-6 hours before the article was released-

Under a tree on a bench an unusual sighting was seen by the students of KPAD University’s Design Department. It was not an alien of some sort be assured but a well-groomed prince L in a designer wear ensemble was sitting uneasily on a wooden slab.

These young students were awakened from their early morning glum, murmured whispers was buzzing around that certain campus most especially when a certain Ms. Bae Suzy made her way to the steps up the large entrance of the Design Department.

L bolted towards her blocking her way. “HI!”  He shyly greeted, scratching the back of his neck.

“Hi…” An unexcited response was given as Suzy lowered her head, clutched on the books on her chest tightly, side stepping swiftly avoiding the large barrier in front of her.

“Hey!” L’s quick reflex blocked her again.

Suzy released a loud sigh from her lips.

“You have not been answering my calls.” L held on to her shoulders making sure she won’t escape him.

Suzy’s shoulders drooped and stiffened. “I……I……was busy with….uhm…catching up with school.”

Silence. Suzy finally met L’s eyes and she discovered he was looking at her with a puzzled expression as if waiting for her to come up with a better excuse.

Suzy lightly swung her arm towards L’s hand that held her shoulder to escape the hold he had on her. “Sorry. I was not born with a high IQ like yourself.” She said annoyed.

L was taken a back, a frown formed his lips for a second then he came to a conclusion. “Is it that time of the month?” He asked with a sudden smirk on his mouth. “Eh! It is isn’t it?” He pinched Suzy’s cheeks casually. “Aigyo! Fine I will let this slip for now.” Letting go of her cheeks, he smiled down at her.

“Call me when you’re over it.” Pressing his thumb on his cheek and his pinky under his lips, L gestured at Suzy while walking off, heading the opposite direction.

Suzy watched the disappearing figure of L before she unhappily stomped her way forward to her next class. Avoiding the knowing stares of the people around her.

)--------------(

That mid-morning, when the sun was blaring bright at the busy cafeteria of the University another unusual scene was witnessed by the masses of students within the campus. The tall and sophisticated Joohyun was following Sungyeol in hot pursuit. Sungyeol with the same determination quickened and lengthened his strides hoping to avoid the person behind him. But even with the advantage of being taller Joohyun was able to catch up with Sungyeol.

“What!!” Sungyeol shouted turned and faced Joohyun. Noticing that they were garnering attention Sungyeol smiled tersely before softening his voice an octave lower. “What do you want from me?!” An exasperated, exhausted Sungyeol spoke. He stepped towards her making sure they had a one foot distance from each other. He was making sure to keep his calm as he faced this tigress who had her fangs out.  

Joohyun tapped her Loubotin shoes with her arms across her chest that was covered with a bold red silken blouse. Joohyun glared back at Sungyeol before saying. “I just want you to give me your time for at least 15 minutes to discuss the “what to say” and “what not to say” for the presscon this evening. I had written a possible questionnaire the press will ask with a scripted political answer.” She handed him the paper she was clutching on her fingers. “Here! Why don’t we sit down, and go through it. I will need your full cooperation and undivided attention for this. I have been trying to set this meeting with you since last week.”

Sungyeol grabbed the paper that was handed to him and pulled on it aggressively. “You are well aware that am a MEDICAL student, right?” He stressed every word. “So it is only natural that I don’t have free time in my hands.”

“I am aware.” Joohyun sarcastically answered. “That is why I made time to follow you around this campus foolishly to get my job done.”

Sungyeol could not help it. He wanted to stay angry with her but that last remark formed an awkward smile on his lips. He stifled a groan before laying his guard down and accepted defeat. “Fine. Have lunch with me and will discuss this.” Lifting the hand that held the paper.

“My my….are you asking me on a date?” Joohyun jokingly stated batting her eyelashes.

That finally put on a somewhat genuine smile on Sungyeol’s face before he burst out laughing. “I think your just hungry…….Hunger is giving you weird ideas. Come on!” Sungyeol led the way.

Sungyeol for the first time in that week was grateful for Joohyun’s company because she was a great helping hand in keeping him distracted from the painful thoughts his trying to avoid.

)--------------(

IU was left to sit alone in the comfy space of Dr. Park Gahi’s office lounge. She was slowly sipping her barley tea when Dr. Park disturbed her from her thoughts by sitting across her with a wide smile on her face.

“Sungjong’s condition is looking positive. Especially because his will to live is quite strong. I am really glad that you’re with him for support.” Dr. Park leaned forward and held unto IU’s hand that was on her thigh.

IU heard the gladness in Dr. Park’s voice but she saw a hint of sadness in her eyes. “I am here to be with Sungjong as a good friend of course.” IU clarified, emphasizing on the word friend imparting to Gahi that there is nothing more to their relationship but friendship to clear the air.

“Sungjong is in fact very lucky to have you as his doctor.” IU continued. “I am glad that you’ve accepted his plea to be his doctor once again. I know how important you are to him and vice versa.” IU was genuinely glad.

Gahi was baffled by IU’s statement, her forehead creased before she lifted her eyebrow and figured that Sungjong has not stated his feelings for this girl frankly. Gahi uncomfortably shuffled on her seat.

IU became uncomfortable because she could see Dr. Park Gahi got uneasy with what she just said.

“I…I…I am sorry to put you in an uncomfortable situation but I sort of overheard your conversation with Sungjong a few months back.” IU blushed profusely embarrassed about what she had remembered. “It is when you know…uhm….when he said he still loved you. He told me as well…that you are….errr…his first love.” IU with the last statement looked up and finally met Gahi’s eyes.

What IU saw was shock in Dr. Park Gahi’s eyes. Then she saw the doctor opening then closing hesitating before finding the words to say. “You may not be aware but I am already married and with child.”

IU just nodded her response clarifying to Gahi that she knew.

“Since you know you might also understand that when Sungjong said that he meant it as past tense. Because clearly he has fallen in love with someone else which his already confided in me.”

This time IU was the one that was left in shock.

“You see…” Gahi leaned back on her seat re-crossing her legs. “…Sungjong’s past and my past is quite terrible it involves a lot of people. I won’t spare you all the details of it but in short it’s quite complicated.” More confusion etched IU’s features Gahi saw. “I will not be the one to tell you all that, it is up to Sungjong. But I will be the one to tell you this because I don’t want to see Sungjong hurt again….his heart…I think this time won’t be able to handle it.” Gahi leaned forward again took the tea cup that IU held and placed it on the table beside them. She took hold of both the younger woman’s hand enclosing it within hers before looking straight into IU’s eyes.

“Give him a chance. Please don’t hurt him” Gahi plead.

IU was taken aback by that statement from Gahi. Her stomach flipped. went dry and her brain was muddled by that statement.

“Does she mean what I’m thinking…..Is she saying….” IU pushed back all those thoughts to the back of her mind. She did not want to think about it.

Sungjong as if in timing appeared before them as he made his way out of the inspection room. He looked at both women with a smile but his eyes lingered longer on IU’s face. IU swallowed the lump on as she with unease avoided Sungjong’s eye contact and looked at Gahi who had formed a thin line with her lips as she nodded at IU with a strong gaze conveying that what was said earlier was just a fair warning.

)--------------(

A small fly could come buzzing in the room and it could be heard loud and clear since the eerie silence and tension within the room seemed top notched.  Bora has been sitting on the bed with Sunngyu across her on the same bed. They have avoided eye contact and was relatively new to this…being alone in the room together.  To top it all off they were in a motel room that was really small compared to what they were used to. A queen size bed fit the room but it occupied the entire room leaving space for one person to walk towards the door to exit and to go to door across it to use the bathroom.

Bora breathed deeply her heart racing before she found the courage to clear the air. “So what happened that night?” Her voice was thick and husky. She still avoided eye contact. She had her head down watching her fingers clasp and unclasp on her lap. She cleared , her ears hot with embarassment, before she lifted her head to look at Sunggyu who had his head turned towards the small window of the room. “Because something must have happened for you to be unwilling to go home and stay cooped up in this tiny, shabby room.”

Sunggyu’s left side of his lip lifted in an awkward grin as he shrugged his shoulders implying it was really not a big deal. He still avoided Bora’s gaze as if in deep thought staring out the small window that did not have much of a view but the cemented wall of a building across it. “It was nothing really. I just needed time alone and went somewhere far. I am probably not use to being in this kind of lifestyle. Pressure is hard too, since my family and I are garnering a lot of attention.” Sunggyu found the heart to finally meet Bora’s gaze. “You should know that as well. You have been in this kind of environment for the longest time.”

Sadness was laced within Sunggyu’s words that Bora figured. “So don’t worry too much about me. I will be fine once I get used to it. I am just not ready to easily fall back into it soon…so going home is not a very appealing idea for me.” Sunggyu continued to explain to Bora. He extended his arm grazing his palms on Bora’s arm as if trying to comfort and assure her.

Bora sighed before nodding, accepting that explanation. Sunggyu’s hand fell on Bora’s side before Bora held unto it, place it on her thigh and squeezed it. In silence they comforted and assured each other that everything will be better sooner or later.

After a few minutes Bora stood on the bed looking down at Sunggyu. “I will get something for us to eat hmmmmmm….and while I am away you better give IU a call she’s been worried about you. Assure her that you will be coming home sooner or later. So that she will be rest assured that her cousin is okay.”

Sunggyu gazed up at Bora a smile appeared on his lips as he nodded believing in her words that sooner or later everything will be fine.

Well until he found himself whisked out of the motel room by his father’s thugs by force taken to the car with handcuffs on each hand securely locked with two of his father’s most trusted bodyguards as he is sandwiched in between. Sunggyu was thankful that Bora was not there to witness this but was pretty upset that he did not have time to say goodbye as he figured the direction they were going. He just wished he will be within Asia because his language skills is not up to par.

)--------------(

Suzy’s mood earlier did not help L in properly listening to his professor’s lecture about who knows what. He was distracted the entire morning. His thoughts kept coming back to Suzy’s crabby remark regarding his IQ. He is well aware that he is a little above average intelligent. His father made sure that he was well educated. At merely five years of age, he was acquired to start reading the encyclopedia. It took him painstakingly long to finish it besides it being really long, he was a slow reader then and the apparent reason was because he just learned how to read. It took a lot of hard work for him to be in this position now. So it seems it will also take a lot of hard work to keep a relationship going but for Su