Min Ho felt his manager’s hand on his arm, stopping him from entering his room.

‘Eat something before you sleep,’ the man pleaded.

‘Too tired. I’ll eat when I wake up,’ he replied weakly and entered his room. Before he could close the door, his manager forced himself inside. Min Ho anticipated what was going to happen next; he sighed, ing his shirt, as he waited for the lecture.

‘Can you please eat something? If you don’t stop this stupidity, you’re going to get sick!’

‘I know, I know. I’m just too exhausted to do anything right now, hyung. Let me rest first. I’ll be okay,’ Min Ho grabbed a tank top from his closet and put it on.

‘You are not okay! You’re not eating right, and all you do is sleep. You barely come out of the house except to attend your work commitments. You don’t answer your friends’ calls so they all end up calling me. You haven’t even visited your parents! Have you seen your photos lately? You’re too skinny when you’re supposed to be training for your movie!’

Min Ho has been hearing the same thing from his manager since he got back from New Zealand. He was getting tired of it. He frowned. ‘I saw my photos. I look like the happiest man on Earth. Isn’t that what you told me to do? Smile in front of the cameras? And I did. So stop nagging, hyung. I’m fine,’ he climbed into bed and gave his manager a tired look. ‘Shut the lights when you leave. I’ll see you tomorrow.’

His manager shook his head. ‘You weren’t like this when you broke up with…’

‘Hyung!’ Min Ho yelled, cutting the man off. His manager looked surprised hearing the anger in Min Ho’s voice. He stared at his manager for a long time before he looked down apologetically. ‘Chaebal. Just… leave me alone.’

The man creased his brows, his expression darkening. ‘She’s not going to come back just because you starve and treat yourself like . You let her go. It’s over. So you better act like a man and stand by your decision,’ he said scathingly. ‘Otherwise you’re just an idiot.’

After Min Ho heard his manager leave his pad, he covered himself in a blanket and screamed curses. He was having a hard enough time as it is, and the least his manager could do was leave him be. He was aware that he was acting stupid but he just didn’t have the energy or appetite to eat or do anything else.

When he broke up with Shin Hye, he knew it was going to be hard dealing with it. He still loved her very much, and he might not even get over her. But he thought he was prepared for that. He thought long and hard about it when he made that decision. It was what was best for the two of them. He didn’t want to give her a harder time than she was already experiencing. His agency was just going to hurt her, and his hands will be tied. He wasn’t going to wait until everything implodes on them. Shin Hye was doing great in her career – he didn’t want to ruin that. Even if it meant losing the only person who can make him happy go, he had to let her go. And she’ll get over him soon enough. That thought hurt, but it was the only way for now.

The plan was to focus on work instead, to keep himself preoccupied. But what he didn’t realize was just how much emptiness her absence caused. He woke up everyday feeling numb and lifeless. He didn’t look forward to anything and just wished he could sleep again. That was the only time when he didn’t have to face the fact that Shin Hye was no longer in his life.

He grabbed his phone from the other side of the bed and scrolled through his contacts. He stopped and looked at Shin Hye’s number. After pressing the call button, he watched as his phone tried to reach her. Min Ho wasn’t hoping to talk to her; he knew it wasn’t her number anymore. But it did make him remember all those times he used to call her – him getting excited just waiting for her voice to greet him sweetly.

He did this a few times before finally putting his phone, face down, on his chest and closing his eyes. You are an idiot.

He was about to drift into sleep when his phone rang. He reluctantly glanced at the caller and grimaced, remembering what his manager just said. ‘You don’t answer your friends’ calls so they all end up calling me.’ For a good few seconds, he pondered whether he should take it. In the end, he caved.

‘Wae?’ He answered groggily, sounding like he couldn’t be disturbed.

‘Oh my God you finally answered! I’ve been trying to reach you for weeks!’

‘Wae?’ He asked again, with even less enthusiasm.

‘What do you mean why? I haven’t heard from you, ima! I thought you died drowning in all the money you’ve been making,’ the caller replied brightly. ‘Odiya?’

‘Home. Wae?’

‘I just finished shooting. Are you busy? Let’s get a drink.’

‘I have a flight to Shanghai tomorrow.’

‘You accepted a schedule on Valentine’s Day?! Meoya… you at being a boyfriend. Shin Hye must be pissed.’

Min Ho winced upon hearing Shin Hye’s name. He hasn’t heard anybody talk about her for a while. All of his staff have been tight-lipped about her since what happened at the agency. He figured his manager instructed them not to mention her name at all. Min Ho thought it was childish and petty, but hearing his friend say her name now actually made his heart hurt. Maybe it was a good thing that his manager and the rest of his staff acted like Shin Hye didn’t exist. But that wasn’t going to erase the fact that other people knew about their relationship, and those people still don’t know that it’s over.

Ah, right. Valentine’s Day. That Valentine’s Day commitment was actually a last-minute schedule his manager squeezed in, and it was merely an appearance at some event. He put two and two together and realized his manager wanted him out of the country on that day for obvious reasons.

 ‘Where do we meet?’ Min Ho asked. He didn’t plan on going out, but then he didn’t plan on answering any calls either, but he did. And now, he felt like he needed a drink.

‘The usual. See you in thirty minutes? I’m already driving there.’

‘Hmm,’ Min Ho ended the call and got up from the bed. He thought it was cliché, but maybe there is a reason why people get drunk when they’re heartbroken. Maybe after a few drinks, he’ll finally feel human again.

‘Cut! That’s a wrap, everyone!’

Shin Hye smiled brightly and bowed to the staff who scurried around the set. The director approached her and shook her hand before turning to her manager. Shin Hye walked back to the dressing room, smiling and greeting the people who were telling her what a great job she’s done. When she opened the door, it was empty. Her staff must have gone to the snack bar outside the set that the director talked about earlier.

She finally got rid of the smile and sunk into her seat. She sat there idly, looking at herself in the mirror. Behind the makeup, she could see the dark circles under her eyes. She hasn’t been sleeping well lately. Even when she was exhausted from her shoots, she would struggle to fall asleep. She waged a war with her thoughts every night.

The first week was the most difficult – her days ended just crying herself to sleep. She dealt with it alone, not wanting other people to know about what had happened between them. Save for Manager Joon and Geun Suk, nobody else knew they broke up. She could have easily called her girl friends over to talk about what a douchebag Lee Min Ho was, and to assure her that it wasn’t her loss. But she didn’t want that. Partly because she was embarrassed, and partly because she didn’t want her friends to think he was a bad person. Because he wasn’t. He was a great guy who had the misfortune of having the weight of the world on his shoulders. But she still agonized over the truth that the heaviest burden to him was her, and that he chose to let her go.

It wasn’t helping that he was everywhere. When she found out that he was flying to New Zealand, she breathed a sigh of relief. For a few days, she wasn’t afraid that she’d accidentally bump into him. She had already changed her number to avoid him. She knew that the best way she could move on fast was if she got rid of every trace of him from her life. She buried herself in more work – it was the perfect distraction.

Initially she had thought of postponing going back to school. Now that opportunities doubled, she pondered on working more. Her agency also thought it would be a shame not to take advantage of her growing popularity. She had agreed at first, but she eventually changed her mind, much to her agency’s dismay. School was one of the only places where she felt normal. And right about now, she wanted normalcy more than anything. After finishing her work commitments, she’ll go back to school next month while simultaneously filming her movie.

‘Shin Hye,’ her stylist greeted her brightly as she walked through the door carrying a cup full of deokbokki. ‘Have you been here long? Mian. We just got something to eat from the bar. Do you want some?’

Shin Hye shook her head. ‘It’s okay, eonnie. I was just about to get dressed.’ She stood up and walked to the rack where her clothes hung.

‘We’re thinking of getting drinks after this. Do you want to come? Single people get drunk on Valentine’s Day, but I prefer doing it the night before,’ she winked. ‘That way, it doesn’t look as pathetic.’

Shin Hye chuckled lightly. ‘I’m going to pass this time. But you guys have fun.’

Her stylist narrowed her eyes and nudged her playfully. ‘Oooh. You probably have a date with Mr. perfect, huh?’

‘Eh?’

‘Ahh, I’m jealous. Gorgeous people always find each other. When will I get my own Lee Min Ho?’ Shin Hye’s stylist gushed. ‘Of course, he’s one in a billion. So that’s a fail for me,’ she laughed.

Shin Hye didn’t respond and changed her clothes quietly, hoping her stylist would stop talking. Any mention of Min Ho still made her uncomfortable. And she didn’t want the people around her to notice. At least not yet.

It was a noisy ride with her staff talking and laughing inside the van as Jae Won drove to the bar where they were going to get drinks. Shin Hye stayed quiet and giggled occasionally at some jokes. She was still feeling weird after her exchange with her stylist at the dressing room.

‘Are you sure you’re going to be alright? You’re all girls,’ Joon asked.

‘We can take care of ourselves, thank you,’ Shin Hye’s stylist replied dryly. ‘And we don’t want you there. It’s a ladies’ night out so stop trying to tag along.’

Her manager scoffed. ‘I’m not going to come with you even if you beg me to,’ he snapped back.

They all laughed again as Jae Won pulled over in front of a building in Hongdae. In its second and third floors hid Bar Da, which was a laid-back Western-type bar that’s mostly a well-kept secret. Shin Hye had been there a few times before, when her stylist would invite her to one of her ladies’ night outs.

‘Enjoy your date,’ her stylist winked at Shin Hye as she stepped out of the van. Joon looked at Shin Hye curiously, and she smiled weakly in response. After her makeup artist and personal assistant got off, they were on the road again.

‘What was that about?’ her manager asked.

‘Nothing. She’s crazy, remember?’ Shin Hye replied blandly, closing her eyes.

‘Are you sure?’ he eyed Shin Hye suspiciously from the front passenger seat.

‘Yes, I’m sure. You, of all people should know, oppa.’

They were silent as Jae Won drove to Shin Hye’s apartment. She was trying to fall asleep when her manager cleared his throat. ‘Keunde… you haven’t told your parents yet?’

Shin Hye’s eyes fluttered open at the sudden question. When she didn’t reply, her manager spoke again. ‘I talked to your Mom this afternoon, reminding them about the fanmeeting on Saturday and she asked if,’ he paused, ‘if he was going to be there.’

‘What did you say?’ Shin Hye bit her lip, thinking about how to break the news to her parents. She knew she had to tell them sooner or later, but she had been hoping to postpone it until she was sure she wouldn’t break down into tears in front of them when she does.

‘Of course I said he wasn’t going to be there.’

‘Okay then.’ Shin Hye shut her eyes again. She had been hoping to just rest tonight, but now, her mind was racing. She knew that once she gets home, she’ll just end up tossing and turning in bed.

‘Oppa,’ she spoke.

Her manager turned around to look at her. ‘Wae?’

‘I don’t have a schedule tomorrow, right?’

He nodded his head. ‘Eo. You asked me to make sure you were free on…’ he stopped midsentence, obviously realizing he shouldn’t have brought that up. Last month, Shin Hye had asked him to keep Valentine’s Day open. She talked to Min Ho’s manager, too, and got him to give Min Ho a day off. She was preparing a surprise trip to Chungnam for the two of them.

Shin Hye sighed deeply, remembering when she had to call her friend who owned the house where they were supposed to stay and cancelled. ‘Can we turn back? I changed my mind. I’ll get drinks with the eonnies.’

When Min Ho entered the second floor, he spotted Il Woo right away. He was talking and laughing with the bartender at the far corner of the room. There weren’t a lot of people since it was a Thursday night, which he was quite thankful for. The place was dark enough, so people didn’t really notice him. The music wasn’t too loud either, which he personally preferred. Without making a sound, he slid onto the stool next to Il Woo. His friend turned to look him, a bit startled.

‘Ah, kapchagiya. Ya. You can’t just creep up on another man at a bar,’ Il Woo said.

Min Ho gave him a blank look before looking up at the bartender. He smiled. ‘Hyun Woo hyung, how have you been?’

‘I’m great, now that my favorite customer has finally paid me a visit after all this time,’ the ahjussi extended his hand and shook Min Ho’s. ‘I hear you’ve been very busy.’

‘Hyung, you said just now that I was your favorite customer,’ Il Woo interjected.

‘Before you arrived, Lee Kwang Soo was my favorite customer. He’s over there, at that booth,’ he pointed. ‘My favorite varies based on star power.’

‘You shouldn’t live like that, hyung,’ Il Woo responded, looking dejected. He took a swig from his beer and turned to Min Ho. ‘You want one?’

‘No, I’ll have a glass of Jack,’ he told Hyun Woo.

‘Whiskey?’ Il Woo looked at him incredulously, as the bartender prepared his drink.

‘Hmm,’ he nodded. ‘Wae?’

Il Woo studied his face. ‘What’s wrong?’

Min Ho frowned. ‘What do you mean? I just feel like drinking something s