CHAPTER 28
SONG NOEUL

Right at the moment when I received the text message with a link, I felt sickening feeling aroused within me. It had me goosebumps and it was really a bad feeling. Being sensitive and sore, emotionally from what happened in my life, it was really hard for me to keep on a positive outlook. The message had spread like a wildfire in the office. And amongst the ones that got hurt was Eri. I couldn't believe what was happening and thus we all summoned ourselves in Namjoon's office. He was speechless, his expression was filled with disbelief which I just couldn't understand him at that point.

Until Hoseok asked him what did he have to hide knowing his love for Eri.

Engaged. Arranged marriage. Eri knew. Everything just hit like a bus. And again happened amongst the cliques of people that I adored, that I knew, that I respected. But despite all of that, those weren't the reasons why I stepped out of the room. Why I didn't accept Namjoon's apology despite him kneeling. I felt my stomach twisted in disgust the moment read the article and the way it was published. If I would see it to my personal problem, Namjoon and Eri would be the bait.

And things happened because of me.

I closed my eyes as I took a deep breath, I heaved out the heavy sigh as I watched the sunset at my utmost safe haven. The top hill that I calmed myself down.

'Not everything is rainbows and butterflies, huh?'

It made me recalled the time when I said that but Hoseok remained silent. He didn't say a word, he didn't let his words comfort me but instead, he let his actions answered. The embrace that gave to me was comforting and I remembered he promised that he won't leave me. It was supposed to be our happy moment when yesterday his parents had blessed us. But with what was happening at work, I really feel like I was the unlucky one. "I knew that you'd be here," I turned upon hearing his voice. Hoseok looked slight breathless as he rested his hands on his waist. I gave a small smile to him as he approached me. Hoseok smiled widely despite my mood as he stood in front of me. "Are you okay?" This is probably why I found myself attracted to him, accepted him. He kept up to his promises always and most of the time which made me even scared to completely commit to him. At the same time, he changed me a lot.

Whenever my perspective was just too low, he was always there to raise it up, to look at it differently, making sure that I don't see things one way. He would open up a path for me to look at it differently.

"I am," I said softly, turning my attention to the sunset.

Hoseok wrapped his arms around my shoulders and watched the sunset along with me, just like the other day, he remained silent and stayed by my side.

The sky turned dark and Hoseok had stayed beside me since. "You said Jin felt something was off," I began and Hoseok turned to look at me. "Did he tell you anything he assumed?"

He looked at me briefly and he would have guessed that I had thought of something when I threw my staff ID on the table earlier. "He kept on saying that the situation doesn't even make any sense."

I looked at him, intertwining my fingers with his, "Jin is probably the only one who could see it because he knew me."

"What are you trying to say?" Hoseok stared deeply into my eyes, reading like an open book. "Were you being set up?"

"I am having the feeling that I might be," I told him honestly. "As Jin said, it just doesn't add up. And funny how it targetted Namjoon and Eri knowing that I was the only one," I sighed, "Always accidentally happened to walk in-" Hoseok found himself conflicted, whether to laugh or not. I shook my head, "Just bad timing," I rolled my eyes. "But, it feels like conveniently planned out didn't it? Of course, Namjoon had his troubles, after all, he is the CEO and his parents would want to bring out the best out of him and having the best wife that could stay by his side, thus the arranged marriage," I sighed. "But looking at Namjoon and Eri, I had a feeling that he was trying his best to work on it, to make his relationship with Eri known to his mother."

"The slap, earlier.."

"Oh no, that was real. I was upset at that time until I cleared my head," I explained. "I feel like someone was stringing Namjoon and Eri, and mixing Namjoon's personal stuff to get to me."

"All of that for what?" Hoseok understood my explanation but no one came to his mind.

But it did for me.

"All of this for you," I said, knowing that there would be one person that I had in mind after I had thought long and hard about it. Hoseok's expression faltered as his brows furrowed and he finally understood the grave of this situation.

*

I stayed at Hoseok's for the night as his presence around me actually helped me a lot emotionally. Also, I needed some time to do some research in regards to the article. While I was doing my research throughout the night, Hoseok had been by my side, assisting me as well, looking out for some loopholes to the article. Somehow or someway, we both knew that this article didn't just appear out of nowhere to create this kind of gossip. We wanted to save Namjoon's name and also Eri's.

"Are you not going to sleep?" Hoseok wrapped his arms around my waist, his chin rested on my shoulder. "Because I'm sleepy."

"Why don't you go ahead and rest first. After all, I've quitted, remember? You have work tomorrow," I smiled. "I really needed to find this whoever he or she is," I turned, he gave his pleading puppy eyes, knowing that it would work on me. "No," I laughed. "Go to sleep, Hoseok ah," I said.

"Not until I have a goodnight kiss," He teased with a smirk.

I sighed as I turned the bar chair towards him with my back against the table counter. Hoseok smiled widely, with his hands rested against the table counter, trapping me in between. I held his cheeks and leaned in letting my lips touched his before pulling back. I could feel his breathing against my lips, as we exchanged a few more kisses. I felt my heart began to convulse and tried to stop him by calling out his name in between the kisses. "Ho.. seok.."

"Can we please?"

"I can't," said. "I really have to find something."

"I promised you, that you would be able to focus when I am not around," Hoseok answered wittingly. He gave a playful kiss to my neck, as he lifted me up by the waist. I let out a laugh, struggling out from his grip. "Husband first, remember?"

Our gazes met and he gave me the stare that made me weak. The gaze that I loved alot, and the gaze that would be able to make me flustered. As he carried me into the room, both of us fell onto the bed and continued to stare at each other. "I guess I have to listen to the husband, after all," I said as Hoseok was taken aback by my answer.

I straddled on top of him, my hands against his chest and I let my lips met with his. Our kisses grew heavy and passionate each exchanged, and our breathings began to grow heavier. Our bodies heated up and his hands rested on my hips. I stopped as I took a breath, our foreheads touched. "I trust you, I love you," I whispered.

Hoseok who was lying down, looking at me with his charming gaze. "I trust you, I love you too," Just as he said that he turned himself around. I yelped as he was on top of me. His eyes were burning with desire. Our lips crashed with one another once again, as for that moment, I drowned myself into his burning love.