Chapter 22

Her strides doubled almost to a sprint. The pension house was long gone from her vision, her tear-filled gaze. To dwell in the long forgotten relationship had forced the wound cut opened yet again, aching this somebody’s emotional state. Her trembling arms hugged her petite frame. Her head titled down, just stared at the grassy ground. Her name was hollered by a dear friend.

“Leave me alone,” whispered Yoon Bora.

What had happened few hours ago, back at the resort where the TREX Company decided to stay for their vacation, was terrible. Emotionally scarring her thought at one point in it all made her reminisce the moment where her fairy tale story took place. Armed with a perfect prince and a perfect scenario. A ring she once wore scruptuously was now back in her mind, calling for her, begging her. Her love story was perfect as she had pictured it but it was sadly, short lived. And it all started with those three dreafull words:

“Can we talk?”

It was autumn in the city of love; Paris, France. The last day of the grand international fashion show had the fashion designers went on a wild ride. Most had gone beyond their limits just to make sure their masterpiece achieve perfection beyond imagination. Most had spent their time boosting their egos and lived their life as if they would die the next day. While some, who had made decision to be true to themselves, kept their sanity as balanced as possible. And then there was one person who was far from any of the said people. She was in love and what’s more fascinating than to be in the most romantic place in the world with the person who had claimed her heart.

Yoon Bora had poured her all to her creation, making it one of her best yet. Her colleagues complimented her for such heart-filled design and even for being mad in love. At least, what had happened to her made her smile and bright, which what matters the most. It was like seeing a close little sister making a big step in her life. She was living in cloud nine. She fell head over heels hard. She was catering her soft enomared heart. Even so, even when her life had turned for the better, it was about to take a devastating turn until a pit of darkness welcomed her.

Deep inside the vast world of fashion, Yoon Bora had spent her day staying still in her personal space where her masterpiece placed on a round platform. She had gone over and over again with the design, tried to come up with thoughts to make it better than it was. The problem was, it was already person. But the thought of her boyrfriend who will grace the runway with her design made her want something more, something better. She was getting greedy.

There was a soft knock on the door, followed by the click of a turned doorknob. Bora took a step to the side and found herself smiling bright and wide at the person who entered the room. She dropped her design book and rushed to him. Her arms swung around his neck, embracing the man she had fallen deep for. “You know you’re not supposed to see me at this time, I told you that.” She reminded the man. As her hands slid down to his arms, she stood back on her feet and looked up at the latter, with a doting smile. ‘Yoongie-ah…”

Im Yoong was her everything. He was the first man who she had poured her heart and soul to. He was her first real love. And now, her first real heart-break. Her devil in disguise.

Bora couldn’t let her hands slipped off his as the latter talked to her in his charming low toned voice. It was like hearing a melodic tune that could make your soul melt so fast, faster than the heat of the sun. It was the good kind of sensation.

“Can we talk?” Im Yoong finally drew out, his hands held hers so gentle and in such a comforting manner. Of course, Yoon Bora responded well to it. What could be better than to spend with someone you could call your own, your half. Bora was lost in his presence. ‘I’ve done something last night. Something terrible.” Yoong carried on, now his brown eyes averted elsewhere.

He took a deep breath. “A thing that I am not proud of but I did it anyway because I was an idiot…”

Yoon Bora looked at him. “What is it?”

It was a trap. From the beginning, it was a set-up. All those sweet serenades, brave advances and open declarations, it was all for a cruel childish bet. A bet where whoever who can a girl fall for them will win. And in this bet, it was Im Yoong who was victorious. He had the big catch. The new girl, Yoon Bora.

Bora felt her heart dropped fast like a deadly rollercoster. Mind muddled by what she just heard, heard straight from the one person she loved. She was a part of a sick game.What they had together was never real. That’s was how she saw it.

She pushed him away. “Stay away from me!”

“Bora-yah, you gotta listen, there’s more to this.” Im Yoong assured. He tried to come close to her, to put her back into his wram embrace but Yoon Bora, now had felt everything crashed and burn, kept pushing him away.

“What else’s would there be!?” she enquired. “You won your stupid game! What else!?”

Yoong gazed at her, his mouth parted and closed again; trying to say what was on his mind. “P-p-please… listen to me!”

“Get out.” Bora firmly asserted. But Yoong stayed, with his arms reached out for her. “Get out! Get out! GET OUT!”

Her grip tightened to the fabric covered her frame. Bora had ran faster and faster till her legs could not bear it anymore. Now, she came to a halt and eventually collapsed to the ground. She was still shaking, freezing as well where the cool breeze of Jeju had followed her all the way from the pension house. Her fear came back to get her.

Not too long now, Kim Hyoyeon had managed to keep up. She slowed down when she saw Bora sitting on the ground. A sigh of relief escaped . At least there’s no more running need to be done. She wiped the sweat off her brow as she walked over to her friend. Bora took a quick glance to see who it was but then looked away, hoping the latter didn’t see her teary face.

Hyoyeon slumped to the ground. “Would…you mind telling… me what’s… wrong?”

**********

At the resort, once settled in their hotel room, Kim Taeng and Lee Soonkyu decided to search for their best friend, Kwon Yul, along with his sister, Seohyun. Hours had passed and there was not even a hint of the Kwon siblings. Soonkyu suggested that they should give the pair a call, which was quicker than going on about the resort like a treasure hunt. His best friend did not see it in sucha way. Kim Taeng insisted for the challenge, which sometimes questioned the Sherbet’s Chef.

They had searched the ground floor of the resort, investigated various rooms from the sauna to the basketball court and to – now they had exited – the ballroom.

Soonkyu had gotten restless. “Let’s just call them, Taengoo-yah. My feet can’t bear this no longer.”

The latter shook his head. “C’mon, Kyu-ah, where is your sense of adventure? Don’t you think this is like a scene from a movie? We look around the place, spot one from afar and follow them. It’s perfect.”

“Well, you-“ The Sherbet’s Chef retorted, jabbing his finger at his friend. “Just being too ambitious. This is not some movie. This is life.”

The Danshin Duo had made a mode to the outside of the resort. The pair searched the pools, even the one only for children (where Soonkyu decided to play a joke on Taeng by pushing him into the kids’ pool and screaming, ‘Someone had forgotten their kid!’ and shamelessly pointed at the fire-fighter.) There had been no progress whatsoever and the option to give a call was still available.

“Just a click away. What’s wrong with that?” Soonkyu noted, waving his smartphone in front of his best friend’s face as he was drying up his hair. The latter glared at Soonkyu underneath the towel and mumbled something, though Soonkyu didn’t managed to catch what was uttered, he laughed instead. “You’re just wanted to take this slow, huh? I mean, counting others, this is like a vacation for you. Stalling so you can get some relaxation, am I right?”

Kim Taeng flipped the towel off his head. “And you’re slow on catching that one.” He shook his head. “I know we’re here to fix things, you know with Yul and Seohyunnie, but, come on Soonkyu, just look at this place. This is paradise. I want to enjoy this while we’re going on about with our mission.” The latter raised his eyebrow. “I know. I know what you’re thinking. Save your breath. We’ll get there and get done with it before you know it.”

Soonkyu grinned.

Meanwhile, back at the room floors up from where the Danshin Duo sat; Kwon Yul and his new best friend, Im Yoong, were trying to settle the situation with the paparazzi and the rumor with Kwon Seohyun. The discussion didn’t take them long as Im Yoong had resolved to end the trouble within the first ten minutes. He knew what it had done to Seohyun and had experienced the similar agenda once before. He was a foolish man when he made that brave remark. He even called his manager right in front of the Kwon siblings to make a press conference session to end it all. It surprised Seohyun how itdidn’t took quite a strong offence.

“… I’m sure, hyung… ok, thanks…” Im Yoong answered. “See you tomorrow.” Once the phone call ended, he then turned to the Kwon siblings and gave them a rather awkward comforting smile. “It’s done. I need to make an announcement of it tomorrow morning at the press conference here at the resort. My manager will arrange everything.”

Kwon Yul let out a deep sigh. “Thanks, Yoong. Thanks a lot.”

“It’s my fault. Don’t thank me.”

Kwon Yul shook his head. “I could’ve haunted you your entire life. Make you miserable. Make you regret. Looks like it worked, eh?”

“Uh… no, not at all—“

The fire-fighter got up from the bed and begun to strut. “I know my plan worked cuz’ I’m a super genius.” He then pointed his finger at Im Yoong. “I am… an awesome mastermind. A-Ha!”

“Whatever you say, hyung.” Im Yoong decided to play along with it, which he took note fast judging by the look Seohyun been giving him. He gave her a calm smile and mouthed, ‘sorry’ for the fifth time since the both of them entered the room. As Kwon Yul went on about being a mastermind since his childhood by recalling his brilliant of using a tube of ice-cream and a several empty boxes to device a perfect plan to fool his father once, Im Yoong took the chance to exit the room. He slowly shut the door behind him, where he heard Seohyun started to sound off at her brother’s absurdness.

That was one matter worked out. But there was another that was fresh in his mind. A mistake he never thought would go for ever again. He understood his self more by this. He was an impulsive young man. He thought he knew whatever he would do would be the best solution. Unlike with Kwon Seohyun’s situation, which was settled in a simple touch of a call button, the one with Yoon Bora would be a different situation altogether. He needs to get to the pension and have a talk with her, to apologize once again and let time mend whatever they had before the kiss. But first, there’s the press conference.

Im Yoong sauntered off along the corridor, arms hung awkwardly by his sides. He unconsciously had begun to trace the wall with his long fingers, feeling the rough wallpaper. An image of a woman ran through his mind in an instance. She was running, her hair bounced in the wind and the sound of her laughter had begun to ring in Yoong’s ear. She was beautiful and Im Yoong just realized it now.

He stopped right in front of the elevator.

“I’m so sorry, Bora… forgive me…” he expressed.

PING!

“Well, well, well, look what we got here!” Someone blared out. Two people exited the elevator and menacingly approached the off guarded model. Im Yoong staggered back, until his back hit the wall. He blinked, through his almost teary eyes, and tried to visualize who had spoken to him. There were two pairs of ominous glares of brown orbs levelled by Yoong’s chin, stalking. He blinked again and this time saw two individuals sporting rather identical hairstyles.

One of them said, perhaps the same one who had spoken “Must be our lucky day to find you here, no bodyguards, no paparazzi, and no women you can exploit!”

Before Yoong could respond, the other half, who showcased a rather calmer tone of voice than the first speaker, decided to do a different approach, like a good cop, bad cop. This man was the good one. “Hyung, give the kid a break. We’re not here to beat him up.”

This was ignored entirely as the first speaker stated, “Im Yoong, I hope you take this as a lesson. Never! I mean, NEVER mess with our donsaeng. Because if you do, you’ll suffer for the rest of your life even when we got married! We will hunt you down and—“

“Keep your voice down!” nagged the seond man.

It was ignored, again. “WE WILL HUNT YOU DOWN AND BURN YOU ALIVE!”

“YAH! STOP SCARING HIM!”

“Oppa?”

The commotion went to an abrupt end when a familiar sweet voice emerged. The two men who stood in front of Im Yoong shared a look and quickly turned to where the voice was first heard. Im Yoong, as well, turned to see who had saved him form these two strangers. It was none other than Kwon Seohyun.

“Seohyunnie!” the two men cried out in unison. In a flash, they abandoned the model and hurried to the youngest Kwon. Questions poured out.

“Were you hurt?”

“Oppa, of course not.”

“Did that idiot hurt you again?”

“Oppa I told you I didn’t get hurt!”

“Did he blackmailed you?”

“What!? No!”

“Did he--- mmfftt.” At last, peace was restored. The one who Yoong noticed had played the good cop since the beginning had his friend in a headlock and pressed his plam hard against the latter’s mouth. The latter struggled but was eventually lost.

The nice guy turned to Seohyun. “You got us all worried. Taengoo and I went off chasing after you.”

Kwon Seohyun offered an apologetic smile. “Sorry, Soonkyu oppa. I was trying to fix things, you know, the things Yul oppa suppose to fix. Sorry if I worried you two.”

The one who got himself in a headlock managed to slip away from Lee Soonkyu’s grip and voiced out, “Next time you want to do a vanishing act like this, at least let me know.”

Kwon Seohyun apologized again. “Sorry, Taeng oppa.”

As the three reunited, a fourth came out of the room, looking rather frustrated by the noises. Kwon Yul, with his messy bed hair and weary face, stomped out of the hotel room. He was about to scream his lungs out, ready to pounce them with his complaints. However, as soon as he laid eyes on which they were, he groaned. “Ah, no! What are you two doing here? This is my vacation! Go away!”

“We’re not here for you, pabo Yul!” The Danshin Duo shouted.

“Then GO AWAY!” Kwon Yul retorted.

Again, no matter how much this scene unfolds in front of Im Yoong, it was still bizarre. Beyond bizarre now where another two grown men argued childishly about why they were there. Im Yoong was about to leave, hoping not to get involve in anything else. That’s until Kwon Seohyun called him.

“Yes, Seohyun-ssi?”

“Could you stay for a while, there’s something we need to discuss first.”

Im Yoong looked at her, felt light-hearted at the sight of her smile. And then when he turned to the two men, Kim Taeng and Lee Soonkyu, he felt uneasy. Something was about to happen.

**********

Everyone was rushing the progress, trying to get the barbeque party started. Korean beefs, sausages and gogumas were prepared, along with others dishes still in midst of preparation. Upon the arrival of the Jung sisters, welcomed well by the TREX female employees and models, Jung Krystal had decided to help out with her unnies to quick things up. Another maknae to the bunch, Park Luna accompanied the youngest Jung cooking up few side dishes. Choi Sooyoung, on the hand, begun to munch on the mini kimbaps.

Back in the pension house, its door locked and even blocked by their figures were Hwang Tiffany and Jung Jessica, who decided to stay indoor while others busied with the preparation. Well, it was not like they were not in the spirit of celebration, especially with the success of the recent fashion show. It was more on the presence of a certain unwanted individual that prompted them to stay put. One of them, Jung Jessica, had moved back and forth from the door to the window to check out the progress out at the backyard. From what she gathered, the preparation was not near to even finish. She did saw her sister chatting excitingly to Park Luna as they prepared the dishes. It made her smile. However, when she saw Choi Soo by the barbeque pit, laughing and obviously flirting with the female models that surrounded him, it made her sick.

She grimaced when she turned away from the window. Hwang Tiffany, weakly smiled at her, uttered, “Still there?”

Jessica nodded.

Tiffany groaned.

Jessica continued her surveillance, slowly coming back to the window. She eyed Choi Soo. “I still hate him. Even before he dated you, I hated him.”

“We established that already, Sica-ah.” Tiffany pointed out. “You hated him. Hyo kinda hated him. I was stupid to fall for him.”

“You’re not stupid,” Jessica assured. “Choi Soo was too good with his words. I mean, even I admitted at liking how he smile at you back then. He’s charismatic.”

“I rather eat fish’ eyes than talking to him.” Tiffany swore. She then moved across the floor and joined Jessica by the window. The two slowly peeked out and watched Choi Soo, who was now smiling charmingly at the model while he flipped the beefs on the grill. “Ugh, just look at him. Standing like that like he owns this world. He’s sweet and nice to look at, yeah sure, but behind closed door, a beast… an idiot.”

“Then stay out of his way, Fany. If you hate him so much, show him how much. Ignore the guy.”

“It’s not gonna be easy like that.”

“Why? Why is it not gonna be easy?”

Tiffany sighed. “The reason why it’s not gonna be easy is because—oh no, why the hell is HE doing here!?”

“Huh?” Jessica was confused. She then turned to the side, looked outside the window, where a group of four people approached the backyard party. She saw her sister, Krystal, rushing to one of them and had her in an embrace. She noticed her instantly. She was the girl who was always at the Sherbet, always talking to the head chef. And then, the two others, who stood well-guarded of the girl Krystal just greeted, was welcomed by Park Luna. Lastly, the last member of the group, who stood at the back appeared and slowly approached Jung Krystal. Jessica recognized him straightaway.

“Soonkyu?”

Tiffany rose up. “No. Kwon Yul!” she pointed to the tallest one of the four. “Why is he here!? Argh, can this get worse!”

“Not for me.” Jessica whispered.

Author's Note:

Thank you soooooooooo much for the responses, my lovable readers. I hope you enjoy this pretty late Christmas present. Hope to get the next chapter going cuz.. well, le muse is flowin'. ahhaha. Update coming soon. Stay healthy guys.