CHAPTER 23
SONG NOEUL

It was a no brainer what had happened, had attracted many on-lookers due to our fight. It ended when Sunhee had gotten crazy and helluva serious as she broke one of the flower vases that was placed nicely at the lobby end table. She took a shard towards all of us, pointed it directly to me. Everyone froze to a stop as I let the girls stood behind me when Hoseok tried to calm her down.

But everything got settled when Flinder's CEO, Kim Namjoon came down to stop her. I raised my brows knowing how much obedience she had it in her - especially coming to good-looking men. She released the shard in her hand and began to compose herself. Eri was already glaring at her when Sunhee's expression changed into that damsel in distress look and I watched her deadpanned.

Is she for real?

She straightened her tight dress, arranged her disheveled self as she pointed to me. "It's not over."

"It's over, Sunhee," Hoseok spoke, leaving her speechless. "We're just a past. You only wanted back with me just because you learned from Namjoon, how successful I am. I'm over you. You'll find someone better than me," he said as he pulled me towards him by the shoulders, as my eyes widened in surprise. "I found mine. So move on," he said.

Hoseok didn't say a word after leaving the lobby as he led me towards my room to debrief my team. He waited in Namjoon's office as he let me carry on with what I needed to do. When I did, he was already out from Namjoon's office and waited for me at the elevator as he led me towards the basement carpark where his car was. The ride was silent and judging by the looks of the direction that we were heading to his place.

I had checked with the girls' condition before I left. They insisted that I should head home with Hoseok instead, and they had tried to convince me that they were fine.

I glanced to Hoseok who was driving and found myself being intrigued by his side profile. His sharp jawline, his perfect nose, his facial structure were just majestic to look at. "Am I suddenly so handsome right now?"

"What?" His voice floated through my reverie and stared at him. He chuckled, "I said, am I sudden-"

"No," I shook my head and turned my gaze to the front. I heard him the first time. I smiled inwardly to myself as I was just teasing him when his hand rested on top of mine.  I glanced back to him.

"I'm sorry," he chose to say. "Sunhee was someone that I thought I could spend my years with. But we ended when I finally realized that she was only with me just because and not because she loved me. I learned that she would only go for statuses that boost her reputation. I couldn't believe that she would have the nerve-" I stopped him, clutching his hand. Hoseok turned to me.

"I am not perfect either, Hoseok," I began. "I could understand what or how Sunhee feels. She's envious and jealous for the obvious reasons but I could see regret in her eyes when she sees you. If only she would change her past and stay with you? Honestly, I would really want to thank her," I said, making Hoseok looked at me like as if I had said something crazy. "If it wouldn't for her to make you break up with her, we wouldn't have met now? Would we?" Hoseok didn't say a word after that. He was probably pondering with the words that I've said. Honestly, I disliked Sunhee in many possible ways but before I even got together with Hoseok, she could be someone who meant a lot to him. I, myself not perfect. So I wouldn't want to be in a position to be compared with Sunhee. She's beautiful, a stable job and income that probably could support her parents, but deep down, despite all that -  there would definitely a reason for her to be acted this way.

Hosoek pulled the car to a stop upon reaching our destination. We headed up to his apartment. Hoseok remained silent still. I peered to look at him when we were in the elevator. He had his gaze stuck at the number of floors when his gaze met with mine. Like an electric shock, I felt my heart skipped as he smiled and held my hand. Standing right in front of his front door, he unlocked and let me in.

A cozy white modernized apartment that fitted Hoseok's personality so well.  "Wow,"  I smiled and turned to him. I gasped in surprise, realising that he had closed our distance as he pulled me into an embrace. "H-Hoseok...?"

"I dislike the idea of having Sunhee being the cause of our relationship. I like to think that we are fated rather than her.  Perhaps, the cause of the bet made our path crossed each other.  And often we had a lot of coincidence, didn't we?" Hoseok whispered close to my ears. The words that I said to him had made him think throughout the journey.  That was the reason why he was silent. "And think about it, fate put me with you unknowingly and you knew my sister even before we've met."

He pulled black slightly, one hand around my waist as he cupped my cheek. Caressing with his thumb, "That woman even injured my wife. How can I not be guilty about it?" He said so naturally which made me blushed. I twitched slightly, realising that my lips had a cut out of nowhere and remembered that Sunhee literally tore me apart.

I smiled and held his hand. "I am okay, Hoseok," I turned away, "So what are we having for dinner-"

"Nope, you're my guest for tonight. I'll prepare some clothes for you to borrow. Have a shower and don't worry about dinner. Leave it to me," He winked.

*

I heaved a sigh, closing my eyes and let the water flowed down on my face. It was a crazy day. It took me a little longer for me to finish my shower, but the moment I stepped out, I noticed Hoseok had laid a big tshirt and sweatpants on his bed for me to wear. I put it on and began to dry my hair with the towel in hand and witnessed his room. It was filled with his favorite soft toys, and I realised how much of a collector he is.

Heading out towards his living room and from where I stood, I could see him behind the kitchen counter began t to diligently prepare the dinner. I approached at the counter and watched his back while he was cooking. It had been some time since I felt something so calming to see. I had been too depressed with my own problems and I had forgotten how to be happy. I had forgotten what it was like to be content with my life.

He turned around, startled almost dropping the pan, "YAH, you scared me," Hoseok almost screamed. I chuckled. "What is so funny-" He stopped when he stared at the shirt that I was wearing. A pink blush crept up his cheeks and looked away as he transferred the food from the pan onto the plate.

"What?" I asked. "Did I wore the shirt wrongly or?" "No," Hoseok shook his head but he didn't look at me.

"What's wrong?" Worried,  I approached him. "Hoseok?" I probed further, peering my face to meet with his gaze. "Why are your face so red? What is so embarrassing about the shirt that I wore?" I asked. He shook his head, covering his face.

"You...look.."

I waited for his response.

"You look... so homely," he blushed.

With his answer, I found myself blushing and surprised. I stared into his gaze that was burning onto me and I understood it well. It was the same gaze that he had on me during that night, during our first moment, first time. "Y-Yah!" I smacked him. "Stop thinking  weird things!"

"I-I am not!" He retorted.

"You are! You gave the same stare that point of-" I stopped and bit my lips in embarrassment. Changing the subject, I took the plate that Hoseok had prepared the dinner and headed towards the dining table and began to eat without... him.

It was awkward. After dinner, I began to wash the dishes and suggested Hoseok take a shower. It was the only way to rid of the awkwardness we had. Why did I have to bring up that incident? My head had been imprinted with those moments, "Ah, . My face burns," I whispered to myself. After the dishes are done, I sat down on his sofa and began to watch the drama that was on.

And then the awkwardness happened again. Hoseok came out with his hair wet and he dried casually like he always did. But I blushed upon seeing the scene unfold in front of me, like something so beautiful and majestic which made my heart pound even harder against my chest. He wore a black wifebeater and sweatpants, and just like that...

...He. Looked. Good.

It was homely. Normal than from all the suits that I saw it on him.

I never thought that I would, but I felt excitement built up within me. I remained my gaze to the television and he took a seat beside me. Three sections on the sofa, but he chose to sit in the middle, near me. I could feel the heat on my cheeks began to grow warmer than before. Apart from that, I caught a whiff of his shampoo and it drove me insane.

And I remembered that I used his shampoo earlier and we smelled the same.

He sighed loudly and I turned to him.  "W-What?"  Hoseok then, purposedly rested his head on my shoulders when I tried to push him away whilst leaning my back against the sofa. "H-Hoseok!!"

Hoseok grasped me by the wrist and without me realising he was already straddling on top of me and me trapping under him. His expression changed from the blushing Hoseok, I've seen earlier to a dominant man. His finger gently pulled away from the collar of my shirt, and I knew what he was checking.

The bite.

"How is it that it's getting lighter so easily?" He muttered in a low voice.

Before I could open my mouth to say something, Hoseok had leaned in, buried his face into the crook of my neck and the next thing that slipped out from my mouth was me, his name.