✓Crotchet || MCND Castle J

Chapter 8 - Past Conversation

[flashback]

          "Hey," Jerry said. "I was just about to call you out."

          "What's up?" I said, walking towards him.

          "Regarding Minji.." he trailed for a few seconds and I didn't say anything until he continued. "I don't know how to tell you this in a nice way but stay away from her."

          I wasn't surprised but I kept my face neutral so as to not give away any of my emotions. I understand what he's saying, guys could be the jealous type too but I didn't say anything, allowing him to say more.

          "I'm saying this because, as her friend, I want to protect her." Friend? I probably look confused because he smiled and the next thing he said was, "I assume you thought we were together."

         "Aren't you?" I still asked even though it's obvious that he's saying that they're not.

          "We get that a lot," he answered. "But that's just because Minji has attachment issues. She'll cling on to people who are nice to her."

          I didn't expect that information. "What do you mean?"

          "I mean, don't get too close to her," he said. "You and your friends. You guys are in the idol world and you disappear a lot, unlike other normal university students. She easily gets depressed when people she's close to can't regularly contact her."

          "Did something happen to her in the past?" I asked. "There must be a reason she's like that."

          "A lot of things happened. She isn't usually like that. She used to have a lot of people around her but that thing happened and, one by one, her friends stopped hanging out with her."

          "What thing?"

          "It's not really my story to tell," he said. "I know you're curious but don't get too involved. Ever since then, she gets ahold of the people who are nice to her but for some reason, they always leave. It's not because there's something wrong with Minji. You know how nice she is. Those people just have their reasons but she all took them to heart.

          "I feel so sad for her especially when she started to choose to be alone. She's as if the happiest person alive every time she tells me someone talked to her. But maybe because she doesn't talk much anymore that those people don't talk to her for a second time. You guys were the firsts but when she said you are idols, I felt the need to do something."

          We became silent as he let me process everything he said. Jerry is just trying to spare Minji from being hurt again.

          "I understand what you're saying," I said after a while. "But I don't know how to stay away from her especially when we're going to work together for a project."

          "That's my concern too," he said. "I was surprised when she offered to go here. You must've said something that made her comfortable with you."

          I thought back at our past conversations. Yeah, I must've did.

         "Anyways, I'll try my best," I said.

         "Thank you." He answered.

          I walked down the street to buy the beverages and my mind swirl with the new information. How can I avoid such a sweet girl like Minji?