Jaejoong’s POV

I was on my way to our table when I catch a glimpse of familiar figures on a distance. Senator Lee came out of a private dining room with an old man in hanbok. I’m sure I’ve seen him somewhere….is he? I remember that Athena introduced me to him when I fetched her from her agency. He is Serenity’s Chairman.

They walk towards my direction and see me.

            “Kim Jaejoong?” Mr. Lee utters. He seems to be surprised too.

I bow at them.

            “What a nice opportunity to meet you here…” Chairman Ahn says with a smile on his face.

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Athena’s POV

I put down the script I’m reading. I grab the sandwich beside me. Its pass lunch time and I forgot to eat because I was fully concentrated in memorizing the lines for my audition tomorrow. I unwrapped the sandwich and look around the park. Here, I can walk around without the paparazzi bugging me.

I close my eyes and let the sunray touch my face.

What is Jaejoong doing now? I bring out my phone and send him a message.

            The weather is great here.

            I found a quiet place in the park to memorize some lines…

            I’m going to eat lunch…have you eaten your dinner?

He’s probably working now…I smile to myself and bite my sandwich.

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Park Ha’s POV

            “I think I need a massage…” I mutter as I walk along the street towards my neighbourhood.

The restaurant catered to an event so we had been really busy. I’m really tired and all I could think now is my bed. I touch the back of my left shoulder without paying attention to the drunk man going towards me.

            “Beautiful lady….do you want me to give you a massage?” he says.

            “Omo! Ajjusshi...”

He smile at me and I feel my palms turn cold.

            “Don’t be shy….let’s have some fun..”

            “Ajjusshi…please don’t…” I step back.

            “C’mon….we will have a great time..” he comes near me and hold both of my shoulders.

            “Don’t touch me!” I yell and push him away but he’s too strong. He cornered me to a wall and embraces me. Suddenly, some flashbacks go in my head…some memories of me getting hit by my ex-boyfriend.

            “No! Please….don’t do this Ajusshi….Ajusshi, no….Help!” I yell in between my tears.

            “Take your hands off her!”

Within the dim light, Yoochun appears and pulls the drunk man away from me. He throws some punches.

            “How dare you touch my woman!” he’s really angry as he keeps hitting him.

            “Yoochun…” I whisper.

The last thing I know is that I’m in Yoochun’s arms. The man is lying there unconsciously.

Yoochun really beats him up.

            “Park Ha…are you hurt?” he asks worriedly.

I cry and cry because of I’m scared. My body trembles.

            “He won’t touch you again…” he assures me.

Then we hear some dog barks. Somebody is heading towards us. I break from his embrace. I wipe my tears.

            “Leave…”

            “What?”

            “Go now…before someone sees you…”

            “Is it the time for that?”

            “What will I do if they found out?! I won’t let myself cause you scandal! Please, Yoochun go!” I yell at him. I push him away with my shaking hands.

            “Park Ha…”

            “Go!”

Though he’s still hesitant, he did what I tell him to.

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Chae Kyung goes to the police station to get me. I claim that the man assaulted me so I hit him. The man is very angry and says that a man hit him instead but since the person who sees us didn’t see any other person there, the police believed my story.

They detained him and schedule another meeting since the man told them that he won’t let me off the hook for what happened. He wants to sue me for beating him.

Chae Kyung assists me as we go home. I think she has an idea of what happened but she chose not to bring it up.

            “I’m sorry for bothering you, Chae Kyung ah…”

            “What are you talking about? We are friends. Huh! That ugly man deserves that! Actually, that’s not enough. If only I was there, he’ll be dead by now!” she utters.

We reach our apartment and found Yoochun standing there.

            “Park Ha…” worry is all over his face.

Chae Kyung sighs.

            “I’ll go inside first.” She says and enters the house leaving the two of us alone.

            “What happened?” he asks.

            “Don’t worry. The police took my side.”

Yoochun embrace me tightly.

            “Let’s date publicly.” He whispers.

            “What?”

            “I don’t want to hide our relationship anymore. I’ll tell everyone about you.”

            “Are you out of your mind? Haven’t you seen how your fans reacted towards Athena and Jaejoong?”

            “I don’t care…I can’t let you suffer like this…”

            “No…I don’t agree…”

            “What do you mean?”

            “I’m thankful knowing that you feel that way…but I don’t wish to bring difficulties to you in the future.” My tears fall down my face. “I can’t let myself be a stain to the career you’ve worked hard for. I’m happy being with you like this…I don’t want anybody get in between us in exchange of telling them of who am I to you. I’m contented knowing that I can also protect you this way.”

He holds me tighter.

            “Foolish woman…what should I do to you..”

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Jaejoong’s POV

I smile as I see Athena coming out of the exit. She smiles the moment she sees me. I walk towards her and give her the bouquet I’m holding.

            “For me?” she asks.

I nod.

            “Wow…” she takes the flowers from me.

Ms. Go and I greet each other. The security men move quickly preventing the paparazzi and fans from getting near us. We walk towards the parking lot. 

            “How was your audition?” I ask.

            “I think I did good…but there were a lot of actresses who auditioned. There are also famous Hollywood personality too so I don’t know…the result will be in two months.”

I hold her hand.

            “I’m sure that you’ll get a call.”

            “You think so?”

            “Of course. You’ll be great…for a supporting role..”  I joke.

            “Aishh…” she tries to pull her hand from my grasp.

            “I’m just joking!” I laugh. She stares at me and smile too.

***FLASHBACK***

            “I went to Seoul thinking that it would be the best in order to provide for my wife Miri and our daughter Ae Young. Here in the city, I worked as an errand man for Senator Jang’s law firm. He’s a nice man with a great career in politics. He helped me by giving me a job in his office though I don’t have a diploma.”

I continue to listen to Senator Lee.

            “I met his daughter and she directly expressed her interest towards me. I didn’t mind at first since I don’t think she would be serious but I was wrong...” he swallows.

I guess he got seduced so something happened between them and he was caught up with it.

Senator Lee decided not to discuss that part and move into another.

            “Because of that, I was asked by Senator Jang to be responsible despite me telling them that I have a family in the countryside. It was a threat and for a country bumpkin man like me, I got scared for my wife and daughter so I married my second wife.”

            “How could you let Athena and her mom wait for you?”

            “I was told that the Senator sent them enough money for a living. They told me that Miri signed up a divorce. I studied and learned things to take over the company and be in politics. They change everything about me and I could not say no. Years after, my father-in-law died and I get to see them again. I found out that she didn’t sign it and refused the money offered to them. I lived in a life of luxury without knowing the hardships they went through waiting for me. I was so ashamed…I can’t bear to look at Miri for what I’ve done yet, she never got mad at me nor says anything despite the pain I caused her” His voice cracks as he talks.

            “My second wife asked Miri to sign the divorce paper in exchange of taking Ae Young under our wings.. Though she lived with me, I wasn’t able to develop a good relationship with daughter since I’m too embarrassed. Ae Young got into a drug scandal and I can’t do anything when she was chased out by my second wife since I don’t know if it was true. Then her mom met an accident…”

            “She tried to reach out for your help…but you turned your back on her.”

            “I swear I don’t know anything about that. It was months after when I found out about the accident.”

Madam Jang…..my mind says.

            “I searched for Ae Young’s whereabouts after that. Then I crossed paths with Chairman Ahn.”

Chairman Ahn nods.

            “He thinks Ae Young has the potential of a great actress and then I decided to sponsor his agency.”

Everything becomes clear to me. Senator Lee helped his daughter to rise from that fall through Chairman Ahn. All these time, he’s watching over Athena and guiding her without her knowledge.

            “Why are you telling me these now?” I ask.

Yes, he’s a part of Athena’s success that’s true but it does not justify his faults either.

            “I’m not telling this for you to take my side. I know everything I said might sound as excuse but I do care about my child. I did mistakes and wrong decisions in the past and there’s no way that I could change any of that but I want to be there for her. Even in this way….” His tears finally fall.

I was speechless as I watch him.

            “I was weak and coward to face the consequences of my actions and so these happened.” He sniffs. “I’m afraid it’s too late to mend our relationship but I’ll do everything to protect her in my own way. People might tell me that I don’t have the rights…but I do love her.”

So, this is the whole picture….the events unknown to Athena.

***END of FLASHBACK*** 

            “Have you eaten?” I ask when I sit next to her in the van.

            “Nope. I just sleep the entire time in the plane. How about you?”

            “I haven’t eaten yet…Where should we eat?”

            “Any place will do.” She answers.

I turn to Ms. Go.

            “Where do you want to eat Ms. Go?”

            “I miss Korean food…” she says.

Athena and I smile.

            “Korean food it is…” I say.

Looking at how happy she is now, I don’t know if I should be telling her what I found out.

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[Author's Note]:

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