40 | The Decision
My Perfect Stranger
✗ Kim Rima ✗
"Eric will come tonight, right?" Yujin asks me as she opens the door for me. She gives me a concerned look, "Rima, are you sure about your decision?"
I tuck my hands inside of the pockets and sighs, "Don't you think I have no other option, Unnie?"
Yujin opens to oppose me but she ends up with nothing. We walk to the front gate in awkward silence. No one talks even until I get in the car.
"Unnie, I will be alright," I convince her with an assuring smile. "I don't think they will complaint about it either. We're just strangers."
"I hope something will change your mind later," she shakes her head slowly. "Be careful and I'll see you on dinner time."
Yujin closes the door for me so the car can drive away, letting me to go ahead to my destination for today.
My eyes look through the windows, scanning people who walk around the streets. There are some couples, mothers with her children, and high school students. Somehow I feel sad since I never went through the same things like them.
Well, perhaps I had one with my mother when I was a little kid. Come to think of it, I wonder where my mother is.
Not that I missed her... okay, just a little bit. It's more like I wonder what she is doing right now. Is she living beautiful life with music?
Whenever I try to have recollection of what happened to me during the past months, I can't help to think that everything has gone too far for me; I just wanted freedom to love music.
Now that I have it, I never thought that things would be this complicated; I fell in love, Junhyung confessed to me, I kissed him.
Aish, what have I done?!
After struggling with my own strange thought, I notice that I've arrived at my destination. I immediately leave the car and go inside the CUBE Entertainment building without hesitation.
Today BEAST will have another recording for the collaboration project of charity event with other idol groups. As much as I want to avoid both Gikwang and Junhyung until whenever, I know I must meet them eventually...
...at least just for one more week.
The deal will be called off next week. That's why I think I need to talk with Junhyung to remind him about the deal, meaning that will be nothing between us for real.
After all he still loves Hara, doesn't he? He is just denying the truth. He treasures the ring so much that he didn't even let me to touch it.
"You're really stupid, Kim Rima," I murmur to myself with sarcasm as I wait for the elevator. It's a good thing that the President let me know where they are at the moment.
I don't tell anyone about my visit today. No, I don't think about this as a surprise at all. I just want to clear things up.
The elevator opens up slowly. I was going to step inside until my eyes meet up with his.
Why are they together?
✗ Yong Junhyung ✗
"Fifteen minutes!" the staff announces the remaining time for us until the recording start. Some are practicing their lines, some others are socializing with other artists, and the others are busy with their phones.
Including me.
My phone screen is showing Rima's contact. I just need to press the call button any time to call her, talk to her, and settle things.
Why does it feel really hard just to hit the button?
"Junhyung Oppa?" Hara's voice grabs my attention in instance. I quickly hide my phone before looking up to see her.
"Are you alright?" she smiles sweetly to me. "You had a really serious expression. You look scary when you do it, you know?"
I can't help myself to smile when I hear her joke. She takes a seat next to me, having the lyrics sheet in her hand, "Is something in your mind?"
"No...," I drop my gaze to the floor, trying to avoid the eye contact with Hara. She knows me too well that I can't lie to her so I don't want her to know it from my eyes.
"I'm going out for a while," I stand up before she can even respond to me. "I want to buy a coke. See you later, Hara."
I storm out from the recording room, gaining looks from the other idols. I take the elevator and press the button to the lobby; I'm not going to buy anything. I just want to have a fresh air.
Right before the door is going to close, someone slips in. My eyes widen in shock while she tries to control her breathe.
"W-What are you doing?" I ask her, taking a step backward. I have been trying not to be alone with her since yesterday but now we're all alone in an elevator together.
I just hope nothing bad will come up later.
"There is something I want to talk with you," Hara looks at me directly as the elevator moves down. "It's about Kim Rima."
I frown and dare myself to look at her. I examine her expression and I know she is not making up reasons; Hara is not that type of girl. I suddenly realize that Hara doesn't know that Rima is not my real girlfriend, "What's with her?"
"There is this person who told me that she actually likes someone else," Hara starts explaining to me. "Oppa, I think she is cheating behind you..."
I don't need her to tell me the one Rima likes. I know who the person is perfectly but I'm curious about the person who told Hara about it, "Hara, who-"
The elevator opens as we have reached the lobby floor. Someone is going to step inside but she stops when she sees us.
My heart feels like it stops beating for a second when our eyes meet. What is she doing here?
Rima doesn't say anything. She presses the button outside so the door stays still, "Are you going to stand forever there or will you step outside?"
She and her arrogance.
"Why are you here?" Hara is the one who asks the question instead of me.
For my surprise a smirk appears on Rima's face. She lets go of the button, "None of your business."
I press the open button and steps out from the elevator. I grab Rima's wrist and locks my eyes with hers, "What are you doing here?"
"Am I not allowed to meet my boyfriend?" she mumbles with a sly smile that I never thought she would have. She pulls her hand away from me, "What is it? I interrupted your moment with her?"
"Yah, what's wrong with you?" I ask her with confusion. She looks one hundred eight degrees different. "If you want to talk about what happened-"
"Let's break up," she chooses to say it in front of Hara.
Though I know we're not in a real relationship, why does it feel really hurt just by listening to her asking for a break up with me?
✗ Lee Gikwang ✗
"Where is Junhyung?" I hear Yoseob asks the others, looking around randomly. "I thought he was sitting there..."
"Junhyung?" Gyuri, the leader of KARA, hears our conversation. "He went downstairs. I think Hara is with him as well."
Hara?
"I'll try to find him," I volunteer myself and leave the recording room. I have a bad feeling and I really hope it's not true.
As much as I'm worried about the pictures of me and Rima, I'm also anxious that something will occur after the recording session since it's the first time Junhyung and Hara met again after months.
After thinking for a while, I have decided to meet Rima tonight. I think it's the best decision if she knows about what happened including the black mail.
"Let's break up."
The elevator door opens and I can see Rima, Junhyung, and Hara are standing across from me. The words I heard just came out from Rima.
Hara is the first one who notices my presence. She turns to look at me with surprised expression, "Gikwang..."
Both Rima and Junhyung also turn to look at me. I can see hurt in Junhyung's eyes while Rima chooses to avoid looking at me.
I clench my fists tight, thinking about what words I shall say at the moment. Did Rima just ask for a break up with Junhyung? Right in front of Hara?
"We'll talk later, okay?" Junhyung clears his throat awkwardly. "I have a recording to do."
"I take that as a 'yes'," Rima shrugs and walks pass him calmly. "Goodbye."
"Rima, wa-" Junhyung is going to chase after her but Hara stops him by standing in front of him. She looks determined and it's enough to judge from her eyes that she doesn't want Junhyung to follow Rima.
"We have recording to do, right?" Hara repeats his own owrds. "Oppa, she-"
"I'll try to talk to her," I cut her words. "I will ask her to talk with you. Give me five minutes and go upstairs, okay?"
Without waiting for his respond, I leave them and head out to find Rima. I don't know what's going inside her mind but everything is too abstract now.
"Rima! Rima!" I fasten up my pace and finally catch up with her. "Rima, stop! Listen to me!"
She tries to struggle from my grip but I'm stronger than her. Since I don't want to hurt her, I unconsciously pull her into a hug, burying my face in her hair.
Rima immediately stops struggling and lets me to hug her tighter. I close my eyes as I inhale her scent, feeling that my heart is beating in abnormal speed.
"Rima...," I whisper her name. If only she knows my feeling. If only it's possible for me to love her without hurting Junhyung.
However looks like Rima has made her own decision.
A really unexpected one.
"I will marry Eric."
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