T W O  M O N T H S  L A T E R

“Aww, that’s so sweet. I missed you guys, too.”

Soojin grinned down the flowers that were given by one particular girl group that she’s been working with for the past year. “Unni, we really thought you weren’t coming back. Your clothes are always our favorite to wear, especially for our tour now.” One member pouted while rubbing Soojin’s arm. She smiled back and shook her head. “I just went to the States for a family vacation, of course I wouldn’t leave you guys. Especially now that it’s your first tour!” She chanted and started hopping, feeling excited for the group. A month after the scandal came out, Soojin and her family decided to go stay in the States for a little while to freshen up from all the chaos and went back home a month later. Soojin only started working on her store and on her pending appointments with agencies a few days ago since coming back.

After her current appointment with this group, she’s scheduled to meet up with Jiwon to help her with the dress fitting. Baekhyun and Jiwon only started preparing for their wedding a week ago and she was just right in time to participate and help in the whole thing.

“Anyway, you guys should look around the rack of clothes and we’ll get back to it later and have a meeting about it, feel free to give me suggestions and if you have preference on your outfits, okay?” Soojin professionally cut off the non-work-related thing going on between them and excused herself for a while. She left the dressing lounge and gave the flowers to her assistant who was waiting right outside the door. “Hyera ssi, when we get back to the store, please put this on a vase with water right away, okay? The kids gave it to me, aren’t they sweet?” Soojin giggled as she handed it to her. “We all missed you, Soojin ssi. And we’ve been getting a lot of sponsorship requests from other new agencies lately, are you planning to accept them?” Hyera asked.

“Hmm. . . I think I want to take it slow on the celebrity part-time of mine for a while, after Sunbeam’s asia tour, I might just focus on my store first, actually. But keep it a secret, nothing’s final yet.” Soojin whispered and timidly grinned at her assistant. “Excuse me for a while, I’ll go to the washroom.” She added before walking away first. She took her phone out and called Jiwon as she walked through the empty hallway. “Unni? Hi!” She exclaimed immediately as soon as Jiwon answered. “Soojinnie~ how was your first week back to work?” Jiwon laughed on the other line. “It was, alright, I guess. The thing has completely died down but I feel like I still need to be cautious for some reasons.” Soojin answered while pouting.

She stopped when she heard a soft music coming from one rehearsal room, it’s one of her favorite parts of having to come to entertainment agencies for meetings, she gets to watch live practices of idols and trainees. “Just relax, everything’s going to be okay. To make you feel good, that ex-boyfriend of yours are slowly getting backlash for the news, some netizens are suspicious of the way things turned out, the news coming out and then the two of you breaking up immediately. He’s an and you’re still as awesome as ever, right?” Jiwon comforted her like a sister. “Thanks, unni~ that does make me feel good.” She grinned before tiptoeing to peek right on the gl of the door. “Oh. . .” She put a hand over when she saw who’s inside.

It was Do Kyungsoo. She just realized she was in the same agency where he works at.

It never really came to her mind because she has never met him during work. “Huh?” Jiwon asked on the other line hearing her mumbles. “U-uh—nothing, unni, I might have to let you go for now. I’ll text you when I’m done with work and let’s meet up at the dress shop, okie? Byie~” Soojin ended the call right away and continued watching. He was sitting on the piano chair while playing a slow piano music. There were no trainees inside at the moment and Soojin guessed it’s because it’s lunch time. “H-he looks. . . so sad.” Somehow, she felt sorry for him.

She knows all the bad things he has done but she can’t help but to feel pain just by looking at his broken expression.

And it’s been only two months.

It made her realize she wasn’t the only one who was left by a loved one.

Without any hesitation anymore, she knocked three times and pushed the door open. It immediately made Kyungsoo stop from playing the piano and turned to the door. “Hello~” Soojin greeted with a lively tone and walked over to the piano. Kyungsoo stood up and gave her a professional bow. “You’re Soojin if I’m not mistaken. Okay, so. . . you’re not allowed here. If it’s okay, you should leave before the supervisor sees you.” He spoke in monotone and bowed again before walking towards another door, to the locker room where he keeps his things. “No, I’m usually allowed in rehearsal rooms, sometimes I watch idols practice~” Soojin grinned and sat down right on the chair when he just got off from. “It’s been a while, huh? How are you, ahjusshi?” She added to lighten up the mood a little.

Kyungsoo sighed and stopped before turning around to face her.

“What do you want?” he eventually lost his politeness and spoke in an irritated tone. Soojin pouted and folded her arms. “I’m just trying to be nice, you know. . . I mean w-we’re totally different but. . . I want to assume we feel the same way. I was. . . I was left by someone I love too. Although. . . Jiwon unni isn’t a meanie like my ex-boyfriend is.” She explained. Kyungsoo looked away as he felt the sting on his chest just by the mention of Jiwon’s name. “You don’t know me and you don’t know how I feel, so just leave me alone.” Kyungsoo grunted before turning around again and completely going into the locker room. Not getting intimidated by his coldness, Soojin only followed and peeked at the door that was still cracked open.

“Hello~” She greeted once again almost making Kyungsoo flinch in shock thinking that she has given up after his outburst. “Wow~ there’s more instruments here.” Soojin went into the small locker room which also serves as storage room for employees sometimes. “Soojin ssi, please just leave me alone. The trainees will be back here any minute and I need to resume to my classes.” Kyungsoo spoke, fighting back the urge to shout this time. “Has unni talked to you ever since?” Soojin asked seriously this time, with a concerned tone. Finally, it made Kyungsoo’s stiff shoulders loosen up a bit. He looked away and shook his head. “No.” He briefly answered as he took out some grading sheets from his bag.

“I-if it can make you feel better. . . Baekhyun Oppa isn’t really mad at you anymore. So~ I think I shouldn’t be mad at you too.” Soojin smiled and peeked at his face hoping to make him feel better. “Oh my g—can you please just leave me alone?” Kyungsoo hissed again and tried to walk back to the door but Soojin continued peeking at his face from left to right, blocking his way completely. “I think if you just give Jiwon unni a little more time, she will eventually talk to you. Baekhyun Oppa told me she really cares for you because you were best friends for a really long time so don’t lose hope~ Maybe after their wedding, she’ll soften up even more and eventually call you, right?” Soojin grinned convincingly.

Kyungsoo stopped moving, this time staring right down at her. “T-they’re getting married?” He asked. Soojin automatically stopped and put a hand on realizing she might have said something wrong. “Oops. . .” She muffled and look around as if trying to find a hiding spot. She watched as Kyungsoo’s expresson hardened again as he collapsed down to a stool near the desk beside them. “I-I’m sorry—oh my god, why did I—omo. . .” Soojin covered her face in guilt. Just then, the door swung open.

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SONSAENGNIM!”

A bunch of young trainees barged in holding some balloons and a cake. Soojin’s eyes bulged out as she watched the trainees come towards Kyungsoo who looked at them with his forced smile forming on his lips. “B-birthday—it’s your birthday—oh my god.” Soojin bit her bottom lip feeling the worst guilt she has ever felt. The trainees started singing him the happy birthday song and that’s when Soojin took a leave. “I’m so bad—oh my god, why did I tell him that? On his birthday? Omo, Han Soojin. . . you’re evil.” She escaped practice room and started slapping herself on the cheeks. “Omo—what should I do—ahh!” She shrieked when her phone in her pocket rang. She looked around to check if there was anyone who heard her scream before taking her phone out. It was her assistant, Hyera.

“Oh, Hyera ssi, I-I’ll be back, give me a minute. . .”

“W-what? You met him?”

Soojin nibbled with her bottom lips nervously as soon as she told Jiwon what just happened. Jiwon blinked hard as she looked away. “Uhm. . . h-how does he look? Is he okay? Actually. . . it’s his birthday today.” She mumbled, her tone sounding very gloomy. Soojin gulped hard as she nodded. “D-do you have plans on greeting him, unni?” She asked. She debated herself whether or not she should tell her that Kyungsoo already knows about the wedding. Jiwon looked down to her lap and fiddled with the zipper of her purse. “I’m going to be honest. . . I d-don’t know how to face him. I-it’s been two months and I just. . . I don’t know w-what to feel.” She admitted. For the past two months, Jiwon tried her best to focus on Baekhyun and their relationship since they have missed a lot of things about each other. She did her best to just be happy and enjoy being back with him.

Whenever her mind goes back to Kyungsoo, she tried to divert it back to happy thoughts.

“He. . . he lost a lot of weight, unni. He probably misses you a lot.” Soojin randomly said not knowing what else to say. Jiwon closed her eyes trying to fight away the tears from forming. “I m-miss him too.” She finally confessed and started crying eventually. She wiped her tears and looked up to the ceiling. “He’s still my best friend, Soojin-ah. . . I will always care for him no matter what he did. I-it’s just. . . really hard. It hurts really bad because I care for him a lot.” She added. Soojin moved closer to her and started rubbing her back for comfort. “Unni, I’m not really good in g