Royals

Chapter 59 - A Much Needed Hug

"What happened between you and Taehyun?" Beomgyu badgers me as soon as the class is over.

I left the room as soon as the bell rang but Beomgyu was in tow, following me with every step.

"I don't want to talk about it. I mean it" I say and keep my head calm and face straight as I move through the crowd.

"Stop walking away and talk to me. What happened?" he holds my elbow to stop me from walking away.

"Why don't you go ask Taehyun? He'll be happy to tell you" I snap at him.

I know he is not at fault or even responsible for Taehyun's behavior but I just can't get rid of the bitter taste that his words left in my mouth. And I also blame him for San's injury.

I blame all of them.

"I apologize for whatever Taehyun told to offend you. Trust me he is not that bad. He means good at the end of the day" Beomgyu defends and I have have it.

I stop in my tracks and whip around so I am facing him. I make sure he can see me clearly.

"You don't get to defend him. He is not a petulant little child. He chooses what he has to say and do and he is solely responsible for that. You don't get to apologize to him. You however are responsible. You sit and let him hurt someone for his pleasure. That is on you"

"What are you talking about?" he seemed perplexed with my rant.

"San told me that Taehyun was responsible for his injury last year" I admit and realization slowly draws upon him.

"Yuri that - that was a prank gone wrong. That was harmless"

"Yeah. To you. San was hospitalized and he was out of competition for the entire season. He always told me that it was an accident but I recently came to know that Taehyun was behind that accident" I snap at him.

I am angry.

I am angry at San. I am angry at Taehyun. I am angry at myself. And Beomgyu is in front of me. He is my scapegoat.

"I understand you're angry about it but that happened over a year ago. What Taehyun did was wrong. That's water under the bridge. Why are you getting so worked up about it now?" he seems frustrated with my reaction.

"Gee, I don't know because it was wrong? Who is he to come and comment on me and what I do or who I hang out with? Not to mention I met Soobin because you told me to talk to him in the first place." I point at him.

"I have tried giving you guys a chance. No matter how apprehensive I get, I always end up giving you guys a chance because I know rumors are just that - rumors.

"Some of you have actually helped me or been partially good to me and that makes me want to give you the benefit of the doubt but all of that for what? I even fought with my childhood friend." I know I am loud and there are students stopping in their tracks to watch our encounter.

"I wanted to give you all the benefit of the doubt but all for what? So that your friends can call me a gold digger? I don't want anything to do with you guys anymore. Any of you. So please, just leave me alone"

I don't wait for his reply. He stands there stunned into silence and I take that as my queue to leave.

I am sure if I stand here long enough Beomgyu will come up with a logical explanation that will make me believe that Taehyun didn't mean what he said but there was no other way he could have put it.

The only other, more obvious way was if he spelled it out.

I ignore the looks of surprise and scrutiny from the other students. I feel like I am under a microscope and I hate it. I want to cry but I stop myself enough to enter a bathroom and lock myself in a cubicle