"What. The. ?" 

Henry scrubbed his hands through his hair and turned away from the angry girl in front of him. It had taken every favor from his friends to get her here. He knew some of her female friends didn't like him and her friends like Eric were a tad overprotective, but once he explained what he wanted and why they'd finally agreed to get Amber to a neutral location for them and lock them away. 

So here they were, locked inside Cureanos Kitchen with a small meal in front of them. Amber had her arms folded over her chest and an expression of anger on her deeper than Henry had ever seen. 

"Uhmm..." he cleared his throat and tried again. "Listen. I know you're mad at me-"

"I'm not mad at you, Henry. I am very very mad at you. And a whole lot of other people, including myself. So could you please just tell them to unlock the door? I want to go home, cuddle my puppy, and never speak to you again!" Her eyes were so large in her small face, it made her almost look like someone Henry didn't know. And he didn't know her. After all of this time, he didn't.

He went around the table and crouched on the floor beside her. "Amber-" 

She stood up and slammed her hands on the table. "Why won't you listen to me? Why won't anyone ever just listen to me?! This isn't about you or our friendship. This is about me and what I have to do to feel like a whole person again, Henry. It's been so long since I've wanted to be in my own company. The things I've been doing...the things I let myself believe...the things I was too weak to resist or stand up against. Henry..." she said pleadingly. "Let me go."

"What have you been doing, Amber? What do you feel like you need to fix? I'll listen, Amber," he promised. "To everything." 

She stared at him desperately, then giving in, turned away and put her face in her hands. "I've let other people tell me who I am. I've played with Krystal's heart for a long time because I've never been confident. I knew she liked me, so what was the harm, right? But I see it in her eyes what I've done even though she pretends..." Amber shook her head. "She's in love with me. More than she used to be. And she would keep letting me play with her if she thought it made me feel better and to make herself feel better. She's pretty good at pretending, but you can see it. I was heartbroken," she sobbed. "Nobody liked and me and when you first liked me, I didn't like you back. And even now, I don't know if I like you or if I'm trying to like you because you like me...like I did with Krystal, and I don't want to treat another of my friends like that, ever again. There's not one single part of myself that I love right now, Henry." Tears ran down her face, staining her lashes and her cheeks. "So please, just let me go."

Henry wanted to hold her and tell her that he could help her fix it, help her love herself. But he wasn't so sure. It wasn't his place. He put a hand on her knee and shook it slightly. "I'm sorry. It was a dumb idea. You know I get impulsive sometimes. I thought I would bring you here and say some crazy stuff about love and you would fall all over me like they do in the movies. I wasn't thinking about you. I'm so, so sorry, Amber." He brushed a tear from her long, dark lashes. "When has kidnapping ever been romantic?" 

He was glad when Amber finally laughed a little. "I guess I should at least eat before I go." 

He stood up and sat across from her. "Please. I nearly stabbed my hand on your knee earlier." 

She glared at him. "You're really not helping my self-esteem." 

"Sorry. I nearly stabbed myself on your beautiful, sharp, elegant patella earlier." 

She tossed a napkin at him and sniffled. "I'm going to be okay one day, Henry. I really think so." 

He gave her a bright smile. "I really think so too." 

"Have you heard from Amber?" Eric asked, fluttering around Henry's shoulders. "Have you seen her?" 

"For the thousandth time, no!" Henry said, pushing Eric away. "I don't think she's spoken to any of us in a few months. I don't even know if she's still in Korea." 

"Have you tried asking Krystal?" 

He thought back to the last time he'd seen Krystal. She'd tried to look happy, but there was something pale about her skin and distant about her eyes. She was heartbroken. "I think we shouldn't bother Krystal right now," he said softly. 

"Aw, come on-" 

Henry shrugged him off an went back to trying to compose a song. Since Amber had left, he'd mostly just focused on work. His friends were worried about him, he knew that. But he was fine. He thought about Amber a lot, but there was nothing he could do for her. 

"You want to go to Ailee's new concert with me this Friday? It might take our minds off things." 

Eric pouted. "No." 

"I know you like her." 

"Shut up." 

Henry laughed. "She told me she's got an entirely new setlist. New costumes and everything." 

Eric was practically drooling. 

"Just tell her how you feel, man." 

"She's focused on her career." His shoulders slumped. "And I don't think she likes me that way. She always treats me like a little brother." 

Henry stood and clapped him on the shoulder. "Poor guy. Let's go out and get a few drinks. Maybe it'll make both of us feel a bit better, huh?" 

Eric threw his hands up in the air. "Fine. But I'm not paying for everything," he warned. "I know you have more money than me. You should treat me for once." 

"Amber, seriously?" Her older sister Jackie asked as she strutted into the living room in high heels and a padded bra. 

Amber rolled her eyes. "My therapist told me to try everything until I found what made me feel comfortable and confident. So I'm wearing these stupid heels and this stupid bra for the entire day, alright?" She put on a dress and belted it tightly at the waist, trying to make it look tiny, but she was shaped like a box and there was no disguising that. "Urgh!!!" She pulled the belt tighter. "Whatever. Let's go." 

Jackie watched her wobble on the heels like a baby giraffe. "Are you sure this therapist knows what they're doing?" 

"I'm not a therapist. So how would I know?!" Amber snapped irritably. "You better not leave my side tonight. I don't want to break my nose falling on the sidewalk."