CHAPTER 27
JUNG HOSEOK

"Our wedding date,"

I said to her, out of the blue and I was holding back my embarrassment. It was already hard enough to confess to her and now to propose her for real. But it was worth it. Noeul was what I wanted and I really wanted her to be happy, with me. Seeing her reaction as soon as I told her about the wedding date, my heart was convulsed with excitement.

Could this be really real? I am getting married with the person I loved the most? February. 1st February was what I had planned.

And today, right here in front of me, I couldn't hold back my smile. Noeul actually came by to my place, knowing that my family will be here soon. "Will she accept me?" Noeul kept on asking despite how lovely and comfy she was.

I laughed and held her by the shoulders, "Yes, she will. Now, will you calm down? Because, you look absolutely great today, that I am completely smitten by you." I teased causing her to blush.

"Stop teasing, this is..-"

"You will be okay," I smiled, looking through her worried eyes. She had already gone through so much. All I know and want to do for her is, to make her happy.  I had promised her through and through, and so I would definitely carry out as I promised her.

My parents arrived along with my sister. We had a wonderful dinner together and I broke the news to my parents. At first they were surprised but it was expected to my sudden wanting to gather the family together. Jiwoo was completely esctatic and happy with the fact that I am finally settling down. My mother had even mentioned that since the day that she met Noeul, she knew that she would be the best one for me.

I was happy when I heard that from my mother. She approved Noeul, and that was all that matter to me. My father would agree with what my mother approved.
"You should come by to Gwangju, one day," My mother said to Noeul as soon as my family was about to leave.

"Of course, I will," Noeul smiled.

"And," My mother turned around for a moment, "We would love to see your family as well, Noeul."

I glanced to Noeul as her smile faltered. I knew what she felt, I knew that the world family to her would be a little harder for her to accept. "That will come later, of course,   one day, Mother," I answered before Noeul did. "We'll arrange the date as soon as we know when her family would be free," I smiled.

My mother held my hand and smiled endearingly. "So happy for you, son. Well, have a good night you two. We'll see you both soon," My mother said. Jiwoo and father bidded us good bye as the door closed.

The silence that came after that was overpowering. I could feel the clouded atmosphere that Noeul was holding back. "Are you okay?" I chose to ask when I was surprised upon looking a small smile formed on her face. She nodded. "I'm sorry about-"

"It's fine, really," Noeul said. "It is expected. I am working at a matchmaking agency so of course, I knew that question would be asked."

I smiled as I inched our distance closer. The fact that Noeul didn't retort or avoided me anymore, made my heartbeat skipped. "That is so like you," I whispered, tucking her hair behind her ear. "I guess that is what made me attracted to you, unknowingly."

Noeul reached out for my cheek, had startled me. Her gaze staring straight, piercing right through my soul made my heartbeat even worst. I felt like I lost control of everything, and I swore my legs would give up anytime. "I don't know what I do in my previous life to deserve this. To deserve you, to love me, the imperfection," she whispered with a smile. Noeul pulled me into a hug, wrapping her arms around my neck. "But I guess, that day when we first met, I should be lucky that I got lucky."

I buried my face into her shoulder, and held her tight, "I am probably the one who got lucky," I cried.

"Then I guess, we both got lucky cause we had each other."

* * * *

She would be the first who made me opened up a side of me that no one probably had seen. I couldn't wait to break the news to the guys later upon having decided the wedding date for myself and Noeul.

But what happened the next moment wasn't what I had expected. I received a text from Taehyung and I frowned. "What the heck," I muttered as soon as I opened up the link. I heard footsteps rushing towards my office as the door barged opened. Jin who was out of breath began, "Do you see the news?"

"I received the link from Taehyung," I said as I showed him the message.

"We have to get to Flinders," Jin said as I nodded. Taking my car keys, I headed out with Jin. I am really praying that nothing bad would happen.

I drove as fast as I could, "How could this happen?"

"Something just doesn't add up," Jin muttered, his gaze remained forward. "It just didn't make any sense though."

"What is?"

"Namjoon didn't even have any enemies so far, why would someone do something to Namjoon like this? It is after all his personal life?"

I sighed, "We are, after all, CEOs, Jin. We do have to be careful around the public." "You're the one to talk, Hoseok ah," Jin turned to me when I stopped at the red light. "All the six of you, especially. It is after all your personal lives but rumor scandals like these could make your life living hell even for a moment. I am worried about Namjoon, but you have to see both perspectives as of now, Eri is involved as well."

And it dawned upon me, realising this reality check that Jin had laid out. With Eri involved, it would have meant that Noeul's entire team could be in danger too. Turning my attention to the front, the light turned green. I stepped on the pedal and rushed to Namjoon's office as soon as possible.

The reporters had been crowding at the lobby, there would be no way for us to even get through. Jin and I headed by the backdoor of the building and took the cargo lift to the fourth level and dashed up by the stairs to the tenth. Namjoon's staff was crowding at his office when Jin pushed himself through first as I followed behind.

As soon as I got the doors closed, I noticed the tension in the room. I glanced around where the rest of the CEOs stood, Eri was looking down, embarrassed and in tears. Noeul was right beside Eri but her hands were kept to herself, her head hung low. I observed the body languages in the room, Namjoon rubbed his temple while resting against the table, seemingly trying to figure out of a way.

"Why does it seem that Noeul was the one responsible?" I asked, upon looking at how the situation was. Namjoon raised his head up and sighed.

"Did you read the article?"

"The one, Taehyung sent? Of course," I said. "That is why I rushed here to check on you," I said but the rest remained silent and I turned to Jin, "Was this the reason why you said  it just didn't make any sense?"

"Namjoon is suspecting me because I had been the only person who witnessed or rather caught the scandalous time," Noeul spoke up, with her back still facing me. "Namjoon, I had been working with you for years, I would never reveal anything. Whatever you do afterhours, during hours, that is your personal life. I have no reason to tell everyone about it. Why do I gain from that? Why would I hurt Eri in the process?"

"I don't know, Noona. You're good at hiding things, maybe you actually do have agenda despite you being nice," Namjoon stopped as he sighed.

"Yah, Kim Namjoon," I stepped up, "Watch what you're saying."

Noeul heaved a sigh, "This is just probably the perfect time," She stood up. "I can't believe you would do this, without even finding out the truth, Mr. Kim."

"It is to protect Eri as well," Namjoon didn't flinch. The way he stared expressionlessly at Noeul was just like how he is as a CEO. Right now, it wasn't about friendship or anything. It was about business and the relationship that the company has with its clients. Flinders was supposed to be reflected as a happy ending to most of the singles and to have the CEO, himself, caught in a scandal something that is- wait a minute- "Why didn't you just come clean about you and Eri?" I said.

Namjoon bit his lips. "I.. I kept it from all of you, except, Eri knew of this," he sighed. "I was already engaged to someone else while I was dating Eri. It was an arranged marriage and I couldn't say no to my mother.."

"You knew, Eri?" Noeul turned Eri who could only nod.

"It's... It's not cheating, Eul-ie. We were already dating before he was engaged. I.. I chose to keep it-" Eri's words became to stumble as Daeun embraced her giving a hug.

"Unnie," Daeun looked at her pleadingly, to give it a break, knowing what Noeul had gone through. Noeul had been traumatized with what was happening in her life and to find out something similar yet again, happening to the people she had least expected. It was another huge blow to her heart.

*slap*

The silence in the room was deafening after a slap had landed across Namjoon's cheek. "Right now, I don't care if you suspected me or if you're going to put a blame on me without any proof or uncovering the real truth. But I couldn't forgive you for hurting Eri. Mr. Kim Namjoon, as of today, I am no longer your staff," Noeul took off her pass and threw it on the table. "I quit."

"Unnie!"

"Noeul," I stopped her as she was about to leave.

"Move away, Jung Hoseok," Noeul said firmly. I held her hand and looked at Namjoon.  "Is there any other way to solve this? Namjoon?" I said. "Jin had said something that all of these doesn't make sense. What are you all doing?" I glanced to each every CEO in the room. Flinders had been part of Namjoon since he took over. It was hard work that made who he is today. "Have all of you lost your mind? Noeul would never spread those rumors when she had her own problems to deal with," I said.

"Namjoon has no enemies," Jin stated. "Unless you had made someone mad."

"Who could it be?" Yoongi asked.

"Noona," Namjoon called out to Noeul before he knelt down in apology which had taken everyone aback. "I'm sorry. I was way out of line to actually blame you when I already knew how you were."

Noeul couldn't respond to his apology. After all, had happened, all that has been said, how could they or she take everything back? She released her hand from mine, "I'm tired. I'm leaving," she said before locking her gaze to me. "Don't follow me. I just need some time alone."

I watched helplessly as Noeul left the building, with her pass on the table. Her thought of quitting had been always on her mind, wasn't it?