It was hard for me to sit in the same room, let alone watch as they all laughed together happily. I wasn’t sure why he had even invited me along, unless his plan was to make me feel so excluded, that I had somehow blended into the jade green wallpaper that decorated the fancy restaurant walls. I glanced down at the expensive dress he had insisted I wore tonight, and faintly smiled at the memory of his shocked expression when I walked out in it. And yet, only four hours later and he had barely acknowledged my existence – expensive clothing or not. I felt like a fraud, posing in a world that I didn’t have a place in, looking the part, but feeling incredibly miserable.

My eyes shot to the exit for the umpteenth time, my mind working quickly. If I could excuse myself to the bathroom, I could head that way and then conveniently shoot towards the exit then. It was unlikely that anyone in the group would notice my disappearance anyway; they were all wrapped up in talking about their fond memories together. I had no place here. I was neither part of the production team or an actress, and so I had no idea what they were talking about anyway.

Just get up and leave Sun Mi, I instructed myself, shifting my legs under the table. I looked towards the others, deep in discussion about their recent trip to Japan. One of the members caught my eye and smiled politely. I returned it and then finally got to my feet.

“Where are you going?” he wondered, and I looked at him with surprise, amazed that he actually still realised I existed. I blushed then and bowed my head slightly.

“Please excuse me, I will just head to the bathroom,” I mentioned to the group, bowing quickly before stumbling off in my new heels. I didn’t dare look back to see if he was still watching, instead headed towards the restrooms like planned. I darted into the entrance of the women’s, before peering around the side again. Disappointment pulled at my heart as I looked back at the group of people, none of them caring for my departure. It was enough to embarrass me completely and without even retrieving my jacket from the lobby, I hurried out of the restaurant and into the downtown Seoul nightlife. Tears prickled at the back of my eyes but I refused to let them fall. As I dashed down the street towards a bus stop, my mind flew over the last look he gave me.

Many people loved him around the world, and there was a time I had as well. But unlike those who only knew him as an actor, I had experienced the harsh reality of being associated with Jang Geun Suk tonight.

~*~

“I checked all the stalls, she’s not in there,” Shin Hye stated as she reached my side again, and I sighed deeply, my dark eyes scanning the restaurant. “I think she might have left, Geun Suk.”

“Why would she leave?” I murmured, although I knew why. Sun Mi was never as quiet as she had been tonight. I had half believed it was because she was surrounded by the likes of Lee Hongki or UEE and was star struck. But she had never acted like that around me, and so I ruled that out, wondering what had gotten her so down.

“Have you tried calling her cellphone?” Shin Hye continued and I held up the black purse in my hand.

“She left it behind.”

“Would this mean she had no money to get home then?” Jung Yong Hwa questioned and I frowned deeply, my concern growing by the minute. “I noticed she was uncomfortable for the entire night. Perhaps if we had included her more, she would have not felt so left out.”

“Hyung, what do you mean?” Hongki asked the older boy, darting his eyes between his friends. “She wasn’t left out, was she?”

“Not intentionally, but perhaps that’s how she felt,” Yong Hwa continued, looking at me for a moment. I could tell by that look he was certain he was correct and was waiting for my decision so he could help me. It was odd in how he reminded me so much of his onscreen character with his compassion at times.

“I’ll leave first,” I mentioned, and nodded my head. “She may not be far. Please enjoy the rest of your evening.”

Leaving the restaurant quickly, I soon noticed I wasn’t alone. Shin Hye grinned. “Like you could get rid of us so easily. Two sets of eyes are better than one. Yong Hwa will take Hongki in his car to look.”

“Thanks,” I mentioned, striding towards my car and unlocking it. We hopped into the vehicle and I threw it into reverse, leaving the car park and navigating my way into the traffic. Shin Hye peered out of her passenger window quietly, and I could feel my heart beating heavily in my chest.

Had Sun Mi left because of the apparent closeness between my co actress and myself? Although I had yet to announce my feelings for the girl, I had no romantic intentions towards Park Shin Hye. We were just incredibly close friends now, who joked around. She wasn’t the one who could make my heart beat like Sun Mi did. I shifted gear and pressed down on the accelerator, hoping to find the brunette quickly, before my panic began to set in.

“Slow down Oppa, I think I see her up ahead,” the girl beside me mentioned, and I glanced briefly at her, before following her gaze to the sidewalk. I quickly changed lanes, my eyes focussing on getting to the lonely figure walking slowly down the road, with her heels in her hand. After sharing a quick look with Shin Hye, I pulled up at the curb just ahead of the girl.

“Call the others and say we found her,” I instructed and the girl nodded.

“I will wait for them here too,” she suggested as I got out of the car and walked towards the girl. Sun Mi stopped moving as she realised who it was, and we stared at one another, before I silently stepped forward to grab her arm. She allowed me to guide her towards my car, and after waving Shin Hye off, I indicated back into the traffic flow, driving back towards my apartment in silence.

~*~

I had no idea what to say to the man beside me, his constant looks in my direction every so often taking away any ability to talk. His expression had slowly changed from the desperation that had been residing there when he found me, although he was still difficult to look at. He pulled into the apartment parking complex, and without a word, undid my seatbelt before climbing out of the car. I went to open my door, but he bet me to it, giving me a look to get out of the vehicle. I felt like a foolish kid who had done something incredibly wrong to frustrate her parents, and not my twenty-one year old self, who had more right to look like he currently was.

I followed him into the elevator and waited until we got to his floor, my rational side of my brain asking myself why I hadn’t just gotten out of the car and walked to my own home. Except I knew deep down that if I had tried, the older man would have simply thrown me over his shoulder like he had done last time I attempted to escape.

Geun Suk opened his front door and placed his keys on the stand inside it, taking off his suit jacket and laying it over the back of one of his couches. I stood meekly in the doorway after closing it, my heels in one hand and my purse in the other. He turned around and stared at me for quite some time, making me feel incredibly awkward.

“I’ll just change out of these clothes and head home Geun Suk,” I suggested quietly, although with the complete silence my voice sounded louder in my ears. As I went to step around him, he grabbed my lower arm, pulling me back in front of him.

“Why did you leave?”

“It’s fine, I’ll just change and be on-”

“Yah! Answer me now Sun Mi,” he interrupted impatiently and shook his head. “You had me so worried, why do such a stupid thing eh?!”

I glared at him before answering. “I’m amazed someone so self centred as yourself could even realise I was gone. How long did it take you to come to the conclusion I had left?!”

“Why are you being so ridiculous?!” he growled, but it didn’t frighten me, only fuelled my anger on.

“Ridiculous?! That’s what you are. Dressing your apparent friend up in clothes that don’t even look right on her, and then taking her along to a dinner where she was clearly ignored for the entire night. Did you finally realise that I had feelings for you Jang Geun Suk?!” I let out a huff of air before continuing. “Did you do all you did tonight to show me that I have no chance of being that person for you?! Did it make you feel good to flirt all night long with Shin Hye, whilst leaving me sitting there to watch it all?!”

He blinked a couple of times and I could feel my anger subsiding and being overwhelmed with the emotions from my outburst. I stepped around him again, but his hand prevented me from getting far. Spinning around, I tried to yank myself free.

“Jang Geun Suk, please let me go!” I yelled, yet he didn’t listen, dragging me forward to him and bending his head so his lips crashed upon mine. My eyes widened in shock and I froze, feeling his mouth trying to get mine to react. He pulled away unsuccessfully, sighing at my frozen reaction.

“Why would I need to flirt with anyone else when my heart already belongs to you?” he murmured before gently leaning in again. This time I reacted, dropping my belongings to the ground with a thud so I could wrap my arms around his neck. The kiss turned passionate and by the time we separated, I could barely breathe, or stand.

I looked up at Geun Suk with confusion, and he brushed my hair out of my face, pecking my lips once more before smiling.

“Did you hear me?”

“Yes.”

“Sun Mi, I’m sorry for tonight. I was so nervous to be introducing you to the important people in my life right now. I got so nervous I couldn’t be the man I wanted to be when I asked you to come along. My excuse is pitiful, but it is honest. I tried to snap out of the comfortable state I had with my friends so I could show you to them all as someone I cared very much about. I had hoped to confess my feelings for you tonight after we got home from dinner. But it all went horribly wrong.”

I was dumbstruck, staring stupidly at the man who had just told me he loved me too. So many emotions were rushing around my head at once and I didn’t know which one to choose first. Suddenly I moved, my hand hitting his shoulder with force. He visibly flinched and pointed at me.

“Yah! I just told you I love you!”

“You made me feel like I was unwanted all night, and then when I’m angry, you suddenly confess to me?! How can you expect me to react right when I’m this confused?!” I yelled back, hitting him again and he grabbed my wrists so I couldn’t continue. I let out a deep huff of air and wriggled in his grip.

“Do you forgive me?” he asked, smirking lightly as he knew my anger had subsided once again. He leaned forward. “Do you forgive your Oppa?”

I groaned loudly, a sign of defeat and he smirked, pulling me closer. “Do you think you could be with someone like me?”

“You’re lucky I like you,” I muttered back and he laughed. I smiled, before shaking my head. “This is the weirdest way anyone has confessed to me before.”

“Well then,” he started, and then pulled me into his arms. “Maybe being weird is the way to show that this is true and going to last a long time.”

“You can’t guarantee that,” I mumbled into his chest and he reached to tilt my head up so I could look at him. He kissed me and then smiled.

“I can guarantee that as long as I see you, and you are by my side, that I’ll always love you.”

And that was how I fell in love. Any expectations or previous experience left my mind from that moment. He had started my night off in the most embarrassing and unimaginably unromantic way ever. And yet here I was in his arms now, knowing deep down that he loved me just as much as I did for him. They say love works in mysterious ways. Perhaps I just needed the humiliation to truly see him for what he was worth.

Many people loved him around the world, and there was a time I had thought I had as well. But tonight I truly experienced falling in love with Jang Geun Suk.

The End.