Yuri’s POV

Yeeaaaaaa!!!!

The weekends are finally here which meant that I had managed to survive the first week back in school. All of my friends were surprised to learn that things between Sohyun and I were okay but they were also relieved because they didn’t want anymore drama after what happened last year with Mir and everything.

Heck, I didn’t want any either. So I was really glad it was over.

As for Woo Chul, thankfully, he stayed clear of my way. But I noticed he’d occasionally shoot death glares toward Teen Top’s direction. Huh, I wonder what that is all about.

I walked back into MBLAQ’s apartment to find Woo Chul there, sitting on the sofa while reading a good story book. .

He looked up when he saw me. He put the book on the table, marking his page. “Hey,” he said casually.

“What are you doing here? Are the others home?” I asked, trying to keep calm but I could hear my breath creeping to hyperventilation. Please tell me the others are back home too. Please, please, please.

He shook his head and I swear my heart stopped but I quickly recovered myself. “Anniyo, I’m the only one here. The others are all still back at J.Tune Camp,” he replied. He leaned back in his chair. “You see, my dad asked me to come here to accompany you because they are all going to be really busy tonight and will come home really late.”

“You mean . . .” Oh no. My stomach twisted in knots when I realized what he meant. “You mean, you’re going to stay here with me until they come home, which won’t be until very late?”

Just thinking about it made me dizzy. I blinked a couple of times just to make sure I wasn’t dream. And I was disappointed when I realize that I wasn’t. If only it was . . .

“Errr, yeap, seems like it,” he replied, making a popping sound when he pronounced the ‘p’. He was focused on his book that he was oblivious to my dismay.

I stood there, frozen, wondering what I should do, how my reaction should be. But I recovered myself just in time as he put the book down, looking up, realizing I was still at the same spot.

Not wanting to look awkward, I looked down to my feet, heading toward my bedroom. I closed the door behind me, hoping that he’ll leave me alone in peace at least.

Just as I was about to settle down to do homework, I heard a knock on the door and Woo Chul poked his head in.

“Can I come in?” he asked.

“. . . Sure.”

He came in and sat on my bed while I turned my chair around to face him. He had something to say so I just waited for him to find the right words.

When I should have kicked him out.

“Can we start over?” he asked. “I mean, I know you are with that Mir guy but I still like you and you still like me and —”

“Stop.” I held my hand up to silence him and closed my eyes, trying to keep my sanity before I slap him. “No, we can’t. I don’t. Not anymore.”

I didn’t have to open my eyes to see the crestfallen expression on his face. “Annie . . .”

My eyes snapped opened. “No, Woo Chul,” I said sharply, more than I intended to sound. “I’m not Annie anymore. I’m not the same girl you met and fell in love with almost a year ago because this” — I gestured to everything in this room and even outside the door — “is where I belong. I belong in Seoul, in Korea, not back in Shanghai. Things have changed. And so have I. You just have to deal with it.”

I was surprised to hear myself say things like this. I was never one to start conflicts. If I could, I would avoid them. But then again, Woo Chul did sort of deserve it and he was the one who started the conflicts, anyway.

He looked at me with an expressionless look. “But Annie is still in love with me,” he said quietly, looking in my eyes.

I looked squarely back right at him in the eyes. I lifted my chin up, my jaws set. “Annie doesn’t exist anymore.”

He recoiled at the harshness yet truth of my words. He stood up, having nothing else to say to me and walked out of my room. I turned back and tried to work on my math but I was too distracted to concentrate.

Half an hour had passed and I was not even close to getting the first question right.

“Aish,” I grumbled in frustration before tossing my book on my bag on the floor. Then I got up and jumped face-first on my bed, burying my face in my pillow. I can smell Mir’s scent on my pillow. I smiled, comforted a bit, before hugging my pillow.

I turned around.

And was face-to-face with a furry thing.

“Yeep!” I shrieked a little, sitting up. Then I realized I had freaked out over the bear.

The bear.

The on Woo Chul had given to me for my birthday last year, the day before I left, my very last day as Annie.

I still have it.

I sighed, hugging the bear that now smells like Mir as well. Huh, I never realized. Mir slept in my room quite enough to leave his fragrance. Personally, I like it. His scent was like my own personal drug.

Woo Chul poked his head back in my door around six in the evening. “I’ll be taking a walk around the park and maybe go for dinner. You wanna join?”

I shook my head. “It’s okay. I’ll probably just cook a packet of ramen to eat. It’s okay. You go ahead.”

He regarded me for a second, like he had something to say, but thought better of it and walked out of the door. Within seconds, I heard the front door closed, and I was left alone in silence — just like my daily routine was supposed to be.

I closed my eyes, taking in Mir’s scent as I slowly drifted off to sleep. But then someone shook my gently and I opened my eyes to see Mir above me, with his warm, brown eyes.

Mir!

I quickly sat up. “Mir! What are you doing here?” I asked him happily, throwing my arms around his neck to pull him close so I could plant a kiss on his lips.

He laughed, kissing me back. “Dinner break,” he explained, holding plastic bags.

“Takeaways?” I guessed.

He nodded. “I thought we could have dinner with each other,” he said sweetly.

I smiled as he handed me one packet. I began to open mine as he opened his and we dug into our dinner. Hmmm, he bought my favorite food: omurice (omelet fried rice).

When we were done, I threw the containers away and came back. “What time do you have to go back?” I asked him, sitting on his lap and he wrapped his arms around my waist.

He glanced at his wristwatch. “I’ve got forty-five minutes to be with you more,” he replied.

I kissed him long and deep, and it felt really good. My fingers had found their way up to his red locks while my legs secured themselves around Mir’s waist, holding onto him like I never wanted to let go. Mir placed both his hands on my waist, his fingers slipping under my shirt, holding me firmly, his thumbs moving in circular motions on my skin, sending a thrill of excitement up my spine.

He chewed on my bottom lip, begging for entrance and I parted my lips lightly enough for his tongue to slip in my mouth. We fought for dominance but I eventually let him win, feeling his tongue dance around inside, a warm feeling flowing through my body.

“Saranghaeyo, Yuri ah,” he murmured between hot kisses, pulling me in for a more desperate kiss, to which I complied.

I found myself falling backward and realized he was laying me down on the bed. He got on top of me. He was careful not to put his full weight on me as he pinned me down.  “Oppa . . .”

“Yuri-yah,” he breathed, slipping one hand behind my neck.

I wrapped my legs tighter around his waist and his hand that was still on my waist pulled me closer until our bodies were touching. His lips left a trail of kisses to my neck and he kissed on my sweet spot, nibbling gently and I gasped at the feeling, as he marked me as his. He moved his sweet lips back up, to my jawline, to the corner of my mouth before kissing my lips again.

Finally, we reluctantly pulled away because he had to get back to J.Tune Camp soon. I sat up and placed my head on his shoulder. “I love you,” I whispered to him, my heart still beating, my face still flushed.

He kissed my forehead softly. “I love you, too, Yuri.”

I closed my eyes and smiled as I felt a pair of strong hands wrapped themselves around my waist, pulling me close to him.

Woo Chul’s POV

I came back through the front door. I was about to tell Annie I was back when I saw that her door was slightly ajar. Curiously, I walked slowly to the door but paused when I saw what I wasn’t supposed to see.

Annie was lying in bed, with Mir on top of her. They were both making out, kissing, and Mir was touching her in ways I was never allowed to touch her. My heart sank when I realized what this mean — her relationship with Mir is so much more intimidate than ours had ever been. This shows how much she really loves him and that even I can’t break it.

I staggered back, onto the couch, dazed. It’s too much. Did I really lose her already? Suddenly I realized fighting for her won’t work at all.

I don’t know how long I’ve been there but just then Mir came out from her room. I looked up and saw the dreamy look on his face that I can easily recognize: it was the look I always get after I’d spent time with Annie. This was not fair.

Mir spotted me and noticed my hard stare. I hated him now, more than anyone in the world. He stole Annie from me. I was bitter and I felt betrayed.

He sighed. “You saw the both of us, huh?” Mir just shrugged and sighed again. “Well, I guess this is the part where I say that I’ve won. Yuri is with me. She loves me. Not you.”

I looked away, not wanting to admit that he was right. I’m not saying it to his face. He’ll just get really cocky in my face.

He sighed again and walked out of the apartment, back to J.Tune Camp. Good riddance. I didn’t want to see him anymore.

Annie came out not too long after. She noticed that I was sitting on the couch, staring at my hands. I looked up and saw her hesitating, debating whether she should come over and talk to me and to go back into her room. I saw the reluctance in her eyes as she made her way over to me.

I watched as she cautiously sat down opposite of me on the couch. “Are you okay?” she asked carefully. Her brown eyes were filled with concern. I knew she didn’t hate me. She just didn’t feel the same way I felt about her. And that broke me.

I shrugged. “I’m okay,” I said emotionlessly. My voice sounded flat, unreal, and fake. I knew that she knew it.

“I’m sorry,” was all she could say because nothing else would make me feel better. “But, you have to understand, I didn’t do this on purpose.”

I shrugged, being difficult. “Annie, I’m not going to pretend that I’m okay because I’m not. I’m not okay. It kills me to see you with him.”

She looked down. “Woo Chul, that’s not fair.”

I stood up, frustrated. “Fair? You want to talk about fair?!” I was practically shouting. “Was it fair that the day after you told me you love me, you left?”

“I didn’t have a choice!” she shrilled.

“But you called Tony,” I retorted. “You called Tony when you should have called me.”

She kept quiet.

“Was it fair that I waited for you all these months just to find out that you’ve already moved on with some other guy?” I went on.

“I didn’t know. Tony lied, okay?”

“Tony wouldn’t have lied if you had called me.” I shook my head in disgust. “Annie, you betrayed me.”

But she shook her head. “No, Woo Chul, I didn’t,” she said. “I didn’t betray you. I didn’t betray you sine I didn’t know. Do you want to know who you should put the blame on?”

“Who?” I asked bitterly.

“Tony. You should blame him. He betrayed us.”