“Hey aegi,” sang Joon as I let him into my apartment.

I was glad he was here. To be blunt and straight to the point- I needed to break up with him. I couldn’t be playing with two married men who worked in the same company. That was way too much unnecessary drama. And well- my mind was all Onew Onew Onew. Joon…well.. he didn’t matter that much to me anymore.

I already had had him. There was nothing more I could get from him. He had been a catch, sure, but I wasn’t the one who had caught him. His wife still had him on her hook. All I had been was the little pretty silver fish that he had wanted to eat even though he was trapped.

And I was going to swim out of his life now.

“I need to talk to you,” I said. God, this was never easy.

“Sounds ominous,” laughed Joon as he leaned on the counter. “If you were a girl I would be scared you were pregnant or something. Go ahead. I have something I want to tell you too.”

“We’re over. I want to break up.”

For some sick reason, I love and hate the way their faces just freeze and fall when I tell them that. I love how it means that they’re hurt that I don’t want them anymore. That they want to be owned by me and be by my side, and love me. And I hate it because…I did like them. I don’t like seeing them sad. I did like Joon. I do like Joon.

But.. I don’t to be in this.. “relationship” anymore.

“You’re ing kidding me,” he deadpanned, a frown etched on his face, his handsome features distorted.

. I hoped he wouldn’t turn mean.

“I’m sorry hyung,” I said softly. “But I don’t want this anymore. We’re over.”

“What? Why?” he cried incredulously. Then he seemed to get a thought. “It’s not that stupid air con is it? I already told you that I would buy you one!”

“No,” I said. “I just don’t want this anymore. Go back to your wife. We should have never done this. What we’re doing is wrong hyung, and you’ll thank me later. I’ll just be a mistake.”

At this his face softened. Oh god, I had said the wrong thing, hadn’t I?

“Babe, he said, coming closer to cup my face. “Don’t feel guilty. Don’t feel like you’re the other one. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I know it doesn’t feel like it when we’re sneaking around. You deserve more than this, you deserve someone who wants to be with you, and only you.”

I stared at him in wonderment. Wow! Was he getting it? He didn’t sound like he got it, but he was saying all the right words. Maybe he wasn’t that cut up about separating? God he was goodlooking though.

“So Taeminnie, look at this,” he said, giving me a large brown envelope.

I opened it suspiciously, making note to get rid of Joon’s hands which were circling my waist as soon as possible.

I read the top.

Application for divorce.

I choked.

“D-divorce?” I said.

“Yup!” he grinned happily. “Look here!”

He pointed at some random line.

“ ‘Lee Changsun- that’s my real name- is filing for a lawful divorce from his spouse Kan Mi Young on grounds of irreconcilable differences and incompatibility. Isn’t this amazing? I told you how I was moving stuff around. I got it all done! I’m gonna divorce her… and then… we can have a life together, how does that sound?”

“You’re divorcing her… for me?” I squeaked out.

“Yes… and now.. we can live together, and I can buy us a huge apartment! And I won’t need to sneak off in the early hours.. and we can buy a puppy since you always wanted one…”

All I could think of was that I was causing a divorce. I was causing a divorce! I didn’t even want Joon anyway! Especially now, so confident and looking so proud of himself. He wasn’t so goodlooking anymore.

And poor Mi Young! I really did demonise her in my mind! She was really quiet and plain, and all she wanted was her husband’s attention. I didn’t want this. This had gone way too far and was getting way too complicated. Joon had been the first guy who I'd had a relationship with and was married. The rest were just flings, or were just dating. I didn't even know how to handle this.

I slapped his hands away that had been trying to hold me closer.

“No. No! I don’t care, Joon. I don’t want this anymore. I don’t want you anymore. Please. I’m sorry. Please leave.”

Joon looked confused. “But…what? I thought you loved me?”

“It’s true, I thought I loved you. But I don’t think I did. And I don’t love you now.”

“Are you seriously telling me it’s over?”

“Please go. I don’t want you anymore.”

“You know I’ve been sorting out this divorce all for you.”

“I know, and it’s a mistake. This has been a waste of your time, really. Please leave.”

“I’ve already given Mi young her half of the divorce papers. You said you wanted this.”

“I promise you I never said anything about that. I have never wanted you to get a divorce.”

“I can’t believe you, Lee Taemin.”

“I’m sorry,” I said. “But no. No more. I’m sorry. And I’m sorry to Mi young too, and- “

“You son of a !” he yelled, slamming the counter top with his hand with a bang. I flinched at the sound. “What the are you telling me?”

“Get out, Joon! Just get out!”

“Get out?” he yelled. He laughed sarcastically. “You’re telling me after all these months, to casually just get out? After I go through legal and moral hoops for you, just a simple get out? Why? What the ?”

“I can’t explain, I-“

I felt my breath hitch and fear and adrenaline thumping in my heart as he grabbed the front of my shirt.

“No! I don’t believe this!” he yelled, shaking me, his spit flying into my face.. “I don’t understand! What the , Lee Taemin?”

“Get off me!” I screamed back. “What is there to understand? I don’t want you in this way, Joon! I want this to be over! I never want to see you again!”

I don’t really know what happened. I heard a loud slap, and I landed on my hard, my cheek on fire but numb at the same time.

I put my hand over my cheek and tasted coppery salty blood. I stuck a finger into my mouth and it came back tinged with a reddish brown.

“Oh my god, I’m sorry,” blabbered Joon, kneeling down next to me. “I’m sorry, I-“

I clenched my hand with the bloody finger into a fist and aimed it as hard as I could at his face.

“! !”

I could hear him swearing as he covered his face and was thrown aback. At this I scrabbled to get back up, but he grabbed the back of my shirt, pulling me back.

“Let go of me! Let go!” I screamed, my shouts deafening myself. I was so scared. For the first time, I was so scared for my life and my safety. Out of all of them, I had thought Joon was the nicest and safest one.

Guess it was right for me to dump him then.

“You little monster!” he roared, yanking me back hard so I was on the floor again. I tried to kick him but the angle was awkward, and somehow he ended up sitting on my legs and straddling me.

We had been in this position so many times, but each time had been full of love, so much tenderness. And now I was scared out of my mind, and he seemed to have tripled in size and there was nothing more that I wanted than to get him off, get him out, forget he had ever happened.

“Ow!” I screamed as he held my shoulders down and started shaking me again, my head hitting the floor. Damn the wooden floors I thought as tears started to well in my eyes and my ragged breaths turned into sobs. Damn my luck, damn my life.

“GET OFF HIM!”

I froze at the screech and Joon did too. I could feel his movements just seizing. I recognised this voice. Oh holy god someone had come to save me.

“I said, get off him.”

To my relief, I felt Joon get off me and stand up. At the freedom I quickly rolled, crawling away as far as I could from him.

I cried as I heard Key walk toward me and crouch down to my level. Through my blurry vision I could see his patterned shirt, and I flung myself at him, wailing and clutching him with all my might. I wanted to hold on to his security, his safety. I wanted Joon gone. I wanted Key to protect me.

I felt Key’s arm gently encircle me.

“Key, this isn’t what it looks like-“ I heard Joon try to say, his voice broken.

“This is exactly what it looks like,” Key said calmly. “Get out before I call the police.”

Noone said anything and it was silent except for my gasping sobs.

“Taemin, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-“

“Did I ing stutter?” snapped Key. “Because I won’t when I’m on the line to the cops. I said get the out."

There was a silence. interrupted by the rustling of material.  Joon threw something near my body, and I flinched because I thought it might hit me but didn't.

"What is this?" Key seethed.

"I love you Taemin," said Joon as his voice cracked. "Hope you can buy that stupid air con so it can keep your heart as cold as it is now."

And the clack of his expensive shoes as he finally, finally walked away.

"It's okay now Taemin, do you still want me to call the cops? I should've called them, shouldn't I? I'll tell the doormen not to let him in again, I promise," fussed Key as relief swam through my body. I wiped my eyes with my hands as Key talked, him rubbing my back as I tried to sit up.

I opened my eyes to see what Joon had flung at me.

Money. Notes everywhere, all 100 000 won notes.

I hiccupped and put my hands over my eyes as I cried. I didn't want to touch any of this money. But was I sick for being happy I had it? I would send it all over to my mother as soon as possible.

"Are you okay?" asked Key.

I shook my head.

"Want me to stay for a while?"

I nodded.

"What happened?" whispered Key as we lay in my bed in the darkness. Even though it was stuffy as hell, I had the fan and the heat was comforting. I was snuggled in my blankets even though I was slightly sweaty.

"I was breaking up with him...because..because he's.." I hesitated, deciding to lie a little bit. "Married."

"I'm sorry," whispered Key. "But you did the right thing."

He tried to put his arm around me but I shufled away, not wanting to be touched right now.

"Sorry," he apologised. "But Taemin, Joon is a dickhead. This was all his fault. I hate him."

"You don't have to hate him because of me," I said. "You don't mean that."

"Let me tell you a secret Tae," he said, carefully sifting my fringe out of my eyes. "My parents are divorced.  And although I don't know what exactly, I know it was something my dad did. My umma used to cry so much before and after the divorce, and couldn't stand to be around him. I know my appa probably had an affair. Joon is nothing but a liar and a cheat. And what I walked into- he isn't a good man Taemin, you are better off without him."

"Umma," I whimpered. I wanted my mother. I opened my eyes and the room was dark. I didn't know where I was, yet I did. Where was my umma? She was always here... "Umma.."

"Shh Taemin, come on go back to sleep," a voice said next to me, trying to get me to lie down again.

"Wha? No," I said, tears gathering in the corner of my eyes. "I want my mama. Maamaa.."

"I'm sorry," the voice whispered as the body held me close. I snuggled into whoever it was, wanting comfort that I wanted from my umma.

"Umma," I tried again, knowing it was hopeless.

"My poor baby, go to sleep," he soothed. "My poor Taeminnie.."

So I did.

I stared at myself in the mirror in the office bathroom like I did every morning. Key had offered to call me in but I declined. I had wanted to see what Onew would do. But now I regretted it. I looked like .

Under the artificial bathroom light I could see that my cheek was swollen, red and with slight scratch marks. My lip was split, and my head hurt because I knew there were bruises hidden by my hair. My eyes were red and puffy from crying so much. I looked terrible, I looked like a kicked puppy. I was a kicked puppy.

Maybe I should go home. I was in no mood to work anyway.

Just as I turned to go, the door to the bathrooms opened and Onew walked in. Upon seeing me he gasped, walking quickly toward me.

"What happened?" he asked, and upon seeing me starting to cry, enveloped me in his arms, reminding me why I had gone through all of that in the first place.

A/N Taemin has run right into Jinki's arms! 

I know none of you were expecting this. But I am an angst junkie, and just think- it could mean over protective Onew later on! ;) ;)

And PLEASE comment! so far only about 3 people comment each chapter and only because I force one of them to comment so it doesn't really count! Come on! Do you like it? What do you want to see happen? PLEASE TALK TO ME WAAH