“Sam?” Eric’s voice snapped me back to reality. “Relax. You’re doing it again. Jumping to conclusions, I mean. Kris is smarter than you give him credit for. He knows what’s real and what’s not. He’s part of this industry for crying out loud.”

Eric’s right and wrong at the same time. Yes, I’m worried at someone but it’s not Kevin. I know he had understood that it is just but speculations of the public. I’m more vexed at the idea that Woo Bin oppa has to answer and sprout lies for the nth time. I have caused him enough pain and the recent news is just adding insult to his injury.

I fished out my phone and dialed his number. It rang three times before he picked up.

“Hello?” he slurred. He must have not looked at the caller ID.

“Oppa, it’s me,” I answered.

“Sam?” A pause. I figured he looked at the phone’s display to make sure it’s really me. “What’s up?” His voice was weary.

“Have you seen the news? We’re on headlines.”

“I have. How are you holding up?” he said, sounding so concerned. “I’m pretty sure Eric is having a hard time.”

“I should be asking you that and Eric’s doing fine.” I glanced at Eric who was busy talking on the phone, waving his arms in irritation. He has been answering the press’ calls for hours now, repeating the same speech he has rehearsed.

“I’m good. You don’t need to worry.” His tone was reassuring but I could sense there’s still something wrong. Broken heart doesn’t heal overnight, that I’m sure of.

“Okay, if you say so,” I replied, lost of words.

A knock sounded through the phone before Woo Bin oppa could say something. “Uh, Sam, I’ll call you back later, alright?” he said but he must have forgotten to hang up because I could still hear his footsteps fading. I shrugged and was about to end the call when I heard a familiar voice. Kevin?

“You planned all this, didn’t you?” Kevin said, his voice getting closer.

“Look, Kris, I know something’s going on with you and Sam, and that our fake relationship bothers you but I want you to know that I know how to draw a line,” Woo Bin oppa responded in an exasperated voice. “Sam and I are just a show for people to watch. That’s all we’ll going to be.”

“Yeah? Then how do you explain the news written about last night? Don’t tell me it just so happen that you were sitting near the window and coincidentally, the paparazzi was there to capture the moment.” Kevin didn’t even try to hide the anger in his voice.

“Kris, calm down a moment,” oppa said but it sounded like he’s saying it more to himself than to Kevin. “Fine, I admit that I called Sam last night and told her to come down to the café.”

“See? You lured her to the café so that somebody sees you and takes a picture of the two of you. And of course, Sam will get tangled into this made up relationship until she doesn’t find her way out.”

“What? Why would I do that to her?” Woo Bin oppa’s voice rose a note higher.

“Because you want her. You love her. And when you learned that she and I got together, you got scared that you might lose her so you drag her into this mess again.”

Woo Bin oppa breathed a sigh, surprisingly heavy to have been heard over the phone. They must be near to where the phone is. “You’re right, I’m in love with her but I wouldn’t be that selfish as to the extent of using the issues about us to pull her towards me. She loves you more than you know and I don’t have any means to change that. Even if I have, I wouldn’t want to. I respect her-”

My heart bled of guilt again and I couldn’t take to hear his pained voice so I ended the call. He has hurt more than enough and Kevin hasn’t done me a favor by confronting Woo Bin oppa and sticking daggers to his already shattered heart. A sudden flame of anger surged through me. I fumbled for my phone again and texted Kevin.

Meet me tonight at your practice room. We need to talk.

***

The practice room is back to its normal state. The last time I was there, it was decorated with balloons and roses and flowers. Our first date, I thought, memories splashing uninvited. I shook it off and tried not to think of what would happen after this night.

The door creaked open thirty minutes later and Kevin entered quietly as if not wanting to disrupt the silence that enveloped the room.

“Hey,” he said when he sat down beside me.

I said nothing. The anger from this morning hasn’t subsided a bit. The silence stretched on and he squirmed uneasily beside me.

“Sam, what’s wrong? We’ve been sitting here for minutes now and you haven’t said anything,” he said, breaking the silence. “What do you want to talk about?”

“Why…,” I began, finally finding my voice. “Why did you do it, Kevin? Why did you go to Woo Bin oppa’s house and confronted him?”

“What? How did you know about that? Did he tell you?”

“It doesn’t matter how I learned about it. I’m asking why you have to go and make things worse!”

“Sam, I am your boyfriend and I went there bec