The incident buried on Krystal’s mind. She was not able to answer him when he said that. It wanted to suppress these confusing feelings that started to creep up on her heart first, and then her mind. It began to monopolize her and before she knew it, she was trapped. And yet, time slowly ticked by.

She was not even able to say how much she wanted him to worry for her, how much she wanted him to be hers. But, she couldn’t. Rather, she wouldn’t. She felt guilty, guilty of Sehun and his feelings for her. Those feelings were so pure and serene that she would let nothing tarnish it. Also, she was frightened. She was frightened out of her wits that she would be rejected over and over again. That Kai would choose Minah over her again.

She wanted to resort to solidarity of being alone and trying to keep every little thing peaceful and indifferent.

Another few weeks have passed; Minah and Kai drew closer together. It was not an accident but Minah was able to bring herself back to Kai’s arms again. Minah felt contented that way, she would never ever part from him.

Though Minah knew of Lee Taemin, she tried to forget about it. It was not like her to avenge her family even if she badly wanted to.

“Minah….” Taemin called out to her one day in the busy classroom during lunch period.

“What?”Minah’s face darkened. She did not expect this to come.

“Can we talk?” Taemin hushed further.

Sulli was taken aback. She looked angrily at Taemin. He just shrugged in response. He strutted off to Minah’s seat and seized for her arm.

They hurried off to the balcony at the top floor of the school building.

“You do know who I am right?” Taemin felt crushed. This gesture of him might end everything his parents tried so hard to set aside.

“Yeah…” Minah looked at him indignantly.

Taemin became busy looking on his shoes. And, a few minutes more passed. No one had spoken a word.

“Do not worry…” Minah smiled weakly. “Even if, I’m like this right now, I wanted to treasure every moment. I knew of the real story and how your parents tried to patch it up. If I’m psychotic like before, I would have strangled you by now. But, I’m going to live a new life away from my parents’ mistakes and of the past entirely.” She bravely said.

Taemin perked up. He gazed upon her eyes. He knew she wasn’t telling him everything.

“Minah…my parents. “

“Your parents could freely go back together again. And, yet they couldn’t.” Minah looked upon the vast sky. “It’s not that they do not need to, it’s they do not really want to, right?” She looked upon Taemin’s eyes now. “My case isn’t the real issue here.”

“So, you knew…” Taemin was overpowered by her words that he burst out, “You knew they were just making up lame excuses all along. That everything I knew was truly false and that you do not have any intentions of destroying the enterprise and the group---“

“Wait, there.” Minah waved her hands, panicking. “Of course, Oppa. Jinri wouldn’t like it if it goes so ugly like that. I know all along that I couldn’t defy your grandfather. You should probably tell her everything about him.”

“I don’t like that.” Taemin dismissed unenthusiastically. “I do not like what my grandfather is hoping for for me.”

“Thank goodness you have a grandfather.” Minah’s eyes blackened. ”I cannot fathom a day with a family.”

“My family….is already broken.” Taemin felt hurt even if he knew the truth. “I knew that….”

Sulli followed suit for the both of them. She felt worried that a fight might broke out between the two. She wasn’t on her right mind and tried to chase after them. She hurried for the stairs and practically tripped at every step she took. Her heart was racing as she traveled her eyes for the door of the rooftop.

She heard everything. More than everything, she knew how much he was hurting.

“I knew that he do not like my parents to be together. He thinks my father is a naughty boy trying to suit a lady.” She ran past Minah and hugged Taemin from behind.

She sniffed quietly. “Why didn’t you tell me everything?” She said between sobs.

“I know that I wouldn’t be able to manage your crying face.” Taemin gazed gently and tried to wipe off her face. “How did you know…”

“I knew it because I love you. I knew how much you were hurting that I wanted to hurry up and console your heart. I knew how it was too unbearable to tell everything to my cousin…and how hard it was to lead that life of yours.” She said those gibberish words. Yet, Taemin just watched her. This was the girl she fell in love with. She knew that he was about to cry any moment now, and she cried for him.

Stupid Jinri. Pabo Choi Jinri.

“My mom wanted to meet you, Jinri.”

Sulli was taken aback. A tear fell into her left eye, and fell beautifully on the ground. She was going to meet her man’s mother.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” She held his arms roughly.

“She called me. She finally called me and you were the topic of our conversation. She wanted to meet you.” Taemin tried to settle her down.

“Okay.” Sulli rubbed her eyes. Taemin patted the top of her head soothingly.

Minah first left as she was sick of all these dramas. She did her best to make Jinri happy. For her, she was truly an angel. She would set aside her devil self for Jinri’s smiles. Even if it meant that she couldn’t exact her anticipated revenge. Or, maybe she didn’t really want it, too. All she wanted was to come back to Kai’s side and be able to be with him ever.

“Minah, where have you gone to?” Kai asked to her as she approached the front door of the classroom.

“Watching a couple of love birds…” Minah pushed Kai as they walked to their proper seats.

If Kai was here, I would not care about anything else. Minah spoke to herself.

Yet, Krystal’s heart remaind unsettled. She was truly feeling bitter about this.

And, after she knew it, she was not able to tell anything to Kai. For the past months that have passed, she was never going to be able to revert it back.

And then, Kai was going to depart.

He was departing, not alone, but with Minah

.