CHAPTER 36

[Sol Han Na’s POV]

“HANNA!” Myungsoo’s booming voice made me jump on my seat and snap my head towards him. He’s frowning at me in disappointment while I could only blink at him in bewilderment. We’re inside a fancy restaurant after having spent hours relaxing in a spa. Our time in the show is slowly nearing its deadline and with both our schedules being fully-loaded, all we could do is spend the few remaining rewards we won during the wedding games.

I heard his deep intake of breath, clearly offended.

“Are you okay?” he asked, not even bothering to mask the annoyance in his tone. “I’ve been talking to you for minutes but you don’t look like you heard any of what I said.”

I gulped and stared down at the steaming bowl of Sundubu Jjigae in front of me. I hadn’t even realized our orders already arrived.

I cleared my throat and answered, “I’m sorry, oppa. I just got a lot of things going on inside my head right now.”

“Figures,” Myungsoo simply said before fixing my food for me. He wiped my chopsticks and spoon carefully before handing them to me. I just don’t want to admit it but I suddenly lost my will to eat. There really wasn’t a lot of things in my mind. Honestly, there’s only one – Baekhyun. That brat. How can he complicate my life again?

We started to eat and my thoughts began to drift again. I shook my head, willing myself to stay focused. We’re in the middle of a shoot and I’ve got no time for zoning out.

“Would you pay attention to me now?” he spoke after a few moments, the dejectedness in his voice made me wallow in guilt. I bit my lip and nodded. “Our last filming day’s coming. I was asking you what you’d like to do.”

There was a sudden drop in the mood as soon as the topic was brought up. I didn’t realize we’re already filming our second to the last episode. I almost thought we still have a few days.

“I-I don’t know, oppa… What do you want to do?” I replied, not really having any concrete plans for now. If there is something I’d truly want to do right now, that is to live in peace. I don’t want to have these confusing thoughts running through my head. I want to have a peace of mind, just this once.

Myungsoo pursed his lips and scratched the back of his head.

“Well, it’s not like there’s much we can do with our crammed schedules. You have your shows and other guestings while I have to go overseas. We don’t really have enough places to go to.”

I sighed and nodded. He’s right. Both of us are so busy that being able to film weekly even came as a surprise. SM Town’s Concert is kicking off soon and just like him, I’d be flying overseas more often.

“It’s not like you’d agree to go to Japan with me or something,” I heard him say. I looked at him with incredulity but something about the plainness in his expression tells me that he somehow means what he said. I awkwardly chuckled and shrugged the suggestion off.

“Let’s just visit Namsan Tower, then,” I blurted, it being the first idea that entered my mind. Though I am yet to visit the place, I’ve read and watched enough to become intrigued by it. There’s just something about that tower that screams of love and romance that makes me ache to step foot on it.

“N Tower?” Myungsoo repeated, flabbergasted. He seemed to weigh the suggestion before finally nodding his head in agreement. “Okay. Whatever you wish, my lady.”

“We can ride the cable car up the mountain. I heard the place offers a real scenic view of the entire Seoul. There are also the love locks and the restaurant if we ever become hungry. We could simply have our dinner there and watch the lights from the tower. Many say it’s breathtaking,” I went on.

Myungsoo only nodded again as he began toying his food with his fork. He looked like there’s something he wants to say but is just suppressing it.

“Spill, oppa,” I demanded, staring at him squarely. He looked up from his plate and played innocent. I scoffed before crossing my arms and leaning against the couch. “I know there’s something you want to say so spill it.”

He gazed at me unblinkingly for a few heartbeats before finally opening his mouth.

“I want to meet your family.”

I gawked.

“You… what?” I exclaimed, not sure whether to believe him or not. “You’re joking right now, aren’t you?”

He shook his head.

“Your family already moved from Jeju, right? I want to meet them, Hanna. I should’ve done this a long time ago but Jeju’s just too far. It’s been months and we already got married. I think it’s only proper for me to meet them just before this show ends.”

My mouth was opened wide but no sound can be heard from it. Myungsoo shrugged his shoulders indifferently and continued, “It doesn’t matter whether you’d agree or not. We’ll go there. I’ll call your parents if I have to. We’ll visit N Seoul Tower as you wish but we’ll have our dinner at your house. No more arguments.”

Myungsoo barely becomes too controlling over me but when he does, I just can’t argue any further. He does what he likes and he gets what he wants by whatever means. He’s like that. And it’s not like I can say no, anyway. Jonghyun also met Yura’s parents through the show. It’s almost customary.

The cameras were off and I was about to board the van home when Myungsoo suddenly popped out of nowhere, his hand grabbing my wrist to stop me.

“C-Can I speak to you? Just for a minute,” he murmured, eyeing Ms. Kim worriedly on the passenger seat. I dropped my shoulder bag inside and slid the door shut. I stared at him, waiting for him to talk.

It took him a number of deep breaths and multiple lip bites and fidgets before he finally got himself to start. I watched him in silence as he went through his nerve-racking phase.

“Baekhyun…” he breathed, his voice low and emotionless. The single word brought every atom in my body in attention and suddenly, I was all-ears as he struggled to mouth the following words, “D-Did he… did he say anything to you?”

“Like what?” I frowned in confusion. Baekhyun told me a lot of things. Which of those is he talking about?

Myungsoo closed his eyes and groaned as if the whole situation is draining him more than ever.

“Did he try to get you back, Hanna?” he asked straightforwardly and that moment, it was my turn to get caught off guard. How did he know?

A lot of scenarios entered my head – different ways on how I’d confess the truth, different ways on how he’d react – but in the end I settled on something that made me loathe myself the exact moment it left my mouth.

“He didn’t.”

Pure relief washed over Myungsoo’s features and a fresh spark of hope lighted his eyes. I was almost at the verge of revoking what I said when he suddenly cut me off midsentence.

“But you’re not that stupid to accept him again, right? After everything he did to you? You’re not just going to take him back that easily?” he spouted relentlessly, his arms tightening around me with every question. “I know you’re smart, Hanna. I know you’re clever enough to know what you deserve. Please don’t let that brain go to waste. Don’t ever try to go back to the same old thing that already hurt you. Open yourself to welcoming something new.”

And by 'new', I almost wish he didn't mean 'him'.

***

“Aren’t you going to eat, sweetie?” Mom’s voice filled the silence of my study. Here I am again, locking myself away inside the room; surrounding myself with the comfort bro