Chapter 22: Minhyuk’s POV

            “Hey,” I smiled as Yun-Ae walked back in.                        

            Without saying anything in response, Yun-Ae walked right past me and headed straight to the couch.

            Did something happen to her? 

            “What’s wrong?” I asked as I walked over and took a seat next to her.

            Instead of saying something, she brought up her legs and hugged them to her chest.   

            “Yunnie, what happened?” Yunji asked as she took a seat on the other side of Yun-Ae.

            “He was there,” Yun-Ae said as she buried her face into her kenes. “Yuijn was there,”

            “What did he say?” Yunji asked.

            “He misses me, he wants to hang out,” She said shakily. “Why is he acting like this?”

            “He’s a liar and he’s a jerk, that’s why,” Yunji said as she comfortingly wrapped her arms around Yun-Ae's shoulders. "You look really pale. Do you want me to get you something to drink?" 

            "Yes please," Yun-Ae nodded. 

            "'I'll be right back then," Yunji said, giving Yun-Ae a quick hug before getting up from the couch. 

            “Oppa,” Yun-Ae said quietly as she turned to face me.  

            "Yes?" I answered gently.  

            “Why am I so stupid?" She asked with a pained look in her eyes. 

            “Don't say things like that. You’re not,” I said as I took her in my arms. 

            “I was so naïve and blind to believe all the lies he told me and to think that for one second," She said before taking a deep breath to prevent her voice from wavering. "He might have cared about me,"

            "Yun-Ae," I began. 

            "Why am I so stupid?" She asked as she buried her face in my shoulder.

            Then, I heard a muffled sob escape from and her fingers clench around the collar of my shirt. And soon, her tears began to fall.

            Up until now, I'd never seen Yun-Ae in such a vulnerable and fragile state. I haven't even seen her cry before. So whoever this Yujin guy is, he must have really hurt her. 

            "It's okay," I murmured as I rubbed circles into her back.

            I felt so helpless. As much as I wanted to comfort her and make her feel better, I just didn't know how.

            "Sorry," Yun-Ae mumbled as she wiped some of the remaining tears off of her face. "I'm going to the bathroom,"  

            “Alright,” I nodded as Yun-Ae got up from the couch.  

            “Where’d Yunnie go?” Yunji asked once she came back in.

            “Bathroom,” I replied as she took a seat next to me. 

            Yunji then nodded her head in understanding before setting the bottle of water down on the table in front of me.

            “Who’s Yujin?” I asked.

            “Her ex-boyfriend,” Yunji said in disgust. “I don’t even know why she went out with him,”

            “What did he do to her?” I asked warily.

            “You want to know?” Yunji asked as she raised an eyebrow in suspicion.

            “Everything,” I said.

            “Yujin and Yun-Ae were together for a year and a half,” Yunji began after a long sigh. “They met when Yun-Ae was working as a backup dancer for Chae Yeon. At that time, Yujin was a trainee under the same company," 

            "You mean, Lee Chae Yeon, the solo artist?" I asked. 

            "Yeah, her. Anyways, when Yun-Ae was with him, it was probably the happiest I’d ever seen her. Those two were inseparable," Yunji continued. "But then one day, out of nowhere, he broke up with her. I don't know why and Yun-Ae refuses to tell me. But she hasn't been the same since then," 

            Why would anyone hurt her like that? 

            If I were her boyfriend, I wouldn't dare hurt her like that and I would have treated her a thousand times better than Yujin did. 

            Now, if only she saw me as more than a friend.