kind of good at it..."

She chuckled softly then pursed her lips. "Yeah, but... I want to get higher grades for it. And you shouldn't be talking - you're third place."

It was true though. He had placed third in their Chemistry exam a few days ago. It was a surprise test and it scared the living crap out of everyone. It had scared Jiwon too but he was always more confident in Science subjects than the rest. He didn't really mind his score but apparently it was very interesting for some students. He'd been receiving a lot of study-date invites recently - all of which, to the girls' dismay, he had to decline. But for Yena... he could accept it. 

---

Yena just couldn't understand Chemistry. Actually, she couldn't understand Science. And that's the reason why she's so ashamed of herself. She had to hold the title of Head of Academics and yet she wasn't first place in the Science subjects. It just didn't make sense to her. She felt terribly ashamed. Everything was just a vague idea for her.

Jiwon scans through the pages quickly. It was stuff he studied last year. He knew these topics well. But.. these were still last year's - he might have forgotten. He sends Yena a sheepish grin. "Yena, sorry, we may have to go through these together."

The latter blinks, letting out a sigh. "It's alright. Chemistry's weird."

That earned her a laugh. The boy shakes his head as he takes out his Chemistry books, setting them on the table. Yena suggested that she come to wherever he wanted since he would be teaching. She was rather surprised he'd chosen her house. They sat beside each other, books open in front of them, pencils and all out - a typical study session. The only difference was the scent of baked cookies in the air. It distracted Jiwon but he was determined to focus on teaching Yena. That was definitely much more important.

"Alright, so you had the biggest problem with ions, right?" Jiwon asked, glancing at the girl beside him. She nodded, eyes furrowed as she tries to scan through one question.

Jiwon purses his lips, covering the question from her sight. "Nope, you're gonna have to re-learn the basics before starting with that."

"But that's how I study?" Yena blinks, a frown slowly forming on her face. 

"And it's not working well, right?" Jiwon smiles. "So let's go through this together."

Yena was, thankfully, extremely cooperative. An hour and a half later, she had mastered the whole chapter on ions and answered all the questions correctly though there were still some calculation mistakes. That didn't matter though - she was just tired so her brain didn't work well. She could definitely concentrate on them once the exams come.

Jiwon was just about to pack his stuff, rather unwillingly, when Yena's mother arrived with a plate of cookies in her hands. She had a smile that reminded Jiwon so much of Yena and eyes that were rather mysterious - again, much like Yena's. She settles the plate on the table. 

"Eat first before leaving, Jiwon-ah," she says, smiling welcomingly before taking her leave. 

"Yeah, I'd feel bad if you just left like this," Yena adds, taking a piece of cookie and munching on it. 

Jiwon felt shy but gives in anyways, taking one of the chocolate chip cookies. He wasn't expecting the taste resulting in his eyes widening to the size of saucers. "Wow, they're really good!"

Yena chuckles, taking another bite. "You should tell my mom that," she utters, grinning at the boy. "She'll want to send you food everyday."

Jiwon blinks, not fully understanding her joke. "So I should?"

That only makes Yena burst into laughter. "I was kidding!"

---

The following day was, thankfully, Saturday. How much Jiwon loved Saturday. His first week was so tiring he was bound to wake up at two in the afternoon. He wasn't one bit surprised at himself. 

Having stretched his body whilst in bed, Jiwon takes his phone from his bedside table. He's shocked to see a message sent to him from Jina. He had just woken up and he had to deal with this already? It made his blood boil. He opens it anyways.

  look i'm sorry i called yena a bitch but i still don't get why you're so mad about it. you've been with her for a week, how come you haven't noticed?

Jiwon rolls his eyes. What a nuisance. He gets off of his bed, not bothered to reply. He fixes his bed, washes up, and gets dressed. He wasn't sure on how to spend the day today. He decides to just take a walk outside, help him clear his mind. But first - breakfast. Or lunch. Whatever, it's food. Jiwon trods over to the balcony after making some pancakes (which were definitely not his recipes. Thank the heavens for ready-made-mix pancakes!), looking out at the view. He breathes in deep. He could see the residence's garden from above, it was open to everyone but no one ever went there. He scans the place, it seemed like such a nice atmosphere in the morning. Flowers of different colors decorated the green field, a pathway that went in circles, and a gazebo at the very end of the garden. The boy smiles to himself, maybe he could find serenity in that little garden. 

But his eyes took in something else. He looked closer at the gazebo. There was a person inside--

"Yena?" he utters, raising an eyebrow. 

She was alone, sitting with her earphones plugged in. She seemed to be just gazing at nothing in her sweater and shorts. Jiwon suddenly felt the urge to finish up his food as quickly as he could.

---

"What are you doing here?" he asks, stepping in front of her to get her attention.

Yena looks up, sheepishly smiling. "Ah, I like this place, it's quiet," she explains, scooching over to give Jiwon some space to sit. 

The gazebo was more appealing upclose than Jiwon thought. It was small but didn't suffocate people, it had a concave ceiling with some pretty engravings on it, and a pillar that was filled with numerous written statements. It felt like a place one could tell their secrets to. 

"I'm new here but I can already tell that this is a place everyone runs to when they're sad," he chuckles, looking up at the ceiling.

"Actually, only I come here," Yena says, her voice getting softer. "The others leave this place alone since I come here."

That made Jiwon's heart drop. How could they ostracize her like this? It was terrible. Yena didn't do anything. She didn't seem like she would have. Maybe she made some mistakes in the past but how could they not forgive her?

"Ah, I see," he replies, pursing his lips. "Say, do you mind if I ask you about you and someone?"

Yena looks at him, raising an eyebrow. "Who?"

The latter scratches the back of his neck, scrunching his nose. He wasn't sure if asking would be a good idea but why not give it a shot. "You and Jina."

She blinks, a bit shocked with his question. "W-why would you think there's someting between me and her?"

This time it was Jiwon who felt shocked. "Who wouldn't? She seems to hate you a lot."

Something in her eyes changed, perhaps into something of regret, anger, sadness - all a mixture. She looks down at her shoes, biting her lip. Jiwon could sense something weird but when the words came out of her mouth, he couldn't believe it.

"She was my bestfriend..."

---

[Author's note:
  wow I'm not gonna bother checking. It's 1 AM and I'm drained. I don't know why writing's becoming harder and harder nowadays. T^T. But hey... comments, anyone? Thank you for reading! :3 <3

Published date: 31/03/2015]