‘Park Jihoon was captured spending time with a girl during his short time off. The two were spotted out shopping and at a cafe. Fans are claiming that the mysterious girl is actually a staff member and stylist for Jihoon's group Wanna One. In the photos Park is seen being friendly and close with the girl and purchasing items with her. Fans of Park Jihoon and Wanna One are demanding an official statement from Stone Entertainment on who she is and if the two are dating as the photos may suggest. What's your take on the photos and mysterious girl?’

            Where and when did this article come from? I give Eryn her phone back and turn on my own, finding the article again.

            I scroll through the comments and responses to the article, out of curiosity.

            "Jihoon dating! What the hell. I need answers! Who the f**k is she?"

            " has no right parading around with Park Jihoon, staff or not."

            "How can he be so careless to publicly be seen on a date with her when no official relationship has been released??"

            "He should be more thoughtful of her. He always has cameras around him. Poor girl has been dragged down with him."

            "Isn't she a stylist? They were seen talking together in the background of the 1st Look photoshoot making video"

            "He's so dumb to just go out like that on his time off... getting caught is what he deserves... idiot"

            "I hope the company responds soon.. I really hope he's not with somebody like her..."

            "Staff × Idol relationship? Its every fan’s dream! If they are dating, leave them alone and let them be happy."

            "This is all too much.. to think I liked him on Produce 101... I hope they aren't dating.. it would ruin my life"

            "He wouldn't date a girl like that. He wouldn't date a staff member. Tisk tisk. She's probably pregnant"

            Wow. I don’t know how to react to these comments. There’s so many different comments that I’m not taking the time to read through.

            “Are you reading the comments of his fans?” Eryn whispers.

            “No…” my voice trails off.

            “What are some of the comments?” Eryn sounds just as curious as I am reading the responses.

            “There’s comments like ‘poor girl has been dragged down with him’, ‘I hope the company responds soon’; stuff like that. But my favourite one I’ve read so far has got to be ‘he wouldn’t date a girl like that. He wouldn’t date a staff member. Tisk tisk. She’s probably pregnant’ and all the replies to that are just shocked emojis and denials…”

            “They don’t know anything until the company and/or Jihoon responds to the rumours…” Eryn tells me.

            “Yeah but now, if Jihoon has seen any of these comments, I’ll have to tell him sooner than I wanted to,” I sigh.

            “At this rate, it seems like you’re not going to tell him. Maybe this was the push you needed since my constant pushing you and nagging did nothing,” she laughs, teasing me slightly.

            “You’re probably right but I’m scared of his reaction since we didn’t know each other at all and now we’re kind of friends… We’ve grown pretty close but I don’t know how he’ll react and that’s what scares me the most,” I admit.

            “I know it’s scary but you have to face your fear and should tell him about his child,” she sighs. I sigh as well and remain silent as I continue scrolling through comments.

-

            First day back to work and I’m more nervous than I was when Eryn and I first moved here… This is a different nervousness, this is genuine fear.

            Eryn and I are organizing and sorting through some clothing for the group before they meet us here for another photoshoot. I believe this one is for a comeback…

            “What do you think about this?” I ask Eryn as I hold up a t-shirt and  jacket in one hand and a pair of ripped jeans in the other.

            “That would look good on Daehwi, I think,” she nods.

            “I agree.”

            “You don’t think it’d look good on me?” Jihoon’s voice startles me, causing me to drop the outfit on the floor. I quickly try to pick it back up but I struggle a bit and try to play it off okay. “Did I scare you?” Jihoon smirks as I turn to face him.

            “Yes! My soul left my body!” my voice raises in volume slightly. Jihoon chuckles and I awkwardly chuckle as well.

            Eryn takes the outfit out of my hands and grabs another one. “Where are you going with my creation?” I joke.

            “Giving Daniel and Daehwi their outfits for this photoshoot and going to style them… You help Jihoon,” she speaks and I notice a subtle nod, telling me to tell him the truth.

            “So, Jihoon,” I start now that we’re alone in the far corner of the large dressing room. “How was the rest of your time off?” I ask him.

            “It was good. Speaking of time off, the article about us from that day we spent together; I’m sorry.” He lowers his head and starts twisting his foot awkwardly. “I saw some of the comments and I’m sorry for anything mean said about you because you were associated with me,” he looks up at me through the fringe that falls over his eyes.

            “Jihoon, it’s okay. I kind of expected something like that to happen,” I shrug.

            “I’m still sorry,” he sighs and drops his shoulders.

            “Really, it’s fine,” I laugh lightly. Jihoon awkwardly joins me in quiet laughter.

            “Can you believe some people think you’d be pregnant? Just because we were seen together,” he speaks as his laughter starts to pick up again. “Imagine what would happen if they knew about New York,” he whispers quiet enough so only I’m able to hear him before giving me a quick wink.

            I stop laughing and now it’s my turn to look at my feet. I feel a giant weight land on my shoulders and I know that I have to tell him now. I feel as if my heart is in my throat and I feel like I’ll burst into tears because of guilt, keeping this secret from him for so long.

            “Madi? Is something wrong?” I shake my head as I continue to look at my own feet but say nothing. “It seems like it… Seriously, is something wrong?”

            I take in a deep breath and try to gather the courage to tell him. I exhale before speaking, “Actually, there’s something I have to tell you.”

            “Okay, go for it,” he speaks. I look around to make sure no one is around; with no one else in the room now, I mentally prepare myself for how to tell Jihoon. Being blunt is the best option.

            “That crazy rumour is actually true, I’m pregnant,” I look up at him, gathering all the strength I can to look him in the eye.

            He says nothing. I can tell he’s trying to process the information and trying not to, loudly, freak out and possibly gain a lot of attention by someone walking into the now empty room. Now was not the ideal time to tell him but it’s the only time we have alone so it seemed like the time to tell him. He probably doesn’t believe me but I have no idea what’s going on in his head without him saying anything, and that honestly scares me.

            “Jihoon? Are you okay?” I ask, noticing he hasn’t moved or spoken for a little while. Luckily he still appears to be breathing. “I’m so sorry… I never in a million years thought this would happen and this is not how I planned to tell you at all but I had to tell you before it was too late… I’m so, so, so, so sorry.” I feel like the weight has been lifted off my shoulders after telling him about the baby but I still feel extremely guilty because I hadn’t told him sooner; I know that’s my own fault.

            “I need to sit down,” he finally speaks. I move a chair for him to sit down and he says nothing else for a few good minutes. “You’re serious?” he asks, breaking his own silence.