The Story Only I Didn't Know - IU

Min Yu's POV

Day 201

Sun Hye had her arms crossed over her chest as she stared at me ruefully, perhaps hoping to burn a hole right through me. "Hey," I greeted cheerfully, obviously not paying attention to her somewhat authoritative stance. "Don't you 'hey' me,” she suddenly stated, while I remained immobile sitting on the floor, staring at the pile of clothes.

Dear Donghae,

I massaged my throbbing temples but still not turning to look at her. "Don't you know what had happened last night because of your drunken episode?" Sun Hye added with a hint of sarcasm. "Well, just so you know," the older paused while shifting her weight from one foot to another. "Donghae had to sleep on the couch just to stay away from your cheating self."

The hammering inside my head seemed to worsen. "I have no idea what you're talking about," said I still calmly. "He could have forced me out of the room so he'd be able to sleep more comfortably. And besides, what's such a big deal about sleeping, anyway?" I muttered the last sentence to myself, knowing she would never let it pass off unnoticed.

She heaved an irritated sigh. "If you weren't cheating, then what were you doing with Kai?" Sun Hye demanded, her feet tapping impatiently on the floor next to my unmoving position. It was hard to defend myself when everything I will say will be used against me. It was somehow one of the first lessons I was taught in law school.

Today is a good day.

"Ya," she gave me a light nudge by the shoulder. "I'm talking to you, you drunkard. Answer when I'm asking you a question! I thought you were smart enough to know if a question is rhetorical or not," stated Sun Hye angrily, the words rushing out of all so suddenly. Still turning my back on her, "Can we please just talk later? My head hurts so badly," I complained. Just thinking of getting my hands on an aspirin made me feel the slightest bit better.

"DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO!" exclaimed Sun Hye with her voice a pitch higher than usual. Pretending not to hear anything, I stood up and dusted my clothes off. It was a different feel having to go inside this room again, as it seemed like millions of eons ago when I last stepped inside – or maybe I just knew deep inside I wasn't invited.

Sun Hye patted my shoulder. "Don't you know I'm older than you?" she started with a sickly sweet tone in her voice. "Yes, I am. So quit being disrespectful to your unnie or else I'll go tell Donghae some story." I didn't dare turn around to face her, fearing she might stare daggers at me. "How come you're so disrespectful of everyone? Aish. I thought Donghae wanted some other type of woman."

"You know," she continued. "The pretty one – funny, girly, fun to be with, cutesy kind. Not the what-you-see-is-what-you-get type like you – stern, strict, drunkard, idiotic Park Min Yu. You always act like you have a stick up your !" exclaimed Sun Hye, letting out a dark chuckle afterwards. "But then again, I never knew what he saw in you, anyway. And I always knew he never really liked you."

All is well.

I scratched the back of my head in somewhat newfound irritation. My feet ached to walk away, and my brain immediately led the way for my muscles and bones to cooperate. "To him you're just a fast ." Her words quickly punched a hole through my chest. Weirdly enough, I froze on the same spot, remaining still while eagerly waiting for her next words.

Amazing, isn't it? I know whatever she might say next would only make things worse, yet here I am, my gaze focused on the blank wall, leaving me to rack my whole anatomy for the pride I used to have. When she spoke again, there was already a hint of smile in her voice. Her mission was accomplished. "Yeah, you heard me right."

"Don't you know what you are to him?" Sun Hye grabbed me by the jaw and forced me to look at her dead straight in the eyes. "You. Are. Just. His. Stupid. . Did you hear me?" No, Min Yu. Don't cry. Just don't. "He just sticks with you just 'cause he can get anything from you whenever he wants to. I bet you do the other members some favors too, just so they could back you up. Aren't you a nice little convenient store? Open and wide for everyone."

She ran a hand through her coarse, inkjet hair. "And if you're keeping score, let me just inform you that everything is in favor with Donghae. Don't you know you're darn lucky enough to see him everyday? You don't know how many millions, perhaps billions, of girls are dying to be in your position. God, don't you know that? What is your IQ, negative hundreds?"

"If I were you," said Sun Hye thickly. "I would have probably hated myself every morning I wake up. Or if I'm already seeing that Donghae and I aren’t just working out, I might have be the first one to call it quits, you know? You could have avoided causing more trouble." With her own statement, she laughed heartily. "I talk as if you haven't done enough damage. But literally, you have."

I'm fine.

Noticing my ashen expression, Sun Hye stated everything in utmost confidence, as if she was just delivering a speech not intended to make me feel like a doormat. "Just think of it," she continued with a wide grin. "He could leave you hanging whenever he wants to. And you, being the goody two shoes you are, forgive him like nothing ever happened. Ah~ soon enough, he'll leave you and you'd probably say yes to it or something."

"And if you ask me, you deserve it all," Sun Hye stated as-a-matter-of-factly. "You deserve all that has happened to you. But you could have avoided all of it, you know." She examined her fingernails, picking at the tips. "I thought you're so smart, full of it and all. Turns out, you're not better than anybody else. You're not so intelligent, are you? I always knew the members were just exaggerating about you," she added thoughtfully.

"And it'll be just a few days more when you'll be tossed away, perhaps recycled by whoever comes along your way; I really don't know how you change boyfriends like you change clothes. And I don't pretty much understand how you make everything work, but I'm utterly certain Donghae wouldn't need you after all. He doesn't deserve what you're doing to him, you know."

"All the pressure, all the clinging and needing and always wanting...it's not working out for him. Maybe right now you can just scurry off to someone else, why not go back to Chunji instead? Your bird brain isn't an easy learner, anyway." I clenched my fists tight in anticipation of what was happening. It was what I had feared most, more than the feeling of sadness.

The silence crept up from deep inside, and all the ideas crammed up in my throat began resurfacing. My vision came in a haze, like some low quality movie. The only difference is that mine was caused by tears and not by old-fashioned technology. I didn't want anyone to see, but it was just that difficult to keep up the act.

I spun on my heels and advanced to the bathroom, my personal haven for the moment. Before I could seek refuge and be alone, however, Sun Hye grabbed me by the forearm. "Look, just face it, okay? He doesn't love you anymore. Not like he used to before, or whatever promise he had told you before. Get it?" her eyebrow arched, obviously demanding for a response.

I just nodded blankly, earning me freedom from her bruising hold. "Oh, and one more thing," Sun Hye held a finger up as she, too, turned to the door. She leaned upright on the doorframe for support, her feet soundless against the carpeted floor as she walked. "Grow up," said Sun Hye like a request, but more of an order, before completely exiting the room in long strides.

For about a hundred heartbeats, I stood in the middle of the empty room. The feeling was unrelenting; neither was the pain taming its intensity. Loud voices could be heard outside the four walls containing me, but it wasn't my business right now. Suddenly snapping out of my little trance, I turn back to the bathroom and locked myself in.

Kyuhyun's POV

"Can't you even reconsider just for another time? And I don't need an immediate answer, anyway. Why don't you think about it first for a while, like, an hour?" I repeated for what seemed like the hundredth time. Pacing around my room, I could feel my ears stinging, what with the phone pressed close to my ear, pleading probably evidently painted across my face.

The other just heaved a sigh, but was immediately cut off by another person. Reasonable as I am, I waited patiently, since it was me who had to do all the possible humbling to get what I want. Taking a deep breath, I have to be cool and rational. Perfect guy Kyuhyun. Yes, I am. My brain was a computer, a gadget in itself. Precise and accurate as a calculator, fast as lightning. Able to adapt. Keen.

This amazing intellect of mine began working up to regular as the person was done talking to someone else. "Ah hyung," he exclaimed. I can imagine him with his lips puckered up and his head shaking to a no. "You can't say no. It's Min Yu we're talking about here. You can say no to Ricky, even CAP. But you can't say no to her. Not her," I defended quickly, my voice convincing enough.

He let out a sigh. Admittedly, in my own perspective, it wasn't that hard. Isn't that what he had wanted in a long time? I bet he has regretted having to leave and see her not a month after with another guy. Didn't he want revenge of some sort? 'Cause I would have, if ever I was put in the same shoes as him. It was easy, to say the least.

"Please? I'm practically begging you. Maybe even pleading you. Can you do what I'm asking you to? Because if you can't, I don't know what my next move will be. You don't know how much courage and patience and ego it took just to call you and ask you a favor. You know me, right? And I'm very desperate enough to be telling you this," I confessed truthfully.

But in the end, he remained defiant. "I wish I could, hyung. I really wish I could. Have you ever put her feelings into priority? If I were to ask you the same question with her in mind, I bet you would have said no, too. I'm disagreeing with this not because I don't love her anymore. It's just that I know how she would have felt. Remember that bet we had made years ago? Yeah, it might be worse this time," explained the lad objectively.

My hand held my forehead up as my elbow rested on the table. I closed my eyes, feeling somewhat relieved even with the quick blink, and wondered of any more things I could persuade him with. "I doubt she doesn't think of the same thing. Please? Honestly, I'd rather she stick with you than Donghae if he continues with this stupidity of his," I continued.

"I've seen how you treat her. I know you treat her much much better than what Donghae is doing to her now. He just...he just doesn't give a damn anymore. And you, of all people, would do the best job out of all of us, no matter what comforting and convincing we do. If you can't do what I'm asking, why don't you try convincing her? I bet she'll listen to you. Why not talk some sense into her? Please?"

He breathed against his phone's receiver evenly, probably weighing his options clearly to know what to do in this kind of situation. I know I shouldn't have dragged him into this, but it was the best thing I could do at the moment, rather than endlessly trying to cover a wound that keeps getting bigger and deeper. It was – at the moment – the only solution.

Donghae's POV

Sun Hye's voice grew louder and clearer as she neared the door. She muttered a few more words before walking out, looking surprised to see me outside with a knowing look. "Oppa..." she mumbled softly. "What did you do inside?" I asked curiously, just testing to see if she would be so honest as to tell me the truth. "N-nothing. We just talked." The girl bit her lip and twirled a lock of her hair around her finger.

I didn't know quite well how to describe the feeling I get whenever someone lies to me and I already know what the truth. "What did you tell her, then?" My back rested against the railings leading to the stairs comfortably, looking smug and interested. She, in turn, almost cowered in guilt, or was it embarrassment? "You know, some stuff," stammered Sun Hye nervously.

Unable to fight back the amusement, I let out a light chuckle. "If you don't tell me, I'll just be the one to ask her," I stood upright and advanced to the door and was about to enter, but she blocked my path. "Can't we just, like, eat breakfast now? I'm starving," Sun Hye tried to make use of her distractions which, fortunately, didn't work this time.

"Okay, then. Tell me what you two talked about. I want to hear," I glared at her, trying to look for the answers in her uncertain expression. "Nothing," she repeated with less resolution. "I'll just ask her instead," I headed towards my original destination and left her by the hall. The room was empty when I went inside, closing the door behind me.

Sinking down on the messed-up bed, I buried my face on both my hands. From where I was seated, I could clearly hear the muffled sobbing inside the bathroom. It sounded agonizing, and I knew the immediate reason. I wondered how it feels like: to cry in the shower so no one can hear, to cry and have the tears mix in with the tap water.

Was she bent over by the floor, clutching her chest, thinking it would control and contain all the emotions that were burning at her insides? Did she keep everything in and waited for the right time for her to fall apart so no one will know? I didn't have to wait long enough though, for soon, out came Min Yu wearing her usual attire and drying her damp hair with a towel.

She paused in her tracks as soon as she eyed me from across the room. "I'm sorry," she involuntarily blurted out and came rushing to the bedside table, gathering her things in a haste. I stood up and remained still by the bed post, watching her hasty movements. "So sorry. I'll go now, don't worry." Min Yu began folding the bed sheets she had used.

"Don't leave so soon and answer me first. Sun Hye said you talked," I started, choosing my words carefully, despite the fact that she froze upon the mention of her name. "Y-yeah," stuttered the girl. I kept my gaze towards her direction, but her eyes didn't meet mine. She scratched the back of her head awkwardly and continued with her unnecessary chore. "What did she tell you, then?" I pressed, longing for her own response.

Min Yu exhaled sharply through , her pink lips forming a perfect letter O. "Nothing." She bent down and piled the pillows on a neat corner of the bed and creased the linen consciously. "Come on, now. Don't lie to me," I tried persuading, wishing she could somehow tell me how she feels. Her stubborn self remained unchanging.

"I didn't tell her anything, I swear," she stated, her voice shaking in the slightest bit as she tried to mask it with turning her back on me. Her shoulders heaved up and down while her hands busied themselves fixing her bag by the table. "Then what did she tell you?" I demanded more like an order. Her free hand clutched her possibly aching head, massaging her temples to try to lessen the pain.

Heaving a sigh, I kept my feet still. "I heard what she said, you know. Why didn't you defend yourself, huh? You used to be so determined, so unwavering. You'd even be willing to kill me if I disagreed with you! Now that she's shoving all those harsh words down your throat, you wouldn't even react?! And I'm now asking you to tell me how you feel!"

"Why would you want to know how I feel?" Her eyes were fixed on the space in front of her as she didn't dare try to look at me.

I almost pulled my hair out in frustration. "Because I care! WHY DO YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO MAKE ME WORRY?!"

"I didn't tell you to worry about me. Why do you even bother?" she mumbled softly, almost inaudibly.

"Darn it, Min Yu. Of course I would! Stop being so childish about this. For heavens' sake, GROW UP!"

She froze. Though I wanted to take back everything I had said after realizing how it had taken its toll on her, it was already too late. Wide-eyed, I watched as she tugged at the hems of her shirt and rubbed her eyes at the same time. Min Yu slung the bag carelessly over her shoulder before spinning on her heels to face me.

Her eyes were rimmed red, but my apologetic expression wouldn't have been any help. Without locking gazes, she bowed down a good 90 degrees in front. "Mianhae." Dashing as fast as she can, she exited and closed the door behind her. I let my eyes retrace the trail she had left, wondering and measuring how big of a mistake was being so careless. Knowing Min Yu, she didn't need to be told twice.