Scandalous
Project: Cupid!
Project: Cupid!
Chapter 16: Scandalous
betareader/editor: itssasa (and she also helps me a lot with giving more emotions in this chapter, so thanks to her)
“Yoong, what’s with this whole TaecYoon scandal all over again?”
Yuri demanded alarmingly as she whirled around in her computer chair to face a very baffled Yoona. The well-known Black Pearl decided to lurk around on some of their fan forums, only to find that busy netizens were avidly discussing about a new “couple” that has appeared on the radar. The headline, “2PM’s Taecyeon and SNSD’s Yoona Dating?!” flashed across the screen.
“What?” Yoona blurted from her bed.
Yuri turned her chair towards the computer once more to read a line from the article. “After an honest confession, SNSD’s Yoona and 2PM’s Taecyeon were spotted having dinner together,” the black-haired girl recited, “Are you seriously dating him and choose not to tell me?”
Yoona groaned and flopped back onto her bed, “I thought we learned not to trust the news on the internet anymore.”
“But… it’s Taecyeon-oppa! I know you had a crush on him a long time ago. If it was any other idol, I wouldn’t buy it.”
“There is nothing going on between us,” clarified Yoona firmly. “It was one quick dinner. How on earth were we spotted so easily?”
“Come on, Yoona.”
“Come on, Yuri,” she retorted back with a bitter chuckle. Yuri hesitated before she asked for a reassurance, “So, there really isn’t anything going on between you two?”
“Absolutely nothing,” Yoona firmly confirmed, “It was just one harmless dinner, that’s all.”
“Oh… well, you have to tell me if something happens in the future with him!” Yuri shrugged her shoulders and flashed the latter a grin. Yoona rolled her eyes, “Nothing will ever happen between us.”
Yuri narrowed her eyes suspiciously, “How are you so certain on that?”
Yoona rolled over on her side and grunted aloud before murmuring to herself, “Because I’m in love with another man.”
Donghae inhaled deeply and then exhaled with an extremely troubled sigh. He had been trying to concentrate on his own job, but that single scandal had been spreading like wildfire. The news plagued his mind excessively.
Despite being meters away, he could easily recognize her figure from anywhere. It had been Yoona, the very Yoona that walked with Taecyeon. The two looked as if they were immersed in their own world.
Only a couple hours later, the news had reached his ears. Apparently, Yoona confessed that she chose Taecyeon overhim. Not only that, she was spotting having a “so-called” secret dinner date with the very same man just after the broadcasted recording.
There were too many coincidences in jut one day. To think the entire TaecYoon affair that occurred some years ago would not have affected him in the slightest. However, now he didn’t realize that he continued to tighten his clench around his soda can.
So many emotions were whirling around inside of him; but the most obvious one, perhaps, was confusion.
Hadn’t Yoona just confessed to him, Lee Donghae, some days prior to this incident? Didn’t she say that she was in love with him? Yoona was not the type to easily lie and he was quite aware of that; it would always be her words over the media’s.
His heart definitely was not content with the current situation. His mind resorted to the worst possibilities that could stem from this event.
Yet, there was another dominant feeling that out ruled mere confusion.
As sensitive and understand is he is, girls remain a mystery to him. Jessica puzzled him some years ago when they broke up. He understood, but did not understand as the same time. The icing on the cake? It was occurring all over with, this time, with a different girl.
“Could she have changed her feelings so fast?” he muttered to himself, although he knew that probably wasn’t the case. Still, who knew what really went on in her mind? He knew that he had not been clear on his own position as well.
The constant preoccupation with Jessica caused him to stand Yoona up. Perhaps, girls like Yoona despised inconsistencies, because he knew that he was the exact definition when it came to his feelings.
Did she hate to wait, also?
Still, Yoona gave up? She actually gave up… on him?
She gave him up for Taecyeon?
Donghae growled in agitation. Oh, he was not pleased with what was going on. He didn’t give a damn that he was being selfish; he was not pleased whatsoever.
Jaewon officially gave the huge announcement after the latest Project: Cupid! shooting. The staff, cast, and him stood together in a big circle on the privately rented ice rink in Seoul. In order to rent the place, they had to wait until the ice skate rink’s closing hour, so it was very late into the night when Jaewon held his briefing.
“So, as what you might have heard from the rumor, the first session of Project: Cupid! will be ending soon. We still have two episodes to be filmed, but I want to thank you guys in advance for the hard work. It’s been fun working with you guys!”
“You say that as if we’re shooting the last episode already,” commented Miran, the scriptwriter, as she rubbed her hands together. Nighttime in December was extremely chilly, and there must have been something wrong with the building’s heater.
“Well, it’s never a bad thing to express my gratitude,” retorted the PD back. “Oh, and by the way, looks like I win the bet. Eunhyuk and Sunny are an item now!”
“We are not!” shouted Sunny in protest.
“Just a matter of time.” Jaewon chuckled deeply.
The staff clapped and laughed in agreement as the taunts poured in again. The teasing didn’t subside even after Jaewon dismissed the meeting. Had she been in a different condition, Yoona would certainly join in. But, she didn’t think she had the right to tease the other couple at the moment. In fact, within recent episodes, she had lost the thrill to give them cruel challenges to face.
She did not hate the concept of the show – it was that she detested that her feelings influenced her actions throughout the entire season. Lately, the interaction between her and Donghae was at a minimum. The distance had never been witnessed before, and Yoona planned to keep it that way. She showed up on set as soon as filming began and she only spoke when the camera rolled. However, it was only more fuel to the fire of her alleged relationship.
Every time there had been a break, she excused herself and hid somewhere. Donghae always seemed displeased, but she was elusive enough to avoid him for the time being.
Yoona chose to take the opportunity to slip away once again while everyone had their attention on Eunhyuk and Sunny. It was the perfect moment to make an escape to her dressing room. She could say her goodbyes later when he is already gone.
Although being successful in the past, her getaways were not entirely foolproof.
A pair of dark-brown eyes followed her every move that night and quickly noticed her absence. As stealthily as she had been earlier, Donghae hastily excused himself to follow her quietly.
After hearing a knock on her door, Yoona sighed and stood up. Must be Sunny, she thought and trudged over to open the door. However, the person that stood behind it made her breath hitched. Sunny never gave her that kind of effect.
Donghae’s figure was leaning against the opposite wall, his brunette bang was slightly shadowing his eyes (or perhaps, it was her who refused to find out deeper), but there was something about his presence that alarmed her to the point she felt like she was cornered, choked, and was about to meet a doomed fate. Her doe eyes darted around, only to find that the corridor was completely vacant – dead silent.
It had been so long since they’ve actually had contact unless the cameras were rolling. When was the last time that she said anything to him without the obligation of her profession? It was way too long; even she couldn’t remember.
Yoona gulped audibly and quickly mustered up any courage inside of her, “Hello, Oppa. What are you doing here?” she asked him in the calmest manner that she could feign. Donghae nearly flinched at her almost indifferent demeanor. He certainly missed the blushing cheeks and shy smile that always beautified her features. However, the Yoona in front of him appeared so composed.
Was it really too late?
He could not find the words to begin speaking, so they ended up in silence for a long minute. Both analyzed the other, having thoughts fall haphazardly into a huge pile.
Yoona decided to break it first, trying to make another escape, “Oppa, I really should…”
Donghae was having none of her evading techniques, “What happened between you and Taecyeon?” his lips let out the words before his brain could really prevent him to. Yoona’s eyes widened even more and Donghae mentally punched himself. He chose to act as if he was a jealous boyfriend. That kind of person was never in him; that kind of person is certainly not who he is. He was never like that towards Jessica, never.
Yoona was not his, but that didn’t stop his jealously.
She averted her eyes to the left, for gazing into Donghae’s eyes for too long only causes her heart to ache more.
“Nothing happened,” she truthfully replied.
Initially, he thought that her reply would have been exactly what he needed to hear – what he wanted to hear. Despite everything, even after hearing it straight from , he found all reason to continue with his insecurities.
The insecurity of her hasty reply – it was as if she was trying to hide something from him. What was it? Was she trying to protect Taecyeon?
“You,” Donghae seethed quietly, the anxiety was surfacing and it was almost apparent from the growl rumbling at the base of his throat, “You –“ he repeated almost inaudibly, “- chose him over me.”
It was too late to feel stupid for accusing her of that, but he desperately needed to know what was going on in her mind.
Yoona could have chosen to give him the explanation that he needed. She could have explained that the confession was a cover up to evade the real answer – to get the public as far away as possible from the real feelings stirring inside of her. Public gossip was the last thing she needed in addition to her turmoil of emotions. And Donghae asking for answers, demanding answers - he made things worse for her.
“I’m sorry, Donghae-oppa. I have to go.” Yoona quickly excused herself as she swiftly walked pass him. But, she barely got past him when his hand suddenly snatched her wrist, stopping her in her place. The warmth radiating off of his skin was enough to instigate butterflies within her, but she brushed it off before it could consume her.
“What about your confession to me?” he whispered.
Not that, please!
The voice inside her mind was pleading desperately. It was the last sentence on the planet that she wanted to hear from his mouth. So, she remained silent. Her back faced him, giving her the chance to take a few deep breaths.
When it was clear that she refused to answer, anxiety finally got the best of him. Donghae had always been a paranoid man and he couldn’t stop the havoc inside. Although he did not want to believe it -there was still a chance, a possibility, that Yoona had wanted out.
“Do you want to move on from me?”
“Let me go, Oppa,” she tried to pry herself from his grip, but Donghae held on tighter. His hold was not enough to hurt her, but firm enough to erase escape out of her options. “Answer me, Im Yoona,” his tone was authoritative.
“Why do you care anyway?” she said rather sharply.
He was taken aback at her abrasive reply. Gazing at her incredulously, Donghae declared himself as firmly and resolute as he could, “I care. I care about you.”
But Yoona’s expression was unreadable. “Then go figure your own feeling first. What do you want, Oppa? You cannot even say what you want for sure, right?” Yoona hesitated for a moment before she slowly continue, “Don’t make things hard for me.”
“Is that why you choose Taecyeon?” he instantly snapped back.
Yoona bit her lip and tried to free herself once more. She didn’t know why Donghae had to keep bringing up Taecyeon all the time.
Maybe it was jealousy. Maybe, it could have just been his own confusion – yet again. He just didn’t want to lose both her and Jessica, right? Letting herself imagine Donghae as a cruel, selfish man was the only way that she could find the courage to retort back.
“So what if that is why I chose him?”
Donghae’s mouth opened in utter disbelief. For the first time in his life, Yoona’s words stung beyond measure. Her icy, emotionless eyes pierced a new hole in his heart. So, he resorted to his only defense mechanism: denial.
“You’re lying,” he refuted. Lying is her way of being a coward.
“It’s much easier with him,” Yoona deadpanned without any tone. She even dared to go as far as to put emphasis on “much”.
And that was all it took to release the epitome of Donghae’s tolerance. His eyes hardened into solid stone, a ruthless glower. All rational thought flew out of his mind and for once in his goddamn life, he let the innermost secrets of his heart usurp his conscious.
Silently, he yanked Yoona back into the room, slamming the door behind him. Before she could process anything, he backed her up against the wall with an emotion he could not quite place. His arms banged against the wall on either side of her, blocking any means of an exit.
Her expression, while stoic, tucked fear underneath detection. His expression included a rage of confusion, anger, agony, and desire. Their faces only inches apart from each other and the only thing that they can do is search the other for an answer to get out of this frenzy. Donghae snorted, clenched his left fist, and pounded the wall once. Yoona flinched, but his held her eyes in place.
The collision hurt Donghae, but no matter what, she hurt him more.
“Easy?”
He breathed in such a suppressed rage that he did not quite believe he could ever possess.
“You always said it’s easy for me! That this show is also easy for me! That seeing you with him is easy!”
He knew that he had no right to get angry at her like that, but he just couldn’t control himself. It was entirely her fault that his resilience dissipated from within himself.His sanity crumbled more with each passing second.
“You know what, Yoona?” he questioned her almost sarcastically. “It’s not easy for me. It’s not easy at all.”
And with that last sentence, he closed the distance and crashed his lips to claim hers.
To be Continued
A.n. : There.You.Go. hahaha, one kiss...and sorry for the long wait.
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