Chapter Nineteen: Lips are Sealed

“W-What did you say?”

Naeun could not hide her surprised reaction. She was definitely caught off guard. She knew? How? They were always careful. They would visit the café during late hours. The second floor was always empty around those times, and the first level has only about two or three customers. It was only now that she visited in the afternoon.

How did this woman manage to recognize them? The only time they would take off their masks was when they were sure the area was empty. Even now, she was wearing a mask.

She kept her head down, unable to meet the woman’s inquisitive eyes.

“Isn’t he that Lee Taemin who dances and sings? I saw his poster in my granddaughter's bedroom.” The woman pointed at her. “And aren’t you Son Naeun? I always see your endorsements whenever I go to shopping centers,” she added.

Her hand trembled as she fixed her mask. Someone had recognized them. What made it worse was that this woman had seen them on multiple dates.

Dread slowly crept within her as her thoughts began to list the possible outcomes of this revelation.

Sensing her apprehension, the woman’s look softened. “It’s a secret, isn’t it?”

No longer intending to deny, she nodded silently. What’s the use of denying? They were already discovered. A long time ago. She found out just now.

The woman proceeded to sit across her. “Aigoo,” she murmured. “It must have been hard for the two of you.”

“What?”

She straightened up to stare at the woman in disbelief. Among all her expectations, that was the least kind of reaction she was anticipating. In the past, what usually follows were dislike and negativity whenever her and Taemin’s names were used in a sentence together. The woman’s words and reaction were a breath of fresh air.

The woman’s mouth curved to form a small smile as she glanced at the one-way glass wall. Instead of the crowded streets, her eyes seemed to reflect images from the past as she spoke. “Through the years, I have seen how the entertainment industry has slowly evolved. Artists these days seemed to have less freedom compared to before. Don’t you agree?”

She gave her a tight smile. She did not know whether to agree or disagree. She could say the lady was right. However, from another’s point of view, the lady could also be wrong. It’s all about perspective, depending on how one sees it.

When she didn’t answer, the woman looked to her and went on. “My granddaughter made me watch an episode of that marriage show you were in. She was a big fan of the two of you. She even got upset when some people were hating on you two.”

She gave her a kind smile and placed an index finger over her lips. “Don’t worry, my lips are sealed,” she promised.

Naeun’s heart was still pounding as she navigated around the streets of Seoul. She had just left the café only a few minutes ago. However, she was still a little light-headed. She could not believe what just happened. Someone knew her most treasured secret, yet here she was, casually strolling the streets as if nothing major had happened.

Should she believe that the old lady would keep her words? Her heart was uneasy. However, her rational side was quick to provide comfort. Their secret had been with the lady for years now, and she had not told a single soul. I guess I could trust her, she thought.

Besides, what really occupied her mind was not the fact that someone knew of their secret. It was the lady’s parting words that left a deep impression on her.

There may be people who dislike you, and who are against you. Still, never forget that are also those who appreciate you, and who will always root for you. Focus on those that uplifts you.

“What is this? Why is it like this?”

She turned to Minho and rolled her eyes. “We were out of time,” said flatly.

Given with only a couple of days to prepare, the big party that they initially planned for Key proved to be impossible. They needed at least a few weeks to book the venue and order the food. Most of the business establishments that they called were fully booked, and they mostly required the bookings to be done at least a month in advance.

With luck, not on their side, the grand party that Minho had envisioned crumbled to dust. Taeyeon and Minho had to convince their executives to let them use SM Entertainment’s roo