“You have been staying overnight at Yoseob Oppa's apartment? You're not pulling a prank on me, are you?”, Yuri exclaimed.

“It's not a big deal. He was giving me shelter after my break down.”

“Not a big deal?! Are you kidding me? I would do anything to be in your place right now.”

“Yuri's right, this is a very big deal!”, Minah added. “All this time you have been so sure about the fact that he doesn't want you but jeez! You guys were sleeping under the same roof!”

“He was giving me shelter, guys. Shelter! And that as my Sunbae....my friend.”

“Would Nichkhun Sunbae give you 'shelter'? He's your Sunbae and your friend, too.”, Yuri said.

“That's not the same.”

Minah groaned. “Jeez, Ha Ni, you're so frustrating.”

“Guys, instead of talking about Yoseob Sunbae's non-existent interest in me, we should talk about something more serious.” I paused. “I may have encouraged him to start dating.”

“But that's a good thing, isn't it? Because that would mean he would consider dating you.”, Yuri stated.

“Didn't we already establish that he didn't want me? Guys, the problem is that I want him to be happy and that I already accepted the fact that he would never return my feelings. But I can't erase the nagging pokes of jealousy when I think of someone else next to him. Someone who would receive his love and attention. I do want him to be happy but....” I sighed. “I kinda don't want him to date someone else. I feel so bad for being so selfish.”

“You love him , Ha Ni.” Minah caught my expression. “Yes, you love him, don't make a face at me, you know that I'm right. It's only natural for you to be jealous.”

“Hey, don't drive yourself crazy thinking about all this.”, Yuri added. “It could also be possible that our Mr. Yang Moral still won't start dating. We all know him. He's way too cautious to do something like this.”

“Hm, that's highly possible. Maybe you're right.”, I admitted.

“Let's talk about something far more important.”, Minah exclaimed after a while. “Now that you know where he lives, are you gonna visit him again? I mean, you and Yoseob Sunbae alone in his apartment....something's bound to happen!”

I widened my eyes. “What? I'm not a stalker! Why should I go there again, especially uninvited?”

“Yeah, well, that's the point of surprise visits, isn't it?”

“I don't think it's wise to do that. It'll make her look like a stalker.”, Yuri argued.

Were they seriously discussing whether I should go to him or not? There was no need for a discussion. I was pretty sure that this was a once-in-a-lifetime thing. Okay, that sounded a little bit dramatic but seriously, it would only endanger us both if I went there again.

“Hey.”, I interrupted their heated discussion. They both fell silent and looked at me. “There's is something else I want to ask you guys.”

And so I gave them the latest update about my runaway mom.

“What the heck?” Yuri was filled with indignation. “I knew your Mom ever since I was a little girl and that person can't be her! Your Mom was kind and she was always smiling. That person sounds like a cold . Are you sure that she's your Mom?”

“I saw her, remember? She looks exactly like my Mom. And when I first appeared at her doorstep, she asked me what I was doing here instead of asking who I was. More importantly, she kept saying repeatedly that the Jung Hyori from the past didn't exist anymore.” I paused. “It's her. No matter how much I don't want it to be true, I know with every fiber of my body that she's my Mom.”

“But that plastic also called her 'mother'. That's....that's so disturbing.”

“So does this mean that Hyomin is your stepsister?”, Yuri asked, causing Minah to make a gagging noise.

“Oh my gosh, please not. It's bad enough to have her as a co-trainee, I seriously don't want her as my sister.”, I protested.

Yuri frowned. “Maybe she has a good reason for acting that way...”

“That's exactly what Seungho Oppa and Yoseob Sunbae have been telling me.”, I said and rolled my eyes. “But I can't think of any good reasons to excuse her awful behavior.”

“Maybe I could come with you to talk to her.”, Yuri suggested.

I waved her off. “Thanks, but that's not necessary, I'm done with her. Especially after the stunt she has been pulling the last time after the parent meeting.”

“You mean her slapping you?”

“Yup.”

Minah snorted. “Your mother sounds like a . No offense.”

“None taken. That person isn't my Mom. Not anymore.”

“This kinda . After all those years, you finally find out that your mother is alive and then it's like she's being possessed by an evil spirit. Jeez.”, Minah concluded.

“You can say that again.”, I sighed.

“So...what you gonna do now?”

“Nothing. Like I said, I'm done with her.”

Just before Yuri could retort, my phone started ringing. I glanced at the screen and quickly shut off the sound.

Minah looked at me confusedly. “Uhm....aren't you gonna pick up the call?”

“Nope. Isn't important anyway.”

After that my phone buzzed again. Seems like I got a text message. Nope, I didn't need to look at the screen to know who it was. And yes, I was obviously avoiding that person.

“Okay, that's enough.”, Minah exclaimed. “Yuri, hold her!”

Yuri obeyed and held me tightly while Minah's hand went into my pocket and snatched my phone.

“Hey! What is wrong with you guys?”, I asked.

Minah stared at the screen and grinned. “Uh huh....what do my eyes see? Mr. Handsome has been calling AND texting you.” She stared at me. “Now the question is....why are you avoiding him?”

“Am not.”

“So you won't mind if I click this little button here and call him back?”

I tried to grab the phone but Minah leaned back, so that I was only grasping air while Yuri was still holding me. They both kept staring at me.

“Okay, okay, I surrender. I am avoiding him.”, I admitted after a while.

Yuri arched an eye brow. “And why are you avoiding our Mr. Handsome?”

“Because I don't have the courage the face him yet?”

“Jeez! If he's trying to contact you, it means that he wants to talk to you. And I think this talk was long overdue.”, Minah exclaimed.

“But what if he's angry with me? I'm already feeling guilty, okay? I don't need another reason to hate myself.”

Minah rolled her eyes. “Man, you can be so overly dramatic sometimes.”

“Let's forget about this. I need to concentrate on my career.”

“Yeah, and that's why you've been sleeping with Yoseob Sunbae the last time. Good Job, Ha Ni.”

I jumped up. “I did NOT sleep with him! Stop spreading wrong facts, Minah!”

“Oh, jeez. Calm down. It was just a joke.”

“I'm going to bed now. You guys can keep talking nonsense if you want. Whatever.”

“Uh oh, someone's pissed right now.”, Minah chuckled.

“You better lock your door tonight, Minah. Ha Ni's aunt has an impressive collection of sharp knives in the kitchen.”, Yuri added.

“But don't injure my face, please. I need it for my career.”

I opened the door and shook my head. “You guys are totally nuts.”

Several days later, we met up with with Trish and Jay for lunch.

“So how's life going for my favorite Cube girl, huh?”, Jay asked. “Been getting any CF contracts lately?”

“Nah, no contracts so far.”, Minah responded.

“I think this question was directed at me, babo.”, I chuckled and nudged her.

Minah grinned. “Who says that you are his favorite Cube girl? I'm also a Cube trainee, you know?”

“Hey, hey, no need to fight over me, ladies! There's enough of me for everyone of you.”

“Are you kidding me?”, Trish asked, suddenly appearing behind Jay, and giving him a slap on his head. “Last time I checked, all of you still belonged to me.”

“Sorry, babe. Old habits die hard.”, he said and grinned. When he tried to hug her, she backed away and pretended to tie her shoes. He just sighed.

“And here I thought that dating Trish would change you.”, I laughed. “I already feel sorry for her.”

“You feel sorry for her? I'm the one being punched and kicked all day long!”

“I'm quite sure that you deserved every punch and kick.”

Jay turned to Minah. “But you're on my side, right? I can't expect help from Honey, she keeps sticking for Trish.”

“Well, uh...”

Trish punched him. “Stop looking for allies, they're all on my side.”

“I'll never understand the almighty female species.”, he said, while rubbing his aching arm.

Just when I was about to retort, my phone started vibrating. I glanced at the screen and put it back into my pockets.

I was wondering why he hasn't stop calling yet. I mean, did he want to yell at me that bad? Yeah, I know that I could easily find out by answering his calls but to be honest, I was still too scared to do it. Or rather too ashamed. Maybe both.

When I looked up, I saw Trish staring at me. “You're not gonna pick up the call?”, she asked amusedly.

I shrugged. “My aunt keeps pestering me with calls ever since she got herself a new notebook. She can't even use her phone properly, let alone a notebook.” I sighed. “I'm sure it can wait.”

Liar, liar, pants on fire.

Trish frowned at me but then she shrugged. “Whatever. Let's go inside, I'm starving!”

Moments later, we gathered around a table in our favorite corner.

“By the way, did Jay tell you guys that he has been receiving many great offers ever since that show? Even some big stars want him as a dancer in their music videos!”, Trish gushed.

I widened my eyes. “Seriously? That's awesome! I always knew that you should have won and not Jihoon. You were way better than him!”

“I don't care about that anymore, it's in the past.”, he assured me.

“So, are you gonna accept the offers?”, Minah asked.

He considered. “Yeah, I'm thinking about accepting the music video offer.” He paused. “What about you, Honey? Any interesting offers?”

“Nah, not really.” I shrugged. “It's not like I did anything great on the show. Not like you. You got second place after all.”

“The heck? Have you ever tried looking up your name on the internet before?”

“Uh, I've been avoiding that, to be honest.” Yup. Ever since the amusement park incident with Wooyoung. No need to read all those hater comments to demoralize myself.

“Jeez, I can't believe it! Honey, let me tell you, you've gained a bit popularity ever since the show.”

“Yeah, they have been telling me the same at the Cube office, but I think it will get quiet after a while.”

“I don't think so. Especially not after that awesome Troublemaker performance with Wooyoung Sunbae. Man, both your names has been number 1 on the online search machine charts for several weeks!”, Trish exclaimed.

I sighed. Oh great, just what I needed. More rumors and hater comments.

“Ah, right! The term 'WooNi' has been a thing for a while!”, Minah added.

“What the heck is 'WooNi'?”, I asked.

Jay grinned. “What do you think? Wooyoung and Ha Ni. WooNi. Jeez, you can be so dumb sometimes, Honey.”

“Fans even created several Facebook pages and websites solely for 'WooNi'. Some are demanding for you two to be on 'We got married'.”, Trish said.

“If you haven't noticed it, guys, Wooyoung Sunbae is already on that show. I'm quite sure people will stop this 'WooNi' nonsense soon.” I turned to Jay. “Hey, talking about stupid couple names, what about you two? Shall we start calling you 'Jish' from now on?”

He grimaced. “Oh my gosh, please, don't. 'Jish' sounds more like a disease to me.”

“Then maybe 'Tray'?”

“Seriously?”, Jay asked.

I just laughed.

All of a sudden, Trish jumped up. “Sunbae! Over here!”

Huh? Sunbae?

Minah stared at something behind me and widened her eyes. Jay just sighed. Before I could turn around to take a look, a hand went down on the back of my chair, right next to my head.

“Hey guys.”, a familiar voice said.

Ah, crap.

“Sunbae, come and sit down with us!”, Trish said and pulled out the chair next to me. I tensed.

“Thank you, Trish. But I just wanted to come over and say hello.” He paused. “And I wanted to ask permission to 'borrow' your friend for a while.”

Nope, this was not happening. He wouldn't do that to me, would he?

“Of course. Who do you want to 'borrow' for a while?”, she giggled.

I didn't dare to look up. “It won't take long. I just want to talk. So shall we?” He paused. “Ha Ni?”

Dammit!

“Uh...” I didn't know what to say. To be honest, I really didn't want to go but then again, I didn't want to offend him in front of my friends. So, being the good girl my Dad had raised me to be, I said “Sure, why not?”

When I looked back at my friends while following him out of the restaurant, I was sure that Trish was grinning at me.

That sneaky girl.

We stopped at a park near the restaurant. At this time of the day, it was rather empty. He sat down on a bench and motioned me to sit down, too. I did, reluctantly.

“So, are you going to tell me why you have been avoiding me?”, he asked.

Wow, right to the point, huh? Well, I have been busted. There was no point in denying it right now.

“I wasn't ready to face you, Wooyoung Oppa.”

“I see.”

“Oppa, listen -”

“No, let me talk first, please.”, he cut me off. I nodded, secretly relieved that he wanted to take the reigns in this conversation. “Ever since I found out that.....ever since we broke up, I have been asking myself what I did wrong. I kept thinking and thinking, hoping to find out at what point at our relationship I started to lose you.” He held up his hand, stopping me before I could interrupt him. “I admit that I hated you at first. No, I wanted to hate you, thinking that it could make everything easier. But every time I saw you, the only emotions I felt were utter sadness and longing. So no, I don't hate you. I'm just....disappointed. And yes, it hurt. It still does.” He smiled ruefully. “You can't imagine how long I had to practice this speech before I was ready to talk to you.”

After hearing what he said and seeing the pain in his eyes, all I wanted to do was hug him tightly, telling him that everything would be okay. But I knew that it wasn't my place to tell him this. And I was quite sure that he definitely didn't want me to hug him right now. Or touch him in any way.

So all I said was “I'm sorry.”

“Since when did you start liking him? Was it before we got together?”

I didn't need to ask who he was talking about.

“I'm not quite sure. And I don't know what got into me. It...it was an accident. I never meant to hurt you. I really care for you, Oppa.” I took a deep breath, needing a moment to suppress my tears. “I know it won't change anything but....I'm really sorry.”

“I can imagine that this question may be a bit inappropriate right now...but I need to know. Did you ever love me? Or was I just a flinq? An adventure?”

I was unable to hold back my tears anymore. “If you were just a fling, then it wouldn't hurt so much. I know I don't have the right to say it anymore, but I love you. I still do.”

“However...you love him more, right?”, he asked softly. I didn't agree nor did I deny his statement. I just buried my face into my hands. “But then I should've known it. It was always visible by the way you were looking at him or the way you reacted when someone said his name. Maybe I did know it already and I just didn't want to admit it.” He let out a frustrated sigh. “I may be acting all mature right now, but every time I see him, it's hard to suppress the urge to hit him.”

“It was an accident, Oppa. He doesn't have any feelings for me.” I paused. “Neither do I have any for him.”

He smiled ruefully. “Don't make this harder on us by lying to yourself, Ha Ni. You say you love me and then you say you don't love him. That would mean that you purposely hurt me without any reason, you know. That you ended our relationship for nothing.”

Touché. He was right. And I knew I was past the part of denying my feelings for Yoseob. I just hoped that by convincing myself that I didn't love him, his rejection wouldn't hurt so much.

“He doesn't have any feelings for me. He made that perfectly clear.”, I said quietly.

Wooyoung sighed. “I don't think that I'm ready to give you relationship advice yet. Especially not when it's about him.” He paused. “But I can assure you that I saw the way he was looking at you and if he really did tell you that he doesn't have any feelings for you, then he's either lying to you or he's lying to himself as well.”

I didn't comment on that. Even if Yoseob was lying or not, if he wanted to be with me, he would have told me by now instead of constantly pushing me away. I was tired of fighting for him, just to get hit by his rejection later on. And seeing Wooyoung right now, the way he was still comforting me even though I hurt him so much, made me regret destroying what we had.

“Thank you, Oppa. You're too good for me. You always were.”

He snorted. “If only you know how many times I've thought that about you.”

We didn't say anything else for a while.

“By the way...” He finally said after what felt like an eternity. “Kyung Mi told me what she did to you. During the MT, I mean.”

“What are you -” I paused, suddenly remembering what he was talking about. Kyung Mi must have told him about our little 'dispute'. “Ah, that.”

“I want you to know that I've never encouraged her to do that. I would've never wanted her to hurt you.” He gently put his hand on my cheek where the bruise had already healed. “I'm apologizing on behalf of her.”

I took a deep breath, enjoying the feeling of his touch for a moment before scooting a bit away from him. “It's okay. I kinda deserved that.”

“She had no right to do that. I'm fully able to fight my own battles.”

Should I tell him about her feelings for him? Was it my right to tell him? I didn't want him to begrudge her because of this, but then again it wasn't my place to interfere. She should be the one to confess to him. So I decided to be a bit blurry about this. “She really cares for you, Oppa. She thought I was a fame-obsessed who was just using you. I'm quite sure that she wasn't thinking clearly at that moment. I would've done the same if someone hurts the person I really care for.” I paused. “Yeah, well, I wouldn't have used my fist immediately, but maybe because I just can't throw a good punch.”

He chuckled. Ah, it was good to hear his laugh again. “Well, I wouldn't say that. I still have some bruises on my body that can confirm just how good your punches are.”

“I never punched you!”, I said outrageously and punched him on his shoulder. “You're such a big fat liar!”

He arched his eye brow and grinned while pointing at his shoulder. “And what exactly did you just do?”

“I...that... I didn't....geez, you're so frustrating!”

He just laughed. I tried to pout but his laughter was so contagious that I just couldn't help but join him.

When we finally calmed down, he sighed. “I miss you, Ha Ni.”

“I miss you, too, Oppa.”

“So....where do we go from here?”

“I don't know.”

“Well, what I know is that even though I miss you, I need time for myself. Just a little bit time to sort out this.....mess, I guess. And it'll take some time for me to get over the pain I'm feeling whenever I see you.”

“I understand. Take as much time as you need.”

“A part of me keeps telling me to hate you, to walk away and erase every memory of you from my life. But the other part just can't let go of you yet. So it may be really better for me, and you, if we keep our distance from each other from now on.”

“I understand, Oppa.”, I said. “And thank you for not hating me. I think I already hate myself enough for the both of us.”

“Don't do that. Like you said, sometimes the heart has a mind of its own. It just that I couldn't be the one to make you happy.”

“You made me happy, Oppa, never doubt that.”

“Well, seems like it just wasn't enough.”

I didn't say anything else.

“I think I need to go.”, he said after glancing at his watch. “Thank you for taking the time to talk.”

“Ah, what I wanted to ask you....it wasn't a coincidence that you showed up here today, right?”

He grinned. “What if I say yes?”

“Well, after seeing Trish' mischievous grin, I'm quite sure that she's your spy. Am I right or am I right?”

“I'm not gonna deny or confirm that statement.”

“You are so mean, Oppa! Trish is in so much trouble right now.”

“She was just helping me because a certain person has been avoiding me. Don't give her too much trouble, okay?”, he asked and smiled.

“Only if you do the same for Kyung Mi.”

His smile slipped. “I'll take that into consideration.” Then he glanced at his watch again. “Well, I really need to go. Bye, Ha Ni. It was really good to see you again.”

“Same here, Oppa. Goodbye.”

He gave me a small smile before turning around and walking away. I sat back down on the bench and closed my eyes, replaying our conversation in my mind.

He didn't hate me. It had felt so good to hear those words from him. And even though it will hurt to know that he would be purposely avoiding me, I knew that we both needed time to re-consider things. Maybe some day, in the future, we could talk to each other again without my damn mistake hanging over us. I really hoped so.

After telling both Minah and Yuri about my encounter with Wooyoung, they encouraged me even more to visit Yoseob again. Minah even said that Wooyoung giving me advice about Yoseob was like him giving me the blessing to pursue a relationship with Yoseob. I didn't felt that way. He was just telling me this because, as the kind person he always was, he wanted to help me. He even told me that he was still hurting, so him giving me any blessings was ridiculous.

But I still had Yoseob's sweater and I didn't see him at the Cube office, so that was why I ended up in front of his apartment with his sweater on one arm and a bag with cooking ingredients on the other arm.

But right after ringing the bell, I immediately regretted my decision. Just when I was about to turn around to leave, his voice came through the intercom. “Hello?”, he asked with that smooth voice.

“Uhm...it's...it's me...Ha Ni...”, I stuttered.

“Ha Ni?” I could hear the surprise in his voice.

“Uh...yeah...” Okay, coming here was obviously a bad idea. “Ah, you know what? May I should -”

“Come in”, he said. The door buzzed and I hesitantly stepped into the building. When I arrived on his floor, I took a deep breath before stepping in front of his door. He slowly opened it. I really had to fight the urge to drool. Once again, he was wearing a sleeveless shirt, revealing his all-too-muscular arms. His tousled hair was just too y.

“Come in.”, he said brusquely and stepped aside. It took me a moment to stop staring at him. When I finally pulled myself together, I passed him and entered his apartment. It was just like the last time I was here.

“What's the matter? Did something happen?”, he asked and crossed his arms.

Okay, that was my cue to explain my sudden visit. “I wanted to return your sweater but I didn't meet you at the Cube Office. And after remembering that you only eat delivered food, I thought I could kill two birds with a stone, by returning your sweater to you personally and cook something nice for you.”

Disbelief was clearly written all over his face. “You came here because of that?” He paused. “You're either very brave or very stupid. Considering what you've put me through ever since we met, I would say both.”

Ouch. That was like a verbal slap to my face. '...what you've put me through ever since we met...'  So he did blame me for all the troubles I've caused him, even though he always said that it was okay. Hearing him say that with such annoyance written all over his face was more than I could endure. Ah, crap. It really was a stupid idea. “I'm sorry, maybe I shouldn't have come here. I....I will go. Sorry for disturbing you.”

He stepped in front of me, blocking my route before I could escape. “Let's go into the living room.”, he said and sighed.

Still thinking that it was a stupid idea, I gave in and followed him. There, I sat down on the couch, placing the bags on the floor. He sat down on the other side of the table. “Thank you for bringing back my sweater, but you didn't have to come all the way here.”, he said after a while. I could hear the suppressed anger in his voice. “It's very dangerous for you to come here. You don't know who might be following you. Ha Ni, you should be more careful from now on.”

I've never seen him getting angry before. He was always either moody or calm and controlled. “I know, I'm sorry.”

He let out an frustrated sigh. Then he glanced at the bags. “So, what was the other reason again?”

“I...uh...you know, the last time you told me that you only order your meals or eat instant food. I was worried for your health, so I thought that I could cook something for you.”

The anger on his face was swept away by genuine surprise. He widened his eyes. “Cook something for me? Ha Ni, I would never ask you to do that for me.”

“I know but I want to. Please let me do that for you. As an apology for my reckless behavior today.”

He look at me for a while, still considering my offer. After what felt like an eternity, he finally said “Okay. And thank you.”

Awkward silence.

“Ha Ni, there's something I need to tell -”

“Oppa, do ya have a guest?”, a female voice asked, cutting him off. It took me a moment to process that he had female company at his apartment. Myself excluded. And it took me another moment to realize that the voice was coming from his bed room. What the heck was a woman doing in his bed room? Then it finally dawned on me.

Oh my gosh.

I glanced at Yoseob who was sighing loudly, and then I stared at the door. When it finally opened, a person stepped through. And boy, was so pretty. Wearing an oversized shirt and very short pants, the black-haired beauty looked at me curiously. “Oh, ya really do have a guest, Oppa.” She stepped closer. “Hi, I'm Go Na Eun. Nice to meet ya.”

“Uhm, hey. I'm Jung Ha Ni. Nice to meet you, too.” Who the heck was she?

“Na Eun-ah, I thought you wanted to take a nap?”, Yoseob asked her.

“I did, but ya guys woke me up.”, she pouted.

He smiled. “Are you hungry? I could order something for you. Or you can eat with us, Ha Ni was going to cook something.” He glanced at me. “Is that okay with you?”

Uhm, no, it was not okay. “Yeah, sure.”, I said instead.

“Ya can cook? That's awesome, I was never good at cookin'.”, she said.

Yoseob chuckled. “Yeah, I can remember that birthday meal you once 'cooked' for me.”

“Hey, I did my best, 'kay?”, she said and punched him lightly.

My heart ached at seeing them teasing each other. And it especially hurt to see him acting so mischievous, which was far from his usual behavior around me. Was everyone getting to see the real Yang Yoseob, all except me?

Not being able to watch them anymore, I stood up. “I'll start cooking now. Sunbae, may I use your kitchen?”

“Of course. I'll help you.”

I just walked out of the kitchen without looking back. “Nah, it's okay, Sunbae. Just sit down and relax. And don't forget that you have company. Don't neglect her on my account.” Okay, that last part came out harsher than intended. I really hoped that he didn't notice it.

When I entered the kitchen, I spread out the ingredients on the small space and started preparing the kitchen utensils. When I turned around, I saw him leaning against the door frame, silently watching me.

“I told you to sit down and relax.”, I said.

He smirked. “What, you're really going to order me around in my own apartment now?”

“Jeez, just do whatever you want.” I started cooking. All the time, I tried to ignore him but I still could feel his gaze on me. I was getting more nervous with every passing minute.

“You didn't have to do this, Ha Ni.”, he said softly.

“I already told you that I want to. And I don't want my Sunbae to turn into a walking skeleton just because he's too busy and exhausted to cook.”

He let out an exasperated sigh. “Sometimes I wonder if a higher force has sent you to torture me.”

“Pardon?”

“Nothing important, just thinking out loud.”

We fell silent and I kept cooking. I was wondering what Na Eun doing right. Watching TV? Eavesdropping on us? Lounging on Yoseob's bed? I had to cringe at that last thought.

“I can't just stand by and watch you do everything, Ha Ni. Let me help you. Please.”, he said after a while.

I smiled. “Okay, okay. But only because you were asking so nicely.” I pointed at the sink. “You can wash the vegetables.”

He just chuckled and gathered the vegetables. Then he turned around and began rinsing them off with water.

Being with him in this small kitchen, I couldn't help but wonder how it would feel like to live with him. Would we also wake up every morning together and stand together in this kitchen to cook? I blushed. Okay, now I was definitely starting to get delusional. I sighed inwardly. Why couldn't he like me as much as I like him? He did care about me, he said that much, but it seems like it wasn't enough. Was I so appalling that he couldn't even entertain the idea of dating me? All that talk about not being able to make his girlfriend happy just sounded like a lame excuse. It was like he told me that to spare me from getting hurt after hearing the real reason for his rejection.

But then again, there was that woman in his living room. Who the heck was she? If I had not barged in on him today, he would have been alone with her in his apartment. In his bed room. Were they dating? Was she his newest conquest after I encouraged him to start dating? Oh, great. That was what you get for giving stupid advices, Ha Ni. By telling him to start dating, I basically pushed him into her arms. I already despised her.

“She's pretty.”, I said after a while.

“Who?”

“Na Eun-ssi.”

“Oh, yeah. I guess.” He paused. “She's visiting Seoul and I offered her to crash at my place.”

Oh wow, seems like it didn't take him long to invite her to his place. Jeez.

“What about the media? Your fans? What if they find out that you have a woman living with you?”

It took him a while to answer. “She promised to be careful. And it's not the first time she's here, Ha Ni. She knows how to handle being acquainted with an idol.”

“I see.”

It's not the first time, huh? How long have they been dating? Weeks? Months? I wanted to know, but I was to embarrassed to ask him.

Just when we finished cooking, Na Eun appeared. “Anythin' I can do? I kinda feel excluded, ya know.”

“We're done. You can help carry the dishes into the living room.”, Yoseob suggested.

She saluted. “Aye, aye, captain!”

Yoseob and Na Eun prepared the table and carried the dishes into the living room while I cleaned the kitchen. I could hear them both chuckling and laughing. I sighed and followed them. I sat down and leaned against the couch. Yoseob and Na Eun sat down on the other side of the table. My jaw clenched at seeing them sitting so close together. Her arms kept brushing his, she was practically leaning against him.

“Oppa, ya should definitely buy a bigger table.”, Na Eun said while chewing.

“I don't have space for a bigger table.” He paused. “And I never expected to have so many people in my apartment.”

“Ah, right. You're such a casanova, ya know. Bein' here, all alone with two women.”, she laughed and nudged him. He just chuckled. “So, you're the infamous Jung Ha Ni, huh?”, she asked me. “Oppa has been tellin' me a lot about ya.”

“Has he?”, I asked nonchalantly, not really wanting to start a conversation with her.

“Yeah, he kept rambling about his former student and current label mate who's a prodigy and whose voice is like a nightingale's.”

“Na Eun, stop it.”, he said and sighed.

“What? I'm just telling the truth.”

I blushed. Trying to change the topic, I asked “How did you two meet?”

“Ah, I know Oppa since childhood. He was my neighbor.” She smiled. “Ya know, even as a small boy, he was already actin' so mature. Always takin' care of me and protectin' me from bad boys. My knight in shinin' armor.”, she said and chuckled.

Yeah, that sounded just like the Yang Yoseob we all knew and loved.

“It was really exhausting to take care of her. She was always such a troublemaker.”, he said and smiled.

“Hey! Don't make me look like some sort of gangster girl!”

“You kept wearing my clothes because yours were too girly for you and because your mother refused to buy boyish clothes for you.”

She let out an exasperated sigh. “Seriously, how was I supposed to climb trees and run around in those annoyin' skirts?”

“You don't seem to mind wearing those 'annoying' skirts nowadays.”, he said and arched an eye brow.

“That was during childhood. I'm all grown up now, I can't expect to get married someday if I keep dressin' like a guy, ya know.”

“If you gonna marry someone, it should be because he loves you for what you are and not just because of your appearance.”

Na Eun sighed and turned to me. “See? Whenever he spouts somethin' like that, it's hard for me to not fall for him.”

“Don't say stupid things like that.” He stood up and started cleaning the table. I intended to help him but he wouldn't let me. “Just sit down and relax. I'm gonna take a shower now. Be right back.” He left the room.

Na Eun leaned back on her hands and grinned at me.

“What?”, I asked.

“You like him, huh?”

“What? No!”

“Oh, come on. Ya visit him in the middle of the night and then ya even cook for him. Considerin' the fact that ya didn't know that I was here, ya clearly expected to be alone with him.” She grinned even more. “I'm not stupid, 'kay?”

“I'm just worried for his health.”

“Of course ya are.” She chuckled. “Hey, I can understand it, ya know. Oppa is the perfect gentleman, very kind and carin'. Like I said, it's very hard not to fall for him.”

Boy, was she right. But, of course, I couldn't tell her. “I like him, but not the way you think.”

“I see.” I could clearly see that she didn't believe me.

“Do you like him?”

She considered. “I dunno. He has been with me ever since I was a toddler. I just can't imagine my life without him. He's my rock, ya know.” She paused. “Sometimes I do think about asking him out. But then again, he made it very clear that he doesn't want to date right now, so I save myself from heartbreak and just enjoy havin' him by my side.”

I would never have the bond they shared with each other. She was even content enough to just have him by her side, even though she wanted to date him. Why couldn't I be like her? Why couldn't I be content with just having him care for me like he did right now? Why couldn't I be so mature and save myself from this unnecessary pain? Because it's just not enough, a voice whispered inside of me. Because you want to feel his touch, his love, knowing you're the only one for him.

Ah, this was so friggin' complicated.

“Ya know, lately he's been into boxin'.”, Na Eun said and chuckled, pulling me out of my thoughts. “Which means he's even more of an eye candy right now. Can't blame a girl for enjoyin' those delicious abs, ya know.” She winked mischievously, causing me to blush.

Like on cue, Yoseob walked into the living room, wearing nothing but his shorts. We couldn't help but stare at him, his delicious abs exposed to us. While rubbing his hair with a towel, he walked into his bed room. Minutes later, he emerged from it, now wearing a shirt, hiding those yummy abs. I looked at Na Eun and she looked back at me. Disappointment was clearly written on her face and I bet that she could see the same on mine. Suddenly we both burst out into laughter.

“Did I miss something?”, Yoseob asked, sitting down next to Na Eun.

“Nah, girls stuff, you wouldn't understand.”

He sighed. “Already joining forces against me, huh?”

“We are girls.”, she said and grinned. “We need to stick together.”

He sighed again and I just laughed. Then I glanced at my watch. “Oh uh, I need to go.”

“I'll walk you out.”, Yoseob said and stood up.

When we were at the entrance, I heard Na Eun shouting “Dips on the bed!”

“Just take it, I'll sleep on the couch.”, he answered.

“Woah, you're so boring! Let's fight it out! Winner gets the bed!”

“I told you, I'll take the couch.”

Protest mixed with some curse words came from the living room, causing him to chuckle. I quickly said goodbye and left, so he wouldn't be able to see the relief on my face. They wouldn't be sharing a bed tonight. YES!

“Ha Ni.”, he called. My heart skipped a beat and I stopped. Not being able to hide the emotions flickering through my face, I didn't dare to turn around. I just took a deep breath and waited for him to continue. “Don't come here again.”, he said after a long pause.

Ouch. And here came the second verbal slap to my face. He sure knew how to throw his punches. Why did I keep getting my hopes up, just to have them crushed by him again? I was such an idiot. Jeez.

“I understand.”, I said quietly.

Not wanting to humiliate myself even more in front of him, I walked away without looking back. I really didn't need to see the disgust and rejection on his face. I was sure that my heart wouldn't be able to endure more pain.

The next days I tried my best to avoid him. Considering the fact that he was very busy, it wasn't that hard. I also didn't tell Minah and Yuri about my surprise visit at Yoseob's apartment. It was to humiliating for me to tell them about the consequences of my own stupidity. Another reason was that I didn't want to tell them about Na Eun. They both would only confirm what I was afraid of acknowledging: That there was more between Yoseob and her than what it seems at first sight. Maybe Yoseob didn't know about his feelings for Na Eun yet, but it was only a matter of time before he would realize it. And Na Eun, well, she clearly told me that she had feelings for him. But for now she was content with what they currently had. I couldn't stand it. But who was I to judge them? If they were destined for each other, I would have to stand back and let them be.

Or you could fight for him, the voice inside me said.

I snorted. Yeah, as if I had not humiliated myself enough already. He didn't want me, so why should I fight for him? Why should I force myself on him?

Because you love him, my inner voice retorted.

Oh, shut up, stupid inner voice.

****************************************************************************************

A/N:

Uhm, hey guys.

So yeah....what can I say? 

Yes, I know it has been a veeeeery long time, and yes, I feel really bad about it.

Initially I intended to release the chapters when I've finished the story,

but work and school have thwarted my plans.

So to show you that I do intend on finishing Ha Ni's story, I decided to release this chapter.

Please accept this apology and forgive me my tardiness >.<

I want you to know that this story and you, my lovely readers, are very dear to me.

I'll do my best to update more frequently from now on.

So...please keep commenting to let me know your thoughts and questions!:)

And....here's a little teaser for the next chapter! :D

****

Wringing out the towel, I gently started to wipe away the sweat from his body. I began with his face and continued onto his neck and arms. I hesitated when I reached his chest.

Okay, you can do this, Ha Ni. Don't think about his y body, just try to stay objective. You can't nurse him if you keep blushing and panicking when you're near him. Stay cal. Focus. Deep breath.

When I was sure that I my heart wasn't going crazy, I slowly lifted his shirt and began wiping his chest. And then his stomach. His stomach with his drool-worthy abs.

Ah, jeez! I needed to focus!

*****