Her

Loud banging sound made Matthew open his eyes and look around in confusion. He quickly grabbed the remote and truned off TV. The banging repeated, louder and more persistent.

For a few moments he was frozen, only guessing who could be at the doorway.

It's them, was Matthew's first thought. They're here to investigate and blame him for the murder. It sure didn't take them long to figure out what happened.

Banging repeated once again and although his common sense told him he shouldn't be concerned because he sterilized the whole place and got rid of evidences, he still couldn't bring himself to get up and open the door.

What if they brought weapons to clean up instead of their boss? He knew Kevin too well to just "guess". He knew.

Matthew reached one hand to the inside of the couch and pulled out a gun. He then raised himself and slowly approached the front door, holding the gun with one hand and grabbing the door handle with other.

"Matty...", husky voice, that he immediately recognized, was heard on the other side. "Open up... I'm freezing..."

Letting out relieved sigh, he quickly unlocks the door and opens, hiding the gun behind his back.

"For 's sake, Jiwoo, do you know how startled I was? Where's the spare key that I gave you?"

Jiwoo was looking up at him like a child caught in a lie. Then, a goofy smile formed on her lips and she replied.

"I forgot it... I think."

She entered without any sense of balance and would've ended up on the floor if Matthew's strong hand hadn't grabbed her. He sniffed.

"Are you drunk?", he asked and she nodded shamelessly. "How much did you have?"

"A little...", Jiwoo looked away and tried to push his hand away, but his grip only got tighter.

"Jiwoo, how much did you have?", he repeated, this time angrier. The blonde rolled her eyes.

"Geez, Matty, you're not my mom. I have no reason to tell you anything!"

She was angry, and so was he. The only difference was that his anger was caused by worry. He could only guess what's the real answer to his question, as well as why she got drunk in the first place. Therefore, he decided to change the tactic and release his grip.

"Hey, it's only natural for me to worry for my friend's well-being", Matthew smiled, watching carefully as Jiwoo made her way to the couch and plopped down. Her eyes focused on TV, but she still looked somehow distracted. He sat down next to her, pretending that movie is really interesting.

"What are we watching?", she asked after minute or two of silence. Matthew fell asleep while the news were on two hours ago, so he had no idea either but famous actors helped him find out.

" 'Mr and Mrs Smith' ", he concluded and Jiwoo snickered.

"Even those two split up, and they were always the hottest Hollywood couple", she sighed. "Have I ever told you Taehyung and I were on poll for the most popular couple in Seoul?"

Although he grimaced mentally, Matthew tried to sound like he was really interested. "And... did you win?"

Jiwoo frowned and shook her head at the same time. "We were surpassed by Suzy and Lee Min Ho."

The movie has just started, showing Angelina Jolie's character, Jane, being questioned whether she's alone in Columbia, to which Brad Pitt's character, John Smith, approaches them, saying that they're together.

"Do you still love him?", the question was half-rhetorical. Matthew could imagine her shrugging in dark.

"Does it even matter anymore? I'm over here and he is over there. We might not even get to see each other again."

"It matters because those are your feelings...", he returns, throwing one arm over her shoulders casually and Jiwoo doesn't seem to mind it.

"I called him..."

Her tone was soft, as she was trying not to break under weight of big lump in , but two tears managed to find their way down her cheeks.

"He's not worth it", Matthew rubbed her back, trying to confront her, but it only caused more tears to escape from Jiwoo's eyes and she sobbed.

"Then why does my every thought consist of him only? Why am I worried whether his parents found out about his phobia, or if his Father pays him enough respect at work? Why does the thought of him in arms of another woman make me sick and scared?!"

At this point, she was screaming, while Matthew was trying to find a way to calm her down by hugging her closer and gripping her body tighter so she wouldn't try to jump or hurt herself more than she already is.

"Let me go! I need to get to Seoul and see him! I want to hear from his mouth that he doesn't love me anymore!"

The delirium-like talking continued for around 5 minutes; Matthew silently waited for her to calm down, listening to every word she said.

"It hurts so bad I can't breathe, I can't... I can't do worse, okay? I shouldn't have to!"

She wasn't sure whether she was talking about Taehyung or her illness.

"I know, I know", Matthew nodded, agreeing to anything just to make her calmer.

Looks like I just got the answer, he thought sarcastically.

"I almost told him..."

Just as she started another sentence, Matthew couldn't take it anymore. He quickly leaned on and shut with his own, single thought was running through his head:

Somin, you better hurry up before I fall for her even more...

Him

When Taehyung joined her in office, Somin was standing next to his desk, supposedly checking some papers. When she felt his eyes on her back, she turned around, flashing him a smile.

"Something important?", she asked, talking about the phone call he received.

Taehyung smiled back and shrugged. "One of my seniors from college. He just landed in Seoul and wanted to see if I'm up for dinner today."

Noticing how fast he was talking, Somin mentally raised her eyebrows, not sure whether to buy that story or not.

"Great, when are you two meeting up?"

Taehyung, though, denied. "I told him my schedule is full... Now, about those news I wanted to share with you..."

Somin tilted her head. "What about it?"

This time, wider smile spread on his face as he wrapped both hands around her waist, pulling her closer to himself. Surprised, Somin looks up at him curiously. His eyes are filled with nothing but adoration and, for a moment, she feels sorry for his wife. How bad was their relationship if he got over it so easily?

"Miss Jung, you became the girlfriend of Kim Fashion CEO", he announced and kissed her forehead. He loved the fact that she was shorter than him and how he always had to bend down to kiss her. Something he always wanted to do with Jiwoo...

Seola and Jiwoo were around the same height, and even the same age, yet they were so different. Jiwoo was elegant but too restrained, while Seola was more open type but still managed to be chic in any situation.

Scolding himself, Taehyung shakes those thoughts off. Jiwoo was just a lesson he had to learn and Seola is a reward for learning that lesson.

Seola hugged him tightly. "Oh my goodness, I'm so happy for you! Why didn't you mention it sooner?"

"I just found out too, but because of that phone call...", he shut his mouth before finishing sentence and he immediately changed subject. "My Father's going to announce it next week during the company shareholders' meeting and it'll be official in two months,

"Where are you taking me?", Somin asked, accepting  his hand.

"That's a surprise", he replied shortly, making sure to pass through the widest hall so as many people could see them together. For a reason, Taehyung was planning to spend a long day with Jung Seola.

***

"Wait a minute, wait a minute. What did you just say?"

"This apartment is yours", Taehyung repeated.

Somin's jaw dropped and she looked around. They were standing in the most luxurious apartment she's ever seen; two bedrooms as big as Matthew's living room, main room twice as big, connected to kitchen, and bright bathroom with hot tub and a shower. Instead of wall, one of the sides in living room was made of huge windows, which offered amazing view to Seoul from 16th floor.

"Holy...", she was unable to finish her sentence because of how fascinated she was. "The view is... I'm speechless!"

"Same", Taehyung replied, gazing at Somin in awe. He then hugged her from behind and rested his chin on her shoulder. "Where have you been my whole life, Jung Seola?"

Why did you have to fall for me?, she wondered at the same time. Yes, life next to him was a fairy tale, but this time there was no space for a happily-ever-after ending. It wouldn't be the end if it was happy.

Somin's phone rang and she mentally sighed, knowing who's calling her to ruin that magical moment; her prepaid number was known to only one person.

"Excuse me for a moment", she pulled herself out of Taehyung's embrace reluctantly and went to the bathroom.

"What?", Somin snapped as soon as she picked up.

"Am I interrupting...?", Matthew's voice was suspicious.

"Yes you are, , I was in the middle of something extremely important", she had to restrain from yelling because Taehyung was nearby.

"Well I'm sorry to interrupt Your Royal Highness, but I thought seducing a businessman who's bitter at his wife would be a piece of cake for someone like Yourself!", he snapped back in same tone. "Seriously, what's going on over there?"

"What could be going on?"

"I don't know, you tell me."

"I have nothing to tell you!"

"I don't hear from you in days and you tell me you have nothing? Why the hell did I send you out, then?"

Although he couldn't see her, Somin rolled her eyes. "I'm working on it, okay?"

"Somin, I don't know if you've realized that we're running out of time. Either hurry up and finish, or pack your bags before someone figures you out!"

That reminded her of the papers she saw in folder that Mr Oh gave to Taehyung. She still hasn't warned Matthew, but was she even going to?

"Are you even listening?", she heard his voice again.

"Huh?"

"I said; you have a week to try to fulfill your mission. Two at the best. Time is not on our side anymore."

"Why are you so pessimistic all of a sudden?"

Before she left New York, he was enthusiastic about everything going the way it should, telling her to take time and get to know their target before aiming and shooting. And now he was giving her deadlines.

Matthew was silent for a few seconds before replying. "I think Jeon Jiwoo might try to go back to Korea soon."

!

"I'll try to distract her for as long as possible, but I can't guarantee it'll work for longer than 15 days. That's why I'm telling you to hurry up."

He was basically telling her to forget about knight in shining armor and turn him back into what he truly is; their marionette that didn't even know who was pushed and pulled by its strings. Yet.

Currently looking into: Jeon So Min

Remembering that small but important remark, Somin finally sobers and nods, though no one could see her.

"Okay. I'll get it done... by the end of the next week."

She remembered that Taehyung was going to be named Acting Chairman next week. She has to use that time to get as many bank account numbers and names of important shareholders as possible. That was the plan.

"Good. Say hi to Daebak from me."

Somin winced at those words. Daebak is Korean name used for babies while they're still fetuses. She looked down at her stomach, feeling strange emptiness again.

"I will..."

But he already hung up.

She erased small tears that formed in the corners of her eyes, took a deep breathe and finally went out.

Taehyung was waiting for her by the front door.

"Something important?", he quoted her question from earlier that morning.

"Sibling. She's angry at me for not calling in a while."

The one thing Somin didn't know was that Taehyung heard almost everything she said, but dared not to ask what's really going on; she didn't push him with his phone call with Jiwoo either. Whatever it was, from his point of view she was certainly working on it and he should just wait and see what happens at the end of next week.

"Shall we go, then?", he smiled instead.

"Already?", they've been there for only 20 minutes.

"Were you really going to move in empty apartment? We're going to buy furniture and I know just the place!"

However, Somin grabbed his hand and shook her head. "Let's do it some other day. I wanna go to your place now!"

Her logic was that every rich businessman has a workroom in his house, where he holds important documents and maybe even confidential information that could come in handy to someone like her.

She smiled, more to herself. Someone like her... A thief, fraud and liar. That was her reality, not the one where she's served breakfast in bed and romantic dinners at expensive restaurants.

"I mean, I'm your girlfriend and you still haven't showed me your house while I just showed you mine!", she explained, talking cutely and looking up at Taehyung with heart eyes that, she was sure, were no realer than her lying to Matthew about being pregnant.

One week later

As days went on, rumors about "Kim Taehyung's girlfriend" started to spread and soon enough, there wasn't a single person at Kim Fashion that didn't know about their "official-unofficial" relationship.

It wasn't about anyone overhearing Taehyung or Somin, but the two of them paraded around quite often. First she replaced Mr Oh, Taehyung's secretary who was always close friend to his family, and instead of him placed Jung Seola on his position.

Then someone said they saw them at the furniture store. The very next day, someone photographed the two in front of Taehyung's house in very passionate hug.

It was obvious that something was cooking, yet no one dared to tell Kim Jung Woo about it. They were, actually, trying to keep him out of it as much as possible, especially male employees, who were empathizing with Taehyung, saying her must've been bored without his wife and how it was only natural that he'd look for some "side entertainment".

Jung Seola became insolent with everyone in the company; she would yell at coffee girls for making her coffee too sweet or too bitter, she would throw random mean comments at some of the female employees ("You're working in a fashion company, yet you have no idea how to pair up colors!") and soon everyone was sick of her and her sudden bossy attitude.

The point of break came after one normal, but meaningful conversation in the restroom.

Somin went there to fix her makeup. There was only one more woman next to her, who was washing her hands. As soon as notorious colleague walked in, she had her gaze fixed to her face. When Somin started applying red lipstick, she scoffed. Triggered by unexpected reaction, Somin turns her head.

"Can I know what's so funny?", she smiled, obviously being sarcastic and the other one shrugged. Her dark eyes were still fixed to Somin's.

"You. You are funny", she said, seeming to not hesitate one bit.

"What the did you just say?", Somin immediately straightened her pose and fully turned around.

"You think you're going to achieve something just because you have Taehyung's attention at the moment, but let me tell you, you're looking into wrong place."

Somin gazed at the name tag card that hung around stranger's neck.

"Ah, so you're that Hwang Yo-Na. I've heard about you having crush on TaeTae", she called him by nickname on purpose, just so she could see how close they became.

"It's true", Yo-Na admitted calmly.

"How does that make you any different than me, then? We both want his attention, but it's obvious who's been more progressive", Somin noticed but the other one smiled in return.

"The difference between me and you", she moved closer, "is that I realized when I need to stop."

Somin wanted to snap back, but Yo-Na was just getting started. "Trust me, honey, I've tried what you're trying right now but it's not worth it. His one and only has always been Jiwoo, and the two of them always find their way back to one another."

"H-hey! Do you know who the hell are you talking to?"

"And if you were dreaming about him getting divorce just because of some pretty face, I have bad news for you."

Finally getting enough of other woman's talking, Somin reaches her hand up but the smack ends up on her cheek instead of Yo-Na's, who was gripping her raised hand tightly.

"You'll turn back to this memory one day and realize that I was right."

With that, Hwang Yo-Na walks away, leaving shocked brunette alone. After collecting her supplies and calming down, Somin looks in the mirror, smiles with satisfaction and walks out, straight to Taehyung's office.

***

"I'm sure you know why I'm here."

Taehyung shook his head negatively. "I'm afraid I don't. I thought our business was done two years ago, when the three of us vowed to eternal silence."

His unexpected guest nodded. "You fulfilled that part well, and I'm sure Miss Jeon did too. What you seemed to get... carried away by was this."

He takes out single paper from black folder that he was holding and places it on table between them. Taehyung's eyes fly over words in document with disinterest before he looks back up.

"I don't see any problem here."

The guest leaned on so he could point out the problem.

"Condition number five: Subjects agree to never be involved in outside-of-marriage relationships. Does that ring any bells?"

"It certainly does remind me that my wife had no interest in me, therefore we agreed to these rules. And before you accuse me of breaking the contract, let me show you something you also need to see."

Taehyung got up, went to his desk and pulled out a few photographs, that he then threw on the table. Those were the pictures of Jiwoo in embrace of unknown man.

"I'm just returning the favor you see, and if there is anyone who needs to pay back for breaking those rules, it's my wife."

The notary, called Min Dong Joo, looked at the photos, then back at Taehyung.

"So... what are we going to do?", he asked, raising his eyebrows.

Taehyung approached the table, took the agreement, bent it in half and then ripped in four equal parts.

"Contact my lawyer for compensation."

And just like agreement, his life was about to be ripped apart. But when he realized that, it was already too late.