Loila’s POV

I picked up the note and started reading.

To whoever is reading this (hopefully this is Lola because if this isn’t, you should put it down now!),

I’ve left to go to Japan, which means I’ll finally be able to learn how to smile with my eyes (another dream of mine, but of course you knew that). I know this is sudden but I didn’t want to make a scene. Please don’t tell MBLAQ, especially Joon. I don’t want to hurt him. Lola, I said I wouldn’t be able to protect you forever and that time has come. Stay safe while I’m away and try to not be alone. I’ve told Bae to keep his hands off you so you should have one person you can hang out with. Umma said it was okay for you to stay in the house as long as you don’t cause any trouble (which isn’t hard for you, right?). Don’t miss me too much because I’ll be back before you know it. My plane will be coming at six from “terminal 1” but don’t come because I don’t want to see you cry!

-Dae

P.S I’m the one that doesn’t want to cry!

I only had to read the note twice before I fully understood it. “You’re supposed to tell me!” I growled. I could hear Bae playing guitar so I assumed he got away from Hy. I grabbed the note and knocked on his door.

“Come in.” He called. I walked in and closed the door behind me. Bae looked surprised but didn’t comment.

“You got way from Hy. I’m really sorry about before.”

“That’s alright. You have to make it up to me later though. You do cooking class, right? Next time, bring me home something!”

“I knew there was a catch.” I smiled. “Are you working on another song? I don’t recognise what you were playing before.”

“I have a few bits and pieces but not a full song.”

“That’s a shame.” I sat on the floor. “I really did like that song you played for me last time.”

“Really!?” He sat up and grinned. “I can play it again if you-”

“I’m here now because of this.” I held up the note. “Did you know about it?”

“What’s that?”

“Dae has already left for Japan and she didn’t tell me.” I explained.

“She told me she didn’t want to make it a big fuss.” He shrugged and continued to play some notes on the guitar.

“She’s an idiot!”

“Well that’s Dae!” He laughed. “Aren’t you happy for her?”

“I need to say goodbye first. Do you think she would have left yet?” I asked frantically. Bae looked at the clock and shook his head.

“You might just catch her.” I ran out of the room while thanking Bae. I grabbed my phone and called someone.

Mir’s POV

G.O and I were still running. We had been running for a good thirty minutes and I wanted to stop but couldn’t. Every time I slowed down, G.O would bribe me, which would make me suddenly want to run again. By the time we reached the dance studio, I could hardly move. “Why are you so puffed?” Seungho asked.

“Sky almost noticed us!” G.O exhaled.

“So you ran the whole way here?” Cheondung asked looking very worried.

“Mir is so easy to bully!” G.O lay on the floor, looking completely exhausted.

“You said you would buy me more manga and games!” I whined.

“I was kidding.” G.O said seriously.

“That’s so unfair!” I pouted. G.O started to laugh but stopped when I made pigeon noises.

“I do not!” He yelled.

“Your denial just makes it worse!” Joon laughed. My phone rang and I moved to the back of the room to take the call.

“Hello?”

“This is Loila.”

“Oh… Ha! Ha!” I fake laughed.

“What’s so funny?” Loila asked seriously.

“N-nothing!”

“Okay?”

“Anyway, why are you calling me?” I suddenly changed the conversation.

“I wanted to speak to MBLAQ as quickly as possible.”

“I’ll put you on loud speaker.” I ran over to MBLAQ and waited for Loila to speak.

“What’s wrong?” Everyone except Cheondung asked. I don’t know if it was because he was hot or not but Cheondung seemed to distance himself from the group.

“It’s Dae. She’s leaving Korea!” Loila confessed.
 

Joon’s POV

“She’s WHAT!?” I grabbed the phone and yelled. “Where is she?”

“She got a modeling job so she’s leaving for Japan. I’m on my way but I don’t think I’ll make it. You’re closer than me, right? I want at least one person to say goodbye.”

“Why didn’t she tell me?” I thought aloud.

“She said she didn’t want to hurt anyone.” Sky explained.

“She’s hurting us more by not telling us.” Seungho slowly shook his head.

“That’s just how Dae is. She tries too hard to protect people that she actually hurts them.” Sky was beginning to become impatient. “Can any of you make it?”

“We have a really tight schedule, we supposed to be sleeping right now but I thought we needed to perfect the routine.” Seungho grabbed the phone as he spoke. “I don’t think any of us can go. Sorry.” I couldn’t stand there and listen to Seungho’s excuses. I needed to say goodbye to Dae. I grabbed my jacket and water bottle and ran out of the room.

“Joon!” MBLAQ called behind me, I ignored them and kept running toward the car park.

I drove as fast as I could towards the Airport that I could have given Dae a run for her money. I wanted to buy her some flowers but I didn’t have time. “Luckily I bought this for an early Valentine’s gift.” I said while balancing the small box on my leg as I drove. I parked the car in the most expensive spot because it was the closet to the main entrance. I grabbed the box, slammed the door shut and ran as hard as I could. I had been to the Airport so many times that I basically knew my way around. I pushed my way through crowds and jumped over bags until I arrived at customs, Dae was standing there with an older man and they were just about to go in. “WAIT!” I yelled as I leaned over to catch my breath. Dae turned to look at me and shoved her bags into the older man’s hands.

“You go in first.” She ran over to me. “Joon, what are you doing here!?”

Dae’s POV

I was just about to go through customs with my new employer when someone called for me to stop. I turned around and saw Joon, leaning over trying to catch his breathe. I gave all my bags to Tae-Hyun and ran over to Joon; I was wearing heels so it was very loud. He lifted his head and smiled as I took off my coat and handed it to him. “You’ll be seen!” I handed him my glasses but he didn’t put them on.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“You shouldn’t have come. It just makes it awkward!”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” He repeated. His breathing had slowed down so it was easier to understand him.

“I didn’t… I just…. I DON’T KNOW!” It was part truth. I just wanted to leave Korea without any drama and forget who I was for a few weeks.

“You couldn’t have told me?” Joon was staring into my eyes and it felt like he could see my soul.

“I didn’t want to do this.”

“Do what?”

“This!” I pointed from Joon to myself and continued doing so until he grabbed my hands.

“Stop it! Eventually you have to tell me how you feel.” He took a step closer to me so we were only centimetres away. “I’ve told you many times. I love you and I don’t plan on stopping any time soon.”

“That’s the problem.” I stared at the floor. “I’ve never felt like this and I don’t want to feel like this.”

“Why can’t you just accept your own feelings!?” He yelled. A few people around us were looking.

“I’m not the right person for you. You’re famous and I plan on working in another country, I just don’t think it’ll work.”

“You can’t say that when you haven’t even tried yet. Please don’t go!” He pleaded. I was crying but I tried to smile.

“I didn’t want to leave with bad memories of Korea!” I sobbed.

“Well I need to know!” Joon shouted. I could tell he wasn’t angry but the people around us couldn’t, they were giving us all sorts of looks.

“I’ll be back before you even realise I’m gone.”

“Let me give you this then.” He pulled out a small jewellery box and for a brief second I thought he was going to propose to me. He opened the box and showed me what was inside. It was a basic gold chain with a little lock o it. “I’ll put it on for you.”

“I don’t want it.” I said bitterly. If being cold to Joon now meant I could leave without any problems, I was going to be the coldest person he would ever talk to.

“Let me just put it on-”

“I said I don’t want it. I have to go now.” I turned to walk away but Joon ran infront of me.

“You’re not leaving until I give you this.”

“Fine, but I won’t be keeping it!” I sulked. “It wasn’t expensive, was it?” I looked at it closely and noticed that there was a small lock which wasn’t closed yet. I was in the shape of a heart and had both our names engraved in it. “It’s so pretty!”

“I couldn’t take you to Namsan Tower. I wanted us to put a lock there but you didn’t give me the chance to ask you on a real date. I think this is better though, you can take it with you, wherever you go!”

“That’s a nice idea.” I said as I clicked the lock shut.

“When you lock it, it means you will always remember me and our feelings will be forever.”

“That’s so corny!” I laughed.

“Oh…” Joon looked down in embarrassment.

“But I love it!” I hugged him and he blushed. “I’ve already locked it.”

“You have? There’s no key…” Joon pointed out.

“WHAT!?” I shrieked while trying to pull it off.

“That’s the point. Now you can’t ever open it.”

“I DIDN’T KNOW THAT!” I stomped my feet in anger. “You’re supposed to tell me these things! Now every time I’m modelling I’ll have it on.”

“That’s great!” Joon grinned. I gave him one of my “light” punches. “That’s going to leave a mark!” He sulked.

“Miss Park.” Tae-Hyun called. “It’s time to go now!” I looked at Joon who frowned.

“Please don’t go.”

“I have to.” I side stepped around Joon and walked away. I expected him to try and stop me with some well-planned speech that would make me fall into his arms, but it stopped there.  I looked back once to see that he was still standing there, looking at me with his sad eyes. We didn’t say anything else to each other but I knew it was for the best. I was going to leave the country and Joon was going to forget all about me and fall in love with someone who’s right for him. I looked at the bracelet and Tae-Hyun saw but didn’t ask any questions. “How am I supposed to get this off?” I asked him with a faint smile.

~Author's Note: Has anyone else heard of Namsan Tower? Couples bring locks with messages and drawings and put them on the tower. How cute!