A/N: THOUGHTS ARE IN ITALICS

Font in purple is spoken in English. The rest is in Korean

Author POV

Jaejoong is feeling uneasy. He couldn’t sleep properly, always twisting and turning on his bed. He cannot focus on his work and is pushing everyone away from him. Jaejoong is frustrated. Every night he sits in his balcony staring at the sky. Yoochun and Junsu tried talking to him but he repeats the same explanation

“I just don’t feel like doing anything. Leave me alone.”

The two friends then spoke to his girlfriend who had no idea why Jaejoong was behaving all grumpy. She didn’t fail to realise that the Jaejoong she fell in love with isn’t the same Jaejoong now. She tried to talk to him but he shuts her off telling her that she doesn’t understand. Defeated, she decided to give him some space.

He stares at his phone in the hopes of receiving a call from Reya. She has decided to give up on him and is therefore ignoring his calls by making the child talk to him instead of her. It is hard, completely driving her mad. But the fact that he hid an important detail from her which would have saved her from the unnecessary pain she is feeling, is motivating her to live her life without thinking of him. For the past week he wasn’t himself. There was this sudden longing, sad aura around him, like he had lost something precious. He wants to find it but he didn’t know where to start. He checked his luggage. Except for some of his clothes, he had brought everything back, especially Reya’s gift. It was a simple watch but he made sure to wear it always whether it matched his clothes or not.

Jaejoong decided on calling her once more completely ignoring that his friends are waiting for him to plan their new album.

“Hey Jae”

“Where is she now?” He sighed in defeat listening to Laura answer Reya’s phone. He was sure Reya wouldn’t talk to him again.

For the 16th time in the week.

 “A couple of friends came and took her out Jae.”

“Friends?” He gritted his teeth “She left her phone at home and went with some friends? Where did she throw her brain lately?”

Junsu and Yoochun are keenly listening to Jaejoong’s conversation.

“The ‘she’ is Reya, isn’t it?” Junsu whispered and Yoochun nodded, opening the door to hear the conversation clearly.

“Who are the friends?”

“Well, they are her school mates. They just came from nowhere in the morning and pulled her out.”

“And you just let them?”

Jaejoong wasn’t happy. He wanted to talk to Reya. He needed to talk to her. He tried to pour out his frustrations with Min Young but she didn’t seem to understand except for holding him close. At first, he seemed to be satisfied with her hugs but now he realised that her caring actions aren’t helping him at all. He didn’t want her to hold him close and tell him that everything will be alright. He wanted his frustration and guilt to stop. The very guilt that he felt once he kissed Min Young. He shouldn’t feel uncomfortable, moody and annoyed at her interactions. She is his woman. But he has started to ignore her. He hates his new self. He couldn’t concentrate on his work and he didn’t like it. Jaejoong feels that Reya is distancing from him and frustrates him further. He misses Reya and he is finding it difficult to find distrations. It's eating him up that she doesn't talk to him. He is lately craving for her. He keeps on calling her to hear her voice since looking at her photos isn't enough for him. Whenever the phone rings, he expects it to be her. There was a time when he called her name in the recording studio because he wanted to rest on her shoulder.

“Well, I couldn’t just push them out of the house? They are strong.”

“Boys?” His soothing voice deepened.

“Yeah. They carried her to her room and stood out until she changed and then took her out.”

“She is alone with a group of boys whom you don’t know.”

“Hyung is angry”

“You think?” Yoochun hissed at Junsu, who shut up immediately.

“Well she knows them.”

“And you let her? Come on Laura!” He paced to and fro. He was angry and he was trying to control it.

“She is a grown up woman, not a child.” He stopped moving.

“What will people think of her?”

Yoochun pressed his ears on the door. Junsu simply opened it and the older idol nearly fell inside.

“I’ll kick your Junsu” He hissed.

“You are an idiot hyung.” Junsu hissed back.

“That girl is finally having some fun.” Laura made herself comfortable on the couch. Sophie was feeding her an apple. “Don’t you think it’s high time she gets a boyfriend?”

A wave of emotions hit him. His brows knitted. He didn’t like what he heard.

“She doesn’t deserve some random man in some club.” He hissed. “She deserves someone who will care for her and love her unconditionally.”

Laura could only scoff. “The only way she could find that one boy is only if she goes out.”

"Yeah, going out to places where one night stands happen"

"Well, she is old enough for those too"

"Laura! What on earth are you saying!"

"I'm just saying she old enough to take decisions on her own"

Jaejoong ruffled his hair in frustration. He was scared, scared that Reya would fall into trouble. His heart beat frantically in his chest. He hated what she just told and hates that she is living with Reya. Jaejoong now was desperate to talk to her.

“Laura, what if”

Laura realised how worried he sounded. She let out a sarcastic laugh.

“Don’t you think that girl deserves some her time? She’s 22 years old. This is the best time of her life! She can’t act like a full time mother! I’m happy that those boys took her out.”

He leaned on the wall.

“She never goes to those places. What if those boys-“

“Jae, stop acting like she is some ceramic doll. Reya is stronger than you think she is. Just because you lived with her, it doesn’t mean you know