“Yang Yoseob.” Ji Eun’s hands were on her hips and she was tapping her toe impatiently. It was after the practice of the drama and everyone was getting ready to leave. But Ji Eun wanted some answers from Yoseob first.

Yoseob had a flashback of his mom in the same position right before she was going to scold him for doing something stupid. Uh oh, this is not good. He responded by smiling nervously at her. “Uhhh hi?”

“I want you to explain yourself! Why did you pretend to be Joonghee and not yourself? Why did you not talk to me for so long? I thought we were friends…” she voice started to crack, and her eyes got watery as she remembered how hurt she felt when he was acting like that, “Why did you ignore me?”

“Wait Ji Eun, wait!” Yoseob suddenly got nervous, I cannotdeal with crying girls! “Please don’t cry Ji Eun!” He stood there uncomfortably and dragged her to a corner where people couldn’t see them, he was trying to be careful so people didn’t see them and mistake their relationship. What IS our relationship anyway?

He hugged her and held her close. “Don’t cry, don’t cry.” He awkwardly patted her back. “I’m sorry, I’m really sorry, I promise I won’t do that again. I’m really sorry Ji Eun.” He heard her sniffle and start to pull back. Yoseob reluctantly let her go but he softly held her elbows, unwilling to relinquish all contact.

Ji Eun sniffled and wiped her eyes, “Who said I was crying?” she pouted but her voice was raw. “I’m fine, now answer my questions!”

“Well…” How am I going to tell her that I ignored her because I didn’t want to hurt her when I hurt her in the process? Why isn’t here a book on this kind of situations? He took one arm off her elbow to run his hand through his hair, agitated. “It’s…well...because…” WHAT DO I DO?? He panicked.

“It’s because of me.” The two looked up to see Wooyoung, once again interrupting them. This time Yoseob was glad he did except for the fact that now his hand wasn’t touching her anymore. Wooyoung looked directly at Ji Eun. “Well, it might be more accurate to say because of us.”

“Wooyoung oppa…” Ji Eun said with shock, “What do you mean? Because of us?”

“I told him to stay away from you.”

“What?” Ji Eun turned toward Yoseob who wasn’t looking at her anymore. “Is this true Yoseob?”

“Ji Eun, listen to me. We are dating right now, it may not be real to us but it’s real to everyone else, including our fans. If you get caught with Yoseob, it will raise suspicion. People will say that you are cheating on me or that Yoseob is trying to steal you away from me or something like that. All three of us will be shed in a really bad light. I don’t want that to happen.” Wooyoung looked directly at Ji Eun and wouldn’t let her look away. “I don’t want you to be hurt. By what they say, and what the fans would do. You don’t know how extreme they can get.” His eyes turned soft and caring, “If it was anyone but you, I wouldn’t keep Yoseob away. But you are you.”

“But oppa, Yoseob is my friend.” Ji Eun said softly. “I don’t want him to pretend not to know me like before.”

“I know.” I know all too well. Those expressions you showed when he ignored you… it hurt me too… but I need to protect you from more pain. Please understand.

“That was why I turned into Park Joonghee.” Yoseob started. “I thought it would be okay with a non-idol but…I didn’t think it through. Joonghee would probably hurt you more.”

Ji Eun’s expression turned hard. “I appreciate your thoughts but stop treating me like a baby. I don’t break that easily.”

Yoseob and Wooyoung shook their heads at the same time. “No you don’t understand how harsh-,”

“No, you don’t understand.”

“Luna?” Ji Eun said with surprise when they saw her walk up to their conversation looking kind of pissed. “What are you-,”

“You guys don’t understand. Ji Eun is strong.” Luna said pointedly to Wooyoung and Yoseob. “And she has the whole F(x) supporting her.”

“Luna,” Wooyoung growled, “Don’t in. It’s none of your business.”

Her eyes flashed in anger, “Excuse me? Jang Wooyoung, it’s IS my business. You know why?” she stuck her freshly manicured finger into his chest with each word. “Because she is my best friend, Ji Eun will have me protecting her so you don’t in and try.” She pointed to Yoseob. “He has the right idea, he took your advice and stayed away but changed himself to be with her. He didn’t want to inflict the pain of him staying away from her any longer.”

“Luna.” Wooyoung was seriously getting angry.

“Wooyoung, she can take care of herself, stop babying her.” Luna said glaring at him. “Don’t think that just because she’s a girl that she needs a guy’s protection. Plus what kind of friend chases away another friend?”

“LUNA!” Wooyoung yelled but quietly enough that no one outside of their tight circle would hear. “SHUT UP WILL YOU? JI EUN IS MY GIRLFRIEND! I HAVE THE RIGHT TO PROTECT HER, STOP BEING A KNOW-IT-ALL AND A BUSY BODY!” Wooyoung stopped, immediately regretting what he said. “Oh shoot, Luna, I’m-,”

Luna looked hurt, like she couldn’t believe that he said that to her. “-just stop. I’ll shut up now.” she walked away.

“Luna!” Ji Eun yelled after her. She turned towards Wooyoung, “Oppa… that was over the line. Luna…she… you just said the two things to her that would hurt her the most.” Then Ji Eun looked over to Yoseob with sad eyes.

“Hurry and catch her.” Yoseob murmured with a sad but kind smile. He patted her head. “Don’t worry about us.”

She nodded and ran after her best friend.

“Luna, Luna are you okay?” IU finally caught up to her. They were in a park and it was late at night. The streetlamps eerily shined in the dark, Ji Eun felt slightly nervous being here so late, but it was for her best friend.

Luna’s head was in her hands and she was quiet but Ji Eun saw tears dripping on her pants. She was silently crying.

“Luna.” Ji Eun said quietly. She put an arm around her shoulders and tried to comfort her. “Wooyoung-oppa was an idiot. Don’t worry, you’re not any of those things. You’re pretty and talented and nice and strong, your amazing, don’t worry about him.”

“Ji Eun, what he said…” she sobbed. “It’s true isn’t it? I am a busybody. And a know-it-all.”

“No. You’re not.” Ji Eun said firmly. “You weren’t then and you aren’t now. You were just protecting him then and me now. You’re just too caring!”

Luna leaned back on the bench and tried to hide her tears but Ji Eun could still see it falling down her perfectly made up face.

Ji Eun knew she was thinking back to that time. But she couldn’t stop it. Once Luna started to think about it, she didn’t just think, she relived the horrible experience. Ji Eun knew she couldn’t do anything and she hated it.

Luna was just a kid then. She wasn’t responsible but she still carries the burden…

I was just worried. Yohan was hanging out with weird people so I went to follow him. I shouldn’t have done that. I see it too clearly.

“Yohan! Come back home with me, it’s dangerous. Those people aren’t safe!” I cried trying to pull him back.

“No noona! I want to go! I want to go!” Yohan struggled against my grip. “What do you know about my friends? They’re good people! Why are you here anyway? Did you follow me? You’re so nosy! Stop being so snobby like a know-it-all!” then he broke free, stumbled back right into the road.

“YOHAN!” I yelled trying to get him to safety when a car hit him. I can still see it now. The bright lights, the loud honking horn, Yohan’s heart breaking scream, and the screech of the tires right before it hit him. Then the sight and sound she would never get out of her head; her younger brother flying and rolling on the windshield of the car and the sickening crack of his bones.

She remembered being frozen and the whining sound of the ambulance. Then soon her parents. The yelling.

“What were you doing?! Why didn’t you protect him?!” Mom yelled. “Why couldn’t it been you? You horrible, nosy, snobby child! All of my friends make fun of your meddling! I can never live it down! Now it finally got your younger brother in the hospital! Why couldn’t it been you?”

Dad didn’t do anything. Nothing to help me. They split up afterwards…

“Luna! Luna! Snap out of it!” Ji Eun yelled and shook her best friend when she finally had enough of watching Luna have a breakdown. “It wasn’t your fault! Do you hear me?”

Luna just looked blankly forward, not really seeing anything.

“Luna.”

She finally looked at Ji Eun.

“He’s fine, Yohan’s fine.” Ji Eun said calmly and slowly. “He’s in America, remember? He’s with your mom.”

“Yea…Yea…he is…” Luna just said. She carefully cleaned herself up and tried to smile. “Thanks Ji Eun, you’re awesome.” She gave IU a light hug. “Do me a favor.”

“Anything!” Ji Eun quickly responded.

“Don’t tell anyone about this okay?” Luna saw the look on Ji Eun face, “For me, please?”

IU pursed her lips but agreed.

Luna smiled in return. “Now let’s get you home. Your manager told me to pick you up because something came up.”

Ji Eun smiled softly. “Let’s go.” She’s going to go back to normal like always. I wonder if this is healthy. But she’s always fine afterwards, like the flashback never happened. She’s healing. She smiled when Luna put her hands into fists and growled.

“Wooyoung is dead meat.”

Wooyoung-oppa’s in trouble. Ji Eun grinned.

“You so did it.” Taecyeon said. “Luna’s never going to forgive you, you know. She’s a fierce one.”

“I know! I’m in so much trouble! She’s never going to talk to me again! Ji Eun even said that I said the things that hurt her the most! What am I going to do?” Wooyoung paced around the room, driving 2PM crazy.

“I thought you’re going out with IU-sshi. Why are you worried about Luna? You don’t have anything to do with her.” Junho said bluntly.

“He’s right you know.” Taecyeon replied. “You really don’t.”

“But she’s my…” Wooyoung trailed off. “My…”

“Your…” Taecyeon frowned at him. “You don’t even know. Don’t tell me…”

“NO! Of course not!” Wooyoung yelled. “Definitely not!”

Junsu shrugged. “It can happen like that you know.” He snapped. “You have to be careful.”

“Relationships are tricky here.” Chansung agreed. “Antifans, drops in popularity, rumors… You really don’t want to get into that hyung. Especially when you have IU-sshi at the moment.”

“For the last time, I’M NOT!” Wooyoung barked.

While Chansung was taken back, Nichkhun walked into the room.

“Victoria just called. She said that Luna came home. She thinks that she’s been crying.” Nichkhun frowned. “F(x) all wants to know what happened.”

Wooyoung just closed his eyes and leaned his head against the wall. “Great now all of F(x) is going to hate me. Nichkhun’s extended family isn’t going to like me anymore!”

“That’s right!” Junsu remembered. “We have to show up in WGM (We Got Married) tomorrow don’t we?”

“I’m dead.” Wooyoung groaned.

“It’ll be fine…” But Nichkhun didn’t sound so sure.

They all just gave Wooyoung pitying looks, knowing that a woman’s rage is nothing to be joking about.