A RACE TO MY HEART (FAN FICTION) (CHAPTER 16)

What If - Super Junior

CHAPTER 16                  

Max was the first one who entered the dressing room after their performance. He was somehow hoping that he would still find Fate there.              

During the entire time that he was doing the interview and the live performance, his mind was occupied with something else. Somehow he was regretting the way he had treated Fate. Even though he was angry with her, he still couldn't deny the fact that a certain spot in his heart ached after seeing the pitiful look on her face.              

Max looked around the room, but she was no longer there. He then noticed that she had already arranged his bag. . . and not only his bag, but the bags of his friends as well.              

Even though he tried to act cold with her . . . inside . . . his heart was bleeding out for her.             

The other DBSK boys quickly entered the room. They were all angry with Max. Somehow they couldn't accept the way he had treated Fate.              

U-Know immediately closed the door. He was already trying to find the right words to say. He wanted to point out all of Max's faults in a nice way. But Xiah, Jaejoong and Micky just confronted Max as soon as they were all inside the room.              
"Are you happy now Max? You just made a total fool of your girlfriend. I could never believe you could actually treat Fate like that," Xiah said with extreme irritation.              

Max stared at his friends. He wanted to tell them the reason for being harsh with Fate. He wanted to share what was on his mind and in his heart. But somehow he didn't want to ruin the way his friends looked at Fate.               He knew that once he told them that he saw her kissing Michael, they would all think badly of her. And he still cared enough to still protect her in his own way.              
"Protect her?" the words started to echo in his mind. How could he say that when he was actually the one ruining her, he thought to himself. "Aaahhh," he uttered unexpectedly out of frustration and confusion.              

He suddenly decided that it was better for his friends to be angry at him than with Fate.              

“Aren’t you even going to defend yourself? Are you just going to stand there and act like nothing is wrong?’ Micky asked angrily.              

Max immediately looked away. Somehow he didn’t want to have an argument with his friends. He turned his back on them and pretended that he was looking for something in his bag.              

“Max, what’s wrong with you? It’s like you’ve totally changed into someone we don’t know. What’s wrong? We’re your friends. We want to help you. Please talk to us  . . . . We’re all willing to listen,” U-Know said with concern.              

Max quickly looked at U-Know’s direction. “Sorry hyung. Whatever problem Fate and I have . . . stays with us and no one else.”              

“Problem? What kind of problem? And how could you possibly have a problem with her? She’s nice and sweet. She’s perfect, to be exact,” Micky uttered.              
“Perfect?” Max uttered with a bitter smile. “She’s not perfect . . . believe me.”              
Jaejoong and Micky couldn’t help but feel totally weak and torn between two sides. Somehow they wanted to scold Max and lecture him about what he had done. But then he was their friend, and they loved him no matter what he did. Somehow they still couldn’t find it in their hearts to be totally angry with him.              
Xiah just sat down weakly on a chair near him.              

“She even managed to arrange our things as well,” he uttered softly to the others.              

“What’s wrong Max? Tell us. . . We all know that you like her. . . You even said that you loved her. So how come all of a sudden, you’re treating her differently? Did she do anything wrong? Tell us what’s bothering you,” Jaejoong uttered carefully as if trying to persuade Max to talk.              

Max shook his head. “Sorry hyung. I can’t really say what the problem is . . . All of us have known each other for years now. All of you already know me inside and out. So please, just let me decide on my own . . . this time.  I know what I am doing maybe wrong to all of you. But it is something which I believe is right for me,” Max said while staring seriously at his friends.              

“Are you losing your mind Max? How could you consider treating a girl in such a cruel manner as the right thing? No matter what way you look at it . . . you’re the one on the wrong side. Fine . . . let’s say that she did something wrong that made you mad. If you can’t forgive her, then just break up with her. There’s no need for you to make her suffer or embarrass her. Just leave her . . . end of story. At least that way, you’re finally free of the person who you’re angry with and she can finally move on with her own life,” Micky said as if trying to reason with Max.              

“Micky! Are you trying to help patch things up or are you trying to make things worse? Somehow your advice is more cruel than what Max is doing,” Jaejoong voiced out with a shocked expression on his face.              

“Jaejoong, it’s better to be honest than to just pretend and make both of their lives miserable,” Micky reasoned out.              

Jaejoong shook his head. Somehow he didn’t like the way Micky was thinking.              

Xiah sighed. Things were starting to get more complicated. Even Jaejoong and Micky were starting to have an argument.              

“Look Max, if you have a problem with Fate. Talk to her . . . Try to listen to her side first. Don’t go on judging without seeing both sides of the story,” Xiah said seriously while looking at him.              

“Just drop the discussion guys. I don’t want to talk about it anymore,” Max said with a heavy sigh.              

“Suit yourself. Just make sure you can live up to your decision. Think it over . . . maybe your anger is just clouding your mind. Please remember that regret is always at the end of everything. You may think that you’re doing the right thing now. But there is always a price to pay for everything. You might suddenly find yourself losing the most important part of your life . . . but it’s already too late and there’s nothing else you can do about it,” Jaejoong said with a calm voice.              
Max lowered his head. He knew what his friend said was right. But he wanted to get even. He wanted to make Fate feel the pain he felt. He wanted to hurt her the same way she had hurt him.              

“Let’s just stop this. This is my life. And I’m your friend . . . not Fate’s. So how come all of you are on her side?” Max asked angrily.              

“Because you’re wrong,” U-Know simply replied.              

“So is kissing another man right in front of your eyes . . . acceptable? Isn’t it enough reason for me to act this way? Isn’t it enough reason to drive me crazy? Right now, I hate her. I don’t want to hear her side. And I don’t want to hear her lies. . . All I want is to get even,” Max finally revealed with so much hatred in his eyes.              

The other DBSK boys were all shocked with what they heard. Somehow they couldn’t believe that Fate could do such a thing.              

“Max, are you sure about what you saying? Are you sure it was really her?” Jaejoong asked with disbelief.              

“It was her . . . I’m one hundred percent sure . . . and the man was Michael,” Max uttered with bitterness in his voice.             

“Max, there must be an explanation for that. They are best friends remember. You should really talk to her first before jumping into conclusions,” Jaejoong tried to reason out.              

“Do you think that she will actually tell me the truth if I asked her?” Max asked sarcastically.              

“Max, if that is the situation you’re in right now, then it would be best to break up with her already. Stop hurting her . . . Even if she did that, it still doesn’t give you the right to treat her badly. Just let her go,” Micky said seriously.             

“Just let her go? No! I’m not done with her yet,” Max uttered.             

“What are you planning to do?” Xiah asked worriedly.              

“Before I release her, I just want her to have a taste of her own medicine,” Max answered.              

“Don’t you think that she deserves to explain herself. Why don’t you talk to her Max? Ask her about what you saw,” U-Know tried to persuade Max again.              
“Talk to her? Ask her? What should I say to her? How should I ask her? Is Michael a better kisser than me . . . is that what I should ask?” Max asked as he suddenly laughed bitterly. He couldn’t imagine himself talking to Fate about her and Michael.              

“Max, stop trying to start a fight with us. We’re your friends. . . not your enemies,” Jaejoong warned.              

“Just avoid her for a few days. Try to cool yourself down first. Maybe after a few days of being apart will give you enough time to think and decide. And maybe after . . . you can finally talk to her without being too emotional,” U-Know suggested.              

“U-Know is right. Just try to calm yourself down for a few days. Then you can decide if you really want to continue your relationship with Fate or just let go. Stay away from each other while you’re still angry,” Micky added.              

Max slowly nodded his head. He was glad that he had finally told his friends about what was bothering him.              

“But I still suggest that you talk to her Max. Try to straighten things out. There are times that what we see isn’t really the truth. I am really afraid that there is a chance that you’re just blinded by your anger and jealousy. At least, give Fate a chance to explain herself,” U-Know uttered slowly.              

“Frankly I don’t know if I can ever learn to trust her again,” Max sadly uttered.              

“If that is the case, then just break up. A relationship without trust is not worth wasting time on,” Micky said again.              

“Isn’t it unfair that you’re already jumping into conclusions without trying to see and understand all the important facts,” Xiah asked.              

Max shook his head. “She has already hurt me. I’ve already decided I no longer want someone like her to be in my life.”              

“If you’ve already decided . . . then why are you still hanging onto her?” Micky asked as if irritated.              

“Simple . . . to hurt her back,” Max coldly replied.  
           
As soon as the other DBSK boys heard Max’s answer, a frightening chill immediately crept into their hearts.