Page 107 of Wish Upon a K-Star

I didn’t think I could be shocked by anything else, but I nod numbly. So therewassomeone at the pool with me. I wasn’t just seeing things.

“He did all of that to you because of me,” she says, tears glistening in her eyes. “I don’t know how…I’m not sure what I can do to fix…”

“It’s not your responsibility, Ana,” I tell her, oddly calm. “You can’t control people like Jeongho.”

“I knew you’d had it hard sinceCiProbecause of me,” Ana admits, head hanging low. “I never asked people to say those things about you, but somehow it still felt like my fault. It made it hard for me to be around you. I figured you were probably pretty pissed at me. I wouldn’t have blamed you.”

It’s weird to hear things from Ana’s perspective, but it also somehow helps. “You didn’t start this fake rivalry between us. The producers ofCiProand the media did it.”

She nods, taking a deep breath. “There were moments where I knew I could speak up. But I was so scared that if I did, they’d target me next.” She flinches at her own words. “I’m sorry.”

I remember that moment in the bathroom, where I chose to hide instead of confronting the gossipers. “It’s okay, I understand.” I realize now that anytime I blamed Ana for what I was going through, it was misplaced. It was easy to make her the villain of my story, but she was just another victim of the machine that made us both.

We were just trying to survive in this industry the best we knew how.

“It’s all right if we’re never friends,” I say. “But I hope that maybe we can move past all of this.”

Ana nods and holds out her hand.

I take her offered palm. Instead of a shake, we just let our clasped hands hang between us, like a tentative bridge.

My mom arrives at the hospital in the afternoon. She’s a flurry of energy. But under it all, I can see that she’s worried. She actually tears up when she sees me, wrapping me in a hug that makes my sore shoulder throb. But I don’t pull away. It’s nice to see that she’s a real mom at least when her daughter is put into physical danger.

I have a small but steady stream of visitors. Sohee and Bomi bring me a care package of face masks and fuzzy socks. They tell me that all the Kastor girls wanted to come, but they thought it might be too overwhelming.

“There are so many fans out front sitting vigil with signs,” Bomi tells me.

“You should look out the window when you get a chance,” Sohee adds. “There’s so many people who love you, Eonni.”

David comes with a giant bouquet covering half his face, like he’s hiding from me. He looks like he hasn’t slept.

“I’ll understand if you want to request a different stylist for your upcoming schedules,” he says. He hasn’t been able to look me in the eyes the whole time he’s been here.

“What? No!” I blurt out. “I don’t want to work with anyone else but you. I won’t let that asshole take anything else from me!”

David lets out a surprised laugh and steps forward to hug me. “I’m happy to see you haven’t lost any of that spirit I always knew you had.”

When Robbie and Jaehyung come with Hyejun, they bear gifts of contraband bags of Honey Butter Chips.

I know it must be Hyejun’s idea, but he just shrugs like it’s no big deal.

“Have you been to see Minseok?” I ask, trying to sound casual as I pop some chips into my mouth. I pretend I’m focusing on the snack even though I’m waiting anxiously for an answer.

“He got stitches,” Robbie says. “But the doctors say he’ll be fine in a couple of weeks.”

I’m relieved to hear it, but at the same time disappointed. Why hasn’t he come to see me, then?

I’m about to ask if he’s said anything about me when my mom bursts into the room. “I have good news! Oh, Hyejun-ah, boys, it’s good to see you.”

She sends Robbie and Jaehyung one of her bright smiles as they give polite bows of greeting.

“Oh, Hyeri, honey, you shouldn’t be eating processed food right now.” She plucks the bag of chips from my hands and shoves them at Hyejun. “Boys, you should probably get going, Hyeri is about to be discharged. You can see her when she gets back from LA.”

“Oh, sure,” Jaehyung says. “See you later, Noona.”

“Yeah,” I say as they leave. I want to ask them to have Minseok call me, but I’m scared it’ll make me sound too desperate.

“Wait.” I turn to my mother. “What do you mean ‘back from LA’?”

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