EIGHT

Seohyun found herself hiding behind a pillar as she watched her unnies scramble about the quiet art exhibit. Fany looked like explaining something to Taeyeon while the latter looked pissed, which was an understatement, of course. Sooyoung and Hyoyeon were on another corner laughing over an abstract painting, Seohyun could only shake her head with the thought that the two were probably thinking something erted again. Sunny was talking to a very good looking man while Yuri was silently inspecting an artwork.

She knew she needed to leave but she couldn’t help but wait for Yonghwa to appear. It would be chaotic if Taeyeon saw them together but she was planning to drag him out before her sister could see him. The challenge would be on how she could do that.

Perhaps by keeping a close watch on her unnies and on the entrance, she could easily slip away without being noticed. Suddenly, she finally spotted him coming in trying not to draw any attention to himself. Growing unbelievably nervous, she chewed on her lower lip especially when she saw him heading towards where Yuri was standing and if the latter happened to move to her right, she would surely spot him.

Seohyun got ready to charge and drag him away but, out of the blue, Taeyeon appeared in her peripheral vision. She let out a sigh of relief as she ducked and noticed that her unnie didn’t see her. At last, he moved closer to her hiding place and just made it easier for her.

She was about to make a run for it when Yonghwa suddenly took a step back and sprinted away. Apparently, he saw Taeyeon and Tiffany moving towards his direction.

“This is hopeless,” she muttered to herself. Seohyun tailed Yonghwa. As long as all of them don’t bump into each other, everybody was safe. Yonghwa stopped for a second and seemed to answer his phone. Seohyun heaved a big sigh as she watched him exit the hall.

Her phone beeped and her eyes widened as she saw Taeyeon turned around. Thankfully, Tiffany dragged her away. Seohyun fumbled on her bag for her phone.

Three messages.

11 missed calls. Two from Hyohyeon and nine from Taeyeon.

She checked her inbox.

Where in hell are you? ~DdaeDdaeUnnie

Look for Manager Han. The Penthouse Suite. YH will wait for you there. ~ SicaYeoshinUnnie

Answer my calls! ~DdaeDdaeUnnie

“Manager Han. The Penthouse Suite.” Seohyun repeated to herself as she deleted her sister’s messages then replied to the one Sica sent.

“Unnie, my sister’s looking for me.”

헐… Just don’t answer. Trust me on this. ^_^, ~SicaYeoshinUnnie

~~~

“How did you even manage to get in there?”

“I saw one of your dad's colleague's wife and she introduced us to someone in charge so they let us in. Apparently, this is one of the perks of being a ward of the Jung Empire…”

“Touché…” Sica rolled her eyes. “But, please Fany-ah, do this for me?”

“I should know what is going on, Jessi…”

“Jeez, I’ll explain… I promise, just get Taeyeon out of there.”

“Alright…”

Sica blew her fringes off her face and dropped her phone with an obvious smirk, “Okay, crisis averted. All we have to do now is to wait for Seobaby’s steamy details.”

“Argh, don’t even put Seobaby and steamy in one sentence, can’t imagine...” Yoona groaned eliciting a soft giggle from her unnie.

“Why is that? Who knows she’s being too steamy with her boyfriend already.”

“I doubt that.” She rolled her eyes but gradually grown concerned, “But I don’t think this is a good idea, Unnie.”

Jessica stared at Yoona studying her expression before replying, “You’re already into this, you can’t bail out on me…”

“Unnie, you made me do it!”

“Says the one secretly dating the lead guitarist of that blue band? Have you, errr, been doing something steamy too?”

“Argh! Now you’re starting to tease me after I helped you?”

“Well, sorry… I don’t have my own cousin’s number. But thank you… thank you for this. Really, I shall repay you one day,” she winked playfully.

“And why are you doing this again?”

“I’ll tell you when everything’s okay,” Sica sighed again but remembered something and shot her younger friend a suspicious glare, “Now tell me about this gorgeous secret boyfriend of yours, actress Yoona. And, how come I didn’t know that you’re leasing that penthouse suite at the hotel?”

“Errr, the same way you didn’t know about my boyfriend, Unnie?”

“What is the purpose of— Oh my god… Yoona, do you meet your boyfriend there???”

“We don’t see each other often, I swear! Oh, please don’t tell my sister about this.”

“Okay, forget it. I don’t feel like knowing whatever steamy secret you have on that penthouse. Omo, is it a #$@&I$*!@$@#????!!!!” Sica burbled deliberately slurring her words.

“What?! Unnie, no!!! It’s not that… it’s a… uhm… resting place… a safe place???”

Jessica groaned, “Safe place, my arse…”

“Unnie, humor me? Please?” Yoona rubbed her palms together and pouted. It must have worked since her Unnie just stuck out her tongue at her so she lounged on the sofa with an overconfident grin, “But really, I am such a genius for thinking of that set up!”

Jessica raised a brow with an arrogant smirk and continued dryly, “Yeah, totally… when you could have suggested a different room in the hotel without unraveling your little secret… Genius, huh?”

“Omo…” Yoona muttered dumbfounded.

 “That was you being such a klutz on steroids.”

Yoona rolled her eyes and retorted dryly, “Unnie, can you be harsher than that?”

Sica laughed her off but shook her head trying to pacify her sudden burst of happiness, “I’m sorry! I love youuuuuuuu….”

“Tsk…

“Oh well, Yoona-ya…” the blonde heaved a deep sigh from too much laughing and leaned deeper on her princess seat. Then, she shrugged while checking her nails—every movement seemed exaggerated, “Now is the perfect time for your palm to meet your face…”

Yoona pursed her lips, she knew better than to answer another snide attack. After all, Jessica is a real piece of work.

~~~

It was out of rush that Yonghwa found himself in a very posh first-class suite of the hotel. Moments ago, while he was looking for Seohyun and trying his best not to be seen by Taeyeon & co., he got a call from Jonghyun who told him where to go.

At first, he thought that Jessica requested that room for them until he took the stairs and found the open bedroom with a large portrait of Yoona smiling down on him just above the headboard of the queen-sized bed. That moment he figured out that his cousin finally found out about Yoona and Jonghyun. Not only that, the penthouse was definitely a serviced unit; and, putting two and two together, he figured out that it was a hideaway of the actress and his bandmate.

He shook his head with a scowl. Yonghwa knew the existence of a place like that because Jonghyun has mentioned it before but never in his wildest dream could he have imagined that it was right under everybody’s noses. Maybe it was a good move for the two in keeping their relationship a secret since Sica can probably help with the damage control. He must commend his friend for this.

Yonghwa aimlessly walked downstairs again still consumed with amazement as to how Jonghyun was able to maintain his relationship with the actress. With all these thoughts hovering above his head, it took him a few seconds to finally notice the girl who was already standing by the doorway. She was watching him silently, perhaps as thrilled as he was to finally find themselves alone again.

“Seohyun…”

“Hi…”

“Hi…” he managed to answer back as he held her gaze.

“Sorry, you must have waited—“

“No, I just arrived too.”

Seohyun gulped. She didn’t really know what to say. Every word she had prepared in her mind a few hours ago seemed to have evaporated.

“Good thing you were able to come.” Yonghwa finally broke the silence; he could tell how nervous she was. He was too but more thrilled that he finally has the chance to speak to her again without the rush and the obvious threats. “I saw your sister and your friends.”

“I’m sorry about this mess… this inconvenience…”

“No, this isn’t an inconvenience…” He smiled and took the courage to walk closer to where she was standing. “I’m so glad to see you again…”

“Me too…” she was surprised to hear herself say that, “Yeah, I’m happy to see you again…”

“I have been trying to get your schedule at school.”

“Hmmm… yeah, thanks to Sica Unnie for… for this.”

“Yes, I’ll make sure I thank her for this… for you…”

Seohyun wondered if he could hear her heart that was obviously beating so loud. She wondered, too, how beet red she probably looked. The night he came to her house drunk and the next morning, she wasn’t as nervous as this time. “First of all, I want to say sorry for what my sister did to you that day. I heard what happened.”

“She sure did knock me out. I should have believed you when you said your sister was a boy.”
 

“She was, huh?”

“Is she still prone to violence?”

That made her laugh, “No… no. It’s just that… my sister tends to bend to the extremes. I’m sorry.”

“It wasn’t your fault, Hyun and I won’t blame Taeyeon either. I was at fault… somehow.”

“No, it wasn’t,” she shook her head, “At all… I shouldn’t have—“

“You shouldn’t have told me you like me more than an oppa?”

Seohyun touched her hair and shook her head, “Can we not— I would prefer if we don’t talk about it anymore.”

“Why, Hyun? Are you embarrassed by it?” Yonghwa walked closer.

“No—yes, of course! That was one of the most embarrassing moments of my life… I would undo it if I could…”

“Undo it… perhaps, I would undo it myself.” He found her hand— cold hand, “But it was a wakeup call for me, Hyun.”

“W-what do you mean?”

“Have you ever heard any of our songs, Hyun?”

“I-I haven’t—“

“Listen, then you would know…”

“Oppa, I—“

Yonghwa looked passed her and let his attention settle on the open window behind her, “If I could relive that moment… there was only one thing I would do…” Yonghwa looked at her again and smiled. He didn’t need her permission. Closing the gap between them, he wrapped his arms around her.

“Oppa! What are you doing?!” Seohyun squirmed for she didn’t expect that. Her heart galloped in a speed of light as she felt his chin dropping on her shoulder— his hot breath on the side of her bare neck.

“Hyun, please… let me…” Yonghwa shut his eyes tight. He was living a dream.

“Op… pa…” Her voice trembled as her whole being seemed to have been caged in his strength. Suddenly, she went limp. She stopped fighting and just closed her eyes. Once in a dream, once in her dream she saw this.

“Hmmm… listen to our songs, okay? It’s about time you hear them…" Yonghwa pulled away and looked at her, "All this time, I have been writing about you…” 

Seohyun blinked self-consciously watching him smile at her almost in a daze. Then, his hand found her cheek and slowly, ever so slowly, he lowered his head and dropped a gentle kiss on her flushed skin as if asking permission to cross an even uncharted threshold. Yonghwa, gazed at her— almost misty-eyed, before finally brushing his lips gently on hers.

It must be out of surprise that she didn’t move. She stood stiff, hands on her sides, toes almost curling inside her boots as she felt his lips gently maneuvering on hers. One hand on her shoulder, another one on her jaw, he nibbled on her lower lip coaxing her to let go of her defenses and respond to his demands.

And, she didn’t need further invitation.

Finally, Seohyun’s hands ran up to her arms until one settled on his nape pulling him closer and another rested on his chest. They got lost— she got lost. Her mind spun with the taste of his mouth on hers especially when she felt his hands on both sides of her face yanking her closer and deepening the kiss.

She gasped for air. The immediate need for oxygen finally set her brain to function back to normal mode. Seohyun tilted her head down to at least loosen his contact on her lips and gently pushed him away.

Yonghwa knew then that it was the end of his dream as he leaned his forehead on hers, still catching their breaths.

“Oppa… no…” Seohyun shook her head and lifted her gaze to his, “We can’t—I can’t…”

“Hyun… I—”

“I have a boyfriend…”

......................................................................

^^

the -grabbing moment on chap 7 was taengsic ㅎ___ㅎ

your comments made me lol

thanks so much for dropping me one!

expect Kismet update tomorrow and another one of this before the week ends

give me some lovin'?????

~LyraUnnie:)