A sigh of relief escaped from his mouth as he finally found the person he’s been looking since the past couple of minutes. Quietly, Mino closed the door behind him before taking few steps towards his wife who was sitting on the couch, hugging her own knees as she rested her chin between it.

“Hey,”

Irene did not say anything though, only to let Mino’s greet flew by the silence of wind, her pair of eyes were staring down at her own hands that were hugging herself tightly as if not wanting anyone to get any closer around her at the moment.

Ever since that incident happened at the supermarket, Mino noticed that Irene did not even utter a word at all. He knew deep inside his wife was hurting deeply due to the humiliation that arrogant bastard threw at her and the fact that Irene had been crying for like almost an hour really made his heart broken into pieces. Mino realized this kind of incident can affected his wife not just because of the humiliation but also, the harsh, mocking words that bastard said to Irene made his wife became upset like this.

For an obvious result, Irene did not open since both of them got back from the supermarket. Even during their dinner together before, Irene just silently ate her food and quietly whispered the word ‘thank you’ towards Mino for kindly cooked for their dinner tonight. Right after that, Irene went away and now, Mino found his beloved wife having her some time alone in the mini library room.

“I’m worried because you just keep on being silence since we left the supermarket. You even did not speak at all during dinner just now. This is so not you, Joohyun. Do you want to talk about it with me? Hmm?” Mino softly murmured, caressing Irene’s rose gold color hair.

The golden hair woman pressed her lip tighter before few drops of tears rolled along her cheek then which threw Mino in a small surprise, did not expect to get his wife crying for an answer. Irene then dumped her face against both her knees, quietly sobbing herself as the painful emotion took over her all again. Her body shook as she tried to hold herself from breaking down again but each time she did, the shameful incident that happened today struck into her mind, those hurtful and bashing words really gave her a big slap on herself.

Mino took a deep breath then, slowly with gentle way took Irene’s arm then before pulling his wife into his arms, letting her cried on his chest then, calmly soothing her by patting her back, shushing her like a baby. If he’s not mistaken, this might be the first time Mino seen another side of Irene; her fragile, pure side. He always see the sweet, sometimes childish and bold-like Irene but never this side of his wife.

This probably the first time he ever see Irene cracked up so badly and ended up hurting and broken into million pieces. As if, his wife being in a very sensitive mode lately. Looking back now, Mino did noticed that sometimes Irene been overly sensitive these last couple of days. Maybe because she’s been too busy and occupied with her pack schedule and with this kind of situation coming, for sure his wife would become like this. It just that, Mino did not expect it will become to something bad like this though.

“I hate him, Mino.” Mino heard Irene’s crack, low voice muttered.

“Why would he brought up about the past when he knew that thing already gone long time ago? Why would he need to humiliate me in front of you just because I’ve once admired him? He’s the one rejected me, yet why he’s the one who acting like I’m the one? Why? Just because he’s a senior of mine, that doesn’t mean he can look down on me and being rude at me!” Irene added more, sniffling then.

“I really hate him. God, why he did this to me? Why remind me about the past that I want to forget? Why, Mino?” Irene questioned few times, clearly sobbing in her husband’s arms, crying her heart out.

Humiliated and hurt.

That’s what Irene felt at the moment. Honestly, Irene never feel so humiliated like this before – not even when Mino once looked down and disgusted at her when he found out about that dark truth of hers.

She still could accept what that senior had done to her before, but humiliating her in front of Mino was totally out of control. How dare he disgraced her just like?! Act as if Mino wasn’t even there although she already introduced Mino towards him as her husband right before that.

“I’m sorry, baby.” Mino whispered softly at Irene’s ear; it was obvious that anyone could hear the hurt hint in his words when he said that.

“Sorry because I let him hurt you. If I know how bad this is can affect you, I would never let he did this to you. I never think that he would go this far. No matter what both of you had in the past, he still did not have right at all to humiliate you like this, making you felt so hatred towards yourself. I’m deeply sorry for that, Joohyun.” Mino continued more, kissing Irene’s hairline, gently caressed her back.

Irene bit her lip hard, blinking her eyes as she could feel the warm tears escaped before streaming down along her already redden face. “I feel bad for making you worried but I just can’t help it. What happened today, it really left me with a great impact. It makes me reminded for the old me; the one that so arrogant and selfish, that always look down and underestimate other people, always love to judge people without even knowing that first. Also, the one that hurt you so many times.” Irene told, looking up to face Mino then.

Looking at Irene’s redden face and puffy eyes made Mino felt bad and concerned about his wife condition though. “He’s the reason why I hate myself before. Because of him, I became someone that even myself despise so much. I became someone who stupidly let people took advantage on me. Just because of his rejection and humiliation that he gave to me, I rather let myself becoming someone that most people hate. And I even let myself fall into a forbidden mistake that I shouldn’t do. The worst of all, I made the biggest mistake by giving Seulgi to dominate on me!”

Irene let out a deep sigh, roughly wiped her face then before mocking a laugh towards herself. “I know it’s fault to blame others but the truth is, he’s the reason why I became so different person. I made myself a new character because I don’t want the same mistake repeat again in my life although I know it was so stupid to do that. I was faking myself in front all the people, letting them to think that I’m a selfish, arrogant, woman but in fact, deep inside, I really hate myself for becoming like that.”

“I realized that I made the biggest mistake when Seulgi entered my life, playing and manipulating me as her doll – making me confused in the new world that I created by myself. There never even love between the two of us; she thought we did but for me, she just merely a friend that I never think more than that. Not even a best friend level in my life. That was the saddest, pathetic thing ever happen in my life.” Irene stared down, feeling ashamed with herself to even look at Mino at this moment.

She sniffed, shaking her head in dismay as she distanced herself from Mino then. “If you ever think what I had before with Seulgi is true, you’re dead wrong. I never in love with her just like what she feels about me. The only reason why I let her do anything that she wants because she’s been too deep in my life, faking as the role of my friend that helps when I was heartbroken but instead, I did not realize I been dumped by her all the time. Too funny that I let myself becoming someone so easily to be manipulated.” Irene talked in disbelief, scoffing loudly.

“Is it true?”

After a temporary silence, Irene slowly looked up then, meeting with Mino’s eyes. “Is it true what you said just now? Everything about it – is it the truth, Joohyun?” Mino stared at his wife firmly, wanting the answer that he’s been desperate finding it all of this time. The answer that will loos up the chain of the complicated problem between the two of them.

Irene watched as Mino stood up then, before heading to one of the book shelves; grabbing a long, rectangular, black in color book which look as a diary or journal or something – taking out an envelope from the book before heading back towards Irene again, sitting across her then. Mino then handed the envelope towards Irene which at first, the golden hair woman was hesitate to take it before opening the envelope, peaking at the content inside it.

Her pair of eyes widen in shock as a loud gasp escaped from – the content inside the envelope really threw her startled, could not believe the things that she received from Mino seconds ago.

“W-Where do you get this?” Irene asked in stammering voice, biting her lip as another full of emotion build inside her, tears were soaking up again inside her puffy eyes as she scanned through the pictures one by one. Oh God, isn’t it enough with one ing problem and now this?!

Mino sighed, looking at Irene then. “It doesn’t matter where I-”

“Of course, the hell it does, Mino!” Irene started to yell back, crying all over again. “Who gave this to you?! Seulgi? How long you’ve been keeping this thing from me? Why you want to tell me now?!” Irene asked with unbelievable look, clamping as she tried to hold herself from wailing out loud.

What’s Mino motive to show all of this to her right now? Why now?! Why not before? Is it because he thought this is the right moment to finally reveal those ing pictures to her? Oh God, Irene just could not believe what’s happening right now. She seriously could not think that Mino had guts to do this towards her.

“Joohyun, calm down. Let me explain first, will you?”

Irene pushed Mino’s body away from her harshly with every strength that she could, glaring at Mino then. “Did you seriously do this on purpose? Is this the way you want to punish me? For everything that I’ve done?” Irene asked, feeling so betrayed, so hurt and so devastated right now that she could not even think properly at the moment.

“Wow, I-I just can’t believe it. All of this time, I thought you believe me but…” she trailed off, shaking her head as she cried then, pressing her lip together. “S-So, this is what you think of me? Even when you said that you forgive me? This is what you mean actually? Oh God, why I’m being so blind and stupid!” Irene blamed herself, roughly wiped her face with her palm, breathing very hard.

Feeling that she could not take all of this anymore, Irene wanted to run out from the room before Mino blocked her, holding her arm tightly then. “Joohyun, please. Can you let me explain first? It’s not like whatever you think right now. Please, baby, don’t make this thing hard between us.” Mino tried to comfort her but instead, he was gifted with one big and hard slap from Irene then.

“Stay away from me! Don’t ever touch me if all of this time you never even believe in me! I can’t believe that I honestly thought you feel the same way like I am but the truth is, it just my own imagination. Just wow, Mino. Really?” Irene talked back, hitting Mino’s chest nonstop as if that would make her release the anger that building inside her.

With every strength left, Irene pushed aside then, heading towards the door then before suddenly…

“JOOHYUN!”

Mino was fast enough to catch Irene’s body that collapsed out of blue at the door of the room before his wife’s head could kiss the floor room. “Joohyun? Baby? Hey, wake up!” Mino lightly tapped on Irene’s both cheeks, too shock to see how Irene could suddenly faint despite the big fight that they had just before.

Oh God, what I’ve done now?

It’s already past midnight but still, Kai did not have any idea why would he be driving around despite that it such late hour where almost everyone would be in their dreaming land right now. He drove his car around, this probably the third times ever since he started to wander around like someone who lost their track.

The young man tried to get some sleep because tomorrow will be an early morning practice and surely, he did not want to get up late due to the lack sleep he have. Of course, he might think that tomorrow will be another day where his coach will blabber at him for coming up late although most of the time, that coach of his had reminded him to always come right on the time.

He was about to make a turn, heading back to his place when a loud scream coming from somewhere caught his attention at the moment. Almost immediately, Kai stopped his car, tried to listen again to that loud scream which he heard just few seconds ago.

Once again, he heard the same loud, high scream coming from a pathway that lead to the backyard of few stores located along the street not far from where he was. Kai quickly parked his car nearby, locking it then before he half ran himself towards the place where he thought he might hear the scream.

“You’re ! Let go of me, you bastards!” that voice sounded much clearer when Kai reached at the pathway, his eyes greeted with a situation where there were three men trapping a small figure – young woman probably in her early twenties, her body was blocked against the brick of wall.

At first, Kai thought that he could give some help towards that helpless woman but looking at how well-build those three men made him felt hesitate whether he could fight all of them at once. “What the hell you think you’re doing? Don’t you listen?! She says let go! Are you guys deaf or something?”

The men laughed loudly, one of them was giving a cynical, mocking stare glance at Kai then. “Get the damn out from our problem, kid! You don’t want to interfere our little business here!” ordered him, spitting out like a real gangster at that time. Kai snorted in such a disgust way then. “What if I don’t want to?” he asked them back, sort of challenging those three men with his words.

One of the men then leaped forward before aiming a hard kick on Kai but the young man managed to dodge it before laid a hard punch on that man’s face which threw him on the cold ground then, hitting a bin at a corner of the pathway. Seeing one of their friends down, another man tried to hit Kai but hitting his shoulder with a long, wooden stick but like before, Kai did dodge the attack and instead, kicked that man’s private part which earned a loud, painful groan from him then.

“Oh, you think you’re a hero? Take this, !” the last man said and before Kai could defend himself, he felt a blunt object hit his head hardly making him fall to the ground at once, his face winced in pain as he could feel that blood gushing out from the place that just been hit earlier.

The other two men then joined their friend to give a lesson towards Kai for interrupting their work – they finished him with no mercy at all; kicking, punching and even hitting him with the wooden baseball bat that one of them brought along. Kai could only defend himself by curling up his body although he felt his entire body being beaten up