“I’m sorry.” The girl named Krystal said. Minho looked at her.

“What for?”

“I don’t know. You seem angry.”

“So you just say sorry for no reason at all? What is that gonna do?”

“Calm down, Minho-sshi. I said sorry so that you’ll feel better, not get angrier at me.” Krystal talked back. Whoa there, a lion hiding behind a lamb.

He sighed. “It’s just… I tried so hard to convince Kim Yuna and her manager to endorse our products and now when the partner says no, what am I going to tell them?” He closed his eyes and leaned back. “I even had to ensure them that the product will be a success with Kim Yuna’s help.”

“Oh. I’m sorry then, for taking over her spot.”

“I-It’s not your fault.” Minho sighed again. He was so stressed out. He put in all his effort convincing Kim Yuna to endorse the new line of energy drinks called ‘Speed Up’ and now this girl comes along and it seems the partners like her. He tried not to blame her or anything, but it was hard not to.

“I hope that we will be great partners in this project. And you too, Miss Krystal.” The representative of a French sports brand shook his and Krystal’s hand. He smiled back politely. “By the way, Mr. Minho Choi, I have already discussed with your father about the photoshoot next week. He said that he will ask you to pick the venue for this beautiful girl to model, yes?”

“What?” What had he just heard? The photoshoot was scheduled to be in March, in spring. What is this impeccable nonsense?

“Your father and I have discussed that winter time would be the best time for an ice skater to skate, no?” The partner smiled at Krystal.

“Appa! What was that? I thought the photoshoot was in March!” Minho shouted at his father.

“Son, I was just about to tell you tha-”

“All that planning, all MY planning!”

“Son, I…”

“It’s all going to waste!” Minho couldn’t handle it. All those months he spent planning this huge project. It was going down the drain.

“Minho, calm down-“

“You keep quiet. Who said you could just come and mess up my plans?” He suddenly threw all his anger at Krystal.

She scoffed. “Excuse me. I was just helping you up!”

“You should have left after you helped me. What did you do? Kiss up my father’s ?” He shot at her sarcastically.

“I did not! I was just about to leave when you father came back!”

“Keep quiet, the both of you!” Minho’s father shouted. “I don’t know what to do about you, son. You know business is all about give and take. It also includes spontaneous planning and adapting to the situation. Do remember, nothing always goes according to plan, Minho.” He took a deep breath. “And Krystal, I would like you to ask for permission from your parents whether you are allowed to model for us and if it’s okay that you can only return next week.”

“I’m sure it will be fine. I’m staying in Paris until the end of the month.” She smiled politely and then threw a glare at Minho.

“Oh, right, by the way, Krystal, you would have to move in to our suite.”

“What?” What is this man thinking this time? Inviting a girl to stay with two men?

“You can take the room upstairs, beside Minho’s.”

“I don’t want to intrude. Besides, I already rented a room elsewhere.”

“Then think of it as saving some money for yourself. It would be easier for all of us with the photoshoot coming up next week.”

“Alright, then.”

Minho sat in the living room of his suite with his laptop, brainstorming ideas. But nothing was storming. He was so disturbed by everything that happened today, from the spraining of his ankle and Krystal being the new model to Krystal staying at their suite. He groaned loudly. How was he going to think of photoshoot venues in such a short time?

“Are you alright?” He turned. Krystal was standing by the staircase in her pyjamas that were pictures of cute bears but Minho couldn’t even be bothered.

“It’s none of your business.”

“You seem really stressed.”

“You don’t understand.” Minho turned back to his laptop and typed ‘Beautiful places in Paris’ into the Google Search Bar. Typical, but he was desperate.

“It would probably be the Eiffel Tower.” Krystal commented.

“Will you shut up?” Minho sighed. “All you do is talk, talk and talk! You’re no help!”

“I’m sorry…” Krystal muttered.

“Sorry, it’s just that I’m really stressed out about this thing.” He leaned back on the sofa and stared at the ceiling. He suddenly felt two hands massaging his shoulders and looked up to see Krystal’s face. “Ah, thank you.” He felt himself relax.

“Your father told me how you’re really committed to this project.”

“Mhmm.”

“He said he never forced you into this, so why are you taking it so hard?”

“It’s just been my dream to take over the company.” Minho simply said, just to shut Krystal up.

“Don’t lie.”

“Do you always doubt people?” He raised an eyebrow at her.

“Maybe.” She stuck her tongue out. He chuckled.

“So, what about the venue?”

“I don’t want to talk about it. I’ll probably search ‘Romantic places in Paris’ or something later.”

“You’re such a fail. You probably haven’t fallen in love.” Here she goes again. Simply guessing. Minho stiffened. He didn’t like it when people mentioned about love. “You haven’t, or have you?” She looked at him teasingly.

“Leave me alone.” He said coldly, and faced his back towards her.

“What’s with you? You were okay back then.”

“The past is the past.”

“Was your past painful?” Krystal asked, getting the hint.

“I said I don’t want to talk about it.” He said, almost a whisper. He was trying not to get angry at Krystal. But it wasn’t helping that she was being so nosy.

“I guess that’s your problem.” She sighed. “Keeping it all in. It’s okay to have a bad history of love. I have too. Maybe I was too naïve back then, but I didn’t ask to be rejected so badly. He could have rejected me politely. I cried for days.” Krystal scoffed as she teared. It had always haunted her.

“The girl I liked accepted my confession.” Minho suddenly spoke. “We dated for a while and then she said that she only did so because she wanted to be popular, seeing that I had so many friends. She said it was better to tell me the truth. She said she was sorry for lying but I think it would’ve been better if she continued to lie.” A tear slid down his cheek.

Krystal hugged Minho from the back as he stood up. “We just have keep going and open our hearts to love again. In time, love will come back again and maybe this time, it will stay for good, neh?” She sniffed and wrapped her arms around Minho’s torso tighter. Minho had really needed it. All this while, keeping himself away from love. Was it time for him to open his heart again, just like what Krystal said? He closed his hand over Krystal’s and both of them continued to stay in that position. 

Hello again kekeke.