“I did the plan B.” Donghae answered.

Nayoung’s eyes go wide as she keeps her silence behind the wide, wooden partition that hides her location from the living room.

So it was just another plan? Donghae wasn't even drunk? She didn’t know she had fallen into the same trap twice. She didn’t know it was all planned again. And now she doesn’t know how to feel about this. She's happy about the interactions she had with Hyukjae, but she doesn't like it if it was just faked.

Daeyoung pauses. “What did you do?” he repeats, now a tinge of disagreement dripping in his tone.

“Whoa, calm down dude. I just snuggled up to her. Just enough to make him react and not sit still like a stone.” Donghae says, but when Daeyoung doesn’t give him a satisfying response, he snorts. “Yah, you suggested this to me! Don’t look at me like I was taking advantages from your sister!”

“Okay.” Daeyoung replies dismissively. “So how did he react?”

“Like I said, it looked like he was going to rip my head off tomorrow. Damn, there would be no escape from an angry Lee Hyukjae. I just know it.” Donghae sighs.

“He’s still very protective to Nayoung.” She can sense a smile in his voice, and for some reason, the words calm her down. She decides to continue overhearing the conversation, maybe she can understand from here. “That kid. He's still putting her as his main priority. Every time he called me, the first thing he would ask would be my sister’s whereabouts. Even before I said hello.” Dayeoung chuckles lightly while Nayoung finds her breath being caught in the middle of . “Sometimes it itches me. You know, I’ve been seeing her looking so helpless. I really wanted to tell Nayoung about everything so that she would understand, but he never let me to.”

“We don’t have the right to do that, Daeyoung.” Donghae tells him wisely. “He will tell her as soon as he’s ready. Although that means he had to take things really slowly.”

“Actually, I believe Nayoung wouldn't be angry if he had told her about the truth. I know my sister.” Daeyoung stubbornly says, unconsciously digging her curiosity further.

What truth? Is there something she left out that they know?

“I know. And I've told him for umpteen times. But Hyukjae knows it wouldn’t be easy if he just tells her that he took a huge part for the cause of the unhappiness in her life... and, well, your life.” Donghae's voice is creaking at the end until he stops into a temporary silence, before guiltily continuing. “Gosh I’m really sorry about that. I’m sorry about the whole nasty business that Lee Jin-”

“It happened.” Daeyoung cuts him off calmly, as if he can't stand with this new topic Donghae accidentally stumbled into. “What’s the point of mourning over that now? It happened. I know Hyukjae will bring back the happiness into her life. And I know you and Hyukjae are going to be responsible with everything, so it’s okay.”

Then a firm silence fills the room, leaving Nayoung frozen in her place with a pale face and her heart beat deafening her hearing. What are they talking about, really? She couldn’t follow anything. What didn’t she understand? What’s the truth? And why did Donghae say Hyukjae caused the unhappiness in Daeyoung’s life, as well?

Everything is so out of her grasp and once again, she finds herself in between the pieces of one unfinished puzzle. But one thing she’s sure of: Hyukjae doesn’t know about this conversation. Maybe he would understand the points since he's the main topic, but he doesn’t even know about the whole plan. If he does, he wouldn’t let her go back to Donghae’s apartment alone and hear this.

“I think I should go.” Suddenly she hears keys being flipped and it was Daeyoung’s voice that sends her the alert. Daeyoung is going to walk to the doorstep.

With a swift motion, she slips out of the unit and runs toward the lift. She doesn’t want her presence to be noticed, perhaps she's going to just pretend to be oblivious with this. She quickly presses the button with the sign of a down arrow on it before Daeyoung could appear behind her. And soon, the elevator closes and moves to the ground floor.

Nayoung puts her hand over her chest to calm her heart from running and hearing something she shouldn’t have heard. She must have left out something about Hyukjae. Something that could make Daeyoung to be so supportive of him even though he had caused him whatever the displeasing thing they were talking about; even though he had hurt his dear sister he’s so fond of. There must be a certain reason for this, and Nayoung is going to find it out somehow.

She smoothed down her dress and the jacket suit before another ding sound is heard. When she steps out of the elevator, she notices Hyukjae at the lobby talking on the phone. She can only see his side profile. He looks beautiful as usual but something appears to be different. He seems to be having a hard time from whoever it is that talks to him over the phone call. His eyes are tightly closed, he is facing the floor with his free hand curling up into an enraged fist. His expression screams out anger even though his lips are pressed into a firm line. His breathing is uneven; he’s furious.

A few minutes before

Hyukjae takes a glance at the watch wrapping around his slim wrist. Another 5 minutes have passed but there’s still no sign from Nayoung. He’s worried-sick. What if Donghae really does something inappropriate to her? Aish, he shouldn’t have let her go back there alone. No matter how strong she is, she’s still a girl and her punch would be nothing to a strong guy like Donghae.

Hyukjae shivers uncomfortably at the thought and dashes to the elevator, but a vibration from his phone stops him mid-way.

He eagerly takes it out from his pants pocket expecting it to be Nayoung, before he realizes it's not possible since she doesn't even know his number. The moment his eyes meet a familiar caller ID, his expression changes into a hard frown. He doesn’t expect this caller ID to be appearing on his phone screen at this time. Not at all. He grips on his phone tight and carefully presses the answer button.

“Hello,”

“You’re one disappointing kid.” Someone spits over the phone. Hyukjae doesn’t flinch; he’s used to hear those kind of words from this particular person. “How dare you ditch the banquet.”

“I’m sorry.” He says flatly hoping the conversation to be over as soon as possible. Although he knows it himself it’s impossible.

“You should be.” The man replies. “Are you trying to embarrass me in front of Mr. Yang?”

Hyukjae doesn’t respond even though he has the urge to say yes.

“He called me just now and told me that the spoke-person from my corporation was nowhere to be found. Do you know how mortified I was to admit that my own grandson is being irresponsible?” his voice gets higher and higher each sentence.

Hyukjae grits his teeth. “...I’m sorry.” He repeats insincerely. He only could slip out those words or else he might have to lose his self-control and that would be no good.

“I think Donghae’s presence there is distracting you from business. That brat is really one huge disappointment.”

“It’s not his fault.” Hyukjae retorts quickly.

But Lee Jinseok brushes it off. “I’m going to get that spoiled brat back here so he wouldn’t bother your work there.”

“I said it’s not his fault!” Hyukjae accidentally lets his guard down. Which he quickly regrets. A deathly silence filled the line.

“Did you just raise your voice at me, Lee Hyukjae?” the man sounds grave.

“I-I’m sorry.” He closes his eyes tight as he starts to breathe heavily. “But really, it’s not Donghae’s fault. I wasn't feeling well earlier at the banquet so I- ”

“Shut up. I know your cousin. He’s always been the biggest distraction for everything.” His statement is firm and harsh. “I should have given you the whole corporation, not making a stupid decision dividing it into two. And now I’m risking half of my corporation to someone with raw knowledge about business.” He says. “I really can’t understand why I have a grandson like him.”

Hyukjae has a large compulsion to shoot back, And I can’t understand why we have a grandfather like you! But he holds it back before that one sentence could ruin someone’s life. He has to be very cautious to his words in front of this person. Lee Jinseok is one dangerous man who definitely won’t hesitate to crush everything and everyone that gets into his way.

“But Hyukjae, you’re the representation of me. You have my genes. You’re a brilliant and hardworking man. I believe you won’t make another stupid mistake like this.” The end of his tone is vicious and menacing, and Hyukjae chooses to keep quiet about that. “Answer me, Lee Hyukjae.”

Hyukjae sighs. “I won’t make another mistake.”

“Good.” The old man responds, satisfied with his submissive grandson. “You’re going to personally apologize to Mr. Yang tomorrow. We’re not letting a big project to slide off just because of your careless mistake, got it?”

Hyukjae clenches his fist.

“Lee Hyukjae.”

“I got it, Harabeoji.” He says quickly. His grandfather growls in dissatisfaction.

“Keep your concentration when you’re talking to me next time.” He reprimands seriously. “And about your irresponsibility, we’re going to do something about that.”

Just when Hyukjae is close to bursting out a frustrated shout, Lee Jinseok hangs up the call. Hyukjae slowly opens his eyes to glare at the floor. His mind is burning.

He’s going to get another punishment, and he doesn’t know how malicious that would be. How old am I? 10 year old? What stupid punishment will I be getting? His nails dig sharply into his palm as he put so much force on his fist.

Suddenly he hears someone clearing their throat. He looks up to find Nayoung standing a few feet in front of him, she was walking from the elevator. A hint of worry is evident on her face as she takes a few hesitant steps towards him. “A-are you okay?” she asks cautiously.

“What?”

“You look pale.” She states.

Hyukjae blinks, he still hasn’t realized how scared he is to his grandfather until this extent that he has to turn pale. “I’m okay.” He shakes his head to regain his focus, before realizing that Nayoung is still without her purse. “Wait, where’s your purse?”

She loks away. “Uh, the door is already locked.”

Locked? I remember I didn’t lock it and Donghae is already asleep. He frowns for awhile. He wants to ask her why it took her so long if the door is really locked, but decides not to. He doesn’t want to sound nosy or anything.

Hyukjae smiles at her and motions her to walk to the car with him, but his smile looks different. It looks tensed or even forced. And the fact that his face is almost white doesn’t make it any better.

When they arrive at the car, Hyukjae opens the passenger’s door for her, accidentally brushing his hand with hers. Nayoung is surprised, his skin feels extremely cold.

“Nana?” Hyukjae calls out when she stops beside him.

“Hyukjae, are you cold?” she asks straight-forwardly, once again forgetting the barrier.

“No.” He shakes his head.

Nayoung takes his jacket suit off her body to return it to him. “Your hands are cold.”

“No, don’t take it off. I’m not cold.” Hyukjae pushes the coat to be still on her shoulder.

“But-”

“I don’t want you to be cold, okay?” he stares straight into her eyes until her cheeks turn scarlet, and guides her into the passenger seat. Nayoung tentatively looks at him and he smiles warmly. “I’m fine.” He assures her before closing the door shut and walking over to the driver seat.

Another silence is unavoidable on the ride to Nayoung’s house, partly because Hyukjae’s mind is pretty much leaving his presence at all. Nayoung takes a worried glance at him. He doesn’t look awkward but he doesn’t look calm either. He looks... disturbed.

He has a blank expression fixed on his face but his knuckles on the steering wheel are turning white, showing the huge disquiet in his head. When the traffic light turns red, Hyukjae almost unthinkingly trespasses it. Fortunately he quickly snaps out of it and steps on the brake in reflex. His eyes are widening in shock when he realized what he’s almost done. He breathes rapidly before turning to Nayoung.

“Nana, are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere? I-I’m sorry. I-”

“Hyukjae.” Nayoung cuts him off. “Are you okay?”

He looks down to his lap. “I’m sorry.” He says distractedly. “Actually I have something to talk to you but... I’m sorry. I’m too sidetracked with something.”

“We can talk about it on the other day.” She tells him slowly. She really wants to pat his shoulder to calm him down but she knows the awkwardess between them hasn’t been fully vanished away. “Let’s take a stop for a while, hm? I’ll buy you a warm tea or something.”

“No, it’s fine.” He looks up at her and smiles tenderly. His eyes are gleaming in happiness, he's contented enough that she was indirectly telling him that she wasn't going to back away from him anymore, because there would be another day where he can again talk to her. But at the same time, his expression tells her that he is burdened with something as well. “Thanks Nana.”

“It’s okay.” Nayoung shakes her head and reflects him the warm smile. Her eyes linger on him for awhile.

Maybe there’s really something that I failed to notice about him. She sees Hyukjae give her his last glance before he steps on the gas when the traffic light turns green. And his smile is slowly subsiding. Nayoung furrows her brows in concern. What happened to you, Lee Hyukjae?

Update ^^

Hope you like it, happy reading :D