“I—” What should I say? What should I say? What should I do? What should I say? I don’t know what I’m going to say, nor do I know what I mean. I’m going to be crazy because of this girl, aish.

                “Igeon jinsimiya baby, neoro gadeukhan nae sok-e…” the voice of Dong-hae echoed in the abandoned place. I stared at her in disbelief.

                Jinsim? Really? Wow, she must be a hardcore ELF then.

                She quickly grabbed her phone from her pocket and stared at it for a while. She glanced up to me and turned around.

                “Yeoboseyo?” I heard her murmur. I shook my head, in relief and in shock.

                I was saved, at least, by Dong-hae’s voice and by whoever that is that’s calling. At least I could take this topic for a rest now.

                “Jinjja?” she almost screamed. I jumped and stared at her.

                “Deh. Arasso.” She finally said, assuring the one who called, and she hung up. She faced me with tears rolling down from her eyes.

                “What happened?” I asked her, worried. “Who called?”

                “It’s Jae.” She sobbed, obviously scared. “We have our picture taken.”

                “What?” Picture? Gawd, I forgot about that crowd.

                Then, as if on cue, my phone vibrated in my pocket. I quickly took it out and answered the call with no doubt in front of Min Ji.

                “Hyung.” I acknowledged after reading Lee-teuk’s caller I.D.

                “Where are you? Are you with Min Ji?” he’s in a hurry, I guess. I can barely make out the words.

                “I’m with Min Ji but I don’t exactly know where we are. We’re in a Church, that’s for one, but I don’t know where.” I quickly replied. They must’ve seen the pictures too.

                “Okay, stay there. Manager hyung will find you.” I heard fast foot steps on the line.

                “Hyung, where are you now? Perhaps we can find our way back there.”

                “No!” he almost made my eardrum explode. “Stay there and wait for our manager. Your pictures are on the net, Cho Kyu-hyun. You should’ve been more careful!”

                “I’m sorry.” I replied, having nothing else to say, bowing my head in unease.

                “I’ll hang up now. Wait for manager hyung and don’t go anywhere, arasso?” he ordered, being the responsible leader again.

                “I understand, hyung.” I said then he hung up.

                Min Ji is still crying silently in front of me. I approached her and held her face between my palm. “It’s going to be okay, I promise.” I told her.

                She nodded, although her tears didn’t cease off.

                We waited for manager hyung for hours and when he finally showed up, he lectured me in front of Min Ji unstoppably. I just bowed my head all the while. After finishing with his lectures, he thanked the priest who let us hide there from the fans and then we left.

                “Look at this, Kyu-hyun.” The manager hyung handed me his BB and pointed at the screen.

                I stared at the screen and sighed. Min Ji beside me took a peek too, then she started sobbing again.

                It’s a picture of the two of us, running. Although my face isn’t actually shown, Min Ji’s face is on full view.

                “But, hyung, they can’t prove that this guys was me.” I reasoned.

                “But it is you, Cho Kyu-hyun!” he stressed.

                “Still, my face isn’t on view. Can’t we just tell the public that it isn’t me. That this guy is just a stranger who happened to look like me? Can’t we just do that?” I’m desperately looking for an escape from this. Min Ji wouldn’t be safe anymore if anyone could prove that the guy in the picture is me. I don’t want her to be hurting anymore because of me.

                “But you ran! A normal guy who happened to look just like you wouldn’t run away. He’d stay and pretend that he’s you.” He replied in clenched teeth. “We’ll fix this up in any way.” He concluded.

                I stared at the picture again. I was holding Min Ji’s hand here. She’s looking back at the building crowd behind us while I was busy looking for a place to hide. I really should’ve pretended like I didn’t know her and left her there safely than to drag her into this mess with me.

                I tossed the BB back up front and stared at the nervous Min Ji beside me.

                “I’m sorry.” I murmured.

                She just stared back at me with wide eyes. After a while, she sighed and wiped her tears off her eyes.

                “I— It’s fine… I guess… I— I’m at fault… to—too.” She sobbed.

                “No, Jiji.” I shook my head. “I’m the one who drag you into this. I’m sorry.”

                “When Jae called, she was mad.” She explained, certainly thinking about something else beside the mess we’re in to.

                “Why?” I need to keep her talking to make her feel a little more at ease.

                “She said I was enjoying myself and not sharing anything in return.”

                “But, at the end it sounded like you’re assuring her.” I remembered her tone at the end. It’s as if she’s telling her friend that she’d be fine.

                “Yes.” She nodded. “Jae’s that kind of friend.” She smiled.

                I remembered the girl who gave me the address of Min Ji. She looks like a good friend, so imagining her being mad is quite difficult.

                “She’ll be mad for a while if you’re keeping secrets from her.” She giggled. “But she’ll still care for you. She wouldn’t want anything bad to happen to me.”

                “Then why are you crying?” tears didn’t stop falling from her eyes, although she’s smiling.

                “Because, I’m scared, pabo.”

                Oh, right. Who wouldn’t be scared? ELF’s could be scary at times and being an ELF herself, she knew exactly that she’s running into a death trap by now.

                “I’m sorry.” I repeated. I guess the Almighty Cho Kyu-hyun isn’t really almighty. All he could do is say sorry over and over again.

                “Stop saying sorry, okay?” she pinched my arm. “I’m not sorry for what happened. I’m just scared.”

                I smiled at her. “Okay.”

                “Jae told me you wouldn’t let me get hurt so she asked me to stay with you.” She put out her phone and dialed someone’s number.

                “Who are you calling now?” I wanted to snatch her phone from her since now is not the right time for her to make calls, but I guess I’m not in the right place to do that.

                “Jae. She told me that she needs to have a word with you.” She beamed, completely drying her tears.

                “Jae.” She murmured. “Deh, he’s here.” She said and she handed me her phone. I took it with shaking hands.

                “Yeoboseyo?” I whispered.

                “Oppa!” she squealed.

                I put the phone off my ear and waited for her to calm down. Min Ji laughed at my side.

                “Deh. It’s Kyu-hyun.” I tried again after the whole screaming phase.

                “Oppa, you shouldn’t let Min Ji get hurt by other ELF’s like us, arasso?” she ordered.

                Okay, the last thing I need now is a lecture from Min Ji’s very best friend. “Arasso. I won’t let her get hurt because of me.”

                “Be sure about that. You’re at fault, you know that, right?” her tone is a bit irritating, but I have no right to complain now.

                “I know, and I’ll be responsible for her and her safety.” I nodded to myself, noting that I’ve said this for a lot of times before and yet I fail at doing so.

                “Okay. So when you’d return Min Ji back to me, you owe me an autograph and a picture too, okay?”

                I almost laughed. At a time like this, she still have time to ask for a picture? ELF’s are really funny at times. “Okay.”

                “Oh, and, don’t tell Min Ji I told you this, she really likes you. So if you’d hurt my best friend, you’ll have to face the consequences. You know, I don’t go on easy about anyone when my best friend is included.” She babbled, but my focus is lost now.

                This is the second time that I proved how Min Ji really like me. It’s overwhelming and unbelievably amazing. I mean, I know a lot of people likes me but hearing it directly from certain people, it feels different. I just hope it isn’t just a love of a fan for his idol. That’s the worst thing imaginable now. Because I don’t want her to be just like that to me.

                “Okay. I promise,” I said, staring at Min Ji who tries to catch up with our conversation. “I won’t ever hurt her.”

                Min Ji’s eyes widen as she absorbed my words. Her face turned bright pink and, before I could observe her next expression, she turned her back on me to hide her face. I giggled.

                “Okay, with that, I’m completely entrusting you my best friend, Min Ji.” I giggled more. Another thing is for sure, Jae is acting more like a mother than Min Ji’s real mother. “Don’t ever forget your promise!” she finally said before she hung up.

                I handed Min Ji her phone, which she took still not looking to me.

                “What is that promise about?” she asked.

                “Oh, that. It’s about taking care of an important girl who happened to be in a trouble with me.” I beamed.

                “I— Important girl?” she stuttered as she faced me.

                Her face is still pink and her fingers grasps her phone too tightly. Nervous and curious at the same time, she’s looking quite funny.

                “We’re here.” The manager hyung announced.

                I glanced around the building and saw some paparazzi already waiting outside. I just hope they’re not there for me. There are some ELF too but they’re not holding any placards or whatsoever, to my relief.

                “We’ll go through the back entrance so you won’t have to worry about them. Anyway, the management already came up with a solution. They’ll explain the details later.” The manager hyung explained. He faced Min Ji and started talking again. “Now, what I want you to do is to bow your head and hide your face as much as you can until I tell you that it’s safe, okay?”

                Min Ji nodded and glanced at me.

                “It’s going to be fine.” I assured her, grasping and squeezing her hand with mine.

                The manager hyung opened the door and we headed out. Min Ji bowed her head and I did the same. We walked in a fast pace until we reach our destination. Manager hyung gave out a deep sigh before opening the door to the office. I sighed with him.

                Now, it’s time to face the consequences.

I'M SORRY IF I WASN'T UPDATING FOR A LOOONG WHILE..

my desktop broke down so i wasn't able to keep track of my stories...

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