“Dujun-sshi, we’re here. Let’s go.” his manager commanded.

“Alright, hyung…” reluctantly, he exited the car.

Dujun has promotional photo-shoot with Ji Hyun today. They received so much offer together, whether for product promotions or interviews. ‘A good example as idols ex-couple that still maintaining good friendship’, that’s how the press put it. Receiving so much offer was good, but he hate the fact that it always came for him together with Ji Hyun. Rejecting those offer was not a choice, since Cube gratefully accepted each and every single one of it where his schedules seems fit. They were good opportunities for the company, he even being told to take it all professionally. Feeling obligated and thinking only what’s good for Cube, Dujun put his heavy feelings aside. What he afraid the most was not his feelings, but yours. You might get hurt seeing all the reports about him and Ji Hyun.

 

“Dujun-sshi, look at Ji Hyun-sshi with passion, just like when you’re in love, perhaps?”

“Ah, hyung!” he exclaimed to the photographer.

“What? Don’t be shy, Dujun-sshi. I need those feeling, those chemistry like back in the day.”

She laughed. “Come on, Dujun-sshi. You can do this!” she put both her hands on Dujun’s shoulders. “See? Ji Hyun-sshi cool with it? Come on, Dujun-sshi? Just this time, okay?”

“Alright, alright. Hyung, make it good okay? Let’s finished this fast.”

“Arasso…give me good expression then.”

The photo-shoot continued.

“Let’s finished this fast, huh? Hate me that much?” she whispered while maintaining her smile for the camera.

“Yes.” he whispered.

“You think I will let you go that easy?” they changed their pose again. This time he has to wrap his hands around her waist. Her head rested on his shoulder.

“How’s __________? Enjoying your pathetic marriage with her?”

His eyes widen, surprised by Ji Hyun knowledge of your name. He tried to control his face and smiled again.

“She’s been busy at the café lately, right?”

He pressed his hand tighter at her waist until she shuddered in pain. Yet she smiled.

“Leave her alone.” His voice stern.   

She laughed, displaying her happy face. Dujun chuckled at her. He glared, filled with reasons to kill. But the photographer mistook them by thinking he gave her an adoring, loving look. Their sweet smile could fooled anyone around.  

“That’s it, Dujun-sshi! That’s what I want! More, I want more!”

“So she’s important to you now?” she whispered again before changing her position. This time they both facing the camera with her back-hugging him. He sat on a stool and she placed her head on his shoulder. He maintained his loving look.

“Yes.”

“You happy?”

“Totally.”

“Huh. What a joke!” She pinched him hard on his waist, angry.

“You’re a joke!” he hissed at her, then smiled again for the camera.

“We’ll see, Dujun. We’ll see…” her smile filled with confidence. Dujun could smell a threat from her words.

“That’s it! I got it all! Let’s wrap it all here! Thank you, Dujun-sshi, Jihyun-sshi~!” the photographer yelled. All the staff applauded themselves for all the hard work. Dujun spread his hands out, signalled for a congratulatory hug to Ji Hyun.

 

“I warn you. Don’t touch her.”

 

“What will you do if I did?”

 

 

******

 

 

Paakk!

Warm blood rushed to your face. How does it feel when you walk alone on your way home, enjoying the scenery but seddenly a slap out of no where rea hed your cheek? It . Brushing your redden cheek slightly, you sneered at her.

“What are you doing?!”

“Having some fun.” She snickered. 

“W-What??!!”

It felt worse when your pride being trampled on the street.

“I’m enjoying myself right now.”

Ji Hyun raised her right arm again, ready to give you another blow. You grabbed her wrist tight. Unfortunately, her left hand reached your right cheek. It was so hard you lost your grip on your groceries bags. They fell and scattered all its content on the pavement.

“You cannot stop me, !” she brushed your hand harshly and freed herself. "Dujun warned me not to touch you."

For a split second, your heart fluttered. I know he will protect me.

"Playing all the good husband role, wanting to protect you from me. What a joke!! But I guess he knows how mean I could be. But he's not here to protect you right now, aren't he? I'm so dissapointed with him. I almost think he knew me well enough. Does he forgot that the more he tell me not to, the more I want to do it. Apparently, I did. Go tell him later at home, will ya?" she taunted you with her wicked grin.

“You--”

Another slap from her breaking your personal life’s record: triple blow.

“That felt good. Ahaha!! Don't touch you? He was so wrong! I'll touch you million times more!! How could I stop if it feel this good?” like winning an Olympic gold medal, her satisfying smile make you sick. 

“That’s it!” you wanted to retaliate. I could be mean too, you wretched !

 

 

“___________-ah!”

Before your flying kick could reached her hateful face, you heard Chansung call you from behind. He ran to you and hold you close.

“What is this? What do you think you’re doing?! Are you crazy??!” he growled at Ji Hyun and automatically shielded you close behind his back. He could kill her with his look.

“Do you know her, _________-ah?”

You didn’t answer his question. It will became too complicated.

"Wow! Another knight in shinIng armor! Pfft!" she's annoyed and angry.

“Go! Leave!!” Ji Hyun jolted from Chansung's loud voice. He moved one step forward, threatening her to leave. She moved one step backward. She gave you one hateful look before she walked away.

"This will be interesting. See you again, Cinderella." Ji Hyun arrogantly left the scene.

Chansung turned around to you. “Are you okay, __________-ah? She hit you, did she?” Chansung cupped your face and softly caressed your red cheeks.

“I’m okay, Chansung. I’m alright.” Softly brushing away his hands, you bent lower and picked up all your scattered groceries. He helped you and in no time, it all goes back into your plastic bags.

“Thank you, Chansung-ah…” having said his name softly, Chansung looked at you in disbelief.

“You… you called me...Chansung-ah?”

“Yes. But don’t get too excited. I’m just being grateful to you. You help me scared that wretched away anyway.”

“Not a problem. I saw her with you from afar. I knew there’s something wrong by her gestures. I'm sure she slapped you. I'm relived I cam just in time. Come to thInk about it, I think I did help her instead."

You looked confused.

"She might get scarred for life if you did your 'thing'." he chuckled. "Do you know her? What’s her problem with you?”

“Nothing…”

“There must be something. She furiously coming at you, ___________-ah. How can it be nothing?”

“Chansung, stop it.”

“Alright, alright. I got it. I’m sorry…” he raised both of his hands, surrendered.

You cupped your cheeks. They felt hot even in the cold weather. She did slapped you with all her might, you could say.

“Ah pa-yo?” Your cheeks… Come. Let sit first.” Chansung dragged you to the nearest bench. “You, wait here.” After a few minutes, he came with a couple of cold canned drinks. He pressed both of the cans on your cheeks, respectively. “There, you’ll feel better.” He smiled, a sweet smile that you once dying to see.

“Thank you, Chansung-ah…” you lowered your gaze.

"Does it feel better?"

You nodded.

“We keep crossing our path lately, don’t you think so ________-ah?”

“I guess…”

“Maybe it’s a good thing I got a job around here.” he smiled. 

“Chansung, what about your job with my dad?”

“It’s not working. You and I both knew how your dad were.”

You could only imagine a selfish and intolerant corporate guy dressed up in suit and tie all the time. 

“That big contract I was fighting to secure was slipping off under my eyes before I knew it. That's the end of my day at your dad's company as we know it. It happen about the same time with what happen......between us. I hit rock bottom. It took me quiet some time to pull myselft together, finally realized, that I can't control everything, I can't have everything. I accepted my defeat eventually, and moved on...”

Silent.

“You can laughed at me as much as you want, _________-ah. I was a stupid jerk back then. ‘Served you right’ or ‘what goes around, comes around’, you should say those to me.” He sighed.

You stared blankly forward. Sure, you should said those to him, but you felt not like it. Blamed your kind heart for being so forgiven.

“Lucky for me, things are getting better now. Who knew I would met you here?” he gave you the long forgotten adoring gaze.

“Forgive me but, I can't quit thinking, that maybe this is a sign. Maybe God have given a great lesson and also another chance, for  Maybe, __________-ah, maybe---” he reached for your hand, and firmly hold them in his. Stared straight to your hands in his hold, you felt like being pulled back down memory lane. And...and it was not right. You flinched and loosen your hands from his. 

“I-I should go home. My husband probably waiting for me. Thanks again for today, Chansung.” You walked and left him behind.

 

 

 

Arrived at home, you hurried into the kitchen and prepared dinner. Dujun said he could have dinner with you today, but you wasn’t sure what time he could be back home. Finished cooking, you set the dining table for two. Then the door flung open.

“Oppa! You’re back?”

No replies. You ran towards the living room. Dujun threw his body on the couch.

“Oppa! Dinner’s ready. Do you want to eat now?” you sat next to him and helped him removed his socks before placing his slippers again.

“Oppa?”

Dujun stood up and walked to the dining table. You followed him and served the white fish soup from the pot into his bowl. Then you served one for yourself. Dujun starts eating. No specific expression on his face.

“Oppa, your schedules ended for today?”

“Hmm.”

“Really?” you looked seriously at him. They rarely finished practices or schedules early lately. His gaze changed towards you.

“Wae? Not happy that I’m home early?”

“Ani, oppa. I’m happy you’re home early. You’ve been too busy lately…”

“Got any problem with that?” His straight tone surprised you.

“N-No, of course not oppa…” You lowered your gaze.

Dujun continued eating in silence.

Maybe he’s too tired. Please understand him, _________.

“What are you doing today?” he suddenly asked.

“Me? As usual. After work, I went shopping for some groceries. Then I came back home. Nothing much, oppa.”

You heard his heavy sigh.

“Is that all that you did today, hmm?” he stared at you again. Cold.

“Y-Yes, oppa. That’s all…”

I shouldn’t told him about Ji Hyun…and Chansung, should I?

He slammed his chopsticks down. Dujun left you without words at the dining table and head upstairs. You blinked your eyes repeatedly, couldn’t believe what you just saw. Dujun had never been this rude at the table, in front of the food. Minutes later, he head down after changed his clothes.

“I’m going out.”

You ran towards him and grabbed his hand.

“Oppa, where are you going? You said you schedules ended.”

Silent.

“Oppa, waegeurae yo? You’ve never been like this.”

“Ask yourself that.” His deep stare left you speechless.

The next thing you heard was the sound of the front door slammed shut.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

“___________-ah, my baby. What time you finished your work today?”

“Around 5.30 oppa? Why?”

“I’ll go pick you up.”

“No need, oppa. I can walk back home on my own.”

“It’s okay. Today I can go back early anyway. No schedule tonight. I’ll pick you up after work, arasso?”

“Oppa, really? Don’t come oppa…I don’t want you to.”

 

No voices heard on the line for a while.

 

“Oppa, it’s too risky. Especially for you. We promised to keep this a secret, right?”

“I know. I’ll put my best disguise. We’ll be alright. No one will notice.”

“Oppa, there’s too many people around my café and the street every evening. Please, oppa. It’s too dangerous. I walked back home on my own.”

Silent again.

“Oppa? Oppa?”

“Yes, I’m still here…”

“I need to go. I’ll meet you at home later, oppa. Bye.”

You ended the call.

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

After a couple of hour driving without destination, Dujun drove to the dorm. He parked his car at the basement car park but stayed inside. He firmly gripped the steering wheel. He tried to clear his mind but every time those scene between you and Chansung replayed in front of his eyes, his anger arisen. He wasn’t sure though if he was angry at you or Chansung, and if his anger was actually a disappointment. He didn’t know for how long he sat there in his car and only brought back to reality when Hyunseung knocked his window.

“Dujun!”

Hyunseung knocked his car window again when Dujun not responding. After a while, Dujun turned off his car and went out. He leaned against the door.

“Dujun-ah, what’s wrong? Are you sick?”

“No…” he sighed.

“Then? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing…”

“Why aren’t you at home?

Silent.

“Something’s bothering you. What is it?” Hyunseung leaned next to him and patted his shoulder.

Always being a reliable group member and most importantly an honest friend, Dujun almost spilled what he saw earlier. By the look on Dujun’s face, Hyunseung could felt something bothering him almost instantly. But Dujun refused to say a word. 

Silent.

“Come on. Let’s go inside.”

Dujun weakly nodded.

 

 

------------------------

 

 

“Hello? Junhyung oppa?”

“Yes, it’s me. Hold on for a sec.”

Junhyung walked away, distancing himself from the living room, where’s Dujun sat, watching the movie with the others.

“Junhyung oppa, does Dujun oppa there? Have you seen him? He didn’t answer my calls.”

”He’s here, ___________-ah. Why? Is something wrong?”

“Junhyung oppa, should I go there? I need to talk to him.”

“I think that’s not a good idea right now, ___________-ah. He’s not in a good mood. I haven’t seen him like this.”

“I know…that’s why I’m worried.”

“What happen anyway? Did you two fight?”

“I’m not sure if you could call it that. I’m confused too, oppa...” you sighed on the line.

“Tell me, _________-ah. What happen?”

“We had dinner together. He asked me about my day, and I told him. Then he slammed his chopsticks and left me alone. Then he left home. I don’t know, oppa. I don’t know…” Junhyung could heard you sobbed through the line. You couldn’t hide it from him.

“There, there ___________-ah. Stop crying, my angel. I’ll try talk to him, okay?”

“I'm sorry. oppa, for bothering you with my problem but, I don't know what I should do... I'm sorry, oppa..."

"Now, now, no need to apologize, _______-ah. You could count on me anytime. I'm always here for you...always, _________-ah."

"Thanks, oppa. Please, tell me everything he said. I really don’t have a clue what I did wrong. Please, oppa.”

“Arasso, arasso. Now go to bed, _____________-ah. It’s late already.”

“Ne, oppa. Good night…”

 

Junhyung hung up his phone. He sat back at his spot, next to Dujun. His straight look scared Junhyung, too. When Dujun was mad, he is mad. Dujun’s phone vibrated again. Everyone who sat on the same couch could feel it. Irritated by the vibration, Gikwang scoffed at him.

“Pick up your phone already, Dujun.”

He glanced at Gikwang, but Gikwang ignored him. He took out his phone from his pocket. Your contact name flashed on the screen. Exhaled heavily, he took off the phone’s battery and threw them on the table. Surprised by his action, they stared at him. He stood up and went to his room. Before the others could said anything, he slammed the door.

Junhyung kicked Gikwang’s leg.

“Aish, really Gikwang-ah? Leave him alone, will ya?”

“Wae? What’s wrong with him?” Gikwang bewildered.

“I think something’s not right at home, between him and _________-ah.”

“Should we be worried, Jun?” Yoseob mumbled.

“I’ll talk to him.” Junhyung went to his room. Even though Dujun spent his night mostly at home with you, his still have his own bed at the dorm. He shared same bedroom with Junhyung. Junhyung opened the door, and saw Dujun sat at the edge of his bed with an empty look. Junhyung closed the door and sat beside him, mimicking his gestures.

“Dujun, what’s wrong?”  

 

 

Silent.

 

 

“I can never be a stupid fool again, right?”

 

 

 

-----------------

 

 

You woke up and rushed to the toilet for the nth time. You felt sick and had already throw up everything that you have for dinner. Yet the nauseating feeling kept coming and you vomiting air bubbles and yellowish mucus since nothing could come out from your stomach anymore. Your throat burned, you neck stiffed, and your head felt dizzy. Tears kept falling from the pain. When you felt a bit better and tried to get some sleep, you’ve been forced to run to the toilet again. It’s like a never ending wave.

The last thing you heard was the sound of running water from the faucet.