Chapter 10

I don't really know what's happening around me right now. I hear a lot of clicks and I see flashes of bright lights even though my eyes were closed and his arms were covering them for me.

I know that he doesn't know that I know that he's Yoon Doojoon of Beast. I also got the impression that he doesn't want to tell me. Why? Does he think that I don't have a TV? Or does he wish that I don't? For what reason?

I can't seem to think of any possible answer to my question. Instead of thinking about it, I drowned out the clicks and voices all around me by burying my face on his chest. His quickening heartbeat oddly calmed me down. I didn't even know that my body tensed so much.

I hear his voice as he talked to someone. But who? I focused on what he was saying. Apparently, he was talking on his phone. "Jun, I need your help."

"We're near the bus stop near the dorm. Ok. Worst case scenario, man. I know. I shouldn't have done it. I know."

I don't know what's happening around us, but a gut feeling told me not to do anything at that moment. I stood still as I grabbed Doojoon's shirt tightly. He responded by tightening his hold on me. I felt secured.

All I heared were clicks from cameras and voices from the people who were carrying them. Blocking didn't work when they became louder, unbearable to the ear. They sent chills to my spine, making the hair at the back of my neck stood up. I feel that all these will be life changing.



"Doojoon, you're the leader, you should've thought about this more responsibly before doing it. You're an idol, you know that people will follow you everywhere you go and would want to know everything about you. I know as well as you that when you decided to pursue this career that you would barely have privacy." A middle aged man was standing in front of them. His face was as gentle as an aboejji, but his voice was full of authority that made everyone in the room with him listen to him intently.

Doojoon was seating on a different seat than mine, but close enough for me to feel the burden being put back on his back. I didn't dare to look at him in the eye ever since the papparazzis were dispersed. I felt guilty. Guilty for not telling him that I knew that he's an idol, if I did, none of this would've happened.

I looked down at my now trembling hands. Holding them together wasn't enough to stop the trembling. This is not good. Where's my purse? I tried not to panic because it will only add to the stress building up inside me and I tried to not do anything to disturb anything. I was about to grab my purse when...

"Ms. Kim,..." My head snapped to face the person who called my name. His old, brown eyes locked on mine as they met. "Do you know or not that Doojoon here is an idol?"

"I... I..." My stress went up a notch. I hate being on the spot that's why I always sit at the back of every class I have. "I... d-do." I stuttured. I looked at Doojoon and saw his face full of shock... and sadness?

"If you did, what is your reason for getting close to him? A fan of him? Trying to brag to your friends about the fact that you know him and the othe-"

"No. Stop it." Doojoon interrupted him. "She's not like that."

"How do you know how she is or she isn't? As you said, you've only met two weeks ago and she's the reason why you were late for your schedule." The old man said calmly.

"'Cause I know, ok?!" He tried to calm himself down. "I just know. She's also not the reason why I was late."

"So tell us."

He looked at me trying to search for assurance. Assurance for what? "I..." He inhaled. "I went out to have some fun. It's my fault, not hers."

What was he doing? "But, opp-" He walked towards me, blocking the view of the man we were talking to. "Don't." He whispered. "But!" He shook his head 'no'.

Frustrated, I sat back down. I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up and it was Hyunseung's. It felt weird and uncomfortable at the same time. Frustration, stress, and confusion well up inside me ready to burst then. My breaths were heavy and unbareable. I stood up suddenly and it surprised everyone in the room. I felt their eyes on me, but I didn't care and walked towards the door. I felt dizzier every step I took and all went black. The only thing I remembered was Doojoon's voice calling my name, "MI!"



I woke up in an unfamiliar room. I was on a bunk bed. The room looked like a guys. It was full of clothes like a clothing store just dumped their shirts in there. It was dark outside when I peeked through the window. I looked at the clock beside the bed and it said it was 3am. "What?!"

I heard shuffling from my rigth and it was when I just noticed the figure sitting on the chair, sleeping. It was Doojoon. Looking at him made my stomach tighten. He looked so tired and stressed. Does some part of it because of me? I thought.

I stood up from the bed with a blanket on my arms. I walked over to where he's at and draped it on his shoulders, covering him from the cold. Also hoping that it will protect him from everything else as I dragged myself out the bedroom door. I wanted to forget what happened, but a part of me doesn't.



Doojoon woke up when the bright sunlight hit his face. He slowly opened his lids and blinked away the sleep. He looked at the clock and it said it's 8 o'clock in the morning. He rubbed his eyes and... "Hyunmi?!" All the things that happened last night came rushing to his mind. No. I can't let her go by herself now. His heartbeat quickened. He stood up suddenly, not remembering that his back is near the corner of his desk, "AHH!"

He heard someone running from outside and his door flew open. "Hyung! Did something happen?" Kikwang asked as he opened the door fully. "Pfft. You really look like an ajjushi right now." He laughed.

"Shut up!" He straightened his back, but it was still hurting. "Can't you see that I'm hurt? Aish."

"Mi ahn! Anyways, you're awake now. Let's eat"

"Alrig- Wait. Where's Hyunmi?"

"Huh? I don't know. I just woke up myself too then Junhyung hyung asked me to wake you up to eat breakfast."

"Aish!" Annoyed, he went out his room and made his way to the kitchen. "Yah, kids! Did any of you see Hyunmi?"

Junhyung, Hyunseung, Yoseob, and Dongwoon looked at him like he was delirious or something. He can't tell whether they see his distress or not. "What? Don't tell me she stubbornly told you guys that she's leaving. I'm going to kill her before our fans do. I swear. You know how crazy others are?!" Yoseob and Dongwoon looked at each other and burst out laughing. Junhyung and Hyunseung snickered.

"Ahh... Hyung." Kikwang poked my arm. "What?!" He pointed behind me while he's trying to hide his... laugh? I turned.



"Yah! Kim Hyunmi! Don't ignore me! I already said sorry." He said. He kept following me since this morning trying to say sorry. I still don't talk to him, not that I'm mad. I wasn't. Not at all, but I kind of enjoying him following me around like this.

"Hyung, I have and advice for you. Never call any woman stubborn." Kikwang said.

"Yeah. Listen to him, Doojoonie. Besides, he's the playboy here." Yoseob added.

"You guys, shut up. You're making it worse." He scolded. I can't keep myself from laughing and it came out as a snort. "Yah. Why are you lau- Were you pretending?"

"Hahaha! I wasn't!" I ran and hid behind Junhyung. "Yah. Come here!" I side stepped thinking I can deceive him. I was quick you know, back in the day. But he quickly changed direction and caught me in his arms. Shoot. I forgot that he used to play soccer.

"Ahhh! Oppa, mi ahn! Stop it!" He kept tickling me. My chest started burning. No, I can't let them know. Please, no. "Oppa!" My voice became ragged. The other guys were laughing, Doojoon was busy making me suffer that we didn't hear the door opened and closed. "Oppa!" I hit him. Hard.

"Ouch! Hey! You can't do tha-"

"Kids." We all stopped. Our heads snapped to the direction of the voice. Our eyes went wide like our eyeballs will fall out of their sockets. Their company president stood there eminating an aura that I didn't like at all.

"Ms. Kim, I need to talk to you." Doojoon put me down and was about to say something when the man who stood before us held his hand up. "Doojoon, if one word comes out of that mouth, I'll make sure you'll regret it."

I looked at Doojoon, his face set and jaw tight. Not if I do something. It's not gonna happen. I need to do something. "Alright. I'll talk to you." I felt his arms grabbed my side. It hurt, but I know how he's feeling: he's being protective even though he knows that he can't do anything.

I seem to know him, what he feels, and what his reaction will be, even though we've only met not so long ago. There's a connection between us that I can't explain.

I made him look at me. "It's ok." It's time to be strong and face all of it.