Carrie's POV:

Heath went home, after we rested for a bit. I was now left inside my room. Thinking about how Heath survived for so long living through a hellish life. Ever since she woke up from 'bumping' her head like how her Oehaelmonim and Eomeonim recounted for her, I felt her sincerity. I took pity for her, because she was pretending everything was alright when in fact she wasn't alright. The pain and constant sadness she felt for her losses was something I can never change. It was her way of life, to lie through her teeth. So, I told her to come out with her truth, because it was what was right and healthy for her. She was trying to rectify her previous mistakes and I felt touched by what little she could remember and openly told me about her past. She willingly let me in and discover more of her and less of me. I knew then that whatever the truth was, as long as she was telling me the truth, I would understand her. It was essential for her to get this type of support, because all her life, she hid this from everyone who knew her. Only, I know of her truth. I wanted to gain a profound understanding of Heath, the media and the Korean Citizens won't be so kind, especially if I were to announce that we are dating with good intentions for one another. Somehow, her life would be magnified and her past, constantly brought about under scrutiny. I can almost sense this happening anytime soon, so while I had the time, I made her confess to me, the truth about herself. I became transparent to her, my need for truth, no matter if her truth was a heavy burden, plaguing her. I wanted to know everything about her as early as now to prepare for the worst.

My fans are like investigators, they can bring to light any red flags my future partners would have. I knew, because they were the ones who disproved a gossip about me. They brought to light the identity of my last 'Relationship Scandal', refuting Dispatch's claims that a classmate of mine from SOPA was my boyfriend. When in fact he is gay and out and proud of himself. He was getting ready to debut in November of this year, through a company called RVW Entertainment, the seven man Boy Group was set to debut after his stint with Produce XX101, the temporary group called W1ndermen was about to disband on November. I personally promoted him, putting a good word for him to the National Producers. He won a spot and have since wrote and produced several tracks for his group. Jungwoo was a brilliant songwriter, his songs were bops and have garnered several awards. The dating scandal was his pre-show scandal where dispatch reportedly alleged us to be dating prior to him making an appearance on the show. The headlines read after the announcement of RVW's Produce XX101 Contestant is dating a Girl Group Celebrity. Sana Okaasan was quick to refute the claims made by Dispatch.

Fans were quick to back up the statement SZC released. Complete with receipts they 'collected' proving that Jungwoo and I were friends since the first year of High School. Then I came out in support of him on the show as a former Produce 58 Contestant. I appealed to the National Producers to vote for him. Seeing that he had what it takes, I would know, because we've been classmates ever since the first year at SOPA. He was a reliable gay, trust Jungwoo to croon about a man, without tipping off the entire nation. Jungwoo projected himself as a Tsundere who doesn't care for anyone, but he is a secretly soft man, who was always in tune with everyone's mood. He was respectful of someone's boundaries. He was always the one who gets me food when I was going hungry at school. He knew me and my daily struggles and when I was handpicked by Sana Okaasan, he was the first to celebrate my luck, bringing me food from his family's Restaurant. Jungwoo was from a family of Restaurateurs, both his parents were owners of a Restaurant around Mapo-gu. He always showered me with kindness and we can both agree, that in the next life we shall live, we hope to find each other again and be friends in the next life. We still kept in touch, despite our busy schedules, there was no promotion period we overlapped with promotions, so we always met at year end, going for a shoulder pat and walking to different directions.

It was still Taboo for artists to be seen having Friendship Moments like this. In everyone's opinion a Girl Group Member should always be available for their fans. So are the Boy Group Members. It was SZC, who started to normalize their artists being engaged in a relationship with someone else than their fans, mostly members of the LGBT Spectrum were normalized as a couple. Coming out in support of them. I was lucky to have lived and made my debut with SZC. It was a breathe of fresh air to the stale K-Pop Industry. Recently gaining awards for the safest space for an artist to grow and flourish even if they were members of the LGBT Community. Sana Okaasan and Chew Oton were informed before this recently concluded concert that Heath and I will start dating each other. I had to come out to them eventually, during Gaeul's sudden hiatus, I spoke to Sana Okaasan and Chew Oton. Outlining my plans to be seen with Heath. The two of them were pleased, because according to both industry parents, Heath was a good fit for me. Not only an aesthetic match but a match that will be good for our careers. They saw how Heath was passionate for her craft. They supported Heath and her wish to continue studying photography. Heath was really a hardworking individual. She was popular as an upcoming artist according to both parents, if she had debuted with us, she would be a good fit for our team, because she wasn't problematic. She always played by the rules, she had strong and positive involvement with her team. She was even highlighted as an SZC Rookie Team member. Where she shot several cover performances of SZC's Top Artists and even wrote her own songs. Which were highlighted on SZC Archives on YouTube. It was an accomplishment to be filming content for the said YouTube Channel. I was part of the said Rookie Team where my contents was about my journey to stardom. It was also the first videos uploaded on HypeGirls YouTube Channel as an introductory video of each member. Each HypeGirls member was an SZC Rookie Team Member. Save for Rei and Kazuha who were AKS58 Members previously. Theirs was shot beginning at Produce 58. Fans were sad that Heath didn't become an artist. I was too busy preparing to assume the leadership role that I didn't bother to look at articles written about SZC Trainees. She was legendary and I got to read about her previous trainee life through those articles. It made me all the more curious about her.

Now that I set my expectations and told her to always tell me her truth. It was an essential step to put us on a good and healthy start of relationship. I was aware that we may lose time for each other so it was important to set ourselves up in coming out with our truths. One thing that I learned when starting a relationship was to be transparent and always communicate with your partner. I would have to write a letter to my fans, breaking the news before Dispatch could even come up with every gossip there is, we've been seen today at the Concert Venue, holding hands as we walked to her car. Of course the press will talk about us and of course, my fans will refute claims, so I have to write a letter to them which will be sent to them on Bubble App. I need to finish writing this letter so I stayed up after Heath went home. Not before long while I was writing my letter to my fans, a knock was heard in my room. I called out to the door.

"Come in." I called to the door without looking up to see who it was.

I was writing a really long letter, I was full of purpose, I started to write it when I was overseas. How Heath and I got to know each other. Including our first meeting and how I came with the decision to steadily date her.

"Minjoo? You're not asleep yet?" Appa was the one who popped his head in my room.

"I'm just writing something." I replied to him.

"Okay, can I come in?" He asked me.

"Sure, Appa." I replied to him.

He came in and sat at a stool beside me.

"So, Heather was nice. She cooks well too, I'm happy to know you're in good hands." Appa told me.

As he stared at the letter I was writing for my fans.

"I know Appa she's nice and very patient. But she has lots of issues with her abeonim. It might be her abeonim could've hit her with a metal chair when she was five, that was why she had no recollection of him and claims he died a long time ago. She lived her life for two decades now, telling people her abeonim is dead." I replied to him.

"Jinjja? Poor Heather. He was a grown man and her a tiny girl, Ashe! I couldn't imagine what horrible condition she was in. I would take care of you and her, I will protect you both. Just come here whenever." Appa replied.

I expected he would reply this way, my Father always had a rule to protect his children, always be by their sides whether they are in the wrong or not, he would absolutely side with us. No questions asked. I grew up, protecting myself from bullies, including classmates who were being bullied and Appa was proud that I grew up a good kid who always helped my classmates, despite my own hardships and lack of money most times.

"Thank you, Appa. Now, I need to finish this letter for my fans, before Dispatch ever catches on, before my coming out story is published for the whole of Korea to see." I replied to him.

"Remember, I am proud of who you choose to love, I'll always be here Minjoo-ya. Appa will always come running to shield you from harm." He replied and placed a kiss on top of my head.

Reassuring me that my heart is in the right track. That even if it was taboo in Korean Society Standards, he was allowing me to do whatever I deem right, whether it was falling in love with another woman or finding where my happiness is, he will always be right beside me. I melted into his kiss, feeling lucky to have had my Appa and Eomma. Always grateful for them for allowing me to choose where my heart would be most happy.

"Arasseo, go and finish that so you can rest. Don't stay up late." He told me before slipping away to the door.

"Okay, Appa. Good night." I replied to him.

"Night Ming." He replied.

Ming was a term of endearment from Appa, he likes to call me Ming when I was younger. It reminded me whenever we would have heart-to-heart talks about my plans and other things I was dealing with, like Chaewon and I's would be relationship, that was long forgotten, a chance that never fully bloomed into anything, I was busy in school during that time, the last thing I wanted was a serious relationship. So, I never chased after her, neither did I confirm what we are, until she met the accident t