Kim Myungsoo woke up with the unfamiliar feeling surrounding him. He couldn’t quite figure it out whether he was sleeping in his bed or on a hard wooden table, or maybe he slept on the floor. He barey remembered anything from last night. The first feeling that greeted him when he started to regain his consciousness post the hangover was pain. The pain that shoots through his body, started with an ache and grew even harsher. He groaned and bit his lips to held his scream. It hurt a lot. His chest felt bruised, his cheek felt numbed, and he could taste blood on his tongue, his lips stinged. Did he get into a fight last night? He didn’t remember.

He rolled his body then the coldness rushed through him, signaling he had rolled himself over and landed perfectly on the cold floor with a loud thumped. He almost banged his head and groaned when the pain doubled. Drinking helped a lot, but the effect remained temporary, and the aftereffect wasn’t something to be fond of. In fact, he was quite embarrassed to be a man with drinking as his only solution. But what could be done when his love was driving him insane? Once in a while, he didn’t want to have his heart crush, so it’s okay.

He didn’t feel warm, but nauseous and cold. His stomach was all mixed up, as how his head feel. He wanted to threw up, but the lump in his throat prevented it from coming out. When he tried to open his eyes, the light was so bright that it was blinding him. Everything was spinning, not pinned on the wall, but spin against the sky. He wondered if he was dreaming or if he drank too much last night. But he could smell something so nasty, aside from his body that smell so badly of sweat and alcohol, was the smell of feet. It made him feel twice nauseous.

He woke up and slapped the air, trying to get rid of the stingy smell against his nose. When he could placed the flying objects backed to it’s place, he realized he was surrounded by six person, standing up and staring down at him. Their eyes were judging him, angry, and upset. Myungsoo was surprised to see Hoya being pissed off. He had never been so angry before. Woohyun was soon being dragged out by Sunggyu for trying to attack him. He was just sleeping and drunk and stink, so what wrong could he have done? Fight? Maybe, he fought with someone and the media was in a big uproar because of it.

“Chill out, guys!” He yelled but his voice came out throaty. Hoya immediately lunged at him but Dongwoo hold him back and Sungjong started sobbing again. The youngest looked so upset and hurt. “Did I get into a fight or something because my body is aching! Is the media in an uproar because of it?” He continued.

Sungyeol stared blankly at him. His expression was not good. Sungyeol only stared without a word, soon his gazed changes. He looked so angry and upset, disappointed. Sungyeol was the coolest, the most selfish among them. He was not easily upset, he easily upsets other. So, to see Sungyeol being upset over his business, he knew he had done something completely wrong. And Myungsoo knew it was not about the fight he may or may not had last night. It was about something else he couldn’t remember.

“I’m ashamed of you, Kim Myungsoo.” And for his best friend to be ashamed of him, Myungsoo knew what he did and couldn’t remember was absolutely bad.

“Where is he?!” Woohyun slammed the door opened while Sunggyu tried to hold him back as much as he could, but Woohyun was raged and the eldest became weaker against the bigger man. Woohyun slipped off the leader’s strong grip and lifted the sleepy drinker by the collar and yelled at him. “Do you even remember what you have done?!”

Myungsoo and Woohyun never shared a good relationship, even after claiming they were so much better compared to the old days. It was halfly true. To be honest, Myungsoo find Woohyun to be reliable and relatable. But Woohyun and Jieun’s closeness as best friend and Woohyun’s hidden feelings for her made things harder for them to be best friend. Myungsoo never liked it, especially when he decided to middle with their business. The two man often get caught up in a fight, seeing Woohyun raged is a rather casual sight.

“I get into a fight or something? Is that why you’re so upset?” Myungsoo practically rolled his eyes at their reaction. “I’m sorry, okay?! I have a very rough time yesterday.” He sighed remembering what he saw on that evening.

“The hell you get into a fight!” Woohyun cursed and landed a punch of the visual face. The INFINITE was not busy helping the bruised and groaning Myungsoo, they were busy trying to calm Woohyun down. Myungsoo was slightly disappointed with their reaction, but the pain soon fades away as he fall back to the darkness.

***

Myungsoo stood under the shower for hours. He let the warm water touch his back to comfort him, but it did nothing. It may have been an hour or two, or maybe three. He couldn’t get himself out from his thoughts, the regrets, and everything that he had done last night. He couldn’t believe he even forget what he had done, without the slightest guilt for it, until Dongwoo came and angrily yelled at him. Dongwoo was the only person who had changed so much, who tried his best not to return to his original state. So, he rarely burst in anger until today. And Myungsoo knew and understood why they were exegerrating it.

He was standing under the shower, still with his clothes on. He couldn’t stop seeing his bruised and bleeding self in front of the mirror and all the pain that shoots his body each time the water touched his skin. Still, he deserved more. He wanted it to be more painful, so he would stop regretting or blaming himself. He needed to get out of this engulfing guilt. Oh, why would he do something so sinful? He didn’t mean it. As the memories from last night came back to him, he couldn’t help but to scream in frustration. He hated himself.

“When will you get out? We only have around three bathrooms and schedules start in an hour. Faster, Myungsoo!” Dongwoo knocked on the door. “If you’re going to blame yourself, blame yourself when we have nothing to do. You need to call her or nothing will be fixed.”

“I can’t attend the schedules with a face like this.” Myungsoo replied, voice cracking.

“That’s why you’re doing something else.” Sunggyu came knocking. “We use your CF filming as an excuse. Clean the house and call her. You’re not going anywhere today.”

“Thank you, hyung.” Myungsoo was completely helpless with him slowly breaking down. “Sunggyu hyung… did I… do it for real?”

“Yes, you did. You did, Myungsoo! You hurt your person, the woman of your life!” Sunggyu soared in anger. “I heard you! I saw you with my own eyes. Did you remember the way she scream for her life? The way she begged? The way she pleaded? Or the fear in her eyes? The way she cried so badly? The bruise you caused? Did you….”

“Sunggyu, enough! Enough!” Dongwoo yelled and Myungsoo punched the mirror in front of him. He hated himself. He was a fool. “We leave you alone and don’t think of doing anything stupid. You have to heal within two days or we will never forgive you. Give her a call.”

The dorm went silenced moments later after the multiple sounds of clicking doors. He was still standing under the shower, slowly taking off his clothes after what felt like an eternity. He couldn’t stop blaming himself and hated himself. He had just made a promise, a promise that he’d wait as slow as she would like it to be. So, why couldn’t he be patient? He knew he had every rights to be angry at her, but did he have the rights to do such a horrible thing to her? No, he didn’t. By now he realized, perhaps, they weren’t just meant to be. Maybe, she was better off with another man. He was selfish.

He wailed and wailed, and screamed, even yelled while punching the mirror again and again until it cracked. His knuckles were bleeding but he wanted more pain, more pain so he could stop feeling guilty. This was the first in eternity that he felt so sinful and dirty, so broken and dying, so… so sad and unhappy. Lee Ji Eun should break his heart a thousand times, a thousand more, so this would stop. The only thing that might stop him from killing himself maybe would be her killing him. He’d deserved it, being crush by her.

The shower took a really long time. He went out of the bathroom with his lungs running out of air. It felt suffocating to trap himself inside with all the guilt and sin. He hurt her. He hurt her. And it hurt. He made a fool out of himself. His body looked bruised with bluish and purplish mark here and there. He had big bruise on his cheek, torn lips, and swollen face. He needed to call and he wondered if she was willing to pick up. He was just crush, but she, not picking up might be the end of everything. He was afraid, with every step he took, closer to his phone.

She was his seven, because INFINITE will only be complete with all seven members around, he would feel complete with her around. She was his seven, because seven was his favorite number. She was his seven, because seven looked nice to him. She was his seven, she was his favorite, she was his other half. He even believed, they were meant to be. They were meant to be, weren’t they? Now, he doubted that. Will two people being meant to be, hurt each other in an endless hurt and hurting cycle?

He was scared, something weighed against his chest.

***

No one expected him to come back to the bar drinking, after what happened last night. They doubted he would drink again or even came near alcohol after it happened. But there he was, coming back to his source of comfort and problem. He was just drinking, drinking, and drinking, making sure he didn’t exceed his limit. He didn’t want it to happen again.

He tried to call her, but she didn’t pick up. It crushed him to pieces, but what worse was finding her to be nowhere. He tried to search for her but she was nowhere. No one knew where she was, even Mrs. Kwon was unwilling to tell him. The maid seemed to put the puzzle pieces quickly with her judging voice and shocked expression, or the way she quickly pushed him away, out of the house. She was not willing to tell him where her young mistress was. She simply pushed him away and Myungsoo could understand it. He couldn’t remember everything clearly, but he knew what he did was bad.

Pil Suk, too, didn’t know about anything that happened. She freaked out the moment he told her that Jieun was nowhere to be found and unable to be contacted at the moment. Jieun didn’t answer any of Pil Suk’s call. Myungsoo was ready to beg on his knee, begging for forgiveness when Jieun was nowhere. She continued to be nowhere. He wanted to call her manager but everything might blow up. He had blown everything up, so he should stop for now. Wooyoung was nowhere either.

He didn’t know the number would be useful by now, when he was so drunk and had nowhere to run to. The INFINITE would be mad if they knew he came back drinking to the bar. So, he was thankful he met the alluring woman. He was thankful she left her number in his car. At time like this, when he had screwed everything up, what harm could it done? He lost everything important. He lost his friends, he lost his love, and he might lose his career.

“Time to stop drinking, boy.” She teasingly remarked, leaning closer against his lips. She was wearing a tight dress that showed her long legs and y curves.

“Kim Hyuna-ssi,”

***

Lee Ji Eun was a mess after what happen last night. She flees to France, mostly to take care of these urgent and selfish life-changing private matters and partly to run away from all the pain. Even in France too, she’d be seeing lots of drunken man, but at least she would feel safer somehow. Her house didn’t feel safe anymore. She ran away. She ran away. While Wooyoung, the man, was most probably still oblivious to it. Here she was, bearing with all of it alone. It was painful. She turned off her phone and switches her number temporarily, in case Myungsoo called. She had mixed feeligs about him since what happen; she wondered about ways to fix their problem or if they should ended it. Honestly, she doubted she could forgive him. She loved him, but she wasn’t a fool either. Lee Ji Eun, eversince young, has always been gorgeous, wise, and smart.

Showers took longer than usual for her. She couldn’t stand her own image in the mirror. She felt so dirty with bruises everywhere and marks on her neck. His could touches felt so fresh. Her back had reddish mark that hurt, he raked her back very roughly. She wanted to feel clean and new again, but she can’t. She found it very frustrating. She hated herself.

She sat on the back of the plane, trying to make herself as comfortable as she could be. She became very bad with man after the event, she was paring that she’d spend the whole journey of hours alone. Living alone, maybe, is the easiest. The pain was pounding against her chest so badly, the hurt and hurting cycle.

She knew she looked weird with the clothes she put on. It was summer, a hot summer day, and France would probably be really hot too. Everyone was wearing their tank and shorts with pair of sandals, while she was wearing a knitted long-sleeved sweater, denim jeans, with scarfs around her neck and hat. Once she arrived, she would look very weird. But she needed it. Her body was filled with traces of abuse. She didn’t want anyone to see it and constantly being reminded of what happen last night. The way her body ached each time she tried to move was more than enough of a reminder.

The plan did not land smoothly; she was very uncomfortable once it landed. The turbulence caused her body to ache twice more than usual, the belt was pressing against the bruise on her stomach. It was hot and dry outside, she could barely breathe with the clothes she put on. A summer vacation caused the airport to be packed, that she barely breathe at all. When she finally arrived, Chauffer Kim awaits her. It was not her mother’s request, but rather Lee Ji Eun’s. She decided the old chauffer could be her only hope to see her mom.

He was cold, as always. He always wore his sunglasses and remained silent by the black sedan side, as his eyes search for her. He didn’t even call for her name when she appeared by the door looking so confused and lost. Jieun, anyone who had known her for years would know she was not okay by a single glance. Right now, why can’t he simply called her and sooth her for a bit? He had been her silent companion for years, although they never lead a good relationship, at least they should be able to understand each other. Lee Ji Eun couldn’t understand his coldness, but aside of it, she could.

“Chauffer Kim,” she chirped when she found him, but her smile was cracked. For Lee Ji Eun to have a cracked smile… it did not take a genius to find out what had happened.

***

She hated his silence. She hated the way he glances at her by the review mirror, behind his black sunglasses. She hated the way he dressed in all black on a hot summer day. She hated the way he acted cold. She hated him, especially today. She had begged him to take her to Lee Ji Sook’s place, yet he ignored her. Not a single word escaped him, not a single soothing action he did to calm her down. His eyes fall flat on the road in front, with glances every little while. And she hated it.

She knew he wasn’t willing to take her to her mom. He knew what she needed the most, he knew what had happened (except the aftereffects), yet he seemed to be oblivious to it. He remained cold, without any feeling. She was not being Lee Ji Eun today; half of her pride was sold off by Kim Myungsoo the other day, so the other half barely meant a thing to her. She had begged, on her knees, pleaded. She had begged, in anger. She had grabbed him by the colar and yelled at him, but none works. It was frustrating. She had even cried so hard.

When he suddenly stepped on the breaks, her body jerked and crashed backwards, she groaned at the pain. He didn’t even flinch at her groans and yelps, or the way she shrieked in pain. He didn’t even take her to her mother’s. They arrived in a grand hotel, near a fashion center in London, with everything painted gold. Jieun once again broke down and sold off the other half of her pride, crying and begging, grabbing him by the collar, only to find him unresponsive to whatever she did. He simply get out of the car, arranging her luggage by the loby, and opened the door for her. She looked horrible with puffy eyes and messy hair, tears staining her cheek.

“Chauffer Kim, do you have kids? What would you do if your kid is in my position? She didn’t even know her mom, all she did was fulfilling her wishes but it will never be enough. Would you be cruel enough to be forcing her?”

“My wife will never do such a thing,” his voice turned out to be light and rather easy-going, a contrast to his appearance. Jieun was surprised to see him talks. “But if it happened, I’ll talk it out with my wife. Still, parents want the best for their children.”

“The thing is… I don’t even have a father. My father isn’t a father.”

“Jang Wooyoung is a good man. Your mother is a kind woman.”

“My mother is a kind woman? Chauffer Kim, you never know how desperate I was to believe my mother is a good mother. Which mother abandoned their children? Which mother threaten to ruin their children life? Jang Wooyoung is a good man, but I’m not in love with him. I could be happy with him, even more than I could be. But, I’m in love with someone else, he could be or could not be the one. Still, I’d rather not marry anyone than marrying someone I did not even love. I am never happy to begin with. I hope you can pass that to my mom, if she cares enough to listen.”

He bowed and she turned her back against the older man. She was exegarrating things just now, she knew it was wrong but something inside her had died last night. Her pride, her softness, her politeness, she found no point in them. What’s the point when all she received in return is merciless sadness and abuse?

“You’re cruel, Chauffer Kim. Prove me wrong someday.”

“Your mother is a kind woman. I’ll prove it to you,” he clicked the door open. “Get in, Mrs. Lee.”

***

She didn’t spend much time thinking about her mother, after what seemed like threats came after her over and over again. She didn’t want to think about her mother, she didn’t want to wish upon stars and being crushed by those beautiful-like stars. She didn’t want to hurt herself and hate her mom. So, she stopped thinking about her mom. She thought she wouldn’t care anymore, but she did. A child is a child and a mother is a mother. When she stood by her mother’s front door, she was scared. Would she notice her? Would she be a warm mother? Would Chauffer Kim proved her wrong? She wanted to be proven wrong.

If she thinks about it, she didn’t even know how her mother looks like. She may have seen her pictures, but it was years ago. A brief description about her mother created a rough sketch for her. Nevertheless, she was still curious on how her mother look like. Was she a soft-hearted and beautiful woman? Or was she simply a cruel woman? So, Lee Ji Eun was nervous when she stood there, alone. Her finger tips tingled when she knocked on the door.

“Come in,” The voice was soft, but dictating.

The room was dark, with darker curtains covering the sunlight away, and a single dimmed light above the desk, as the older woman scribbled on pieces of paper. By the look of it, Jieun could guess what she was doing, designing. Oh, how long it had been since she last touched her sketchbook, maybe she took the wrong road, indeed. Nothing had gone well since she took the other route. Jieun smiled when she realized they shared the same wavy hair and hazel eyes, also almost the same eyes. They gave off a similar feeling, but very strange and different at the same time. The woman may look beautiful, but she looked cold.

“Jieun, you came!” Her mother seemed to be delighted, but her tone sounded force and quite flat. Jieun smiled sheepishly. “Let’s measure her for the dress!” The maids were crowding her that she needed to excuse herself multiple times for their hands to stop touching her almost everywhere.

“I… want to talk about the wedding.”

“The wedding? Do you want it to be… moved? Faster, maybe! Oh, they just didn’t want to listen! Of course, you are a perfect match.”

Jieun had to held it all in. Her mother’s voice sounded off, as if she was forcing herself to sound happy. “Actually… I want it to be cancelled.”

The woman stopped scribbling and all Jieun could hear was the threaning silence. She was afraid another words that came from the woman might be threats. She wanted to be proven wrong. Let the perfect backstage princess be imperfect, just for today. Behind the thick glasses Lee Ji Sook’s wear, she was glaring at her child. Wishing for it to be cancelled isn’t something she would like to hear. Her plan was going absolutely perfect, and it seemed the two was in love.

“Jang Wooyoung is your man. There shouldn’t be any further argument.” She dictated and scribbled down on her paper.

“But I have a boyfriend. Wooyoung and I are just friends, childhood friends.”

“No buts!”

“But, mom!”

“Marry him, Lee Ji Eun.”

“Mom, please, cancels it.”

“Came on Sunday next week, then everything will be perfect. Goodbye.” She motions her to get out.

“Please, mom. This once, do me a favor. I’ve done everything you want me to, so please… just this time, cancel it.”

“Or?”

“I wouldn’t… appear on the big day.”

“You wouldn’t dare! Jang Wooyoung’s company and family can crumble by a single phone call… if you want that… you are welcome.”

“Are you really that cruel? You’d let your child marry a man she didn’t love? You’d let your child be sad? You’d even threaten your own child? All I ask you is to cancel the wedding. I’m too young and I don’t love him.”

“If you really want to see his company crumbles, then we’d cancel it. I always give you choices dear, pick the best and pick wisely.”

“You never gave me any chance. I…tried my best not to hate you,” she cried, “but why are you giving me more reasons to hate you?! Please, just cancel the wedding.”

“Three days, Jieun, just think about it. Wooyoung’s company or your happiness?”

“Mom,” she stood up, “you underestimated me.”

***

When Lee Ji Eun heard that Jang Wooyoung was back in town, she quickly came to his apartment. Her eyes was still puffy after crying and fighting with her mother. She was proven right and she hated how she was always right. The fights turn out to hurt her much more and it took longer, they get caught up in little arguments. She hated her mom, how she would decide everything on her own. Her mother never cared about her. She recently found out the reason why her mom wanted to marry her off to Wooyoung. It was a little business matter, so she could have more powers and money. Still, she wondered why it has to be Wooyoung. Arranged marriage sounded so cliché that she had a good laugh about it that night. This insanity was actually funny.

“Jieun, why didn’t you tell me?!” He yelled at her. For the first time, he yelled at her so angrily and so worriedly. When he realized she was crying, he took her in for the night. She told him everything. Despite everything, she still trusted him the most, as much as the old days.

“I thought… I could handle everything on my own, Wooyoung, but I can’t. This is too much for me.” She cried. “I wanted to be proven wrong so badly.”

Wooyoung realized she was hurt by her own mother. Of how helpless she was in front of her mother, that she felt so low. Her pride was completely sold off on her own. She was desperate and frustrated at everything. She wanted to stop for a while and really stop. She wanted to stop having to take in everything. She wanted to breathe without hurting her bones. Right then, breathing became hard.

“I’m sorry, Wooyoung. This time, I’d choose my happiness over yours. But I will make sure you will be okay. Your company, we will save it. We could both do it, together.”

“If you chose my happiness over yours, it would make me look really bad. You made the right choice, Jieun. It isn’t selfish.” Wooyoung smiled and took her hand. He let her lean on him and breathes for a while.

“I won’t be coming to the wedding on my wedding dress. I’ll come after it starts about half an hour. You shouldn’t come, too.”

“I’ll come, but late. I’ll be all dressed up in my tux, waiting.”

“You’ll be embarrassed in front of others. Wooyoung, we both have had enough of her games. You have said enough sorry and I have followed enough. It’s okay. It really is.”

“I have a company, Jieun. I’m no longer on my own; I have people depending on me. If your mother did something bad, those people would suffer the most. I couldn’t let that happen, I need to make sure everything is okay.”

“You change,” she smiled. “You are not the same Jang Wooyoung, you became even better.”

“I know.”

“Should we start making some calls?”

***

Lee Ji Eun was half-asleep with her half-lidded eyes, but she was well aware of her surrounding. Wooyoung found her to be strange. She flinched at the slightest skinship he gave, she defended herself almost immediately that made him panic for a while. At first, he thought she was being so much pressure, then he realized something bad had happened. She was simply terrified and scared of man; probably something had happened between her and Myungsoo.

They made a lot of calls last night. First off, they were gather information of who would be attending the wedding. It was a long list, which neither of her mother’s assistants was willing to give the list to her. She ended up having to make calls here and there, trying to get as many informations as she could get. She was aching, she was not feeling well, yet she had to maintain her tone quite well for the informants to be corporative. It was a lot of work. They both spent the whole night with making calls; they made hundreds of calls that night.

Jieun fell asleep in the middle of a phone call. She suddenly stopped talking and leaned against the wall, asleep on the floor. Wooyoung had to take over with it, as he smiled seeing how peaceful she looked. They have a long guests list that will be attending the wedding, it will be a lot of work from now on, guessing it may take them more than a week to actually calls and informs all of them, while the wedding was just around the corner. They needed to finish things quickly, especially when his company was at stake. Wooyoung was glad that she became selfish this time, he wanted her to be happy for once.

He carried her to his bed, while he would take the couch for tonight. Thankfully, it was not winter, taking the couch didn’t sound so bad although his body might ach by morning. He slowly lifted her up and lied her down. She curled and lied on her side. His fingers traced against her skin, tracing her facial features and smiled at it. She was perfect, yet she looked sad.

“Mmm…” she murmured, which surprised him a lot. He quickly retracted his hands away from her, his brows knitted when he took off her scarf. There were band-aids on it. The corner of her lips was parched and slightly injured. It must have stinged. What happened? He wondered and it disappoint him how she decided to keep it all in. She was crying just now.

When he thought about it, she was dressed weirdly tonight. It was a hot summer evening, the temperature was higher than usual, yet she was wearing knitted sweaters. He pulled her slevees, to see the bluish bruised on her wrist. He sighed, why wasn’t she telling him? He could help, or perhaps it was too much to be shared. He knew Jieun well enough; she liked to keep it all in.

He tended her injuries throughout the whole night.

***

“Do you need cold packs?”

When she woke up this morning, the whole room smells so nice. The smell of toasts and eggs woke her up in the morning. It felt so warm. Her body ached for a bit, but it was better than yesterday. She was sleeping soundlessly on his bed and it felt so nice. She quickly stood up and ran to the kitchen, he was cooking breakfast. It was not his first time, but it had been a long time since the last time she ate it.

But his questions startled her and she wondered if she had told him about it the other night. She didn’t remember sharing it though. Jieun thought it was too private to be shared. She didn’t like the topic either. She wanted to stop talking about Myungsoo and stopped thinking about it. Maybe, they weren’t just meant to be. She wasn’t that happy without him, but she could be better off without him. Being with him made her happy, but it also hurt her deeply. They should stop.

“Cold packs?”

“I saw it, your wrist. Your neck, too. Last night, you were asleep and I saw them.” His back was facing her. “Why didn’t you tell me, Jieun? You’re my best friend and I love you. Tell me anything, Jieun. I really hate it when you decide to cover it all up.”

“So… you knew.” She bitterly smiled. “You are my one and only, you know that, right?” He nodded. “Then, can I please just have another ice pack?”

Her nails dugged deep into his biceps. She winced and yelped in pain, her body shifted uncomfortably at the coldness and stinging pain. Her bones were aching in a painful way and everything was throbbing against her head. Her grip on him turned to stronger squeezes as he pressed harder on the wound. She once again winced in pain and softly moaned. It hurts, even under the piece of clothing she wore. Wooyoung pitied her and she would smile bitterly at it. She looked like a foolish woman, protecting what wasn’t meant to be.

“That… hurts?”

“A lot.”

“Can I see it?” Wooyoung nudged the hem of her shirt lightly, reading to slightly pull it up the moment she nodded. She stared at him for a while, trying to make sure he would not freak out. She was convincing him that she was okay.

“Okay.”

He lifted her shirt up, showing the wounds in her abdomen. It was badly bruised, even worse than her wrist. It was not a deep blue bruise, but a deep purple one, one that would hurt horribly. Wooyoung trailed his fingers against it and pressed it slowly. She dugged deeper onto his skin and whimpered at the sudden pain. He was angry. Kim Myungsoo, no matter how wrong she could be, shouldn’t be doing something like this to her. She was the love of his life, how could he?

***

What could be better than taking unnecessary thoughts off your mind by working twice harder than usual? She was left alone in his apartment room, Wooyoung was upset over the secrets she kept and how badly injured she was, he wanted to accompany her yet he had more works to do. So, she ended up alone in this room, listing the guests list. There were hundreds of them, all of the biggest fashion industry famous names and companies was invited to her wedding. It was not the wedding she had dreamt of. On her wedding day, she didn’t want to be the stranger.

She hasn’t stopped making phone calls since morning. She even started to work on the emails and apology letter. She needed an excuse, so everything would make sense. She and Wooyoung had agreed about it, they would use the very lame excuse: something came up and they needed to cancel it. Of course, it would raise suspicions; still they probably won’t even talk about it. Lee Ji Sook was very powerful, enough to bring half of them down on her own. Lee Ji Sook was a sly woman, wasn’t she?

Lee Ji Sook wasn’t. Jieun still wanted to believe in that.