[ Elizabeth’s POV ]

All I could hear was deathly silence on the other line. I knew she was mad – really mad. I couldn’t blame her.

When I finished explaining the story from start to finish, all the way from Jinki asking me to be his fake girlfriend and me feeling utterly confused about how I truly felt about him, I stopped speaking. Only then did I realize how uneven my breathing was.

“Say something.” I squeaked. When Paige didn’t speak, it freaked the hell out of me. I don’t know why, it just did.

She cleared , “So.. Um.. This was all a lie? You guys liking each other, I mean.”

“N-no..” I started. “Actually… I don’t know… Paige, I’m so confused…”

Another silence took place, but I knew it was because she was thinking the whole situation through.

“Liz,” She sighed. “He kissed Jiyung…”

“Don’t say it like that!” I snapped. “And I know that! I just… Ugh, this is so stupid… I’m falling for him, and meanwhile digging my very own grave. He’ll never look at me the way I look at him. You and I both know that.”

“That’s what you think,” Paige said quietly. “Not me. You’re funny and always encouraging others. You’re crazy but super calm at the same time. You’re amazingly gifted – singing and acting. So how could Jinki not like you? Considering all the time you spent together.”

“Well… There was something else. Something I left out.”

“Yeah…?”

“He ran after me. But I didn’t stop. I was too angry. Do you think I should’ve waited for him to explain himself? I mean, the scene looked pretty bad as is.”

She was silent. Oh right, Paige didn’t believe in second chances. You get in there and leave as soon as you find him cheating. However this was a fake relationship...

“It would’ve been nice,” She concluded. “I wouldn’t have stopped for him. But you know me, I always regret it in the end. I hate being confused, so I would meet up with him later or something – just to clear the air.”

Then before I could respond, she added, “Talk to him.”

“What?” I literally choked out the word.  Talk about what? How much I cared about him? How I didn’t really see us as a ‘fake’ couple? What would his reaction be?

“The last thing I want is him avoiding me…” I tried to be serious about this. Really serious.

“But Liz,” She stressed. “He ran after you! If he didn’t care, he wouldn’t have ran. You know Jinki! He’d rather jump off a cliff than hurt an itty bitty fly. So let’s be realistic here; it could be Jiyung who kissed him.”

“That’s ultra cliché, don’t you think?” I muttered with doubt.

“But it’s possible.”

How come Paige was the deep one all of a sudden?

“Okay. I’ll talk to him.”

******

[ Elizabeth’s POV ]

I was staring at the phone for way too long. The name was flashing across the screen.

Press Call.

I couldn’t. Why won’t my freaking thumb move? Just talk to him! Didn’t it look bad eough as is? Running away?

I set down the phone, sighing. I couldn’t do it.

As I turned it off, my DBSK ringtone (Keep Your Head Down anyone?) started playing. I curiously looked at the screen, letting my breath hitch as the name ‘Jinki’ started to flash.

I hesitantly grazed my thumb over the Answer button, but quickly set the phone down. I wasn't ready to talk. Not yet, at least. I had to give this some time and though... Sort out my own feelings first, and then go back to all the drama. I mournfully gazed at his name, feeling my heart shatter all over again.

This was so terrible. I felt terrible. I was terrible.

For agreeing to all of this -- I let my heart set on something that would never be...

Finally the phone quit ringing, and the vibrating stopped.

......

......

"It's possible."

Paige's words rang in my head. What's possible? An unknown reality?

Sort it out, Liz. Sort it out.

......Okay, Jinki was clumsy and kind of slow. He had this bright smile and an adorable pout. He had an undying love for chicken and a beautiful voice. He was sweet and really soft. He liked Stevie Wonder music and his closest friend was the understanding Jonghyun. He was 17 and young at heart. He was a leader who didn't like to cry in front of others, and a maknae who liked to crack jokes -- annually. He was welcoming but a little shy, outgoing but awkward. He was everything and anything that I couldn't have even asked for, that was how special he was.

I sighed once more, starting to get a feel on how I really felt. I liked him, I really did.

Slowly, I reached for my cellphone sitting on my desk once again. I scrolled through my recent call list and clicked on the latest one.

Nervously waiting for the other line to answer, I bit down on my lip. Then I heard shuffling, and a voice....

"Hello?"

"Talk." was all I needed to say. "Just talk."