Chapter 15:


 

*.☽.*

“Promise me you’re not letting my hand go.”

My attention darted to our entangled fingers before I looked up to meet his eyes once more. There was an absolute concern in his eyes and it was making me more worried.

“What happened?” It was all that I could muster, trying to steady my voice.

He shook his head to get rid of the hair blocking his eyes for a moment, and bit his lower lip while he looked at me intently. It seemed like he was contemplating and when he sighed, I figured that he eventually made up his mind to tell me.

“It turned out someone recognized me last night and took pictures of us together..." He paused to take a deep breath as he looked away. "Kyungsoo told me that they're all over the internet."

The news made my blood run cold.

"What?" It was the only word that I could come up with as I unconsciously detached my hands from him.

I absent-mindedly stood and stepped away from him. I knew something was wrong but I didn't think that it would be this big. I suddenly felt scared, I couldn't even look at him. I knew my reaction was making him uncomfortable but I couldn't help but be anxious because of what I just heard. I didn't know how to handle any of these.

"I'm sorry to drag you into this mess." He apologized, making me snap out of my thoughts.

He was now standing in front of me. He attempted to hold me by lifting his hands to hold my arms but ended up dismissing the thought by moving away from me instead. I, on the other hand, still couldn't come up with a response. My brain was too busy trying to think of possible scenarios of what could happen next. I was panicking inside, my fingers slightly trembling.

He was a few steps from me, facing the other way. He brought his hands to his waist, his head moving sideways. I couldn’t see his reaction but I was pretty sure he was having a hard time.  

"Damn it!" He hissed before he eventually turned to face me again.

The look on his face sent me shivers. He looked frustrated and pained at the same time. I knew he needed me to run to him right now and tell him stuff that would make him feel better but I couldn't bring myself to do that. I was too shocked, I couldn't even cry. I darted my attention to my feet because I couldn’t stand seeing him in this state.

"This is all new to you and things like these shouldn't happen to you. So, I will understand if..." He trailed off and just when I dared to meet his eyes, he blinked a couple of times.

He wasn't going to cry, was he?

"If...you leave." He added, avoiding my eyes once more.

That hurt. Just the thought of it hurt. I suddenly felt a lump in my throat and it took every ounce of energy I have to move closer to him but he walked towards the bed right at the exact moment to grab his phone.

"I'm gonna go make a phone call.” He said, his back on me. “I'll ask someone to take you to your hotel." He added and it was obvious that he was avoiding eye contact.

I gulped as I watched him get out of the room. Right when the door closed behind him, my knees were about to give up. I walked towards the bed to sit or else I’d end up on the floor. The first thing I did was take a deep breath because I felt suffocated. I didn't know where to start or what was I doing exactly being alone in his room right now.

I glanced at his portrait, the one that I was admiring earlier this morning, and felt my heart sink instantly.

What’s going to happen after this?

Do I have the heart to leave him? Should I even be entertaining these thoughts right now? His downcast expression as he left the room was too much for me to bear and to think that this happened right after I told him that I love him...

"I love him..." I muttered, everything hitting me at once. “I love him.”

Memories of his smiles and his laughs flooded my thoughts. The hiking place. The first time he held my hands. The first time he got so jealous because he saw me with Eun Chan. The moment he confessed and told me that he wanted to be my boyfriend. The time when he drove to my aunt’s place in the middle of the night, just to take me stargazing. Our first kiss, and the kiss after that, and the one after… His warm embrace. The way he made me feel. Him. All of him.  

God, what was I thinking? I was so stupid to even make him think that I would just leave him.

So, without wasting time, I got off the bed and dashed out of the room as fast as I could to find him. A long hallway welcomed me as I closed the bedroom door behind me. There were several photos on either wall. They were all his and I’d love to admire each of them but that was not a priority right now.

The long hallway eventually led to a flight of stairs with glass railings leading to the first floor where the spacious living room was located. There was a tall and huge glass wall that revealed a beautiful landscape with the swimming pool on the opposite side. He was standing right before it so I cautiously made my way down the stairs.

He was talking on the phone but had ended the call the moment I reached the bottom of the stairs. I didn't move and watched him as he sat on the couch. For a second, I thought he was spacing out when stopped moving and just stared at the table in front of him.  

My heart sank at the sight of him right now. There must be a lot going on in his head and I was so sure my reaction a while ago made him feel worse. I wanted to call him but my stupid self couldn't even do it because I already felt like crying. No, tears were already pooling in my eyes and they would fall any moment from now. I looked up to somehow stop them from falling and when I turned to him again, I found him already staring at me.

We both gazed at each other without words. None of us dared to move too. He was just looking straight at me with a sad but soft expression on his face.

I didn't know what was going on inside his mind while his eyes bore into me just like I didn't have any idea what was going on inside my head either. All I knew was that I needed to tell him that I wasn't going to leave him.

Our connection was broken by a doorbell. We both turned to where the sound came from. He stood and looked at me for a brief moment before leaving to get the door.

I stayed in the same spot, unmoving. I listened to the pounding behind my chest as I grew anxious at the thought of him having visitors.

"Until when are you planning to ignore us!?" It was an angry woman’s voice.

It was all that I needed to hear to leave and climb up the stairs. I made hasty steps and was thankful enough to reach the second floor right on time before his visitors went to the living room. I hid behind the wall and I was slightly panting. My heart was beating wildly now so I took my hands to my chest, trying to calm myself down.

I was busy doing it when I almost jumped on my feet the moment I heard someone yell downstairs.  

"Were you out of your mind?!" It was the same voice from the door. "What were you doing in that place and why were you with that girl?”

I slowly leaned to take a peek at them from where I was hiding. There were three people in the living room including Baekhyun. There was a strict-looking woman who seemed to be in her late thirties. She was wearing a navy blue blazer on top of a beige blouse paired with matching navy blue slacks. Her heels clicked as she walked to and fro. I assumed she must be Kim Eun Hye, Baekhyun's publicist since he mentioned it to me one time, and the way he described her was exactly the way she looked right now.

There was also a man who seemed to be younger than her but was older than Baekhyun. He was dressed casually unlike the woman. He was wearing jeans, a white button-down top with a bomber jacket on top of it, and sneakers. The man must be his manager, Kang Hyun Seok. He was taller than Baekhyun. I knew Baekhyun liked and trusted Manager Kang so much. He was very hands-on with his schedule.

“And look at your face!” The publicist went to Baekhyun and she held his face with her hands. “You’re such a mess right now. How could you let someone screw your face? For heaven’s sake, you’re a celebrity Baekhyun, your face is very important.” She ranted furiously before she slammed a brown envelope on the table.

Without saying anything, Baekhyun took the envelope. He sat on the couch as he slowly opened it and took out several photos from it. I couldn’t see the photos but I suddenly felt antsy when I saw how he immediately looked uncomfortable after checking the photos.  

"They're all over the internet." The man told Baekhyun in a much calmer way than the woman ever did. “Why didn’t you tell me about this ahead of time Baekhyun?”

“I’m sorry Manager Kang…I just...I just don’t want you to worry about me.” Baekhyun explained, looking up at the man.

“But that’s his freaking job!” The woman intercepted. “To know everything you’re up to so we could prevent this kind of trouble. And he failed to do so.” She was still fuming. 

“Miss Kim, will you please calm down?” Manager Kang said as he turned to the woman. “We’re not going to come up with a solution if you continue to yell.”

She looked at him with narrow eyes.

“Well, I think this is also not the time for you to be on his side, Manager Kang. It was obvious that he was being careless. He wasn’t thinking.” She finished her statement by turning to Baekhyun.

All three of them went silent for the next few seconds. Manager Kang ended up sitting next to Baekhyun, his hands on his head as stared at the floor.

“Was her face shown?” Baekhyun asked his manager and I immediately held my breath.

“No.” He answered. “Her face was blurred out on the photos.”

I was sure Baekhyun and I let out a sigh of relief almost at the same time after hearing his manager’s response.

“Not yet.” Miss Kim stated getting the men’s attention and mine too. “What?” She asked as she glared at them. “Let’s be real here. It's only gonna be a matter of time for your fans to eventually know about her identity.” She added in a matter-of-fact tone. “And we all know that when that happens, it'll be messy for her."

Her words for sure slapped me in the face. She was right. She was right.

I stared at Baekhyun who was now leaning on the couch, his head up with his eyes closed.

“Who is she?” It was Manager Kang who asked him. He held one of the pictures and pointed something at it which I was guessing would be me.

Baekhyun opened his eyes and turned to the picture his manager was showing him.

“She’s my girlfriend.” I heard him say.

I knew this wasn’t the right time or the situation to blush but my face was heating up. And I know that they couldn’t see me but I instantly stopped watching them and leaned my body back on the wall. He was obviously in trouble for having me as his girlfriend.

"Girlfriend!” The woman shrieked. “Wow, Hyun Seok he has a girlfriend and you didn’t even know!”

None of the men reacted to her sarcastic remarks.

“Where did you even meet her? Did you meet her at the bar? Have you been clubbing all this time?” She continued to interrogate.

“No,” Baekhyun replied with a controlled voice. I could imagine him glaring at her right now.

"My god Baekhyun!” She shrieked once more. “May I remind you how much you worked hard for what you have and who you are right now? Are you going to throw everything just because of some random girl-"

Random girl. I bit my lip as I felt a pang in my heart.

“Don’t!” Baekhyun yelled. It was the first time he raised his voice since they came. “Don't you ever dare call her that?" He sounded so furious making me want to cry right away.

"So you're yelling at me now, huh?" The woman fired with the same level of rage in her tone. "Where is she anyway? Is she here?" She asked as I heard her angry footsteps heading somewhere.

"Leave her out of this Miss Kim," Baekhyun said and he didn't sound like he was asking, there was an evident demand in his voice.

"What are you talking about? She's already a part of this controversy Baekhyun. If you didn't want your girlfriend to be involved in all of these then you should've been ing careful!"

There was silence and I couldn’t bring myself to look at them. I was biting my lower lip trying my best not to make any sound. 

“Eun Hye, please stop.” It was Mr. Kang.

“Then what do you want me to ing do Hyun Seok?! Tell him it’s okay when it’s clearly not?” She replied furiously. “Damn, I’m already going insane. I’ve been receiving nonstop calls since this morning about this issue.”

“I’m sorry.” It was Baekhyun this time. “Look, I a