TIME: Mark Tuan edition

Chapter 6

"Why?" I mumble facing back towards his chest.

"You told me to-"

"I didn't think you'd actually do it. I didn't think you'd last," I tell him. I was beginning to get angry.

"You think it was easy to do that? It was your last request while sending me off. You seemed so serious about it. You made me promise. You said for me to not to look for you and not to ask for you. I needed someone to listen to me when I struggled. I needed someone with me to feel that someone was supporting me. I can't tell my family what tell you. I kept holding a finger over your contact name on my phone. I kept going through your social media like a psychotic stalker. That is, until you stopped using it. But I see now you use your show's Twitter account. Don't you think meeting like this is like fate? Isn't this what you wanted? For us to meet again after I debut and become successful?" He had pulled back but kept me in his arms as he stared into my eyes while talking.

"Yes- but I didn't think you would do it. I have my own life now Mark. One without you," I pulled away and turned around walking towards my balcony.

"Oh really? What about my shirt? When I saw it earlier today something felt funny. Like I was connected to it like how I felt when you walked into the room and you greeted us on the phone for your show. You still wear my shirt," he tells me from where I left him.

"But it doesn't smell like you. It smells like my laundry detergent. I've stopped going to your house and stopped talking to your family because it hurt too much. From having someone beside me to take care of me to having no one to having to take care of someone is a big change for me and I too needed someone by me to help me. Meeting my friends was the best thing that could happen. Brian and Jen are my closest friends and act like an older brother and sister to me. They were there for me. My friends accepted me with this child that's not even my blood," I crossed my arms feeling exposed. I stare out of the glass doors and watched the sky grow dark. I hear his footsteps but I can't tell where he's going.

"I know you stopped meeting them and going there. They told me that asking what happened," the bed squeaked, "I told them that it was probably hard for you and they understand. They still keep in contact with your parents to ask about you and your parents about me. They ask me if I wanted to know how you were but like you I thought it'd be to painful to hear you were doing well without me. It's selfish and petty but I didn't want to see you happy without me. Turns out you've been well without me. You have a job, friends who you can lean on for support, an apartment, and you go to school. You're living your life even if things had come and gone in your life. I'm really proud of you."

"And I'm proud of you. After three years of being away from home and the hard work of being a trainee, you have finally debuted and is making something of your name to the world. It amazes me to see your face on some things around Koreatown and your albums on some shelves here and there. Hearing 'Girls Girls Girls' for the first time and giving the news about the new rookie group on my show was a big shock to me when I read your name. I stalked you guys a bit until it hurt again." The sky became dark and stars began to shine. The bed squeaked again before he spoke.

"Why won't you come to me? Why won't you bring down your walls and just let us be?" I was surprised by the sudden questions. I turn to face him and he was already looking at me lying down on my bed.

"Because now you're known by people. Soon people will stalk you and follow you around. They will look at every little thing in your life. If they see me even once, they will surely find out about who I am and what I do for a living. And because I am also known to many of the young asian population they will find more about me than if I wasn't," I was scared. Even if I wanted to hangout with him again. I had to think rationally.