“Sunhee?”

Jongin turned to look at the girl, his expression a mixture of shocked, amused, and of the thrill of seeing a familiar face after a very long while. He’s afraid to even blink, thinking that by doing so she’ll suddenly disappear before his very eyes. Jongin found it hard to take his eyes off of her, that it became too much for Hyunmi to stay and watch.

“Is it really you?”

He watches as the woman’s lips curl into a half smile, greeting him with the calmest voice that made him feel a sense of longing. Warmth spread throughout his body when she called out his name, yet as he continued to stare at her, he began to witness how her smile fractured even before it formed.

The downcast look in her eyes tugged into his chest, so much so that seeing it had cut him deep. It wasn’t because he still had lingering feelings towards her, but because of the remorse he felt, because he knew at the back of his mind that it was partly his fault why she left behind everything. He was the very reason why she lost her smile, and Sunhee was too oblivious to know that.

“We’re going now.” Sehun announced, breaking Jongin from his train of thoughts.

He almost forgot that Sunhee’s not the only one with him in that room, and he understood now why she looked so down and beaten.

Jongin saw the way Sehun looked at Sunhee for a brief second before he turned away, while Hyunmi stayed by Sehun’s side, her hands on his arm as she stayed silent. It felt odd for him, when just a while ago she couldn’t be bothered, even if he told her to shut up. His brows creased at the proximity between Sehun and Hyunmi. Seeing them together made Jongin feel uncomfortable, and without another word, he marched towards the pair.

“You’re not going anywhere Ms. Park.”

Jongin reaches for Hyunmi’s hand, causing her grasp on Sehun’s arm to loosen. He was quick to pull her towards him, which caught Hyunmi off guard.

Hyunmi almost flinched when she felt his hand clasping on hers. It felt strong and firm, yet the contact made her feel vulnerable. His warm touch felt almost too good for her. It was too weird of a sensation that her mind started to reject how her body is responding to him.

“No one’s going home until we finish this damn photoshoot.” He says, eyeing the poor girl sternly.

Yet she did not falter. Hyunmi stood her ground, not the least bit intimidated by the man in front of her, at least that’s what she wanted him to believe.

“Let go of me.” Hyunmi says sternly, causing everyone around them to feel uncomfortable. It was too late when she realized that her words not only provoked Jongin, it also stirred something inside him. Jongin wanted control over Hyunmi. He wanted to have her wrapped around his fingers, and the glimmer in his eyes told her so.

“Or what Ms. Park?” He smirked, pulling her closer to him, their faces only an inch away from each other.

“Or else I’m really calling this engagement off.”

Jongin chuckled at the woman’s failed attempt to intimidate him. He didn’t notice that having this conversation made Sunhee uncomfortable, and when she turned away to join her staff, Jongin needn’t apologize. All his attention is focused on this sly little woman in front of him, and he so wanted to have his way with her.

When Hyunmi backed away, his grasp on her tightened, pulling her closer as for her not to be free from him. Jongin can hear her heart beating, her shallow breathing traveled softly in his ears, and her face the only thing his eyes can see. He knew then that he desperately wanted her.

“You know, if you keep acting like the brat that you are, then I’m gonna have to keep that pretty mouth of yours shut.”

“You can’t make me even if you try, Mr. Kim.” She smirked, taunting him in the most delicious way.

“Are you honestly trying my patience Ms. Park?” Jongin smirked, his hands trailing on her arms towards her shoulder, making her skin crawl. “You do know that I don’t give a single damn even if people are here watching us, correct?”

“I don’t care what you say, as long as you get your filthy hands off me, you sick bastard.” Hyunmi says, gritting her teeth.

“Calling your boss, and your fiancée names won’t do you any good Ms. Park.” He pulled her closer, that was all it took to hit the final straw.

Jongin’s smile grew wider as he launched himself towards Hyunmi. Before the girl could even react, he already had his palm on her nape, pulling her towards him. He lingered for a while as he watched the horror in her eyes, before he planted a kiss on her unsuspecting lips.

Jongin let out a guttural moan the moment he felt her warm and soft lips against his. It felt so right for him, having her inside his arms. He received no protest from Hyunmi, and it urged him to deepen the kiss, making him long for more. He’s so used to girls giving him what he wanted, that he forgot how thrilling it was to achieve something he worked hard on.

“Call this off, and I'll be the one who's going to pack your things and send you back to your father.” He whispered, brushing the tip of his nose against hers, causing for Hyunmi’s cheeks to turn a crimson color.

“Now be a good girl for me Ms. Park and do as I wish.” Jongin wipes the side of her lips with his thumb, removing the faint color of lipstick that got smudged because of his kisses.

“Have your makeup fixed.” He gave her a faint smile. “So you can give me another reason to ruin them.”

Sehun couldn't believe his eyes. Watching Jongin show dominance over Hyunmi, it made him feel relieved. Finally, the two can stop playing cat and mouse. He couldn't help but smirk at the couple. It was high time they worked things out, after all, everyone can tell how they feel towards each other.

He threw a look back at Baekhyun, wanting to see how he would react to all of these. What he saw was the softest smile on his lips as he watched the scene in acceptance. Baekhyun didn’t fail to see him staring him down, he gave Sehun a reassuring nod, before he turned to talk to Sunhee.

Realizing that she’s around yet again, suddenly she was all that mattered to him. He felt as if his breath had been knocked out of him, causing his throat to constrict, and his lips to run dry.

He watched her from a distance when the staff that Sunhee’s with came inside the room to take the remainder of the things they have. He looked at her closely as she stopped them and told them to set up the equipment yet again, remembering every small gesture her hand does, or how her smile made him feel vulnerable with just the sight of it on her lips.

Her lips that he knew all too well.

Sehun felt weak at the thought, and tried his best to shift his focus somewhere else.

The staff only shrugged and gave her an okay sign, before they turned to go get the equipment they already placed in the car. They were probably already used to clients changing their minds at the last minute.

Looking at her now, Sehun felt that he became a man that had been trapped within the confines of the world he created. It was his own choice to leave her, because loving her felt like a battle he’d lost so many times. He thought that by leaving he’ll be able to free himself from the pain, that he’ll be able to free her from his suffocating grip. He feared that by staying with her will only hurt her because he carried a baggage that even he doesn’t have a control over. He never created the perfect image of happiness, because he feared that one day he'll get hurt by them, but Sunhee managed to break through the cracks and by doing so, became the very image he was afraid to have