Page 57 of Wish Upon a K-Star

W e don’t win. But I’m relieved—it would have been agony to accept an award for Best Couple when my relationship with Minseok is in shambles. After the other couple’s names are announced, I pull away from Minseok so his arm drops from my shoulders. I use the excuse of congratulating the winners as a reason to separate from him.

And then I rush off the stage with the others.

All I can think is I need to get out of here. I feel like I’m completely losing my composure, and I can’t let it happen in front of all these people. I hurry off the stage, to the darkness in the wings.

I’m sure I’m about to burst into tears or start hyperventilating. Either option is not optimal right now.

Someone calls my name and I scurry away. I can’t talk to anyone in this state. I yank open the first door I find.

It turns out to be a storage closet, filled with lighting equipment.

But before the door fully swings shut, Minseok grabs it, stepping into the doorframe.

“Hyeri, are you okay?”

“Why do you care?” The angry words spill out before I realize they’re living inside me.

He steps into the closet, letting the door close. Darkness envelops us. I hear Minseok’s muttered cursing. He searches the walls, finally finding the switch on the one behind me.

When the low light blinks on, he’s leaning into me. His arm is snaked around my back, still pressing the switch.

I nudge him away. “What do you want, Minseok?”

He sighs, running an agitated hand over the back of his neck. The movement makes my heart spark in reaction before it fades into even deeper depression. It sucks that I’m still so attracted to him when just being around him makes me want to cry.

“I don’t want this to be how it ends between us,” he says softly.

“We still have a few more things to shoot for OCM ,” I point out stiffly.

He scowls and the bare bulb overhead casts the expression into even angrier shadows. “That’s not what I mean.”

“I don’t know what you want from me,” I say, exhausted. “You told me to go to LA, so I am.”

“I just—” He bites off the word, his arms coming up in frustration. He bumps his elbow against a shelf in the cramped space and lets out a curse.

“Can I go?” I ask.

“This all feels so messed up.” He is still rubbing at his arm. “This isn’t how I wanted this to play out.”

“Then tell me how you imagined it? What perfect breakup scenario can I give you?”

“Hyeri.” He growls out my name like a warning, but I’m incensed. How dare he lay his stress at my feet like I’m the guilty party.

“You know, I’ve been going over that last conversation again and again. And I call bullshit,” I say.

“Bullshit?”

“Yeah. You told me to make my own choices, while at the same time making a decision for me.”

Minseok scowls. “That’s not what I was doing.”

“Yes it is. You did it four years ago too. If you don’t want to be with me, fine. But stop pretending like you’re doing it for my own good.” I feel too claustrophobic in here now. I push past him, opening the door and bursting out into the hall.

“Hyeri,” he calls after me.

I hurry away, the tears I held in so successfully now on the verge of falling.

I know I can’t cry. It’ll ruin my makeup and we still have half of the awards show to go.

“Hyeri, please.” He grabs my hand and turns me to face him.

We’re close enough to the stage now that I can hear the announcers. “And now to present the award for Best Newcomer…”

“I’m such an idiot,” Minseok starts to say, his hand coming up to cup my cheek. And all my resolve starts melting away. I want to just lean into him, take in the smell and feel of him.

“I have to get back to my seat,” I say, but I don’t pull away.

“Maybe you’re right. Maybe I have regrets about how I handled all of it.” He’s leaning down, eyes aligning with mine. Lips aligning with mine.

I have to stop him. If this happens it’ll definitely mess me up.

“And the winner is…Shin Hyeri!”

I turn at the call of my name, but Minseok still grips my hand. Holding me beside him.

A stagehand hurries over. “Hyeri-ssi, that’s you! You have to go onstage!”

She must be harried because she doesn’t even blink at Minseok and me standing here together, hands still clasped.

“Oh yes.” I pull away from him as I’m ushered to the stage. But I can’t help one last backward glance. Minseok is already walking away, though. And so I turn toward the bright lights of the stage to accept my award.