CHAPTER 97 – GIRLS SLEEPOVER
GAEUN MEDIZIN
Heart heavy with sorrow, I found myself staring at the letter that arrived from Prince Charming—a letter that spelled the end of our relationship. Each word felt like a dagger to my soul, piercing through layers of love and hope until all that remained was an abyss of despair. Reading it silently, tears threatened to overwhelm me, threatening to pull me into the depths of despair.
But in my darkest moment, Hiraya was there, her comforting embrace a balm to my shattered heart. Nestled against her, I found solace in the warmth of her presence, her gentle touch wiping away the tears that stained my cheeks. With her support, we retreated to the sanctuary of my room, seeking solace in the cocoon of silence that enveloped us.
Seated side by side on my bed, the weight of our shared sorrow hung heavy in the air. Hiraya's fingers brushed through my hair with a tenderness that spoke volumes, her compassionate gaze seeking to understand the depths of my pain.
"Oh, Gaeun," she murmured, her voice tinged with concern, "what's wrong?"
With trembling hands, I passed her the letter that had brought me to my knees, its contents a testament to the shattered dreams and fractured promises that now lay before me.
As Hiraya softly read the contents of the breakup letter, each word felt like a dagger to my already wounded heart. The words echoed in the silence of the room, their cruel honesty stripping away the last remnants of hope I had clung to.
"Dear Gaeun," the letter began, its tone cold and detached. "I am sorry to say that ever since high school, we have grown apart. And since we are no longer in high school, we do not have chemistry anymore. I wanted to invite you to the gym, but I wanted to tell you that we are not working out. I'm tired. You have been running through my mind all day, and I think it's time we take a break. Our relationship is like a broken mirror; it's better to leave it alone than to hurt ourselves trying to fix it. Loving you is like writing with a broken pencil—pointless, and a waste of time. I just realized that you're not right for me, and it's time I left you."
Tears streamed down my cheeks once more as Hiraya finished reading, her comforting embrace offering the only solace in the face of such devastating rejection. I wept openly, my heart shattered into a million pieces by the callous words of someone I had once loved.
"There, there, Gaeun," Hiraya murmured, her voice a soothing balm against my anguish. She gently patted my head, her touch a reminder of the unwavering support she offered. "This asshole of a Prince Charming does not deserve you. He even made some puns and poetic excuses just to break up."
"But... but I can't blame him," I choked out between sobs. "I'm a worthless girlfriend. We've been together for more than five years, but we can't keep this long-distance relationship. And ever since the war against the dragonoids started, he kept on making excuses to break up with me."
"A racist person like that is not worth your time, Gaeun," Hiraya reassured me, her touch a comforting presence on my shoulder. Meeting her gaze, I found solace in the gentleness of her eyes. "Don't worry. I am here with you. Not just me. The girls are here with you."
"Th-Thank you, Hiraya," I managed to whisper, a small smile tugging at the corners of my lips as I returned her embrace.
We remained locked in a comforting embrace for several minutes, the warmth of Hiraya's presence enveloping me like a protective shield. As a shy introvert, such displays of affection were rare in my life. Since Prince Charming had departed from my daily existence after middle school, it was only Hiraya, Charlotte, and Kate who provided me with the comfort of hugs and support.
"I know of a way to vent out your frustrations and at least cheer you up," Hiraya suggested, her smile brightening the room.
"W-What is it?" I asked, curious about her proposal.
"How about we invite the other girls over and have a sleepover? Let's also invite Mariko," Hiraya suggested with a smile, her enthusiasm contagious.
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As night fell, my friends gathered in my room for our impromptu sleepover. Kate arrived sporting her rockstar jersey, Charlotte in her frilly night dress, and Mariko elegantly draped in a white kimono. Hiraya, ever the epitome of cuteness, wore a comfortable pink sweater that elicited smiles from us all. They each brought their own pillows, ready to spend the night in solidarity.
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Meanwhile, I simply wore my usual pajamas adorned with floral designs, feeling a sense of comfort in their presence despite the heaviness of my heart.
"U-Um, thank you for gathering here," I murmured shyly to my friends.
"Anything for you, Gaeun!" Kate exclaimed, her smile radiant with sincerity.
"Hiraya said that we should cheer you up, so we will spend the night with you," Charlotte added, echoing Kate's sentiment with her own warm smile.
"It will be a great honor to have a girls' night with you all," Mariko graciously declared, offering a polite bow that spoke volumes of her respect and camaraderie.
"See?" Hiraya wrapped her arm around me, her comforting embrace a reassurance of the support surrounding me. "I told you that we've got you."
As we settled onto the clean pink carpet of my room, Kate closed the door behind us, sealing us off from the outside world. Charlotte laid out an array of snacks, including chocolates and sweets, while Mariko contributed a selection of chips for us to enjoy.
Suddenly, Hiraya produced a six-pack of lady's beer, a gesture that caught me off guard. Yet, amidst the turmoil of my emotions, the sight of the beers offered a tempting escape. It seemed like a fitting remedy for my emotional distress, a temporary reprieve from the pain that weighed heavily on my heart.
Normally, I might have questioned the wisdom of drinking liquor within the Empire's Sanctuary, but at eighteen, we were all considered adults, free to make our own choices. And tonight, I was determined to drown my sorrows in the numbing embrace of alcohol.
Without hesitation, I reached for a bottle, my resolve firm as I prepared to drink until the pain faded into oblivion.
"Um, can I get started with that one?" I asked Hiraya, my voice barely above a whisper as I pointed shyly at the beer.
"Sure thing," Hiraya replied, her hand gently patting my shoulder. "We still have two more packs from my room, so chug all the way, Gaeun!"
"Th-Thanks!" I managed to muster a smile, my fingers trembling slightly as I cracked open the can of beer.
With determination fueling my actions, I pinched my nose and tilted the can back, swallowing the bitter liquid in one swift motion. I fought against the urge to gag at the unfamiliar taste, my mind focused solely on numbing the pain of heartbreak, if only for a fleeting moment.
"Gaeun! Gaeun! Gaeun!" Hiraya's cheeks flushed with excitement as she cheered me on, her encouragement mirrored by the enthusiastic chants of Kate, Charlotte, and Mariko.
"Chug! Chug! Chug!" they echoed, their applause filling the room as I drained the contents of the can.
Gasping for air as I emptied the beer, I reached for another can from the pack, eager to continue my quest for temporary oblivion. But Hiraya's voice, tinged with concern, brought me back to reality.
"Slow down, Gaeun," she urged, her pout accentuated by a blush. "You'll have a bad hangover if you keep drinking like that."
"You're the one to talk, Hiraya. You already drank a couple of beers before coming in here," Kate remarked, offering a sympathetic smile.
Hiraya's expression turned solemn as she confessed her own love woes. "Geez, I do have a love problem too, you know. The man I fancy got stolen from me," she lamented, placing a hand over her heart. "And it was his best friend who stole him from me! That robbing bastard!"
Charlotte chimed in with her characteristic bluntness. "If you put it like that, it doesn't sound like Lysander was kidnapped. It sounded like... there's a love triangle between you, Lysander, and Johnny."
"You can't blame me for worrying, though. I mean, Lysander is in enemy hands. I'm so worried," Hiraya confessed tearfully. "Is he getting enough food? Is he getting enough sleep? Is he getting enough sex?"
Feeling the effects of the alcohol coursing through my veins, I couldn't help but interject with a touch of humor. "Um, I don't think Lysander is getting enough sex even if he's with us," I quipped, earning a mixture of laughter and surprised glances from my friends.
"Enough with Lysander," Hiraya declared, wiping away her tears. "I'm already working on a plan to rescue him. We're all gathered here to rescue Gaeun from her broken heart."
"Huh," Kate remarked, taking a sip of her beer before placing her hands on her hips. "So you do really have a boyfriend, Gaeun."
"W-Wait, all this time you didn't believe me?" I exclaimed, feeling a pang of hurt at the doubt from my friends.
"W-Well, me too," Charlotte admitted, offering an apologetic smile. "I know we've been friends for about four years, but I've never seen him, not even his shadow."
"I haven't seen him either," Hiraya added, crossing her arms. "But of course, I always believed that you have a boyfriend. Definitely. Right." Her words carried a hint of skepticism, but also a touch of playful teasing, reminding me of the unwavering support that lay beneath their doubts.
"I-I do have a boyfriend! He's real!" I exclaimed, my voice tinged with desperation as I scrambled to prove the existence of my elusive love. Rushing to my cabinet, I rummaged through its contents until my fingers closed around a cherished memento. With trembling hands, I retrieved the photo and presented it to the girls, relief flooding through me at the prospect of vindication. "Here!"
The image captured a stunning figure, with alabaster skin, long, luscious eyelashes, curly brown locks adorned with a celestial headband, and lips painted a deep, enticing shade. His face was a canvas for makeup and eyeliner, accentuating his ethereal beauty. He was the epitome of allure, a vision of perfection that left us all breathless.
"This is Prince Charming!" I declared proudly, my heart swelling with affection at the sight of the man who had captured my heart.
"So... his name is Prince Charming, right?" Charlotte inquired, her brow furrowing in confusion.
"It looks more like Princess Charming to me," Kate remarked bluntly, her words cutting through the air like a knife. "I know a homosexual when I see one. Well, it takes one to know one."
The room fell silent, the weight of Kate's words hanging heavy in the air. I felt a surge of indignation rise within me, but beneath it all, a seed of doubt began to take root, casting a shadow over the once luminous image of my beloved Prince Charming.