CHAPTER 6: ALAMORT

Eunha felt her cheeks flush as she spoke, vulnerable and ashamed. "I... I have feelings for him," she confessed, admitting it to herself as much as to her best friend.

Jiwon's eyes widened even further, a grin spreading across her face. "I knew it!" she cried triumphantly, bouncing on the bed with excitement. "I knew you two were more than friends!"

Jiwon's grin broadened. "I knew it!" she exclaimed again, her eyes sparkling. "I knew your little crush would turn into something more someday!"

Eunha rolled her eyes, feeling embarrassed and annoyed by her friend's gleeful reaction. "Yeah, yeah, you were right," she muttered, trying to hide her own smile. "You don't have to rub it in."

Eunha sighed, the reality of the situation weighing on her once again. "It doesn't matter," she said softly, the weight of her secret engagement pulling her back down to earth. "We can't be together, regardless of how I feel about him."

Jiwon's expression shifted from triumphant to concerned, sensing the depth of Eunha's pain and frustration. "Why not?" she asked gently, her teasing gone. "What's stopping you?"

Eunha pursed her lips, the memories of her engagement flooding back into her mind. "Because of my engagement to Jake." She hesitated, swallowing the lump in her throat. "Jake and I are... we're betrothed."

Jiwon's eyes widened in surprise. "Betrothed?" she repeated, sitting up straighter on the bed. "You mean you're engaged, like... to get married?"

Eunha nodded solemnly, unable to hide the pain in her eyes. "Yes," she confirmed, her voice barely above a whisper. "My parents arranged the engagement when I was young, and there's no getting out of it."

Jiwon stared at her, clearly shocked by the news. "But... you don't even like him," she said, as if trying to comprehend the situation. "How can you marry someone you don't love?"

Eunha felt the weight of her own words, the reality of her situation sinking in. "I don't have a choice," she said, her voice tinged with resignation. "Our families have been friends for generations. It's too late to back out now. It's been decided."

Jiwon shook her head, looking horrified on her friend's behalf. "But that's crazy!" she protested. "This isn't the eighteen-hundreds! You don't have to marry someone because your parents say so!"

Eunha sighed, rubbing her forehead. "I wish it were that simple," she said, feeling the exhaustion in her bones. "But in our world... families like ours, it doesn't work like that. It's more than just love. It's business. It's connections. It's about appearances and tradition."

Jiwon looked like she wanted to argue further, but Eunha's defeated expression made her hesitate. She knew that as much as Eunha wanted to escape this fate, their world's expectations made it nearly impossible.

Eunha shook her head, the tears welling up in her eyes. "Besides, it doesn't even matter," she said, her voice shaking. "Sunghoon would never have feelings for me."

Jiwon looked at her with confusion. "And what makes you say that?" she asked, leaning forward. "Do you honestly think you're not worthy of his affection?"

Eunha sniffled, wiping away the tears that had begun to fall. "I know I'm not," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "He's... he's too good for me. Too kind, too caring, too everything. I'm just me. Ordinary me."

Jiwon frowned, clearly displeased with her friend's disparaging words. "That's not true, and you know it," she said firmly, taking Eunha's hand in hers. "You're not 'ordinary,' Eunha. You're smart, kind, beautiful..."

Eunha shook her head, the weight of her insecurities heavy on her shoulders. "It doesn't matter," she repeated stubbornly, refusing to accept Jiwon's compliments. "I could be the most perfect person on the planet, and it wouldn't matter. He doesn't see me that way. He's never going to see me that way."

Eunha swallowed the lump in her throat, fighting to keep her voice steady. "I'm just his friend," she said, the words feeling bitter in her mouth. "He cares for me, but only as a friend. He doesn't see me the way I see him. He never will."

Jiwon looked at her with sympathy, clearly understanding her pain. She squeezed her hand gently. "Don't say that, Eunha," she said, her voice gentle. "How do you know for sure that he only sees you as a friend?"

Eunha sniffled, wiping away the tears that had begun to fall. "Because he's never shown any indication that he feels differently," she said, feeling the weight of her hopelessness. "He treats me like a friend, nothing more. If he had any other feelings for me, he would have acted on them by now. But he hasn't. Because he doesn't."

Jiwon looked like she wanted to argue, to tell her that it wasn't true. But she knew that Eunha was too deep in her grief to see reason. Instead, she simply sighed and gave her a sympathetic look. "Maybe he's just scared," she suggested gently.

Eunha shook her head stubbornly. "He's not scared of anything," she said, her voice filled with bitterness. "He's always so confident, so sure of himself. If he wanted to, he would have said something by now."

Jiwon didn't argue further, sensing that it wasn't the time for logic. Instead, she wrapped her arms around Eunha, pulling her into a tight hug.

Eunha clung to her friend like a lifeline, sobbing quietly into her shoulder. Jiwon held her tightly, stroking her hair and whispering comforting words. "It'll be okay, Eunha," she murmured, trying to soothe her. "Everything will work out, I promise."

Eunha nodded, her heart aching with unspoken words. She knew deep down that Jiwon couldn't promise such a thing. But in that moment, surrounded by her friend's warm embrace, she let herself be comforted.

Jiwon held her until her tears began to subside, then pulled back slightly, keeping one arm around her friend's shoulders. "Come on," she said softly, "let's get some sleep. You need it."

After a few moments of quiet, Jiwon led Eunha back to the living room, where the other girls were still resting. They were all still asleep, wrapped up in their sleeping bags and blankets. Eunha wiped the tears from her eyes, hoping that no one had heard her breakdown.

Jiwon gave her a comforting pat on the shoulder before settling back into her sleeping bag. Eunha did the same, trying to calm her racing heart. She closed her eyes, hoping sleep would come quickly and relieve her of her troubled thoughts.

But even as she lay in the dark, surrounded by her sleeping friends, Eunha's mind was still racing with thoughts of Sunghoon and her impending engagement. The sleepover that was supposed to be a fun, lighthearted evening had turned into a night filled with heartache and uncertainty.

Despite the exhaustion that weighed down on her body, Eunha couldn't shake the feeling of despair that gnawed at her soul. She knew that even if exhaustion did eventually win and sleep overcame her, her dreams would be haunted by the same dark thoughts that plagued her now.

The following days were a blur of monotonous routine. Eunha went through the motions at school, pretending everything was normal while her heart ached with longing. The sight of Sunghoon in the hallways, laughing with his friends, only made the pain more acute. It was a constant reminder of everything she couldn't have.

One evening, Eunha was getting ready for what she knew would be another evening spent with Jake. He had insisted on taking her out to dinner, despite her reluctance. As she dressed, she felt a pang of unease. She didn't want to go out with him, not really. Not when she was so consumed by thoughts of Sunghoon.

The drive to the restaurant was uncomfortably quiet. Jake tried to make small talk, asking about her day and school, but Eunha's mind was elsewhere. She gave short, disinterested answers, barely engaging in the conversation.

Jake noticed the lack of enthusiasm in her response, but he didn't seem to care. He continued to make small talk, seemingly oblivious to the fact that Eunha was barely even listening. It was clear that he was used to having things his way, used to people catering to his needs.

Eunha forced herself to nod politely and smile when it seemed appropriate, but even that was exhausting. She could hear Jake talking, but the words didn't reach her brain. The sound of his voice was like white noise, just a background hum in a world that had lost its color.

They arrived at the restaurant, a fancy, upscale place that Jake had obviously chosen to impress. Eunha hated it on sight. It was too pretentious, too fake. Jake led her inside, hand casually resting on her lower back.

Eunha could feel the weight of Jake's hand on her back, a possessive gesture that made her skin crawl. She hated the way he touched her without asking, as if he had the right to claim her body as his property.

They were led to their table, a cozy booth in the corner of the restaurant. Eunha slid into her seat, resisting the urge to recoil as Jake sat next to her, his hand sliding possessively to her thigh.

He leaned close, his voice low and intimate. "You look especially beautiful tonight, Eunha," he said, his lips curling up into a smug smile. "I guess you dressed up just for me, huh?"

Eunha forced a smile, even as her stomach turned at his words. "I didn't dress for anyone, Jake," she said, her voice strained. "I dressed for myself. I like to look nice."

Jake raised an eyebrow, his hand squeezing her thigh a little too tightly. "Oh, really?" he said, his tone tinged with skepticism. "You're telling me you didn't dress to impress me?"

Eunha shook her head, trying to ignore the feeling of his hand on her skin. "No, I didn't," she said firmly. "I don't dress for anyone's approval but my own."

Jake didn't look like he believed her. He leaned in closer, his breath hot against her ear. "Is that really true, Eunha?" he asked, his voice low and suggestive. "You wouldn't dress up to impress a certain someone else?"

Eunha's heart leaped in her chest, panic bubbling up like bile. She knew exactly who he meant, but she couldn't let him know that, couldn't let him suspect the truth. She tried to keep her voice steady as she replied, "I told you, I dress for myself. And if someone happens to appreciate it, then that's just a bonus."

Jake chuckled, leaning back slightly. "I see," he said, his tone dripping with suspicion. "Well, I guess I'll just have to accept that I'm the lucky one who gets to enjoy the view."

Eunha tried not to shudder as his hand squeezed her thigh once more, a possessive gesture that made her feel sick. She forced a smile, hoping he didn't notice how fake it was. "Lucky you," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Jake chuckled, clearly oblivious to her sarcasm. "I know." He leaned in closer again, his breath hot against her neck. "You know, Eunha, you look extra delicious when you're wearing red."

Eunha felt her stomach churn at his words. He was treating her like a piece of meat, an object to be admired and possessed. Part of her wanted to snap at him, to tell him in no uncertain terms that she wasn't something to be owned.

Jake sat back in his seat, removing his hand from her thigh. Eunha breathed a sigh of relief as he did so. He looked at her, a smug smile on his face, and said, "Don't worry, I wouldn't do anything you don't want me to." His words were meant to be reassuring, but they only made Eunha's skin crawl.

Jake had a way of making even the most innocent things sound suggestive, and his comment left no doubt in Eunha's mind what he meant by it. She tried to push down the revulsion she felt, forcing herself to respond politely. "Thank you," she said, forcing a small smile. "I appreciate that."

The rest of the evening was a blur of meaningless conversation and forced smiles. Eunha found herself wishing desperately that the clock would speed up and the night would end sooner. Jake's company was becoming increasingly unbearable, and the longer she was forced to be around him, the more disgusted she felt.

Throughout the meal, Jake continued his attempts at flirting and subtle advances. Eunha tried to ignore him as best she could, but his persistence was starting to wear her down. She couldn't help but wonder how much longer she could endure this torture.

When the meal was finally over and the check had been paid, Eunha felt a wave of relief wash over her. As they walked outside, Jake reached for her hand, taking hold of it in a possessive grip. Eunha resisted the urge to pull away, knowing it would only cause a scene.

As they walked to the car, Jake's hand was still locked around Eunha's, holding her close. She could feel his fingers digging into her skin, his grip tight and possessive. She hated the feel of his touch, hated the way he seemed to think that he owned her.

The ride back was even more uncomfortable than the ride there. Jake kept talking, making small talk and commenting on how beautiful she looked tonight. Eunha barely responded, her mind too preoccupied with thoughts of how she could escape his presence.

Jake didn't seem to notice her lack of enthusiasm, too absorbed in his own ego and sense of self-importance. Eunha felt like she was trapped in a nightmare, forced to endure his company until the night was over.

Finally, the car pulled up outside Eunha's house, and she breathed a sigh of relief. Jake turned to her, his hand still holding hers. "I had a great time tonight," he said, his voice dripping with satisfaction.

Eunha forced herself to nod and smile, trying not to let her disgust show. "Me too," she lied, the words feeling bitter on her tongue.

Jake's hand tightened around Eunha's as he spoke, his tone taking on a possessive edge. "Just remember, sweetheart," he said smoothly, "I don't want you hanging around people I don't approve of."

Eunha's heart skipped a beat, knowing exactly who he was talking about. Despite her best efforts, her first thought was of Sunghoon, and how Jake would react if he found out about their friendship.

She tried to keep her voice steady, even as her mind raced with fear and uncertainty. "And who exactly are these people you don't approve of?" she asked, forcing herself to meet his gaze.

Jake smiled, the expression full of a confidence that made Eunha shiver. "Oh, just people I think are a bad influence," he said lightly, his thumb brushing over her knuckles in a gesture that was probably meant to be reassuring. "People who might cause problems for us."

Jake chuckled, the sound sending an unpleasant shiver down Eunha's spine. "Didn't I warn you about this last time, sweetheart?" he said, his tone low and warning. "I don't want you hanging around people who might cause problems for us. People like that 'friend' of yours."