Sumin stared at her reflection in the mirror and sighed. Her eyes were puffy from all the tears she shed last night. She sighed. There is nothing she can do about it. Probably try to hide it under sunglasses if the weather permits. She quickly washed up to get ready for school.

She was in the kitchen lost in thoughts, having a bowl of cereal for breakfast absentmindedly, when Ye Rim joined her. “Sehun left early?” Ye Rim asked. Sumin startled, as she didn’t realise Ye Rim knew Sehun came last night. “He didn’t sleep over. How did you know he was here last night?” she asked. “I came back at 1 and saw his shoes. But it’s no longer there,” Ye Rim explained as she grabbed a bowl and pour herself some cereal. Sumin nodded.

Ye Rim had a spoonful of cereal and pondered about her friend. She noticed the puffy eyes and pale skin. “Are you two ok now? How did he explain his presence in Irene’s room?” Ye Rim asked. Sumin exhaled slowly. “He said it wasn’t him. The agency will announce it after they confirm the actual person in the photo,” Sumin mumbled. “I knew it. The body was not as skinny as Sehun’s. It’s Chanyeol, right?” Ye Rim asked excitedly. Sumin jerked her head up. “You didn’t think it was Sehun too?” Sumin asked, surprised. “Initially I took it as what the reporter wrote. But then, when I looked at it closely, I wasn’t too sure. Sehun is pretty skinny and this guy wasn’t. It’s likely Chanyeol,” Ye Rim explained. “It’s not Chanyeol either. That’s why they are taking a bit of time. They need to confirm the person and apparently Irene is keeping mum,” Sumin told Ye Rim what Sehun had informed her last night.

“I don’t get it. If you already knew that it’s not Sehun, what’s with the puffy eyes? You looked like you spent the night crying,” Ye Rim asked. Sumin did not immediately reply. She finished her breakfast and started twirling her spoon in the bowl. “I wasn’t too sure if I want to be with him. His life, I am not sure how to accept it. Girls clamouring after him, his fan services towards them, and the scandals. Since we agreed to date, he has more scandals that we actually have dates. How do I accept that? I just don’t know if I want to be in that kind of relationship,” she sighed.

Ye Rim stared silently at her friend. “Is that why Sehun was here?” Sumin explained what happened yesterday, his attempts to speak to her, her need for space but he still appeared that last night. “You agreed with him to work on the relationship, so why do you still seem unsure, like you are ready to bolt? Are you waiting for something else to happen to give you a reason to break up with him?” Ye Rim asked. Sumin kept quiet. “Don’t play with his feelings. If you want to break up, you might as well break it up yesterday. Why do you agree to work it out, when your heart is not in it?”

“I like him, I like him a lot. When he is next to me, my brain just couldn’t function. I want to be with him. But can I? How do I deal with his celebrity life, the secrets, the scandals? How do I live with that?” Sumin lamented.

 Ye Rim took Sumin’s hands. “Sehun likes you. A lot. I can see that. The effort that he puts in for you and his sincerity, it shows. Can’t you see that? It’s not something you see in everyone, even in normal people. You are so lucky that the first guy you like, he likes you back so genuinely,” she paused. “What’s amazing, he is a celebrity. He just need to snap his fingers and girls would be running to him. And yet, among all the girls, he chose you. You! Not the female idols, not any of the fans. I cannot deny that to date him seems restrictive. It doesn’t sound fun. I agree with all your complaints. Personally, I wouldn’t do it myself. But, I have to give him credit for the efforts he made to keep you by his side. For his sincerity. You have to decide, whether those efforts and sincerity, was worth for you to understand his circumstances so that the two of you could work out the relationship. Or at least, try before giving up at the first sign of trouble.” Ye Rim stood up to get ready for school.

Sumin’s phone vibrated while she was in class. When class ended, she checked her phone. “Sehun?” Ye Rim asked. Sumin nodded. “I see you at lunch,” and Ye Rim squeezed her hand before walking away to another class. Sumin walked out to go to her next class. She stopped and read the message from Sehun, he was asking if she is feeling ok this morning. She decided to call him.

“Hello,” Sehun answered. “Hi,” Sumin replied, “I’m sorry I can’t reply earlier. I was in class.” “That’s ok. I don’t have your new schedule, so I don’t know your class timing. I hope I didn’t disturb you,” Sehun spoke softly. Sumin could hear the nervousness and uncertainty in his voice. Sumin closed her eyes for a moment. She felt terrible for making Sehun feel insecure. “Sehun-ah,” she said softly. Sehun murmured, “Hhhmmm.”  “I’m ok,” Sumin said quietly. “We are ok.” She heard Sehun exhaled a sigh of relief. “I need to attend my next class now. I send you my class schedule later today,” she continued. “Thank you,” Sehun whispered.

Sehun stared at the ceiling. Although it seems things worked out last night, Sehun had a restless sleep and woke up worrying about Sumin. He had been lying in bed, waiting for her response, and as the time ticked away, his heart was in his mouth the whole time. Her call reassured him. He closed his eyes, with a smile.

He got out of bed with a bounce in his steps and went to the living area to find, DO, Chen, Xiumin fixing jigsaw puzzle. He slunked on the sofa and hugged DO, giving him a slight kiss on the cheek. DO turned towards Sehun, “What’s up with you now?” Sehun cheekily tried to kiss him again as DO did his best to avoid it.

Chen glanced at Sehun who is being a naughty maknae again and he was glad. It’s been tough seeing him feeling down, moping because of the scandal yesterday. The guys knew that Sehun had been worried about Sumin’s reaction more than the scandal itself. To see him, all smiles and playful would meant that it was sorted out. “You and Sumin ok, I suppose,” Chen commented.  “Yup!” Sehun replied cheerfully and he lay down on the couch with his head on DO’s lap, whistling some mindless tune.

Later in the afternoon, he called up his childhood friend, Doo Joon and asked to come over if he was free. Sehun was outside the house with Doo Joon as he scrutinized Doo Joon’s car. “How old is this car?” Sehun asked. “Two,” Doo Joon replied. “Does it drive smoothly?” Sehun asked further. Doo Joon was getting perplexed with the questions. “Yeah, it may look like a normal sedan, but I did souped it up. Why th