Sohyun felt that being considered legally an adult is a farce. As soon as that happens, she had been censured and told not to be seen with Seung Ho. Her mom kept her at home unless it was for schedules or meeting with her agency.  Although this was what she and Seung Ho-oppa had expected, she was still frustrated. She spent her days reading or texting or calling Seung Ho-oppa and her girlfriends. Sometimes, her girlfriends would come over since she was not allowed out of the house.

“Oppa, this is really frustrating! I can’t even go out with Minjun to the mall. It’s not as if I would intentionally go and meet you in such a public place,” Sohyun complained to Seung Ho a couple of weeks after that night.

Seung Ho was surprised and admittedly he did not expect the agency and her mom would go to that extent. He agreed with his agency not to see Sohyun and they trusted that he would do so. It was also possible that his agency was relaxed about it due to the success of his ongoing drama. They probably unsure how much of the buzz over him and Sohyun contributed to the high ratings.

Nevertheless, this micro-managing Sohyun was beyond his comprehension. Hyungjun tried to explain the difference, that Sohyun is only 20 (technically not even 19 yet) and a girl, so there were more concern on the negative impact she might have. So, Seung Ho did his best to placate Sohyun and cheer her up.

It’s been three weeks and the news on them finally seem to die down as there was another dating scandal in the Idol world which took the industry by storm. Seung Ho thought it was time to meet Sohyun. He missed her so badly.

          To Sohyunnie

Sohyun-ah, shall we meet on Tuesday? Maybe we do the movie and supper with the gang?

To Seung Ho-oppa

Oppa, I can’t on Tuesday. I will be out during the day and I am unsure what time I will be back. Shall we do it, maybe on Thursday?

To Sohyunnie

The theatre would be crowded on Thursday. I think of something else then. Maybe we go for a drive? By the way, what are you doing on Tuesday? I didn’t know you have a schedule on that day.

Sohyun was reluctant to let Seung Ho-oppa know where she was going. Though she knew she would have to do it eventually, she was dreading it. She was unsure how he would react, but she did not think it would be good.

To Seung Ho-oppa

I’m going to visit Taecyeon-oppa.

Seung Ho stared unbelieving at Sohyun’s response. He re-read the messages several times and got angrier each time.

To Sohyunnie

That was not a funny joke! I’m not laughing.

To Seung Ho-oppa

It is not a joke, Oppa. My agency has arranged it for Tuesday. I’m sorry for not telling you earlier.

In actual fact, Sohyun had been fighting her agency and her mom about the visit. She had not promised Taecyeon-oppa to visit even though he had asked her privately and even made it known publicly. But her agency and her mom wanted diversion from the constant news and speculation about her and Seung Ho-oppa. “Isnt this worse, I look like a flirty girl darting from one oppa to another?” Sohyun tried to reason. But CEO Man and her mom thought the news on her relationship with Seung Ho were too frequent and they did need to temper it down with such distraction.

Seung Ho sat at his kitchen table, speechless and not knowing how to react. He was very upset and felt like screaming. He banged his kitchen table, scaring his two cats instead. He did not respond to Sohyun’s latest message and she had since then, texted him again and again, probably worried. But he was so angry that he was afraid he would end up saying things that should not be said. He wanted to calm himself down before talking to her about it. He drank some cold water but it did not help either.

          To Sohyunnie

          Let’s talk later. I can’t think right now.

Sohyun burst into tears when she saw his message. Seung Ho-oppa must be so angry at her that he didn’t want to talk to her. That’s how Oppa is, when things upset him, he will take time out to clear himself of the anger. And he is now taking time out on her.

That night, Seung Ho decided to drive to her place and talk to her. She agreed to meet him, disregarding the possibility of still being monitored by the paparazzi.

Seung Ho gave Sohyun a wan smile when he picked her up and drove silently to the lookout point. Sohyun kept glancing at Seung Ho but his face was just focused on the road ahead. She could see his jaws clenching as he tried to remain calm.

When they arrived, Seung Ho took several deep breaths and turned to her. “Why?” he asked quietly. Sohyun explained about her agency plan to distract the attention from her and him as it was often in the news. He run his hand through his hair, frustrated at the situation. “Why him? Can’t they use someone else?” Sohyun was surprised. She didn’t realize that he was mad specifically because it was Taecyeon-opp. “Oppa, do you have personal problem with Taecyeon-oppa?”

Taking repeated deep breaths to calm himself down, Seung Ho tried to explain his muddled mind “I don’t know him personally. But it bothered me from the beginning when he specifically said he wants you to visit him when you are of legal age. Why then, why not before? What does he expect of this visit when you are of legal age?” His voice was getting harder as he spoke. “Oppa..,” Sohyun whispered and placed her hand on his arm. She could see that Seung Ho was struggling with his emotion and it scared her.

His eyes moved from her hand on his arm to her face, “Could you cancel it?” Seung Ho asked. “I’ll pay the cost.” Sohyun blinked, surprised at the request. “Oppa, that’s going to make the situation worse,” she tried to reason. Turning back to Sohyun again, “even if I transfer to you and you pay the cancellation fee, so that my name is not involved?” Seung Ho asked although he knew he was grasping at straws. Sohyun just shook her head, her face pale and sad.

Seung Ho looked out to the sky and thought for a few minutes. He knew that he could not change the situation. He turned to Sohyun, gave her a weak smile and nodded, “It is what it is. There is nothing else to do. It’s late, let me send you back home.” And he started the car.

Sohyun touched his arm again, and when he stopped and looked at her, she knew he was still upset and was controlling himself. She wanted so much to hug him. “Oppa, it’ll be alright. It is just a visit. It would get my agency off our case.” Seung Ho nodded, noting the truth in what she said.

Seung Ho dropped Sohyun off with a good night, saying that it be too late to call her when he reached home, so she should go to sleep. Sohyun walked home feeling dejected. She knew that Seung Ho-oppa was still affected.  He had always texted good night when he reached home after dropping her off.

Seung Ho drove for hours before finally reaching home. He wanted to clear his befuddled mind and come to terms with Sohyun’s visit and also his own mind. During the drive, he admitted that he had over reacted; Sohyun’s agency was doing the usual practice of creating diversion. He was affected irrationally because it involved Sohyun and also because he had never had to be part of such a diversion. He had always kept a clear line between his work and his private life, hence there was never any sniff of scandal around him. But he knew that being in a relationship would already be food for scandal in the industry, what more with a fellow celebrity.  He had to accept it.

Realising he must have worried Sohyun, he texted her to tell her that he went for a drive, cleared his mind and now back home. He would call her the next day.

Sohyun woke up from a fitful sleep early in the morning. Checking her phone, she was relieved to see Seung Ho’s message and decided to sleep in again. She went for the meeting with her CEO later in the day to discuss the visit to Taecyeon in a better frame of mind.

Seung Ho also had a meeting with his CEO who has been pressurizing him to take on a romance drama. “For how long do you want to avoid a romance drama? Those types of dramas have a lot of following, especially since you are at that prime age for the role,” CEO Kim questioned.

Seung Ho placated CEO Kim, “Ok, I give it some more thoughts. Which romance drama