Lee Min Ho’s POV

I left Dara alone in the room, wearing the couple pyjamas that we bought together. I snickered at how cheesy I’d become and yet I didn’t feel ashamed in the slightest. I walked towards the staircase and lazily made my way down to the floor.

Kim Bum was waiting for me, leaning his back against the front door. His eyes landed on my clothes and he bit his lip. I knew what was coming.

“Dude, what happened?” He burst out laughing.

“What? These are cool” I pointed to my clothes, with a confident grin on my face.

“Sure they are…” Kim Bum trailed off.

“What brings you here?” I asked.

“I wanted to know if you have the proof that Sandara is in love with you”

I should have seen it coming.

I knew it was really pointless to carry on with the bet, but that didn’t mean I would stop. My competitive streak was strong, too strong. I had to win, even if I already had everything I wanted.

“Of course I have it” I scoffed, handing him Dara’s letter from earlier this week.

To my relief he didn’t handle it roughly. I watched him contently as he read through the short letter that made me smile, the kind of smile only an idiot sports.

“Damn you’re getting 30 million won” Kim Bum muttered under her breath.

“I know” I grinned, pleased with his disappointment.

 “Good job man, I didn’t think you’d manage to do it in just 2 months”

“Neither did I” I laughed.

“You made the Sandara Park fall in love with you in just 2 months, I really must hand it to you….that is impressive. I really can’t believe you did it!”  He exclaimed again, making me chuckle, revelling in the moment.

“Her penmanship is cute too”

Dara did have the cutest handwriting the world had ever seen, but I wasn’t about to tell her that. It did irritate me that he noticed that, my possessiveness was lurking not too far below the surface today.

 “I have to admit, I never thought you’d manage to make her fall for you dude. It’s just like…wow”

Yes, yes. I get the point. I’m awesome. Can you hurry up please?

 “I can’t wait to see Sandara clinging onto your arm at the party tomorrow”

To be quite honest, I couldn’t wait to show her off to everyone. I was looking forward to letting every single man out there know that she was mine. Mine and only mine.

 “You won the bet playing her like a pro” My friend mused.

“I know” I answered back.

But it’s not playing if you fall too.

“I’ll give you your check for 30 million won tomorrow at the party” Kim Bum nodded, handing me back the letter.

“Okay” I nodded back at him, gingerly placing her letter back into its original place- my pyjama pant pocket.

“I need to get going now. My parents want me to go to this meeting for them. I’ll see you tomorrow” He said with that face he likes to make when he really doesn’t want to do something. It only made my mood fly higher.

“Hehehehe…okay, get out of here you weirdo” I said, patting his back.

Sandara Park’s POV

I ran with light steps, the sound easily mistaken for the pitter-patter of rain against the house. I was panicking. I needed answers urgently. Why did he have it? How did he get it? What was he playing at? Everything seemed to be so muddled up and I didn’t know if I would be able to cope.

I stopped at the edge of the wall by the grand staircase which stood before the front entrance. Hidden, silent. My heart thumped from the quick burst of exercise- or maybe it was my nerves going mad.

 “What brings you here?” That low voice I lived for sounded.

“I wanted to know if you have the proof that Sandara is in love with you” An annoyingly familiar voice responded.

My brows furrowed with puzzlement, not quite sure how to interpret the conversation between the two males.

 “Of course I have it” Min Ho scoffed in a ridiculously confident way.

 “Damn you’re getting 30 million won”

30 million won?

Why are you getting 30 million won?

Why does this person want proof that I love you?

“I know” The idiot’s grin painted a vivid picture in my mind as I listened in on his conversation.

 “Good job man, I didn’t think you’d manage to do it in just 2 months” The familiar stranger said.

“Neither did I”

A rustle of paper and the sound of a jacket being zipped up filled my ears. The person was leaving.

I’ll interrogate you about everything after he’s gone.

Why you have my diary and why this whole conversation has sounded shady.

 “You made the Sandara Park fall in love with you in just 2 months, I really must hand it to you….that is impressive. I really can’t believe you did it!”

My ears pricked at that. Had I heard that correctly? Were they talking about what it sounded like they were talking about?

“Her penmanship is cute too”

I cringed at that comment, hating being observed by someone I couldn’t even see.

“I have to admit, I never thought you’d manage to make her fall for you dude. It’s just like…wow”

A sinking feeling washed over me and it started expanding, gnawing away at the rest of my body infectiously. The fear grotesquely conquered my mind, one piece at a time.

No, no, no. It’s all a misunderstanding. All a mis-

 “I can’t wait to see Sandara clinging onto your arm at the party tomorrow”

A silly misunder-

“You won the bet playing her like a pro” The voice echoed, bouncing off the floor to the walls, to the ceiling, punching me square in the stomach.

I had heard all I needed to hear.

I walked quietly down the hall. Stiffly. with doubt and unfamiliarity. It wasn’t the same house from five minutes ago. It never would be the same again. Not after what had just been confirmed.

The door knob felt numbingly cold when my fingers curled around it. An unfriendly cold, trying to shoo me away. I entered his bedroom, and walked over to his bed where I had originally been seated. It was difficult to walk, as if my legs were made of pure iron. Pure iron that I had to lift with every step I made.

I didn’t want to believe it, but it matched up. The reason why my diary had been in his possession was all because of a bet. He would have read through that tattered old notebook and seen everything. Min Ho knew about my fears, about the agony I felt in the absence of my father, about my infatuation with him. He would now know about my interests and likes, maybe even about my dreams. Min Ho got to see inside my head and exploit that knowledge to the best of his ability.

It made me feel violated.

My eyes landed on a yellow square of paper, a post it note to be exact. With messy hangul scribbled onto it in a rushed manner. Sitting on his bedside table, bright against the dark wood. If it had always been there, I didn’t notice until now. The name and number written on the piece of paper was what caught my attention. Another part of the puzzle fell into place.

Kim Bum, one of the kingkas from my past school experience. Kim Bum, one of Min Ho’s close friends. Kim Bum, a party animal of SNU’s campus.

Kim Bum, the guy with the annoying voice who had made a bet with Min Ho.

A bet regarding Min Ho’s ability to get me to fall in love with him within a two month time limit for 30 million won.

It’s disgusting, playing with a person’s heart like that.

Truthfully, I wanted to cry. But I couldn’t, not here. Not in his house. All that would result in would be him pretending to care, imitating concern and love. It would kill me, because it would appear to be so genuine when I know it is far from that. I considered asking him to take me home despite his refusal to do so earlier, but decided against it. I needed to be strong and hide the broken side of me for the night.

I didn’t realize what I had done until I pressed ‘save’. I had put Kim Bum’s number in my phone. I didn’t know why I had done it although I was sure of one thing.

I would end things with Min Ho tomorrow.

Lee Min Ho’s POV

“I’m back” I called out as I opened my bedroom door.

Dara offered me a small smile from across the room, as she fiddled with her phone. Sitting cross-legged on the bed with messy hair, different from its usual smoothened out appearance. I sat down beside her and wrapped my arms around her small waist, hanging my chin on her shoulder.

“Is that all I get? A smile” I teased.

She set down her phone and peered at me. Those pretty eyes locked with mine and I felt myself receive a mental punch to the face.

What was that?

For a moment, she looked hurt. Deeply wounded to be more precise, like a deer that frolicked in the meadow until the hunter’s bullet decided to introduce itself to the animal’s ankle. Why Dara looked like that for a second was a mystery to me. One that I most certainly wanted to solve, even though she looked fine now.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, drawing her closer.

“Huh? Nothing” She shook her head.

It didn’t convince me at all.

“Are you sure?” I checked.

“Yeah” She awkwardly laughed.

Dara you are a pathetic excuse for a liar.

“So you’re absolutely, one hundred per cent sure about that?” I pressed on, hoping to get it out of her.

“Yep. I’m perfectly fine you weirdo” She replied.

Aish so stubborn.

“Okay” I shrugged, giving up on pursuing the issue for the moment.

“What do we do now?” She asked, surprisingly not leaning further back into my chest.

“Well…” I pecked the crook of her neck and slowly made my way upwards.

It amused me how she stiffened at my sudden actions, as if she still wasn’t used to me touching her. She didn’t say anything, so I carried on with my advances.

“We could always finish what we started earlier…” I drawled, peppering her jawline now.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about” She said in a tone that would have been convincing if not for a little squeak she made before answering.

“I’m sure you do. We were watching that cheesy werewolf movie and then we played the pocky game…” I chuckled, caressing my nose against her cheek.

And then things got naughty.

“And then I did this to you” I pressed a kiss against her soft lips.

She pulled away fast, as if it wasn’t normal for me to touch her like that. It boggled me, her behaviour was so strange tonight. I looked at her expectantly for an answer, waiting.

“Sorry. I’m tired, let’s go to sleep already” She mumbled, tucking her hair behind an ear.

What the-

You know what? I’m not even going to ask.

“Sure” I sighed, disappointed.

She nodded once with a meek smile and slid under the covers, nuzzling a pillow. I turned off the lights and spooned her, cradling her softly.

I hope whatever is bothering you is resolved Dara.

Sandara Park’s POV

“Goodnight” He whispered, his cool breath hitting the side of my neck.

“Night” I murmured back, staring off into the darkness

His loving hold on me wasn’t helping me keep a tight leash on my emotions. I wanted to push him away, or at least a small part of me did. I couldn’t handle that kiss to the lips, it was so real. So colourful. It made my heart bang violently against my ribcage, something that I didn’t want to feel. I had to pull away, or else I would delude myself into thinking I had just dreamed up my most recently acquired memories.

Could he really be that good of an actor? Was it possible? To fake something like that so well, to give an impeccable performance like that? Had it all been a sham? Was our whole relationship based upon that bet? Did he really pretend to care about me?

I didn’t know what to believe in, though I so desperately wanted to trust him. But how could I after what I heard?

My fingers brushed against my lips and I shuddered, a tear running down my cheek.

“Jerk” I inaudibly muttered as more tears gently and steadily poured out from my eyes.

Lee Min Ho must’ve been the greatest actor in the whole entire world to have done this to me. He fractured my barrier and from there on slowly picked away at it until he got through and claimed everything as his. Like historic Rome, taking all for herself, building up her empire with dangerous force.

Soundlessly crying  in his arms, I felt like a lost child. Where did I belong? Was it my fault that this happened? Had I done something to make him play a game like this?

Was any of what we shared real?

“Dara?”

Huh? You’re awake.

“Dara why are you crying?” He flipped me over in a flustered motion.

How did he know that I was crying?

I realized that my tears probably fell onto his arms which were wrapped around me.

Stupid.

He looked scared, gazing into my eyes. I could only see him in the dark, he was the only thing close enough to see and I assumed it as the same for him. I shook my head and offered him a smile that I hoped could pass off for genuine.

“I just had a nightmare” I croaked, my voice crackly from my throat closing up as throats do when anyone cries.

“Don’t lie to me Dara, something has been bothering you for a while and I know you haven’t told me about it” He wiped my tears with his thumb, tenderly swiping against my skin.

It’s all because of you.

“Stop being silly Min Ho-”

“Just tell me what’s wrong Dara” He cut me off pleadingly.

I kept quiet, unable to meet his eyes. Those eyes that I melt into every time.

“Please Dara”

Lee Min Ho truly was the best actor in the world.

“I’m just scared of losing you” I shakily said.

It wasn’t a lie, what I said. I was terrified of losing Min Ho, the one I knew. The one that I had fallen in love with, the one that this man pretended to be. Unfortunately, I already had lost him. He had was never found to begin with.

As if he understood me without any further elaboration, he tilted my head up and leaned in close.

“That won’t happen” He promised bitterly believable.

His kissed me and I couldn’t pull away, it was a beautiful lie that I so badly wanted to believe. I responded to his embrace, moving my lips against his for the sweet, short while.

“Don’t ever doubt at that I love you Dara” He spoke against my lips.

Lee Min Ho was cruelly breaking my heart all over again, one piece at a time. 

Writer's Notes:

It's been over a month since I updated, I know that much. I also know how many of you have been patiently waiting fr me to comeback. I know that I've been very unfair doing this to all of you, making you wait so long. 

A lot happens in a month. The day after I last updated, I met someone. Someone who made me feel things I haven't felt in a very long time and this person made me feel special. A week before my birthday, this person friendzoned me after giving me weeks of mixed signals. It damaged me a little to be honest, it hurt like hell. Along with all of this I've been stressed out with school and I told myself that school would always come first before my personal affairs like AFF. I hope you all can understand that to some extent-  I've completed all of my assignments now but I don't know how long I'll be free for so I'm rushing this. I'm a fourteen year old girl learning how to juggle life. To sum it all up I've had boy trouble, birthdays (including 2 that weren't mine) and school that I didn't know how to deal with properly. And yes, I know that this is just a whole paragraph of excuses that none of you give a about.

I apologize for taking it out on you guys who read this fic, it is most definitely not fair on you and I do acknowledge that my hiatus without any warning whatsoever was unacceptable. I didn't even realize that the number of subscribers for this grew until recently. If I was a reader who had to put up with an author like myself, the first thing I would do is rant at that person in my next comment. I'm expecting that a lot of you will be doing the same now and I cannot blame you for that. Thank you all for staying subscribed to this story, for supporting it, for upvoting it and for nagging me to update. I might not show it, but I do love you guys.

Lots of love,
xoxoxo,
HEARTACHES <3