Chapter 75: Letting the Truth Free

*Ava*

"Hey, are you okay?" Ziv said as I slammed the door of our house shut.

I huffed. Even after a jog, I was still seething. Sehun claimed to love me, yet he still slept with Sou! What was his deal? How could I have betrayed Sayuri for scum like that?! Although, given I betrayed Sayu in the first place, I had no right to say that either...

Ziv frowned and walked over to me, patting my shoulder. He hugged me tight and didn't say a thing.

I hugged my big brother tightly, but not too tight as I usually would. He might've had an egg in him. I didn't want to hurt my nephew or niece.

"There, there," he said, patting my back.

I pressed my head against his chest and began to cry again. How dumb of me, I'd stayed in the forest to get rid of my tears, yet here I was crying again.

Why was I being so sensitive today? This wasn't like me. I know I lost Sou, but... 

"Ava," Ziv said, pulling away slightly to look at me. "Talk to me. What happened?"

I sniffed, wiping my eyes with the back of my hand. "I... I found out something today. Something that hurt."

Ziv frowned, concern etched on his face. "What is it?"

I hesitated, not sure if I wanted to burden my brother with my problems. But Ziv had always been there for me, always willing to lend a shoulder to cry on. "It's about... Sehun."

Ziv's eyebrows furrowed. "What about him? Is he okay?"

I took a deep breath, bracing myself to say the words out loud. "He... he did something. Something that hurt not only me but Sou too."

Ziv's eyes flashed with anger. "What did he do?"

I shook my head, tears welling up in my eyes again. "I... I can't say. It's... it's too painful."

Ziv was silent for a moment, then he pulled me into a tight hug again. "I'm so sorry, Ava," he said, his voice filled with sympathy. "You don't need to tell me if you don't want to. Just know that I'm here for you."

I clung to him, my tears soaking his shirt. "I don't know what to do, Ziv," I admitted, my voice muffled by his shirt. "I feel... so lost."

"Shh," he soothed, rubbing my back gently. "It's okay. You don't need to have all the answers right now. Just take some time to heal. We'll figure everything out together, okay?"

I nodded, appreciating his support. I was hurt and confused, but I knew Ziv was right. I needed time to heal, to process everything. And knowing I had my brother by my side made the burden a little easier to bear.

Although, I still had to tell Sayuri what I had done. Sou for some reason had yet to tell her that I had slept with his boyfriend.

The thought of confessing to Sayuri made my stomach churn. How was I supposed to tell her that I had betrayed her? That I had slept with Sehun? 

I sighed, burying my face in Ziv's shirt. "I... I need to tell Sayuri," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.

Ziv pulled away slightly, looking at me with surprise. "Tell her what?"

I hesitated, then took a deep breath. "I... I need to tell her about Sehun and me."

Ziv's eyes widened in realization. "Oh, Ava..."

"I know, I know," I said quickly, shaking my head. "I messed up, Ziv. But... But I can't keep lying to her."

Ziv was silent for a moment, then he nodded. "You're right. But... Are you sure you're ready to tell her? It's not going to be easy."

I nodded, my resolve firm. "I know it's not. But it's the right thing to do. I... I owe her the truth."

Ziv hugged me again, his support a comforting presence. "Okay," he said, his voice filled with understanding. "But no matter what happens, remember that you're not alone, okay? I'm here for you."

I nodded, grateful for his support. I knew the road ahead was going to be tough, but I was ready to face the consequences of my actions. I had made a mess of things, and now it was time to clean it up. 

Starting with confessing to Sayuri.

I pulled away from Ziv, giving him a small, grateful smile. "Thank you, Ziv," I said, my voice still shaky. "I... I'm going to get changed now."

Ziv nodded, squeezing my shoulder in support. "Take your time, Ava. And remember, no matter what happens, I'm here for you."

I nodded, then turned and headed towards my room. As I changed into a simple outfit, my mind was a whirl of thoughts and emotions. I was filled with dread at the thought of hurting Sayuri, but I knew I couldn't keep lying to her.

Once I was ready, I grabbed my coat and headed out, the quiet countryside enveloping me in its serene embrace. The walk to cherry blossom hill was peaceful, the gentle rustle of leaves and the distant chirping of birds helped calm me down even if only a little.

As I reached the hill, I spotted Sayuri sitting under the cherry blossom tree, her figure bathed in the soft pink light coming from the sunlight filtering through the thousands of giant cherry blossoms. She looked so peaceful, so beautiful... and I was about to shatter that peace.

Taking a deep breath, I gathered my courage and walked up to her. "Sayuri," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

She turned around, her eyes lighting up when she saw me. "Ava! I was waiting for you. Isn't it beautiful here?"

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. As I looked at her, at the joy in her eyes, I couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. I was about to hurt her, and it was the last thing I wanted to do.

"Sayuri," I started again, my voice shaky. "I... I need to tell you something."

Sayu blinked. "What is it, Ava?"

I took a deep breath and knelt down, sitting beside her. "I... Sehun. On the day he got hurt, we slept together."

The shine in her obsidian eyes vanished, giving them a terrifying effect.

Sayuri's eyes widened in shock, her expression turning from joy to disbelief. "What... what did you say?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.

I swallowed hard, the weight of my confession heavy on my shoulders. "I... I'm so sorry, Sayuri. I betrayed you. I slept with Sehun on the day he got hurt," I repeated, my voice trembling with remorse.

Sayuri's hands clenched into fists, her breath coming out in short, ragged gasps. "How could you, Ava? How could you do this to me?" Her voice was laced with hurt and anger, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

Tears welled up in my own eyes, the guilt and shame washing over me in waves. "I don't know, Sayuri. I don't know what came over me. I... I was weak, and I made a terrible mistake." I reached out to touch her hand, but she pulled away, her expression hardening.

"I trusted you, Ava. I trusted you with everything, and you... you betrayed me," Sayuri's voice cracked, the pain evident in her every word. "And not just with anybody, but Sehun! You didn't only betray me but Sou! How are we supposed to trust you again?"

I hung my head, unable to meet her gaze. "I don't expect you two to forgive us, Sayuri. I know we don't deserve it. I just... I needed to tell you the truth. I couldn't keep lying to you."

Sayuri stood up abruptly, her body tense with anger and hurt. "I need some time, Ava. I need to process this. I... I can't be around you right now." With that, she turned and walked away, her steps quick and determined.

I watched her go, the weight of my actions heavy on my heart. I had hurt the person I cared about the most, and now I had to live with the consequences of my betrayal.