It had been two weeks since our double date. The boys had been very busy with promotions and interviews and so on. Being idols was obviously very time consuming. It had been a little over a month since the trip to Disneyland and there were only two more weeks of classes before summer vacation started. I was really looking forward to the break. For most of my classes all that was left was studying for finals, but for art we were finishing up all our projects for the end of the year showcase that the university held. 

The piece that I had told Minho about had turned out better than I thought it would and I was very proud of it.  For the last two week I had been working on a new piece that was actually a self portrait. It was kind of celestial, and in the painting my hair was flying out behind me and it faded and blended into the beautiful galaxy behind me. I had worked hard on my eyes to make sure that they gave the impression of love and compassion. 

I had been telling Minho about my art work for weeks now and he always seemed very interested. I sent him an formal invitation to the showcase and he had said that he would talk to his manager about coming to the event.  I had done a charcoal drawing of him that I wanted him to see but I was keeping it a surprise.  

With both of us being so busy we hadn't had any time to be together in weeks. I was a little sad about it but I was starting to get used to the way things worked being with Minho. He had started calling me every night since our dinner at his house, and we would spend as much time as we could talking to each other. 

As the day of the showcase arrived I was a nervous wreck. Minho had talked to his manager weeks ago and had talked him into allowing him to come to the showcase.  

"Will you stop pacing, you're freaking me out," Iris said as I walked around our appartment.

"What if he doesn't like it? What if he thinks its terrible?" I told her fiddiling with a piece of my hair as I paced back and forth. 

" Would you calm down and stop worrying!" she nearly shouted at me, " Your art work is amazing and I'm sure he will love it. Now calm down and get ready."

I rushed through getting ready, throwing on the long black dress that I had set aside. I did my hair and make up the same way I had for our date and feeling satisfied with how it had turned out I walked out to the living room for Iris's approval. 

"Very nice, and very professional," she told me with a smile. Iris was dressed in a blouse and black slacks as she would be accompanying me to the event.

" I am sure someone will buy one of your pieces tonight," she assured me. 

I gave a weak smile feeling the butterflies make their way back into my stomache and slowly walked out the door. 

The artists had to be at the gallery early to help prepare and then to greet people as they arrived.Iris tagged along to help me set up. By the time people started arriving at the gallery at seven I was so nervous that my hand and neck were sweating and I was worried my make up might melt off my face. I managed to pull it together and show a gentle looking old woman around the gallery.

I kept a sharp eye out for Minho as I helped show people around the gallery. Iris stayed over by my artwork trying to help promote it. As time drug on I started to worry that maybe he had gotten lost, but by nine o'clock when  he still hadn't arrived I had the sinking feeling that he wasn't going to come.  

I tried to push my hurt feelings to the side and keep a warm smile on my face, but my composure felt thin and fragile. Iris kept giving me worried glances and I had a feeling she didn't believe the smile on my face. I watched a young man about my age gaze at my paintings and whisper something into the cell phone he had up to his ear.  None of my work had been sold so far which wasn't helping my emotional state. I felt like a joke, a failure, and feeling my last bit of self preservation slip I made a dash to the bathroom so my classmates wouldn't see the tears that had forced their way into my eyes.

The bathroom was deserted thankfully and I stood there for a moment and let the tears fall. I heared someone come in behind me and pretty soon my best friend had me wrapped in a hug and was letting me cry myself out. The rational part of me was mad at myself because I had let myself get my hopes up too high when I knew Minho's life was busy and that something like this could happen.  Part of me wished that things could be normal, that he could show up to this event like any other guy and that we could be together like any normal couple,but Minho wasn't a normal guy and if I was being honest with myself that was one of the things I loved the most about him.

Just as I had managed to get a hold of myself enough to stop crying, my phone rang.It was Minho calling. Iris looked at me and asked " Do you want me to answer it?" A small part of me wanted to ignore the call but I knew that that was pointless and childish. So mustering all the calm and emotional controll that I could I shook my head at her and answered.

" Hello."

" Claire I am so sorry that I didn't come. Our manager booked us on a talk show at the last minute and I only found out an hour before we were supose to go to the set. I'm sorry I didn't call to let you know. I feel awful that I couldn't be there to support you," he said in a rush sounding upset and slightly concerned. 

" It's ok I understand," I said my voice cracking slightly.

There was a pause on the other end and then he asked gently " Have you been crying?" 

"No," I said quickly my voice hitching up slightly and giving me away.

" You are a terrible liar," He said and I could hear the smile on his lips but it faded as soon as it had appeared.

" Oh Claire, I am so so sorry. This is inexcusable that I made you cry and that I wasn't there for you. I promise I will make this up to you no matter what it takes," he told me with sheer determination in his voice.

" Really I'm fine. Please don't feel bad. I have to go though everyone is probally cleaning up by now and I should go help," I said making sure my voice didn't crack. 

"Ok," he said with a hint of sadness in his voice, "I will call you tomorrow morning." 

"Bye," I said quickly hanging up the phone.  

I walked stiffly back into the gallery to start packing up my unsold pieces with Iris right behind me. As I walked back over to where my pieces where I notices my self  portrait was missing. 

" Where did my portrait go?" I asked my instructor as she passed by. 

"It was sold, and so was your ocean storm piece," she informed me with a smile. 

I was shocked but really happy. At least some good had come out of this night. I packed up my pieces slowly and as I place the portrait of Minho away I felt a single tear fall down my cheek. 

A/N: Well this chapter is really short but I hope you liked it. I thought it did a good job of showing all the conflicting emotion running through Claire. Thank you for reading as always.