The sky was blue. No cloud could be seen and the sun was warm. Birds were singing happily and everyone had a smile on their faces, happy that the good weather came to stay. Everyone was happy and nothing would make them feel unhappy. The people inside the dance studio had such bright smiles on their faces they looked like they didn’t care about the six hour practice that was about to come. It was like the sun was making everything better and they didn’t care about their usually mean dance instructor. It was like they didn’t care that Lee Howon was going to show up at any moment and torture them.

 hey were just too happy and hyper about life. Well, at least not all of them. Song Jieun was just looking down to the wooden floor and kept on thinking what happened the previous day. The scenes kept on replaying in her mind and she couldn’t help but feel like the worst person in the world. She felt like she was the reason Nam Woohyun acted the way he did. It was her fault that he got himself drunk to get courage and it was her fault he decided he was going to leave.  She felt like she was the worst person in the whole world and she just wanted to go back in time.

She wanted to go back to the time where she didn’t know either Nam Woohyun or Kim Sunggyu. Back then, even thought she was beyond miserable, she knew both men were happy. They didn’t know her and she wouldn’t ruin their life. She wanted to go back to the time where she was invisible to the world. Where she was still living with her mother, in that small house, in that pink room. Maybe it would be better for all if she kept on being behind everyone’s shadows. No one knew her there, but at least, she wouldn’t feel guilty about hurting both men. “I’m ruining their lives…I’m nothing but a bother…” She whispered, not paying attention to the other dancers around her.

Kim Sunggyu told her more than once she shouldn’t feel guilty.  He told her that it wasn’t her fault and she shouldn’t worry. He held her all night and comforted her the best way he could. She told him she was alright, she told him she was okay, but before she knew it, she had tears running down her eyes and they wouldn’t stop. She didn’t even know why the tears continued keep on coming and there was nothing that would make them stop. No matter how sweet Kim Sunggyu’s words were, no matter how tighter he held her, she kept on crying and feeling her heart break into millions of pieces. Why was she feeling like that? It made no sense. No sense at all.

“…Jieun…are you alright?” hearing her name, she looked up and saw a very worried Jeon Hyosung looking at her. “…I’m fine.” She answered with a small smile on her face. It was more than obvious she wasn’t alright and as her best friend, Jeon Hyosung didn’t know if she should kept on pressuring her friend, but she didn’t want to see Song Jieun miserable. “Are you sure? You don’t look fine…” She just kept on smiling and looked to her friend. She didn’t want to talk anymore. She just wanted to be left alone and wanted to stay away, right in the back of the class without having people asking her what was wrong with her. She wanted to be n her little corner and that was it. “I’m perfect.”

Jeon Hyosung opened to speak, but instead of hearing her, Lee Howon entered the dance room, followed by a very depressed looking Nam Woohyun. She couldn’t take her eyes off of him. He looked pale, he had big dark circles under his eyes and he looked like he hadn’t been sleeping properly.  He looked like he was about to pass out at any moment and he looked like he didn’t have any strength, not even to move. She thought he looked bad yesterday, but she never imaged he could look like this one day. He looked like a ghost from what he used to be.

 “Everyone, I’ve some unfortunate news to share with all of you.” She already knew what it was, but she still felt her heart beating incredibly fast and she was sure she was going to start crying all over again. “Nam Woohyun, our pianist is going to leave us.” The room went silence and everyone looked at him, not believing what they were hearing. The female dancers all looked to each other and then to Nam Woohyun.

 They weren’t happy with it, but they couldn’t help but think of millions of reasons why the young pianist was leaving so suddenly. They couldn’t help but wonder why in the world he was just leaving without a previous notice.  “Where are you going?” Jeon Hyosung asked. Everyone looked at her and then to the young pianist. Even thought her voice was almost a whisper, because the room was in complete silence, everyone managed to hear and wonder the same thing.

“….I’m going to Germany…to study music…again…” He stopped his speech for a little while and looked right into Song Jieun. She was looking back to him and he could see her red eyes full of emotions.  Emotions that she couldn’t understand; emotions that hurt him in a way that he didn’t understand and didn’t want. She was looking at him and all he could feel was pity. All he could feel in her eyes was pity and it was killing him. Those sad eyes were killing him inside and all he wanted was to run away from there.

The dancers looked at each other not really sure of what to say. He could be just another pianist passing by, but Nam Woohyun stood next them for so many years they got used to him. Not to mention the man even wrote songs for them to dance at ballet competitions. Thanks to him they were able to perform in a way other dancers couldn’t even dream of. It was rather depressing knowing they wouldn’t have another man like Nam Woohyun. Lee Howon looked around to his dancers and couldn’t help but hate the depressing atmosphere around him.  It felt like they were at a funeral.

 “Well? Let’s wish Nam Woohyun a happy life and that he succeeds on his journey!” the dancers stood in their place, not really sure of what they should do at first. They felt sad, really sad, but when they saw Nam Woohyun’s smile, even thought it was forced, they went towards him and surrounded him.

They kept giving him words of encouragement, telling him he was going to be become the biggest pianist the world as ever seen. They kept on giving him those words but Song Jieun knew better. She knew the pianist was lying. He was lying about wanting to evolve in his career; he was lying when he said he wanted to go because it was the perfect chance for him. All he was doing was run away. Run away from her. She knew his smile was completely fake and she couldn’t stand it anymore. She had to get out of the dance room before she lost every single bit of sanity she had.

Not saying a single word, Song Jieun left the room but no one saw it. At least that was what she thought. The other dancers continued talking to Nam Woohyun who buy now, was looking beyond lost with what was happening around him. When he saw Song Jieun leave, he felt his heart drop down to the floor. It hurt. It hurt so bad. “Excuse me…”

She kept on walking on the empty hall and didn’t even notice that she was being followed right behind. She was drowning in her own thoughts that she only woke up when she heard her name being called. “Jieun!” She stopped her tracks and stood looking down to her feet, her hands closed as fists.

A soft hand grabbed her arm but she didn’t move. “Why?” the words came out before she could even control it. “Why are you leaving?” She asked but didn’t allow him to speak. Instead, she kept on going. “Why are you leaving in such a cowardly way?” Nam Woohyun continued staring at the back of her head, not really sure of what he should say. Sure, he had a lot to tell her, but at that exact moment the words wouldn’t leave his lips. “You told me you would never leave me!” Nam Woohyun felt horrible. He did indeed promise her something like that, but then he remembered something. Something that had been eating him inside for a long time. “Why? Why are you leaving me?”

“Because you’re in love with Sunggyu!” She was shocked when she heard those words. She turned to face the man and saw the pained look in his eyes. “…What are you talking about? I do-“ Before she could continue, he stopped her speech right away. “Yes you are!” He didn’t want to hear denial. He didn’t want her to deny something that he knew it was true. What was the point on denying it? “No! I’m-“

“You are. You’re in love with Kim Sunggyu…and I can’t take it anymore.” She stood there staring at Nam Woohyun, not believing what she heard. How could he say something like that? she wasn’t in love with Kim Sunggyu…was she?