“H-Hi,” Jesse uncomfortably cleared his throat as he met the eyes of Tiffany’s ex-fiancé.

“You’re Jesse Jung, aren’t you? Come in, I was just making myself a cup of coffee.” Junseok ushered the hesitant man in and led him to the couch where Jesse sat as stiff as a board while Junseok went to fetch the coffee. “So I’m guessing you’re not here to interview me like everyone else is, are you?”

“No, I’m not.” Jesse took a sip out of the coffee, letting the bitterness go down his throat. “I, um, wanted to talk to you about T-Tiffany.” He hated the stab of pain that came with saying her name.

“Of course.” Junseok smiled gently. Maybe that’s why Tiffany was engaged to the guy, he had a kind smile. If Jesse wasn’t straight, he’d… still fall for Tiffany because she had the power to make him love her. “I guess we should start with how Tiffany and I got engaged.”

Jesse had unconsciously leaned forward with ears listening eagerly.

“It was a year ago when we met. I had sought her out after seeing her earlier art pieces. I first employed her to draw for me.”

“What did she draw for you?” Jesse asked curiously before he realized it was wrong to pry on other people’s business. “I’m sorry, that was rude of me. You don’t have to answer.”

“Don’t worry about it. It’s no longer a dirty, little secret between me and Tiffany,” Junseok responded but then laughed when Jesse scowled at him. “I didn’t go and ask her to draw me like in the movie, Titanic if that’s what you’re thinking. I had her draw only one thing, actually, only one person. Hyunsoo.”

“Hyunsoo?” ‘The business partner?’

“Yes, Hyunsoo Kim. I’m sure you’ve read about him on the news lately. He was my childhood friend, and it wasn’t until high school that I realized I had feelings for him-feelings that were taboo, the kind of feelings that disappointed your parents and disrupted the ‘norm’ in society, those feelings.” Junseok smiled sadly. “So you can see my dilemma. I couldn’t confess to my best friend without the backlash, so I asked for Tiffany’s help. Whenever Hyunsoo would go overseas, which was often, I’d have Tiffany paint a portrait of him. She is an amazing artist, and her ability to capture the beauty in people clearly reflected in her art. It was like Hyunsoo was here with me, like he was smiling or staring at me without judgment. I was desperate and pathetic, I know. Weeks later, I sprung up the engagement to Tiffany, because my parents were constantly nagging at me about marriage and having children. She agreed on the condition that I become the major shareholder of her company, which I did, and that’s how we got engaged. As the company grew, Tiffany was able to buy the stocks from me.”

And barely two weeks ago, Jesse had accused Tiffany of being a gold-digger, when in fact, their agreement was mutual, they both were using each other for their own gain.

“Go on.” Jesse croaked, his throat now tight and dry. He needed to hear it, no matter how much it pained him.

“So we agreed on three rules: my affections for Hyunsoo were to remain a secret, this would only be an engagement until we both agreed to end it, and lastly, to keep any outside affairs away from the public eye.”

Junseok’s suddenly solemn and regretful expression had Jesse taking a huge gulp from his cup. He knew he was going to need it.

“Tiffany broke the third rule. She got caught kissing someone in public.” The intense stare he gave Jesse answered his unspoken question: ‘it was me, wasn’t it?’

“I-I’m s-sorry.” Jesse muttered apologetically.

“No need to apologize, I had it covered.”

“H-How?”

Junseok was back to smiling ruefully at Jesse.

—About One Month Ago—

“Hey, you said it was urgent? Sorry I was caught up in a meeting with the board members. It ran later than usual.” Tiffany entered Junseok’s place after ending the call that had her rushing over here. Junseok had sounded flustered on the phone.

“They know. They know about your affair, Tiffany!” Junseok paced around the living room and chewed on his thumbnail. What would his parents think when news got out that Tiffany was ‘cheating’ on him? Would they finally go through with the damn arranged marriage since he would have to ‘end’ things with Tiffany?

“W-what? B-but we were careful.” Tiffany spoke uncertainly.

“Careful? Then what do you call these, Tiffany?” Junseok threw down pictures of Tiffany and Jesse kissing in the cab, attached to the hip at the bar, Jesse’s ‘heroic’ attempt to save his girl from the sleazy man.

She hesitantly looked at the photos and was left speechless. She had been careless that night. Nothing had mattered but her and Jesse at that moment.

However, as she let the idea of getting caught sink in, she realized these photos weren’t really affecting her, as it should have.

“Maybe this is for the best, Junseok.”

“What?”

“Junseok,” Tiffany flashed a timid smile at the man that had become an important friend to her. She had to come clean and be honest, if not for herself then for Jesse. He deserved nothing but honesty. “That guy in the photos is Jesse Jung. And I’m in love with him.” She confessed, her smile turning bigger and brighter. It felt like the rock on her chest was finally lifted. She could still rem