Chapter 8:

 

 

Cameras flashed everywhere as the woman went out of the company van. She was wearing a simple blue low neck cocktail with a 3 inch dark blue sparkling stilettoes and her signature sun-glasses. This was a normal scene whenever Jessica Jung was around public’s eye.

 

The press where everywhere and the staff was having a hard time doing crowd control. Not to mention not only the famous award winning actress was around but also a few others who are quite popular with the media too.

 

Jessica was having a hard time going thru the steep pathway to the entrance of the tall building even with her usual bodyguards at her side together with some staff. She along with a fellow actress named Kwon Yuri and her manager, Victoria song was bombarded by the paparazzi.  

 

“Are you hurt?”

 

Jessica looked up to see a hand extended out for her.

 

“Jess.”

 

As soon as the actress looked at the owner, she was met by warm brown eyes staring right back at hers.

 

“Amber…” Her manager smiled. It was a small smile, but it made her feel reassured about the whole thing.

 

It had been three weeks since their supposed initial signing slash get-together-party that went down the drain as soon as the paparazzi arrived at the scene. And it had been three weeks since she last saw her new manager.

 

The woman smiled. She had missed that face of his.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But there was no way she was saying that.

 

One of the staff ushered the artists to the venue of the formal and official signing of contract for both actress to the KBS Company.

 

“Miss Jung, we are all curious here. What is the status with your husband?” the first question thrown by the press to Jessica as soon as they finished the signing of contract.

 

“We’re okay.” Jessica answered with a convincing smile.

 

“Are you aware that your husband has been link to this one young actress?” another one asked.

 

Jessica was half expecting that the media would ask her about his husband’s affair. Heck, every event she would attend to, questions that are related to her husband one way or another were always ask to her when she’s being interviewed. It’s not new to her but she can’t deny the fact that it’s making her feel uncomfortable.

 

“I heard about that issue but there was nothing going on between them.” She answered calmly, keeping herself composed.

 

“What about those photographs that had been uploaded in the internet? Have you seen those? They obviously had been spotted being intimate with each other.” Another press stated.

 

Amber who was silent the whole time shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

 

One question was followed by another. Jessica tried to answer it all but then she knew that those people already know the truth. Even the dumbest person living in this world knew that Siwon is a cheater. And he isn’t keen in keeping it to himself.

 

“Alright people, times up! Your time is already over!” Amber butted in. He had enough of all of this. “See you in other future events.”

 

He gave them a fake smile as he grabbed Jessica’s hand and her out of the place. He let Jessica went inside the car first and released a deep sigh after she close the door when he got inside.

 

“Those people are crazy!” he remarked.

 

Jessica just curved a weak smile in response and turned away from Amber. She remained silent while looking outside the window.

 

This wasn’t something new to Jessica, in fact she had been in these kinds of situation almost every public appearance she had. So she learned to either act her way out of it. Maybe that’s why she was so damn good at acting…

 

“Hey Sica, do you know how to play this?” Amber question brought the actress out of her daze.

 

“I am not fond of playing mobile games.” Came Jessica’s cold reply.

 

“Why don’t you try it? Oh, let’s compete. Whoever gets a low score will be flicked on the bridge of his or her nose.” Amber proposed with a big smile.

 

Jessica looked at the guy like he had grown another head. Sometimes she can’t believe how childish Amber can become, even though she only have known him for a VERY short time.

 

She released a sigh and then agreed. The played the recently most famous annoying and nonsense game ever known to man,

 

 

 

Flappy Bird.

 

“Geez, what the hell is wrong with this game!” Amber complained when he only got scored 5. “I swear I’m gonna have my phone check!”

 

“Loser will be flicked 10 times.” Jessica stated before she snatched Amber’s phone from the guy’s hand.

 

“Wha—wait!”

 

Jessica played the game. Amber’s heart was pounding as he watched her play the game.

 

The bird was freaking flying smoothly.

 

“NO WAY!” he exclaimed when Jessica scored higher than her. “You knew how to play this, don’t you?” he accused.

 

“What are you talking about? That was my first time playing that stupid game.” Jessica answered nonchalantly, but she was snickering inside. “Now close your eyes and prepared to be punished kid!” she continued with a devious smirk as she crack her knuckles.

 

“You don’t have to do that you know. You will just flick my nosebridge.” Amber said and scoffed.

 

“Whatever! Now close your eyes!!”

 

With a sigh the young manager complied and closed his eyes.

 

Jessica stared at Amber’s face. Tracing every detail with her eyes.

 

 

…

 

….

 

 

“Don’t make it too painful.” Amber spoke which made her snapped out of her thoughts.

 

“I won’t hold back Liu.” She answered him and she laughed seeing Amber tensed his brows.

 

The pair had laughs on their way to the corporate building, well more on Jessica’s part –Amber kept losing. For a moment Jessica temporarily forgot about what happened at the contract signing, heck she forgot about her situation for a moment.

 

But what she didn’t expect is that it would be brought up again in their meeting with the board in the corporate building. One of the directors of the board wants her to admit her real marriage status.

 

It wasn’t a secret that her marriage was down the drain and it wouldn’t take a genius to figure out what’s happening behind the curtains. But even though the actress knew how obvious it was, it was still very uncomfortable for her to talk about it.

 

It was her life dammit!!

 

“Is it necessary for you to know about her marriage life?” Amber asked the man, seeing Jessica fidget uncomfortably in her seat next to his.

 

Although he was smiling, it was obvious that he was pissed.

 

“Let’s not stick our noses in her private life. Besides, it has nothing to do with the work you guys are giving to her.” He continued when no one dared to talk back.

 

“Whatever happened to a stars’ private life always affects their career, Mr. Liu.” An old man replied.

 

“Oh yeah! Well if that star is behaving inappropriately, right?” Amber retorted. “If they are the subject of malice and Jessica Jung is not doing anything wrong so there is nothing for you guys to worry about.”

 

Amber continued to argue with one of the director while Jessica just kept silent. When Amber noticed that the old man started to heat up, he dropped the argument and decided to just left with Jessica. For him, there’s no point of that meeting and good thing his uncle wasn’t there or he would have out rightly demanded his right.

 

Amber led Jessica to his car.

 

“Where are we going?” The actress asked as she buckled her seat belt.

 

“Somewhere we can both think.” Amber smiled playfully. “Here, put this on.” He said as he handed Jessica his black coat.

 

The ride was silent as Jessica was just staring outside, like always.

 

“People should really learn how to respect a celebrities’ privacy.” Amber said with annoyance in his voice. “Fifty percent of life is others trying to push their own agenda on you—their belief system, their views, their convictions.” Amber said to no one in particular.

 

He looked at the woman beside him. He wondered why people kept talking about how tough and cold Jessica is, when all he could see was how fragile she really was. Like thin ice under the scorching sun threatening to break at any given moment.

 

“What about the other fifty?”

 

“The other fifty is you deciding whether or not you’re going to let them. Or if you’re going to form your own opinions.”

 

The moment we were born we were thrown into a world who decides and impose on us its own values and customs. A world that knows only its own doctrine and forces one to comply with its own standards and precepts, a world where you can’t be different, otherwise you’ll remain an outcast.

 

But Amber knew Jessica was different, her values, her beliefs were different, and he wasn’t in the place to question her about her own life. Simply because it is her own life, whatever decisions she made, Amber knew that there was meaning far too complex for him to uncover on his own.

 

And for that he would wait.

 

It was one of those times where Amber mustered all the courage he needed as he took her hands in his. His hold tightening every once and a while, reassuring her that he was there…and he will always be.

 

He would wait for her to open up to him.

 

Once the pair reached their destination Amber let go of Jessica as they got out of the car.

 

He took a deep breath as he observed the deserted seashore. It was like three weeks ago, the sky was grey and the wind was cold.

 

Jessica on the other hand walked a little bit farther, as soon as she was far enough she cried and shouted all her aguish and all the things she kept within her heart.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“What would it take for you to be happy…” He mumbled as he observed the woman from a distance.

 

 

 

 

 

a/n: sorry for the late update ^^