Present – Day of the Scandal breakout

After JYPE released Yubin’s denial statement and JYP’s plan to investigate who leaked the photo, JY, Yubin and Taec wait for some time to see the response from the public at the news. Within an hour, they see the news and responses from netizens. Many did not seem to believe Yubin’s statement that she did not leak the photo. Most netizens feel that until there are proofs of the real perpetrator out from investigations, they will still suspect that she was the one who released the photo to get back at Taec or something.

 After the meeting at JY’s villa, Taec and Yubin are driven to their homes via their company van. The two sat on separate seats in the van without a word exchange between them since they have been feeling too tired from all the frenzy of the scandal break-out all day. The driver drops Yubin off first at her apartment. Before Yubin left the van, Taec holds her arm, asking her in concern, “You’ll be ok?”

Yubin nods and moves out of the van. At home, after a shower, she sits on the sofa randomly switching channels on her TV. She stops the channel switching when one station was broadcasting Taec’s latest drama. In the past, she would immediately switch channels when she came across his shows but now she doesn’t really care anymore. She watches the drama in a daze. Taec works so hard at his career and she knows it. In fact it is his hard-working nature that makes her so proud of him. Yet it is also his hard-working nature that broke them up. She hears her apartment door open and Yeeun comes in walking towards her with a worried look.

Her best friend hugs her tight, letting her head lie on the other’s shoulder.

“The scandal will blow over, unnie..” Yeeun comforts, rubbing Yubin’s arm. “People will get bored eventually and not bother.”

“I think this is my punishment, Yeeun.” Yubin mutters as she watches Taec acting as a cute cop on the TV screen in front of her. “It’s my punishment for falling in love with him in the first place.”

Yeeun realizes Yubin is watching Taec’s drama and tries to switch the channel but Yubin stops her. “It’s time I let go and move on… I need to stop being angry at him. It’s not his fault. It’s fate playing with us… No, it’s fate playing with me only.” Yubin sighs.

“Falling in love is not a crime, Unnie.” Yeeun states. “ How can you think that way? Falling in love or breaking up is so common there is nothing wrong with that. What is there to be punished for? You weren’t dating some married man all these years! In fact you should get an award to last 7 years in a relationship!”

Yubin hugs Yeeun tight for those words of wisdom and comfort. “Thank you for being my best friend all these years, Park Yeeun. I will never break up with you.”

Yeeun chuckles as she takes in another Yubin love confession yet again.

-----

Taec takes his shower with a sadden feel more than the usual tired feel. He feels guilty even though he did not bring that scandal out to hurt Yub. She is the one getting all the unnecessary hate which she definitely does not deserve it at all. This is the reason why they had always kept their relationship from the public. To avoid stuff like this from happening.

------

           Flashback 2006 : Back to the days when we were young and wild and free..

The feeling of dating the boy you never thought you would like had a weird effect. It kinda drove you crazy. After that breakfast date and some dance practice time together, Taec and Yubin cuddled and were sharing subtle kisses which only grew deeper and passionate. Next thing they knew, they were making out whenever they saw an opportunity. Everyday at school, they would try to finish their meals quickly during recess so they could sneak to some corner to make out.  Their friends were at first surprised at this new couple development and Jay even joked about it that Khun’s injured ankle was definitely the match-maker. Nonetheless, the gang was happy that Taec managed to snag the current class president, the girl Taec couldn’t stop staring at since the first day she came to school.

It was one of those days that Taec and Yubin found a new spot to make out in school. It was some dark stairway leading to a locked old storage room that no one used anymore.

“Yubinnie…” Taec muttered in between kisses. Yubin was sitting straddled on his lap and he could feel his hard-on stretching to burst through his pants. “Have you…done it before? I mean…?”

He was curious because at the rate they were making-out like this, things might go further and he had to know how far she was ok with.

For the first time, Yubin felt slightly not as cool as she usually was. She shook her head lightly, that she had never done it. She did date and kiss a guy before back in the US but they did not go as far to the part. Taec looked quite surprised at Yubin’s revelation but was also glad that his girlfriend was not as promiscuous as some people thought her to be.

“And you?” Yubin asked Taec who embarrassingly said he did it only once with a white girl when he was in Boston.

“It was messy and she wasn’t even my girlfriend. It was like she felt sorry for me and wanted to let me have my first try! That was only one time.” Taec related like he was some cheating boyfriend and Yubin laughed at his expression.

“God, I love you..” she said as she pulled him in to kiss.

“I love you more.” He mumbled as he kissed her back passionately.

“OH MY GOD!!!”

Yubin quickly turned around when she heard a familiar female voice. It was Yeeun holding on to a book to her chest and staring at the kissing couple in shock. Then she fled.

“I better get to her before she tells on me again!” Yubin quickly got off Taec’s lap to run after Yeeun.    

Yubin found Yeeun sitting at her desk in class with an expression still suffering from shock. She walked calmly towards Yeeun and then Yeeun stood up.

“How can you be fit to be Class President?!!” Yeeun shouted at Yubin. “You, you… had in a stairway…and in school!”

Oh God, Yubin couldn’t stop the tattletale on time as their fellow classmates were now surrounding them, watching the sudden commotion. “Gosh, Yeeun. That’s not even ! Don’t you know what is?”

“I know what I see! Why are you doing this? As a class president, you shouldn’t be even sneaking around kissing boys!” Yeeun continued her lecture and then she saw Taec coming into the classroom and pointed at him. “And you!! I thought you would be the next best class president after me but Noo… You all are so disappointing!”

“Yeeun..” Yubin folded her arms and looked at the over-dramatic girl. “Why are you still so pissed over the fact I am class president? Can’t you let it go already? Have you ever wondered why you lost the election to me?”

“You had your so-called cool American gang backing you up, that’s why!” Yeeun stated.

“They only make up 5/36 of the class!”

“The rest of the class is only voting for you because Jay campaigned for you since Taec wasn’t in the running.” Yeeun made her suspicion known.

“What nonsense? You saw that day how Ivy sunsaeng-nim changed the system so last minute Jay wouldn’t have time to campaign for me!” Yubin wondered if all this fuss on class president had turned Yeeun insane enough to lose her logical brain. “Have you ever wondered that perhaps not everyone whom you think is on your side really voted for you?”

“I know for sure my girls voted for me, right?” Yeeun looked at her dorm-mates to get assurance.

“I did vote for Yeeun.” Sohee confessed.

“So did I.” Sunye admitted next. But Sunmi and Hyuna were silent. Yeeun felt her heart sink when the 2 girls looked so guilty she knew right away they did not vote for her.

“WAE?!” Yeeun was tearing up.

“I thought it would be nice for once to have a cool class president?” Sunmi muttered.

“Yeah.. me too…” Hyuna mumbled, agreeing with Sunmi.

Yeeun’s tears came down and she felt so upset she ran out of the class. Yubin felt somewhat sorry and quickly went after her again. She found Yeeun crying at that same hideout of Taec and Yubin’s new found make-out place. Yubin sat next to her.

“Well, if it makes you feel any better…” Yubin confessed to Yeeun. “I actually voted for you.”

“Liar!” Yeeun did not believe.

“I’m not lying! I voted for you because I knew you wanted that position more than anyone else… and I wanted no part of that role.”

“Then why didn’t you refuse the role?”

“Because…a part of me did not want to disappoint the people who voted for me.” Yubin continued. “Since they place such confidence in me, I should at least give it a shot. I know I’m not the best class president but from this opportunity, for once in my life at least I get to feel important and responsible to people.”

Yeeun saw a different side of Yubin. Actually she realized it was more of a matured side of Yubin, something that Yeeun felt she herself probably lack in. “Well, at least you have been handing in your assignments on time nowadays.” Yeeun noted.

“Yeah.. but my grades still …” Yubin admitted but it managed to make Yeeun giggle in between tears.

“I’m sorry…” Yeeun finally apologized. “The thing is, my parents have very high expectations of me and I get myself worked up over these issues easily.”

Yubin smiled at the girl who was once a pain in the to her but now she  felt Yeeun could just be a cool girl too if she didn’t let those academic status rule her mind.   

“Well then you should hang out more often with me and get some chill pills from me.” Yubin threw her arm around Yeeun’s shoulders.

“Ermm, Taec might get jealous, you know.” Yeeun said jokingly. 

"Haha..don't worry, he wouldn't." Yubin laughed along as they walked arm in arm back to class together.

------------------  End of Flashback ----------------

A/N: Next up.. Taec finds out who leaked the photo... and we flashback to more sweet dating moments.