The smell of newly lacquered floors caught your attention as you pushed the heavy door open into Teen Top’s practice room. You took a seat on the couch as the manager eyed you. You sat their closing the door quietly behind you as you watched your boyfriend’s group practice and dance their hearts out to prepare for the upcoming tour that was schedule. The song finished and you waited and clapped with the manager and the choreographer. Chunji smiled at you through the mirror as you smiled back and hid your smile through your sleeve.

“Five minute break” The manager called as sweaty Chunji trotted up to you. You raised from your seat to great him as he picked you up and spun you around, kissing you intensely on the lips, he returned you to the ground as he ran his trembling fingers through your hair. You caught the manager gazing at you and you froze. You tried not to make eye contact until he called you out.

“Miss, a word” He grabbed you from Chunji’s grip and dragged you to his office a couple of doors down. He threw you down in a seat and started to pace around you. “So….” He began with his hands clasped behind him, “You and Chunji, Chunji and you. You think that you are going to be each other’s forever and each other’s true and only love.” He looked at you as you continued to stare down at the floor.

“No sir” You responded to his firm voice

“Well” He let out a disgusted sigh “So you and Chunji are not going to be together for long?” He started to question you

“I have had other loves, sir but not like Chunji’s” You corrected him

“Ah! Well, I would advise you against young love, miss” He walked around you taking his place behind his big oak desk. You looked in his eyes as you saw another motive to bringing you here.

“You don’t want to talk about my love life right. I am here for another purpose.” You said as you folded your arms

“You are a smart girl. I can’t hide anything from you” He leaned back in his chair scratching the back of his neck before sitting back up and resting his arms on his desk, “I want you to break up with Chunji, before the next concert, preferably today but you do it how you want. I can’t have him be distracted especially at his young age. I need him to bring all of the young, pretty fangirls to the concert so we can make money. It is also for your own good, miss.” He paused as you just looked at your hands playing with your fingers, “Do you understand?”

“What if I don’t?” You questioned still playing with your fingers

“His contract will be banned and Teen Top will have to find another singer” He got up from his chair and pushed it back into its place. He walked over to the door opening it for you. “I would like to hear what you have chosen so that I can hold auditions. Let me know within 24 hours, here is my number. Call anytime.” He gave you a cheesy smile and you got up and left his office. The door closed behind you as your thoughts became heavy, you walked down the hall and you heard the song that they were just practicing start up again. You looked in through the window one last time before you opened the door just to grab your bag. You closed the door behind your swift exit and walked down the hall flooded with decisions. Not knowing what to do. You didn’t make it to the main floor before you heard the pounding of feet on the aluminum stairwell.

“______! ______, wait!” Chunji called as he looked over the railing to you. Your pace slowed as you turned and saw a breathless Chunji before you. “Why did you leave so soon? I thought you wanted to see our practice?” He searched your face as you tried to hold in your tears. You wanted to tell him but you couldn’t bring yourself to. Tears fell from your eyes as Chunji gently wiped them away. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t want to talk about it!” You said loudly knocking him off guard

“Ok, then we won’t. Are you going to be ok?” Chunji asked as he cupped your face in his hands, he brought your face towards his lips as he was going to kiss your forehead. You pushed his hands away and escaped his grasp as you ran down the rest of the stairs to the lobby, continuing to run until you reached your house. Chunji just stood there in the stair well not knowing what was eating you up. He slowly walked back to practice as he replayed what went on while you were there for those few short minutes.

—

Later that night, your blood shot eyes were all done with crying. You had made your decision. A knock came from your door; you pulled yourself from your distraught figure as you shuffled over to the door. You opened the door wiping your tears from your face.

“What did I do wrong? I can fix it for you, I will. Tell me what to do and I will.” Chunji stood at your door, “H-Have you been crying?” He changed from his determined tone to serious. He placed his hands on your arms and pulled you in for a hug. “Tell me what has been going on please” He pleaded holding you in his arms. You began to cry once again, but no tears fell.

“I am sorry but I have to leave you. I love you, don’t ever forget that but I have to leave. I can’t do this anymore.” You tried to pull away but his strong hold on you wasn’t any match.

“No you don’t just because you have one bad day doesn’t mean that I won’t bear through it with you.” Chunji said as he held you closer

“Chunji we have to break up. I’m done. I am not going to do this anymore” you pounded on his chest with your fists rising your voice grew louder and louder with every passing second. He finally released you and you fell on the floor. He sat on your side on the ground; both of you in silence for a while.

“Did I do anything?” Chunji asked as he looked over at you, your shadows casted against the floor as you tried to reason what you were doing. You shook your head, “Is there something that I could do to get us back together?” You shook your head again. “Ok, well if you need me I am still here for you. I love you” He leaned up and kissed your temple one last time before he stood on his feet and looked back at your figure on the floor. Everything in his churned as if something wasn’t right. He was going to find a way back to you if it was the last thing that he did. He let himself out of your apartment as he took one last look at you before closing the door behind.

The bitter air hit him as he walked for hours thinking about what could get you upset. Then it hit him, the manager. He pulled out his phone and dialed his number.

“Hello, this is the manager of Teen Top” His voice sounded cheerful as he picked up the phone

“What is the big idea?” Chunji yelled, he got up and ran to the company as fast as he could.

“I don’t know what you are talking about.” The manager denied him a couple more times before Chunji barged in through his door. “Chunji!”

“You made her break up with me because you didn’t want me getting hurt. Well now you hurt the most precious thing that I know and I am not going to have that happen.” Chunji started backing him up into the corner, “I love her, and she will not hurt me. If she ever breaks up with me then it will be our problem not yours!”

“B-But I am only thinking of you” The manager fumbled as Chunji looked at the paper that was wadded up into his hand. Unfolding the paper, it all became clear.

—

You weren’t receiving a signal when you tried to call the manager so you thought that you would tell him in person. You were there in no time, you ran into the manager’s office and you saw Chunji holding the manager in the corner. Both of the men looked at you as you tried to formulate words. Chunji looked at you with honest eyes as he wanted straight answers.

“They were going to fire you if I didn’t break up with you. I couldn’t risk it. I am sorry Chunji, please forgive me.” You stood there alone, Chunji flashed you a wink and a smile as he released the manager.

“Well we need the money!” The manager said in his defense as he undid his tie a little.

“The fans will come, if they love our group. Don’t worry about the money. It is about the passion behind the music and the feelings that the songs bring forth.” Chunji turned to you and took your hand in his, “I won’t let you break up with me, never again”