Eric used to wonder a lot about this—the real story behind Dongwan’s decisions. He makes a lot of scenarios inside his mind, picking up over little clues he has back then, because it just so strange for Dongwan to just do everything he did to them, to his own self. But then, he’ll just stuck and hating Dongwan all over again—hating himself all over again.

When the detective he hires, brings all the evidences and too much clues which make them narrowing the background story to the fishy situation, the sick ones, Eric prepares himself. 

He calms himself, calls Andy to pick Dongwan up, orders Hyesung’s manager to pick his fiance in Airport and bring him to their agency, tells Junjin to cancel his stay over in Daegu and asks him to back to Seoul as soon as he can.

Then come to Minwoo himself. 

He doesn’t spill anything. Not answering any questions Minwoo asks to him. Keep it to himself—because what he should say? He found the stalker and she seems sick and crazy? That she has a room full of Dongwan’s photos on the wall, she has a lot boxes filled with their photos? The ones that—can’t be released to publics ten years ago.

The kind of photos that would destroy their career like a wrecking ball. 

Eric is the only one in this room who already prepares himself for the worst story he’d hear, it’s unfair but he’s the only one who ready to listen what the hell happened back then—or that’s what he thought. 

Because, when Dongwan finally opens his mouth, after stealing so much time—fills them with a uncomfortable silent, untill he’s ready. Looking at his knees, playing with his finger, fidgeting on his seat—whispering his side of story, with a raw voice.

It hurts him still. It hurts him a lot. It hurts him too much. And without looking to his surrounding, Eric knows well, the others feel the same too. With the big and small gasps fills the room everytime Dongwan take a breath to continue his story—it’s painful to all of them. 

Eric should look after Minwoo, if he makes a priority list right now—Minwoo is the number one on that list, the person he should comforting the most. But he doesn’t has enough braveness to do that. He lost his own strength.

Luckily, without anyone notice—it’s Andy who walks closer to Minwoo. When Dongwan’s story reach the peak, the , the revelation finally comes out. It’s Andy who holds Minwoo’s clammy hand, grabs it tightly. He wants to make sure his hyung is at least okay to stand—while he’s too, need someone to steady himself. Andy doesn’t really hate people who hurt him before, but for the first time ever, he want to kill someone at this exact moment.

It tores Minwoo. Every words Dongwan says bring pain to his heart. The hell with time heals everything—because nothing’s heal. It’s excruciating. He regrets over the dinner he ate with Eric—he shouldn’t had anything, it’s nauseating. He can feels the vomits crawl ups on his throat. If Andy’s fingers not digging up on his hand right now, Minwoo will crumbles for sure. After ten agonizing years, living with an answerless questions everyday—this isn’t a closure he hopes. Dongwan leaving him for another person or stops loving him are much better than this story. 

Hyesung is the closest one from Dongwan, already hugs him with his tremble body— furious but also sad and blames himself. It’s one decade later, he’s one decade late—silent tears leaking out from his eyes with the guilt feeling builds up inside him.

“She kept sending me the photos she took, and threaten me too.” Dongwan doesn’t return the hug, but he let Hyesung hugs him, clings to his body desperately. “Her family has money and power. Her family think we fall in love with each other, they’re ready to accept me as her future husband.”

Another gasp fills the room. But Dongwan doesn’t really care, just focus with his own story, opens up his old wounds, the past that no matter how hard he tried to forget, still haunting him, still so clear on his memory.

“I’d rather die than marry her. It’s either she kills me with her craziness or I’ll kill myself with my own hand.” Dongwan feels Hyesung flinchs, tighten his grips on Dongwan’s body. “She pushed me to the edge, I couldn’t thinking straight. I just want everything to be over, but nothing would happen if I just stay. I can’t drag all of you. So, I called one of my high school friend who works at law firm, then I got help by his sunbae to canceling my contract and everything.”

A cold and bigger hand grab his free hand, it must be Junjin’s. But with Hyesung glued his body to him—Dongwan can’t really turn away to check.

For Junjin, everything feels like a click on his head. It makes sense now, the way Dongwan didn’t welcome him the first time they meet again, the way sometimes Dongwan looks so worry over nothing when they’re surround by lot of peoples, the way Dongwan avoids the talks about the group. With Junjin back to his life, it scares Dongwan—he let them go so no one can touch the group, and as sick as that sound, he still has that mindset ten years after.

“I moved to Pohang. Mom’s oldest aunt still lived there, we get some help so I can rent a small house not far from the beach, it’s a beautiful place,” Dongwan gives a small smile, even no one can notice that, “I also served my public service on the region. Then after I finished, I moved to Japan to learn the languange then to Canada, before I back here and found a small gem in Gapyeong. It’s been 10 years tho, nature heals me, I’m fine now.”

“Fine my ,” the small mutters from Jungwan who stand still on the side, near from the door, looking at Dongwan, “you’re hurting, Wan. It still gives you nightmare, still haunting you a lot.”

Now, Jungwan has the whole attention from the rest. He takes a small steps towards Dongwan, then crouching down, leveling his eyes with Dongwan’s. Searching permission from his friend eyes—he knows a lot, but not the details. He never knew it was Minwoo, the one who Dongwan protects and misses the most. He just knew it now—why Dongwan always so tensed everytime his group name being mentioned.

Dongwan never spilled the name. Jungwan just assumes he got a sick fan and lost his love of the life, lost his friends because fell in love was such a sins for an Idol. He never knew it untill know.

Dongwan eyes looks empty yet he still shakes his head to Jungwan. But Jungwan knows Dongwan enough to read him.

“We’re still friend, Wan. I said it before right? I don’t care who you love, and I mean it. Men or women, it’s your right to choose whoever you want to love. Isn’t a mistake.” Jungwan talks softly, as if Dongwan’s much younger—like talking to his youngest brother. He glances at Junjin who also glance back at him, the only one in this room who know Jungwan well enough.

“Dongwan has his own trauma,” Jungwan back staring to Dongwan, “two years ago, I got call from Dongwan in the middle of the night, he’s hyperventilating. I almost call emergency but he begged me to come, just me. So I came. And that sick girl was there, sitting innocently on Dongwan’s lawn. We called the police, report her and Dongwan told me eveything that night.”

“I didn’t know much about your group, and Dongwan never tell me the name. But he lives with that helpless feeling for the rest of his life.” Jungwan looking at Eric, “tell me your plan, I’ll testify for everything that I know. Let’s put her behind the bar.”

Eric looking back at Jungwan then gives a small nods. They still don’t exchange name or did the introduction—but with the way Dongwan looks so comfortable around him and his protective demeanor, Eric feels somewhat relieved. After all, Dongwan isn’t really alone.

Listening to what Jungwan says, make Dongwan feels the warm inside his heart. He always can counts on his friend. And maybe—after ten torturing years, it’s really time for him to finish everything. He has nothing to lose anymore. He needs to stop running and facing it. 

Dongwan put his other hand on Hyesung’s back. Pats the still trembling back softly, then chuckle. “Why’re you crying, Syung? No need to cry for something that happen 10 years ago, fool. I’m not lying, I’m fine now. I’ve all of you with me.”

His definition of fine is questionable, of course. And rather than lessen Hyesung’s tears, it looks like Dongwan just opening another dam. Because right now Hyesung just crying openly, his sobbing echoing loudly in the small room. 

PRANGG!

Hyesung’s tears distract everyone in the room, including Andy. He looks over at his hyung for a second—and jumps shockingly when the glass shelves beside him suddenly breaks and shatters.

Eric leaps from his seat fastly, coming to Minwoo whose hand already bleeding with the glass all over his skin, piercing painfuly. “YAK LEE MINWOO!”

Dongwan also does the same, let go Hyesung’s body without he realizes. Walks to Minwoo direction, grabs a handful of tissues from the table, and dab it on Minwoo’s hand. He glances at Jungwan who already opens up his bag, take out his emergency kits. 

“Come to the light,” Dongwan drags Minwoo to stands under the lamp to inspecting the wound clearly, “isn’t really a deep cut, let’s clean it first, I’ll take out the glass and patch it up. It’ll stings a little, I’ll do it fast.”

A water bottles appears in front of them, Dongwan takes it and pour it over Minwoo’s hand. Clean it without words—the rest too, looking at them silently. Let Jungwan helps Dongwan, it’s their everyday job to help other. They know the best.

“Now, I need to pull out the glass,” Dongwan take Minwoo’s uninjured hand, then put it on his thigh, “you can pinch me if it hurts. I’ll do it carefuly.”

“It doesn’t hurt.” Minwoo says quietly. “I can’t feel the hurt, Wan. It’s my heart. It’s my heart that hurt so much.” It’s suffocating, it’s so hard for Minwoo to breath—looking at Dongwan who looks fine, treating his wound gently. It hurts. 

Dongwan should punch something, scream and yell and cry about how unfair his life these ten years back. Why he looks so content like this?!? It angers Minwoo.

Looking fondly at Minwoo, Dongwan gives hi