- " Why do you not want to understand? I told you for over dozens of times that I am not!"

Min Ho confirmed irritated. He seemed really upset about something. He just slammed his laptop shut and threw his stuff inside his backpack before he turned to make a hasty retreat toward the Cyber cafe's exit.

- " Min Ho, it's just I... I can't trust you when you're like, thousands miles away."

Listening to the response from the other side of the line, he shouted

- " Yes you can! I would never do that to you!"

- " Well.. I don't believe you."

- " Then I don't know what to tell you."

He replied. There was nearly a minute of silence. It was obvious that he was in hurt mode and not the mad mode. He just didn't expect that reply, even though he felt it coming, there were like million signs to tell that they were drifting apart in spite of all their efforts not to. Mainly since moving to Seoul. He'd realized that losing his romance partner would be just a part of the cost.

- " I want to break up,"

She finally blurted out.

- " What?!"

Min Ho retorted, partially surprised.

- " Don't get mad again."

- " First you accuse me of cheating when you have no proof and then, you want to break up just because you have the feeling that I'm cheating?"

- " There's no way you haven't been. I knew this was a bad idea to keep hanging on long distance relationship, being with a college guy who is studying in a Korean college where they have all those Blackpink and Aespa versions of girls around."

- " I don't do that! And I absolutely am not going to lie about that!"

He replied, brokenhearted

- " I always feel like you're holding back when I'm talking to you on the phone."

- " Again, I don't know what to say. I call you every day to talk. I tell you everything I do. I show you every place I go to. I don't know how to be more open."

He sighed heavily.

Jude was pretty special to him. Despite the distance and the difference in time zone, with Seoul be approximately thirteen hours ahead of Washington DC, they were still managed to keep in touch whenever their busy schedules allowed. On more than one occasion, they'd even had some virtual dates, needless to mention some mind-blowing sex over the phone or when face timing.

(Yea he isn't that innocent 😁🙃)

- " Yeah, about that.. I told you I don't like you having so many friends that are girls."

- " They are just classmates for God's sake! It's not like this is a 'boys only' college so of course I'm going to see girls. Plus, everyone knows I have a girlfriend."

He countered.

- " I still don't like it. You shouldn't study with girls."

- " Do you really not trust me, huh?"

- " No I don't. That's why I want to break up,"

She insisted.

- " Fine, then.. I know you are making up excuses only to break free of this relationship we have, because maybe there is someone else or.. whatever.."

Min Ho replied. He was sick of arguing over a losing battle. Jude was silent which angered the brunet even more, he tried however to stay calm

- " We are over, Jude. This is what you are looking for, right? So please, do not try to call back, or to message and just forget about my existence. I don't want to talk to you again. If you don't trust me then there is no point to keep on ...",

- " Wait, Min Ho.."

She interrupted.

- " Let me talk now. I was actually going to break up with you some time ago because you were constantly questioning me and never trusting me, but I was hoping that you would get past whatever issues you have. But now I see it was just a waste of time."

He sighed then hung up the phone once he heard 'sorry' from the other side of the line.

He checked the time on his phone, time to move to his next class but before that, he decided to check on his sister, and to see if she brought him his USB drive he had lost the last time he was home.

Standing in front the department right beside a bush in the opposite pavement, his eyes on the entrance waiting for his sister to show up. He ignored a voice calling out his name as he was occupied with his own troubled thoughts. He had just broken up with his girlfriend of nearly three years.

By each passing tic of a second, his heart throbbed painfully in his chest. It'd hurt him as hell, thinking about all the things said and done and all the dreams he had not fulfilled.

Jude was his girlfriend and his first love, but before that she was his classmate. Funny that they only got together at last possible moment, during a party after graduation. It was not because he hadn't noticed her in the years before. She was just happened to be out of bounds, being one of the more popular girls, she had a great body shape, soft and pretty features with a matching brains and that was why he wanted her.

He fell head over heels and so did she, she said. They had thousands of great things a loving couple could acquire. They had shared interests; in arts, theater, travel and books, in cooking good food and entertaining friends. Life was good and she supported him during that specific, gloomy period- when his sister had been diagnosed with terminal illness.

×××

- " Where are you headed from here?"

Kwang Eun Bi questioned Sa Rang out of curiosity while both were descending the stairs.

She had a sleek and well defined body, standing at 1.72 cm and although not model material, she would turn heads in any crowd, especially with her dark eyes and raven black hair that flowed aimlessly to the middle of her back.

Before Sa Rang could answer, her focus shifted when she saw her brother on the opposite side of the department. She waved at his direction, then rushed forward and hugged him close. He kissed her on the forehead.

- " That was too cute! Such a lovely couple!"

Eun Bi chimed in.

The both sibling blushed. Min Ho put his hand on his sister's shoulder, pulling her close and smiled faintly.

- " She is my younger sister."

He said proudly.

- " Actually he is my twin brother, Min Ho."

She said and shot her brother a side glare and a cute snare which gave him a good chuckle.

- " Twin? I never would've guessed it! I apologize if I offended you somehow."

She smiled and adjusted the strap of her bag on her shoulder.

- " I have to get going now, but it was nice meeting you. I'll see you later, Sa Rang."

- " Is she your friend?"

Min Ho asked after Eun Bi had disappeared in the crowd.

- " If you said so.. She my suitemate, apparently we shared Interpretation of Art class, too."

Min Ho nodded in understatement.

- " How was your class, anyway?"

- " I got scolded by the professor."

- " For being late as usual?"

- " No, this time was for taking notes on what he was talking about. He seemed kinda lunatic to me.."

- " Oh."

Min Ho smiled.

- " I'm glad, you made it through tho'. Do you want me to walk you to your next class?"

Sa Rang shook her head, declining her brother's request politely.

- " Uh, I almost forgot.. Here is your USB drive. I found it under your bed."

- " Maybe it fell when I was arranging my stuff..."

He spoke out calmly, unfinished his sentence

- " You don't look like your usual self, did something happen?"

- " Uh? Maybe I'm just tired. It still hard to adjust to living here."

He yawned, stretching his arms as further as possible.

- " Um.. Yet I still can see something troubling you, it's all written on your face. Spill it, what's there?"

- " Nothing happened, I'm just exhausted.."

He tried hard to keep his voice nonchalant but in his eyes he was upset.

Sa Rang frowned her brows questioning

- " What?!"

He glared at her, pouting innocently

- " I'm not convinced."

She tutted and shook her head

- " Anyway, I will figure it out later."

She rubbed on her dimple. He chuckled,

- " See you around, then."

Min Ho winked, ruffled his sister black hair and left.