"Have you always been so reckless?" I ask Hyun Bin as we stroll down an empty trail deep in Namsam arboretum.
It's late Sunday evening, past nine o'clock. A good time to take a stroll here without bumping into someone every other second.
"You don't think I spend all my time indoors in fear of bumping into someone who recognises me, do you?" he asks.
"Well, I... I guess you don't."
"I don't. I do come here often, in the evenings when it isn't crowded. I know all the trails we can take to avoid people."
"Good to hear that," I say. I was against the idea of leaving Bella's apartment, much less in his company after everything that has happened. It's good to know this is something he has before.
It was his idea to come to the park. Apparently, he didn't think it was good for me to remain cooped indoors after everything that transpired in the past few days. He said a breath of f
"So it's confirmed, you're not leaving, right?" Hyun Bin asks as we make our way out of the park. "You'll be back to work tomorrow."I'm just realising we never talked about that because when I found out I'd been saved from the fans' wrath, I was busy worrying about what my sister said. I agreed that I wouldn't go anywhere if he managed to solve the issue, and I guess it's solved now, but —"I haven't seen what your loving fans have to say about this," I tell him.I didn't revisit the issue after checking his sister's IG post because a part of me was afraid of coming across more negative comments. Therefore, since yesterday, I've been living in blissful ignorance, pushing my troubles to the back of my mind, binge-watching dramas, and eating a lot of snacks."Nothing bad, I assure you.""Well, then. I'll stay." After a pause, I add, "But, I don't think we should keep on with
I cannot believe what's happening right now.My brows pull towards each other as I examine Hyun Bin's face for a sign that he doesn't mean what he just said. "Are you serious?" I ask.Because he cannot be.From the start, dating has been out of the picture. It's not an option."I don't think I've ever been as serious about anything else as I am about this," he replies.I remember when we first got together. It was supposed to be one harmless night. But that wasn't enough and we came back for more. And now...No.I might have given in to my attraction to him and agreed to take it past that night, but that's as far as I'm willing to go.I turn my face, freeing it from his caress, and attempt to pull my hand from his hold. He doesn't let go, tightening his grip on it instead."Tell me wha
A muffled chuckle escapes my lips. I liked him way before I met him. It's funny that back then, when I was his fan and nothing more, the idea of dating him was like a dream I would have loved so much to become true, but one I knew would never be. If someone would have told me I would get the chance and turn it down, I would have called them crazy. Being lost in my fantasies and being faced with the real thing are two different things."I like you," I confess. "And that's why I can't date you.""That makes no sense."To someone else, it doesn't. But to me, it makes perfect sense. I like him right now. The thought of him makes me feel warm, and when I'm with him, everything else disappears. Dating him, allowing myself to think of him as a potential boyfriend, means those feelings will get intense. Fast. Then I'll have no control.He appears by my side and I take in a shaky breath.
**Hyun Bin's POV** "You did what?" I grimace, avoiding looking at Michael because I don't need to see his face to know how mortified he is by my story. I instead settle for gazing out of the windows of his penthouse apartment by the Han river, focusing on the city lights on the other side. It's breathtaking. Maybe I too should move here. It's Monday, and I came here as soon as I left work. Michael is the only person in this world I can talk to about what's going on with me and Emma, and God knows I need to talk to someone about it. "Why would you do that?" he asks again, disbelief evident in his words. I know. A few weeks ago, even I wouldn't have thought that I was capable of doing something like this. But then again, a few weeks back, I had no idea my feelings would fúck me up like this. "I freaked out, okay?" I defend myself.
**Emma's POV** "You're so pretty." I focus on my breathing and refuse to melt into a puddle. I can't do anything about the blush rising on my face, but hopefully my skin tone hides it on my behalf. "No wonder Mr. Park is hooked." My eyes grow to the size of saucers and the pin that I'm holding in one hand pricks a finger on the other. I flinch and draw my finger to my mouth, sucking on the injured tip. Byun Jihoon drops the mischievous look on his face, becoming apologetic. "I'm so sorry. Does it hurt?" "I'll survive," I tease, but even that isn't enough to erase what has already left his lips. "She's super talented too," Kang Soo, who's also in the room but busy on his phone, adds. I shoot a quick "please help me" glance to Jae-in, but I could as well be screaming for help and he wouldn't
"Waiting for an important message?" I place my phone upside down on the cocktail table between us and give Bella a small smile. "Nope." She lifts an eyebrow, as if not believing me. I didn't want her to see that I kept checking my phone all the time, but I guess I wasn't as discreet as I'd hoped. We are at her mother's engagement party. Her mother, Isra, spent three weeks at the hospital in Jeju. Bella stayed over for the first week before coming back to Seoul. In that time, they talked and her mother revealed what had been going on with her in the past year. About a year ago, she got into a relationship with a man who specialized in yatch robberies. He sought to bring her into the business, and Isra, being the impulsive risk taker she was, — moreso when she believed she was in love, which has happened often over the years — agreed.
Hyun Bin walks through my door a little past eleven o'clock. I bailed on Bella and left her to familiarise further with her soon-to-be family when after sending a text — which she dictated — Hyun Bin replied within minutes saying he'll be seeing me tonight. I felt like I'd won the lottery. Not only am I horny and so ready to get down and dirty with him right now, but I'm also a bundle of nerves and my stomach is filled with butterflies. This has never happened before. Not to this extent. My reaction is no longer based on my appreciation of what a fine specimen of a man he is. It's purely stemming from the fact that he's finally here, with me. It feels even better because for the first time, I'm not fighting it. I'm sitting on a couch, with the TV on and my bare feet resting on the edge of my coffee table. I was trying to go for a relaxed pose. So, when he walks in, I fight the urge to rush to my feet and run into h
"Is now a good time to talk?" I snuggle into Hyun Bin's warmth and close my eyes. His body is spooning mine, his fingers tracing the inside of my arm lightly. I would choose to remain like this without talking about anything. But I can only imagine that he wants to be sure of what's going on after what I said earlier. I'm also anxious to get it out of the way. As much as I'm dreading the possibility that he has already dealt with his feelings, there's only one way to find out. "Do you still like me?" I try to sound unaffected as I ask the question. But with how close we are lying, he can undoubtedly feel my quickening pulse. "I wouldn't be here if I didn't, would I?" he asks, head ducking to press his lips to the top of my head. A grin works its way onto my face, but I push it back. I need to rephrase my question. "Enough to still want to date me?