If Belen was to describe her life in the way you had to describe pictures english tests, she would say that it was sad, it was monotonous, it was colourless, like a black and white painting. It always consisted of the same and the same things. She woke up in the morning, had her coffee, had her rice, went to work, listened to Faye and her endless stories as she filled herself with more rice during lunch, had coffee and snacks with Faye listening to more of her stories, tried not to fall asleep during meetings with her manager, clock out from work, buy groceries, go home to her empty flat, have dinner and go to sleep. There would be a few changes to her routine then and there when they had big events to attend to, but they were more of work and less of what she could actually enjoy. They almost always consisted of her walking around on painful feet with her ears ringing after wearing a headset for too long, giving order after order to conduct a perfectly executed event. She wouldn’t even get credit for her hard work after the end of it all. Her manager would. But still she’d get a hefty paycheck which she’d spend on things that she didn’t even need, and so her life would continue; dull, monotonous and colorless. 

And for the most part of her life, Belen was fine with it. She was fine with her dull life as long as she hadn’t much to worry about, as long as she had a plan and a routine and everything was exactly as she wanted them to be. Her life was much simpler that way. Much easier. But then…

But then Kim Sung Gyu rolled into her life just like the storm on the day they met, and now her life was in a complete whirlwind. It just would never be the same again.

That afternoon, Belen decided to take some time off and contemplate her life. Her manager, of course, allowed her to as she worked the previous day, even during a storm, when the rest of her company didn’t. During her time off, Belen did not return home. Instead, she decided to walk.

She had lunch first and a stroll in the city, walking along with the swarm of people that had gathered for a relaxing time in the brief window of good weather. She passed through the old town, mindlessly gazing at the ancient buildings and high walls, the mingle of the busy city making the present collide with the past. She sat down on a bench outside the cathedral after hours of walking and instantly regretted it; there was a newly married couple outside, exiting the church as their families gathered around, welcoming them into their new life. Love, marriage, happiness, everything that Belen wouldn’t have in her life.

It was at times like this that Belen could really do with Sung Gyu’s boundless optimism. It was unexpected from him, really; coming from someone who probably had gone through so much to become who he was. Despite how he always appeared to be cheerful and happy, Sung Gyu seemed to be someone who effortlessly recognised and understood pain. And to be able to do so, one need to have gone through similar pain, shouldn’t they? If he understood that Belen needed comfort in a moment that she feared and also that she didn’t want to really talk about it, He should have experienced something similar. Even still, how could he be so optimistic? So happy?

Perhaps that was what Belen needed in her life too. She didn’t know what it was that made Sung Gyu, Sung Gyu. But whatever it was, she needed to nurture that within her too. Belen needed that optimism. Belen needed that happiness. Although she was convinced she hadn’t the source to receive that from, perhaps it's time that she found it herself. 

The walk around the city, in the end, did no good for her. She needed distraction, something to put her mind into so that she wouldn’t unnecessarily overthink anymore. So in the end, she called her manager again and offered to come into work.

And that was how she ended up going to Infinite’s fan meeting venue and busied herself for the entire day. Work helped. Work always helped. At least keeping to her routine helped her to keep her emotions at bay.

Sunday evening was the day for Infinite’s fan meeting. Belen was familiar with the swarms of young girls that came to events like this. It wasn’t her first time. There were so many of them, with fans and banners and whatnot with faces of the band members plastered across them. Belen was mostly backstage, coordinating things with her colleagues to make sure the event runs smoothly. There weren’t many things that Belen was good at, but doing her job right was still one of them.

As tiring as it was, Belen loved what she was doing. Her natural tendency to keep things organized really came in handy in occasions like this. Her part was to keep everything in check; were things going according to the agenda? have the performers come in on time? were they given their necessities? and if their well being and safety looked in during the time of the concert? She was often found running around, hurried on her feet with a headset on, barking her orders left and right. It was at times like this that she really became herself, and her subordinates were actually terrified of how efficient she could be.

The fan meeting started at six, so before that she’d sent someone to check upon how well the idols were doing. No matter how badly affected she was after her last encounter with Sung Gyu, she couldn’t allow that to get on her way with work. Compartmentalising. That’s what she did the most on that night. She compartmentalised her feelings, put them into little boxes and stored them away in little drawers of her heart to never retrieve again.

And it was fine, because Belen didn’t see him again for the most part of the evening, and even when she did, it was from afar. She did, however, see all seven of them, dressed up so nicely in dark suits which really appealed to their tall and lean stature. Belen didn’t see most of the performance as, for the most part she was all over the place. She was there, however, when Sung Gyu had to sing on his own.

And that, somehow, was the moment that she really lost her composure.

Belen has seen a lot of beautiful things in her life. Cathedrals in the old town, the sunset from Manila bay, flowers of different colors, the cheerful smiles of a child. But at that moment nothing could match to how breathtaking Kim Sung Gyu appeared to be on the stage. For a moment, Belen couldn’t believe that it was the same Sung Gyu that she’d gotten to know, the quirky adorable Sung gyu with smiling eyes and an ample optimism to save the world. It wasn’t the Sung Gyu that she knew whom she witnessed on the stage, as if he’d become a different person altogether in the same shape and same form, shining brighter than ever before. He was singing, his voice echoing throughout the massive hall as, perhaps, the entire audience held their breath. In contrast to all the pieces of music that she’d heard in the concert so far, what Sung Gyu sang was slow, soulful, the kind of music that could make the time stop and yet let the world breath again. It wasn’t helping how the light was directed upon him, making him shine like the moon and the stars and the entire universe that he was. His blond hair emanated a silvery shine, making him appear ethereal. Sung Gyu was ethereal. Belen hadn’t seen or heard anyone more beautiful before.

And at the end of his song, she realised she had forgotten to breathe. Perhaps, her eyes were warm, her heart had lost pace. Perhaps, Belen had fallen even deeper in love.

She couldn’t be more glad when the Sung Gyu finally left the stage.

After then, however, she couldn’t quite focus on work, for the first time in her life. She almost missed a cue call and forgot to send in the water boy to serve the band. At some point their sound went a little bad which she didn’t even notice, and towards the end of the concert Belen found herself at the entrance to the stage, watching the boys bidding farewell to the massive crowd, their silhouettes moving about through the glimmering confetti rain.

Then it was over. All over. Days and hours of their hard work had paid off and they’ve come to this point. It was over. 

“Good job everyone!” Her manager’s voice echoed in her headset as the last bit of the last song played on. “Let’s huddle up and celebrate later...but first, please make sure our lovely ladies and gentlemen leave the hall in one piece”

Belen directed her people to take over the entrances to make sure everyone left the hall safely. Infinite, meanwhile, had returned to their respective dressing rooms. The whole team will meet their team from Korea after this to thank and congratulate everyone, their manager said they’d prepared some gift packages or whatever that they could bring back with them. Now that it was all over, it didn’t feel any different from their previous events. Their people would clean up and gather things, and later they would all go out to drink and party together. Faye would probably sing all her kpop songs on the top of her lungs while the others politely tolerated her. It would be just another regular work night.

“Belen!” Speaking of whom, Faye was currently running across the empty stage towards her, the widest smile on her lips. “Oh my god, Belen, did you see them? Did you see my boys?”

Except for Sung Gyu, Belen really hadn’t seen much of them. Faye most certainly did. She’d been fussing around them for no reason appearing miraculously composed to be around her favorite people.

“Yeah, they were fine” Belen merely shrugged her off. Never in her life would she admit the truth to her, that she was, infact, captivated by their performance, by one in particular. 

“Fine?” She echoed as if Belen had just admitted to mass murder. “Just fine!?! Belen! They were brilliant! They were perfect! They were just...they were just the best!” She threw her hands as if she was throwing imaginary confetti.

Trust Faye to be totally over dramatic even in the simplest things.

Belen just hummed as she gathered her documents in her arms. “By the way, did boss tell you anything about those gift packages or something?”

“Those to the Korean team?”

Belen nodded.

“Did he say who would distribute them? Is it you?” Faye hopped nervously on her feet.

“No and no”

“Nice! I’m going to take over” She said as if she couldn’t do anything better with herself. “Would you be there for drinks tonight?”

Belen would very much like to go home and sleep. But she also knew that she probably wouldn’t unless she killed off her thoughts with a bunch of strong shots. “Yes” She said.

“Great!” Faye jumped once more. “Well then, I will see you tonight!”

She didn’t even wait for Faye to respond before she hurriedly skipped away.

For the next few minutes, Belen busied herself with doing her own things. Her work was done for the day and perhaps for a few more weeks until their next big project would come about. For now they’d get much smaller pitches, like an occasional exhibition or a rally or a charity event which did not take much time or commitment. For tonight, she could let herself lose and relax, and finally put her mind at peace.

But as always the world was conspiring against her, it never let her be in peace. Belen was surprised to hear yet another crackle in her ear piece, and initially Belen thought it was her boss asking her to come through to distribute the gifts which Belen would really like to pass on. It was his manager, alright. But the request that he did make was not what he expected.

“Torres” Her manager called, his voice a little too loud in her ears. “Kim Sung Gyu said he wanted to meet you”

It was simply natural, the way her heart picked up pace upon the mention of his name.

“He did?” She muttered uncertainly.

“Yes. Said he wanted to thank you or something”

“Oh” She couldn’t say another word as her world started to spin around her. There were so many questions floating in her brain, so many worries and more than anything, so many reasons why she wanted to see him again. Out of all of them, one stood out.

“Looks like you’d really impressed him” Her manager said.

“What-?”

“He said he’d come up,” Her manager continued. “You’re still back stage right?”

“Yeah” She replied almost dazedly.

“Good” He replied. “Just stay there” And it went quiet on the other end.

Belen then stood frozen on the spot for about five minutes, trying to gather her thoughts and trying to make sense of his words. He couldn’t have been right. She probably didn’t hear him properly. Belen was inclined to talk to him again, clarify everything that he said. But then...she didn’t have to.

“So you really didn’t move” Said a voice from behind her, a voice so awfully familiar, and Belen just closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. This could not be real. He could not have come searching for her.

“Your manager said you would be here” He continued, sounding much closer now, and he laughed. “He said you wouldn’t even move and I didn’t think he would be right”

Belen took yet another deep breath, opened her eyes and turned to face him, trying to be as nonchalant as she could.

“Hi, um…” She gave him an awkward smile. “What are you doing here?”

“Oh nothing” he shook his hand dismissively. “Just checking out how backstage works…” And then, in an enigmatic moment, he met her eyes. “And just wanted to see who made backstage work”

They fell quiet after that, and Sung Gyu held her gaze for the longest time. Belen couldn’t seem to take her eyes off him. He was so different from the Sung Gyu that she knew in his too large sweaters and baby blue pajamas. The Sung Gyu that she saw now was in a crisp white shirt and a checkered jacket and jeans ensemble, the almond shape of his eyes made prominent by a dark outline. It looked wonderful in contrast to his silvery blond hair, and when he smiled, he reminded her of stars, of millions of them. Perhaps Faye was right. They were celebrities for a reason. They were just so...beautiful. Sung Gyu was just so beautiful.

“I would have brought the kids along with me” Sung Gyu put in to break their silence. “But they have their own things to do…”

“Don’t you?” Belen asked him.

“Don’t I what?”

“Have your own things to do?”

Sung Gyu gave her a smile so disarming that Belen thought her heart stopped for a while. He took a step towards her. “That is what I’m doing,” he said.

They fell quiet yet again, and Sung Gyu gazed at her in a way that made her feel extremely self conscious. 

“We walked around the city yesterday,” He suddenly told her. “We went to this park...I don’t remember what you call it but there were ancient buildings and a nice little boulevard-,”

“Fort Santiago” Belen told him. The description was so familiar for her, for she had been there so many times.

“I guess that’s what it’s called” He laughed. “And we saw the sunset and we had all kinds of street food-,”

“Sounds like you’ve had a great time”

“Hm” Sung Gyu nodded in agreement. He pursed his lips into a thin line, and when he glanced up at her, his eyes were shining. There were so many things hidden in the depth of them, so many things that he seemed not to word out. Belen held her breath; she did not like how he was making her feel.

“Strangely” He said, still gazing at her. “The whole time, I was thinking about you”

“Oh” Was all she could say, and his words started to float around her as she tried to make sense of what he meant. What was that supposed to mean? What was he trying to say?

“We had Banana Cues again” He continued, his voice growing more tender. “It tasted the same; Banana Cues are Banana cues after all”

She wanted to laugh, but she couldn’t.

“But weirdly, the one that I had with you that night...it was still the best”

Belen, frankly, did not like where the conversation was going. Which was seemingly nowhere..

“And we finally went to the hotel we booked. We didn’t have to fight anyone” He laughed enjoying himself. “Or ruin their garden or forge the documents…they didn’t even have bunk beds and I had one whole room for myself. They also had slippers that were brand new. Straight out of packaging”

“That sounds great,” Belen replied thickly, still unable to understand what he was trying to tell her.

But she didn’t have to think too far, for he then proceeded to explain everything himself.

“I know these are just ordinary things….but I guess what I am trying to tell you is, with you, I had one of the best nights of my life. Because of you I can’t think of slippers or bunk beds or Banana cues the same anymore, because all of these remind me of you”

Belen opened and closed it again, for she didn’t know what to say. She wanted to admit that she felt the same, that one night with him had perhaps changed her whole life. But she knew better not to, she knew that once her words were out in the open, it will solidify this, it will make things real, it will give her hopes on something that was never meant to be. She wished she could be honest and fearless as Sung Gyu seemed to be. But Belen wasn’t Sung Gyu. Belen hadn’t the boldness and sincerity that he seemed to carry with him all the time. The truth would hurt her, being bold would haunt her forever. So Belen remained to stay quiet, yet her eyes did not once move away from him.

“I know it isn’t the right thing to do,” Sung Gyu went on, his voice firm and sincere as if he’d read her mind. “But you know, there are some things that are wrong...very, very wrong...but feels like the right thing to do. Strange, isn’t it? Have you ever felt that way?”

Belen swallowed hard. If she was to be honest, that was what she had felt the whole time that she’d been with him. 

“That’s how I feel, myself, I guess. And that is what I want to do. I want to do the wrong thing that feels right to do”

There was a moment of silence, and Belen looked up only to see that he had moved closer to her. Belen held her breath, for she didn’t know what more she could do.

And then, without warning, he said it, the words that Belen had perhaps been so desperate and equally terrified to hear from anyone in her entire life.

“I know you probably hate to hear this and I know that it's wrong to tell you this too” He told her as he held her gaze. “But this is probably the last time we’d meet. We would go our separate ways after this, we would never meet again, at least not in similar circumstances. That’s just how our lives would be. But I know, If I didn’t tell you this now, I would be thinking about this for a very very long time until it dies somewhere in my heart” He placed a hand on his chest. “And I don’t want that to happen. I want to tell this to you and lay it out there before I go”

“What-,” She breathed, feeling warm in her eyes. “What are you talking about?”

“Belen Torres” He called her name for the very first time. “I like you”

No. Belen wanted to tell him, shout in his ears so he would understand. You cannot do that to me. But on the other hand, he was right. Hearing the very words coming from him made something blossom in her heart. It was painful, but still it was beautiful. It made her hopeful, yes. It made her indescribably sad too. But sometimes, it was enough to be told she was loved even once in her life although she couldn’t hear it nor indulge it for the rest of her life. Belen’s heart was warm. So were her eyes. She was happy. Sung Gyu’s words made her happy.

And she didn’t hold back at that point, for he had also made her stronger.

“So do I” Belen told him in response. She didn’t want to say the word. She didn’t have the heart to. Nonetheless, what she did say seemed to have passed the message through.

Sung Gyu nodded, gazed at her for even longer as the rest of the world passed by, leaving them behind. He raised his head heavenwards then, and stared at the dark high roof above them, at the blinking stage lights and tangles of wires for a long time. He covered his mouth with his hand, and chrome rings started to glimmer vigorously against his pale skin.

He took so long before he finally met her eyes.

“We can’t do anything about it, can we?”

Belen let out a deep breath; with happiness, with relief, with a flicker of sadness, she accepted the truth.

“We can’t”

Sung Gyu gave her sad, disarming smile. “You understand me”

“I have to”

Sung Gyu nodded again and lifted his hand. He played with the rings on his fingers for a moment, his eyes focused on them. A second later, he took long strides towards her.

“There isn’t much that I could give you-,” He started softly.

“I know…”

“-but…” He looked at her and smiled. “There is little that I could”

He removed a thin silver ring from his hand and held it out before her; it shined so brightly when it caught the light above. All Belen could do at that moment was hold her breath.

“No…”

Sung Gyu laughed. “This isn’t much but…” 

He met her eyes. “This is the ‘Inspire-ring’” He said, gesturing with his hands for emphasis. “This is still a prototype that we haven’t released yet...so there’s only a very few. I just got mine from my manager...and I…” 

He pursed his lips, and as Belen stared at him, her heart beating so hard in , he took her hand gingerly. She held her breath as he slipped the ring onto her finger. His own danced tenderly along hers. 

“I hope you like it”

If it was Belen two hours ago, she wouldn’t believe for the life of her that Kim Sung Gyu would come through the shadows backstage and put a ring on her hand. She still didn’t believe it. Perhaps, she was still in her dreams. Perhaps it was how Faye felt like in her odd dreams with Jungkook and perhaps it's time that Belen woke up and told Faye her strange dream too.

“Well?” Sung Gyu prompted on, and she didn’t even realise that she hadn’t replied.

“Oh...oh I-I do...like it” She nodded vigorously, which made him laugh.

“Now, you can’t tell anyone I gave you this…” He told her quietly. “My manager and my boss will murder me because its meant to be a secret” 

And in response, she placed a hand on her heart. “What happens in Manila stays in Manila. I will take it to my grave”

Sung Gyu broke out in laughter upon this, and Belen couldn’t help but join in with him. As much as she thought she loved him, he also at times felt like the best friend she desperately wanted. The best friend with their own little jokes and secrets, best friends who could stay up on rainy nights talking about aliens and overthrowing governments, best friends who found comfort even in the silence between them. Had they met in different circumstances as different people, Belen wondered what their lives could be. She wondered about how they could have laughed and cried and lost themselves in raging storms, how they could have held hands and loved without restrictions. Their lives wouldn’t have been so different then. And this happiness that she felt right now wouldn’t have been as painful as it did.

“Ah...I will miss you” Sung Gyu told her as their laughter died down. “It’s weird, we haven’t known for too long, but I will miss you”

Belen’s heart filled with warmth. She didn’t think she’d had anyone speak so sincerely to her that it just felt so unreal. 

“Me too…” Belen replied. She’d decided to never hold back anymore. “I will miss you too”

Sung Gyu nodded and looked at her with his head tilted to a side. “I wish we had even longer”

“Me too…” She nodded vigorously. “I wish so too”

They were running out of words to say, which only meant that they were nearing their moment of final goodbyes. They were quiet for a long time, searching for words until a crackle and a voice came from Belen’s headpiece.

“Torres” Barked her Manager in her ear . “What the hell have you done with Kim Sung Gyu?”

Belen immediately muted it and turned to Sung Gyu as her heart shattered into pieces. This is it. It seemed to tell her. This is the end.

“They’re looking for you,” Belen told him.

“I hope they thought you kidnapped me”

Belen laughed. So did Sung Gyu before he took a step towards her, and then another. “Do you mind if I...er, hugged you?” He asked shily, politely.

Belen would want nothing more.

“I’d...I’d love that,” She told him.

And so with the most brilliant smile, Sung Gyu moved forward and held her in his comforting embrace. Belen wasn’t the tallest; she hardly reached his shoulder. But it felt nice to be engulfed in the whole of him. He smelt intoxicating, the familiar citrusy expensive cologne filled her breath. And he was warm; so warm. She could hear his heart beating beneath her. Belen closed her eyes tight and wished they could stay like forever. It took everything from her not to break into tears.

“Belen Torres?” He called her in her full name again, making her laugh into his chest.

“I hope you don’t hate me for telling you the truth,” He said.

Belen shook her head.

“What I thought was…” He continued, still holding her, and she felt his hand on the back of her head, caressing her. “Maybe if I told you, you wouldn’t put yourself down so much like you do now, that you’d remember that somebody still liked you for who you are for the rest of your life”

“That’s such a nice thing to say” She muttered.

“And they should tell you that more often,” He said. “Even if we don’t get to be with each other” He continued quietly as he kept caressing her head. “I hope this stays with you for a very long time”

Belen stayed quiet, her arms cautiously remaining around him. He moved away so slowly afterwards, and he looked down at her as he retrieved his hands. It would end now, she realised; this strange encounter, their short lived love for each other. But the way it did end couldn’t have been more perfect. Belen had  more things to be happy about, more memories to cherish than any other relationship she’d ever had.

She looked up at Sung Gyu who was gazing into her eyes. Then he smiled.

“Belen Torres” 

“Hm?”

“Live a good life” He said, “Live the best life”

If Belen Torres told herself from a month ago that a storm would roll in and completely change the way that she looked at life, she would never have believed her. In fact, Belen Torres would smack her alternative self from the future on their head and tell them to be real, that she was completely happy how she was. But when she thought of it now, things happened when you never expected them to, and people changed in ways that they never thought they would. And that’s what happened with Belen Torres and her once monotonous, colorless life. Once, she drove into a raging storm, fell in love, and that finally made her happy and brought color into her life.

About a month after her last encounter with Kim Sung Gyu, Belen sat in her work station, happily going through the concert goods that had just been put out on sale. She didn’t know how to purchase those as they were to be sold at the concert venue which she couldn’t attend to for a very good reason. But at least she had one of them in her possession already.

Faye hadn’t come to work yet, and her bureau was in a complete mess. A week ago she claimed to have gotten another bias, Belen couldn’t recall whom as she’d gotten so many. And today she claimed to call in sick and excused herself to come in late. But Belen knew what her reason was. Her newest ‘20 cm doll’ of her newest bias was coming in on post.

It was the loud, soundly gasp in the likes of someone nearing their death that finally indicated Faye’s arrival. Belen turned around, only to witness Faye covering her face with both her hands. Her doll had arrived and it was sitting in her bag, its big head sticking out. But that evidently wasn’t what Faye was being dramatic about.

“Oh my god, Belen!” She screamed and pointed at Belen’s neat and clean workstation. “What the hell is Kim Sung Gyu doing on your table!?!”

Belen glanced at the plastic standee and the 2020 Kim Sung Gyu calendar that was standing on her desk. The calendar came in a little too late for the year. But at least the year wasn’t over. She’d gotten it through this funny little thing that Kim Sung gyu fans from her country did. It was making a group order for all from their country who wished to buy particular fan goods. There were so many fan clubs for him under different names. Belen couldn’t remember what she got hers from; but these goods were definitely fancy and in very good quality. She had absolutely no regrets. The only regret she did have, however, was that now she and Faye would have something in common and she wouldn’t even get to complain when Faye dumped her stuff on her table.

“I just got it” Belen shrugged off and turned back to her computer. She was just about to minimise the tab that was open on the screen when yet another loud scream erupted from behind her.

“Belen Torres, is that Kim Sung gyu’s first concert official merchandise that you were looking at?!?”

Belen quickly shut her laptop close and turned to her friend. “Faye can you please be quiet?” She replied, her cheeks flaming in embarrassment. She felt like she’d been looking at inappropriate things during work hours. She really hated Faye at times like this.

“I would, if you explain to me what is going on with you” Faye dumped her bags and dragged her chair to her.

“Nothing,” Belen groaned. “Just leave me alone”

“Something happened when you met Kim Sung Gyu, isn’t it?”

Belen felt hot flames rising around her. “No,”

“What do you mean no? You’ve been all weird since then. You’ve had his entire playlist on your phone and-,”

“Faye, have you been spying on me?” Belen gasped.

“No!” Stammered her friend. “I just saw it, okay? Anyway, what is up with you. I thought you hated kpop boys, I thought you hated men! Now why are you stealing my men?”

“Who said they were your men?” Belen threw her a sharp look.

Faye frowned at her suspiciously. Belen let out a heavy sigh and finally turned to her. “I just became a fan, okay? I am a fan. I still hate all the kpop boys, I still hate all the men in the entire world-,”

Faye raised her brows.

“But Infinite and Kim Sung Gyu will be the only exception” She said.

Faye stared at her for the longest time, scrutinizing her in this terribly annoying way. “Okay, I’ll believe you” she said, in the end, dropping the act. “You’re too obsessed with work and to let anything happen so I believe you” She said. 

“Right” She nodded with a sigh of relief. “Thanks”

“Don’t mention it,” Faye said dismissively. Then she leaned forward with the brightest, most exhilarated smile she could ever make. Belen thanked god for making Faye a little slow in her brain. Even more, for making her kpop obsession matter a lot more than her best friend’s secretive private life. 

“So, Belen Torres” She started, her voice in the likes of a TV presenter. “Welcome to the fandom! Who is your Bias? Is Kim Sung Gyu your bias? Mine is Hoya. I like Kim Sung Gyu too but Hoya…” A squeal. “Heart eyes! He’s so hot and…”

Like that, Belen and Faye fell into their normal routine again. Faye told her stories, Belen listened. Belen continued to hate kpop groups, she continued to say this around Faye who, without fail became angry every instance. But her one exception remained the same. Kim Sung Gyu, at that point, was still more than just a bias for her. He was still a lot more than a memory or a one time fling. Kim Sung Gyu became her obsession, her strength and her weakness. He became the light of her life when nobody else could give it color, he became her inspiration and her motivation; but above all, he still remained to be that one big secret Belen would carry on to her grave.