Chapter 20

"A disagreement of friends"

Like she was frozen, Na Ri stayed in the same spot in front of her door, her eyes plastered on Min Ji, not knowing how to act or what to say in this situation. While her heart was beating faster with every second, Min Ji suddenly started moving forward, and like a raging bullet she approached Na Ri.

"What on earth is going on here?" Min Ji asked, her voice a mixture of anger and confusion, "I need an explanation right now!" Na Ri started frantically looking around, scared that people might hear Min Ji's loud voice and come out, wondering what was going on. She looked at Namjoon's front door as well, imagining it would open any second and he would come out and say something which would only make the situation worse. So before Min Ji could speak up again, Na Ri opened the door to her apartment and with a tilt with her head, she gestured for Min Ji to follow her inside.

"Even when you're cornered and yelled at you can't say anything," Min Ji said with a sigh before she followed Na Ri inside.

"Meow." 

The cat kept making noises, clearly dissatisfied to be left alone all night without having it's food bowl and water bowl refilled. So while Min Ji stood in the small hallway, arms crossed and a suspicious look on her face, Na Ri ran around looking for the cat's food and filled up the water bowl.

"Na Ri-ya," Min Ji said in the same second Na Ri was done feeding the cat, "can we talk about what just happened?" Na Ri got up from the floor and walked up to Min Ji.

"Why are you here?" Na Ri asked, hoping it would be enough to change the subject.

"I had something I wanted to talk to you about," Min Ji explained, "something too important to wait until tomorrow at school."

"What is it?" Na Ri then asked, but Min Ji simply stayed quiet and looked at Na Ri while taping her finger on her arm.

"I won't tell you anything until you explain to me what's going on," Min Ji said with a face cold as ice. The dark hallway seemed only darker in the thick and heavy atmosphere, created by the deadly silence that occurred between the two girls. The cat who was done filling its tummy, started walking around in circles, leaning against Na Ri's leg and then switching to Min Ji, only to do the same to her, while it purred loud enough for even the neighbors to hear.

"Yesterday... I drank too much..." Na Ri stuttered, "I walked... into... the wrong apartment..." Na Ri who had been looking down the entire time she was talking, now looking up to find Min Ji staring at her with a raised eyebrow.

"That's it?" Min Ji asked, "that's your explanation?" Na Ri nodded her head and Min Ji sighed again, making Na Ri's heart beat even faster.

"And why did you walk into the wrong apartment, you think?" Min Ji asked.

"I... I don't know," Na Ri said, diverting her eyes from Min Ji, "I was drunk."

"You know what they say," Min Ji said in a carefree tone, "you'll hear the truth from children and drunk people."

"I don't think... I understand..." Na Ri said as she looked at Min Ji for a second, but she quickly diverted her eyes again when Min Ji looked directly at her.

"Meaning if you went to Namjoon's apartment while drunk, there must be some deeper meaning behind it."

"There isn't!" Na Ri yelled out, surprising both herself, Min Ji and even the cat who quickly ran to the living room in fear.

"Someone's a bit defensive about this subject I see," Min Ji said, "why can't you just talk to me about how you feel?"

"There's nothing to talk about!" Na Ri said, the words flowing at the speed of light, "I was drunk... I made a mistake."

"But why didn't you leave after you found out you made a mistake?" Min Ji asked making Na Ri swallow hard, "and why didn't Professor Kim throw you out? Why didn't he call someone or did something to make you leave? Don't tell me... this isn't the first time you've been seeing Professor Kim outside of Uni?" 

Na Ri stayed silent, her eyes locked on her shoes which she never found the time to take off. Only now did she realize she still had them on, and had been walking around inside while feeding the cat. How dirty the floor must've become now, the germs would already be searing themselves into the ground. She would have to scrub the floor for hours and hours, but would that even be enough?

"Woah," Min Ji said, bringing Na Ri out her head and back to earth, "I thought you and I were friends. I thought we had gotten closer over the past few weeks. But it feels like I'm the only one who gives and gives, yet I receive nothing in return. I really open up to you, but you're as closed off as you have been from the beginning." 

As Na Ri looking at Min Ji, many words and sentences where flowing through her head, but no word came out. Her throat had turned into a knot, making it impossible to speak and almost as impossible to even breathe.

"I actually came today because I needed a friend, but now I don't know why I even bothered," Min Ji said in a dejected voice, "I don't know why I actually made myself believe that you and I were friends."

Na Ri widened her eyes and looking at Min Ji in disbelief of what she just said, and while she struggled with all her strength to get even a single word out, Min Ji turned around on her heel and left her apartment. The sound of the door closing worked like an awaking on Na Ri and in the same second, Na Ri's legs turned into jelly and she collapsed on the floor while tears started flowing.

***

Na Ri looked at herself in the mirror and felt disgusted by what she saw. Her hair was a mess, her eyes had big dark circles around them and her clothes where even more dark and baggy than usual. But even still she felt no motivation to find something else to wear or even put on a tiny bit of makeup to hide the dark circles. Instead she just dragged her lifeless body out of her apartment and began her journey towards her University.

The many people around her felt like a bunch of ghost that had no effect on her whatsoever. She walked around like a zombie herself, working on autopilot, letting her body lead her to the auditorium.

As she walked in, the first thing she noticed was Min Ji sitting next to Jungkook and Taehyung, and suddenly a little bit of energy returned to her body. Nervous but determined, Na Ri walked up to the small group and tried to put on her best smile, but when she reached for the chair next to Min Ji, a hand stopped her.

"I'm sorry, this seat is taken," Min Ji said with a stone cold face, looking straight ahead without even glancing at Na Ri. Na Ri looked at the boys, Jungkook shrugged his shoulders and Taehyung simply diverted his eyes.

"Ah... I see..." Na Ri said with a nervous laugh and then walked up to the furthest corner of the auditorium where she sat alone for the entire lecture.

When it reached noon and it was time for lunch, Na Ri couldn't even remember what lectures she had overhead and she had no idea if they had any homework or assignments for the next day. All she was focused on was Min Ji who had already left with Jungkook and Taehyung.

Without knowing why, Na Ri's body moved all by itself and she ran so fast she nearly fell down the stairs on her way out of the auditorium. Once she was outside, she quickly looked to both sides until she located Min Ji and the rest, on their way to the Cafeteria. Like the wind, she ran towards them, until she was only a few centimeters from them, and she carefully poked Min Ji on her shoulder.

"Ah... hello..." Na Ri stuttered and tried to put on her best smile like earlier, "I was... I was wondering if you were going to the Cafeteria." Min Ji looked at Na Ri without any emotions in her eyes and she just let out a sigh before she spoke.

"I'm sorry but we kind of have plans today so we can't eat with you," Min Ji said, and Na Ri felt her heart sink inside her chest.

"That's... That's fine..." Na Ri said and laughed again, "I'll just... see you around then." Min Ji gave a quick nod and then left with the others, leaving Na Ri alone in the crowded hallway.

Her chest hurt so bad she was unable to move even an inch. It felt like someone had reached in and taken something out. Something she didn't know she needed but which she now realized she had grown attached to. Something which her body had worked fine without before, but now it had become someone she couldn't live without.

Her throat clogged up, her chest tightened and she started breathing in small fast heaves. Her head were getting colder and she was losing balance. She didn't even try to calm down, she simply let her body panic, preparing  to pass out any minute now.

But just as she felt her vision failed, she felt a warm hand on her shoulder and in the same second she turned around and widened her eyes as she looked at the person in front of her.

Hello everyone!

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Remember to stay warm and eat healthy and take care of yourself. Stay safe.

Also, don't forget to leave a comment down below.

Love, Annalise~