Family First

Mae steadied her clammy hand on the door handle and took in a breath. Then, before turning the key in the lock, she painted a smile on her lips and blinked the weariness out of her eyes.

Skipping over the threshold she cheerily made her presence known and froze at the scene that was presented before her eyes. Hyo, her boyfriend, was cuddled up on the sofa with another girl.

"W-What's going on?" Her voice shook, as the keys in her clenched fist dug into her skin. The stinging sensation eased some of the pain that was currently gnawing at her chest.

"Mae! I can explain..."

"Explain what? I've been away for two months for my idol schedule and come back to this." She gestured wildly at Hyo and the unknown girl on the sofa. "Is this to do with the rumours that have been circulating about me? You must know they aren't true."

Hyo got to his feet and came to her side, his hand moved to the small of her back; it was meant as a comforting gesture, yet it evoked a different emotion to rise up within her... Disgust.

When all the rumours had first come to be, and were just gaining friction, he had been the one to help her through it all. In addition to that, he had been the one who was the most understanding and kept her feet on the ground. Now here he was casting her aside for someone else.

"This isn't my doing, Mae. You know how much I love you and would do nothing to hurt you. It's my parents..." His eyes lowered and his face fell along with them. "They think you will bring shame upon the family and have cancelled our engagement. They think that she'll be a better match for me."

He moved closer to her, and a pleading expression coated his face. "As much as I want to, I can't go against my parents. I'm their heir and I have to go along with their wishes."

Unshed tears glistened in her eyes, as she ran from the house, his words still ringing in her ears.

Once she was outside in the chilly air again, Mae leaned against the door and clutched her chest, as she recalled everything he had just said. His parents had welcomed her into their home with open arms, they treated her like she was already a part of the family, and it was like she had finally found a place where she could truly belong. Then a bunch of rumours, that are yet to be proven false to the public, started to appear, and they cast her aside like she was nothing.

Nothing.

Without her idol career, Mae would be a nobody; a face that blends in with the crowd and she would always be nothing more than that. Also, without Hyo, her life would be bleak and bland. She needed something that would give her life meaning and make it more interesting, and she hoped it would come sooner than later.

☽

Mae clutched the coffee cup in her hands and didn't flinch when the hot liquid within scolded her palms. The pain distracted her from the poisonous thoughts that stung her mind.

How could she have been so stupid? The sweet words he had spouted, all the loving gestures, the hugs and the kisses that sent the butterflies in her stomach soaring, meant nothing in the face of his parents' disdain.

Despite the fact that he had known her better than anyone, he had easily complied with his parents' wishes to stop the wedding. They believed in the rumours that had sprouted up about her, and had severed all ties between them.

Why couldn't he have stood up for her? Why couldn't he have challenged his parents and believed in his fiancée? In the end, it had all come down to nothing.

Mae wasn't even sure her idol career would continue, due to even her manager giving up, and her company doing nothing to help clear things up. Now, for the first time ever, she was on her own.

"Isn't that her?" A hushed voice entered her ears, and they pricked up at the sound.

"Yeah, that's definitely her." Another mocking voice appeared. "How could she show her face in public after what she's done. The homewrecker. How shameless."

"If I were her, I would lock myself away and never go outside again."

"The once starlet has sunk so low."

"Crazy bitch. I hate her."

"Shut up!" an angry shout shut the gossips up and Mae turned her head at the sound.

The two girls who had been shooting of their poisonous words moments before, now looked as though they had swallowed their tongues. And they trembled at the menacing aura that emanated from the guy behind them.

Then, he strolled past them and grabbed Mae by the arm. Pulling her to her feet, he pushed past the now gathering crowd, and brought her outside.

The chill in the air made her shiver, and her confused eyes locked with his own concerned ones. Why had he come? Had he found out what had happened with Hyo?

"Don't listen to what others have to say." His once scornful tone had changed to a soothing one as he looked down at her. "They're nothing but words and mean nothing."

Maybe Mae had been wrong... She wasn't alone, and gratefulness flooded her chest as she stood in the presence of her friend, Johnny. Out of everyone, he was the only one she could trust and count on. And there was a part of her who knew that that would get through this.