Min Young

C h e o n g d a m - d o n g

"....You should have protected me." Min Young said quietly. The tall shadow in front of her leaned forward with a hint of frustration. "Look, honestly, it really isn't something you should get so worked up over. They're my fans - you win some you lose some. Noona, really. I think you are overreacting."

Min Young looked up at him, tears welling in her eyes. She had never felt so exposed and abandoned in her life - that was saying alot, given she was part of showbiz. Exposure was her middle name.

She her iPad in his face. "Look - scroll through the comments. Look at the amount of vitriol and hate spewed by your so-called fans. It's not just online. I told you before. My security found some of your sasaengs outside my place leaving all sorts of rubbish and hate letters. I know we're stars and we need to accept some level of invasion of privacy but this..this is way overboard."

"Why does it sound like you are blaming me for this. It's not like I asked them to do that you know. With these things, I have learnt that if I ignore them, sooner or later this will die down. Come on, lighten up. It's been weeks since we last managed to find some time to hang out - you really want to spend our precious time arguing over something as trivial as this?" he smiled cajolingly, and reached for her hand.

A month ago, Min Young would have relented seing that handsome face pleading with her to let it go. After all, he was right. They hadn't spent time with each other in so long that she almost forgot how fun it was to be with him - but what happened over the last few weeks since they announced their dating news had affected her pretty badly, and somehow he just did not seem to get it. She was used to getting some haters, and her manager told her not to read the hate comments, but she really could not resist. It was her fault, she supposed. If she was stronger, maybe she wouldn't be this affected - but she was human. Reading thousands of comments saying how they wished she was dead, that she would fail, that she would leave their oppa alone. She had countless sleepless nights and near-anxiety attacks every time she saw people hanging outside her home, for no apparent reason other than to show her their discontent.

She pull her hand away and stared out the window of the black van that their managers had booked just so they could meet. With all the scandal right now Min Young was too scared to meet him out in the open. "One word from you to your fans. To say they should not hurt me. That would have been enough to stop them. They treat you like their God. That would have stopped it. But you didn't - not even when my agency reached out to you to beg you."

He pouted, sighing and rolling his eyes. Min Young was struck by just how young he looked at that moment. "How many times must I say this, noona? I can't say anything. Both my agency and I think that it would make things worse if I did."

The two of them sat in sullen silence, tears rolling down Min Young's cheek. 

"Well, I guess there's only one way to settle this then. It's obvious you care more about your popularity rating and your fans than us. Wish you all the best." and with that, Min Young pulled open the van door and ran off.

**

Min Young paced the floor of her living room angrily, running her hands through her long hair as she heard the news. 

"He said what??!" She sat down abruptly on her sofa, not noticing a whimpering Leon jumping out of the way. "He should know better than this. He knew this would be a sensitive point. After what happened in City Hunter...." She closed her eyes, willing herself to calm down, willing the panic to go away.

She knew she had to say something before it got worse. Silence did not help her the last time. 

...While we’re shooting, we have to be acting two characters who are in love. So for me, I was focusing on the fact that she is beautiful and attractive whenever we were filming. So yes, I naturally grew interested in her as a person.

And I guess you never know what could happen with life. So if you ask me about the potential, I would have to answer I don’t know. Wouldn’t it be one of those things that only time can tell?

Min Young read through the article sent by her manager. Even though he spent the most of the interview denying every single "evidence" that stupid article "exposing" them presented, his last words had sent the fans into a frenzy. Both media and fandom now thought that they were definitely hiding their relationship. Desperate fans were now tying anything they could to their "secret" relationship, from seemingly matching bracelets (although they were from different brands), random numbered jerseys, and even, the fact that they were neighbours? That was insane!

Feeling horribly misunderstood, she texted her manager, requesting to do an interview to clarify the rumours. She was stronger compared to eight, nine years ago - she certainly would not de