Blackmail
The Pretty One II
"How could you look through my thins without my permission?" Chaekyung stormed over to L.Joe and snatched her scrapbook away, stuffing it roughly into the box and shoving it under the wardrobe again.
Sudden regret hit L.Joe as he realized just what he had accidentally stumbled upon. It was a well-kept secret that Chaekyung had been feverishly trying to keep unknown. No one had ever realized that her expressions were unnatural when Jaekyung and L were together.
L himself never took notice of Chaekyung whenever Jaekyung was near, of course and he thought it was justified. But he wondered why Chaekyung's friends didn't realize anything was wrong unless Chaekyung herself was really that good of an actress.
He wished he could have unseen the contents of the box because it made everything so complicated, and God, were those tears b in her eyes?
L.Joe felt like a total cad.
He wanted to say something nice but heck, he wasn't such a person and he had no idea how to go about doing that. He bit his lip and blurted the first thing that came to his mind. "You're seriously in love with your sister's boyfriend?"
Oh great, it irked her even more.
Chaekyung's face turned redder and redder and L.Joe wasn't sure if she was blushing or was it due to anger. "I'm not, that's...that's just..." Chaekyung defended weakly, her hands falling limply by her sides.
L.Joe folded his arms. "If you're worried, don't be, because I promise not to tell anyone about it especially since you're guarded this secret so carefully with your life."
Chaekyung looked up in surprise. Really? He wouldn't say?
The surprise was identical to that on L.Joe's face and it seemed he hadn't really thought about it before letting his mouth run off freely. Before he could justify that sentence in his mind, his mouth went off again. Seriously his brain and mouth needed to have some team building sessions to bond.
"But of course in return you'd have to do something for me."
Chaekyung's face fell and she looked at him with utter disdain. Even if L.Joe didn't particularly like this girl, he wasn't one to enjoy it when someone gazed upon him as if he was the spawn of the devil.
However on second thoughts, at least she didn't look like she was about to cry anymore. She just looked plain angry. L.Joe figured he could handle anger much better than tears.
"Are you...blackmailing me?" Chaekyung choked out in disbelief. She really was quite naive wasn't she? Couldn't she tell a blackmail when it was shouting at her straight in the face?
L.Joe nodded and the more he thought about it, the better. Now he had something over Chaekyung which she most definitely didn't want anyone to know and she would do absolutely anything to keep him from telling. If only that dim-witted and pure girl thought about it deeply enough, she would realize she could reduce L.Joe to a similar position by threatening to tell Jaekyung about his crush on her. But no, the girl was too pure and nice.
"What do you want me to do then?" Chaekyung bit out.
L.Joe smirked and crossed his arms while shrugging. It was all a very awkward position but only he could pull it off while looking kind of cool at the same time.
"Let me think about it." L.Joe grinned. Chaekyung gave him an exasperated look and looked like she wanted to throttle him to death.
She turned away from him and took a deep visible breath. "Just make sure you keep your word and not let anyone know about...about that." She struggled.
L.Joe beamed. "Absolutely madam."
It wasn't a very gentlemanly act, L.Joe concluded, but he wasn't very gentlemanly to begin with. He finally decided to put Chaekyung out of her misery as he helped her with their report.
His definition of help was of course nitpicking every tiny detail and questioning it with utmost seriousness and annoying Chaekyung to no end. But then again when she was annoyed she wouldn't dwell on the fact that the one guy she loved was the one she couldn't get.
Oh well. It was maybe a "kind" act on his part, and he really enjoyed annoying her.
They finally finished their report a good two hours later with much bickering between, and both of them were pretty much drained. Mrs Lee knocked on the door at this instant and smiled warmly at the two. "It's almost time for dinner, you two."
"Already?" L.Joe glanced at his watch in alarm. He didn't have much on except for that prearranged Skype meeting with the rest of the Teen Top boys. However that wasn't until very much later at night.
It just shocked him that he had spent almost five hours in Chaekyung's room and it felt barely an hour despite the amount of things that had happened.
"Dinner!" Chaekyung perked up visibly and scrambled to her feet. L.Joe snorted loudly, which caused her to direct a glare in his direction. "What?"
"Nothing." L.Joe just shrugged. It's just I never saw anyone acting so much like a child at the mention of food at this age. "You're a glutton, princess."
"And you're a sloth." Chaekyung gave him a look over at his comfortable position. She glanced at the clock and was particularly happy at the time it showed. "Since it's so late, you better get home quickly and-"
"Byunghun ah, why don't you join us for dinner? I cooked more than enough and you're welcomed to join us." Mrs Lee offered with a warm motherly smile. L.Joe wavered slightly at the kindness the woman showed, she made him crave for the mother figure he had missing in his life.
Chaekyung on the other hand, looked horrified that her mother could suggest something like that. "Ariel, I mean Lee Byunghun is obviously very busy, umma. He doesn't have time to have dinner with us right?" Her voice rose sharply.
L.Joe gave her an innocent smile. "Of course I have time for your delicious dinner, Mrs Lee," he smiled a "good son" smile. "What are you talking about princess. I have time, all the time in the world."
Chaekyung's jaw dropped opened and she shot him a glare as she mouthed "what?" L.Joe pretended not to see and smiled at Mrs Lee who looked absolutely excited to have another guest for dinner.
"Come down in five minutes then! I'll have the plates set up in no time!" Mrs Lee beamed warmly and hurried down the stairs.
Chaekyung elbowed L.Joe hard in the stomach and he just gave a playful shrug. "What? I need dinner don't I?"
------
His original motive of irking Chaekyung and getting closer to Jaekyung was slightly defeated when he realized he wasn't the only guest at dinner. While Chaekyung and L.Joe were upstairs doing their report, L had popped over to the Lee house and he was watching a drama while Jaekyung was typing out an article for the next issue of the school newspaper.
L.Joe tried not to let his displeasure show on his face. Just when he thought he had the upper hand.
L blinked at L.Joe and gave a friendly smile. "You're L.Joe right? Nice to meet you. I heard the girls talking about your irresistible charm." He joked.
L.Joe shook his hand with a firm nod. He discreetly looked L up and down and scoffed. What was so special about this guy anyway, to have gained his goddess's affection. Humph.
L looked over at Mrs Lee and hurried over to help her set the plates. "Leave this to me, Omonim."
L.Joe cursed in his mind for not thinking of doing that earlier. He watched as L seemed to blend into the family and could even joke around with Mr Lee when he came home from work. It seemed as if L was already part of the family.
"I hope I'm not troubling you by having dinner here so often, Omonim." L grinned.
Mrs Lee chuckled and pinched his cheek. "Of course not Myungsoo, you're welcome here always."
Jaekyung shook her head in amusement and laughed softly as she took her seat beside L. L.Joe sat opposite L and Chaekyung opposite her sister. The meal began and everyone started digging in furiously.
L picked out the largest chicken wing and put in on Jaekyung's plate, earning a smile from the latter. Inspired, L.Joe too picked out a second largest chicken wing and deposited it on Chaekyung's plate.
Chaekyung looked at him as if he suddenly grew two horns and L.Joe smirked. "For show, princess." He whispered. Chaekyung rolled her eyes and shook her head, whatever, at least she had the chicken.
L.Joe slanted his gaze and saw that Jaekyung had notice his exchange with Chaekyung: exactly what he wanted. She gave a little secretive smile and looked down at her own food.
L.Joe felt like pumping his fists in the air. Yes, point gained. Now Jaekyung would think he was a considerate nice guy and hopefully forget about Chaekyung calling him Ariel.
"L.Joe, try the spicy tofu as well." Jaekyung pointed. "Umma makes very good Chinese food." She praised.
L.Joe's face lit up and he gave a wide beam. "Really?" He reached for the said dish and put it into his mouth, not knowing what he just ate. She was talking to him. She was talking to him!!
L.Joe secretly smiled. Damn, if only he could come over as and when he pleased, he could spend more time with Jaekyung and perhaps win her over from her not very impressive boyfriend.
He watched L enviously as the latter guy leaned towards Jaekyung and whispered something into her ear, making her giggle.
He was brainstorming on ideas when a light bulb lit in his mind. He brightened and looked over at Chaekyung who looked absolutely miserable sitting beside L.Joe and watching her sister and boyfriend laugh at secret jokes.
A win-win situation really, his idea.
"I know what I want from you in return for not spilling your secret." L.Joe said while they were walking to the bus stop. Mrs Lee had insisted Chaekyung show L.Joe to the bus stop, which was very ridiculous in her younger daughter's view. Of course he knew where it was, how did he get there in the first place?!
Chaekyung glanced at L.Joe's mischievous smile and cringed. It was something very bad, definitely. She had been absolutely humiliated that it was L.Joe of all people to have found out her secret, and was just waiting for him to laugh at her about it. Her foolishness.
"What is it?" Chaekyung retorted impatiently. "Your slave for a day? But you meals for the rest of the year?"
"Sounds tempting but my idea is even better." L.Joe leaned closer, smirking.
His breath tickled her ear as he whispered his idea.
"Lee Chaekyung, be my pretend-girlfriend."
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