You're My Star

Chapter 12: Fun and games

Woo-bin was running. The rain was pouring down much heavier than it was ten minutes ago. His hair and his hoodie were feeling heavy from getting soaked. He kept running until he saw the worn-down sign hanging on the tall green building. Sunshine Dorms. He was standing in front of Min-hee's dorm building.

Min-hee hadn't replied to any of the texts or calls that Woo-bin had left him. And there were quite a few of them.

It had dawned on Woo-bin what he had just agreed to do probably five minutes after leaving Min-ki. As a result of getting blackmailed, he had just agreed to publicly expose some poor kid he barely knew. As soon as he came back home, he rushed to the bathroom. He was sick to his stomach. He was on his knees in front of the toilet and he was throwing up. He was so sick despite not being physically ill in the slightest. It burned his throat so bad that he was crying. But there was a very real possibility that he wasn't crying because of the pain of throwing up.

He didn't eat dinner that night. He told his parents he wasn't feeling well, so he was just gonna sleep. But god, he couldn't sleep at all. He barely managed at all that night. Every time he even slightly fell asleep, he had a nightmare and woke up immediately again.

But as the new day came on a regular Sunday morning, despite having to throw up again and feeling his throat go sore, he realized something. He didn't regret his decision. Because he knew what the alternative was. Min-hee would have to endure all the public shaming, not just from his friends but from his company. So why couldn't he just reply to Woo-bin's calls?

Woo-bin scanned the building's wall for which window was Min-hee's, and his eyes widened when he saw that it was open. This was his last resort. This was the only way to communicate.

"Kang Min-hee!" Woo-bin shouted, but it was almost drowned out by the sound of the heavy rain.

There was no reply.

"Min-hee, come on, it's raining!" Woo-bin shouted once again. He felt hope when he vaguely saw Min-hee's arm, but felt defeated when he closed the window.

Woo-bin sighed. He walked under the ledge of the building, seeking some sort of shelter. Water was dripping from his hair and down onto his face. He didn't even know if Min-hee was gonna come down to talk. But right now standing here was better than running back home in the rain.

A minute later, the dorm building's door opened. Min-hee stood in the doorway, subconsciously blocking him from entering. Somehow it seemed like the dark circles under his eyes were more prominent. He was wearing basketball shorts and the stained oversized t-shirt he only wore when he was sick. But he was there and in front of Woo-bin.

"Min-hee," Woo-bin let out a relieved exhale.

"Why are you here?" Min-hee asked tiredly.

"Why are you avoiding me?" Woo-bin answered with a question.

"Stop trying to reach me," Min-hee fidgeted with a small hole at the end of his t-shirt, "I just need to be alone for a while."

"Is it because of Hyeong-jun?" Woo-bin asked carefully.

Min-hee suddenly scoffed and rolled his eyes so hard he might've seen his brain, "Obviously!"

"Please, can we talk about this, I..." Woo-bin was shaking from the cold, "I can't sleep, I can't eat..."

Min-hee looked at his feet.

"I'm just so scared, Min-hee."

"What do you have to be scared about?" Min-hee questioned, his voice shaking.

Woo-bin frowned, feeling very rejected, "How can you be so mad about this?"

"Has it seriously not dawned on you what you're about to do? You're gonna out him! To everyone! Do you even remember what happened to Seong-hoon? Or what happened to you? Hyeong-jun is going to go through that — you said that we would protect him no matter what!" Min-hee suddenly seemed to gain more energy in the shape of anger. Or maybe betrayal. But was he always crying? There were tear stains on his cheeks.