NOW PLAYING: DRAMA BY GD

“When every scene's rolling in good
Why you acting like it's so bad?
There is nothing left to see right
So I'd paint all over this pain full of black
Seems like you like to start an argument
Win or lose, just for the hell of it”

✦ ⎯⎯ㅤִㅤ୭ ୨♡୧ ৎㅤִ  ⎯⎯ ✦

His eyes held an unbridled rage, raw, passionate emotional, fueled by animosity tainted by the poison of one's torn heart. The air was thick like a smog, love and fury smothered them like a blanket. It was suffocating them. Yu-ri tried to move but she couldn't, she felt like a marionette doll, held taut by strings - caging her holding her captive. And the puppeteer was none other than Kwon Jiyong.

Her lips trembled, her knees buckled, her vision blurred. No, no, no! This couldn't be happening not here not now - she had to keep her emotions in check, keep herself grounded. No more panic attacks - no more being vulnerable, otherwise they'd tear her open again, or so she told herself that.

“Jiyong...” Yu-ri spoke steeling herself, "get out of our way, my personal relationship with Daesung has nothing to do with you, yes he's your friend but —” she looked back at the boy, a soft calmness in his eyes despite the lingering fear, the scent was palpable. “he's my boyfriend therefore you have no right to stick your nose where it doesn't belong.” The bold declaration was another swift kick to his ego (and his heart, shocker he has one.)

His eyes blew wide with shock, his jaw clenched making Yu-ri's stomach lurch, the nausea building up like bile in the back of her throat. She rubbed her chest trying to rid herself of knawing feeling but she knew sooner or later she'd end up in the bathroom again, darn anxiety.

Daesung noticing her discomfort, decided enough was enough, even though he loved his Hyung deeply, this was over like line. Tenderly, he laced his fingers with her small slender ones, solidifying their unity against him. “Enough is enough, Ji. Stop being a fucking asshole and let us go. Seriously you're some gentleman throwing a tantrum just because you can't share or get something you want?”

Jiyong's nostrils flared, his fists clenching at his sides. "Share?" he spat, the word dripping with venom. "Is that what you think this is about? Sharing? You think I'm just upset because you're dating her?" He gestured dismissively towards Yu-ri, his eyes hardening with contempt. "This is bigger than that, Daesung. You're being naive, as always. You have no idea what you're getting yourself into."

"And what exactly am I getting myself into, Hyung?" Daesung challenged, his voice low and dangerous. "A relationship with a kind, smart, and beautiful woman who actually cares about me? What's so terrifying about that?"

Jiyong scoffed, a harsh, mirthless sound that echoed through the foyer. "Kind? Beautiful? You're so easily fooled, Daesung. Don't you see? She's playing you! She's using you!" He stepped down the staircase, each step a deliberate act of aggression. The shadows around him seemed to deepen, swirling around him like a shroud.

Yu-ri gasped, recoiling as if struck. "That's not true!" she protested, her voice rising in panic. "I would never—"

"Wouldn't you?" Jiyong interrupted, his voice dripping with sarcasm. He was now only a few feet away, his presence radiating a palpable sense of menace. "Really? Because last I checked, you were practically begging for my help with your studies. Suddenly, Daesung here is your knight in shining armor?" He smirked, a cruel, twisted expression that sent a shiver down Yu-ri's spine. "Convenient, isn't it? You get a boyfriend and a tutor all in one go. What a steal!"

Tears stung at Yu-ri's eyes. The accusation was a low blow, hitting at her deepest insecurities. She had been struggling with her studies, the pressure of maintaining her scholarship weighing heavily on her. Jiyong had always been brilliant, effortlessly excelling in everything he did. She had, admittedly, sought his help, but his offer of assistance had felt...complicated. Daesung, on the other hand, had offered genuine support without any undercurrents of...what? Condescension? Expectation?

"That's bullshit, Ji," Daesung growled, tightening his grip on Yu-ri's hand. "You know that's not how it is. Yu-ri is more than capable of handling her own studies. She doesn't need to use anyone."

"Oh, really?" Jiyong raised an eyebrow, his gaze lingering on Yu-ri with unsettling intensity. "Then why was she practically having a breakdown in the library the few years back? Why was she confessing all her academic anxieties to me? Was that just for kicks?"

Yu-ri's breath hitched in her throat. How dare he? How dare he bring that up? That had been a moment of weakness, a fleeting lapse in her carefully constructed facade. She had confided in him, thinking he might understand the pressure she was under. Instead, he was using it against her, twisting her vulnerability into a weapon.

"Stop it, Jiyong!" she cried, her voice cracking with emotion. "Just stop it! You're being cruel."

"Cruel?" Jiyong laughed, a harsh, grating sound that scraped against her ears. "I'm being honest, Yu-ri. Someone has to be. Daesung here is too blinded by his infatuation to see what's really going on. He's too busy playing the doting boyfriend to notice that you're just using him as a convenient stepping stone." He paused, his eyes narrowing. "Or maybe he's using you too, Yu-ri. Did you ever think about that? Maybe he's not as innocent as you think he is."

He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a low, conspiratorial whisper that sent a chill down her spine. "He seems like such a nice guy, doesn't he? Always smiling, always so agreeable. But underneath that sweet facade, there's something else. Something…darker." He paused, letting his words hang in the air, heavy with unspoken implications.

"What are you talking about?" Daesung demanded, his voice trembling with barely suppressed rage. "What the hell are you trying to imply?"

Jiyong shrugged, an almost bored expression on his face. "Just saying, Yu-ri. You might want to be careful. You don't really know him, do you? Not really." His eyes gleamed with a malicious light. "He's got secrets, Yu-ri. Big ones. And they could hurt you."

Yu-ri’s head was spinning. Jiyong’s words, like shards of glass, pierced through her carefully constructed defenses. The fear and vulnerability she had been trying to suppress surged to the surface, threatening to drown her. She felt a panic attack coming on, the familiar symptoms building with terrifying speed. Her chest tightened, making it hard to breathe. Her heart pounded in her ears, a frantic drumbeat signaling impending doom. Her hands trembled, her vision blurred, and a cold sweat slicked her skin.

She squeezed Daesung’s hand, seeking some kind of anchor, some kind of reassurance that she wasn’t losing her grip on reality. She tried to focus on his face, on the warmth of his touch, but Jiyong’s voice echoed in her mind, a constant, insidious whisper planting seeds of doubt and fear.

“He’s got secrets, Yu-ri. Big ones. And they could hurt you.”

Daesung felt the tremor in her hand and immediately recognized the signs of her distress. He tightened his grip on her fingers, his eyes filled with concern. "Yu-ri, are you okay? You're shaking."

He turned to Jiyong, his face contorted with fury. "You did this, you bastard! You deliberately tried to trigger her!" He stepped in front of Yu-ri, shielding her from Jiyong's venomous gaze. "Get out, Ji. Get out now. I mean it. If you don't leave right now, I swear to God, I'll end this friendship right here, right now."

Jiyong stared at Daesung, his eyes narrowed with a mixture of anger and disbelief. "You'd really throw away our friendship for her?"

"Yes," Daesung said without hesitation. "I would. Because unlike you, I actually care about her. And I'm not going to stand here and watch you torment her anymore." He paused, his voice hardening with resolve. "Get out, Jiyong. Before I make you."

Jiyong stared at them for a long moment, his expression unreadable. He saw the genuine connection between Yu-ri and Daesung, the unwavering loyalty that bound them together. He saw the defeat in his own tactics, the way his attempts to manipulate and control the situation had backfired, pushing Yu-ri further away.

A flicker of something akin to regret crossed his face, but it was quickly replaced by a mask of cold indifference. He backed down, but not without a parting shot.

"Fine," he said, his voice flat and devoid of emotion. "Have it your way. But don't say I didn't warn you. This isn't over, Daesung. And you, Yu-ri…you'll see. This little fairytale romance of yours won't last. It's built on lies and deception, and it's only a matter of time before it all comes crashing down."

With that, he turned and walked away, disappearing into the depths of the house, leaving Yu-ri and Daesung shaken and emotionally drained.

Daesung immediately turned his attention to Yu-ri, his voice filled with concern. "Yu-ri, are you okay? Can you breathe? Just try to focus on me, okay? Take deep breaths."

He guided her to a nearby sofa, gently helping her to sit down. He knelt in front of her, holding her hands in his, his eyes fixed on hers. "It's okay, Yu-ri. I'm here. Just breathe with me."

He took several slow, deep breaths, and Yu-ri tried to mimic him, focusing all her energy on filling her lungs with air. Slowly, gradually, the panic began to subside, the tightness in her chest loosening, the pounding in her ears fading.

After a few minutes, she was finally able to speak, her voice still shaky but more controlled. "I…I'm okay," she said, her gaze fixed on Daesung's face. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me," he said softly, brushing a stray strand of hair from her forehead. "I'm just glad I was here. He really got to you, didn't he?"

Yu-ri nodded, tears welling up in her eyes again. "He…he knows how to push my buttons. He knows my weaknesses."

"I know," Daesung said, his voice gentle. "But you can't let him get to you, Yu-ri. You're stronger than that. And you're not alone. I'm here for you, no matter what."

She looked at him, her eyes filled with gratitude and a flicker of something else…doubt. Jiyong's words still echoed in her mind, planting seeds of suspicion and uncertainty.

"Daesung," she said hesitantly, "did he mean what he said? About you having secrets? About you…hurting me?"

Daesung's expression darkened. "Jiyong says a lot of things when he's angry," he said, his voice strained. "He's just trying to scare you. Don't believe him, Yu-ri. He's just trying to manipulate you."

“But what if he's right?" Yu-ri pressed, her voice barely a whisper. "What if there's something I don't know about you? Something that could…change everything?"

Daesung hesitated, his eyes flickering with a fleeting expression that Yu-ri couldn't quite decipher. "There are things in my past that I'm not proud of," he admitted, his voice low. "Things I'd rather not talk about. But they don't define me, Yu-ri. And they certainly wouldn't hurt you."

He reached out and cupped her face in his hands, his eyes searching hers. "Trust me, Yu-ri," he pleaded. "I would never do anything to hurt you. I care about you too much."

Yu-ri wanted to believe him. She desperately wanted to trust him, to banish the doubts that Jiyong had planted in her mind. But a nagging feeling of unease persisted, a sense that something was being hidden, something she didn't understand.

She looked into Daesung's eyes, searching for answers, searching for reassurance. But all she saw was a reflection of her own fear and uncertainty.

Jiyong's rage and possessiveness were far from resolved, and his unsettling warning hung in the air like a dark cloud, casting a shadow over their burgeoning relationship. Yu-ri, grateful for Daesung's support, was deeply troubled by Jiyong's behavior and its impact on her fragile emotional state. She couldn't shake the feeling that she was caught in a dangerous game, and she wasn't sure she knew all the rules. And despite Daesung's reassurances, she couldn't help but wonder if Jiyong was right. Was Daesung really using her?

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WRITTEN BY: SUNJINNIE & JAY

WORD COUNT: 2,017