Learning Again

Nine

"'Bye, Maddie!"' I waved to my best friend as she left for her physical therapy then I waited five minutes, getting my stuff and the keys to the apartment. It took two weeks, but I finally found out where Min Gi lived and Maddie hadn't helped any. She was dodging him and all the guys, would even tell me to not let them in when they dropped by to check on her. I could see it was hurting them, they didn't understand why she was so hurt, but I was going to correct that.

"Hello, ma'am!" The cabbie said as I got in and I smiled, happy I had kept up my studies of Korean.

"Hi, I need you to go to this address!" I said and showed him the address. As he drove, I sighed and reached up, playing with my black hair. When we got there, I went to the door that was theirs and knocked.

"Hello?" The man with the birthmark on his face asked as he opened the door, but I forced a smile.

"My name is Riley, I'm Maddie's friend. Is... Is Min Gi in?" I asked and his eyes widened.

"Yes, come in!" He said and moved back, letting me in. Immediately, I took my shoes off then followed him further into the apartment toward the kitchen where everyone was.

"Riley!" Min Gi shot up straight as he saw me and I smiled.

"Hi, Min Gi!" I said and he grinned.

"Your Korean has improved greatly!" He said and bowed his head.

"It has, thanks to Maddie teaching me!" I grinned and cleared my throat, my grin falling away to a small smile.

"Can I talk to you? All of you, about Maddie?" I asked and Min Gi nodded.

"Is she okay? She's suddenly ignoring us and-"

"It's because of Ateez." I said and Min Gi frowned.

"Because of us?" I looked at Jong Ho and nodded.

"You never told her, Min Gi." I said and looked at the man, who looked upset.

"Do you know the last person who kept things from her?" I asked and he shook his head.

"She doesn't speak of her life before Korea, she said it's because-"

"The last person who hid things from her was her father and her brother." I said and his eyes widened behind his glasses.

"What?!" He asked and I nodded.

"Do you want water?" Hong Joong asked and I nodded, smiling as I was offered a seat as well. As I sat, Hong Joong gave me water then I sipped at it, sighing and shaking my head as I capped the water.

"Her father was... Well, you guys know. He's a serial killer, and he trained Maddie's older brother to be just like him. Henry was caught, because Maddie came home early from school one day. But David-" I stopped and sighed.

"David is still very much out there, and both men hid things from Maddie. Around Maddie and her mom, they acted normal! Like they loved the girls and they always said they had no secrets between them! They claimed nothing was ever hidden from Maddie or Annie. But it was all a lie, and Maddie detests when people keep things from her now. It reminds her of the years her father and brother spent lying to her. That's why she's ignoring you guys, because she's trying to process that you weren't hiding this for bad reasons!" I said and he looked at the counter.

"So, she is mad we hid Ateez from her, without trying to hide it from her?" Woo Young asked and I nodded.

"Maddie is-" I stopped as I saw how hurt and angry Min Gi looked then I sighed.

"Look, Maddie is a sweet girl. She's happy all the time, kind, I've never seen that girl cry. Except for when the only two men in her life betrayed her and again, when she had a nightmare last night." I said and Min Gi looked at me.

"Is she okay?!" He asked, but I smirked. He cares so much, but he doesn't realize how much. Yet, he doesn't realize yet.

"She had a nightmare about you, Min Gi." I said and his eyebrows rose.

"All I'm going to say is you need to speak to her, you! Not me, not Woo Young or Jong Ho or Yeo Sang, you! If you talk to her, she will tell you what her nightmare was about, because that is a line even I refuse to cross." I said and he frowned in confusion.

"Ask Maddie about how we met, and about the time I broke into her house. Look, I've got some stuff back home waiting on me, so I need to go. Talk to her, Min Gi, you may just realize that your... worry for her runs a little deeper than that." I said and he looked at me confused as I stood.

"Take care of my best friend, Min Gi." I said and pat his arm, turning and going to leave.

"Riley, wait!" Min Gi called and I turned to him, making him stop after moving a few steps.

"She-she won't see me!" He said and I smirked.

"Maddie loves going to that park, helps her clear her head." I hinted and his eyes widened as he licked his lips.

"O-okay!" He breathed and nodded.

"Thank you, Riley." He whispered and I grinned.

"You hurt my baby, Song Min Gi, and not even an ocean will protect you from me." I warned and he grinned. As I turned, I left the apartment then got a text from Maddie, asking where I was. I replied to her then sighed, grabbing the bag I had brought and going to the airport.

Maddie's POV
Riley: Running an errand before heading home. Sorry to bail, Joey is waiting for me and I promised Huey I'd only be gone a month at most. Also, love you, don't kill me.

I frowned and shook my head, sighing as I flopped down on my bed, staring at the ceiling. I need to think about Min Gi. I forced myself to close my eyes and think of the 6'0" man, about his reasons for hiding his occupation from me.