Bae JooHyun.

Even though we were given a break of a few weeks, unfortunately it did not mean we had no schedules at all. All five of us had workout first thing in the morning after breakfast following which we all had different schedules.

I finished workout and was ready to go home and relax till my next schedule when Manager Oppa walked home and told me I was called to the agency. I simply nodded at him and changed into a different set of clothes and made my way out of the room towards the exit.

The rest of the girls had left a while back as they had immediate schedules back to back but I stayed back because I am free for a few hours now.

Manager Oppa is waiting for me at the entrance and together we make our way towards the parking lot. For some reason I was not affected by the call to the agency anymore. The reasons could be endless and I had learned not to worry beforehand. It was just more troubling.

 I plugged in my earphones as I leaned my head against the window. The curtains were closed as usual but I was still able to see outside from the little slit in the curtains. We were stuck in traffic and I peeped into the car right next to ours. 

In the car there is a small family of four. While the mother drove the car, the father sat at the back with two kids who were strapped to their seat. Light music could be heard from the car as it bounced from the movements of the kids as their dad encouraged them on. Their mother was sitting in her seat very quietly but her expression spoke wonders. 

Her smile as she looked at her family in the back was so contagious that a smile formed on my face too. What a blessing it must be for her to be this happy.

Before I could think anymore, the car started and I watched as they are left behind as we take a right turn towards the agency.

We take the artist entry to the building as usual and in no time we make it up to the conference room. 

A few of our junior managers, SM artist director and PR head are already seated in the room. The worry that I was trying to keep away all this time comes back as I see the solemn face of the staff and the game face of our director who was known to sport that face when telling bad news. 

We all settle down quickly and I fold my hands in my lap nervously. 

"Okay, we'll start the briefing. A few days ago we received a tip that the existence of our contract has been leaked to a third party and since we are not sure of who it is, we can assume that it is in the hands of someone who intends to leak it.

Since that is a situation we cannot see ourselves blindly going in. Hence, this meeting was called."

I sit in my seat shocked, feeling an ominous feeling take over me.  That hoax, that lie that was made was bound to come out in the open. My father always used to tell me that no lie can be hidden forever, no matter how good that lie did to a person. 

That contract was the reason I ever got a chance to meet Jin and get to know him personally. In our line of work what is basically very impossible for idols, we got a chance to experience something very close to bliss. However, it is also the truth that that contract was made up so as to cover a mistake we both had made. 

In such a situation, there is only one thing a company does for it's artist.

"Wh-what have you decided?" I fearfully ask, trying my best to keep my emotions in control.

They give me a pitiful look as if they know what's going on in my mind. "It is not something we have decided. This one came from them itself. They propose to release a statement saying that you and Mr.Kim SeokJin are no longer a couple and have decided to just to part ways due to respective busy schedules." 

Mind blank and a iron-clad control  on my feeling, I just nod at them. "I agree."

A silence fills in the room as everyone tries to figure out how to deal with the awkwardness. The executives have relived smiles on their faces but still look at me as if I am ticking bomb, my managers look at me in worry at my submissive reaction while I just sit trying my best to remember the one sentence that I desperately wanted to hold on to.

Just trust him, JooHyun-ah.

"Ah...I think it is for the better actually. Idols dating have always been a headache for many people. Now that you are free from such a connection, we can start back your activities. You will be able to focus more without any burden to carry." Says a executive I never saw before. His words are met with uncomfortable clearing of throats from those who know how this news affects me while the rest are just happy that they don't have to deal with relationship problems of two strangers they are paid to help with.

A strange fury raises in my heart and before I let myself be carried away and say something unpleasant, I stand up from my seat. All jump at the sudden movement and look at me expecting a answer.

"I- I have a schedule in the next hour for which I need to practice  my lines." I say, slightly blowing my head in greeting. "I would like to take leave."

"Oh yes yes! You may leave." Says the same executive, a self-satisfied smile on his face. "We can take care of the rest. Have a nice day Miss. Irene."

I nod and stride out of the room as fast as I can with my managers running behind me. 

The way home is a blur as I sit there trying to lock up all the thoughts that keep leaking out. I just close my eyes till we reach the dorms and when we reached, I just bid my managers goodbye and walked stiffly up to our apartment. 

As I had expected,  no one was home at home. I dropped my bag on the sofa and made a beeline for my room and collapsed on my bed without even bothering to change.

I close my eyes and finally that iron-clad self-control breaks through. A lone tear trembles down my cheek and I don't bother wiping it away.  

Just why can't life stop throwing curve balls at me? 

It has been only a little above four months since I found someone I could relate to, someone I could understand and someone who understood me way before than I did, someone who had become a very integral part of my life, someone I really loved. And just like this, one small whisper, one small greed for gossip literally snatched away my life from me. 

Growing up I always wondered why do people let someone else's opinion determine their actions and their happiness but getting in this career taught me the exact reason why. Words are sharper than knifes.

It's like I am still not close to accepting what was told to me in the meeting. My response had been what I was supposed to say but my heart was still in denial.

This can't be the end of us right? 

Even though it was a short time to be so crazy about someone, everything can't end so simply right?

I remember our last conversation that happened a couple of days ago. I had a full day free but had absolutely no plans except for spending the whole day baking. It was a fun day and when the girls came back home to a house full of various fruity scents, we had a little party in our living room.

I retired to my room early, earphones plugged in my ears as I went through the pictures I had taken of the girls the last time we went out on our schedule before our wonderful break happened and today's little party.

I laugh at the goofy and dorky pictures that the girls took. My members are really weird. They never bother to take pictures in their phone but will snatch mine when I am using it and entertain themselves.

Not that I mind. I always end up having pictures to hold leverage when needed.

My phone beeps and a message pops up.

'Hey! What are you doing?'

A wider smile takes over my face as I reply to him.

'Nothing much.' I type. 'Done with practice?'

'Not yet. An hour to go.'

'JooHyun-ah...do you trust me?'

I frown the moment I see the strange message. I mean there is nothing wrong with the text itself but the implied tone behind the message. Before I can overthink, he is calling me. I pick it up.

"Hello?"

'Hi! Did I disturb you?'

"No you din't." I say, " Also to your last message, Of course I trust you."

'Thank god! you took so much time to reply, I got scared!'

I laugh and lay down on my stomach, my feet swinging in the air.

"I was about to. You din't even give me half a minute!"

His laugh rings through the speaker and I feel butterflies rile up in my stomach. 'Mian."

"Why the sudden question though?"

'Just...I am about to do something and I needed your confirmation.'

"What are you doing?" Suddenly suspicious.

He goes quite for a while. 'Um...it's nothing! You might be called to your agency today, whatever they tell you to do, please say yes. Just trust me. No matter what, always remember that I will always be by your side. I have to go now as Hobi is glaring at me from the other side of the room. I will talk to you soon."

I stare at my phone as the call disconnects and the screen comes back to a picture that I had once taken during our date at Han River.

It was a windy night but the temperature and climate was just perfect for a night walk. He was in his full length padding and and a mask that covered his face almost completely with glasses perched on his nose. His hair was a soft mess on his head, the wind playing in them as his ears were a deep red. He had his back towards the river as his one arm wrapped around me while I was taking a picture of us. We had agreed to make funny faces but he ditched which resulted in me looking like a fool while he looked like an angel.

I had made it my back-screen picture as soon as I had come home that night and it has remained since then.

That night despite still confused and scared at the over-assuming thoughts of what he said might mean, my eyes start to droop and I placed my phone on the nightstand and switched off the nights. 

But now it all started to make sense.

Was this what he was doing? Why did he not come clean with me?

'Just trust me.'

That's what he had asked of me. I don't know why he said that or what made him but this time I am just going to trust him. I had promised him before that I would leave it all to him and I have to keep the promise. I am sure he will tell me what is happening around us. 

This time I am just going to trust him.

*****************

I apologize for updating it so late. I had a major writers block that I couldn't really get out of.

What do you think of this chapter?

Also, one more chapter to go! (+ A bonus)

Have a nice day!