Bringing me up to his room, he slams the door closed as he locks. My eyes follow his angry movements, watching as he picks up the clothes in his bedroom and chucks them into his huge closet. Finally, he pulls out some leggings and a huge, huge sweater. He almost slams into me before he takes an emergency halt, hands wide in the air as they start to clench in anger.

He says an incoherent cuss word under his breath, soon wrapping his arm around my waist. He's pulled me close, using his free hand to shuffle up my hair. I watch him with my eager eyes, wrapping my arms around his neck before reaching up—and giving him a big smooch.

He doesn't react—instead, he stands there in silence, continuing to brush my hair down. "Ah~" I frown, kissing him again. He still doesn't react, leaving my embrace as he hands me the clothes. "Hey! Lee Hee—"

He kisses me to shut me up from my whining, pulling away before kissing the side of my neck. Whispering, it sends butterflies down my neck. Wasn't this getting sensual... "Enough whining, change."

"Yes, sir," I immediately oblige, watching as he turns around and walks to the balcony doors, closing them with his curtains. As I take off my shirt and change, I chuckle. "Something on your mind?"

"You felt that too, right?" He instantly hits the wall with his palm, biting his cheek as he turns around. However, as I am just in the middle of putting his sweater on, he swiftly turns back around, sighing in frustration. "Do you think they're teaming up against us?"

"It's quite obvious, yes," I replied, licking my lips as I wipe myself with the towel and put on the leggings. Surprisingly, these fit me well—I think I'll keep it. "It's whether you can keep it to yourself that you're jealous—and if you can keep your mentality together."

"I'm going to lose it before I can even tell Jake to keep his hands off!" He yells out of anger, causing me to blink. Yeah, he's angry. However, it isn't a first. With this second round of second-lead syndrome, there was no hope. "God, I hate them right now—especially Ji-Hun! How could she just—"

He turns around after my agreeing hum, walking over easily before placing his hands on my hips. He easily seeks comfort in my touch, frowning at me as he sighs. "I can't keep it together. I trust you—but I don't trust him."

"I don't either," I say truthfully, tilting my neck slightly to give him access. He places his face in the crook of my neck, both of us sighing as we fall back on his bed. He kisses my neck softly as I draw circles on his back, frowning. "Do you think it's because I told him I liked him before we dated? Do you think he would've liked me back?"

Nodding, he mumbles a few words. "Possibly. You gave him the idea of it."

"But he knows we're dating... is he trying to be a homewrecker?"

"Both Ji-Hun and Jake are homewreckers," His hand drags up, wrapping his arms around my neck. Looking at me, I see the worry in his eyes. "Are we going to let them wreck us?"

"Didn't I tell you already? Don't think so negatively," I hiss, wiping my finger down his nose. "I have no plans on departing from you—and hopefully, you feel the same."

He nods—and no words are needed, more or less.

He falls asleep in my embrace, but as the party continues,

I'm left with millions of thoughts in my head.

The next day comes around, allowing me to forget everything.

Blasting music in my headphones, I dance with Ni-Ki in the small studio. He tried to teach me some choreography—but soon gave up after I started to dance nonsense. He continued to toss me around the room until Sunoo came in—and like clockwork, grabbed Sunoo by the feet before swinging him around.

The boy screeched and now, here we are, laying against the ground like dead bodies.

"Shall we try a dance?" Sunoo mentions, picking me up from the ground just as Jungwon walks in. It's as if all of them are coming to dance all of a sudden.

However, instead of dancing, Jungwon pulls me away from Sunoo, clearing his throat and walking past me. However, just when I wanted to ask him about it, he's mumbling something. "Jake and Heeseung are outside."

I raise an eyebrow as he widens his eyes, beckoning to the door. "Shall we rehearse—"

"We heard too, hyung," Ni-Ki grumbles before Sunoo flies past me, opening the door quietly. I widen my eyes before following after him, both of us hiding in the corner as I watch from behind him. Ni-KI and Jungwon follow our lead, hiding behind me as we listen closely.

"So, you found out?" Jake shoves his hands in his pockets, chuckling as he looks down. "Yeah, I do like Iseul."

"Why?" He hisses, narrowing his eyes at Jake. "You know she has a boyfriend, right?"

"I'm fully aware of the risk, and of her boyfriend, hyung," Jake shrugs, smirking. "But I'm fulfilling a deal with Ms. Socialite—in return for allowing Ji-Hun access to you, I get your girlfriend."

Jungwon gasps lowly, all of us covering our mouths. As you can see, I'm not taking this seriously. Why should I? This is embarrassing.

Heeseung grabs the boy by his collar, glaring hard at his friend. "I could punch you right here, right now, Jake," He swallows his words, his knuckles turning a soft white. "Why the hell do you like my girlfriend? Because she told you that you were her first love? Or just to fulfill this stupid deal of yours?!"

"Then let me ask you a question in return, hyung," Emphasizing the title, he grabs his friend's collar as well, obviously pissed. "Do you love her because she knows your secrets? Or do you love her because she took the "drunk" out of your name?"

God, Heeseung, now this got serious. Please say something.

He won't.

He will.

He won't, Iseul.

He will! I know he will!

No.

He doesn't say anything.

Almost as if the words he poured out to me, almost as if the kisses and hugs that he used to swarm me with—

Disappeared like thin air. 

Letting go of Jake's collar, he steps away, swallowing. "See, you and I both know you're still stuck on Moon Ji-Hun. Rebound, much?"

"Shut the hell up," Heeseung grumbles, crossing his arms. "I don't love her, I love Iseul, Jake. You can continue to absolutely swarm me with your plans, trying to convince me to love someone else, but I only love her."

It all feels like lies. 

Why didn't you say anything the first time? Damn it.

He tries to walk away, but Jake's chuckle stops him. "Do you really? Or do you just love the image of her that's trying to replace Ji-Hun's?"

"I swear if you don't shut the f—" He finally takes a peek at us, seeing our faces. Softening at my uneasy stare, Jungwon pulls me back.

"Run," He whispers before shoving me out of the way, the three boys covering me as the other two try to dash me. "Run!"

So, I start running, hearing the synchronization of Jake and Heeseung's voices.

"Iseul!"

That name... I hate my name.

Crap, why do I have to be in this position again?!

Keep it together. Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry—

Why the hell are you crying?!

Shut up, I don't know! 

Gah!

"And you're here... because?"

Passing me the coffee-flavored ice cream, I sob once more, taking a lick of the ice cream. He sighs, wiping my tears. "Gosh, why do all girls cry ugly?"

"Shut up!" I sob, wiping off the globs of tears that stop me from enjoying my dessert. "He hesitated! He hesitated, you know!? Does that really mean... I'm a rebound?!"

"Of course not," The other boy mentions, crossing a leg over the other as he sighs. "Hyung loves you. Maybe he just had... a second decision?"

"No, no," The other denies immediately, pointing at his friend. "There's a possibility that there's more behind that dull head of his. Could he be actually playing Iseul!?"

"Don't say that, dude!" The other scolds, pointing back. "There's just a possibility... he could've been bluffing?" Coming out as a question, I groan, crying more.

"You're making it worse!" I wail, the two boys trying to shut me up as people pass by in confusion.

I don't care about the attention, all I care about is Heeseung!

Gosh, this is why my parents tell me to never date!

"Gosh, Heeseung hyung said he'd stop making you cry," Sunghoon grumbles, wiping my tears with his thumbs. "Hasn't he had enough of her ugly crying?"

"Gosh, I wish I knew," Jay helps wipes my tears, watching as I sniffle. "But to hesitate over all the times that they've been love... doesn't that also give you... weird vibes?"

"Indeed," They start a conversation, pushing me out of it so I could listen (and eat my ice cream.) "There was also something about Ji-Hun... that had me thinking: what if she is manipulating him again?"

"I mean, we know Jake is teaming up with Ji-Hun to be homewreckers, they didn't hide it, but why would Heeseung seem to be so easy and calm with it? All the other times we joked about ever stealing Iseul from him—it got serious..." Jay explains, crossing his arms. "Especially with you, Sunghoon! Tell her that time—"

"I can't," Sunghoon denies.

"Tell her," Jay points to me, causing him to sigh. Sunghoon turns my way, crossing his arms. "Or I will."

"I will, I will," Sunghoon surrenders, finally laying his eyes on me. "Before I finally admitted defeat, we both met. It was before you came to Namyangju but during your stay at Suwon. We got into another fight over you—but this time, I almost got knocked out."

He chuckles as if it was nothing, brushing his hair back. "I told him how I'd steal you from him. I told him so, so much about you—all the things he should know. He fought through each of my punches, and at the end of our fight, he was already bleeding just as much as I was from his first punch. He was dedicated to you—and he still is—however, it just doesn't explain why he's like this. Why is he getting second thoughts?"

I stare into oblivion as they continue to talk. "Because Moon Ji-Hun is making her appearance again," Jay replies, leaning his head back. "She's a professional manipulator—and it seems like she has Jake under her trance, too."

"I hate it here," I mumble, taking another bite of my ice cream. Jay caresses my head, frowning. "I don't want to think like this...—but do you think... Heeseung is only using me as a rebound to get rid of his love for Ji-Hun?"

They both look at each other in worry, gulping as they turn back to me.

With their eyes peeking at both of mine, I realize the predicament we're in.

There's a possibility that he is.

Days pass by. 

Two weeks pass by.

Finally, after dodging all the speculation and Heeseung, I've made it to the day I looked forward to the most. 

Valentine's.

"I can't believe you're doing this," Jungwon pulls up my mask, helping me tie up my hair. Sunghoon hoists himself up on the windowsill that I used to admire people with, trying to hide away from Jake and Heeseung. "You know, it's obvious that you are Jae Iseul."

"One more peep out of you, I'm not playing cupid for you and Soo-Ri."

"Shut up," He flushes before finishing tying my hair, crossing his arms. "Anyway, my job is done here. I'll see you at practice?"

Sunghoon nods, Jungwon waving to both of us before walking away with his bag. I stare at my feet, Sunghoon patting my shoulder before chuckling. "Wake up—you'll be fine."

"Doubt it, doubt it!"

"It's Valentine's day—you completely avoided him for 2 weeks," Sunghoon frowns, pulling me off the windowsill. "He's still your boyfriend. You can't just ghost him and expect everything is solved."

"I wish it was that easy," I mutter, letting him pull me around. "But I guess you're right. I did buy him something too!"

"What did you buy?" He questions, causing me to giggle before pulling out the pretty ring, eyes sparkling as he looks at it. "Woah!"

"Isn't it pretty!?" I swoon, covering it back up in the box. "Anyway, let's go find him, you're ri—"

Halting, the crowd screams as I stand at the back of it. 

Ji-Hun is holding a ring in front of Heeseung—who seems to be hesitant. I can't hold him accountable, I trust him.

Crap, do I?

Yes, you do.

Oh, okay.

"Iseul—"

"Let me watch," I blink, crossing my arms as I narrow my eyes. 

Heeseung denies it shortly after, panic rising in his eyes as she edges closer to him. Finally placing her lips on Heeseung, he freezes up. It's okay, it's a normal reaction. Keep it together, keep it together—

Why are you crying again?!

I want to curse at my head so badly right now.

Someone covers my eyes, his breath closing in as I hear Jake whisper something in my ears.

"I told you..."

"You deserve better."