Chris stared out her front door as she watched Hoseok's figure disappear down the hallway. It took a full five seconds for her to register what had just happened before she threw her slippers off and ran out. 

Sprinting through the hallway, she pressed the button for the elevator, and seeing that both were stuck on the ground floor, she whipped her head to the staircase and then back at the screen.

She knew waiting for the elevator wouldn't work, and neither would running down the stairs.

But she headed for them anyway.

Barefoot and dishevelled, Chris started zooming down the stairs. She was on the eighth floor, and it definitely took her more time than she'd care to admit to get to the bottom.

Once she got there, she ran her fingers through her hair to push it all back before scanning the room. Heading to the hotel entrance, she felt her breathing become course as she looked toward Hoseok's farm. 

The street lights spread throughout the road were scarce, Chris couldn't see Hoseok's figure anywhere.

She was about to take a step forward onto the path to his home, but a small stinging sensation stemming from her foot made her stop, looking down. That's when she saw the top of her big toe painted in red.

When did that happen?

Sighing, she stepped back into her hotel, trudging toward the elevator again.

No one was there to see her as she took her steps, feeling each one form a brick as it started building back the wall in her chest.

Why did she still have those papers in her room? Why didn't she get rid of them long ago?

As she stepped back into her room, she found her phone already ringing.

Jumping to it, she checked the caller ID.

Jungkook.

Groaning in disappointment, she answered. What was she expecting?

"I'm so sorry, Chris, have I caught you at a bad time?"

"Hey Jungkook, no you haven't. Are you- are you calling because of Hoseok?"

"Huh?" the confusion in his voice made her shut her eyes in regret. She shouldn't have brought it up. "No, why? Did something happen to hyung? Why are you asking?"

"Oh, no, that's okay. Why did you call?"

"Chris? What happened to hyung?"

"Nothing-" she sighed, deciding not to hide it from him. This was his best friend after all. "There was a little misunderstanding, and now he thinks I've betrayed him," shaking her head, she continued, "No, I did betray him."

"Chris," Jungkook's voice turned cold, and it somehow sent endless chills down Chris's spine, "What are you talking about?"

"He might need your comfort, Jungkook." Chris felt a lump of uneasiness bubble up inside of her, unsure of how it would come out. Was she going to burst into tears? Or would her voice continue to tremble as it was now? "I don't think he wants to see me right now."

"I think I'm going to need more context, Chris, what happened?"

"Perhaps you can ask him, console him," she realised her voice would just continue to shake, mind emptying of all thoughts, "I think I need a minute to gather myself."

"Chris-"

"Oh," before hanging up, she pulled the phone back to her ear, "Sorry, Jungkook, why did you call in the first place?"

"I wanted to talk about the flower arrangements for Friday."

"Right," she sighed, "Could you email me what you have right now? I will reply by tomorrow morning."

"Chr- Okay," Jungkook also seemed to have enough, and he hung up without saying goodbye. And frankly, Chris wasn't too bothered.

She had reached her bedroom, and the first thing she saw was Hoseok's jacket splayed across the couch.

"I'm used to people letting me down, Chris," pain was attached to each word, but he didn't care, "I never bother with them, I continued to let people do that to me. But you, Chris, I trusted you. I opened up to you. I believed you were different."

"Listen, Hoseok, I can explain—"

"Is this why you befriended me?" a tear spilled from his eyes, and, like the opening of the flood gates, many more followed.

It was a misunderstanding she had wanted to say. She tried to tell him that none of that was right; she hadn't ever thought of him that way.

But that would be lying, wouldn't it?

She did print out those papers. She had planned to persuade him to sell his land initially. So it wouldn't be fair to say those things to him.

Sinking into the couch, she continued to stare at his clothing. And before she knew it, tears welled in her eyes, painting themselves down her cheeks.

--

The next morning came in the form of a loud phone call from reception, a worker asking Chris about the hotel's policy breaking the gym facilities. 

Sitting up, she scanned her surroundings, realising she had fallen asleep at her computer. The papers scattered across the table stained with tears, Jungkook's flower arrangement suggestions spread over her monitor and a full cup of cold coffee ready to tip over the edge.

Sighing, she picked up the mug and lugged herself out of her seat, walking over to her kitchen. Her phone was void of any notification—void of any she wanted to see anyway.

Collecting her things, she ran her fingers through her hair a few times until she deemed it acceptable before leaving her room.

Arriving at the reception, she had wanted to ask them if their previous matter had been resolved, but didn't get to it when she was told there was 'a young man' here to see her.

Chris jumped, turning to the lounge, pacing up to the couches inside.

Trying her best to hide her disappointment when she recognised the back of his hair, she slid in front of him.

"Hey, Jimin."

"Chris, what happened? How could you do this to hyung? I thought-I thought you-"

She didn't care much that her expression was failing her, "How is he?"

"Hurt, betrayed, terribly upset, but he's pretending he's fine." Jimin scoffed, and the tone of his voice made her flinch, "I can't believe you would do something like this to him, Chris."

"Are you ready for Friday?" she asked, taking a deep breath, "Preparations and everything?"

"You have got to be kidding me," a humourless laugh stumbled past his lips, "You're still going to go through with it?"

"I can't just cancel, Jimin, especially with us trying to raise enough money for Hoseok's father's treatment."

"I knew you didn't not care," he sighed, "So what really happened, Chris? Why are we wiping the tears hyung's shedding while you're over here pretending you're fine as well?"

"Jimin," Chris had started, eyes drifting past his face and over his shoulder. There lay a window through which she had a clear vision of the humble home she had begun to feel like she belonged in.

But she wasn't ready.

She wasn't ready to accept her past, nor was she prepared to accept what she had planned to do to Hoseok.

Thinking about the boy who had marigold rippling through his hair, the boy who offered a smile to everyone with more to spare, she couldn't even fathom the idea of getting back from this.

She had betrayed his trust, and he deserved none of that.

And if she wasn't ready to accept it, she wasn't ready to be forgiven.