CHAPTER 22

//EUNJEE

I only have one word in my mind right now and that is "Stupid". Because thats how I feel right now, i feel so stupid after blurting out something so serious and sounded like a total joke.

Feeling my distress, Minhyuk-ssi finally reacted and seeing as how embarassed i am he laughed really loud, like really laugh.

"Didnt take you for someone who could say things like that. I should have known you 'd like Mark this hard. Well I know his cute and all but you just cant fantasized about him like that. How about his other fans? Dont you have a heart?" He jokes loud enough fro everyone to hear and that made the people around us go back to their own lives. He studies my reaction before smiling and taking another sip of his drink.

"What?" I asked him feeling embarass for what I just said awhile ago. I knew it was ridiculous but...well its ridiculous.

"I believe you. I was just saving your ass so is Marks. If this gets out your careers are both at risk. So do you mind toning your voice down a bit now. People might actually be just here to gather great news for their articles." He tells me honestly before pointing at my back. I looked back and saw a girl whose writing something on her notepad and thats what made me cover up my mouth. I looked back to Minhyuk and saw him fixing his jacket before standing up. He ushers me to move aswell. He takes out a few bills from his pockets before putting it beside our plates and pulls me to go with him. He wears his hood then opens his car, pushing me inside his passenger side then goes to the driver side.

"Where are we going?" I asked him

"Ill bring you to somewhere private. You dont have to worry. Im quite reliable to your safe with me." He smiled before driving off.

"Wait what about Marks car?" I asked as i look back.

"I'll ask one of the guys to take it later" he simply tells me. While he kept driving to somewhere im not sure about. Im still not that used to Seoul and I know how tricky their roads can get so im not particularly familiar with the place Minhyuk-ssi was driving to.

"Why are you doing this?" I had to ask him because I know how this news is so irrelevant to him.

"Marks my friend" thats his only explanation. I didnt ask him anymore because for me that already explains a lot. "Soooo...what happened?" He asks

"What do you mean by that?"

"Well you looked so upset when we were back at the diner. What made you so gloomy?" He asks after making a turn to my right

"Things are just not so easy this days. I feel like my life is slowly living me behind. I dont even remember the last time I had fun" I looked out the window and just like how fast we pass by i feel my life is the the same.

"Thats too deep. Is that really the reason why you are so out of your mind blurting out something so serious in a very open place" he laughs out of no where and i just looked at him making fun of me.

"Fine keep laughing. Its not like your lifes any better than mine"

"You have a point but I dont go to places with no control over my mouth or my mind.. my life is maybe some sort of a prison but atleast I get to satisfy my needs with the luxury I receive." Minhyuk-ssi answered making sure to smile at my direction after he made that statement.

"Can I ask you something and please answer it with all honesty?" I mastered up all the courage I could because I know i'll need it if im going to ask the question thats been playing on my mind. He nods so I just went ahead and prepared myself for the answer "Are you happy being an idol and with everything around you? I mean dont get the wrong idea I just also wanted to hear from someone who has the same kind of job as Marks. I mean i also want to understand him but i just cant ask hin about this kind of things when were together" I ask Minhyuk-ssi nicely and hopefully he can make me understand how Mark thinks from time to time.

"You dont have to explain why your asking that question and to answer your question its usually not that easy. We need to do extra effort to get to where we are today. Our lives must only revolve on one thing and thats to make sure nothing ruins our image. We dont usually get what we want, like sleep or a full time rest, well that if we want to succeed. We need to keep a lot of secrets including our very own family. Our lives become so public that we dont even know who we really are anymore. Privacy became a sort of mediocre in the kind of jod we have. We have to bare to the pain, tiredness, depression, if we want to survive in this kind of environment we can only keep our mouth shut and keep following orders from our companies like a dog with a leash. I'm not complaining though, this kind of work is taking a lot but I love what Im doing. I love the group i have now and i'll do everything for them. They are after all my family too. Im sure Mark feels the same way" he states.

I looked at him and felt sympathy. I've seen a lot of idols explain how their lives change after theyve become idols. I've seen multiple crying to get their lives back but other seem to just move on and live the life they have, just like how Minhyuk-ssi is doing now. His just living the life he has now and I feel like what he told me about Mark feeling the same way was true. I feel like I finally understand how they feel and how they still want to live a normal life.

"I think Marks mad at me. But he doesnt understand my situation because im actually trying to keep it as a secret to him because i know he'll just get mad even more and i... I dont want to lose him" I know i've never said it clearly before but Mark has become so important to me that I just cant lose him.

Minhyuk-ssi pulls over to what appears to be an apartment building but im pretty sure its not my building so it must be his or his members.

"Dont worry, this is my apartment but Sungjae is upstairs and so is Changsub. They wanted to hang out but I made them come here. Who know they might as well help you" he informs me to which made me doubt again this whole situation where I was suddenly dragged into. Minhyuk-ssi must have notices my worry because he suddenly laughs at my direction before going out and going to my side of the door then pulls me out of the car. He locks his car then drags me inside the apartment building, i feel helpless and i didnt know what to do. Someone might see us then Mark would find out then he'll be mad to me even more. See how stupid I am when im this wreck and when my minds not working right. I didnt even think about myself but still thought of Mark.

"Dont worry. We are all harmless. We'll be dead before we even do something bad on you. We just need you safe somewhere before you do something stupid while your alone, like what you did awhile ago at the diner, just imagine if someone else talked to you and you just blurt out this kind of things. That would really mess things up. So its better that we talk here than anywhere else where anyone can hear our conversation" he explains to me after stopping to what i assume his door. He open the door using his key card then suddenly two guys approach us with grins on their faces and a hand ready to clap but the clap did not happen after they saw me enter the room.

"Doc? What are you doing here?" Sungjae-ssi asked after bowing to greet me so din Changsub.

"Should we leave so you two can have some privacy?" Changsub asked teasingly.

"Idiots. Shes here for some advice so hear her out first. Go be an adult for a sec" Minhyuk scolded the two boys and they both smiled childishly before pulling me inside making me look back to Minhyuk for help because there is no way in hell im going to sit down and talk about my problems with this two kids who I think suffers more than I did. They might just laugh at me after realizing how petty my problems are compared to them.

"Kids. Behave. You are making my guest uncomfortable." Minhyuk ssi shood the two boys away from me then tells me to sit anywhere im comfortable with. So i sat as far as i can from the two boys.

"Doc, its quite uncomfortable if i just keep calling you Doc so can i just call you Noona?" Sungjae asked and I just had to nod because the kid is basically looking at me with his crazy cute eyes.

"So what seems to be the problem?" Chansub asked bringing out a bottle of soju and some crackers.

Minhyuk-ssi took a shot glass and placed it in front of us. He looks at me but i was too afraid to tell them anything. It wad fine when Minhyuk-ssi was the only one listening to me but now that the circle has gone wide im feeling a bit uncertain.

"It must he uncomfortable. Im sorry. I was too careless. I thought that maybe you have another set of ear then you might feel a lot more better." Minhyuk ssi said after not hearimg an answer from me.

"No its not that. Im just not used to people helping me out. Both my parents died earlier than I could even learn to rely on someone. I grew up with just myself to rely on. I do have bestfriend whose always there for me but thats just it. Im still getting used to the attention im receiving. Even when i was already working as a resident ive always find it hard to rely on people thats why instead of asking for help, i just do it myself as long as I can. I dont even like to burden anyone thats why when something comes up like the one im dealing right now, i always make it a poiny that im the only one who gets involve because i dont want anyone to get in trouble." I explained because for years thats what i really felt. People kept on trying to help me out but they do disappoint me in the end so I just learned to rely on myself. I know how much their advices could help me with my situation but I just met them and they jusy happen to be hanging out here so i dont know if they'll even take me seriouslg after hearing my problems.

"Sometimes its better to just let it all out than keep it all in. You also need to take out everything so they wont destroy you. How can you accept anything else if you are still full." Changsub pointed out which made me realize his right. I can never come up with a solution alone. I can just think of this as some kind of group case that needs teamwork to be solved.

I took a deep breathe and process everything in my mind. I can just tell them the situation without telling them who my husband is.

"Promise me no one knows about this" they all nod waiting for me to speak up. "I'm in a deep mess which involve my boss and my husband." They kept listening "my husband is currently mad at me for being so insensitive but i wasnt i promise you that and to prove that, i was being secretive to him because my boss knows everything and one time he just randomly promoted me to become his slave, well technically i dont do his dishes that for sure" Sungjae smirked after i said that "My boss wanted me to move in one of the apartments they have for their staffs, I didnt have a choice because like what I said my boss knows everything and his not afraid to spill my secrets and spilling my secrets can both ruin me and my husband so im basically trying to protect him by being incognito towards him and now it made him mad at me. I just dont know what to do anymore. I cant ever tell him the truth because that would ruin him and i just cant take away the only thing that makes him happy right now" by the time i was done talking i was already crying. Changsub handed me some tissues also a shot of soju to which I welcomed and said thanks to.

"So basically Mark is mad at you becsuse he thinks that you dont care for some reason and now his not talking to you?" Minhyuk suddenly mentions Marks names so I panicked because the two guys in front of me doesnt know that and he might have seen how panicked I was because he just smiled at me and said "They know. Actually we all know. We just didnt make it to your wedding because we had a concert somewhere that time. Papa Tuan actually invited us. But since you didnt know that. Mark asked us to pretend like we dont know anything because he believed that you two wont last. But judging on how you feel right now i guess something good must have happened." He told me honestly and it made me feel a bit embarass because all this time they might have thought of me as dysfuntional.

"Okay. Thats news to me. Anymays Mark is mad at me because he thinks that I decided to move on my own. You see we have a house here and thats where Im staying. But since i got offered and a better place near my work and since I dont really have a choice. I just did what I have too now Marks mad because of that. I know its my fault but cant he just forgive me this one time. Its not like im not going to visit home when I have the time. I didnt even bring everything in the new apartment only the things that I need." I reasoned out the three guys just kept on looking.

"Talk to him when his mind is much cooler. His just in shock, he also needs time to think. So just let him think." Changsub said. Drinking another shot of soju. Sungjae did the same and he was just doing that he didnt even say anything.

"Just dont do anything stupid. He'll come around eventually" Minhyuk added.

I took another shot of soju the guys promised they'll take me home anyways so I just enjoyed their company while Minhyuk ssi made sure I dont ger drunk so much.

"Yah! If you keep drinking like that we'll have to call Mark to take care of you. We can take you home but we definitely cant take care of you once we are there" I heard Minhyuk scolding me but I wasnt oaying attention to his words. I just wanted to feel numb for a second so I could forget how cruel life is to me. I kept drinking didnt even noticed that it was already so late. The guys were not as drunk as I am thats for sure.

"I just...i just want to forget the pain... Im not used to seeing Marks back"

"You need to rest. Just take a nap then when you wake up you'll be fine." I heard someone tell me and I felt my eyes getting heavy so I just let sleep invade my body with no thought of protection against three guys inside the room.

//MARK

It was 7:00am when I felt my phone vibrate and when I looked at it, Minhyuk-hyung was calling me. Being puzzled by the sudden call i didnt have a choice but to answer it.

"Hyun..."

"I just want to forget the pain... Im not used to seeing Marks back" I heard Eunjees voice on the other end which made me sit up straight.

"Mark, Eunjees asleep now. We can take her home but we cant just leave her like this when we get there. Could you come and help her? Shes wasted and she needs you." Minhyuk hyung explained.

"Why is she even with you?" Thinking about the idea of Eunjee hanging out with other guys is making me angry now that his drinking and acting so vulnerable around guys is making me more mad than I was before. It was a relief that shes with Minhyuk hyung atleast i could trust him but what if she does this around other guys I dont know about what will happened then.

"I saw her in the diner around my area. Got the chance to talk to her because she was acting like a zombie. She didnt even realize how messed up she looks like when I talked to her. I brought her to my apartment so no one could hear her outburst. Well not really outburst but her thoughts. She was hard to crack but she did tell us something and i think as a friend, you should listen to her and just trust what shes doing. She may have done something bad but shes also protecting you. So you just need to trust her" Minhyuk hyung said which made me curious to what she said. " You better meet me at your house. Ill bring her there now. Bye" before i could ask him what Eunjee said he already hanged up on me.

I picked up Jaebums keys and left a note that i had to do something and promise to give it back later in good condition. My car is still with Eunjee because that what I left her with when we got into argument.

The BtoB guys know about my situation, i only found out when my dad told me all the people he invited and somehow one of them was the btob guys, unfortuantely they didnt make it because they had a concert during that time so thatsnthe reason why i didnt know that they knew. When I found out I called them and asked them to keep it a secret since back then I wasnt sure we'll come this far.

I drove to our house and saw Minhyuk hyung already there and waiting by his side of the car. It a good thing that its still early and no one was really around so we can bring Eunjee inside without hiding her so much.

I parked the car besides Minhyuk hyung and he waves hi to me. I got out of the car and approached him making a signal that  Eunjees inside and still sleeping. I looked at him and I just had to ask

"What did you two talk about?"

He smiles towards me before going to the other side of the car and opening it to get Eunjee out. She was sleeping soundly and I had to take her from hyung because I felt how vulnerable she is right now and I dont like seeing another guys hand on her. I brought her inside out house using my key with Minhyuk hyung still following us. I gently placed her inside our room and paused to looked at her one more time. I left her after that and went to minhyuk hyung.

"Im just waiting for Changsub. His driving your car back here. Quite a place you got here" he states.

"Hyung please. What did the two of you talk about?" I begged because i really wanted to know.

"You should talk to her. She'll tell you anyways. But she does care for you Mark" he tells me

"Fine. Ill talk to her. Thanks for taking care of her. I was actually worried she might end up elsewhere after I left her." He nods and his phong rings i guess Changsub hyung is already here. We both went out to greet him then he gives me my keys.

"Take care of her. She needs you" He tells me aswell and I just nod

"We'll go ahead. Lets hang out some other time aswell. You've grown Mark just keep it up and you'll get there" Minhyuk hyung tells me and I just nod. I bowed to the both of them as they drove off.

I went back inside and checked on Eunjee. Shes still wearing her scrubs so I had to change her into one of my hoodies.  After changing her into those I resist the urge to looked at her longer when I was changing her, because I dont want to look at her like that when shes like this. Thats just wrong.

"Sorry" Eunjee faintly said. Her eyes were still closed so i guess she was dreaming. A single tear slipped out of her closed eyes, she dreaming about what happened I guess.

I wish I could stay and take care of her but I cant we still have something to do today and i need to get back because i need to bring Jb's car back aswell. I found a notepad and wrote a message to her. I places it beside her and made sure that it wont be blown off. I kissed her forehead then left her.

I cant wait for the upcoming break we have, I can atleast spend more time with her then.

I drove back to our dorm building and went up. Jb was already up and saw my note, he asked me what happened but I told him I'll tell him later after our schedule for the day. I didnt have enough sleep but I dont feel so tired. I'm still worried about Eunjee and I just hope that I get to see her again today so we can both  make up.

I'm sure she has an explanation about her  actions. I just hope they are good enough for me to listen.