Chapter 29: It's Been Awhile 

It's been around 9 months since I moved out of Infinite's dorm and moved back to Tokyo. I applied to Tokyo university once again and I'm due to go back in a couple days. Life in Tokyo was great, the people were kind and it honestly felt like I was home finally. This is what the second time I felt like this ever since I had moved out from Infinite's dorm. It took me a while to get used to being away from them, I didn't realise just how much I had hurt all of them and truly how much they meant to me. But it was time to move on, I had to become a better person in order to forgive myself. But how could I possibly forget him? His smile, his laugh, his voice, his touch, his smell, they all linger in my thoughts. And his eyes, those eyes I see them every time I close my eyes.

This was definitely love.

I loved him and I couldn't do anything about it but part of me thought that maybe he didn't love me the same, he never even gave me a chance to explain myself and he just threw me out like I was... nothing. Maybe, Myu-I mean that person has already forgotten about me. Just saying his name triggers me. Stop thinking about him Mina.

"Enough" I whispered to myself and went back to what I was doing. I was getting ready to go to my part time job at interesting cafe downtown Tokyo, it was a themed cafe and the theme changed per season or event. It was currently Halloween and so it was a haunted house theme, the waitresses and waiters had to dress up, thankfully I was a semi-trained barista and all I had to was make coffee from time to time and clean.

"Hey!" Yuko, my coworker, said as I walked in "how comes you're not dressed up?" I shrugged and she dragged me to the changing room.

"You should dress up everyone else is" she proceeded to look through left over costumes and ordered me to change into them.

After almost half an hour I had my costume on and my make up and hair was done, I had transformed into some snow elf and I did not like it one bit... ok maybe a little.

My day went pretty quickly, it's usually busy no matter what the day or the season was, but today there wasn't that many people and so my coworkers and I thought we could close the shop early and go celebrate my last day in Tokyo before I left in a couple days. However, we were wrong, so wrong. Downtown Tokyo is where a concert hall is located and you can guess that all at once a bunch of fangirls came into our shop around 4pm before the concert started. We suddenly became really busy, making coffee, selling cakes, cleaning etc. it was the usual.

My coworker named Yuko was curious as to who would have so many fans, we literally had fans from different nationalities lining up infront of our entrance door. "I don't know" I replied not really caring.

"Hey you who is having a concert?" Yuko asked a small girl with short hair.

"Oh? It's a kpop festival concert, there are a bunch of groups here not just one!" she beamed.

This sparked my interest and my mouth opened before I could speak "which groups?"

"Ah there are many like..." she went on and on I thought she would never stop and yet that group's name never came up.

I sighed of relief and went back to cleaning free tables for new customers.

Two girls sat down quickly and ordered to cafe lattes and went about shrieking.

They spoke rapidly and I didn't pay them no mind, I came back with their coffees, they complimented my costume and makeup and went back focusing on their conversation. As I was walking away one of them said shrieking "I can't believe I get to see my idol Myungsoo after all these years. Finally!!!".

My heart started beating really fast and my palms became sweaty, I turned my head slowly and spoke with a shaky voice "infinite are here too?"

They turned to me again and shook their heads excitedly "yes! are you a fan of them too?"

"Something like that.." I murmured "enjoy your coffee".

I couldn't believe it, the guys I hadn't seen or talked about for almost a year were performing 5 minutes away. My mood suddenly changed, I was no longer tired but very very nervous and I didn't know why.

I should just run there and apologise a thousand times to him and ask him to give me another chance.

No Mina what are you thinking? You're practically strangers now. Move on.

But I miss him... I miss him.

I started tearing up and I ran to the changing room, I had finally admitted it to myself, I missed him, I longer for him, I loved him and there was nothing I could do about it. 

I hear Yuko calling my name, I quickly pulled myself together and went back out, this wasn't the time to cry about the past, this was the time to move on and keep going.

It was now 8 pm meaning the concert was finished now and we needed to get the store cleaned up.

It took us almost an hour and a half to get everything finished and close the store. We made plans to get dinner at this expensive restaurant, which we had reserved in advance, near the cafe and we made our way over there. We laughed and talked, they teased me a lot and reminded me how much they would miss me. As we joked around we saw a crowds of girls walking around with cameras and merch, I'm a hundred percent sure they were fangirls. 

"They're looking for their precious idols, that's dedication" Michael, one of my coworkers, sighed.

I laughed but the back of my head wondered who exactly it was they were looking for. I couldn't help but wonder.

We reached the restaurant and to our surprise, not, there were many people lining up who hadn't reserved in advance and we shook our heads at them remembering the first time we decided to go this restaurant and waited two hours for a table but eventually gave up. So this time we remembered to reserve before hand. However, the crowd outside didn't seem like your typical crowd, it was filled with people who had reserved in advance and were complaining about why they couldn't go in. This already didn't make me feel too good.

We approached the crowd and asked what was going on, a tall man explained how there were celebrities that had rented out the place last minute and everyone's reservation was canceled as well. Celebrities? I peaked through the windows of the restaurant and saw a bunch of familiar faces that had seen time and time again on Korean TV, there were a bunch of idols from different groups, male and female, they were having fun, eating and enjoying the music. I scanned a few times until I realised a pair of eyes staring my direction and I looked back at them, it was him. His eyes widened when he realised it was me, I froze in place, tears forming in my eyes threatening to fall. He slowly put his drink down, his sudden movement made me snap back to reality, I excused myself from my coworkers and headed towards the corner of the restaurant. I heard him come out of the restaurant and fans chanting his name and screaming asking for pictures. Before he could find me I ran down the street and kept running and running. If he had come anywhere near me I wouldn't know what I would've done. I would've probably burst out crying and tell him how much I missed him and a part of me hoped he would feel the same. But that wasn't the case, I found out soon enough. 

MYUNGSOO'S POV:

I saw her, well I think I saw her. I kept seeing her and sometimes it was hard to differentiate what was real and what wasn't real. 

What was she doing here? Did she come to see me?

I shook those thoughts away, Yuna had told me she moved back to Tokyo and I knew that she worked down the road from this restaurant maybe this is why I came to visit Tokyo often, of course I had to lie to my members and say I was going traveling to different places but the truth is I wanted to see her. The truth is I missed her and it's been almost 10 months since I last spoke to her. I missed her terribly but I was ashamed, ashamed that I had not listened to her, ashamed that I jumped to conclusions due to my jealousy. I loved her and that should've been enough, but alone proved to me that she deserved better.

Stay where you are, and don't come near me, it's for the best.

MINA'S POV:

It's been a couple days since I saw him there. 

I was headed to the airport, it was time to go back home and take care of things. I couldn't keep running from my life, whether it's my friend, love or my family I needed to face it all once and for all and move on. It was for the best.

I reached the airport and paid the taxi, before getting my luggage out. I walked to the check in desk and proceeded with everything I needed to get. I had arrived early to my flight and still had 40 minutes before I could board the plane. I got a call from Yuna, we talked about random things and she told me time and time again how much she can't wait to see me and how much she can't wait for us to live together again, for everything to go back to the way it was. But the truth is it would never be the same again. I am a different person now, I am different to before I had met him and after, even after he had left me, that changed me completely. I was a lot less outspoken and confident, I became quiet and I was broken.

"So when is your flight leaving?" Yuna asked.

"In 20 minutes, I should go to the toilet and freshen up, I'll call you when I land. You better be there to pick me up"

"You know I will, see you soon!" Yuna said, I could see her smile from here.

I was glad to go finally go back home, a sense of relief came over me after talking to my best friend.

I made my way to the toilet and freshened up. I heard loud voices outside the toilet and walked out to see what was the big deal.

I saw a crowd of girls with big cameras.

"Fansites?" I said to myself.

Ah, there was a concert a couple days ago, they must be going back.

I walked back to get my luggage and board my plane, but I had to wait for the crowd to move along as they were blocking the way.

I grabbed my luggage and searched my pockets remembering I had left my phone in the toilet "damn." I left my lugguage outside the toilet and rushed back to get my phone and thankfully it was still there. I walked out and saw a slim figure holding my luggage.

I made my way over to him and said "excuse me that's mine."

The guy turned back and removed his sunglasses "oh sorry-"

It was Woohyun.

I froze in place.

So did he.

I'm sure he couldn't believe this, what a unfortunate coincidence, he must be thinking.

"It's been awhile" he almost whispered.

I stood still not knowing what to say.

"I saw the luggage here and was afraid someone would take it so I decided to wait till someone comes and gets it, I figured that person was in the toilet"

That was so like him.

I stood still, still not knowing what to say.

"I'm sorry here take it" he passed it to me.

"Thank you" I managed to say.

"I should get going I have a flight to catch" I said rapidly, grabbed my luggage and turning the other away.

"Mina" I heard his voice say, I didn't turn around I was afraid he would see my true emotions.

"I'm glad to see you again, and I'm sorry for what happened before." he said ashamed.

A part of me I had been holding on for a long time.

"Don't say sorry, it's meaningless" I snapped my heads towards him and glared. "Don't ever address me like you know me again".

I could see the hurt in his face, but I guess that was what I intended.

I was angry, I more then angry, I was furious.

I hate them.

WOOHYUN POV:

I walked to the where the members were sitting and stood there angry at myself. Just like I had been for the past 10 months.

I was stupid and selfish back there, I should've asked her how she was doing and if I threw her out so easily back then I should've just ignored her.

The truth is I saw her when we came to the airport and I couldn't believe it, when I saw her leave her luggage and walk into the bathroom I had no idea what came over me, but all I knew is wanted to look at her and speak to her.

That was selfish of me.

What we did to her, that was bad and the fact that we didn't try to reach out to her was worse.

But the truth is too many of us had feelings for her and the shock from the reveal of them dating had put a dent in our relationship amongst our members. We were so focused on building it up again that we selfishly threw her away, not just physical but mentally.

But not Myungsoo, he used to cry every night, it's first time we ever heard him cry. Not even when Eunjung left him did he cry. Myungsoo went through a hard time. No. Myungsoo is going through a hard time. Anger turned into sadness, sadness turned into regret and regret turned into self destruction. Myungsoo felt guilty, he acts like he doesn't care but we know he does. He loves her and would do anything for her, but the fear that it is too late and that she deserves better was way too deep that he refrained himself. Time and time again he went to Tokyo to get her back but he always came back and would lock himself in room, he only came out to eat and use the bathroom or for our schedules. Maybe it's for the best, the way she treated makes me believe she hates us now. It's too late, we're too late and we deserve everything she feels towards us. Even if she did cheat on Myungsoo the fact is he should've let her speak, but we all know she didn't and once Myungsoo calmed down it was too late, she had already moved to Tokyo and that made him believe she had moved on. But that was the past and it's time to move on.

We waited an hour before we were ready to board, Hoya, Sunggyu and Dongwoo were having a friendly debate about who was the most good looking, Sungjong was ahead of us as usual, and Myungsoo was trailing behind us with his headphones in his ears. We got in the plane and got in our seats and sat quiet waiting to depart.

I pondered whether or not I should let them know about who I saw.

I was shaking my legs staring at Myungsoo wondering whether I should let them know. 

Sunggyu asked if I was ok and that's when I couldn't hold it in anymore.

"I saw Mina, she looked really different, not bad different but just different. Her hair is a lot shorter and black" I blurted out, not really knowing why that was relevant.

The boys stayed quiet but kept their eyes on me, probably waiting to hear what I would say next. But I didn't want to tell them that we spoke and it was awkward and unfamiliar, how much she had really changed, even her tone of voice changed. It used to be soft and upbeat, now she sounded calm but defensive. 

"I saw her too" Myungsoo said nonchantantly.

"But who cares? She's a stranger to us now" he got up "I'm going to the bathroom."

The boys glared at me and I shrugged innocently.

You're not fooling anyone Myungsoo.

I wonder what's going to happen now, somehow I truly believe their paths will cross again.