The Next Day : GOT7's Side:

"WOOHOO~!!"

"Congrats Sumni noona~!" Roars of cheers and excitement erupted all around as It was a day of celebration for a long time coming. The GOT7 boys along with a huge group of JYPE friends and staff members had gathered amongst themselves at one of the back dressing rooms of Inkigayo to congratulate one of their own.

The boys had gotten up quite early in the morning and had found Mark "missing" from his bed. Everyone was in a panic as their manager told them that they all needed to get ready to leave for the salon in 10 minutes. Scurrying around frantically while trying to call the MIA suspect, the boys nearly died of heart attacks as soon as a dark tall shadow emerged lifelessly from behind their bathroom door. Thank goodness, Mark had somehow suddenly appeared out of thin air as he tiredly rubbed his puffy eyes seeing everyone sprawled down onto the floor sighing with relief that they had "found" him. The 6 mischievous kids tried to pester and pry out specific details from the older male but nothing worked. Therefore, they had to give up on their interrogating antics "for now" as they all prepared themselves for a long day ahead of them.

The 7 boys had made a special trip early that morning before they headed to the recording of Inkigayo, as they were informed with the news that their sunbae Sunmi had been nominated for the top spot for on week's show. They had personally picked out a beautifully decorated cake before arriving to the broadcasting station for the live recording. When Sunmi's name was suddenly announced as the winner, the boys weren't the least bit surprised while jumping for joy knowing that she deserved this win. Sunmi had no recollection to what they had prepared for her in advance and as everyone was coming into her dressing room to congratulate her, the 7 boys suddenly entered with the surprise congratulatory cake to which had brought Sunmi to tears. They all gathered around, showing their support for her and she was very grateful for having such people there at that moment.  

"Omo, unnie don't cry..." Lena was amongst the many people who had been standing by quietly from the sidelines as the GOT7 boys successfully delivered out their special event for Sunmi.

"Let's take a picture! Everyone gather around!" The set of managers had suddenly called out for everyone to huddle close together for a JYP Nation selfie. In the midst of tears, Sunmi was instantly surrounded by her wonderful lovely dongsaengs and she couldn't have asked for more.

*SNAP* At that time, the infamous congratulatory picture was taken of Got7, Sunmi, and Lena as Sunmi won her first award for Full Moon that day.

****

Jackson was wise enough this time to stay clear of Lena, fearing the wrath of "she who can't be named" (Soojin) knowing fairly well that she would probably have his head on a stick "literally" if he had stood even remotely close to Lena but unfortunately Jackson didn't know that Lena too was trying to keep her distance from him.
 
Behind that bright cheerful smile she had plastered onto her face, deep down she was not okay, Lena had taken to heart what Jackson had said to her the night he had ditched her under the pouring rain. He ditched her and that was the moment she knew that she had liked him; she had liked him as more than a friend but she didn't want to admit it until her heart was broken into a billion pieces that night.

~Flashback~

"What should we order~?" They had arrived and entered a cafe that was opened 24 hrs near the JYPE building as the rain started down pouring all of a sudden. Lena wasn't the type to get nervous, especially when she was "hanging out" with Jackson but today was somehow different. She had never made the effort to look "decent" in front of him and yet she was feeling extremely self conscious at that moment. Not getting an initial response from him though, she had looked up from the menu in her hands wondering why he hadn't said a single word ever since they had left JYPE.

"Jackson?" She wasn't used to his quietness, no one was. Lena softly called and gazed at him a bit worried as he kept his eyes glued out looking at the gloomy scenery outside the window that they were seated next to.

"Jackson?" Lena hadn't the slightest clue that his mind was somewhere else, his heart was somewhere else. He was physically there with her but his heart was with someone else the entire time.

*Shake* "Jackson, is everything okay?" It took her a few tries to finally get his attention and when his eyes suddenly landed on her at that moment, she nearly trembled with shyness.

"I think I have to go..." His soft faint whisper had surely caught her by surprise as he instantly got up onto his feet and took off running towards the entrance without so much of an explanation.

"Jackson wait!" Lena wasn't sure what was going on but she didn't want him to leave. Making her way out and catching up to him as the rain crashed harshly onto her warm skin, she held on tightly pulling him to a halt. He wasn't going anywhere, not until he explained himself to her.

"Did I do something wrong?" Lena was in a frantic state, not knowing what she had done and why he was in such a rush to get out of there. Jackson had turned around, almost instantly replying to her without having to even think things through.

"No, you didn't do anything. It's not you, it's me..." He had pulled that typical line. That line that so many people use when they didn't want to explain themselves any further. Lena's grip loosened, seeing Jackson's blank stare on her. He never looked at her like that, but why today?

"I'm sorry Lena. I...I have to go!"

The loud thunder roared aimlessly in the midnight's sky, as rain droplets endlessly crashed onto the pavement that she was now rooted to. She couldn't move as she watched him leave. He left her without a reason that night.

~End of Flashback~

Lena had and still has a hard time getting over that night, that night that has replayed itself in her head over and over again without her control. She had known fairly well after that night, his reason for leaving. It had nothing to do with her, he was right about that. A light tug in her chest brought back the memory that she has tried so hard to forget, the one sentence that she so desperately wanted to erase from her subconscious memory.  

"I have a girlfriend Lena. Unless its work related please don't call me anymore, its quite troublesome on my end."

She had become troublesome? When Jackson had abruptly said such words to her, her heart was once again struck with pain. There were so many occasions where she had so desperately wanted to see him, to talk to him and yet; she knew she had to keep her distance. She avoided him at all cost, it was better that way. It was better for him and it was better for her trembling pained heart and today was no exception.

She had thought that everyone was oblivious to her and yet they weren't at all, especially Mark. Mark had sensed the tension in the air and he could see that Lena had been acting oddly awkward around Jackson for the past week or so now. Even though they haven't talked much lately, Lena was still a friend to him and seeing her in such a state was quite concerning.

"You okay?" Mark's low raspy voice caught her off guard as she jumped a bit; startled at his sudden appearance in front of her.

"Huh? Yeah, I'm fine." Even without looking, she could almost foresee Jackson's intense stare down on her. Deep down she wanted to keep talking to Mark as a painful throbbing sensation overcame her. She knew better than to do so though but somehow she wanted to make Jackson mad. She wanted to make Jackson jealous but she knew better than to start something that was going to end up hurting her even more later on.

Maybe because of the long hours that she had been putting into practices these past few days, that her tired weary legs almost gave way. Lena slightly stumbled but not wanting to worry anyone, she immediately took off towards the hall not even looking back as Mark called out to her worriedly.

Its not that she didn't want to continue their conversation but she knew if she had stayed any longer that her eyes would have automatically diverted towards "him" and she didn't want that. She didn't want to look at "him", not when she was doing so well in ignoring his presence. And not paying attention to where she was going at that moment; only caused her legs to finally give out.
 
*Crash* "S..s..sorry..." She instantly collided into a warm tall figure but ended up falling subconsciously to the ground as her legs became lifeless.

*Hold* "Are you okay?" A low deep voice echoed through her ears, a voice that sounded vaguely familiar and yet she couldn't pin point how or where she had heard it before. His outstretched arms gripped lightly onto her shoulders, gently pulling her lifeless body up to a stance once more. That voice that had suddenly caught her off guard, she had finally figured who it had belonged to as their eyes slowly met one another. Why didn't she notice it before as his warm hands held onto her, she felt something that she has never once felt before; protected. They had met a few times before due to work related meetings and yet she never saw the gentle caring look in his eyes. She never looked directly at them until today and right now she needed this protection even more so than she could ever know.

"Kevin? What are you doing here?" Jackson's witty voice nearly shot right through her as she could hear his every foot step getting closer and closer towards her direction.

"Oh um... I came to deliver "presents" for you guys..." Kevin gave a glance to make sure Lena was stable enough before letting her go, but he didn't know that she wasn't the least bit stable at that moment and that she was praying silently for him to stay with her just for a few more seconds.

"Oh really~?" Kevin saw the reluctant look in her eyes as Jackson's voice suddenly came at them. He was going to ask if she was okay but he was instantly taken aback as he got dragged away by the other members who had suddenly appeared from the doorway hearing the word "presents" leave his mouth a few seconds earlier.

Lena knew she needed to make a run for it but as she tried to do so; a strong arm pulled at her yanking her back forcefully to a halt. Turning around, she knew she shouldn't but her body was on its own terms and seconds later she was met face to face with Jackson. He looked a