Chapter XIII
Say Yes To The LimelightRooftop of Katrina’s Apartment
“Okay speak…”
“I know you don’t want to hear from Matthew, but I think it would give you a bit of closure.”
“So you brought her here? Really I’d like to just keep things professional.”
“I didn’t know that you both were seeing each other. He never mentioned you…”
“Well I suppose that makes everything okay.”
“Katrina, just hear her out.”
“Why should I Ryan? Isn’t it enough that I’m helping them to go public with minimum backlash?”
“I don’t want this to be any more awkward than it has to be.”
“Then let’s not talk about it.” Katrina spoke trying to get up to leave but Ryan grabbed her arm and pulled her back down.
“We met when he became a contestant on Kpop star. I was one of the mentors.” BoA began speaking, taking Katrina’s quietness as a sign to continue. “I believed he had talent so I saved him from being eliminated. After that we became closer and he signed with SM. Things started to move fast and I fell for him. We were supposed to sing a song together and he said he wanted to do an original song. It wasn’t until after the incident that I found out the song was actually yours. I didn’t know how to find you nor did Matthew want to give me your contact. He assured me that you both had been friends during his time in the states.”
“Is this supposed to make me feel better because it’s not.”
“I just want you to know that I’m sorry that things played out this way. To know exactly what was going through his mind, you’d have to talk to him. I also don’t know how much of his story is true, but I thought that you deserved to at least know what I know.”
“The nice thing, the womanly thing to do would be to say thank you…” Katrina said, keep her indifference.
“You’re welcome. I hope that the both of you can come to some peace on the matter.”
“See that wasn’t so bad was it?” Ryan smiled, trying to lighten the mood.
“I have some work to get done, so I’ll head down first.” Katrina said as she quickly left the rooftop.
Jongin’s Apartment - Hallway
“I just don’t understand. If you like her this much, why are you waiting for the performance to tell her? You know the performance that’s going to be crowded with staff, the other members, and fans.”
“I don’t want to rush it with her. I know it’s cliche but she's different.”
“Jongin you’ve dated two girls who were idols, of course she’s different.” Taemin spoke a bit irritated with Jongin.
“You know what I mean. Or rather you’ll know when you meet her.”
“Meet who?” Katrina asked as she stood in the hallway before them.
“Katrina? Why are you doing here? I thought you weren’t supposed to be here for another week?” Jongin asked, confused and shocked as to why she was standing before him.
“Excuse me?” Katrina questioned back.
“Nevermind that. What are you doing here?”
“I temporarily work with SM’s PR team.”
“You work for our company?” Taemin finally spoke.
“Ah...yeah. I just started working this week.” Katrina said, trying to pull her hair out of her face.
“Cute.” Taemin whispered, causing Jongin to smile.
“Why don’t you join us? Pizza and alcohol. And boy do you look like you can use it.” Jongin smiled.
“I should get back to my apartment. I think I left the stove on…” Katrina spoke, trying to politely decline.
“You left your stove on?” Jongin questioned before laughing.
“So that means you live in the building? Why don’t you just go and turn it off and join us?”
“That’s a great idea Tae. I’ll walk you back to your place and then we can come back!” Jongin smiled, grabbing Katrina’s hand. “Tae, why don’t you go ahead and order the pizza’s? What kind do you want Katrina?”
“Chicken, onion, and green pepper...right?”
Katrina could only nod as she looked at Taemin who perfectly knew her order.
“How’d you know her order?”
“I just guessed.” Taemin said with a shrug. “She looks like a chicken,onion, green pepper kinda girl.” Taemin spoke before entering the code for Jongin’s apartment and disappearing inside.
“Let’s get you to your apartment, don’t want you to burn the place down.” Jongin laughed as Katrina led the way down the hall.
Civannah and Changmin’s living room
“I’m honestly not seeing how Matthew working for me is a bad idea.”
“Look at what he did to Katrina. We don’t know what he did but we do know that he broke her heart. That’s not someone I want you working around.”
“And I told you that you weren’t going to pick and choose people in my life.”
“Fine. I’ll just go above you and get him removed.” Changmin spoke crossing his arms.
“Are you serious? You can’t do that!”
“Watch me. Monday morning he’s gone.”
“Do it and I’m leaving.”
“You wouldn’t.” Changmin said matter of factly.
“Then I’d say you don’t know me that well.”
“I know you well enough to know that right now you’re not showing any loyalty to Katrina. This man broke her heart and you would rather continue working with him and helping him with his career rather than stand by your best friend. The one who has stood by you through everything. The one you’ve known since you were what? Five years old? I’m disappointed in you Civannah.”
“Disappointed in me? I didn’t name my ex as my ideal type.”
“I told you it was a mistake. I panicked. I’m the one who’s been trying to put our relationship out there but you keep telling me to wait. That you aren’t ready. It's been two years Civannah. Two years!”
“Why can’t you wait until I’m ready!? You’re meeting my parents next month. I’m getting ready to tell Katrina any day now.”
“Anyway now? You’ve had two years to tell her. What? Are you embarrassed to be with me?”
“You know that I’m not.”
“No I don’t. I’ve shown you over and over that I’m in this...that I love you. I seek you out at work just to check on you. I show you affection in the office and out. I’m working so hard to show you that I care about you and your friends and family, which you push back on almost every time. What are you scared of?”
“I’m not scared. And sorry that I’m not trying to have all over the place. Sorry that I’m not going to shower you with kisses everyday. Sorry that I’m not Ye Seul.”
“I don’t want you to be Ye Seul. I want you to be Kang Chungha, Civannah Renolds. Born in Aurora, Colorado. Graduate of the University of Central Florida for Architecture Designs. The woman I fell in love with. The woman who I want to marry. The woman I want to mother my children. The woman who I want to spend every day with till my dying breath. The woman who I’d give up everything for.” Changmin spoke, tears rolling down his face.
“Changmin I-” Civannah began to speak but stopped as all the words she wanted to say were stuck in .
“I think we need some space. I’ll go stay with one of the guys for a while.” Changmin said and walked away to the bedroom to pack a bag, leaving Civannah in the living room, stuck in place.
“Why are you leaving?” Civannah whispered out as Changmin walked past her with his bag and began opening the door to leave the apartment.
“Why should I stay?” Changmin asked before he finally left the apartment.
Jongin’s Apartment
“I can’t believe you made me watching the Pirates of the Caribbean.” Katrina laughed after finishing off another beer.
“I can’t believe you throw beers back like a guy.” Jongin laughed as Katrina burped.
“I’ve never been one to be extremely girly. Not my style.” Katrina said as she began pulling her hair back.
“I’m glad you feel comfortable around us. Right Tae?”
“Right.” Taemin spoke quietly as he reached for another slice of pizza.
“We should do this more often..” Jongin said with hope.
“Ah...maybe not. I have a job to do. I don’t think me interacting with you outside of the office would be a good idea.”
“We were your friends before you came here, doesn’t that count for anything?”
“You think of me as a friend?” Katrina asked, turning to look at Taemin who sat on the chaise lounge.
“What else would you classify us as?” Taemin asked with dark eyes as he bounced the ball back into Katrina’s court.
“I think you’ve had enough alcohol.” Jongin said as he saw Taemin’s eyes shift from Katrina to him.
“Im fine.” Taemin said rolling his eyes and going back to his pizza.
“I think I should be heading back…” Katrina said standing up.
“No. Stay a bit longer. I don’t want you to go….” Jongin said after he grabbed Katrina’s wrist.
“Jongin I-” Katrina began to speak but was cut off by a knock on the door.
“You stay here, I’ll get that.” Jongin said as he sat Katrina back down and left to check the door.
“If you don’t like him you should tell him?”
“Excuse me?” Katrina questioned, looking at Taemin.
“I’m sure you’ve noticed that he likes you. You should really tell him that you don’t like him that way before things get complicated.”
“Jongin and I are just friends.”
“He doesn’t look at you like you’re just a friend. Why haven’t you realized that he’s in love with you!?” Taemin yelled as he stood up, shocking Katrina.
“That’s enough!” Jongin yelled.
Katrina stood frozen in place not even moving when Jongin yelled. ‘How could I be so stupid?’ Katrina thought.
“I should go…” Katrina almost whispered.
When she turned to leave Jongin moved to stop her but she dodged him. “I think it’s best if I leave now. Thank you for tonight.” Katrina bowed and quickly made it to the door and left.
“What the was that?!” Jongin asked, fuming.
“Jongin calm down.” Changmin spoke calmly.
“I was just doing us all a favor. You were to blind to see that she doesn’t like you more than a friend. And she was to blind to see that you are in love with her.”
“Taemin.” Changmin started off slowly. “I don’t think it was your place to tell her. You could have just told Jongin how you felt.”
“No. I couldn’t have.” Taemin spoke, pulling the arms of his sweater down.
“And why the hell not!?” Jongin yelled.
Jongin didn’t receive an answer from Taemin. Instead Taemin made his way to the door and left. Jongin and Changmin stood shocked, confused, and for Jongin, mostly angry at the situation.
Civannah and Changmin’s Apartment
“Are you okay?!” Katrina asked looking at the mess that is Civannah.
After the mess at Jongin’s, Katrina went back to her apartment, only to find her phone blown up with texts and calls from Ryan,Matthew, and a few people from work, but the only one that mattered was Civannah who had simply said ‘I Need You’.
“I’m a up.” Civannah cried as she flung herself into Katrina.
Katrina was shocked. As long as she had known Civannah, she had rarely cried.
“Okay. Let’s go inside. Hmm?”
Katrina led Civannah back inside and shut the door behind her.
“Why don’t you take a shower and change? You should feel a bit better after that.”
Civannah nodded and made her way to the bathroom, meanwhile Katrina made her way to the kitchen and started to make hot chocolate. Civannah surely looked the way Katrina felt and they could both use a peaceful moment.
‘I wonder what happened?’ Katrina thought. She also thought back to Jongin’s apartment. Not at what happened but who. When Jongin came back from checking the door, he came back with a person, Changmin. And from what Katrina could remember, he looked just as out of sorts.
Katrina was removed from her thoughts when she saw the milk simmering. Going back to making the hot chocolate, she found two mugs in the cabinet and poured out some of the liquid inside.
“I’m sorry for bothering you.” Civannah said quietly as she walked back into the kitchen.
“I told you you’re not a bother.”
“I’m sure you had work…”
“Nothing is more important than you.”
“Katrina...there’s something I have to tell you.”
“Okay.” Katrina said, giving Civannah her full attention.
“I… I’ve been dating Changmin for the past two years…”
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