While Xiah who was just listening almost coughed out all the juice he was drinking right after he heard what Micky said.

“Oh… can you please repeat that again…” U-Know uttered to Micky, as he also stared at his friend very seriously.

“Oh, come on you guys… don’t make a big deal out of it,” Micky uttered as he tried to brush aside the topic that he himself started.

“Hyung, can you just clear that last statement you gave. I somehow didn’t quite get that. You know I am a little slow with things lately,” Max lied.

Micky couldn’t help but scratch his head. He was somehow put into a difficult situation by his friends. He didn’t want to discuss what he had said earlier, but they were all making him repeat everything again.

“Look… I just said I don’t intend to sleep with Muko…” he quickly uttered as if to end the conversation.

“Why?” Jaejoong and Xiah both asked out loud.

Max couldn’t help but laugh a bit after seeing the expressions on his friends’ faces. “I think someone’s going to be put on the hot seat today,” he commented as he continued to sip the juice he was drinking.

“Stop asking me why…. I just don’t want to do it. End of story. I don’t want to discuss it anymore. It’s weird talking about it. And besides she might suddenly appear and hear what we are talking about,” Micky said as cautioned his friends to be careful with the words they were saying.

“Hmm… I am really confused right now,” Max said.

“Confused about what?” Micky asked back.

“About you… I know you like her… But I don’t understand the reason why you don’t want to sleep with her,” Max answered as he lightly scratched his head as a sign of confusion.

Micky started to lightly massage his forehead. Somehow he was starting to have a headache.

“Can we just stop talking about this topic? You guys are giving me a headache,” he uttered with a frown.

Xiah laughed. “You started it. Just bear with the consequences.”

“Yes, now I’m really starting to think I shouldn’t have opened my mouth in the first place,” Micky replied.

U-Know who was just silently watching and listening suddenly let out a laugh.

Micky quickly stared at him. “You’re laughing at me too?” he asked somehow he was getting irritated.

“Take it easy. We’re not looking for a fight. But what on earth happened to you?” U-Know asked with a grin.

“Yes, that’s a good question. What happened to you hyung. I always thought that…” Max suddenly stopped talking before he could actually say out loud the things that were playing in his mind.

“You always thought that?” Micky asked curiously. Somehow he was waiting for Max to continue what he was about to say.

“Oh nothing… just forget about what I said,” Max replied with a grin as well.

“Stop already…. Someone might hear you guys,” Micky again said with worry.

Xiah laughed and then nudged Jaejoong who was sitting beside him. “Say something,” he said to him with a wide smile on his face.

Jaejoong smiled as well but then became serious all of a sudden. “Look, we respect your decision… But don’t you think what you’re planning is going to affect Muko in one way or the other? I mean… she’s still your wife whether you like it or not. And as her husband… it is quite natural that… the two of you sleep together. And the way I see it, if you’re really planning to leave her alone until your marriage is over… is going to hurt her in some way. She might think that you don’t like her enough, or she might also think that you hate, that’s why you won’t do … what normal married couples do. I think you should talk to Muko about this. Try to explain to her your decision, so she won’t think something is wrong with her… Have pity on the girl, Micky.”

“Micky, Jaejoong is right… I think it would be better if you talk to Muko. I also think that things will become more complicated if you continue with your plans without even discussing things with her,” U-Know uttered seriously as well.

Micky looked at his friends with a worried look on his face. “And what do you guys expect me to say? Hey Muko… is it okay if I don’t sleep with you while we’re married because I don’t want to complicate our situation. I just want to end our marriage without any strings attached. So let’s just stay out of each other’s beds okay?... Is that what you guys want me to say to her?” he asked with sarcasm.

“Uhmm, hyung… I think you better stop talking for a while,” Max said while signaling his friend to look behind him.

But Micky didn’t notice Max’s signal and just went on talking. “You know, even though I like her, there is still the fact that just sticks in my head. She doesn’t love me and even if I like her… like is way too different from love. So I think if I suddenly make a physical connection with her, it will just make our lives more difficult in so many ways.”

“Hyung,” Max uttered again with a nervous tone.

But Micky just went on with his talk. ”Look I just can’t say… sorry Muko but you see… I really have no intention of sleeping with you since I know it would only complicate a lot of things. And since we are only in an arranged marriage, it would be best if we keep our relationship as neutral as possible so when the time comes that we have to separate ways, there won’t be any problems. I want to end our marriage peacefully and problem-free. So let’s just be friends while we’re in this make-believe set-up okay. ”

Jaejoong, Xiah, and U-Know were already pale and looking at a single direction.

“Hyung, you don’t have to worry about telling Muko…” Max finally said as he shook his head continuously in disbelief.

“Why?” Micky immediately asked.

“Because… you just told her yourself,” U-Know answered and then he signaled his friend to look behind him.

Surprised and confused, Micky turned around only to catch a glimpse of Muko as she hurriedly walked away from where they sat.

Micky instantly felt like he wanted to just strangle himself. He was so careless and stupid. He didn’t want to hurt her. But he ended up doing it, in the worst way possible.

“Muko…” he tried to call out her name. He wanted to explain. But it was already too late. She was already gone.