It was past noon when Ji Hyo finally stirred. She was immediately alert and awake as stabs of pain radiated all over her body with the slightest movement. Panting and really wound up, the exhausted woman swept her room in a glance to brace for an attack that never came. She breathed in relief when she found that she was alone in her room - thank goodness.

Trying to be as still as she could, Ji Hyo lay on her back and vacantly stared at the ceiling. The memory of yesterday's events flooded her barely awake mind mercilessly that she felt a hint of nausea rising at the back of . She took a deep breath to prevent herself from panicking, repeatedly telling herself that it was in the past, that no one was there to hurt her anymore.

She remembered everything vividly and the scenes flashed before her eyes over and over again as if somebody broke the repeat button of a remote control and left her stuck to relive everything. The more she remembered, the more furious she became at herself. Ji Hyo was no fool to comprehend that it was futile to dwell in something she couldn't change, but she was only human and it was only her nature to keep thinking about all the 'what ifs' in the world.

The woman thought about what she should have done differently, how she should have fought harder, how she should have called the police no matter what the consequences might be, how she shouldn't have let Chang Joo threaten her - how she shouldn't have let him threaten Jong Kook, either; how she shouldn't have broken down, and lastly how she shouldn't have let Jong Kook see her that way.

The thought of Jong Kook made Ji Hyo squirm uncomfortably. She blushed furiously as her mind brought her back to the way she had clung to the man so tightly, resting on his chest as if she had the right to do it, touching is face to wipe his tears - Omo! Ji Hyo groaned at the memory. How bold she was to be touching Kim Jong Kook's face in such an intimate manner! And to top everything, she had fallen asleep on him. Ji Hyo covered her face with a pillow and bit the inside of her cheek to prevent herself from squealing like a schoolgirl. She must have been out of her mind! What had she been thinking?! What would Jong Kook think of her now - he had to think that she had no manner at all? It was so embarrassing!

Ji Hyo was too immersed in her own musing that she didn't hear the faint knock on her door until after the handle was turned with a loud click. She tensed up in an instant and her breathing became erratic. Fear crept into her spine like a vicious snake and Ji Hyo shivered uncontrollably. 

"Ji Hyo?" Sun Mi's worried voice reached her ears and she relaxed visibly. "Are you still asleep?"

The younger woman removed the pillow from her face and looked to the door. Sun Mi was wearing a wary expression on her face when their eyes met and Ji Hyo's heart constricted in guilt for what she had made the older woman go through yesterday - it must have been hell for the Unnie to find her in that state; Ji Hyo wished she had had more self control. 

Sun Mi stayed still at the doorway, wanting to make sure that she didn't scare Ji Hyo off and that the other woman recognised her. Only after she saw a twitch of weak smile on the corners of Ji Hyo's mouth did she dare enter the room. Sun Mi dourly noted the wince on Ji Hyo's face as the younger woman scooted to give her room to sit on the bed.

"Hey," the older woman spoke softly, "I thought you were still asleep."

"I just woke up," Ji Hyo confessed. She frowned at how croaky her voice was - apparently screaming and crying had taken a big toll on her vocal cord.

"How are you feeling?" Sun Mi asked hesitantly.

"Like I've been trampled by a herd of bison," Ji Hyo replied. She glanced at her alarm clock when she saw the time. It was almost two in the afternoon. "Unnie, why didn't you wake me up? We have filming today, don't we?"

"Don't worry about that," the manager said calmly, "I figured you need the rest so I called in sick for you."

"I am alright."

"I know," replied Sun Mi. "But how do you suppose you will talk with that voice of yours? Just take it easy this couple of days, okay?"

Ji Hyo said nothing; she sighed and rolled to her side, facing away from Sun Mi. It was painful to move, but the silent question in Sun Mi's eyes, the way the manager seemed to be looking at her body made Ji Hyo really uncomfortable. She didn't want to be asked questions. Everything was still too raw to talk about and she hadn't time yet to put her emotions in check - Ji Hyo didn't want to talk unless she was sure she would be able to maintain her cool.

"Ji Hyo..." Sun Mi began but she was quickly cut off by the younger woman.

"Unnie, please don't ask me anything."

The manager stopped in her tracks, feeling ashamed for not being able to curb her curiosity. She nodded heavily even though Ji Hyo couldn't see her. "I understand," she was finally able to say. She patted Ji Hyo's shoulder and withdrew her hand the moment she felt Ji Hyo tensed under her touch. "Rest a little. I'll bring you something to eat."

When Sun Mi reached the door, Ji Hyo stopped her. The young actress was still facing the other way but her soft whisper was loud enough for Sun Mi to hear. 

"Whatever you think happened yesterday, Unnie, he didn't do it."

It didn't take long for Sun Mi to grasp what Ji Hyo was getting at and the manager felt a flood of relief wash her heart. She nodded at Ji Hyo's back and left the room to grab some food. 

Ji Hyo exhaled in relief when Sun Mi left her room. It felt oddly suffocating to have someone in her room now and she welcomed the solitude very much. She picked up her phone to check her messages and missed calls. She scanned the log impassively until her eyes caught one name: Kim Jong Kook. 

Heart beating fast - in anticipation now instead of fear, she clicked the notification to reveal a short text message: "Ji Hyo, I hope you slept well. Text me when you wake up. I need to talk to you."

She sighed at his last sentence. Talk. It seemed that what everyone wanted from her lately was to talk. She was tired of talking. She wanted to be left alone; was it too much to ask?

Sun Mi returned a little while later with a tray of food - porridge and egg soup. Ji Hyo raised her eyebrows at the type of food but she still ate it gratefully; she hadn't eaten anything since the previous day and she was truly famished. 

"Kim Jong Kook called earlier," Sun Mi mentioned in passing, her eyes watched as Ji Hyo's spoon halted for a split second before she resumed eating. "He said he wanted to talk to you."

At first Ji Hyo didn't respond. She chewed her food slowly then swallowed it. "I don't want to talk to him," she said in grim decision, the threat against the man still fresh in her mind. "I don't want to have anything to do with him."

"Ji Hyo-yah, you don't mean that." 

Ji Hyo whipped her head at the manager's direction. "Don't tell me what I mean or not mean," she growled. "He needs to stay away."

"Then tell him that for yourself. You owe him that much," Sun Mi pointed out without trying to press. She knew that Ji Hyo was still under a lot of stress and the last thing to do is put an already stressed person into another pressure.

Ji Hyo put her spoon down. She stifled a sob that began to rise in and pressed both of her hands against her eyes as a wave of fresh tears threatened to spill out. Don't cry, she pleaded herself, please no more tears. "You don't understand, Unnie. He has to stay away from me," she went on chokingly.

Sun Mi reached for Ji Hyo's thigh and squeezed it gently before retracting her hand. She was raking her brain to find the right words to say but none came out. Eventually she could only beg her to give Kim Jong Kook a chance to talk; what she didn't say to Ji Hyo was that she thought Jong Kook was the only person that would be able to help Ji Hyo to get through this.

Blinking her tears away, Ji Hyo shook her head. She lowered her head, conflicted. On the one hand she wanted nothing else but let Jong Kook talk - he deserved that much; he was her friend. On the other hand, though, Ji Hyo knew that if she let him talk, he would weaken her resolve to stay away from him and she couldn't let that. She needed to keep him safe even though it pained her to ignore him - she cared for him so much.

"I don't want to talk to him," she repeated angrily. "I owe nothing to him."

The manager shook her head and sternly gazed at her charge. "You know what? You aren't fooling me with your act. Ji Hyo, I know you too well to know that it wasn't the real you who spoke just now - it was the actress Song Ji Hyo."

Ji Hyo wanted to protest but right at that moment her phone rang. She didn't have to look at the caller ID to know who was calling. She averted her gaze from the phone but Sun Mi was already at the door with the tray of half-finished food. The older woman mouthed to her to talk then she left the room, leaving Ji Hyo to the never-ending sound of her phone.

***

Jong Kook fidgeted on his seat, anxiously waiting for Ji Hyo to pick up her phone. He knew he should have waited until the woman replied to her text before he made any moves, but the suspense was too much for him to bear - he could hardly wait to call Ji Hyo since Sun Mi called him to let him know that she had woken up.

He spent his morning trying to get his mind off Ji Hyo to no avail - the woman had successfully breached all barriers he had, forcing her way in and staying in his mind like she owned it. She drives me crazy, Jong Kook admitted to himself, and I’m not even in love with her. No wonder men are head over heels with her.

The singer had also talked to his manager about several things regarding this matter; of course he deliberately omitted a few facts to protect Ji Hyo. Just as he had expected before, Gap Jin reacted rather negatively toward his decision. Jong Kook didn't comment when the older man pointed out about the disadvantages of his decision for his career; he had also had a good thought about it and had been quite surprised to find that he couldn't care less about it at the moment.

Gap Jin mentioned something about his contract with their management but Jong Kook managed to silence him by pointing out that he didn't break a single point in their contract in deciding this. He told the Hyung that he would talk with Leon later, but not before he settled everything first. It was his personal life and he would be damned if he let anyone but him have control over it.

Jong Kook could almost hear his own heart beating against his chest when he finally heard a click of his call being picked up. There were no sounds, though, but at least Ji Hyo didn't hang up. Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Jong Kook began. 

"Ji Hyo?" There was no reply. "Ji Hyo-yah?" Again, he was met with silence. He had expected this silent treatment because he knew her enough - Ji Hyo was stubborn; yesterday she might not be able to push him away because she had been too broken to stand her grounds. This was a new day and he knew that the Song Ji Hyo he'd be talking to today would not be as docile as before. 

But it didn't matter - it was alright if she refused to say a single word because she was still listening to him, to what he had to say. That was enough. Jong Kook swallowed hard. 

"I've been wondering if you're alright," he began his monologue. "I wanted to come but I don't think you'd like it. How are you today, Ji Hyo-yah? Did you sleep well? I... I've been up half the night thinking of you."

Ji Hyo blushed in an instant at his last sentence. Did he just say he couldn’t sleep because of me? Ji Hyo asked herself, a little taken aback. She bit her lower lip so that she didn't utter a sound. She couldn't bring herself to just hang up like what she had planned when she picked up the phone - she was too mesmerised by the tenderness in how Jong Kook spoke to her. His voice was like soothing music in her ear and she subconsciously yearned for more.

"To be honest with you, I don't know why I called," he confessed nervously, chuckling to himself. "I told myself to give you time - I know how hard everything has been for you. I think I just can't stop myself when you're concerned."

Jong Kook couldn't believe himself! What on earth was he saying? He sounded as if he was calling a lover after having an argument. Kim Jong Kook, are you out of your mind? This is Song Ji Hyo you are talking to – hold your tongue! This is your friend, your best friend! Jong Kook scolded himself. She must think I am crazy.

“I know – I know you must think I am crazy or something. I just... I just can’t get you out of my mind. Ji Hyo? Please say something. This is getting really awkward.” Jong Kook begged. Please, before I made a complete fool of myself. 

"What do you want, Oppa?" 

Jong Kook literally exhaled in relief when finally Ji Hyo decided to speak. Her voice sounded coarse but it was the sweetest sound he heard that day.

"I want to talk to you."

"We are talking," replied Ji Hyo matter-of-factly.

"No we are not - I've been talking but you didn't say a word until just now," Jong Kook pointed out. He quickly added, "I want to see you."

Ji Hyo rubbed her forehead tiredly. "Kim Jong Kook,  honestly which part of 'stay away from me' don't you understand?"

"The part where you lied," he said. "You never meant that."

"I did – I still do," retorted Ji Hyo. "You need to stay away. I don't want him to-.."

"To what? To hurt me? Like what he did to you?"

Ji Hyo froze at the sudden coldness in his tone. "Stop," she whispered warningly. 

"What, Ji Hyo? What is the worst he can do to me?"

"Stop! Don't! Don't go there."

"No, tell me. You can't brush me off and put me aside on this; tell me and then I will decide if I am willing to play along this ty game!" Jong Kook raised his tone.

"Don't you yell at me!" Ji Hyo exploded, tired of being pressured, "Don't you dare yell at me ever again, Kim Jong Kook! I am not some slave people can treat as they wish!"

The man halted, realising what he had just done. He took a deep breath to calm himself down. "I'm sorry," he apologised stiffly, still unable to really suppress his anger that wasn't supposed to be directed at Ji Hyo.

Ji Hyo said nothing in return. She was breathing rapidly now and her eyes lit up in anger. Jong Kook had not rights shouting at her like that. 

"Ji Hyo? Can we please meet?"

"I don't want to see you," Ji Hyo lied smoothly. I can't meet you, Oppa, there is too much at risk.

"Not even for ice cream? I still owe you a treat." Jong Kook tried a different tactic.

Ji Hyo bit the inner of her cheek to stop herself from openly laughing. "I can buy my own ice cream," she deadpanned.

"I'll let you order for me," he coaxed. To add a cherry on top he went on, "And I'll finish everything – even the whipped cream, promise."

The incentive seemed to be enough for Ji Hyo's next word was, "When?"

Jong Kook threw his fist in the air triumphantly. Yes! He screamed inside. "Whenever suits you," his reply was composed, masking his true feelings.

"Be here in two hours," Ji Hyo said. She hesitated a second but she couldn't stop herself from wishing him a safe trip before hanging up. I must be going crazy, she thought to herself.

Jong Kook grinned at his phone. He was going to meet Ji Hyo. It was going to be awkward, and she wouldn't like what he wanted to say, but it was a matter to be worried about later. He was giddy - if he could play this right, this second ice cream trip would be his first date with Ji Hyo - fake relationship or not.

A/N: So I decided to drop the angst a little bit because the last angsty chaps had caused me terrible nightmares up until now. I have to put my own emotions in check before I delve again to the angst, so don't think it would be all fluff and smiles from now on ;) 

This is the longest chapter yet, I think, but I needed this to be in one single chapter so I could move on to the next part. Please tell me what you think about it - what you like/dislike from this so I can improve my writing in the future. Thanks a lot for everything :)