11. HAD

//a ridiculous excuse is that i'm leaving you because i love you//

Lee Sungjong stomped his feet in front of Saerin’s office and got a glare from Saerin’s new assistant, Soojung. “Lee Sungjong-ssi, Miss Park is inside so if you want to see her, please go inside rather than being moody in front of her office, that would be great,” Soojung said. “I know, Soojung noona, you told me that five minutes ago, I’m just nervous,” Sungjong replied while shaking his hand. “Are you sick?” Soojung raised her brow, confused that the Lee Sungjong was nervous. “You are nervous?” Soojung almost chuckled. “I am a human too, noona. I can be nervous. Ugh, you annoy me sometimes, why did Saerin noona hire you,” Sungjong chuckled. “Because one of Miss Park’s criteria for her assistant is to be able to annoy the hell out of Lee Sungjong,” Soojung replied nonchalantly. “She did not,” Sungjong huffed. Soojung just shrugged and gestured Sungjong to go in, again and which Sungjong just replied with a frown as he opened the door to the chief’s office.

“Yeah, I’ll make sure he note that,”. Sungjong can hear Saerin talked over the phone. “Wait a sec,” Saerin mouthed to Sungjong. “Okay, thank you, Sir,” Saerin said as she hung up. “If you are here to complain about the new photographer, please spare me, Lee Sungjong,” Saerin glared at Sungjong. “That photographer’s company just called me and told me to basically make you a little nicer to him,” Saerin sighed. “Well, I could be a little nicer if he had a little more skills,” Sungjong shrugged back as he slumped to the chair in front of Saerin’s desk. “It’s the tenth photographer for the last seven months, Sungjong, and don’t use that ‘they are not good enough’ bulls,” Saerin said. “I know you want me to fight for him but can you just get over that I let him go?” Saerin sighed, frustrated. “Why is mentioning his name have to become so forbidden to you?” Sungjong raised his brow. “Kim Myungsoo, Kim Myungsoo, Kim Myungsoo,” Sungjong stuck his tongue out. “Stop it,” Saerin glared once again. “Noona, it has been eight-,”. “Seven,” Saerin snapped. “Seven months, you never really move on, don’t you?” Sungjong said. Saerin just stared at the model, slightly annoyed. “ I have moved on,” Saerin muttered.  

“Noona, it’s been seven months. Come on, you two can’t ignore each other forever while knowing that you both still care about each other. I mean, I just don’t get it like this whole thing is so ridiculous. You should be solving it, not staying away, not talking, not seeing, and should be bothering each other lives,” Sungjong blabbered. “Gosh, and please don’t say you two are not in love anymore. Hyung doesn’t even notice it that his eyes are still sparkling whenever I mentioned your name, noona, but I do. And it goes for you too. You don’t want me to mention his name so your eyes won’t sparkle, right?” Sungjong scoffed. “Why can’t you just let yourself be in love and live happily together forever-,”. “You are not here to lecture me about my relationship,” Saerin cut Sungjong midsentence, with somehow a bored tone. “Yes, I do. Because I’m sick of this of you and hyung being so distant and basically become stranger to each other. Do you think I’m the only one who feels like this? Let me tell you that I’m-,”.“Get to the point, Sungjong,” Saerin interrupted Sungjong once again and successfully shut Sungjong up. “Noona, I want you to be my date,” Sungjong’s face lit up.

“Date,” Saerin repeated. “Yeah, date,” Sungjong nodded his head frantically. “Date,” Saerin repeated once again, making sure that she heard right things. “Yes, date, noona, I know you are not a dumb,” Sungjong said. “Yah, Lee Sungjong, watch your mouth,” Saerin glared. “You want me to be your date to where again?” Saerin asked. “Just an opening party, you know, photo exhibition and all the boring stuffs but with all the a-list models and editorial people,” Sungjong grinned. “You sure you don’t want to ask another a-list model to be your date?” Saerin raised her brow. “Nah, I want to be anti mainstream this time and bring a young and successful editor in chief, the Park Saerin instead. Wait, now I think about it, why didn’t you get the invitation?” Sungjong blabbered. “They must’ve forgot, what a bump,” Sungjong frowned. “But hey, they gotta thank me that I bring you. You are coming, right, noona?” Sungjong smiled cheekily. “Yeah, sure. Maybe I can find a photographer too,” Saerin nodded slightly as her attention back on her laptop. “I’m sure you will. I’ll pick you up at 5, okay? Dress well, noona, you are going to be Lee Sungjong’s date after all,”.

---

“Noona, you look so pretty,” Sungjong said in awe and beaming eyes when he opened the back door for Saerin. “I’m going to stand next to you, I must look prettier than you,” Saerin grinned. “Fair enough,” Sungjong nodded his head. “Yah, Sungjong-ah, you never really tell me what and whose party is this,” Saerin said as soon the car started to move. “Probably some photography company and I’ve told you it’s an opening party with photo exhibition and stuffs with all the a-list models-,”. “Okay, I get it,” Saerin cut in. “I think Woohyun and Sunggyu are invited as well though because I talked to them earlier,” Saerin suddenly said. “I mean, I understand if Woohyun was invited but Sunggyu seems a bit weird for me,” Saerin shrugged. “Maybe they just randomly pick some rich people to attend so they can search for some sponsors to fund their company, noona,” Sungjong shrugged back. “Maybe,” Saerin replied. “It’s good, right, to have both of the hyungs. At least, we know some people from our squad,” Sungjong laughed. “I wonder who will they bring as a date,” Saerin chuckled. “Maybe they just bring each other as their date,” Sungjong chuckled back.

Fifteen minutes later, they arrived at a three-floor building with a minimalist design and a bunch of car in front of it. “Let’s go inside,” Sungjong said as he pulled Saerin’s hand ater they get out from the car. The building was not that big, but very sophisticated for Saerin’s liking. Everything is in black and white with glass is also dominating the design. “It’s so crowded already, Noona, I think we are late,” Sungjong said. Suddenly, a man in suit stops them from going inside further. “Excuse me, Sir and Ma’am, may I see your invitation?” The man said. “Come on, Minhyuk-ah, you know me,” Sungjong frowned when he handed the invitation. “Of course, Sungjong-ssi, I’m just making sure that you didn’t forget to bring the invitation, and the beautiful lady right here must be your date,” Minhyuk smiled. “Yes, her name is Park Saerin,” Sungjong grinned as he circled his arm with Saerin’s. “I get it, Sungjong-ssi. Now, why don’t you go inside because he will deliver his welcome speech in a couple minutes,” Minhyuk still smiled. “That’s what I’m going to do before you stop me, Minhyuk-s