Chapter 42
As I trudged towards my hostel room, the party's distant thrum receded into the background, a fading hum of irrelevance. I didn't care if it was still raging on or had fizzled out into drunken silence. The taxi ride had been a blur, but now, as I stood outside the school's entrance, I reached for my wallet to pay the fare. The driver's words halted my hand. 'Already taken care of,' he said with a hint of a smile. I raised an eyebrow. 'When was it paid?' 'Beforehand,' he replied, his tone final. 'I was just called to pick someone up from the hotel.' With a curt 'good night,' he sped off into the darkness, leaving me wondering.
"As I trudged towards my hostel room, the mystery of the paid fare still lingered in my mind. Jason - that's what I'd call him - wasn't so bad after all. But my thoughts were swiftly derailed by the unwelcome figure standing outside my door. Jo. His presence seemed to darken the entire hallway. I tried to sidestep him, fumbling for my key, but he blocked my path. 'Sarah,' he said, his voice low and husky. I turned to face him, my eyes narrowing. 'What do you want?' I demanded, my voice firm but laced with a hint of wariness."
"'So, you acted weird at the party, and I've been thinking about it ever since,' Jo said, his voice laced with nervousness, the words tumbling out like a confession.
I raised an eyebrow, my expression incredulous, as if daring him to continue. 'Come on, Jo. You shouldn't have lied to me about not having a girlfriend in the first place.'
Jo's eyes widened, and he stuttered, 'What do you mean? What are you talking about?' The innocence in his tone was almost palpable, but I saw right through it.
I shot him a pointed look, one that said I wouldn't be fooled. 'Don't play dumb, Jo. I saw you with that girl. You were practically glued to her side...you were kissing her for God sake.'
Jo's face fell, his eyes dropping to the floor, and he muttered, 'It's not what you think.' I laughed, a dry, humorless sound, one that echoed through the silence.
'That's what everyone says, isn't it? "It's not what you think." But usually, it's exactly what you think.' Jo looked at me, his eyes searching for understanding, for forgiveness, but I wasn't ready to grant it.
'Sarah, I—' 'No, Jo, I know we weren't dating,' I cut him off, my voice firm, resolute. 'I know I told you I'd think about your proposal, but the truth is, I was going to say yes. I just didn't want to seem desperate. But then you started avoiding me.''
Jo's eyes locked onto mine, the desperation in their depth like a plea. 'Sarah, I wish I could open up my heart,' you whispered, the words tumbling out like a prayer. 'I wish I could just tear my heart into two, so you could see how sorry I am.' The sincerity in your voice was palpable, a raw emotion that hung in the air like a challenge. For a fleeting moment, I glimpsed the genuine remorse in your eyes, a spark of truth that made my heart ache. And then, the words came, a confession that hung in the air like a weight: 'The truth is..yes, I was avoiding you."
"'But why would you avoid me?' I asked, my curiosity piqued.
'I'm sorry,' Jo said, his voice barely above a whisper.
I looked at him, my expression firm. 'You know what, Jo? I don't want to have anything to do with you again. Okay? I don't want the drama of your girlfriend coming after me, accusing me of stealing you away. I want peace, not problems.'
Jo's eyes pleaded with mine. 'She's just a friend,' he protested.
I raised an eyebrow. 'Okay, fine. But I don't want the problem of your "friend".'
As I tried to open my door, Jo blocked me. 'Sarah, I love you,' he said, his voice cracking with emotion.
I pushed him away. 'Please leave me alone. I don't want any problems. When I go left, you go right. When I go right, you go left. Let's not collide with each other, okay? I appreciate you keeping me company. I'm grateful, but please, just stay away from me. I don't want any drama from your friend or girlfriend or whoever she is.'
With that, I finally managed to open my door, slipped inside, and slammed it shut behind me.
As I stepped into my room, I leaned against the door, letting out a deep breath. 'Sarah, you just have to get over this,' I told myself. 'Get over the love you felt for Jo. He's not worth it.' I closed my eyes, mentally shaking off the frustration. 'Let me just get over high school,' I muttered. 'Thank goodness I'm in my final year.' A plan began to form in my mind. 'Once I'm done with high school, I'll tell Mom or maybe Dad that I want to go abroad for my university education. No way am I attending university here in South Korea.' The thought was liberating, a chance to escape the drama and heartache."
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The phone's shrill ringing pierced through my slumber, jolting me awake. At first, the sound seemed to blend seamlessly into my dream, but as it persisted, I groggily reached out to answer it, my fingers stumbling over the screen. "Oh my God," I muttered, still trapped in the haze of sleep.
As I finally managed to silence the phone, I glanced at the screen to check the time. The digits glowed brightly in the darkness: 12:44 PM. I wondered who could be calling me at such an ungodly hour. My mother wouldn't typically call so late, unless it was an emergency.
Just as I was about to dismiss the call, the phone rang again, shrill and insistent. I hesitated for a moment before picking up, my heart beating slightly faster. The caller ID showed no name but I decided to answer anyway.
A low, soothing voice spoke on the other end, its tone dripping with sarcasm. "I just wanted to confirm if you're still alive, considering you have to pay for the mess you made" I rolled the phone away from my ear, studying the unfamiliar number.
"Who is this?" I demanded, my voice firm but wary.
The voice continued, its tone unwavering. "You shouldn't forget the person whose hair and clothes you messed up." My eyes widened as realization dawned -jason or better still hyun min,the piano guy.
"How did you even get my number?" I asked, trying to keep my cool.
The voice replied, its tone still calm. "Well, I have my ways." And with that, the call ended "Wait," I muttered, but the screen had already gone dark.
I sighed and settled back into bed, the phone call from Jason still lingering in my mind. Despite the unease it had stirred, exhaustion eventually won out, and I drifted back to sleep, the darkness enveloping me like a shroud.