“What time’s your match at?”

 “Six. You don’t have to come if you’re busy,” replied Doojoon nonchalantly. Krystal fiddled with the straw of her drink and glanced at him.

 “I can make it. I’ll get Jessica to drop me off.” He continued walking. She sighed. “If you don’t want me to come, just say so. I understand why you don’t want me there.”

 “It’s not that I don’t want you there. It’s-“

 “Minho.” He raised his eyes. “Look, I told you everything between me and him.”

 “I know. “

Krystal stopped in her steps. “Then what is it? I’m so tired and frustrated because I don’t know what else I need to do. I’m trying really hard here, Doojoon, I really am.” She stared at him as he remained silent. “But it’s like I’m not doing anything right. You get all uptight and touchy when he’s mentioned or if it’s anything to do with him. I know I was wrong and we’ve still got things to fix but at the same time at least acknowledge my efforts. At least give me some hope that we’re on the right track to OK.”

 “Krystal, of course we’re doing fine.”

 “No!” She shook her head, her eyes welling up with tears. “If we were, you’d tell me how pumped up you are for the game like you always did. If we were, you’d be holding my hand and dragging me along to it no matter how many times I’d refuse. If we were, you'd make me wear that stupid cheerleading outfit and make me cheer for you. If we were, you’d tell me that I’m being stupid and you’d tell me to my face that you forgive me. Let that stupid ego of yours down for once.” Krystal chewed on her lip to stop herself from crying. She released a huff of frustration as she walked off.

 “Come.” His hand made a grab for her wrist. “Watch the game.”

 “No. You don’t-“

 “I want you to be there.” Doojoon pulled her in closer. “I want you.”

 “You-“

 “I don’t want to forgive you until you forgive me,” said Doojoon quietly. He placed his chin on the top of her head, his arms wrapped around her. “I never wanted to make you feel hopeless. I thought you’d understand me. I was wrong too and my ego got the better of me and I’m sorry.” He brought her face up and nuzzled his nose against hers. “I love you, you know,” he whispered.

 “And you’re a stubborn idiot.” She cupped his face and looked at him, her dark eyes piercing his. “I really love you, Yoon Doojoon.” She caressed his cheeks lightly, surprised to find them damp. “Oppa, don’t-“ He silenced her with the swift movement of his lips, pouring his feelings into the kiss.

He felt complete with her and only her.

He pulled out from the kiss and breathlessly muttered against her pink mouth, “I have a match to play and you need to cheer.”

***

Jessica sauntered over to the dessert bar, cautiously peeking at the array of desserts. She was dying to get a piece, but all the other guests were still at the main course buffet.

 “You’ve been eyeing that cake for the past five minutes.”

She turned to the voice and let out a gasp of surprise. “Hyeongkon!”

 “Hello, Jessica, fancy seeing you here,” laughed Hyeongkon as they shook hands. “It seems like we have a connection when it comes to social parties. But I’m guessing you’re not interning here are you?”

 She giggled. “No, I attend this every year. This must be your first time?”

He nodded. “I’m not here to get business cards though. My in-laws were unable to make it so the wife and I took up the invitation. Hey, I should introduce you two.” He searched around for his other half. “If I can find her. Do you know any of these people?”

 “My smiles and nods are enough to convince them I do. You get used to it.”

 “Ah, there she is! Hold on, let me get her.” Jessica sneaked the bite-sized cake into , chewing it quickly before anyone could see her.

“Jessica, please meet my wife,” she turned around and froze with her eyes wide open, “Yeeun. All the way from New York right down to Seoul, talk about a small world huh?” chattered Hyeongkon excitedly, his arm affectionately draped around Yeeun’s waist. She gazed down and back up again.

 “It’s nice to see you again.”

Her husband looked from one woman to the next. “You two know each other?”

 “Mutual friends, we know each other through mutual friends,” explained Yeeun awkwardly. “Are you here alone?”

Jessica shook her head. “I came with a date, my boyfriend.” Yeeun’s eyes flashed up in alarm.

 “That’s nice.”

 “Jessica, the President wants-“ Onew’s voice trailed as he stumbled upon the tiny meeting. “What’s going on here?”

 “I bumped into an acquaintance from New York, Hyeongkon Kim. This is my boyfriend, Onew,” introduced Jessica.

 “Onew, sounds familiar. Honey, isn’t that-“

 “Yes, this would be my childhood friend,” answered Yeeun. She avoided looking at Onew straight in the eye. “Uh, Onew, this is my husband, Hyeongkon.” Onew shook his hand.

 “And the world gets smaller!”

 “Yeeun’s mentioned you a few times. I heard you’re a busy man.” His eyes landed on Yeeun. She was cowering. “She must’ve appreciated your surprise trip to Korea.”

Hyeongkon let out a chuckle. “Surprise? Well, yes. Not for her though, more like I was given the surprise.” He smiled at his wife.

 “I’m going to get some more wine, would any of you like some?” asked Jessica.

 “We can’t have any more wine can we?” Hyeongkon grinned. Yeeun moved slightly, pinning herself closer to her husband. “Have you shared the happy news, Yeeun?” opened but no words came out. “We’re expecting our first child!”

Apart from Hyeongkon’s beaming face, the other three stood stunned.

 “You’re… pregnant?” mumbled Onew. Yeeun saw his face crumble with shock and disappointment altogether. Her hand gripped her husband’s as she nodded. “C-congratulations.”

 “Thank you.”

Jessica could feel Onew’s hand clasp hers and then he quickly let go.

He cleared his throat. “I need the restroom. Excuse me.”

***

Onew pressed the button and waited for the elevator to reach the ground floor.  

 “Jinki.” He kept his eyes forward as she called his name. “I know… I know I should’ve told you before but I wasn’t sure. I didn't know either.”

 “Yeah well, I know now,” he said bitterly. “How many months along are you?”

Yeeun bit her lip and her fingers dug into her dress. “Four months.”

He did a quick calculation. Four months. She told him about the divorce five or six months ago. That meant she had met with Hyeongkon a few times. But according to what she told him, she hadn’t seen him in for months prior to that.

 “So you lied. You said you hadn’t seen him in two months when you told me about the divorce,” uttered Onew quietly. He his hands into his pocket and stared at her. “Was that even true? The divorce?”

Yeeun furrowed her eyebrows. “Yes. I… I had contemplated it before. That is the truth. Hyeongkon and I, we were going through a difficult patch.”

His eyes fell to her stomach. “Yet you two had time together.”

 “Onew, I would’ve told you, but I didn’t know what to do myself. I was stuck.” His face still held the same expression. She couldn’t read what it meant. “And I needed to let it out to someone and I knew that you, you would listen, Onew.”

 “You wanted sympathy; I could’ve given you sympathy. You wanted a friend; I would’ve been a friend to you. Even after you stopped hanging out with me when you dated Siwan, when you left without telling me, got married without sending me an invitation.” He glanced up and saw they were two floors away. “I still saw you as a friend. After all these years.”

She flinched at his words.

 “Because I knew how you felt about me,” said Yeeun gently. He stopped breathing for a moment. Did someone tell her? Was it obvious? Well, not that it mattered now. “I knew how you felt about me and I couldn’t… I couldn’t make it worse for you. I already failed you as a friend. I thought it’d be better if I just… left.”

The elevator doors and Onew stepped out.

 “I’ll take my leave first this time.” He turned around to look at her. “I sincerely congratulate you on your new family. And I assume you and Hyeongkon are on good terms, I’m glad that worked out. But don’t expect a call from me any time soon.” Yeeun shook her head slightly, her eyes wet with tears. “Or at all. Not for the time being.”

 “I’m sorry, Jinki, I’m so sorry,” cried Yeeun. She reached for his hand and gave it a light squeeze before walking away.

Onew ran a hand through his hair in exasperation. The past few days weren’t his favourite. He had done a lot of thinking and was left with frustration. As he walked towards his car, his phone rang.

 “Hello.”

 “Onew,” answered Jessica’s voice smoothly. “Where are you? “

 “I’m at the parking lot. I’m going to go home.”

 “Oh. Give me five minutes and I’ll be down-“

 “No. You can stay. I’m tired.”

But Jessica was insistent. “Babe, it’s OK. I don’t want to catch a taxi. I’ll tell-“

 “What part of ‘no’ don’t you get, Jessica? I’m drained and I want to be alone. If you don’t want to get a taxi, why don’t you just call Doojoon to get you? Isn’t that why he’s your speed dial one?” The silence he received confirmed his accusation. It caused him even more anger and disappointment.

 “O-onew… I can explain-“

 “Yes, well a lot of you seem to have so many explanations for me. First Yeeun, now you. I'm always last to find things out.” He slammed his door shut as he settled in his car. “That's right, when were you going to tell me you were engaged, Jessica? Your ex-fiancée sat there, in front of me, and-” He smacked his hand against the steering wheel. “Damn it, Jessica, I’m just tired. I’m tired of waiting for you to open up to me. I’ve been extremely patient. Patient. Whatever it is you and Donghae had; I don’t know what happened, but from what I understand, you trust your sister’s boyfriend more than your own boyfriend.”

 “Onew, please, listen-“ pleaded Jessica desperately. She frantically pushed her way out of the elevator and saw him in his car. She stopped mid-walk as her eyes matched with his.

The car started up and he drove away. “I’m tired of being made a fool.”

***

She was still in her dress she wore earlier at the party, her hair in a tangled wavy mess, her make-up smudged and running.

“He hurt me.”

Onew, dazed with sleep, blinked a few times as his eyes came to clarity to the figure at his door.

“He hurt me,” she repeated.

“Jessica! It’s three in the morning. Can’t this-“ She pushed past him and her hands suddenly got busy as she ped her dress, her straps falling. “What are you doing? Jessica, what-“ He stopped speaking as he regarded her body. She stood in front him, clad only in her bra and , her hands curled into nervous fists by her side.

His eyes finally settled on it; the light pink scar running under her right .

 “He hurt me.”

***

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