memories that you wish you could just...

Mirae's slender dark eyes squinted at me as she set the coffee down for me to drink. The apartment was spacious and surreal, with furniture placed strategically around the house, giving it an empty appearance. A chill in the air sent a shudder down my spine, and my eyes darted to the clock that hung alone on the white wall, ticking away. I swallowed.

"How'd you know I'd be here at Jace's apartment?" She stared, waiting for my response, perhaps expecting a more strategic approach. However, I would only end up telling her the truth.

I studied her for a moment; her dark hair was sleek, reminiscent of silk, and it also reminded me of how Jace's hair used to look before the colour in his eyes dulled away. I pressed my lips together and parted them to speak. "I stopped by your house; your mother is worried about you," I inserted as I picked at my finger.

She abruptly heaved a harsh sigh, looking at me with an uninterested, distasteful expression. She waved me off, "You can't possibly be here for me, so what is it?" She seethed, growing impatient, her Korean accent evident in each word. It made me ponder on the thought of Jace and Mirae speaking Korean to each other.

I took a sip of the black coffee; it was bitter. I wondered if she had put any sugar in it or just cared enough to be hospitable.

I cleared my throat. "It's about Jace. I saw him at the coffeehouse earlier, and he doesn't look—"

"Quiet right?" Mirae interjected. "I know." She uttered in a distant tone.

I nodded. "What are you doing about it?" I shook my head, a certain urgency in my voice.

She tilted her head in disagreement. "There isn't anything I can do; he broke up with me," she stated, trying to mask the pain in her voice. But her dark eyes told a different story.

I raised a sceptical eyebrow. "Why are you living here if you and Jace broke up."

Mirae dismissed me with a wave. "Jace is letting me stay here; it's the least he could do after he cheated on me with you," she spat, her temper evidently rising.

I set my coffee down, blinking at her as nerves began to ball up in my chest. "I kissed him," I reluctantly admitted. "He pushed me away," I disclosed.

She shook her head. "I don't care!" She yelled. "He broke up with me because he still has feelings for you!" She screamed.

She rolled her eyes disapprovingly, tears forming on the corners.

"I'm sorry," I apologized earnestly, looking her in the eye.

"You should be," she responded hatefully as she shook her head disapprovingly. "But he was never happy with me. We weren't in a real relationship at the beginning; it was all a publicity ploy." She echoed from afar.

"So back at the bonfire?" I asked.

She nodded. "He wanted to end the fake relationship so he could be with you, but you were with Andrew, and our manager refused," she admitted distastefully.

"But what about when I came to his house, and you were there?" I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me as always.

She shrugged. "Something switched inside of him a few weeks back, and we had sex," she murmured. I could see regret laced in her eyes, but she didn't affirm that she was regretful; I could only assume.

I felt anger towards Jace; he used her like he did with Caroline. "I'm sorry that he used you," I sympathized with her.

She shook her head. "Believe it or not, but he didn't use me," she swallowed, eyes falling to the floor. "I took advantage of him. He wasn't himself; I knew that, and I knew he wanted to wait for someone he loved. That's what he told me, but I didn't respect his wishes, and I came on to him. I thought at the time he didn't care, but that was one of the reasons he broke up with me because he wasn't ready. But he kept on having sex with me after that like he was okay, but instead of growing closer each time, he grew more distant," Mirae said in a small voice. "I thought he loved me like I loved him." She uttered brokenly.

I stood up. I can't be around this. I can't be around sadness. Negative emotions always stuck to me; they were something I couldn't escape. It made me think about that man. I was breathing rapidly as all the memories that I suppressed came flooding back.

Until I blacked out.