He glanced at the bathroom door where he knew Shin Hye was, listening to their conversation. Min Ho looked back at his manager and gave him a faint smile. ‘Thank you, hyung.’
His manager was quiet for a while, looking like he wanted to say something but was hesitating.
‘Min Ho-yah,’ he spoke after a long silence between them. ‘Il Woo said Shin Hye called him, looking for you. And that she…’ he paused, ‘…was worried.’
Min Ho pressed his lips together and looked down. ‘Kure?’ He replied meekly. Up until a few moments ago, he would have been happy to hear that Shin Hye was worried about him. But now that he messed things up again, he only felt sorry that even if he had been such a jerk, Shin Hye had gone to such lengths just to make sure he was okay.
His manager leaned forward and looked at Min Ho gloomily. ‘Look, kid. I know I’ve been hard on you these past few weeks. I just hate seeing you like this. If I knew that you were going to act like losing her was the end of the world, then I would have helped you keep her.’
Min Ho’s eyes wandered to the bathroom door again. She can’t hear this. He was about to speak but his manager kept going.
‘I know that you’re under a lot of stress and pressure. Even if you never told me the reason why you broke up with her, I understood. And I agreed with your decision because I had to look at it from the point of view of the agency. Even if I like Shin Hye, I knew that separating was what was best for her, too,’ he continued. His expression fell. ‘But now, after seeing you like this, I don’t think it’s healthy at all. You’re a mess, Min Ho-yah. And I have a bad feeling you’ll continue to be like this unless she–‘
‘Hyung,’ Min Ho cut him off, looking flustered. ‘Let’s talk about this some other time. It’s late.’
His manager creased his brows, wanting to talk some more, but soon let out a defeated sigh. ‘Arasso. You rest for now. You still have filming for Lotte tomorrow.’
Min Ho nodded his head and stood up to walk his manager out the door. Before he could go, Min Ho put a hand on the older man’s shoulder. ‘I’m really sorry about my behavior, hyung. I know it’s been hard on you. I’ll try my best to not act like an idiot from now on,’ he told him.
His manager looked up at him with sorry eyes. ‘I know it may not seem like it sometimes, but I care more about you than the agency. For your own sake, talk to her, Min Ho-yah. Try to tell her how you really feel. It’s never too late.’
Min Ho gave him a half-hearted smile. He wasn’t so sure about that.
When his manager was gone, Min Ho quietly walked to the bathroom and opened the door. Shin Hye, who stood right behind it, looked up at Min Ho.
He immediately dropped his gaze and stepped aside to let Shin Hye out. ‘He’s gone.’
Shin Hye didn’t respond and let herself out. As she kept walking to the direction of the door, Min Ho felt an urge to hold her back. But he wasn’t going to do that to her again. Shin Hye was right; he shouldn’t just give in to every impulse he feels. So as much as it pained him, he was going to have to let her go for now.
He was fully prepared to watch Shin Hye walk out of his pad, but she stopped by the door and turned around with a troubled expression on her face.
‘Those articles,’ she paused and looked down, her voice tentative. ‘Don’t let them get to you.’
‘Hmm,’ Min Ho nodded.
‘And don’t skip meals anymore. Please.’
Min Ho smiled weakly. ‘I haven’t since you wrote that note.'
Shin Hye looked up to meet his eyes. ‘Good. Take care of yourself, oppa.’
Oppa. Min Ho’s heart sank. He’d been waiting to hear her call him that again, but he didn’t know it would be to say goodbye. There was something so final in Shin Hye’s statement, in her voice, in her eyes. He was genuinely scared. That if she walked out now, she could be walking out of his life forever. His heart raced at the thought, and his desire to hold on to her felt stronger than ever. But with all his might, he fought it.
Because his manager was right – he was a mess, and he needed to figure out what it was that he really wanted. Every thought that had crossed his mind so far was selfish and short-sighted. He needed to fix that. Because Shin Hye deserved someone who was going to stand by his word, and who was willing to fight all odds just to be with her. And he needed to find out if he was that person before he confuses Shin Hye again. Before he hurts her again.
So he replied with the only words he would allow himself to say for the time being. ‘Take care of yourself, too.’
Neither of them said anything more. He just watched as Shin Hye left without another glance.