The Nature’s black curtain had long veiled the sky as tiny glittering dots colors it.

The chilling cold air still floats around.

Everything seems so still with few cars passing by.

A person or two would walk by the lone figure standing by the bus stop near the SM Entertainment.

She had been standing there for more than three hours by now. The numb feeling crawled on her legs for being stationary.

It has been months since she had been seen on the screen and it is not about promotions or a CF but a scandalous rumor.

She can’t somehow find the courage to at least call him or even send him a message.

She feels so dirty, embarrassed and shameful.

Everything had just been and all after that rumor.

Bad news, rumors, bashes, violent comments and degrading comments and the feel of deteriorating fame had plagued her since then. It’s something that will surely drive you crazy but she somehow managed through it. There’s this strong and powerful pull that commanded her legs to move to where she is now.

Yet, when she got there, all she did was to stand, stare and wait.

She waited for that someone who will wrap his arms around her to stop the wind from chilling her;

She waited for that someone who will make her see the reason why she stands in there;

She waited for that someone who will assure her that everything will turn back to how it was before.

The first hour went fine; she managed through it.

The second hour deflated her hope that someone will come and save her.

The third hour up to the very moment brought her the realization that that someone will never come.

A gush of wind blew over her, finally pushing the tears she had been holding back out of her eyes.

She pulled her coat to herself, trying to shield the chilling wind but it’s useless as her legs finally gave way.

There she is down the sideways, hugging her knees and sobbing uncontrollably.

People who pass by will surely throw her weird looks but that never crossed her mind.

As she wallows in her misery, she didn’t even felt the warm coat draped over her shoulder; she did not notice that someone who bent on his knee, held her cold, tear streaked face, wiping those fallen water drops with his thumb; she didn’t even heard the faint whisper of hushing words, “It’s okay, I’m here…”

She has to let this go as that someone pulls her on her feet. She continued crying till she run out of tears leaving her faint sniffing filling the silent sideways.

Two large warm hands held her cold ones, slowly guiding her to lean on him as he wraps his arms protectively around her.

“I’m sorry,” he started.

“Why are you apologizing?” she asks her voice hoarse from crying.

“I was not there when you need me. I was never there to assure you that things will be fine. I failed to be there.”

The regret and pain is very evident in his voice as he relays those words. She managed a chuckle that mirrors just what is on his voice.

“It’s funny to see how you just fall and simply disappear on the stage like you had never been there; that scenario where people would just pass by you like some stranger you are; that you never had been under the limelight and the center or their adulation,” she replied.

His arms tightened around her.

Those words were never meant for him but it affected him nonetheless.

“It feels like crazy when your group loses a member or two but it feels twice when you lose not the member but the group,” she added, finally relaxing at the flood of warmth in his hug as her arms wrap itself around his waist.

It thawed the cold, chilling and numbing feeling.

“Sulli-ah, I miss you,” his voice broke as he tightens all the more the hug.

“Sehunnie,” she whispers, a tear escaping from her eyes again, “Can we just stay like this?”