The pain is intense. The embarrassment and the rejection mushed into one, hurting my whole body. I didn’t plan for this; I didn’t know this could happen. How can he affect me so much just after few weeks of knowing him? How could I let myself fall?!

I remember his jokes and how he would treat me, as if I’m one of his old friends. I remember his little gestures and his kisses, as if I’m the only one in this world. It hurts remembering all of this but my brain seems to enjoy reminiscing these thoughts, hurting my heart even more.

“Hyuri” Someone calls my name.

I look up, not expecting anyone in this level of the building but there I see him, pacing his way towards me, his eyes filled with worry as he studies me. Great. Just great. After one tragedy to the next. What did I do in my past life that God had to give me this punishment?

“What’s wrong?” He kneels in front of me as he reaches me. I didn’t realize that I had already slides to the ground after my terrible shaking.

“Go away” I croak, hiding my face in between my bended knees.

“No, please Hyuri…” He cups my cheeks and pulls it up. I am too weak to resist.

He got a full view of my wrecked face but I am in no mood to proper myself. Let it be. Let him see me like this. He once made me look like this too anyway. If he wanted to embarrass me again, I’ll let him be. I don’t have any oppression against it anymore. Make it perfect, just make today perfectly filled with my misery. Maybe I deserve it.

“What’s wrong?” He asks as he stares into my eyes

“Nothing is wrong. Everything is just peachy” I reply sarcastically.

“Come on, please… You look like a mess”

I sneer, here comes the insult. “Yeah, I always look like a mess, right?”

He tenses, “No… That’s not what I meant… I’m sorry… I didn’t mean it that way at all. Please, please let me drive you home”

“Oh, please, enlighten me, why would I want to go home with you, Junsu?” I slap his hand away from my face.

He sighs and rakes his hair, “Hyuri… This is the storage room, the generators room. What would your dad’s employees say if they found out you’re here, in this state?”

What would they say? They’d say that I look like a beggar, a pure humiliation to my father. They’d say that the only daughter of the great Koo Bon Moo was rejected by an insignificant idol with a blue hair and skinny legs. They’d talk, they’d gossip, they’d know.

“Please, let me take you home. Soon, it’ll be dark and freezing”

I look up to the sky and smile in pain. How long have I been in here? I could see still see the sun between the winter clouds before, but now it hides itself, preparing for the moon to take over.

“Come” He pulls my arm, taking the whole me up. And I let him.

He drapes his arm around my shoulder to help me balance. I can’t feel my legs after hours crouching in this cold weather. I am too weak from all of the sobbing that I've been doing. He helps me walk towards the door and I couldn’t resist his help, I couldn’t fight.

“The employees will see me” I croak.

“They won’t. My car is in the basement and I’ll make sure the lift is empty” He says as he my arm.

He guides me along, helping me enter the elevator in silence. All he does is my shoulder every now and then or have a glance at me, making sure I’m still alive. He opens the door and letting me inside his M3 BMW. Not long, he’s next to me again, fasting his seat belt.

“Do you want to go home or do you want to go…”

“Home” I quickly answers. There is no way I’m going anywhere else.

“Right. Of course” he says, slightly embarrass by asking the question.

"What are you doing in LG?" I ask him as he drives his car out of the basement carpark.

"I had a meeting with your brother. We're thinking of merging one of our companies with yours" He answers.

"Are you in charge of your dad's company now?"

"No, not yet. But I am taking some accounts"

"Oh" I turn my head to look out the window.

We continue the drive in silence, not even turning on the audio. I embrace the silence, though. I am in no state to converse. I am in no state to keep up with him. I’m too vulnerable to prepare myself for any of his torture. I watch the outside passing by, counting the streetlights to entertain myself. Soon enough, the car parked in my driveway.

“Thanks for the ride” I say, reaching for the door handle.

“Hyuri” Junsu says in a way that makes me stop my action.

I freeze, with my hand on the door handle and my back is facing him, waiting for him to continue. What does he want?

He sighs and I can feel him slouch on the driver’s seat. “I… I can’t get your words out of my head”

Slowly, I turn my head to see him. He looks restless, troubled and worn out. I didn’t realize that before.

“You were right… I was an , I was a jerk to you…” He says in a whisper.

“What are you talking about?” I ask, not understanding what is going on.

“Couple of weeks ago. When I took you home. You lashed out on me, remember?” He smiles brokenly at me.

I tense. Does he want a payback? Please, please, not now!

“I couldn’t get your words out of my brain. I can’t sleep, knowing the things that I made you feel. I was a jerk” He stares empty at the steering wheel.

“I was self conscious, Hyuri…” He continues, “I tried to get your attention but you never once looked at my direction. You smiled, you laughed but it was never with me. I watched you from afar, wishing so badly that I could be the reason for any of your reactions… But I knew my place. My dad’s company is nothing compare to yours. I had nothing to offer. But then it happened, the first time I unintentionally quipped your dancing. I saw your face was red and I apologized maniacally. I didn’t mean to embarrass you at all. And then… then, you smile. You forgive me in instant and that smile… I still remember it until today.” He looks blankly at the garden in front of him.

I watch him in silent, taking in all of the words that he somehow found today.

“I was a reckless kid. I was so happy because for once, I got you to look at me, only at me. So I continued acting that way and every time you respond to me, I feel elated. I feel happy that finally you noticed me. I didn’t think of all the pain I put you through. I thought you knew that I meant none of them. I didn’t knew, Hyuri-ah…” He rasps.

I didn’t expect this. I never even dream of this. What is going on? Is this some kind of a sick joke that he’s trying to pull?

He turns at me and grab my hand suddenly, “Please… Please let me make it up to you. Let me pay all of the bad things I did to you. Let me… Please…”

“Junsu-ah” I try to pry his hand away but his grip is tight, not letting me go.

“Just give me a chance. Give me a chance to make you happy. I’ll make you happy, Hyuri. I promise. I’ll erase all of those bad memories you had of me. I’ll make you change your mind about me. Just give me a chance. One chance, Hyuri…”

“I…” I daze. He took me off guard.

“I’ll never make you cry anymore. I’ll make you smile. I’ll make you laugh. I’m mature now, I know what I should do and what not to do… These tears, that stains your beautiful face, will never be there if you give me a chance”

Tears. The idol washes through my brain again and I got a reminder of the excruciating pain again.

“I don’t know what hurt you today. If you’d tell me, I’ll do whatever it takes to banish that thing. I’d do whatever it takes to fix you from the pain, Hyuri. I’ll do whatever it takes to help you forget the hurt…”

“Fix the pain…?” I mumble. Is this thing that I’m feeling fixable?

“Yes. I’ll make you happy. I’ll make you forget” He says quickly.

I look up to his eyes and I see the blazing fire o