Seohyun’s eyes widened as Yonghwa put his arm around her shoulders and drew her close to his side. “Yes, she’s my fiancée,” he told the reporter.

“What is going on here?” Kyuhyun asked, approaching them. A crowd was already forming around Yonghwa and Seohyun.

Seohyun couldn’t think. She stared dumbly at the reporters, never really understanding the stream of questions aimed at her.

“Hyun,” Kyuhyun held her arm and tried to make her face him. He heard the questions and his face turned grim. “You’re marrying him? What kind of a joke is this?”

Seohyun just looked at Kyuhyun.

“Let’s get out of here,” Kyuhyun pulled Seohyun from the scene but something stopped him.

Yonghwa was holding Seohyun’s other arm and he wouldn’t let go.

“Let go of her,” Kyuhyun said in a low menacing voice.

“I’ll only let go when she says so. You don’t decide for her,” Yonghwa answered in an equally menacing tone.

The reporters and the guests who were watching the scene grew excited. It’s like watching a movie or a drama.

“Seohyun-ssi,” a reporter began. “I’ve heard earlier that this guy here is your fiancé,” she said, indicating at Kyuhyun. “But why is Yonghwa claiming to be your fiancé now? Will you tell us the truth? Who is really your fiancé?”

A hush fell over the crowd as everyone held their breath for Seohyun’s answer.

But instead of speaking, she turned around and ran away.
 

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Minho stood alone in a corner of the mansion’s vast lawn, near the gate, leaning on a wrought-iron bench and staring up at the stars. Peace and quiet…finally, he thought. He had always been a shy guy. He hated crowds and parties, but he overlooked this downside of fame just to do what he had always loved to do: dancing.

Faint strains of music, laughter and conversation from inside the huge house floated through the night. He loved how he would never have to smile and try talking to people he only knew by name while he was out there. How about if he wouldn’t come back inside? He pulled out his mobile phone and started dialing Onew’s number.

“There you are!” a cheerful voice behind him said. His shoulders sagged. He undoubtedly knew who it was.

“Who’re you calling?” Krystal asked as she came to stand beside Minho.

Minho pushed the end call button before his Jinki hyung could even answer the call. He put the phone back in the pocket of his trousers.

“What are you doing here? You should be inside,” he told Krystal.

She pouted. She looked cuter every time she does that. “I was looking for you. You just disappeared after dancing with me.”

“You know, you shouldn’t be here. A lot of guys will surely miss you in there.”

“I don’t care. I wouldn’t miss any of them anyway,” she wrinkled her nose. Then she looked up at him and smiled warmly. “It’s you I’d miss if I don’t see you.”

Minho grew uncomfortable. Really, this girl is so frank and straightforward. He didn’t like it. His ideal girl should be modest – just like Seohyun. And suddenly she appeared before him like an apparition. Or was he just imagining things?

“Unnie?” he heard Krystal say. Seohyun was real, then.

She was panting and she looked lost.

“Are you okay, unnie?” Krystal asked.

Seohyun’s eyes focused on Krystal. “Krystal…” she spoke softly. “I need to go home.”

“Do you want me to find Yoona unnie? I’ll go and look for her inside,” Krystal turned to go but Seohyun stopped her.

“No, no…” Seohyun shook her head. “There’s no need for that. I’ll just tell the guard outside to hail me a cab.”

“I can take you home,” Minho offered.

Both ladies turned to look at him.

“No, it’s okay, really…” Seohyun started to refuse.

“Please,” Minho insisted. “I want to take you home.”

Seohyun felt too weak to argue and besides, she was running out of time. She needed to get away from there fast.

He called Onew and asked him to tell the valet who was just at the entrance of the mansion to get his car for him. Minutes later his car was parked on the driveway right in front of them.

“Come on,” he called to Seohyun as the valet handed him his keys.

She still looked lost but she followed him to the waiting car anyway.

Krystal followed Seohyun. “May I go, too?”

“No,” Minho answered and Krystal’s heart sank. “Go back inside. Your Jessica unnie might already be looking for you.”

 .......................................................................................................................................................................................................
 

Yonghwa gulped the remaining brandy from his half-empty goblet. He was already getting dizzy and his thoughts were running a bit slower than usual. His mind is growing numb, but the alcohol didn’t really diminish the pain he felt. He knew he was getting drunk minute by minute as he sat there in one corner, oblivious to the party and the crowd. They’re ignoring him, or were pretending to, anyway, so he wasn’t really obliged to be nice and chat with anyone because no one comes up to him. No one… well, except for her. She just occupied the seat next to him and eyed him curiously.

“Oppa…” she began. She was very young and pretty, and he had never seen her before. He wondered if she was one of those girls who wait around for an opportunity to flirt with him and if they’re lucky, make out with him. At this point in time, if it’s what she wants, she might actually get it. He was down and miserable and he needed company and it really doesn’t matter if that company’s not Seohyun.

“Do you like me?” he asked the girl drunkenly.

The girl shrugged. “You’re cute and talented, I guess.”

She’s playing hard to get by acting no-nonsense.

“Do you want to go someplace?” Or my place – he wanted to add.

“No, not really.”

She’s playing it a bit too much he’s losing interest.

“Then what do you want from me if you don’t want to be with me?”

“I just need someone to talk to,” she said. Suddenly her eyes widened as the implication of his questions sank in. “Oh no, you thought I want to…” she trailed off and stood up.

“So it’s true. You really are a jerk,” she told him.

Yeah, he really is a jerk. That’s why he lost Seohyun. That’s why she wouldn’t take him back.

He reached out and held the girl’s arm to stop her from going away.

“Look, I’m really sorry. It’s just that I’m not really feeling well and…”

“It really isn’t obvious, you know. I’m not really feeling super myself right now but I don’t go arrogant and assume every boy who sits beside me and talks to me just wants to get inside my pants,” she answered sarcastically.

He smiled at the girl’s wit. “I’m a jerk and I’m very sorry. Can we start over? I’m Jung Yonghwa. And you are?”

“Krystal Jung,” she took the hand he offered, mellowing a bit. “And I know who you are. And I know why you’re drunk and still drinking.”

“Ah…the power of mass media,” he said, half-amused. “But do you believe in any of it?”

She sat back down and shrugged. “To tell you the truth, oppa, I really don’t care. But the boy I love is infatuated with the girl you love and he took her home just a while ago so, you can say that I’m interested with anything concerning Han Seohyun now.”

Yonghwa eyed her with interest. “So, there’s another rival for me, huh?”

“You should really be threatened, you know,” she warned. “He’s good-looking and talented and nice. Well, he can be a bit aloof and cold sometimes, but he’s nice.”

He laughed. “Isn’t that a bit biased?” Now that he took a good look at Krystal, he could see that she was indeed very young and now that they’re talking, she appealed to him not as a take home trophy but a kid sister. A kid sister who arouses one’s protective instincts. Hmmm, reminds him of someone. This one in front of him seemed tough, though. She doesn’t seem to be needy or weak or at least she doesn’t act that way so she could manipulate people. Pain squeezed his heart as he remembered Jiyeon and what she did to him and Seohyun.

“So Krystal, what do you want me to do?” he said.

“I want you to do the obvious. Get the girl so that Minho will never have the chance and will finally stop pining for her,” she said frankly.

“So the guy’s name is Minho. Is this the Minho of SHINee you’re talking about?”

She nodded.

“So you want me to cause hurt and disappointment to the boy you love?”

She looked at him. “He will be hurt and disappointed for a while but I’d be there for him. He wouldn’t be miserable for long.”

She knows what she wants and is not afraid to go for it. She was also determined and confident. He is liking her more every minute.

“You know what, Krystal-ssi, I’m glad you came up to me and not to Kyuhyun,” he told her.

She frowned. “The other guy who also claims to be Seohyun unnie’s fiancé? I don’t know him.”

Yonghwa let out a hollow laugh. “But do you know that I’d have a harder time winning Seohyun than he does?"

“Oh, in that case, I should go look for him and try knowing him,” she said then laughed when Yonghwa turned miserable eyes to her. “Kidding. Anyway, what made you say that?”

“Seohyun hates me.”

“And why is that?”

“It’s a long story.”

“I’m willing to listen.”

He studied her for a moment. Then, he sighed. “All right. Are you ready to be bored?”

“I don’t think I would.”

He looked away, as if looking through a mirror of his faraway past. All the painful memories came rushing back to him.

Ten years ago…