1. Queen Of The Dumped
But why are you doing this to me?
근데 왜 이러는데 왜 바볼 만들어
September week 3
Lee Somin
"Beep"
A blue-manicured hand reached nervously for a similarly colored phone. It danced across the table as the soft vibrations of a message came through. A quick glance at the screen told her it was Cholsu and her heart skipped a beat.
Finally, he replied. Somin smiled to herself.
A simple gesture unlocked the screen.
Cholsu: Somin-ah, I'm sorry, but I just don't want to see you anymore.
She put down her phone and swallowed hard. She shifted her chair making it squeak. Her blood pressure rose and all of a sudden, there was a lump in her throat.
What? The corners of her lips curled down.
She sat at a beaten-up desk in the far left corner of the lecture hall, nauseous from her first day ever at university. Grateful that the seat slightly obscured her from view.
Her fatigue hadn't caught up with her brain yet.
Monday's first class, History of Art Culture, demanded her full concentration. It didn't help that the class was supposed to take almost three hours. The professor emphasized that there wasn't much time to lose when talking in detail about all the nuances of various disciplines; painting, architecture and sculpture in this all-encompassing subject.
Somin wasn't really surprised. At her previous school, these classes took two hours each time and it still wasn't enough time to go through everything the way she would have preferred to—as the history buff she considered herself to be.
Rough start. Somin thought.
At least she could build on the notes she had made in preparation for her final high school exam.
A subject she had loved during her previous studies was now annoying background noise that bothered her confused mind. Being a university freshman, she tried to remain alert and focused on the drone of the professor's voice, scribbling notes on her tablet, but failed miserably as her feelings of excitement and anticipation turned solely to anxiety and bitterness.
And I was looking forward to expanding my knowledge in these classes. Her leg bounced nervously.
Cholsu's text made it seem like it would be a shit day.
I feel overdressed. Somin cringed at herself as she became painfully aware of her date-like attire.
For so long she imagined how dressed up she'd be when they finally met again. Somin held on to this fantasy she had crafted in so much detail, replaying it in her mind a thousand times. It was filled with overly romantic gestures and lustful promises-all unrealistic expectations. The rush from being accepted into a prestigious school and the lack of sleep from overworking pushed the unfortunate reality back into focus. Her naive mind had voluntarily forgotten how the relationship had deteriorated.
New school, new me. Somin cheered herself up.
She hoped her closeness to him would change everything.
…
It was supposed to be their first date night in a long time.
She excused the lack of contact as a normal thing a couple of three years would do; slowly focusing more on their own work, than the actual date-time. She often reminded herself that part of loving someone is supporting their respective goals, right?
The pair hadn't seen each other the whole summer. They had texted a few times throughout the months after her graduation, but that was it. Cholsu had a summer art camp to focus on and was busy with new art projects, being ambitious as ever. Somin accepted his commitment and work ethic fully, waiting patiently for him to care for her again in the midst of her shifts at the local coffee shop. As she burned her hands with never-ending orders, she imagined how they'd spend the hard-earned money together.
What changed?
Confused, she began rethinking their relationship. The last kiss he gave her was still fresh in her mind.
Yesterday, they met briefly on her way to the dorm. The tiny girl carried a bag full of groceries to supply the small fridge in the apartment. Cholsu was walking with a group of boys, on their way to God knows where. Somin waved at him, nothing over-the-top to very timidly get his attention. In her daydreams, he ran into her arms and kissed her senseless, happy to see her, complimenting her manners and beauty. Unfortunately, they were in stark contrast with the dull reality of the awkward silence between them.
Judging by his reaction, the tall sculptor didn't expect to meet her at all. His expression gave up the surprise for a second, but instant composure hid the rest. After the initial shock, calm set in, and with a deeper sigh of annoyance, he approached her.
Was it irritation or desperation etched in his face? Somin couldn't tell.
Cholsu couldn't ignore her as he had already acknowledged her wave, walking too close by, so he reluctantly gave her a quick kiss. It was unexpectedly light and noncommittal, his bitter lips barely touching hers as the smell of cigarette smoke wafted toward her. Looking back, it felt like a silencing gesture, only meant to stop her from asking him any questions. Otherwise, he had no words to spare for her.
It felt forced, insincere, and somehow staged.
Thinking back, something had definitely been up.
How did I not see it? He'd probably already decided to let me go. Somin´s stress levels shot up.
The saddened girl started to overthink the smallest details in her mind, trying to figure out where the clue may have been.
Maybe he forgot that he even had a girlfriend in the first place. The awful thought gave her goosebumps.
Somin: Ya, Cholsu-ah, what do you mean? Aren't you even going to give me some sort of explanation?
She typed back, fingers shaking.
Oh no, it's starting. She felt pinpricks behind her eyes
Her heart sank and her chest stung with pain.
Don't you dare feel sorry for yourself, everybody will see.
"Can I take a bathroom break, please?" her hand shot upwards. All the heads in the class turned to her as her soft voice broke.
Yeah, now I'm that nervous girl who needs to pee. Was the first worry to hit her.
Shit, you don't have to ask for permission in college. It dawned on her too late.
Tears started to collect in her eyes. Yep, I'm crying. Perfect.
They fell once she got outside the class, as she ran to the toilet.
"Beep"
Her heart leaped to her throat as she reached for the handle of the door.
Cholsu: Don't take it personally, but you're just so incredibly boring.
...
😳 Author's corner 😊
🎥 When I started to write this story, I really aimed for K-drama feel to it. I hope you can see the connection with the over-the-top shenanigans. 🎥
Do you like K- drama too?😊
...
🎨Illustrations of each chapter are available on my Wattpad acc, AO3 acc -klubickoArt🎨