The day has just started since it barely 7 o’clock in the morning and Jungshin walked like zombie along the quite long corridor. Last night was really something to him; he can’t process that information well until now. Too much information in one short time is definitely not good.

He sighed.

He met Jinyi at the main gate and she simply smiled encouragingly and from that he can sense something not good was happening.

Fighting, he mentally cherished himself before snapped the passcard.

‘I’m home,’ he called while entering the house and he smiled when he saw Mari was still busy cleaning the kitchen.

‘Good morning,’ she smiled while Jungshin gave her morning kiss.

‘Morning,’

‘Did Yonghwa give you hard time?’

‘Huh?’

‘Jinyi said you guys worked overnight as Yongyongie’s order,’

‘Oh, not really, it’s all we wanted though,’ he grinned, a lie, big fat of lie.

‘I don’t know if you’ll come so soon, what do you want to breakfast?’ Mari asked.

‘There left over pancake, you don’t mind?’

Jungshin shook his head and pull the chair before Mari re-set the table. Both of them shared quite time while Jungshin enjoying his breakfast. Truth to be told Jungshin feeling at ease bit because right now, he knows better how  to behave, he knows what to do to comfort her and he could avoid something to hurt her.

And that’s how he observed her while she washing his dish.

‘Do you need me to preparing you water?’

‘Yes?’

Mari chuckled, ‘penny for your thought?’

Instead Jungshin stood up and grabbed her hand and led her to living room; shove her down to the couch and lied himself on her lap.

‘Hey, sleep inside,’

‘No, here’s better,’ I need to be close to you it’s hard for me to believe what Hyung told me he finished his word on his head.

Both of them were enjoying the silence peace this morning. Mari softly running her fingers on Jungshin’s scalp, messaging it gently.

‘Dear,’

‘Hmm ...’

‘Is it okay if I talk to you about something?’

Jungshin opened his eyes and looked up to Mari, she looked uncertain and suddenly he seemed know what the topic will be.

‘About what?’

‘My past,’

I knew it,

Jungshin slowly sat up and Mari looked away.

‘Is there something I need to know?’

Mari nodded but at the same time she was still looks unsure; Jungshin reached out her hands and squeezed lightly.

‘If you feel okay to talk then I’m listening, otherwise, don’t push yourself, I’m willing to wait.’

Mari shook her head and she closed her eyes before finally spoke in low and flat voice,

‘I- I was when I was 18 by my mother’s boyfriend and I was his slave ever since,

And Jungshin could swear it million times worse than he was heard from Jonghyun last night. He didn’t know whether it was because of her choice of words of the fact that her voice was flat and no emotion just like Jonghyun had last night.

‘I−’

Jungshin cut her across by hugged her tighly. He didn’t need another revelation from her. No, he knew enough about this.

‘Sh... I already know this,’

Mari pulled out from the hug and looked at him, shocked and terrified.

‘How ...’

‘Dear, everyone have past, and so do you, everything happen to you in the past doesn’t change my love to you, okay? I won’t say you have to forget it or I’ll help you to forget it. No, because I know, it’s impossible. All I want to say is, I’ll stay by your side and creating as many beautiful memories as possible so you don’t have time to remember those terrible things, you got me?’

Tears start dropped on her cheeks.

‘I’m asking you, not to make you cry,’ Jungshin chuckled as he wiped the tears using his thumb. ‘And I’m sorry if I unintentionally hurting or scaring you,’

‘No, don’t say that, you’ve never,’ Mari shook her head.

‘Don’t lie, I know you terrified –’

‘Only at that time,’

‘Alright, I believe you.’

Jungshin pulled her into hug once again, and both of them stayed like that for awhile.

‘Can I ask you question?’

Mari nodded.

‘Have you ever pregnant before?’

And Jungshin could feel her body was stiffening before pulled away and faced him with guilty look.

‘Yes, I have, trice, and I lost them all when I try to suicide,’

‘I’m sorry,’

Mari shook her head, ‘No, I’m the one who should say sorry, those incidents were the reasons of my severe health right now, and I’m very sorry for that. I guess I’m punished right now,’

‘Hey, it’s not like that,’ Jungshin smiled encouragingly. ‘Doctor said, you’ve consume too many dangerous medicines, can you tell me about that?’

‘I have no idea about that but maybe it’s after pills,’

‘What do you mean? Did you request for strong one or something?’

Mari shook her head and hung her lead low.

‘Dear ...’

‘The idea of me being pregnant is disgust me, but how much I try to prevent it, it happened, I took many kind of after pills and I don’t have prescription for that,’

‘How’s that possible?’

‘I asked my friend to get prescription and I used hers,’

‘Why aren’t you got that by yourself?’

‘I hate doctor, ‘cause they save my life,’ her voice now reflecting anger.

Jungshin shook his head, ‘I’ll thank them instead, because then we’ll have a chance to met, don’t you like to meet me?’

‘Thank you,’ Mari smiled weakly.

‘Thats right, I love you,’

‘And there another thing I want to asked you,’ Mari said with plea written on her face.

‘What is it?’

‘I want to comeback to office,’

‘If you think you okay, then I’m okay,’

‘Thank you, I told Jenna to come tomorrow,’

‘You already talked to Jenna?’ Jungshin raised his eyebrow.

‘I told her but I said I’ll talked to you first, if you okay, then I’ll go on,’

‘It’s alright, maybe it’s good for you to distract yourself,’ Jungshin smiled.

The sun seemed began to shine over Mari’s life. And to her surprise, Jungshin’s reaction unbelievably understood and after told him her darkest past it was as if all of her burden was lifted up, it gone.

***

‘Did Jonghyunie check on me?’ Mari asked as she shifted her head to get more comfortable on Jungshin’s chest.

‘Hmm ...’

‘Are you guys argued?’

Jungshin looked down at her, frowned.

‘Your body tensed up,’ Mari told.

Jungshin looked away before he spoke.

‘He wants to meet you,’

‘Who?’

‘You know who I’m talking about,’

And Mari fell silent. This morning Jonghyun told her about that, he was in town. And much to her surprise, he wasn’t come straight to her office instead he called Jonghyun.

What he’s up to?

There another vibrate on Jungshin’s phone and instead of replying the text, he called the elder.

‘No Hyung, I said no! If she has to then I’m the one –’

‘So you can kill him?’ voice the other line cut Jungshin off. ‘I promise you, I won’t let him lay finger on Noona, it’s for you too, alright?’

Jungshin looked down only to find Mari looked at him with reassurance look, and that’s enough to soften him.

‘Alright, alright Hyung, I trust you.’

‘Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow,’

‘Alright, goodnight.’

‘Goodnight,’

Jungshin sighed in defeat, when it comes to Mari, he would be defeated just by one pleading look, how come?

‘I’ll be alright,’ Mari said.

‘I know,’

‘It’s not because I think Jonghyunie can protect me better than you, it just ... it just Jonghyunie was the one who involved in my matter since the beginning and I wonder why he choose to met Jonghyunie first instead of me,’

Jungshin shifted and lied on his side, wrapped his arm on her waist, ‘I told you I understand, okay? Don’t worry, let’s sleep now, I have morning schedule tomorrow, good night,’

‘Good night,’ Mari snuggled closer and tightening her hug.

***

The whole restaurant suddenly felt colder and Mari tightening her grip on Jonghyun’s elbow once she recognize who was sitting on the chair before them.

The man stood up and wearing smirk on his face,

‘Ohoho still with the little devil I see, I miss you baby,’ he cooed made Mari flinched.

‘Don’t touch her!’ Jonghyun warned when that man was about to reached Mari's hand.

‘Easy, I won’t touch her in here, right baby?’

Mari looked away and without waiting for the host to pleased them to sit, Jonghyun and Mari sit down before him.

‘Get to the point, why you want to meet us,’

‘I’ve never want to meet you; I just want to meet my baby,’

‘We’re leaving,’ Jonghyun announced and stood up, Mari followed.

‘Your mother is sick, she wants to meet you beside, and the company needs you too,’

Mari stop from moving and looked at the man right in his eyes.

‘I’m sorry to disappoint you, but my mother is fine and for your information, I don’t have company I should to take care of, so please don’t waste your time,’

‘Well Miss. Johnson, would you rather to sell the company then?’

‘I’m sorry to inform but, I’m not Johnson, my name is Mari Lee.’ And Mari grabbed Jonghyun’s hand.

‘Oh, so you’re his pet now? Is he rougher than me? I know you like rough; in fact I still remember your face clearly when I please you ...’

His word cut off by punch Jonghyun sent right on his face. While Mari stood frozen with back facing the two and clenched fist.

‘Don’t try anything to her or I’ll rip your head off your body!’ Jonghyun looked down to the bleed and bruised man.

Without word Jonghyun grabbed Mari’s hand and led her out of the restaurant.

‘Do we need to go somewhere?’ Jonghyun asked as he opened the car’s door for Mari.

‘I just want to go home,’ she said when Jonghyun strapped himself and about to started the engine.

The male nodded and both of them shared silence through out the drive back home.

‘We’re home,’ Jonghyun called when both of them stepped inside Mari’s house.

In matter of second Mari flew onto Jungshin arms forgetting the fact than Jonghyun was following behind her.

‘Is everything okay?’ Jungshin asked.

Mari nodded.

‘I’ll get going then, I need to pick up Jinyi,’ Jonghyun excused himself.

‘Thank you Hyung,’

‘It’s okay,’ he patted Jungshin’s shoulder as Mari broke free her hug. ‘I’m off Noona,’

***

Mari rubbed her temple while she flipped the files one by one.

‘Is there any problem?’ Jungshin chuckled upon seeing her stress face.

After Jungshin knows everything about her, it becomes easier for him and the two of them seemed to be closer than before.

‘You don’t like the idea of me with another woman?’ Jungshin asked.

‘You know it better,’ she muttered and Jungshin laughed.

‘If its makes you feel better, it’s only Yongyongie Hyung who need to filmed with that model, me? Nope, no needs to worry okay, Dear?’

‘I’m not, I just come cause I need to checked something for next edition,’ Mari defended herself.

‘Deny all you want, did you forget what I ever said? I love seeing your jealousy, ‘cause its means you love me,’ Jungshin winked.

‘Ewwww, did you hit your head somewhere?’

Jungshin laughed.

‘Here we are,’ he parked the car on the private car park behind the studio building.

Inside the studio it was Jonghyun who get the turn of photo shoot while Yonghwa busily with his phone, no doubt, he must be have phone-date with Shinhye while Minhyuk  checking up his photo from the assistant’s laptop.

‘I thought its video filming or something?’ Mari raised his eyebrows.

‘It’s an exclusive photo-shoot,’ Jungshin grinned.

Not long after the director called the rest of CNBLUE’s member to do group photo, and as much as Mari wanted to feel at ease but whenever seeing Jungshin has intimate interaction with the female model, she can’t help but jealous.

Ugh what the hell,

‘Hey, by any chance are you Mari Johnson?’

It’s like bomb explode right under Mari’s nose upon hearing that question,

“Are you Mari Johnson?”

Mari spun around and her eyes widened in disbelief.

Update .....

 

Nothing much I can say in this story since the rest of this chapters will only revelation, yeah anti- it is, kkk

 

Sorry if you don't like it :)

 

Aside of this story I'd like to tell you that my book are already published!!!

 

Yeah because it took longer that I expected to complete it

 

Here you go

 

The Stars is a teen novel inspired bu CNBLUE please do check in here

Burning Melody is a short story collection from me and boice to celebrate Lee Jonghyun 25th Birthday please do check in here

And forget to comment and review okay :))))