Chapter 34

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Three days seems to fly by all too quickly. For the entire day, Hana’s forced to put up with her mother’s frantic screaming and her father’s frustrated sighs. The mother-daughter pair are set up in the extravagant living room of the mansion, getting their hair and make-up completed by well-known artists that her mother handpicked personally for the night. 

The girl who is patting foundation onto Hana’s face is shaking, her nerves obvious from the specks of powder that fall onto the expensive carpet. She gulps, “I’m so sorry, today is my first day.”

“First day?” Hana’s mother gapes, glaring at the sophisticated woman who is applying mascara onto her lashes, “Are you kidding me? I paid you thousands of dollars to bring some amateur to do my daughter’s makeup?”

The woman bites her lip, “Our other artist had a family emergency, so we had to pull her in as a last resort. I’m so sorry, Mrs. Park.”

Hana’s mother scoffs and crosses her arms, glancing at the other girl up and down, “Ridiculous. Don’t set another finger on my daughter!”

The girl looks like she’s on the verge of tears. Hana softens and grabs the girl’s hand, “Hey, listen, don’t worry about her.”

Her wide, glossy eyes shoot up and meet with Hana’s warm and comforting ones. Hana squeezes her hand, “I’m honored to be your first client. I’m sure you’re great. Don’t stress too much about it and just go with the flow, okay?”

The girl’s mood significantly brightens, and she gets to work right away, rejuvenated and motivated to make Hana look damn good. Hana chuckles at her enthusiasm and closes her eyes, leaning back in her seat, “Everything’s fine, mom. The party will be fine. Just relax.”

Mrs. Park pouts before leaning back in her chair, allowing the woman to resume her makeup, “It’s been awhile since our last one, you know. And you made a bunch of new business connections so we have to be perfect.”

Hana sighs, “It’s not like all of them are coming, mom.”

“But that nice boy Yixing is coming, isn’t he?”

The girl stiffens in her seat, “Yixing? How do you know about Yixing?”

Her phone vibrates in her pocket and she’s pretty sure it’s the said boy. He’s been texting her daily, and even though she tries her best to respond, she can only bring herself to reply with short words.

Mrs. Park peeks an eye open at her daughter, “Don’t think that I haven’t noticed how you haven’t called or brought up Baekhyun once.”

“You literally just got back mom. I’ve been calling him every night,” Hana fibs.

“That’s not what the call logs say.”

“Mom! Did you look through my phone?”

“Of course I did.”

“Mom!” Hana roars, “How could you?”

Mrs. Park pouts at her and grabs her hand, “Sorry sweetie. I was just curious. But tell me honestly now, are you and Baekhyun still together?”

Seeing the earnest look in her eyes, Hana wants to spill all of the details immediately. She wants to admit that she had been playing her part of this insane charade for months. She wants to complain about Baekhyun’s unfair treatment and how he thinks she’s dating Chanyeol when, in fact, she’s pretty sure that she’s still in love with him.

But seeing the mysterious glint in her mother’s eyes, she knows that the fact of her and Baekhyun breaking up would be used against him. She can just imagine the hell that would rise up and the rumors that would be spread. As upset as she is at him, she can’t bear to be the reason that he’s given side glances (or even worse, contract terminations) because of the false things that would be said about him. 

She can’t make him suffer the same isolation that his father did.

So, Hana scoffs and releases her mother’s hold, “You’re crazy, mom. We’re still very much dating. He’s just been busy at the office so I haven’t called him lately. I knew you’d react like this.”

Mrs. Park pouts and tilts her head in thought, “Hmm, that’s weird. I could’ve sworn I was right about this hunch.”

Hana triumphantly lifts her chin in the air, “Well, you weren’t. You’ll see at the party.”

Hana freezes after she says that sentence. While it gets Mrs. Park off her back, she internally groans at the pit she dug herself in, her eyes squeezing shut. Did I just say he’s going to the party? I didn’t even invite him! Oh gosh, I should’ve just told her. This is an absolute mess.

“Um, Hana?” The girl doing her makeup quietly squeaks. Hana glances up at her and she meekly holds up her eyeliner pen, “I’m sorry, but would you mind not making that face for a second while I do your eyeliner?”

Hana straightens up, her cheeks reddening in embarrassment, “Oh, yes, of course! Sorry!”

//

“This feels like deja vu.”

“Yeah, except this time, Kyungsoo hyung won’t try to open the bathroom door while I’m putting my pants on,” Kai earns a smack on the back of the head.

The six boys are gathered in Baekhyun’s apartment this time (Kyungsoo complained about the mess they made last time), dressing into their newest suits and adorning the most expensive, luxurious watches that were just custom made for the night.

As Baekhyun is applying wax into his hair, ruffling it to make it look effortless, Chanyeol glances at the others in the bathroom and gestures for them to leave. They nod in understanding and step out, closing the bathroom door behind them and locking it from the outside.

Baekhyun hears the click and his hands freeze, “What are you guys doing?”

“We’re gonna change in the living room, it’s cramped in there!” Sehun lies, his giggles in between making it painfully obvious that there’s another trick up their sleeves.

“Unlock the door right now,” Baekhyun demands, “I’m done with my hair already.”

Chanyeol looks around for something to stop him. He glances down at his own large hands and an idea lights up his mind. Before Baekhyun could even comprehend what’s happening, he feels Chanyeol’s hands frantically ruffle his hair in a crazed manner.

Baekhyun’s jaw drops at the sight of his hair extremely disheveled, as if he hadn’t brushed it in weeks. He glares at Chanyeol and shoves the taller, “What the hell was that for?”

“Looks like you can’t leave the bathroom yet, huh?” Chanyeol awkwardly laughs, washing his hands in the sink.

Baekhyun huffs angrily, “It was perfect!”

“Listen, Baek,” Chanyeol finally starts, drying his hands on the towel, “I need to talk to you.”

“About what? Hana? You’re having relationship problems already?”