“We understand each other dearie,” Yonghwa’s mother pushed a strand behind Shinhye’s ear.

Shinhye didn’t answer nor did she look up. She couldn’t believe how much at fault she could have been. How far, how deep down she could have actually brought Yonghwa. “I-I really want your son…to be happy,” she choked out facing the floor. Her eyes were darting back and forth as her mind ran a marathon.

“If you really want him to be happy, let him go. The way he was before you showed up, was just fine. Don’t ruin that for him.” Her tone so soft and gentle, yet her words jabbed at Shinhye’s heart like hawks pecking at their food repeatedly.

“You’ll leave them all alone? Everyone, all of this, their band will continue just as long as I stay out of their lives?” She asked.

“Yes all of this will be just the way it is. However you don’t have to stay out the other three’s lives. I only want you away from my Yonghwa. I’m not that cold dear. Whatever you do with them is up to you,” his mother walked towards the wall to gaze upon an individual poster of her son.

“I’ll get my job back? My enrollment will continue?” Shinhye asked.

“Yes, but if you break this deal with me be aware of consequences.” Shinhye did not want to find out what those possibilities would be. Yonghwa’s mother turned to face her again. “Besides you wouldn’t want to go through more of those anti fans right? Constantly being followed by millions of fans who hate you, knowing they’re right. We all want what is best for my son. What you’re doing is the opposite of helping him.”

“I don’t want to be bothered by those fans,” Shinhye spoke.

“Exactly so-“

“But I don’t want to leave him either. I can listen to millions of fans telling me to go away or to die. But I know Yonghwa would be there to protect me. I know he’ll be there for me,” Shinhye refused to let go.

“Babo! Because of him there are fans who want you to die! Because of him you need to protection! Even if he offers this willingly he has none from you! Now for the last time leave my son alone!” She finally blew up at her.

“I…can’t,” Shinhye sniffled doing her best to gain confidence. She looked up into the woman’s eyes. “I will be there for Yonghwa. For C.N.Blue and I will protect him from you,” with that said Shinhye began to leave the studio.

“Selfish!” Was all Shinhye heard her yell right before she was out of the area. Tears didn’t stop falling. There was no way it could stop.

Now his mom hates me! She screamed in her head as she walked to anywhere. Shinhye for sure had no job, no education for her original career path, and she wasn’t sure if his mother would take away more. She had no idea in heaven, earth, or hell how she would be able to protect him from such power. "Sh-Should I tell him?" She asked herself as she slowed down. Giving much thought to this Shinhye shook her head. “No I’ll act like nothing happened,” she didn’t want him to create a bad relationship with his mother. She didn’t want him to know what his mother thought of her. Knowing Yonghwa she knew he’d start a fight. Then that fight would leak out knowing his mom. His image mattered a lot to him. “More than me,” she stated as tears rushed out like waterfalls.  Shinhye became a glass case of emotions. Scared of what might happen to the people she came to care about. Pain because the fact that she is causing more hardship on him. She felt anger and frustration because she had no possible solutions for this dilemma.

Meanwhile back to the BF…

“Hmm what a good nap,” Yonghwa fixed his car seat to sit up straight. He interlocked his fingers stretching his arms forward. He figured he’d check if Shinhye still lounged inside the retail store. He might as well make up a lie that he was buying her clothes. It was a mere coincidence he found her there. “Anyonghaseyo,” he entered the bright clothing paradise.

“Ah aren’t you-“

“Yes I’m Jung Yonghwa, I’m here to pick out clothes for my beautiful girlfriend-“

“She isn’t here anymore she left about an hour ago,” the woman replied.

“What? Ugh, where?” He demanded to know.

“She went home,” Shinhye’s friend figured she wouldn’t want him to know just yet she had gone to meet his mother. She also kept the clothes from him, hoping Shinhye would have a good excuse to come back for them. “But would you still like to buy her an outfit-?”

“No, but kamsaheyo ahjumma,” Yonghwa left in a flash. Without listening to the woman’s yells of how she isn’t that old. He drove back to the bus stop he followed her to earlier. Parking on the curb he wore his hoodie over his head, and classy sunglasses to disguise his identity. He stood in front of the soda machine looking for her favorite drink ‘Calpico’. “Hmm, how about Strawberry flavor. It’s pink and she’s a girl.” He paid for the drink then headed home. On his way back home as he waited patiently for the red light to go green he saw a familiar figure. Shinhye was about to cross the street until he turned the corner to stop right in front her. That stopped her heart.

“W-Watch it!” She placed her hand over her heart feeling rapid thuds.

“Don’t you recognize my car?” Yonghwa rolled down the window revealing that smirk of his. Shinhye blankly stared at him as though he were an illusion. As though it were her first time seeing the superstar. She gasped then faced away from him wiping her damp cheeks. She wiped all of her makeup off, she forced out a smile to hide how puffy her eyes were.

Yonghwa parked on the curb. The two were at a park. “Where did your other clothes go? You buy all of that?” Yonghwa trailed from her high heels to her top. Her hair was even curled at the bottom. At least she kept the sunglasses. “Did you go on a date with someone else?” He accused her.

“Wh-What? No! I would never-!”

“I believe you! I was just joking!” She hit him for that. He rubbed his arm surprised at upset she looked. “So class was short…or I thought you’ve been gone not so long.” He covered himself.

“Uh yea, my teacher took the day off today! Yea he said he had a very important meeting to attend to so class was actually canceled today,” she covered for herself suppressing the need to cry.

“I see, too bad it’s been a while since you’ve been there too.” He placed his arm around her rubbing her arm. These little gestures of his made her heart hurt even more. “So you just wanted to go shopping on your own afterwards then,” he looked at her appearance again.

“Yeah the store owner is my friend so she wanted to dress me up today! I forgot my other clothes there though,” she explained.

“That’s weird. You got dolled up but you carelessly left your-“

“What’s that in your hand?” She changed the subject when she noticed an object he hid from her.

“Oh right! I went out for a bit and saw your favorite drink! Here, if you happened to maybe forget to buy your favorite drink.” He handed it to her. She stared at pink liquid for a couple of seconds. He was kind enough to just go out and look for her drink. He kissed the top of her head when she was blanking out. She couldn’t hold it in anymore. Tears flowed uncontrollably splashing onto the ‘Calpico’ bottle. “Yah! What’s wrong?” He faced her more towards him.

“Th-This isn’t my favorite flavor!” She lied as she cried hysterically.

“Wh-What?! Just for that! Araso! Mianhye! We can go get your favorite-“

Shinhye embraced him abruptly. Her face buried in his warmth, her damp face wet his hoodie. At least he wore plain clothes today. Her muffled sobs made him chuckle, but mainly confused. An elderly couple walked on by, he assured them nothing was wrong.