Karina distanced herself from Minjeong ever since that day. They would occasionally share a table for dinner with the others, but most of her time would be spent at the filming studio or her room.
Days turned into weeks, Minjeong is no longer wearing his nose splint. There are still some bruises, but not really noticeable. He could finally go the office after being home bound (thanks to his uncle).
He noticed the difference in Karina. She seemed awkward around him, sometimes treating him like he's not there. The silence is hurting him, he doesn't know why. Yizhuo keeps on disappearing with Aeri, and Jennie with Jisoo.
It was a friday, Minjeong took a stroll around the mall after work. He stopped in front of a jewelry store, thought for a moment, and went inside. He spent a good 45 minutes inside for coming out with a suede box. He pocketed the box and went towards a cafe situated just in front of the jewelry store.
While standing in line, someone tapped on his shoulders. He turned around and saw Somi with a man slightly shorter than him.
"Hello, Minjeong. It's nice to see you here. Where's Yizhuo?" she asked.
"It's just me here. Hello, I'm Minjeong," he offered his hand to the man.
"Ah, this is my boyfriend, Soobin." Somi leaned her head to the man.
The man shook his hands. He could feel the man pressing his hand just a little bit harder than normal before letting go. Minjeong tensed, but maintaining a smile.
"We better get going now. It was nice to finally meet you, Minjeong," Soobin excused himself.
Minjeong watched the couple getting further and further away from him.
He took his phone out, and dialed someone, "Hey, I'm in the city. Do you have the good stu!? Yeah, the usual one. Yeap, be there soon."
He went home intoxicated and out of his mind. Barely passing the entrance door, he heard a voice shrieked. Minjeong could feel his knees buckled.
"Minjeong, there you are! Holy shit, what have you done? No, no. Yizhuo! Help!"
He heard some running steps, gradually getting louder. His ears ringing, he can't make out the conversations clearly. Another voice boomed in his ears, huh, sounds like Yunjin. He felt arms hooking on his pits. "Fuck, he's slipping,"
"Keep this from father."
"Come on, let's bring him upstairs. I'll get some medicine," the Yunjin-like voice said.
He heard some laughters, then it stopped.
"What's going on? Is he okay?" sounds like Karina.
More mumbling but he can't make the word out. He opened his eyes, "Somi? Is that you?" he said before blacking out. Karina, Jisoo, and Aeri tried to calm the hyperventilating Jennie. Yunjin and Yizhuo stayed with Minjeong.
"I should have known. He said he was fine. He never say he's fine," Jennie exhaled. "When they broke up, Minjeong went through this rough patch. At first it was alcohol, then light drugs. Then harder." she said choking with tears. Karina looked at Aeri who nodded knowingly.
Jisoo hugged Jennie slowly. Jennie sobbed in her arms, "I watched him lifeless. I watched him stopped breathing."
Karina took a step away from them, "I'm going to check on him real quick."
She went upstairs and knocked softly on Minjeong's door. Yunjin, the man she met just two hours before, opened the door.
"Oh, come on in. We're about to be done here anyway." Yunjin looked at Yizhuo. "Yeah, we're done here. Let's go know,' Yizhuo smiled. His smile doesn't reach his eyes.
"Thank you, guys," she said with they passed in front of her. Karina entered the dimly lit room. She sat by the edge of Minjeong's bed and sighed.
She turned her body to look at the now sleeping Minjeong. Her hand reaching out to caress his face. She touched the small cut of his face.
"Stupid," she whispered. She brushed his hair with her fingers, "Stupid and blind" Minjeong had stolen her attention when he first came to her rescue. But she never had his.
Karina went downstairs and saw a much calmer Jennie. "Feel okay now?" she asked.
Jennie looked up, "Yeah, I'm going to check on him." Karina stopped her, "No, let him sleep."
With a thin smile, Jennie replied, "You are too good for him. He's only going to blow the cover on this whole thing." She waved her hands around.
"What cover?" Yunjin said while munching on a sandwich. Where did he get that?
Yunjin took a sit closest to Jennie, "This whole thing is fake?" He moved his hands.
Karina nodded.
"Holy shit," he continued on eating. "Don't worry about me. Won't tell a soul. You're lucky it's me and not Chaewon."
Yizhuo came into view bringing a tray of water and a small plate of sandwiches. He placed the tray on the coffee table in front of them.
Yunjin swiped another sandwich from the plate. The half eaten one is on his mouth. "Did they starve you on the plane or something?"
Yizhuo snorted looking at him.
Karina excused herself to her room as she could feel Yunjin's eyes on her, leaving Aeri and Jisoo behind. They're still deep in conversations, she wouldn't want to hinder them.
The room felt suffocating to her. She tried to take a breath but it's stuck on her throat. Tears fell down her cheeks. How do you love someone who doesn't even see you.
Maybe next time.
