faking you │ B.I.

► 24

I sit in my apartment, alone. After Ara dropped the bomb on me that Hanbin had broken up with Jihyun because of me, I needed the comfort of my own company. I sat there for a few hours, trying to figure everything out. I cleaned up a bit. I replied to emails that Hwayoung had sent me about my punishments and interviews I had coming up. Then, I finally texted one person around 2 a.m., asking them to come over.

Now I sit in my apartment, alone. I sit and wait for them to arrive, thinking of what to tell them. I glance at my reflection in the television screen, then I glance toward my front door, hidden by the corner of the wall splitting my living room from my small kitchen. Suddenly, three short knocks echo through my apartment. I jump at the sound and quickly get up to answer the door.

As I open my front door, I'm greeted by a radiant face, dark eyes filled with concern. She raises an eyebrow as we make eye contact and I give her a small smile. I take a step back, allowing her to enter my apartment. "Thanks for coming, Jieun."

IU's expression softens a little, although she still looks a bit confused. She smiles and walks passed me, towards my living room. "No problem, I want to help."

I nod and close my door before going to sit on my sofa. Once I'm sitting, she joins me, sitting at the other end of the couch. She turns to look at me and I shrink a little under her gaze, still a little intimidated since it's only our second time meeting. She gives me a small smile, trying to encourage me.

"So, start from the beginning. What's happening?" She asks.

"Well...it started when my manager talked to me one evening..." I tell IU my entire situation with Hanbin and Jooheon. I start from the beginning until the news that Ara had given to me last night. IU listens intently, nodding her head to encourage me to continue talking about it. Once I'm finished, she takes a deep breath.

"What the hell."

I let out a small laugh. "Yeah, it's...a mess."

"Well, okay. What does Ara mean that he broke up with Jihyun for you? Like, he broke up with Jihyun because he wants to be with you?"

I shake my head violently. "No, no, no. Not that way. Because Jihyun has been traumatizing me and harassing with me, he did it to protect me. Because we're friends. Not because he wants to be with me."

She raises an eyebrow. "Are you sure? They've been dating for how long? Why would he take your side over his girlfriend's? Especially if he took her side the first few times?"

I bite my lip and shrug. "I don't know...because we've gotten closer?"

"Soojin, you're so dense. Hanbin is clearly falling in love with you."

I gasp and shake my head, waving my hands. "No way. Not at all. He loves Jihyun, and he told me when we first met that I wasn't his type." 

"So? Maybe his feelings have changed. Humans are like that, you know."

"Not with Hanbin. No way."

She shakes her head slightly. "Denial. Why don't you want to believe that he may like you? Unless you secretly love him, too? And you're afraid to admit that because you still love Jooheon, too."

My cheeks begin to heat and I look down at the ground. "That's not true."

"Soojin, you asked for my help. Here I am. So, let's talk. Do you love Hanbin?"

I continue to stare down at the ground for a moment. "I...I love him in a different way than Jooheon. Hanbin and I have become really close friends, but no, I don't love him in the way I love Jooheon."

She nods. "Well, then you need to make that clear to Jooheon and him. Make sure they both know where they fit in your life. Because if Hanbin actually does love you, then this situation is about to get a lot more complicated."

I sigh. "I know..."

IU and I talk for another hour and a half, catching up and discussing the situation a little more. She gives me advice about what to do with Jihyun. She tells me about how she's had similar experiences, especially with celebrity dating scandals. Once it gets closer to dinner time, IU gets up to leave.

"I hope I could help a bit, Soo."

I smile and nod, standing up with her. "You did."

We walk over to my front door. She hugs me briefly. "If you ever need to talk or get in a depressed mood again, call me. I'll help you. Take care of yourself, okay? I know it's tough, but you need to take care of your body and mind."

I smile softly. "Thank you, Jieun."

"No problem, Soo." She opens my front door and steps into the doorway. "I'll see you soon."

"See you soon." 

She smiles and closes my door behind her as she leaves. I start to walk over to my fridge, knowing I needed to make something to eat. I start looking at my different options when suddenly there's a knock at the door. I suspect that IU must have remembered something to tell me and go to answer the door. I open the door cheerfully, expecting to see her standing there. Instead, it's a breathless Jackson.

"Jackson? What's wrong?" His expression is that of urgency.

"Soojin, we need to go to the hospital right now." He spits the words at me fast and slurred.

I look at him confused. "What's happened? What's going on?"

"It's Jooheon. He's been injured."