“You have to leave?” Haneul echoed, looking up from her notebook. Two days later, SNSD was back in Seoul and 2PM and the others were enjoying their free time in Jeju Island. Haneul had taken to the beach early one morning to work on her travel novel. Though she hadn’t had time to write it, she had not abandoned the thought at all. It would be a brilliant piece of work. Haneul was mainly scribbling notes when Taecyeon found her. He had paused a few feet away from her; smiling at how concentrated she looked.

            Haneul was lounging on a beach towel, in a sunny yellow dress. Her feet were bare and a pair of dark sunglasses was slipping down the bridge of her nose. Her skin was a golden tan now thanks to the constant sunshine and her hair was now lighter with more blonde tones.

            He quickly approached her once he remembered that he had something very important to tell her. JYP was dispatching him on a mission of sorts coupled with actual work he had to do in Seoul.

          “Ne, I’ll be gone for two days, I think. I have an audition and I have to pick someone up to bring down here.”

            “Ahhh, chincha?? Who?”

            “Producer Lim and his daughter…omo, but don’t mention this to anyone. Okay? Especially not Nichkhun-hyung…”

            “Why can’t I?”

            “Just don’t. It’s a surprise for him. He really likes Producer Lim.”

            “Ohhh, is that all?” Taecyeon felt bad about lying to Haneul, but it was better this way since JYP had entrusted him to not say a word to anyone about the Lim family’s arrival. “Ya, Ok Taecyeon. You better not fall in love with this girl.”

            He chuckled at her childish pout. “I don’t know, it’ll be heard. I have met her before and she’s quite a looker not to mention she has such an even-tempered personality. You never hear one bad thing from .”

            “Ya! You wanna die???” Taecyeon tittered at her gruff reaction. Haneul had nothing to be worried about because Producer Lim’s daughter had her eyes on one boy alone no matter how much the pair of them would pretend otherwise.

            “You’re so mean to me, Hanna. You know, SNSD thinks your mean to me too. I’m not the only one!” Haneul rolled her eyes. She wasn’t stupid. She knew exactly which members disliked her. And it annoyed her that they had the nerve to say it to his face. It was even worse that he thought nothing of it. Haneul decided now wasn’t the time for anger and merely put on a confused face.

            “Bwoh?! Most of them like me. They don’t think I’m mean. They think we’re adorable…” she protested, lips pouting. Haneul sat up on her towel. She closed her notebook and patted at the seat next to her.

            “We are adorable,” he agreed. Taecyeon pulled her into a hug. “I know you’ll cry when I’m gone, but you must persevere,” he said solemnly. She was enjoying the hug until she remembered certain scenes from the party. Then, Haneul laughed and wriggled out of his embrace.

            “Don’t flatter yourself.”

            “What???? Hanna, you won’t miss your beastly boyfriend?”

            “Omo, why are you like this?” Haneul briskly rose to her feet. She bent to retrieve her notebook and placed her free hand on her hip. “I’m going on a walk.”

            “Waeeee??? I’m leaving soon, Hanna.”

            “I’ll see you when you get back.”

            “Are you…mad?” She didn’t answer and crossed her arms. Taec scrambled to his feet and repeated his question. “Are you really mad at me because I’m leaving?? Aigo, you know I have my acting and Family Outing 2 to do. I’m busy. These past couple weeks have been easy though. It won’t always be like that. You should understand that if you’re going to be my girlfriend.”

            Haneul stared at him in disbelief. Did he really think that was what this was about? Him leaving? Yes, she was surprised, but expected it eventually. He had too many other obligations to just stick around here without having to go back for some reason. Did he honestly think she was that shallow?

            “Yoona said this would be a problem…” he mumbled to himself, scratching the back of his head. “You don’t have to take it out on me though. I can’t help it. Aishh, she did say that it would be better for me to just not date…”

            “Fine,” Haneul stated forcefully. Taecyeon broke out of his tirade and blinked at her. She stared at him dead in the eyes and said, “Let’s break up.”

            “What?”

            “Did I not make myself clear? Let’s. Break. Up,” she repeated. Haneul tossed her long hair over her shoulder and raised an eyebrow in challenge. “Since apparently everyone thinks I’m so mean to you and that it’d be better if you didn’t date. Let’s not.”

            “Ya, why are you being like this? You don’t want that and neither do I. Besides, it’s just Yoona who says that stuff. It’s meaningless. She’s just looking out for me.”

            “Are you serious?” She said with a sharp laugh. “Yoona’s likes you, babo. You should have seen her face when she realized that I was your girlfriend.”

            “She doesn’t like me,” Taecyeon protested, shaking his head. “Nah, that was just a scandal the producers set up. It means nothing.”

            “You must be an idiot, Taecyeon. She likes you. Do I need to say it again? Why else would she be filling your mind with these bogus stories? About how I wouldn’t be able to handle you being away and all that. I’m not stupid. I had some vague idea about what dating an idol would be like. People across the world are talking about me and they don’t even know me. Why would I be upset that you have to leave for a few days? Yoona doesn’t even know me to think she knows how I’d react. Aigooo, this is so stupid.”

            Taecyeon stared back at her, unsure of how to answer. He had never really considered that Yoona might actually have real feelings for him. That could make a whole lot more sense than Haneul being upset about this. Wait, then what was she upset about?

            “So if you’re not mad about that then why are you being so stand-offish?”

            Haneul groaned dramatically and rubbed her temples. “You, Ok Taecyeon, have to be the most unperceptive person in the history of ever.” She her heel to stalk off down the beach. Then she thought better and turned back to him. “You and Miss Ideal Girl at the party. You just left with her and Junho-oppa had to walk me home. And even before that you were with her most of the night and not me. I know we don’t have to spend all of our time together, but some recognition and maybe a dance would be nice.”

            “Ohhhhhhh…you’re mad about that?” He obviously did not understand. “We’re like best friends and she was sad that we hadn’t hung out in awhile. And since we won’t see each other for awhile she wanted to spend some time with me. I mean, I get to see you all the time…”

            “Right, of course. That makes so much sense. You’re right. You do get to see me all the time. Or rather, you used to. Like I said before. Let’s break up.” Haneul jerked out of Taec’s grasp as he reached for her. “Just don’t. Obviously I’m not worth it, right?” She said bitterly and walked off down the beach. Taec was dumbstuck. What on earth had just happened? Did they break up? Had he said something wrong?

             Haneul was silently cursing his birth, name and everything associated with him and she stomped down the beach. Was he really that stupid? Apparently just because he was handsome did not mean that relationship skills were innate. He was a big goofy kid who was nice to everyone, no matter what.

            “Babo. Babo. Babo. I swear I should have killed you…or her. Preferably her. Gah!” She grunted and threw her book down to the ground. She sunk to her knees and buried her face in her hands. Why was he so dumb? It just didn’t make sense. And why did it hurt so much? Did she really like him that much?

            “Haneul?”