She was crying because of him. Baekho didn’t know what to do. He instinctively walked over to her and put his arms around her squeezing her tightly.

“Do you know why?” she asked him, sniffling as she wiped her tears. “Why did he do that?”

“I’m sorry,” Baekho said. He couldn’t take the guilt anymore. He hated what he did, and he hated that it was irreversible. He wished he could go back in time and stop himself from kissing her. He wished he could go back in time and stop himself from publishing the videos of noona. So much was wrong right now, and he couldn’t take it back and make everything right. He pulled her closer, taking in the scent of her hair, feeling her closeness as she rested her head on his shoulder for comfort. He kissed her head, and she let him. His embrace was comforting; his kisses were reassuring her that she wasn’t hated as Aron led her to believe. She had realized that this might have gone to a level of intimacy that would have been inappropriate had she still been in a relationship. But she wasn’t in a relationship anymore.

He was too busy embracing her, getting just as much comfort from her as she was from him, that neither of them noticed Ren approaching. His eyes were narrowed as he watched Baekho hold her lovingly and she cried. When he saw that Baekho had kissed her again he crossed his arms and leaned against the wall with a frown on his face and waited until he was noticed.

Baekho lifted his eyes, and Ren gave him a questioning yet angry look. Baekho let go of Sandy and cleared his throat, looking to the ground in shame. Sandy, who realized she was also somewhat guilty just shook her head and dashed away.

Ren’s eyes followed her until she was out of sight and then he turned back to Baekho.

“What was that?” Ren asked, narrowing his eyes, giving Baekho a look of disapproval.

“It was…” Baekho rubbed his forehead and then turned around, not wanting to face Ren.

“Okay Baekho, I’m going to ask you something, and I want you to be completely honest with me here. Was Sandy lying when she said one of us kissed her?”

Baekho took a deep breath. “No,” he said inaudibly.

“What?”

“No! She wasn’t lying!” Baekho repeated loudly.

“You...” Ren pointed accusingly at Baekho. “Wh…why?”

“I’ve always liked her Ren. Always. Since the day I met her, I liked her. But it seems like you all forgot that.”

“Still, that doesn’t give you the right!” he yelled.

“I know!” Baekho yelled back. Ren looked startled by Baekho’s yelling and Baekho immediately regretted it. “I’m sorry Ren,” he said calmly. “Ren, I feel terrible. I’ve never carried a heavier burden than this. It’s getting worse because I’m falling in love with her. And I’ve done more terrible things. Ren, I’m breaking apart. I don't think this will ever get better for me. I feel depressed and sometimes I think about doing things to myself…”

“I hate what love is doing to us,” Ren said holding back his tears. “I hate what she’s doing to us. She’s breaking us all apart. A few months ago, she caused a fight between JR and Minhyun, and then JR and Aron and then Minhyun and Aron, and now she’s involving you too? I’m sorry, but this has gone too far. I hate this, and I want to say I hate her too. Baekho forget her. Aron broke up with her right? Then it’s all for the best. I won’t tell him, but I don’t want her involved with us again ever.”

“I’m going to tell Aron, Ren. He needs to take her back or she’ll be heartbroken. I do not want that.”

“No! Don’t do it. Don’t tell him. Let them suffer this break-up. Both of them will get over it. And you get over it too. Just leave it as it is for now. Baekho she’s not worth your heartbreak. She’s not worth all the scandals. She’s not worth all the trouble.”

“Ren… that’s pretty mean.”

“I know. Can you blame me though? Did you see what she’s done to us? Every single one of you fell for her except me.”

“Ren, I want to do the right thing.”

“Now you want to do the right thing? When you friggin kissed her, why didn’t you get all that morality into your head?”

“Stop yelling at me,” Baekho responded. “You’re making me feel guiltier.”

“Guilt is a good thing. It makes you realize what an you were.”

“Stop it, Ren! You’re a friend, you’re supposed to help me through it!”

“I am helping you through it. I’m telling you to keep your mouth shut in front of Aron. Let her get out of our lives for good.”

“But…”

“Baekho, listen to me. No girl is worth our disbandment. No girl is worth all this we’ve been taking because of her. Think about it! If you don’t tell Aron, she’ll just disappear from our lives forever. You won’t be heartbroken watching the girl you love with your friend. We’ll avoid all the drama between you and Aron. We won’t risk getting in trouble with manager-hyung. It’s the best solution.”

“I… okay. You’re right.”

Baekho went back up to the rooms. He went into Minhyun and Aron's, not wanting to face manager-hyung who was looking through the wardrobe that manager-noona had crought from Korea in his own room. Baekho lied down on the bed next to Minhyun, who was staring at the wall.

“Hey Baekkie,” Minhyun said forcing himself to smile. Minhyun had be a little less than depressed that past few days because of noona. He had become a lot more reserved and thoughtful. Baekho hated the change he’s inflicted on Minhyun. Minhyun used to be so happy-go-lucky and a mood maker, now, he's a silent thinker most of the time.

“Minhyun, please be happy,” Baekho said randomly.

“I am happy.”

“Don’t lie to me.”

“This is temporary, Baekho. I’ll get over it. Don’t worry about me. Baekho, I think it’s you who should be happy. You’ve changed since we got here too. You’re not smiling as often. Where’s the y eye smile that I love? Show it to me.”

Baekho attempted to smile but it came out forced.

“That’s a terrible smile,” Minhyun responded. “Talk to me Baekho, what’s wrong?”

Minhyun had always been the listener of the group. Whenever anyone in Nu’est had a problem, it’s Minhyun that they went to. He always made people feel better, and he always listened without judging. The fact that Baekho had broken Minhyun’s heart, Baekho couldn’t handle it. He let his tears fall.

Startled by Baekho’s tears, Minhyun quickly wiped them away with the palm of his hand. “Baekkie, you never cry. Why are you crying, Tiger? Talk to me. Tell me what’s in your heart. Let it all out, it will help.”

“I don’t deserve your comfort, Minhyun,” Baekho said, pushing Minhyun’s hands away.

“Tell me what’s bothering you. Is it homesickness?”

“It’s lovesickness, Min. I’m in love with the wrong person and it hurts!” Baekho said wiping away the dripping tears.

“Then I empathize with you. I think I might even have an idea about who it is.”

“You know?”

“Ren?” Minhyun asked, his eyes narrowing.

Baekho sighed and turned away. “No. Not Ren. It’s probably even worse than Ren. At least Ren’s single.”

“Ah!” Minhyun said he underwent the realization, “Sandy…” There was a pause when Minhyun then stated, “so it was you that kissed her.”

“Yes. And now because of me, they broke up and both are heartbroken.”

“You can easily fix that. Just tell Aron.”

“That’s not all I did Min.”

“What else did you do?”

“I broke another one of my friend’s hearts.”

“Whose heart did you break?”

“Yours, Min.”

“H… how did you break my heart?” Minhyun asked, stuttering.

“I… I was the one posted the scandalous videos online.”

“You’re lying,” Minhyun said accusingly, but from the gleam of his eyes and the way he was trembling, Baekho knew that Minhyun believed him.

“Please hit me Minhyun. Slap me across the face. Tell me you hate me. Hurt me the way I hurt you.”

Minhyun stood up from the bed and began pacing back and forth, rubbing his head and trembling.

“W…why would you do that, Baekho?” Minhyun stuttered, trying to remain calm.

“Because I was stupid. I wanted noona fired and so that we’d get hyung and hyung wouldn’t let Aron meet Sandy. I’m stupid. I’m disgusting. I’m vile. I’m so sorry Minhyun.”

Minhyun walked into the bathroom and locked the door behind him.

A few minutes later, Aron and Ren walked in. Aron sighed deeply and laid down where Minhyun was laying a while ago. “Baekho, how did she react when I left?” he asked.

“She cried and then dashed away,” Baekho responded lifelessly.

Aron sighed, “you know when you love a person, you forgive them easily? I’m going to forgive her.”

“Do you really love her hyung?” Ren butted in. “Please, just let her go. She isn’t worth all the trouble.”

Aron sighed sadly and shook his head. “Why is it so hard to be in love? Why do the people you love disappoint you? Why did she lie to me?”

“I think you trust us too much hyung,” Baekho blurted.

Ren hit Baekho’s arm, and Aron narrowed his eyes at Ren and Baekho.

“I don’t understand. What do you mean?”

“Nothing. He means nothing,” Ren said quickly.

Aron’s eyes travelled from Ren to Baekho before he asked, “she wasn’t lying, was she?” he asked solemnly. Neither of them answered, but their silence was affirmation enough for Aron.

Aron covered his face with his hands and took a deep breath. “You should have told me. Whoever it is, you should have told me. I accused her of being a liar and…”

“It was me, hyung.”

Aron turned around and looked him in the eye. Aron looked disappointed and betrayed.

“I didn’t really want to know,” Aron responded apathetically with that look in his eye. “Why?”

“She came on to me, hyung. I was the one who kissed her, but she was asking for it. I deeply regret it. I’m so sorry.”

“That doesn’t sound like her.”

“But it is. That’s why I didn’t confess in the first place. I wanted you to think she was a liar so you would leaver her. She’s not a good person. She wanted me to kiss her so that she could use that against me, and break us apart as a band.”

Aron eyes were wide and glistening and he seemed to be trembling. “Who’s in the bathroom?” Aron asked.

“Minhyun.”

With that Aron dashed out of that room, into JR’s, hoping the bathroom wouldn’t be occupied there, and hope that manager-hyung wasn’t there to question him. He just wanted to be alone to cry and to think and to think it all through.

He knocked the door, saying, “Jonghyun, it’s Aron. Please open the door.” JR opened the door and Aron dashed past him towards the bathroom. He locked himself inside, sat on the ground with his back against the tub. He let his thoughts soar.

She asked him to kiss her? That was a lie and Aron knew it. Why is he lying? Why is Ren is lying to me?

-

SORRY. LATE UPDATE. I’m terrible. I know. Please don’t hate me. I know I stop reading stories when the author takes too long to update. Please carry on with me? Pretty please?

Anyways, you guys understand right? So it was Ren who claimed that he kissed her, not Baekho. TWIST!

And I was at one point tempted to add some BaekRen, but I realized some readers mind the boy/boy stuff. Then I was REALLY tempted to add some BaekMin but then held back again lol. I’m crazy, I know. XD

Anyways. Comeback. I’m a little disappointed to be honest. It’s too… different? A love song. And it’s ballady. But I ordered that Special Edition album anyways and I am so freakin excited for it! Sooo, what are your thoughts?