Author's | PARK JIHOON

ix.

Jinyoung looked at Jihoon and then me, repeatedly. He let out an awkward laugh, "Work out things.... with who?" Jihoon coughed and I automatically let go of his arm.

Jinyoung squinted his eyes at me, "You like someone?" I felt my cheeks heat up because of the thought he was asking about himself. At my peripheral view, I saw Jihoon shaking his head while taking a glance at me.

Tsk, this guy doesn't even know how to support a friend's love life. Ah, how I hate this side of Jihoon. If he helped me out the first time I asked him, maybe Jinyoung already has feelings for me by now. Aish.

I unknowingly scratched my head and smiled. Did that give an answer? I hope so, because if I were to talk, I might suddenly blurt out my feelings for him.

Jihoon and I sat at the floor. I was already too shy to sit beside Jinyoung. While there was an awkward silence among the three of us, Jinyoung clasped his hands together, making me and Jihoon look at him.

"So apparently, the person who hacked into my account was someone from Samuel's company. So you really don't have to feel bad, Madi. I worry about you a lot, you know." I didn't know what to feel. Should I feel angry towards those people or should I die in happiness because he was worried about me?

"Samuel? As in Kim Samuel?," Jihoon asked rather angrily.

I furrowed my eyebrows as soon as Jinyoung nodded his head in confirmation. So now they're playing dirty? Just for that trainee to debut as soon as possible? I don't get it.

Jinyoung sighed heavily as he brushed his hair with his hands, "I understand that kid, though. He probably didn't even know that his company was doing that behind his back." I inwardly gushed at how understanding Jinyoung was. No doubt, I really like this guy and heck am I falling for him more.

He continued, "Samuel was supposed to debut with Seventeen, but he wasn't able to. He had a duo with this guy but he left so he still can't debut. What should he do then? He started being a trainee ever since he was young but to no luck, he has not yet debuted officially until now."

Wow, I didn't know Samuel that much and I feel bad hearing those from Jinyoung. I thought that that trainee already had a lot of fans, but having those wasn't really his goal because he dreamt of becoming an idol with a lot of talents he could share, not someone who's only famous.

I looked at these two guys in front of me and I suddenly felt bad— really bad about myself. First, the scandal I had with Jihoon that of course brought a lot of bad image to him. Second, using him and this opportunity to get close with the guy I like. Third, the controversy with Jinyoung that also lessened his chance of becoming someone he'd dreamt of ever since.

"Anyway, I have to go now. I think my company's looking for me by now," Jinyoung stood up and patted my head. He left me and Jihoon by ourselves, with only silence accompanying us.

Jihoon was about to stand up when he looked at me. He sensed that there was something wrong and held my shoulder, "Hey, you okay?"

My face felt hot and I started trembling, "I should've never taken this offer to go to South Korea. I should've just kept quiet. I should've just —" He caught me off guard when he embraced me with his two long arms. It was cliché, but I felt so safe while he was holding me.

"I have no religion but I know that everything happens for a reason. So stop crying and blaming yourself, okay?," he tried comforting me. When I wasn't able to calm myself down, he pulled away from the embrace and held both my shoulders.

He looked at me in the face and said, "One thing I know, I'm glad that you wrote that story. I'm glad that I have crazy fans that claimed you were once mine. I'm glad that you came here. And I'm really really glad that I.... that I," he suddenly removed eye contact with me.

I wiped my tears off, "That you what?" I felt embarrassed that I sounded rather impatient.

He sighed and quietly muttered, "That I got to hold you in my arms, okay?"