Another day passed….  And it was already time for everyone to go home…

            “A penny for your thoughts?” a voice suddenly said that made Ellie quickly look behind her.

            She then saw Micky smiling happily at her. “What are you thinking? You seem to be quite serious all of a sudden,” he asked again.

            Ellie smiled and tried to hide the confusion she was feeling. “I was thinking of about the script. I need to make some major changes,” she tried to lie.

            Micky looked at her more thoroughly. He was trying to decide whether or not to believe what she said. “Oh, is that it?” he uttered after realizing that it would be useless to dwell on the topic that was bugging him. He just then decided to dismiss the real question that he wanted to ask her.

            Ellie stared back at Micky and saw the hurt look in his eyes. She instantly felt something… something …. She couldn’t quite explain.

            “Why are you here? Are you guys finished already?” she asked, just to change the conversation.

            Micky nodded. “Yes, I came here to ask you if you would like to go out with me for a cup of coffee… and some light snack too,” he answered sweetly.

            “Oh, but it’s late already. Samar and Krizzia are waiting for me at home. I really need to go home straight away,” she replied.

            “Then how about I just take you home instead?” he asked again.

            “What?” she asked. “Take me home? Where? Your home or my home?” she asked, quite confused all of a sudden.

            Micky quickly burst out laughing. “Oh, you’re really cute! I mean I would like to take you home… to your apartment. But if the chance do came along…. do you  think… I can take you home with me… to my home?” he asked jokingly.

            Ellie quickly blushed. “Please don’t make such jokes. I don’t like it,” she said nervously.

            “Sorry. Please don’t get mad. I was just joking... really. Anyway, how about my question? Would it be okay if I just take you home instead?” he repeated.

            “I guess it would be okay. But then... how about your friends?” she asked.

            Micky smiled. “Don’t worry about them. They are already grown up. They can take care of themselves. They don’t need me to take them home.”

            Ellie nodded her head in agreement. She somehow felt more secure knowing that someone was with her when she goes home. It was already passed midnight and she was always afraid during night time.

********************************

            “Bye guys. I will just take Ellie home and then I will go home straight away too,” Micky told his friends as he and Ellie got into the van that she was using.

            “Be careful while driving,” Xiah uttered as he waved them goodbye.

            Jaejoong just stayed silent as he continued to stare at the van as it slowly moved away. His heart was aching. He pitied himself and his situation. He was totally torn between what is right and wrong. He wanted to fight for Ellie, but he knew he had no right to do so. So he was left with the option of just accepting everything that was happening. 

            Ellie was sick and she needed someone to help cure her. And though reality was painful, he had to accept that he wasn’t the person she needed.

            He slowly turned and walked to the van that was waiting for them. He quietly went inside and just stayed silent for the rest of the trip back to their apartment. He didn’t want to talk. He had no strength to talk or think. He just closed his eyes and pretended to sleep. U-Know who sat beside him just looked at him every few minutes to check if he was all right. He also kept quiet during the whole trip. He didn’t want to disturb him. He wanted to give him some space… to think and to deal with his emotions.

He knew that Jaejoong’s silence meant a deeper meaning. He could easily sense the problem he was carrying. And though he wanted to support him, he knew only time and fate were the ones who could really help him.

******************************

            Ellie opened the window of the car and the cold air quickly brushed up her face, blowing her long and loose hair in different directions. She quickly tied her hair and smiled. She liked to travel with the window open. She liked the smell of the cold air while she looked at the wonderful sights that she passes. She kept her eyes outside the window and just kept on smiling sweetly like a small child.

            Micky couldn’t help but be captivated with Ellie as he watched her move so naturally. She was so simple in every way… but her simplicity was what made her more special to his eyes. Somehow the more time he spent with her, the more he fell for her. At first, he only wanted to help. It was the reason why he accepted her condition to be his boyfriend during the first time they met. He knew how desperate their management was in making her stay. Yes, he was already attracted to her the very first time that he met her. But he knew he could still control his emotions. He was just playing around… but after a short time of being with her, he knew he had already fallen for her… quite hard. She was so different from all the women he had met that she easily caught his heart. And it was also the main reason that he didn’t want to help in Samar’s plans after she had told them everything. He knew he already had a much deeper attraction for her… something that he wouldn’t be able to control, if he stayed with her longer. He didn’t want to be around her any longer than what was needed. He was afraid of his own emotions running out of control. But after the way Jaejoong had begged him to help… he just couldn’t say no. His own heart was already begging him to agree. He couldn’t bear to see Ellie suffer. She was such a special person who deserved a second chance to be happy… a second chance at life.

            Now… he was quite sure…. He was already in love. He was in love with Ellie… the girl that Jaejoong had been waiting and searching for. He knew it was such an ironic fate for the three of them to actually meet and end up in such a situation. He didn’t care what consequences were waiting for them. But he was willing to do anything for her… even if it means to betray and forget one of the people closest to his heart.

            Just being close to Ellie and staring at her was enough for him to forget the worry and guilt he was feeling. It was enough to make him forget his principles and turn himself into a worthless friend…

            ******************************

            Two hours passed….. in the DBSK’s apartment….

            Micky carefully entered the living room. He was tired and he wanted to lie down in the living room first before going to bed. The room was dark, but he didn’t care. He was too tired to even put on the light.

            “How is she? Did you take her home?” a voice suddenly asked out of the darkness as soon as he sat down on the couch.

            It was only then that Jaejoong opened the small lamp near the chair he was sitting on.

            Micky was startled, but quickly regained his composure. “What are you doing there? You’re waiting for me?” he asked with a hint of irritation.

            Jaejoong shook his head. “No. I was drinking,” he replied as he showed him the wine glass he was holding.

            “We have an early schedule tomorrow… and you’re drinking? You’re developing a new habit?” Micky couldn’t help but ask with concern.

            Jaejoong laughed with bitterness in his voice. “I wish it was something simple like that. So how is she? Did the two of you talk?” he asked again.

            Micky was feeling lost on how to answer his friend. “She’s fine. I took her home. End of story. What else do you want to know? Do I have to make notes starting tomorrow? Do I have to report everything to you?” he asked while feeling agitated.

            Jaejoong shook his head again. He then drank all the remaining wine in his glass in one gulp. Slowly he stood up and started to walk away. “Good night…. and thank you…” he uttered to his friend before finally leaving the room.

Micky felt like someone had just stabbed him with the last two words that Jaejoong said. Again he felt horrible for even thinking of taking Ellie away from Jaejoong. But his heart was giving him all the wrong excuses. His heart was somehow making him believe that what he was doing was right.

Micky slowly bent down his head and cupped his face with his two hands. “What am I supposed to do now?” he suddenly asked out of confusion.

***********

            Inside in Jaejoong’s room……

            Jaejoong looked out of the window. A single star was shining in the darkness of the night. “Good night Ellie… I will hold you in my dreams tonight…”