Jae Yul POV

After listening to somebody's explanation of his current existence in front of me, I was not happy.

I frowned as I started to clarify. "So basically, you feel like you are too busy that you cannot possibly find the time to date your girlfriend – who is also a celebrity – and so you decided to pretend that you're mentally unfit for work in the hope that your company will leave you alone to rot in your room, so that you can sneak out occasionally for dates. When you're satisfied and wish to return to work, you'll miraculously recover all of a sudden and continue your daily life like nothing happened. Am I right?"

Jonghyun nodded grudgingly as he rubbed the back of his head. "You're right actually, except that I can find better words in replacement of yours."

"But your well thought plan backfired and the company did decide to take the necessary action after all, therefore here you are, still without your girlfriend," I ended off sarcastically while trying to maintain the most polite tone possible.

The keyword here is 'trying'.

Before he could say anything, a rush of words came out from my side.

"Do you expect me to cover for you? Because just to remind you, I'm a professional and I…"

"Please." Jonghyun widened his eyes with "the look". Or rather the adorable-harmless-little-puppy look, to be precise.

I took a deep breath in and exhaled, determined to focus.

"No."

"What?" His eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"No. I can't and I won't."

"What?" he repeated with an incredulous gasp, shocked at my cruel and immediate rejection, no doubt.

Tsk, spoilt little pretty boy who is too used to getting everything he wants.

"You'll still be paid, you know! For doing nothing! Just… for a few months… pretending that…"

"That is exactly what I can't do," I interrupted mercilessly.

We stared down at each other for a long moment until a phone sounded and the two of us looked away immediately.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw him fish out his mobile phone and answer it.

"Hello Sekyung? … Uh, well, I kinda have a little problem here. Could you come over right now?"

And I could have sworn that he muttered something along the lines of 'I need reinforcements'.

I quickly snapped out of it in my realisation of what he just said.

"Sekyung? Do you happen to mean…"

"Shin Sekyung," he murmured distractedly while jabbing at his phone buttons.

I frowned. This was scandalous…

And what, Shin Sekyung, up and coming actress – and my ex-classmate who hated me with her guts – was coming over to my workplace, right now?

"Okay, okay. You're dating another celebrity, who happens to be making her way here this second. Anyone else knows?" I arched an eyebrow.

"Well, the members know. And I think the managers know too. The higher-ups don’t, though. Not yet." Jonghyun exhaled in an irritated manner, leaning back against his chair.

It was apparent that he had lost his formality towards me. I don't see why I shouldn't either.

Narrowing my eyes I said, "Next. Why did you ask Shin Sekyung to come over?"

Jonghyun stared at me incredulously. "You'll see…"

* * * * *

Shin Sekyung grinned at me in that elegant way of hers, her beautiful brown eyes glassy.

I maintained my composure as we looked at each other in the eyes, cautious.

Suddenly, she took a quick step towards me and wrapped her slender arms around me. Awkwardly, in my honest opinion.

"Long time no see, Jae Yul!" she gushed. "How are you?! You do remember me, right?"

"Yeah, of course I do." A hint of bitterness was evident in my voice.

She had arrived earlier wearing a disguise and I managed to sneak her in easily. After all, Hwa Sun wasn't the most alert receptionist you could find in the whole of Korea.

Sekyung was a high school classmate of mine. Meaning, Hwa Sun knows her too. The two of them got along well, to say the least. Initially, we were on neutral terms. If she hated me from the start, she didn't show it at all. It was not until The Incident that she started being a to me. I didn't even blame her, didn't even hate her for what she did but ironically, she seemed to hate me.

Why she was suddenly acting like my good friend puzzled me.

On the other hand, Jonghyun was looking at the two of us in bewilderment.

"The two of you know each other?" he inquired.

Sekyung nodded eagerly, eyes twinkling. "We were rather good friends in high school, but lost contact after graduation."

I was about to deny that fact when she sent a challenging glance my way. Tilting my head slightly in thought, I decided to keep silent for now to see what Sekyung had up her sleeve. If she wanted to make up with me, I don't see why not.

Scratch that, I wanted to see what Sekyung and Jonghyun had up their sleeves.

"So…" I began.

Out of the blue, Sekyung grabbed both of my hands, looking up at me with such sincerity in her eyes.

"Jae Yul-ah, considering the fact that we were friends in the past, could you please, please help me out?"

I was in the midst of shaking my head and opening my mouth to tell her what I told Jonghyun when she tightened her grip on my hands.

"Please!" she begged. "I just… I just want to have my boyfriend by my side and… a friend back."

Eh…

In my subconscious mind I realised that the first and last part of that sentence she uttered didn't really fit together, but somehow, something unexpected happened.

I was nodding slowly and the most dreaded word I could possibly say in this situation slipped out of my mouth.

"Alright."

[x_T-AE's Everlasting World]

The ending was sudden, wasn't it? ;o

It's necessary for the progression though. Please don't feel that the characterisation is weak here because Shin Sekyung IS "supposedly" a weak point for Jae Yul. Oh and, there's "supposedly" a conspiracy here.

Tell me what you think though. Read, subscribe and comment tyvm! <3

THANKS TO:

HubaHuba l alyssa27 l LittleBirdieBird