“Why are you so quiet?” Micky nervously asked as they slowly walked away from the house they were staying.

Ellie momentarily stopped and stared at him, she was trying to decide whether to tell him the truth or not.
 

“Is something wrong?” Micky asked again.

She instantly shook her head and tried to smile. “No, I am just a bit tired, I think,” she lied.

Micky’s face suddenly dimmed. He knew she was lying. “How about we just go back to the house then? Maybe you need to rest already,” he said with a cold tone.

Ellie couldn’t help but look at him. Somehow she didn’t like the way Micky was staring at her. “Yes, I do think… it’s a good idea to go back,” she uttered.

Micky’s heart quickly started beating fast. “Is she mad at me?” he worriedly asked himself.

Ellie was already about to turn back when Micky quickly spoke. “Sorry,” he uttered with a low voice.

“Huh? Sorry for what?” Ellie asked in return. Somehow she felt like she needed to act like she didn’t know anything at that moment. She felt that it was the best for everyone’s sake, especially Micky’s.

“Sorry for acting harsh and for not thinking straight,” Micky answered as he gently took her hand and held it tightly.

Ellie wanted to take her hand away, but she didn’t want to hurt him. So she just allowed him to hold her hand and stare at her.

“Do you think you can still walk a while… with me? I promise, we won’t be long. I just want to have some time alone with you… so we can talk in private,” Micky tried to explain.

“Did you like the dishes I cooked?” Ellie suddenly asked as she tried to change the subject. But she didn’t expect that her question would still have a negative effect on Micky.

“The dishes you and Jaejoong cooked?” he asked as if mocking her.

Ellie quickly bit down on her lower lip. “Wrong question,” she said to herself.

“It was quite good actually… considering you and Jaejoong never met before… or have you?” he unconsciously insinuated something.

Shock and fear instantly registered on Ellie’s face.

And at that instant, Micky felt like he wanted to hit his head with a rock. He was acting quite irrationally. And the end results were becoming too disastrous on everyone’s part. He took a deep breath. He needed to calm down. He needed to think fast.

“What do you mean?” Ellie curiously asked.

“Oh, I mean the two of you cooked together like you were professional chefs or something. Maybe the two of you met in a cooking class or something… or maybe the two of you have the same teacher in cooking,” Micky tried to cover up what he had said.

“I see…” Ellie uttered with a sigh of relief. She actually believed that Micky was just talking about the way she and Jaejoong cooked together.

“I don’t know… maybe… who knows…” she replied.

“So where would you like to go to? How about we buy something in the nearby convenience store?” Micky again tried to change the topic.

Ellie quickly nodded and smiled. “Okay, I also need to buy some things for Samar and Krizzia,” she uttered.

As they slowly headed towards the store, their conversation quickly shifted to other things that both of them started to enjoy talking to each other.

Back in the house….

“Hyung, are you all right?” Max asked as he gently tapped Jaejoong’s shoulder. He was silently staring outside the window. He was waiting for Ellie and Micky to return.

Jaejoong quickly turned to look at his friend. “Yes, I’m fine. Why?” he tried to deny the hurt he was feeling.

Max shook his head. “You know, you’re lips can lie but not your eyes. I am sorry, hyung. Honestly, I am quite torn right now. I don’t know whether to support you in what you’re doing or go against it. I can see that you’re hurting and that there is already a growing wall between you and Micky. Maybe the two of should stop before it’s too late. I think sooner or later, the three of you will be suffering greatly, if you don’t think of a better way of handling this situation. It’s a no win situation for all of you… She gets cured but she ends up with Micky which in turn hurts you. Or she doesn’t get cured which in turn hurts both you and Micky. And the worst scenario is… if she learns about the deal you guys made with Samar and Krizzia which will result in her hating you, Micky, Samar and Krizzia and even us. So please think carefully hyung… “

Jaejoong smiled bitterly. “Then what do you suggest we do? Just let her go on in her condition forever? I would rather be hated forever than see her in such a pitiful state,” he answered boldly.

Max sighed hopelessly. He knew he could never change his friend’s mind. But at least, he tried. “Fine, I just hope that everything still works out for the best or… even if just for Ellie’s sake,” he said as he again lightly tapped his hyung’s shoulder as a sign that he was leaving.

“Thank you for your concern, Max. I really appreciate it,” Jaejoong uttered as he smiled at his friend.

Minutes passed….

Jaejoong was alone again. His wondering mind was quickly brought back to the present when he suddenly heard voices approaching the house. He carefully hid behind the curtain, but he still managed to take a look at Micky and Ellie as they happily walked towards the house. Again his heart started to bleed. But he didn’t care. He was happy that she was happy and smiling like the way she used to. It was such a beautiful sight to see… a sight that he had been dreaming of for a very long time now… And now how he wished that he was the one standing in front of her and being close to her… How he wished, if he could only trade places with Micky.… he would be the happiest man on earth. But he knew it could never happen… He was no longer needed in Ellie’s life… In fact, he was someone she needed to forget.