Minho glanced at the clock. He still had about thirty minutes before the show started. He sat on the couch, his mind was wandering everywhere. He sighed. The door across the room slowly opened and a pretty face showed up.

            “ Minho? You’re here! What are you doing?”

It’s Yuri. She stepped in, a smile plastered on her face. Minho couldn’t help but smiled back. A small one.

“ I’ll be the special MC today, remember?” he chuckled. Yuri took a sit beside him and gave him a tight hug.

“ I miss you,” she said.

“ Me too,”

“ Is everything okay? You don’t seem good,” Yuri gazed at him, worried.

“ Everything’s fine.” He said simply, lying to both himself and her. He felt exactly the opposite. And Yuri sitting beside him that time wasn’t helping him either. He didn’t know why though.

“ You know I know you better than yourself, Minho. What’s wrong?” Yuri asked, leaning forward. Her left palm checked Minho’s forehead. It’s not heating.

“ I’m okay, noona.” He mumbled, but clear enough to be heard.

“ Don’t lie, Minho.” Yuri caressed Minho’s cheek. For the very first time, Minho didn’t feel it right. Before he even had an opportunity to gave her any respond, he could feel her lips against his. It started as warm and soft, but slowly, it became a passionate one.

“ I like you, oppa,”

Minho’s eyes snapped open. He suddenly broke the kiss. Yuri sent him a confused look.

“ What’s wrong, Minho?” asked her. Minho shook his head. He didn’t know either. It just felt even more wrong than before.  He was kissing his girlfriend and yet it’s not her face appeared in his mind. It was the other’s.

“ Noona, I want to talk.” He said. Yuri pouted.

“ But I don’t,” She sat on Minho’s lap, facing him. “ It’s been too long since the last time we met each other, Minho-yah.” She cupped Minho’s face with her palms.

“ Noona-“ Again, Yuri’s lips cut his sentence. Minho didn’t kiss her back. He pushed her gently.

“ I want to talk, noona.”

“ What’s wrong with you?” Yuri asked, started to be annoyed. It’s been about one month since the last time they have their time together. She missed him so damn much until she didn’t care anymore if it’s only in waiting room.

“ I just want to talk, noona.”

“ Okay, okay fine. Make it short, hon. What do you want to talking about?”

            “ Do you like me?”

            “ What-? You’re silly. Of course. I love you, Minho.” She started to kiss him again but Minho put his fingers between their lips.

            “ Do you love me for myself or-”  He said in serious tone.

            “ What do you want to say actually?” Yuri put her hands on her hips. “ I’ve said that I love you, Minho. Isn’t that enough? ”

            “ But it doesn’t seem like it. I mean, whenever we meet, all we do is just it.”

            “ That’s because we love each other, Minho-yah.”

            “ I don’t…think so, noona. I feel like…you’re just using me.” He whispered. Yuri shook her head. She stood up, losing her mood.

            “ Where’re you going?” Minho asked.

            “ I’m going to my room. The show will start in ten minutes. Bye,” she made her way out from the room, almost slammed the door shut.

            Minho only could staring at her back disappeared behind it.

***

            “ I don’t know what the hell is wrong with him,”

            Minho stopped in his track. It’s a familiar voice. It’s Yuri’s. Minho know it too well that it’s not good to eavesdropping but he couldn’t help himself. He walked to the direction of the voice.

            “ So, what are you going to do now?” Another familiar voice. Minho froze.

            “ I don’t know,”

            “ Yuri-yah… do you still love him?” Minho’s heart couldn’t beating faster than that. He bit his lip. It’s all silence.

            “ I do....but....”

            Minho found himself running down the corridor seconds later.

***

            Minho took off from the bus. He let himself went to wherever his feet brought him. His mind was completely blank. Minho stopped, realizing where he was at. Namsan Park. He sat on a bench, feeling the autumn breeze against his face, grateful that no one noticing him only with his hoodie. Or so he thought.

            “ Oppa? What are you doing here?” Minho blinked his eyes. He knew that voice and looked up at the owner. It’s Krystal, looking back at him with her brows furrowed. She didn’t wear any disguise. She just wore her worn out jacket and sweat pants. She put her hands in the pockets.

            “ Soo Jung? What are you doing here this late?” He asked her back, surprised, without answering.

            “ It’s only nine, oppa. I just met my friends,” she said, still standing. “ You haven’t answered my question. Where’re the others?”

            “ The others are at the apartment, maybe.”

            “ Oh,”

            The awkward silence wrapped around them.

            “ So, uh, do you need accompany or you just want to be alone?” Krystal finally broke the silence. Minho didn’t immediately answered. He gazed at Krystal whose cheeks starting to blush.

            “ Soo Jung, “ he called. “ May I ask you something?” Krystal tried hard to keep her flat expression.

            “ What?”

            “ Yesterday…when you said that you like me, do you…do you really- like, really mean it?” Minho tore his own gaze, embarrassed with his own question. He didn’t know how could he ask her that. He had no idea, that question just slipped out from his lips. Krystal mouth slightly opened. She didn’t know what to say.

            “ I…I…” She brought her palms to her face. It’s burning although it’s autumn.

            “ It-it’s okay. You don’t need to answer me. Sorry for asking you that.” Minho looked at Krystal again, who was shaking her head.

            “ No no no,” she mumbled in English. “ I…I…I don’t know, but,” Krystal immediately add the ‘but’ when he saw Minho’s expression. “ It’s like this, “ she put her left hand up. “ How to say this….eh, wait,” She mumbled. She inhaled enough air before she continue.

            “ I don’t know. It’s just whenever I see you, my heart beating even faster. Whenever I know Shinee at the same place with f(x), or at the same event, I’ll always look for you first. Whenever I know that Shinee and f(x) will do a same advertisement or CF, i can’t wait for the shooting. Whenever I see your smile, it’s like I have butterflies in my stomach. I can’t pass a day without seeing you, even from photos or TV. Listening to your solos is like my lullaby. I know I’m freaking pathetic like this, but I can’t help myself. You’re now Yuri unnie’s and she’s just like my real sister. It hurts the most whenever I see you with her but all I can do is nothing…because I like it when you’re happy. Even if it’s not me the reason of your happiness…” Krystal could feel hot liquid ran down on her cheeks. “ Yes, I like you. Not as a brother or friend…I like you- I…I love you, oppa.” She added the last sentence in English. She wiped her own tears and tried to crack a smile.

            “ H-how, how is it?” She forced a laugh.

            “ What?”

            “ My acting?” Krystal hung her head low, couldn’t look at the man in front of her.

            “ It’s terrible,” Minho said. Krystal put her head up, looked at him in a way which was hard to be read. His expression was flat.

            . “ Wha-?” Krystal shook her head as she gripped the bottom of jacket, “ I’ll go. I-I need to go. Sorry for bothering you, bye, oppa.” She was about leaving when she felt a gentle grip on her wrist.

            “ Wait, Soo Jung.” Krystal did as what he said. “ …Sorry. I’m sorry.”

***

edited~