Chapter 23: Yun-Ae’s POV

            After splashing my face a few times with cold water, I reached out and grabbed a few paper towels to use to dry my face.

            When I looked in the mirror, I could barely recognize myself.

            My cheeks were sunken in, there were dark circles underneath my eyes, and my collarbones were jolting out of my chest.

            How come I didn't notice any of this until now?

            Then again, I never really cared about how I looked after we broke up. 

            I was sitting around the practice room during the dancers' lunch break. All of a sudden, I heard my phone vibrate against the wooden floor. 

            Sliding it open, I saw that I had just gotten a text message from Yujin. 

            "Meet me at our spot at 10. I need to talk to you," I read to myself. 

            "Alright..." I typed in response, confused as to why he seemed so serious all of a sudden. 

            Later that day, I went to the playground near the company building. And as I walked towards the swings, I began to wonder why Yujin wanted to meet me all of a sudden. 

            When I arrived there, there was no sight of him. Checking the time on my phone, I saw that I was a little early. Taking a seat on the one closest to me, I then began to slowly rock back and forth to keep myself entertained as I waited for him. 

            "Yun," I heard a voice say. 

            Looking up, I saw Yujin standing there with his hands in his sweatshirt pocket, much like the night he first confessed to me. But unlike that night, he wasn't smiling. 

            "Hi," I greeted him quietly. "You said you wanted to talk to me?"

            "Yeah. Yun, listen," He began. "I don't think we should be in a relationship anymore,"

            My body went numb. I couldn't believe what I had just heard. 

            Of all things, I was not expecting him to say that. 

            "Why?" I asked once I had gotten over the initial shock.  

            Was it something I said or something I did? Why is he like this all of a sudden? He has to have a reason.  

            "I just don't think I have time for you or a relationship right now," Yujin said. 

            I knew that we were both busy, with Yujin preparing for his debut and with my work. But he always seemed to be understanding of that. I had no idea he felt this way.

            "Look at me," He then said gently. "Yun-Ae, please don't misunderstand me. I still love you Yun-Ae. This isn't because of another girl or anything like that. I just don't think this is the right time for a relationship,"

            If only I knew that the reason he was giving me then, wasn't the real reason why he broke up with me. 

            "Yun!" Jungkyun oppa exclaimed when he walked into the practice room. "You're so slow! Come one, we're all waiting for you!" 

            "Alright, I'm coming," I laughed, shaking my head at how childish he was acting.

             Even though Yujin and I were broken up now, his friends and group members reassured me that we would still be friends.  

            "Yun-Ae!" Jongmin oppa exclaimed as he tackled me with a hug. 

            "Hi oppa," I laughed as I hugged him back. 

            "You're going to hurt her Jongmin. Get off of her," Seunghyun oppa said, smacking Jongmin on the back of the head. 

            "Ow, fine," Jongmin oppa pouted. 

            "Come on, let's eat already," Jungkyun oppa whined. 

            "So tell me, how have you been since, you know?" Sangwoo asked in the middle of our bibimbap lunch in the park. 

            "I'm alright," I said. 

            "You don't need him. You have us," Jongmin oppa said as he slung his arm around my shoulders and brought me closer to his side. "Or at least me," 

            "Thanks oppa," I smiled. 

            "Wait, so you're not mad at Yujin?" Sangwoo asked in confusion. 

            "Yeah, because if I were you, I would want to punch him in the face. Hard," Seunghyun oppa added. 

            "Yeah I'm sad that things ended between us, but I guess this is just how life is, right?" I shrugged.  

            "Okay, I know you're a nice person Yun-Ae but don't you think you're being too nice to him?" Seunghyun asked in disbelief. "Especially after what he did to you!" 

            "I understand why he decided to end things. I mean, the more I thought about it, the more I realized he was right. With your upcoming debut and my work schedule, we just don't have time for a relationship," I said. 

            "And you believed that?" He scoffed. "Yujin, I am so going to kill you,"

            "Wait, Yujin didn't tell you?" Sangwoo asked. 

            "Tell me what?" I asked slowly. 

            "Of course he wouldn't tell her. I just can't believe we have to be the ones to tell her. I knew i should have brought tissues," Seunghyun oppa muttered to himself. 

            "Wait, what are you guys talking about?" I asked. 

            The four guys suddenly became quiet.

            Now, I was really confused. What's going on and why are they suddenly acting like this?

            They exchanged uneasy glances with each other up until Jongmin oppa opened his mouth to speak. 

            "Yujin," Jongmin oppa began slowly. "Has a new girlfriend," 

            "What?" I whispered. 

            It's only been two weeks since we broke up and he already has a new girlfriend?

            While he was breaking up with me, he said that it wasn't because of any other girls. He even said he still loved me. 

            He didn't even mean it when he said it to me for the last time. 

            I could feel my heart getting squeezed tighter and tighter as tears welled up in my eyes. 

            It hurt to think that he might not have meant it when he said "I love you" all the other times.

           Did he even love me?

           "I'm sorry Yun-Ae," Jungkyun oppa said softly. 

           “Why are you even crying over him?” I asked myself in frustration as I grabbed a few more paper towels to wipe away the tears I had just shed over him just by thinking about that one moment.

           It’s been six months since that happened. I should be over him by now.

           After washing my face with cold water again, I decided that I should get back to the dressing room again. I hope they’re not worrying about me right now.

           “There you are!” Ara unnie said as I walked out of the bathroom. “We’ve been looking all over for you. Come on, we have to get to rehearsal,” She said as she dragged me backstage.