We followed Yunhee through the entrance to the garden behind the vacation house. I already saw this place from afar, but seeing it so close right now, it was a really breathtaking view. The front part of the garden was a small maze made out of green bushes with white blossoms. In the middle was a small bridge and a small pond. We went through the maze and crossed the bridge. After that we walked through an avenue which led us to a stream. We followed the stream and after several minutes we stopped. Seems like we arrived. I already said that the front of the garden was breathtaking but this view was even more breathtaking. Right in front of me was a small waterfall. Yes, a waterfall. It wasn't as big as a real waterfall but it looked real to me. And it was beautiful.

“Good choice, Wooyoung-ssi. This place is wonderful.”, Yunhee said while looking around.

He smiled. “I found it while I was walking around this garden.”

“Uhm...can someone please tell me what we're doing here?”, I asked.

“This, my dear Ha Ni, is where your last lesson is going to be held.”, Yunhee answered.

I didn't know why but I had a bad feeling about this.

“Okay....and what am I supposed to do?”, I asked.

“Wooyoung-ssi will explain everything to you. But first...we need to set up the scene.”, she said and started unpacking things. The camera man followed her and started setting up the camera. When they were done, they briefly explained to me what they wanted to record for the last lesson.

The recording finally started. I was still facing the waterfall when Wooyoung appeared next to me. Even though I didn't want to, for the sake of the show, I looked into his eyes. He was smiling at me but I could see that the smile didn't reach his eyes.

“Wooyoung Seonsaengnim, what are we doing here?”, I asked.

“This is where your last lesson is going to be held.”, he answered, repeating Yunhee's earlier words.

“What could you possibly teach me at a waterfall?”

He chuckled. “You are asking way too many questions, student.” He stepped closer. “Give me your jacket.”

Huh? My jacket?

“Why do you want my jacket?”, I asked confusedly.

“Too many questions, student. Just follow my instructions.”

Not wanting to argue with him, I silently took off my jacket. Then I gave it to him.

“Good. Now take off your shoes...maybe it's better to take off your socks, too.”

I had no idea what he was planning but who was I to question the instructions of my teacher?

After taking off my shoes and socks, I turned around and looked at him expectantly.

“So...do you see the stone in the middle of the stream? Go over there and stand on it.”, he instructed.

What the heck? Was he trying to take revenge on me by making a fool of me in front of the camera?

I arched an eye brow at him, quearly questioning his orders. He just returned my stare without saying anything. After a while, I gave up and went to the stone.

When I was standing on the stone, I crossed my arms and looked at him. “And now, Seonsaengnim?”, I asked, putting obvious emphasis on the last word.

He sat down on the grass. “During the whole time I was teaching you, I noticed that you're still struggling with your balance during dancing. And that's what today's lesson's about: balance.”

“And I'm standing on this stone in the middle of the stream because....?”

“Patience, student. Just follow my instructions for now.” He paused. “Try to stand on one foot.”

Now I was sure that he really wanted me to make a fool of myself.

“I'm not going to do this.”, I said stubbornly.

“You were such a diligent student all the time and now, for the last lesson, you decide to revolt?”

“Uh...it's just that I don't see how this...” I pointed at the stone. “..will teach me anything.”

“You will see. Now do you want to continue arguing or will you listen to me?”

I squinted my eyes at him but when he didn't budge, I sighed and gave in. Taking a deep breath, I outstretched my arms and slowly lifted a foot. Normally I was able to stand on one foot but this time, I had to do it on a slippery and not so broad stone while being surrounded by cold water. Needless to say, I started wobbling and I would have fallen into the water if I haven't catch my balance in last minute.

Phew, that was close.

“Do it again.”, Wooyoung instructed.

“I nearly fell into the water.”, I complained.

“Then try to avoid it this time.”

I should have known that it was pointless to argue with him.

Outstretching my arms again, I lifted my foot. When I started to wobble again, I quickly searched for a point to focus on. When I finally managed to keep my balance, I smiled. “I did it!”

And that was when I slipped and fell into the water. Even though it was a sunny day, the water was still icy. Soaking wet from head to toe, I gave Wooyoung an accusing glare. But he didn't even have the decency to look guilty. No, he just took a look at my soaked self...and started to laugh. I glanced at Yunhee and the camera man and saw that they tried hard to hold their laughter.

Great. In the end , I really made a fool out of myself.

Slowly standing up, I wrung out my dripping hair and shirt. Then I crossed my arms and glared at him again.

He needed a moment to recover from the laughing fit. “Do it again, student.”

“What? Didn't you see what just happened?”

“I did. And that's why I'm pretty sure that you will do your best to avoid this...” He pointed at my saoked clothes. “...again, right?”

That bastard was clearly enjoying my humiliation.

“Of course, seonsaengnim.”, I said through clenched teeth and stepped on the stone again. Then I repeated the whole process.

The remaining time of the lesson consisted of several exercises on the stone and me getting soaked over and over again. When I finally managed to not fall down, Wooyoung told me that I was released from this torture. Okay, he didn't really say torture but that was how I would have described it.

I got down from the stone, walked through the water and stepped out of the stream. Totally exhausted, I slumped down on the grass.

Man, this was one of the most exhausting lessons I had ever since the start of 'Idol School'. Exhausting and totally humiliating. I bet that my plastic nemesis Hyomin would happily record this broadcast and spread it everywhere on the internet.

A cold wind blew and I started to shiver. Suddenly something soft was wrapped around my shoulders. I glanced down and saw that it was a towel. Looking up, I was staring straight into Wooyoung's eyes. His hands were still lingering on my shoulders, leaving a warm feeling right where he was touching me. He crouched down behind me...so close that I could feel his breath near my cheek.

“You did well, Ha Ni.”, he whispered into my ear.

It was the first time he called me by my name again, instead of just 'student', ever since the start of the lesson. Hearing him whisper my name like that, my heart skipped a beat. But as soon as he said it, his warm breath left my ear and his warm hands were lifted from my shoulders. When I looked up, I saw him passing me. He walked towards Yunhee and the camera man. He was saying something to her. She nodded and said something to the camera man. Then Yunhee came towards me.

“We're gonna take a break, so that you can change clothes and warm yourself up. Then we will record the last part of this lesson and the closing.”, she told me. “You can go back to your room to change clothes. We will wait for you, so hurry.”

I nodded and stood up. Then I wrapped the towel closer around me, grabbed my jacket and shoes and walked back to the vacation house. When I entered the lobby, people were staring at me but I tried my best to ignore them. I walked into the room I was sharing with the other trainees and was relieved to see that no one was here. It seems like they were also recording their last lesson. I quickly got out of my drenched clothes and changed into a white shirt and grey skinny jeans. I slipped into my sneakers and after drying my hair with the towel, I put them into a bun. A quick glance into the mirror and I was ready to go.

Several minutes later I returned to the recording place. Wooyoung was immersed in a conversation with Yunhee. They looked up when they noticed me.

“There you are. Ready for the next part?”, Yunhee asked.

I nodded.

“So, we have a music player for the sound. Now we need agood place for your practice.”

“Wait. So we're gonna practice the 'Troublemaker' dance right here, in a garden?”

“Of course. You have a better place in mind?”

“Uh, no. But I still don't think that this place is suitable for the dance practice. There are no mirrors and -”

“There won't be any mirrors on the stage either.”, Wooyoung added.

“But I need the mirrors to perfect the steps. I'm still not satisfied with -”

“If you don't know the steps today, you won't know them tomorrow either. So stop whining and let's start practicing.”

Having no smart retort, I refrained from saying anything else and just looked at him stubbornly.

“Aww, that would have been such good material for the broadcast.”, Yunhee said and pouted.

“I have been recording this conversation to test the camera.”, said the camera man.

Yunhee lit up. “Oh really? Wonderfull! Now we have a great snippet for the preview of this episode!”

Oh dear, looking at her smiling so brightly because of this, it kinda reminded me of a little child during Christmas Eve.

“Keep the camera rolling, we gonna start with the dance practice.” She looked at us. “Ha Ni. Wooyoung-ssi. Are you ready?”

“Yes. And I also found a good place.” He pointed at something near the waterfall. “What about this place over there?”

“Oh! That's perfect! I really love this beautiful waterfall!”, Yunhee said.

“Well, then. Shall we start?”, Wooyoung asked.

I needed a while to realized that this question was directed at me.

“What? Oh, sure. Why not?”, I said.

Without saying anything else, he went straight to the place near the waterfall. Yunhee went to the camera man to pick up the music player. Then she joined Wooyoung. I sighed and went towards them.

We took positions and Yunhee started playing the music. Standing back to back, I gathered my strength to focus on the steps, And I did really well. But then my concentration shattered when he was coming towards me, stopping only an inch away. He was looking directly into my eyes, his hand hovering over my cheek but still not touching it. Then his hand slid down to my chin, gently lifting it up. Still captivated by his deep eyes, I nearly forgot the steps. But I managed to catch myself in the last minute. Ignoring the awareness of his close presence, I reached up with my hand and played with the hem of his shirt near his shoulder. Then we broke apart and stepped forward, getting ready for the refrain of the song. He stood behind me while dancing along to the music. When his hand landed on my hip, my heart skipped a beat. Remembering the steps, I quickly put my hand on his thigh and then on his neck, slightly leaning back to face him. When I looked into his eyes, I could see that his gaze was darkened. Was he as affected by our closeness as I was?

Once again we broke apart. When we stepped towards me again, his hand slipped from the back of my neck along my spine, just to rest for a short moment near my . Then it was time for the infamous 'Trouble Maker' move. I stretched out my left hand. Stepping behind me, he gently took it with his left hand. His mouth hovered over the back of my hand for a moment before it moved along my arm towards my face. I was looking at him and when he came closer, we were facing each other, his mouth only inches away from mine. I had to fight the urge to close the short distance between us, just to enjoy the feeling of his soft lips again. And judging be the look in his eyes, he was thinking the same. But then, as if he suddenly remembered why is was so awkward between us now, his hand, which was holding mine, tensed. Like a switch, I suddenly remembered that we weren't alone and that everything we did was recorded by a camera. Following the steps, I quickly turned away, as I was supposed to. We both turned around, so that we were standing back to back again. Taking a deep breath, I akwardly but my hand on his and slid down slightly just to stand up again. Then we turned around again. Now he was supposed to turn his back to the audience while I stood in front of him, giving the audience a sly look over his shoulder while sliding my hand along the back of his shoulders. His left hand was on my hip again and I could also feel his breath in my hair. Then we broke apart and I walked several steps back because it was time for his solo part now. While he was dancing, I used the short break to take deep breaths and brace myself for the rest of the dance. I didn't know that dancing with him like this would affect me so much. Everywhere his hands touched me, I could feel a warm feeling lingering on my skin. It was really hard to feel his touch and knowing that I would never be able to feel it again after our performance tomorrow.

Wooyoung stepped aside, giving me space for my part of the dance. During this part, I was supposed to dance with female back up dancers while Wooyoung was supposed to slowly approach me. I had to pretend to by letting him come near me, just to walk away in the last moment. I stepped aside for his solo part with male back up dancers. I had to turn my back to him while he was supposed to try to approch me again just to see me walking away again. When it was time for the refrain, I slowly walked towards him, letting him go behind me. I reached out my hand again, getting ready for the infamous 'Trouble maker' move. This time I told myself not to be affected again. Even though I could still feel the warmth from his body behind me, I tried my best to just ignore it. His face came towards mine again and this time I didn't hesitate to turn away as fast as possible, also turning my back to him during the process. He did the same, leaving us standing back to back again. For the next seconds, there was no touching invloved, which I was really relieved about. But then it was time for the 'Middle Eight' part of the song. When we were still dating, I always looked forward to this part. But then again, this whole dance would have been so much more enjoyable if we weren't fighting. Seeing into his eyes, which were once looking at me as if I was the only person in his world, and feeling the stiff touch of his hands, which were once so gentle, reminded me of what I had lost by making a single mistake.  

Not wanting him to see my inner tumult, I tried to focus on the dance. I put my hands on his chest while he had to cover them with his. Then our hands slid along his chest to his stomach, stopping only slightly on his abdomen, before his hands left mine. I stepped away from him. Only th then did I realize that I have been holding my breath.

Now we were supposed to sing the last bits of the 'Middle Eight' part. Then I had to walk away again, making space for his solo part with the male backup dancers. After that I was supposed to return for the last refrain, with the female backup dancers in tow. For the end of the song, I had to face him again, standing closer to each other than I would have preferred. First, his hands went to my neck while mine went to his hips, dangerously near his . Then our hands switched places. My hands were now resting on his neck while his were on my hips. For the next part, his hands slid up to rest on my back while my hands slid down his arms. His hands followed mine. I put them on his and together, they slid down my back to rest on my hips again. I may have seem calm on the outside, but my heart was beating like crazy.

Now we were supposed to look slyly at the audience. Just to break apart again. I went several steps back and he followed me while all the backup dancers were supposed to leave the stage. The whistling part of the ending started playing and Wooyoung came towards me again. When we were facing each other again, he reached out with his hand, his palm facing me. I also stretched out my hand, my palm covering his. Our hands went up, so that they were like a wall between his face and mine. Then we were supposed to come closer while kissing the back of our hands, pretending to be kissing each other. The song ended. We put down our hands but didn't move away. Totally out of breath, we were facing each other without saying anything.

When Yunhee suddenly clapped her hands, I nearly jumped up. Gosh, my heart literally stopped beating for a moment.

“That was......breathtakingly beautiful!”, she gushed. “Ha Ni, I totally don't understand your doubts. You did really well!”

“But I made so many mistakes. Especially during -”

“She's always like this. Constantly doubting her skills. No matter howm any times I tell her to believe in herself, she just wouldn't listen.”, Wooyoung said.

I didn't really register his words because I was too distracted by his hand on my shoulder.

“I know, right? But that's what makes her so sympathetic!”, Yunhee said.

I let out a frustrated sigh. “Uhm, you know. I'm standing right here, so don't talk as if I'm not here.”

Suddenly his hand left my shoulder. “We should continue recording. It's getting late.”, he said.

“Okay. Let's head to the bench over there.”, Yunhee said and walked towards it.

I followed her and in my peripheral vision I saw Wooyoung doing the same. When we arrived, Yunhee turned around.

“I want you two sitting here with the waterfall in the background. It's going to be a breathtaking scene.”, she gushed.

Without saying anything, Wooyoung sat down. When I didn't move, he arched an eye brow at me. I wasn't quite sure why I just couldn't bring myself to sit down. It was like I was scared. Scared of what I would feel while sitting so close to him. I was afraid that I would long to be in his arms again, even though I knew that he hated me right now for betraying him. My feelings were still messed up from the dance....or rather feeling of his touch which was still lingering on my skin. Dancing with him like this had brought up feelings I didn't want to have right now

I mentally slapped myself. Okay, this wasn't the right time to be spacing out. I needed to put aside my personal feelings and act professional. Not wanting to make this situation more awkward, I quickly sat down next to him but I made sure to put as much space as possible between us. It was a bit difficult to do so, considering the fact that it was a small bench. So even though I was trying to keep my distance, I still ended up too close to him.

“You ready? Okay......and action!”, Yunhee shouted.

“Well, seems like our last lesson is slowly coming to an end.”, Wooyoung said.

“Yeah, I kinda don't want it to end.”

I wasn't lying. I really didn't want this to be our last lesson because I had a great time with Wooyoung as my teacher, despite our personal dispute, and it was fun to record this show. I would really miss it.

“Me too but all good things have to come to an end. I had a great time preparing you for your big competition tomorrow.”

“Ah, I'm really nervous. The other trainees are very talented...I'm afraid that they could be way better than me.”

He put a hand on my shoulder. Startled by his touch, I froze. “Stop talking nonsense. You are also very talented and I'm not saying this just because I'm your teacher. Believe in yourself and remember everything I taught you during our lessons. Never give up, no matter how hopeless it may seem.” He smiled. “I believe in you, Ha Ni.”

My heart skipped a beat. This sounded too close to the Wooyoung, who wasn't mad at me. The one who didn't felt betrayed. The one who was still loving me.

I didn't even dare to look into his eyes, so I just stared at my hands. Why trying to calm down, I keep reminding myself that his words were scripted and that he was acting like this because of the show.

“Thank you, seonsaengnim.”, I said stiffly.

He smiled. “I'll watch over you from the audience seats tomorrow.” Then he stood up. “And with that, I'm officially closing our last lesson and step down from the position as your teacher.”

I stood up, too.

He turned to me. “Good luck for tomorrow. And maybe one day, you will be able to join your sunbaes on the stage.”

Mesmerized by his words of encouragement, I couldn't help but stare at him. “Thank you, Sunbae.”, I kinda managed to say. I was still staring at him when I noticed that his smile was turning into the smirk.

“The recording's over.”, he said.

Startled, I quickly looked away. “Uhm...yeah.....”

“Wonderful! Wooyoung-ssi, your words were truly amazing!”, Yunhee gushed.

He smiled at her. Huh. This time his smile did reach his eyes. “Thank you, Noona.”

“Well, now that the recording's over, let's head to a restaurant to celebrate!”

“But shouldn't I be practicing for the competition tomorrow?”, I asked.

“Don't be such a party pooper, Ha Ni. A party for the participants of the MT is already scheduled for tonight. Everyone's gonna be there. You can practice the remaining time until the party.”

“Well...that sounds reasonable.”, I said after a while.

“All right! Let's head back to the vacation house.”

Following Yunhee, we all went back. She told me that the party would be around 10pm tonight, which meant that I still had 5 hours free time. I really intended to practice but there was still another important thing I had to do.

When we arrived at the vacation house, Yunhee and the camera man left. So it was only Wooyoung and me again. Just when I wanted to say something to make this situation less awkward, Kyung Mi arrived. She said something to Wooyoung and they both left. In the end, there was only me standing like a loner in the lobby. I didn't know where Trish and Jay were, so I had no one to talk to. Even though I had to do the 'important thing', I just couldn't come up with the courage to do it. Oh man, Ha Ni, you're such a coward.

Frustrated with myself, I went out and sat down on a bench near the garden. Now that I was alone, all the emotions came rushing to me at once. The sadness and frustration over my messed up releationship with Wooyoung, the nervousness about tomorrow's competition, the cluelessness about my mother's current whereabouts...millions of thoughts and emotions were racing through me. I really needed a solution or a distraction or else I would go crazy.

“Lost in thoughts? Or are you mentally preparing yourself for tomorrow?”, someone asked and chuckled.

Startled, I looked up. When I saw him standing in front of me, giving me a warm smile, I couldn't help but jump up and hug him tightly.

“Oh my gosh, thank you, thank you!”, I said.

Seungho laughed and put his arms around me, returning the hug. “I don't know what I did for you to be so grateful but you're welcome.”

I totally forgot that he was also a teacher for this show. Ah, stupid Ha Ni, how could you forget something significant like this?

Remembering that we weren't alone at this place, I quickly let go. I already burdened Wooyoung with a 'scandal', I didn't want to do the same to Seungho. Instead I returned his smile.

“I was just wishing for someone I could talk to and plopp! There you were!”, I said.

He sat down and motioned me to do the same. “Well, now that I'm here, what do you want to talk about?”

“There are so many things, I don't know where to start....uhm....ah! Seungho Oppa, you won't guess what I found out several days ago!" I paused. "My Mom's still alive!”

He widened his eyes. “What? Are you sure? But how?”

“My aunt gave me a letter written by my Dad. He wrote that my Mom was an important witness in a murder case and in order to protect my Dad and me from the murderer's wrath, she faked her death. My Dad knew it all these years and he didn't tell me! And on top of that, my Mum never didn't even contact him or me once in the past eleven years!”

“Okay, calm down first. So you're saying that your Mum faked her death and cut off all contact with your family to protect you?" When I nodded, he continued. "Ha Ni, I think I can understand why your Dad didn't tell you. I'm sure that he didn't want to worry you. He wanted you to live a carefree life until it was the right time to tell you.”

“But he didn't get the chance to do it in person in the end.”, I said bitterly.

He put a hand on my shoulder. “I'm so sorry for your loss, Ha Ni.”

“Thank you, Oppa.”, I said and smiled ruefully. “But why didn't my Mum contact us?”

“Well, I'm not sure but I would guess that she is afraid that the bad guy would find you if she contacted you.”

“But he's already dead! He died several years ago in a fight in prison.”

He considered. “Then maybe she doesn't know that he's dead? Do you have any idea where she could be?”

“No, I don't/ But I do know where my Mom's best friends living. She may know where my Mom is right now.”

“Well, then you should definitely visit your Mum's best friend.”

I grinned. “You know, as luck would have it, my Mom's best friend is living near this vacation house.”

“She does?”, he asked surprisedly.

“Yes, in fact I planned to visit her today, I just couldn't come up with the courage to do so yet.”

“Why not? What are you afraid of?”

“I'm....I'm not so sure myself...you know...what if she doesn't know where my Mom is? That would totally crush my hopes. And what if she does know but she can't or won't tell me?”

“Instead of thinking 'what if', you should just go there and find out. If you don't, you'll surely regret it. Take advantage of the fact that we're here right now and visit her.”

“Oppa, may ask for a favour?”

“Of course.”

“Could you come with me?”

“You mean, you want me to accompany you when you're visiting your mom's best friend?”

I nodded.

“You really want me to be there? It's a personal matter after all.”, he said hesitantly.

“Didn't you once say that I'm like a sister to you? Well, you're like a brother to me and that's why I want you to accompany me. Please, I'm scared of going alone.”

He chuckled. “Ha Ni, you're behaving like a little kid who's scared of going to the dentist.” He patted my head. “Okay, I'll come with you.”

“Thank you, thank you, thank you! I owe you, Oppa!”, I said happily. “You know, you, and Minah, are the only people who know about the matter with my Mom.”

He looked at me confusedly. “Didn't you tell Wooyoung?”

There it was. This topic had to come up some time.

I sighed. “Well....this is the other matter I wanted to talk about....”

And then I told him everything. I told him about my conflicted feelings for Yoseob, my unwavering feelings for Wooyoung and the dispute between me and him.

“Oh, Ha Ni, what am I going to do with you?” He sighed. “Complicated things just keep popping up your life, don't they? You're like a magnet for trouble.”

I pouted. “It's not like I was asking for this, Oppa.”

“So he's been treating you badly ever since?”

“Now, he's just ignoring me. And when he's looking at me, I only get a blank face from him. I'm dying to know what's going through his mind, but I'm also afraid to find out what he's really thinking about me right now. I don't think that there are pretty thoughts going through his mind. I'm quite sure that some of his thoughts probably contain some cuss words.”

“Give him time, Ha Ni. I know that he really loves you. He's just hurt right now.”

“I never intended to hurt him.”

“I know, Ha Ni, I know. If we could choose who we fall in love with, things would be so much easier.”

“So you're not going to scold me for being so stupid to mess up my perfect relationship with Wooyoung Oppa?”

“No, why should I? Your heart decided who to fall in love with. I know that our heart or mind don't always agree with each other. Yes, it's a pity that it didn't work out between you and Wooyoung but now isn't the time to mop around.” He paused. “By the way, did you already talk with him?”

“No, he's pretty much ignoring me all the time. He doesn't even want to listen to what I have to say, I quote 'Don't insult me with lame excuses.' Like I said, he hattes me right now.”, I said and sighed.

“And what does Yoseob have to say about this matter?”

“Uhm...well...to be honest, he doesn't know about the breakup. But he has also pretty much made it clear that he doesn't want to be involved with me.”

“Did he really say that?”, he asked, arching an eye brow at me.

“Yes. He told me that the kiss didn't mean anything to him and that it was just an accident. He also said that he doesn't intend to have a relationship right now.”

He frowned. “Well, that's weird. I didn't expect him to be so harsh, especially not after...” He trailed off.

“After what?”, I asked.

“No, I'm sorry. I was just thinking. It's not important.” He looked at me. “Well, the only advice I can give you right now is to give Wooyoung some time to cope with things and then maybe, he'll be ready to listen to what you have to say. Just remember that everything is going to be alright. Maybe not today, but eventually.”

“Okay. Thank you for listening to my problems, Oppa.”

“I'll always be here if you need me.” He considered. “So...when do you intend to visit your Mum's best friend?”

“Are you free around 6pm?”

“Yes, I guess.”, he said and smiled.

“Great! Let's meet at 6pm at this bench, okay?”

“Okay.”

“Well, then I will head back to the vacation house to practice.” I stood up. "Thanks again for listening to my problems. It means a lot to me.”

He stood up, too. “Like I said, I'll always be here if you need me.”

I gave him a smile and headed back to the vacation house. There, I went straight to the practice rooms but they were filled with trainees, so I decided to grab my music player and went to the Garden to practice on my own.

When it was 5.30pm, I returned to the vacation house to take a quick shower and to change clothes. Then I headed to the meeting place. Looking at my watch, I noticed that it wasn't 6pm yet. I sat down on the bench, waiting for Seungho to arrive.

“May I sit down?”, someone asked.

I looked up and saw Kyung Mi standing in front of me.

“Of course. Come, take a seat.”, I said and patted the free space on the bench.

Kyung Mi sat down. We didn't say anything for a while. Ever since we went to this MT, Kyung Mi has been kinda distant towards me. She only waved at me when she saw me and then disappeared as fast as possible. It was like she was trying to avoid me. Bu maybe I was just imagining things and she was just busy.

“So...how have you been?”, she asked after a while.

“Uhm....I'm fine. A bit nervous but generally, I'm fine. And you?”

“I'm okay.”

Silence.

“So...you know, I've heard about...uhm....the matter with Wooyoung Oppa and you.”

I widened my eyes. “From whom?”

“Some JYP staff members are gossiping and assuming things but I know it from Wooyoung Oppa himself.”

“So he told everyone, huh?”, I asked, a disappointed tone in my voice.

“No, I'm the only one who knows it from him.”

“I see.”

She looked at me. “Ha Ni, is it true? Did you cheat on him with someone else? You know, I didn't want to believe it at first because I know how much you love him...” She paused. “But then I couldn't find a reason why he would lie to me.”

I gulped. “It's....it's true...”

“I see.”

It happened too fast for me to process it properly but when I came to myself, I was sitting on the ground, holding my aching cheek while Kyung Mi was looking down at me, rubbing her hand.

“What...what the heck? Why did you hit?”, I asked outrageously.

“You deserve way more than just a simple hit, you lying .”

“What are you talking about?”

“I thought you were different. I thought that you saw more in him than just his status as an idol. I thought that you really loved him. What a fool I've been.”

“Are you implying that I only dated him because he's an idol? Is that what you're trying to say?”

“Don't even try to deny it.”

Ignoring the pain, I put my hands on the ground and pushed myself up. When I was on my feet again, I stepped closer to her.

“Aren't you supposed to be my friend? You should listen to my side of the story first before judging.”

“I did. You just told me that you cheated on him. What else do I need to know?”

“If you had just talked to me before using your fist, I would have told you what's really going on.”

“I don't want to listen to your lame excuses.”

“Kyung Mi, listen -”

“No, you listen right now. All those years, I have been protecting him from es who try to take advantage of his status. All those years, I was able to keep him from getting hurt.” She glared at. “And then you came and put on this 'I'm-so-innocent-and-pure'-act and deceived us. Very clever, Ha Ni. You were able to deceive us all until you found someone better than him, huh?”

“You don't know me at all.”

She smiled ruefully. “You're right, I don't. I thought I knew the one who called herself my friend but in the end, it turns out that I didn't have a friend in this person. I was just a tool in her sick game.”

“You were always my friend, Kyung Mi. Even you hitting me like this won't change it.”

“As if I'm gonna consider you a friend any longer.”

“I wasn't deceiving anyone. I'm still me. I still love Wooyoung Oppa and I never meant to hurt him.”

“Then why did you do it?”

“Because no matter how much we wish to decide who we fall in love with, in the end our heart has its own mind.”

“Bull crap!”

“I'm telling you the truth. I really love Wooyoung Oppa....it's just...that there also this other person and whenever I see him, my heart skips a beat and when he's not there, I can't stop thinking about him....I just don't understand myself anymore.” I sighed. “I don't know how to explain it.”

“So you're telling me that you were two timing with him and that other guy?” She clenched her fists. “Disgusting.”

“I never dated the other person, if that's what you're thinking. I was always loyal to Wooyoung Oppa....well, except for one accident.”

She squinted her eyes. “What accident?”

“It was a mistake. A meaningless kiss.”

“You were face with that other guy?”, she asked furiously.

“A mistake! It was a meaningless slip-up.”

“Liar.”

I didn't know why but a little voice in my head was telling me the same.

“Okay, enough. I'm sick of your excuses and lies. How stupid do you think I am, huh?” She pushed me and I staggered back several steps. “Don't you dare come close to Wooyoung Oppa again or I'll make you regret it, do you get it?” She pushed me again, and this time I fell down. She stepped closer, looking down at me. “You're just like that sick Eun Mi....maybe even worse. At least, she didn't hurt him like this.”

I winced when I saw her striking out to hit me again. With no way to escape, I closed my eyes and prepared myself for the impact. Seconds passed and nothing happened. Confused, I slowly opened my eyes. I couldn't see Kyung Mi anymore because my view of her was covered by a tall figure standing in front of me.

“A Lady shouldn't use her fists to prove her point.”, a deep voice said.

After taking a another look, I finally realized that someone was stopping Kyung Mi from hitting me by grabbing her wrist.

“Please step aside, Seungho-ssi. This matter is none of your business.”, she said, trying to pull free her arm but Seungho didn't budge.

“I'm not going to stand back and watch you hitting someone who doesn't defend himself.”

“She's not as fragile as you think. I'm quite sure that she's deceiving you, too.”

“Let me handle the consequences of my decisions.” He let go of her wrist.”I think it's better if you go now.”

She just kept staring at him, not moving. When Seungho didn't budge either, she glared at me and then she turned around and walked away.

When I saw her retreating figure, I let out a relieved sigh.

Seungho crouched down and gently placed his fingertips against my aching cheek. “Are you okay?”

I placed my hand on his, so that his palm covered my cheek. The coldness from his hand eased the stinging pain. “I'm okay. Thank you for helping me.”

“The bruise on your cheek is starting to swell, Ha Ni. Let's head back to the vacation house to -”

“No, it's just a small bruise. It doesn't even hurt anymore.” To prove my point, I slowly removed his hand from my cheek and tried to gave him a reassuring smile. But moving the muscles in the hurt area wasn't a good idea. The pain intensified for a moment and I winced.

Seungho let out a frustrated sigh. “When will you ever stop being so stubborn?”

“No, I'm really okay. Let's just forget this incident and get going. I need to visit my Mom's friend before it's too late.”

“Are you sure? Because we could still -”

“Please, let's just go before I lose the courage to do it.”

He sighed again and stood up. “Okay, you win.” He offered me his hand. I reached for it and he pulled me up.

After checking that I didn't have any other injuries, we finally left for our destination for tonight. We grabbed a cab and I told the driver the address.

“Do you know why Wooyoung's stylist attacked you?”, he asked after a while.

I kept staring out of the window. “Yes, I do.”

“Then I guess it has something to do with the dispute between you and him?”

I didn't say anything.

He sighed. “Ha Ni, you don't have to defend him. If he really did sent his stylist to you to attack you, then -”

“He didn't do it.”, I said, cutting him off.

“Then I don't understand why she would attack you like this.”

“Kyung Mi is really close with him. She is angry with me for hurting him.”

“And she hit you because of this?”

“It's possible that she thinks that by hurting him, I also betrayed her. You know, Kyung Mi and me, we are close friends, too. No, we were close friends. I don't think that she sees me as an friend anymore.” I paused. “She accused me of deceiving everyone. That I only befriended her to get close to Wooyoung and that I only dated him because of his idol status.”

He clenched his fist. “Did she really say all these things to you?”

Alarmed by the surpressed anger in his voice, I quickly turned to him. He wasn't looking at me. No, he was staring ahead, his jaw clenched. I have never seen him like this before. He was always like a calm presence next to me.

I put my hands on his clenched fist, causing him to look at me. Seeing the pleading look in my eyes, he relaxed a bit.

“Don't do this again, Ha Ni.”

“Do what again?”, I asked confusedly.

“Don't defend him.”

“I'm not defending him.”

“No, you didn't say it but I can see it in your eyes.” He unclenched his fist and reached for my hand. “Even though he didn't directly sent her to you, he is still the reason that you got hurt. That's inexcusable.”

“But he probably didn't know that she would confront me.”

“It's highly possible that he shares the same opinion as Kyung Mi-ssi. And no matter how hurt he is, accusing you of this nonsense is inexcusable.”

“Oppa, we don't know for sure if he really thinks so, too. Please, don't jump to conclusions too quickly.” I looked into his eyes. “It isn't like you to judge based on assumptions.”

He tensed and let go of my hand. Then he leaned back against his seat, closed his eyes and took several breaths. I saw him slowly relaxing again.

“Seungho Oppa?”

He slowly opened his eyes. “I'm sorry, Ha Ni. I don't know what got into me.” He sighed. “It's just that I'm worried about you.”

“I know. And thank you.”

“You really don't want me to talk to him?”

“No, please don't do it.”

“Okay. But I won't stand still if something happens to you again. Mistake or not, attacking you goes too far.” He paused. “It's the least I can do to protect you.“

I smiled. “You don't need to protect me, Oppa. I'm not a damsel in distress.“

“No, but you're a sister to me in everything but blood. I can't help but feel protective when it comes to you.“

“Shouldn't you protect your girlfriend instead? I can watch over myself.“, I chuckled.

I finally made him smile. “She won't mind. She knows that I protect those who are close to me.“

Whenever he talked about his girlfriend, I could see the tenderness and love in his eyes. His girl was really lucky to have him. One day, I'd want to meet the person who was at the receiving end of his love.

“Later, when we return to Seoul and you have time, I'd really want you to meet her.“, he said, as if he was reading my mind.

“You don't have to if you don't want, Oppa. I don't want to be too nosy.“

He chuckled. “The curiosity's written all over your face, Ha Ni. You allowed me to accompany you today, even though it's a private matter. This means a lot to me and that's why I want to introduce her to you.“

“Don't tell me you want my blessing for your relationship...?“, I asked and laughed.

“I would never dare to date someone who doesn't have your approval!“, he said in mocked outrage.

I grinned. “Don't tell her you said that or she'll hate me before even meeting me.“

“I'm sure you both will like each other.“

“What makes you so sure that she won't hate my guts?“

“Because you two are very alike.“

“Alike? What do you mean exactly?“, I asked confusedly.

He smiled. “You'll see when you meet her.“

“You do know that I hate it when you're being evasive, don't you?“

“Yes, I'm well aware of that fact.“

Before I could come up with a witty retort, the car came to a halt. All the forgotten nervousness suddenly returned. I could feel my whole body trembling.

Suddenly I felt a warm hand on my shoulder. Looking up, I was staring right into his eyes. “It'll be okay, Ha Ni. I'm here wih you.“, he said softly.

I took a deep breath and let his encouraging words sink in. When I was sure that I was ready to go, I nodded at him. “Okay, I'm ready.“

Seungho quickly paid the driver, purposely ignoring my protests, and then we were already walking towards the house of my Mom's best friend.

The last time I saw her was several years after my Mom's 'death'. She visited us several times but her visits got rarer with every passing month. Then she stopped visiting us, just disappearing without a note. When we moved to Korea, my Aunt told me that my Mom's best friend had also moved to Korea. She was like family to me but her disappearance broke my heart and I haven't forgiven her ever since. That's why it took every ounce out of me to come here today.

When we stood in front of the door, I hesitated before ringing the bell. Seungho didn't say anything. He was just standing next to me, like the calming presence he always was.

It felt like an eternity before I finally heard steps behind the door.

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A/N:

Hey there ~

And here we are again! 

This time it didn't take several months for me to update hahah

I really hope you like this chapter.

I was constantly considering to take out the detailed part about the trouble maker dance, but then I thought that it was important to describe Ha Ni's feelings while being so close to Wooyoung again. I hope you guys don't mind :)

Please keep commenting to let me know what you guys think about this chapter!

Thank you and I love y'all ^___^