There's no man of steel, Jiyong believes strongly in this. And no one deserves to be made of steel either.

He threw himself on the couch while glancing at his clock, Jiyong let out a heavy sigh. His girlfriend will be here in a few minutes and he needed to be there for her. Out of nowhere, things suddenly got awful to a whole new level when their privacy images were leaked. It's not their style to address anything especially when there's no valid reason to explain except for a public showcase. And that's not what he planned on holding. It must be hard for Kiko, he quietly thought.

Kiko is that kind of wild and independent girlfriend who he needs not to protect in any of her essences. But what kind of man doesn't protect their woman? That's an extreme coward in his opinion. And Kiko is his girlfriend, who was not so sweet but loving him in her very own way, Jiyong reminded himself. Of course he needs to be here for her.

Contrary to many people's belief that Jiyong is an emotional person, he's quite a rational bunch of emotions. He has certain standards and moral grounds that he would definitely follow. Being there for someone who had done so much for him is one of those.

Jiyong heaved another sigh as his phone rang.

He was welcome with a baritone voice as the person on the other line went straight to the point.

"I don't know what you're doing but I hope everything is fine. This all shall pass, you know that."

He closed his eyes in appreciation. "Thank you hyung."

"I need not to show you my anger because you are my brother too but be aware that there's more than one woman crying in this mess."

He heard some shuffles in the background and a familiar voice booming. The man then admonished her gently, "Bom, this is not your phone and I will not let you talk while I pay for the call. Go get your own."

Jiyong despite of feeling very burdened at the moment, snorted. These two are born to annoyed each other, Top and Bom.

"I don't know what you're thinking but I hope you don't play an role though that suits you somehow." Top got back on the line, calm as always.

"I walked away from her hyung. Nothing between us anymore."

"Good to know. I call to remind you exactly that. Don't show your face up. Don't make her cry for an . Don't be an ."

He swallowed hard, need not to confirm who was crying. He knew she would cry, as the vulnerable little girl she has always hidden. And his heart clenched at the thought. How bad was she? He nearly let the question out when his door lock peeping indicating someone is coming.

"It all shall pass, Jiyong."

Top bid him a goodbye and cut the line just in time his girlfriend came in. She smiled at him as usual, the smile that lend him a breath as he was holding it in all the while.

"Hey," Jiyong drawled.

"Hey," she strolled in with a wide smile. "Don't show me that pathetic look Jiyong. It's good for my debut here in Korea." There she is, the predatory woman he knows, always facing her life with poise and noise. Who was he to resist a charming woman as her when he himself was lost in his tangled web of emotions?

Jiyong opened his arms and smiled proudly at her. "That's my girl."

The words he let out unexpectedly came striking him in the chest when his girlfriend contentedly rubbing her face on it.

'My girl'.

He knew he's no one to claim her as his but that girl he once believed was his is now also crying. The thought make his gut clenched in worry somehow it became painful.

Holding his set jaw, Kiko looked at him questioningly from his shoulder. She's taller than him so that's the most romantic place she always rests her head on.

"I was jus-" he was about to give her a vague answer because Jiyong himself didn't see the reason why he should feel like that as well but his phone rang once again.

He raised the phone up and an unknown number appeared. Kiko looked at his blinking eyes and smiled, letting go of him.

"I hope that's not some sort of the press."

He nodded. His phone number is supposed to be private. But he knew this number.

Even without a name, he just knew it.

He was the one choosing that range of numbers.

327772.

Once keyed onto the old phone keyboard, it means Dara.

Jiyong swallowed an invisible lump on his throat while stayed rigidly looking at his phone. No sign of him picking it up.

He should not.

He should not be an .

"Ain't you gonna answer? It's just my wild guess." Kiko patting him in the back one last time and went to the kitchen.

Jiyong felt his heartbeat went wild in his chest, faster than the flash of light on his screen and the vibration it gave.

He didn't know what he was thinking, he slide to accept.

The person on the other line was just as surprised as him for the line went through. She halted her breath abruptly and was about to cut it when he said softly.

"Hi,"

Just then, he heard her broke down, practically wailing on the line.

Jiyong listened to the agony in her cries, feeling it burned his throats slowly. She did not say anything as the sobs continued to rain. Not even greeted or calling his nam