It was hard for the two to meet seeing Hanbin was training for mix and match and Mannie was busy with school. “Maybe I should enter school” Hanbin said over the phone as Mannie walked home talking to him “yeah then we can probably have more chances of meeting” Mannie told him “yes and I can kiss you in a janitor’s closet,” Hanbin said.

Mannie let out a laugh “sure” she told him smiling as she moved down the road to her house “look I got to go” Hanbin informed her “do what you got to do” she told him. “I will” Hanbin said back to her.

Hanging up the phone Mannie took in a breath sighing “Mannie” looking to her left her spotted Jungmin. A friend she made when Hanbin was too busy for her. Funny thing is he is a friend of Hanbin “hey” Mannie said faintly she wasn’t too happy to see him seeing the last time they hung out he made a move on her.

The pair sat in a café not too far from her house “Thought you moved to Japan” Mannie asked as she thanked the waiter for their drinks.  “I did” Jungmin said back as he looked to her “I missed you” he told her. Mannie looked up from sipping her iced coffee. Her eyes rested on his sad expression “well I bet you also missed the others” she stated trying to push the conversation away from herself.

Jungmin noticed this as he smiled bitterly “no Mannie” he stated stopping her nervous laugh “just you” Mannie’s eyes moved to his. Locking them, she spotted the look he gave her that very day.

Mannie sat on the roof tears staining her cheeks as she looked at the buildings. It’s been too long since she last talked to Hanbin and it was killing her. It didn’t help with that tart Nari knew everything that Hanbin felt as he went through all of this. To top it all off she was the only one actually in the dark.

“Mannie” Jungmin cheery voice filled the air as he opened the door to her back. Mannie didn’t bother to wipe her eyes nor did she face him. She was too weak to do so. “Yah Mannie-ah” he called hand touching her shoulder. Leaning down he took in her face and the smile on his slowly dropped “what’s wrong?” he asked sitting next to her and making her face him. Her eyes sat on him tracing over his features, as she kept silent.

“How about after school you come to my parents shop” Jungmin asked trying to be cheerful for her sake. “What do you say?”

“This room is right above the kitchen” Jungmin sighed as they entered the room. “That window there is so you can tell them what you want” his finger pointed to the slid window “very old fashion” Mannie smiled moving to the table. She sat on the floor cushion as she looked around. “What shall I get you two?” Jungmin’s mother asked.

Jungmin ordered as Mannie’s eyes traced the room. It was secluded unlike down stairs. Yet it still held the same aura as when they all came here. When Hanbin first introduced her as his girlfriend, the door closed as Jungmin faced the girl.

He spotted the sad expression on his face “you talked to Hanbin lately?” Mannie asked looking to the table. “No not since the day before Nari told you” Jungmin said hurt that he had to come up again. The slid door opened and their food was brought “thank you” Mannie told the woman with a soft smile. Jungmin noticed her pushing up fake happiness.

“Thanks omma” Jungmin told his mother before looking back to Mannie who took a bite of the food. The door closed and Jungmin sighed “you love him don’t you?” Jungmin asked Mannie looked to him chewing “I think so” she told him trying to read his expression. She knew the emotion she saw she just didn’t want to believe it. Jungmin was the only friend out of all of hanbins that she actually liked.

She didnt want him to gain feelings seeing she won’t return them. “He was the first person my age who made me feel ok with myself” she said with a bitter sweet smile “I liked how he made everything ok even when it wasn’t” She looked up to Jungmin who had a bitter smile on his lips. “Even when they weren’t” She said faintly.

Jungmin swallowed his food roughly, as he watched her expression an emotion that he never got from her. He hated it; he hated the fact that someone who wasn’t even around to make sure she was ok got it. He hated how careless Hanbin was being in taking care of her and he hated that he had to play the faithful friend.

Moving on an impulse, he moved next to her sitting on his knees. Mannie looked to him wondering if he would give her a hug like any other time she felt lonely but instead he didn’t. He watched her with such care that she felt venerable. Looking down she took in a breath. His hand moved down the back of her head. her hair until his hand met her neck. Shifting her head a bit, he leaned down meeting her gaze once more.

“I love you” came from his eyes before his lips expressed it any further. Mannie froze in her spot eyes widening before she felt as if her heart was caving into the feeling she felt from him. She felt as if it was loneness taking advantage of such warmth he gave her, which made it even more reasonable to pull back. Jungmin looked at her worried “this isn’t right” she breathed “him doing this to you isn’t right?” Jungmin said upset.

“Some things aren’t so simple,” she told him Jungmin bit down hard on his lips spotting the hurt in her eyes.

“Still with him” Jungmin asked after the silence “yes” Mannie said not ashamed to be. “I guess things aren’t simple” he chuckled bitterly looking down, Mannie rolled her eyes looking to the open window. “But ask yourself this” Mannie looked to him “do you honestly think this time would be any different?” Jungmin asked her. Mannie looked to him clenching the cup within her hands.

“And say if you two do make it through it all” Jungmin took in a deep breath eyes moving on to hers “do you think it will last?” Mannie shifted as he hit a sensitive question. “What do you mean by that?” she asked him. “I mean do think his fans will expect this? Do you think this will remain a secret until he decides he wants to settle down with you or until he finds the single life is better for him?” Mannie clenched her jaw together.

“Tell me many what do you plan to do with your life” Jungmin asked her with concern. “Do you really want to throw away your life so you can adjust to his?” Jungmin was reaching a point one Mannie didn’t like but she couldn’t help but think about. “I thought music is your calling” he asked the girl “it is” Mannie told him. “Then pursue it” Jungmin told her, he noticed her hostile expression and touched her hand that was clench around the glass.

“I’m stating this as a friend,” He added in. Mannie looked to his hand before breathing deeply.

Mannie walked down the road thinking on what Jungmin said to her. Her eyes moved from the walkaway to the road in front of her.

Mannie entered the house spotting Yurim dancing subtlety by the fridge and Claire eating pretzels as she looked to the paper in front of her. “Ah Mannie this came for you in the mail” Claire said holding an envelope with an elite seal. Mannie took it from her hands as she sat down at the table.

Yurim spotted her rushed movements before moving over to the pair and peering over her shoulder. Mannie pulled out the paper eyes widening as she read the first few lines “No way” she gasped Yurim couldn’t read English that well but she made out a few words. “They want you in the school” Yurim told/asked “what” Claire took it from the girl. She began to read it carefully.

Clair looked up to the girl “they requested you in the school” she spoke amazed. Mannie nodded her head with a hug smile on her lips “well are you going” Yurim asked the girl. Mannie looked to her “I don’t know” Mannie said thinking on both Hanbin and what Jungmin said.

Mannie entered her room removing her shoes before taking her phone out her pocket. She unlocked it before hitting contacts. Opening it she scrolled down stopping at his number. She took in a deep breath before opening it, placing in a text she looked to the wall.

A buzz made her look at her phone –ok well meet me at Kangjoon hyungs karaoke shop.