(OST- Perfectly by Chelsea Lee and Jason Reeves)
 

They were in disbelief.  Hayoung and Namjoo were the first to respond.

“You aren’t serious unnie!”

I nodded, “yes I am.”

Chorong unnie glanced at Eunji unnie who had a rather ambivalent expression on her face. “You knew about this didn’t you?”

It didn’t take long for her to cave and then Bomi unnie and Chorong unnie were on her case.  Hayoung and Namjoo joined in for a little bit before looking at me again.

“You are serious aren’t you?” As though the first time wasn’t enough proof.

Eunji unnie jumped in. “Yes she’s serious she told me herself way before anyone else knew.”

“You traitor,” Bomi unnie joked with her and then proceeded to attack Eunji with pokes.  After the initial reaction the attention went back to me. They all watched me, some of their expressions almost smiles.

“Naeun,” Chorong sounded as though she was about to begin a serious talk. “We’ll support you and Taemin whatever the case. However—“

“—just be careful,” Hayoung said. “You know that’s he’s hurt you before.”

“He could do it again.”

They were right. All of them were right. Considering their words I silently absorbed them. “I understand and I appreciate how you are all looking out for me. I’m being careful.”

“It’s not just him that you need to be careful of.” Bomi unnie said. “His fans… You remember better than us about what they can be like.”

I wished she hadn’t reminded me. It had taken a few weeks for me to get over that incident. That incident when we had our second date on the show in school uniforms…

Ω
 

5 years ago

Sitting on the bus we seemed like an ordinary high school couple, in our uniforms, in one of the back seats.
“What did you usually do after class?”

He could probably laugh at my answer. “I went to the academy immediately after.”

“So you went to an academy?” He checked before adding in his usual fashion. “Then you wouldn’t have had time to play.” Somehow the topic changed to something rather similar. “When I was young I frequently went to playgrounds.”

I surprised him by saying. “I went to playgrounds frequently too.”

“I was really the master of the playgrounds,” he said with a large smirk, “master.”

It’s nice to be able to agree on the same thing as the other person. “I totally had fun at playgrounds.”

“Until what age did you go to playground?”

“Until the 6^th grade,” he gasped. I only managed to look at him but even then it was through the corner of my eyes.

“That’s similar to me.”

Indeed it must have been fate to have allowed us to meet and talk in that manner. We were probably the only couple on the show who talked about playgrounds and school.

As we got closer I finally knew what the MD stood for. We were going to be out in the open eye on a public date. The more he told me about it the more I liked the idea.

The moment we stepped into Myeongdong we drew a lot of attention. IPads, iPhones and cameras were all aimed at us. We stopped at a stand that was selling those glasses without the proper lens. They are just used for fashion.

I put on a pair of orange red ones. “You look like a model student,” Taemin oppa commented grinning. This was a lot of fun. After that we bought drinks and then his eye caught glimpse of food at a stall.

“It’s the egg bread,” he pointed to it excitedly and we were soon munching on a piece each.

Someone in the background caught my eye. “Who’s that?” I pointed to the cardboard cut-out.

“I don’t know let’s go,” oppa joked.

“Who is it?” I asked again wanting to see what he would say.

“He’s just really average.”

By now we were almost swimming in the crowds. The camera crew were in front, people had come in closer than before, pointing everything that could take pictures almost at our faces.

“I’ll choose what you wear first.” We had stopped at a stand selling custom caps. I put it on and he moved it, “it’s stuck.”

I knew he had chosen something not nice from his mischievous laugh. “Choose mine,” I had a good look, reading all the writing on each front. Taking one I placed it on him.

“Oppa use this.”

“Nice guy,” he said out loud and then said. “But I gave you loser.”

“That’s why!” I said laughing, “What’s with this?”

It was nice, smiling with each other like this. Aside from the cameras it felt as though we really were just two innocent students in high school spending time together just having fun.

But it couldn’t be like that for the whole time.

People drew closer; filming was growing more and more dangerous. The crowd had increased and the cameras from the staff were getting pushed around. I didn’t look at Taemin as we walked through them. How could I? I was feeling like a trapped animal at a zoo.

Then we heard it; words that no girl ever likes to be called. Keeping my face near my bread I kept on walking and Taemin gently pushed me back a bit with his arm. He was being very quiet too.

After filming we went to our cars that were parked out of sight. Even then he didn’t say much.

“Have a good night,” he said and I nodded.

“Y-you two,” closing the door behind me, I sat in the car thinking about it. Did he wonder if I was hurt from it? I heard it but it wasn’t something that couldn’t be helped. Me and him, together, I wouldn’t have a hundred percent support from everyone.

Still, I wish the attack was not with such offensive words.

Ω
 

“Alright girls you’re on in five.” We nodded standing up. Bomi quickly went to the bathroom before we had to go on. Checking ourselves in the mirror we started to go line up to head onto the show.

Namjoo noticed the silver around my neck. “Is that new?”

“Oh this?” I looked down. “Ah I guess?”

“What does that mean?”

“It means nothing—“

Chorong and Eunji unnie came over. “Oh yes we figured out that its a couple necklace.”

How did they know? “Did you forget that I am close with Kibum?” Eunji said sounding smart. I should have figured. But how were they still in contact? Did what happen with me and Taemin oppa really not affect their friendship?

Bomi unnie returned back to join us. Her expression was not good. Eunji unnie nudged her and softly asked her what was happening.
“Nothing,” she muttered but clearly there was something wrong. We all watched the two of them talk together however whatever was affecting her mood would not be revealed so easily.

“Hey,” Chorong unnie said making them jump. “Why are you like this? Will it kill you if you tell us?”

“I just… I just can’t believe it.” Her face darkened as she added with a scowl. “He’s such a bad man.”

Now we were getting worried. “Who is a bad man?” Chorong unnie questioned. When there came no response straightaway she clarified. “Who is a bad man Bomi-ya?!”

“T-T-Taemin,” I tensed up. The other members all made their own reaction. She continued on with the words sliding out like they were laced with poison. “I just over heard the staff talking… His ex has come out into the open.”

His ex?

As in ex—

“There’s no way that is possible,” Namjoo said. “He told unnie that he—“

She stared at me. I closed my lips in a tight line. My chest was starting to feel tight. “Oh unnie…”

Eunji unnie looked as though she was going to be sick. Hayoung glanced around helplessly at the whole thing while Chorong unnie appeared ready to plot murder.

“Well…” Eunji unnie spoke like she was about to step into a danger zone. “W-what does she want?”

“An apology,” was the reply. “That’s all she wants.”

I felt them all watching me. I couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe. Everything inside me had become frozen. How could that be? How could Taemin oppa just lie to me about this? Did he think that I wouldn’t understand? Then again... Did I even want to try?
 

Ω

Oh dear, find out what exactly happened from his point of view soon.