"What are you thinking about?" Hyun Bin asks, his index finger swirling on my stomach.
We are at Hyun Bin's place and I have no idea what time it is, only that it's quite late. We left Bella's place shortly after she got sick, and that was about eleven o'clock. We barely got upstairs to his room with all our clothes intact as we rushed to get into each other's arms.
The first time was hurried, as if we were a pair of long distance lovers who were seeing each other after months of separation. The second was less chaotic, and it's in the aftermath of which we're lying here, my head resting on his left arm while the other one plays around my body.
"Nothing," I say, tracing his arm with my fingers.
"No, don't give me that. You're distracted."
I turn my head and give him a kiss on his bare shoulder. "You're the only distraction I see around."
*Oppa - Korean word used by females to address older males. Is also used flirtatiously to address a boyfriend.
"So, Cho Yuna is putting up with your obsessive fans, being accused of stealing their man, while the real thief is warming your bed. Omo! I haven't laughed this much in a long time."I exchange a look with Hyun Bin, who simply rolls his eyes at his younger sister as she bursts into laughter again.Right, she's his sister.Earlier on when she burst into his room, I almost had a heart attack before I recognized who she was.Park Min Ji.She's thirty, three years younger than Hyun Bin, and one of the most famous celebrity siblings. Well, she was sort of a celebrity herself before she left for the States about four years ago. Despite being thirty, she looks like she's still in her early twenties. Her skin is flawless, and her overall appearance and energy easily pass her off as a much younger woman.I guess I should be embarrassed at how we met but I
“Park Hyun Bin is an Overbearing Control Freak, Former P.Ent. Employee Claims” "Do you think Hyun Bin is a control freak?" I look at Bella, then back at the article title on her phone. "I don't know, do you?" I shoot the question back at her. "You're the one who has been fucking him for weeks, how would I know? Is he dominant in bed?" "It's not been that many weeks," I reply, rolling my eyes. It has been three weeks, but to be honest, it feels longer. "Not the point." I shrug. "The anniversary is near, so you can bet all kinds of antis and embittered former employees are going to come up with stinky tales." "Woooo, look at who's being defensive. Did you buy a stake at the company or something?" I scoff and flip the pork belly on the grill between us. "I
I wake up at seven o'clock, which I'm happy for — that's enough time to prepare, have breakfast, and get to work without being ridiculously late. That happiness quickly dissipates when I try to sit down from the couch only to be welcomed by an aching body and a throbbing headache. I'm in the middle of taking a hot shower when I recall Hyun Bin's text from last night. Did he come by? Maybe he called and I didn't pick up because I was out cold on my couch. Cursing myself, I beeline for my phone after my shower. Strangely, there are no texts or missed calls from him. I figure that he must have changed his mind about coming by and proceed to dress. I leave my apartment at around twenty past seven and head straight for a restaurant in my neighborhood where I order a bowl of hangover soup. After that, I catch a bus to work.
There are four black employees in Park Entertainment, and two are men. The third one is a middle aged woman with blonde dreadlocks. I am the fourth, and there's nowhere to hide."It couldn't be you, right?"Hyunmin probably knew the answer to that even as he asked it.I clench and unclench my hands, finding myself in an unexpected position for the second time in one morning."What does it say?" I ask Hyunmin because even though I'm staring at the article, I can no longer focus enough to see what's written on it.Hyunmin draws back his phone. "Well, umh, they've refrained from providing any personal details but have mentioned that you're a new..." he pauses, scrolling down his phone. "Oh, shit, Emma. They've mentioned that you work as a designer."Jae-in appears beside Hyunmin and gives me a nervous look. "It won't be long before the fans dig
"Just for tonight," I say as Henry brings the car to park in front of Hyun Bin's house. Earlier on, I told him I will be safe enough at Bella's, but he insisted he wanted to keep an eye on me until everything settled down. He told me he would have accompanied me to Bella's, but Yeri would be staying at his place for the time being because of the added risk in case someone came snooping around my apartment building. I eventually gave in, but only for tonight. If we're serious about keeping a personal distance, I can't be living in his house. "Don't worry, I won't lock you up in my study room this time," he jokes as he opens the door on his side. Mine opens too, and I see Henry holding it open for me. I unclasp my seat belt and step down, thanking him. Hyun Bin comes around the car and guiding me with a hand on the small of my back, leads me towards the front
@6ix4life: *he's the literal definition of careless and reckless. But who's surprised.* @justpassingby: *Cheap slut* @bemyoppa: *Stay away from oppa!* @fightformyfaves: *Park Ent. is a house of cards. It's only a matter of time before it comes tumbling down.* @parkentstan: *You guys are funny. You're forever complaining about abusive agencies and when one that actually cares about its artists shows up, you're up in arms against it.* @marrymehyunbin: *r u guys seriously wondering y p.ent kept her identity secret from the beginning? look at yourselves. they were right to do so* @chyunaotp: *she probably leaked the info herself to get attention because Hyun Bin belongs to Cho Yuna. Choke on your jealousy witch!* @hyunbinfan001: *you're above such che
"That's what we agreed on, Hyun Bin. Nothing more." His brow furrows. "So what, does that mean I cannot care for you? We are not strangers, are we?" I shake my head. "Please don't make this complicated." "I'm not complicating anything. I'm responsible for the backlash you're receiving, and I intend to see it gone," he vows. "It'll only cause more trouble," I point out. His hand rakes through his hair. "Tell me. Do you think if I don't do anything, let people run around with their make-believe tales, that you'll ever be able to redeem yourself?" "I'm a nobody. In a few weeks... Okay, maybe months, everyone will forget about me." "You really don't believe that, do you?" he asks. I know better, and he's right. If this matter doesn't get resolved, it'll always be brought up whenever a
"Your mother abandoned you at your father's house after giving birth to you. It was around the time he met my mother. His business wasn't doing so well, and mum helped him get funds to recover. It went well, mum agreed to raise you like her own, and we were happy until he forgot everything she had ever done for him."I've gone back to my seat, unable to remain standing. Nothing is making sense right now."When your mother left you behind, he lied to mum that she was a one night stand he didn't know personally. After his death, mum found he had been communicating with her and even transacted large amounts of money to her, several times. She was his lover who left him when he was on the brink of bankruptcy. Then he stupidly let her back into his life when she came crawling back after he became successful. Without sparing a single thought for the woman who had been by his side through his worst. How the fuck do you think mum felt about th
One Year Later "Thank you for coming. Bye, have a safe ride home." I walk back towards the entrance and heave a sigh of relief. That was the last guest to leave. The night is finally over, and as much as I enjoyed it, my legs are killing me from being on my feet all evening. Before getting back into the building, I come to a halt and stare at the shining sign above the entrance. Emma's. The smile that has been assaulting my lips every time I see that logo appears. It still feels unreal. A year ago, I never would have thought I would be launching my company today. I've spent the last year planning everything and putting together my first collection while also working for one of the biggest fashion houses in the city.
"Stop worrying," Hyun Bin urges as he closes the door behind us. We've ended up in a condo by the beach. He takes hold of my hand and pulls me to him. He cradles my face in his hands and looks at me earnestly. "Everything is going to be fine. I promise." After he explained everything during the ride over, I tried to be positive. Everything he's telling me points to a massive exposé that's going to cause ripples countrywide and clear up a lot of misunderstandings from the past. But there's a part of me that's reluctant to relax. I've watched him battle negative press time and again successfully, but it only provides temporary reprieve. When the next scandal arises, it's as if he never proved himself before. How many times does he need to prove himself before people leave hi
In the morning, my mother shakes me awake. I realise the sofa bed is pulled out and I'm covered up. When I cried myself to sleep last night, I didn't get up to pull the bed out or get a blanket. "Emma, wake up. You have a visitor." I sit up, half-confused. "What? Me? Who? What's the time?" Why would I have a visitor in Busan? I don't have any friends here. "It's six." And who on earth pays someone a visit so early? "Emma?" I stare at my mother, uncomprehending. Someone else just called my name. Someone with Hyun Bin's voice. I whip my head towards the direction of the door. Hyun Bin i
When I get to the station in Busan, I get a taxi and give the driver the address Jennifer sent me. It's an address for an apartment in Daeyeon, which has me a little confused. All along, I thought I was headed to Haeundae, where Louise lives. Unless Jennifer got a separate place. I arrive after about ten minutes and make my way to the fourth floor. I ring the bell and the door opens a few seconds later. Jennifer is standing on the other side, dressed in a purple shirt and black slacks. It looks like work uniform. She smiles at me and reaches for my suitcase. "Emma! Come in." "Thanks," I step over the threshold and walk into the room. The living room is about the size of mine, but it's a lot neater. "I didn't know you had your own place." She closes the door and comes after me. "Yes, I… Louise go
By the time we emerge from the bedroom, it's dark out and I'm starving. We plan to make dinner together, but Hyun Bin excuses himself to his study room first. I've kept him away from work for long enough, so I don't try to hold him back anymore.When he finally reappears, the spicy chicken stew I'm making is almost done, same as the rice. I'm in the middle of preparing a vegetable salad.He walks over and gives me a kiss on the forehead. "I'm sorry, that took longer than I expected.""No worries, I've got this covered."He sniffs the air. "Yeah, I can tell." I dig my elbow into his side playfully. He chuckles and moves away. "I'll set the table.""Any developments?" I ask later when we're at the table."There's a
I head to the bathroom and when I come back, I run into Hyun Bin heading into his study room. I frown and walk over. "What are you doing?" "I have to take care of some stuff." I shake my head and reach for his hand. "You've been at work all night. Did you sleep at all?" "Don't worry about me. I was an idol, remember? I've gone for days without sleep." I shake my head. "You need to rest. Dealing with everything when you're tired will only make you more frustrated." "Emma, every second I don't spend looking for who is behind all this is another second of people smearing your name all over the place." "I don't want you to sacrifice your health for that. I'm sure your team is handling everything well. Come." I
I taste the orange juice on his lips. But that's not the reason my insides are in a knot. I thought I'd never feel his lips against mine again. My eyes are closed tight, but I don't need to look to know I've caught him by surprise. I pry his lips apart with mine, giving him a soft kiss. "Emma--" "Kiss me." It's too quiet. The sound of our breathing is the only thing in my ears. He makes no move for so many seconds that I believe he's not going to. By when I'm about to pull away, his lips crash into mine. I lock out all thought from my mind and kiss him back, taking everything I can. I didn't realise how much I missed this. Not just kissing him but being thi
I make a call to Bella and let her know what's up. After that, I spent most of my time pacing around Hyun Bin's living area, waiting for him to show up. He disappeared into his study room after we agreed on what to do about the dating rumours. He hasn't come out of the room since. The company has already released a statement revealing that the song leak was an intended early surprise for the fans. Another statement noted that I'm not related to any anti-fan activities. But fans' reactions show they need more than a couple of statements to go by. Many think this is PR's way of saving the company's face. Unless they sue someone for the false accusations and reveal a motive, nothing is going to be convincing. I want to ask Hyun Bin whether they've found something on Fiona. But that's not the only thing that has me restless.
"What do you think you're doing?" I demand, fixing my eyes on Hyun Bin. "Are you okay? Did anyone hurt you?" he asks instead of answering my question. His eyes roam all over my body, as if searching for a sign of injury. "I'm fine!" I snap. I was fine before he showed up. "Why the hell are you here? You made things worse!" "There are crowds of angry fans outside your building, Emma! How exactly did I make this worse?" "I had a plan! I was going to leave, unnoticed, before you showed up and made a show of it. God knows what they're saying now." His jaw clenches. "Where were you going to go?" "Bella's." "They know about Bella's."