| CHAPTER TWELVE |

Right Hand

It was a satisfying sight. Park Hara as Tinkerbell and Do Kyungsoo as the famous Peter Pan. It was a very cute way to start their pre-nup photoshoot – not a lot of celebrity couples go for costumed and themed wedding photos. All the staff around them beamed in satisfaction as the couple stood side by side – Hara had just finished getting her makeup done. Jiwon nodded in approval, throwing her two thumbs up. It was only the first day and the first of their many themes but she instantly felt the success of this project.

She couldn’t help but be proud of herself. This was Kim Jiwon of POSE.

She was never gone after all.

Adorable. She shook her head teasingly as Kyungsoo fiddled with his fingers on his front, feeling extra self-conscious from all the eyes focused on them. “Aigoo, Hara. Sometimes, I still can’t believe you two are together, opposites really do attract. Look at him, all shy.” Jiwon laughed with the bride-to-be, as they patted the nervous man for comfort. She almost wanted to take a quick selfie with the couple just for memories. “You know what, I’m going to do the honors and take a picture of you two. Hara, you could post that on your Instagram later on before we launch the issue, good idea? And also—”

“Hey, girlfriend.”

Her face fell in dismay upon hearing that voice behind. An arm landed on her shoulders which she immediately pushed off. She turned to him and had to hold any word she was planning to say. He wore a plain white button-down shirt and washed out jeans that had a few rips on them. His hair was undone today, bangs down and soft against his forehead. His lips … they were more plump and soft-looking than usual, ah, lip balm.

Some Wedding21 staff—possibly young interns—passed by, shyly waving at him before proceeding to whispering at each other. Baekhyun briefly gave them a handsome smile and watched them walk away.

Jiwon scoffed. “ off. Anyway, are you wearing a lip balm? Tinted lip balm?”

Upon the question, Baekhyun gave her a look. That look people gave whenever she usually said something interesting. If anything, she was trying to be rude. “Are you looking at my lips?” He asked back.

Lips. Those lips. She felt them that night. It was a quick touch, a quick graze. The memory shouldn’t have even existed for how swift the incident happened. “And it’s not tinted. I tend to bite my lips when happens and so it’s all swollen right now, don’t worry I didn’t make out with anyone. I would never do that to you, my sweet pea.” He playfully explained before winking at her.

But something made her feel uneasy. happens? Something happened? She couldn’t help but to be extremely curious. Behind those playful gazes, those daunting smiles. He bit his lips … possibly from something that made him anxious?

Jiwon shook his head, brushing off the unnecessary concerns. She looked away, focusing her eyes back at the couple in front of her. They were kissing, touching each other affectionately, enjoying their time together. She wanted to puke in disgust but they weren’t disgusting at the same time. The way Kyungsoo looked into Hara’s eyes, the way his hands wrap around her tiny waist and the way he smiled after every chaste kiss – they were things Jiwon had never experienced. Ever.

Somehow, she found herself looking behind, searching for Baekhyun’s whereabouts. He was the only one who ever gave her those lovesick eyes – only thing was that, she knew they were always fake. They were fake but he was so good that sometimes Jiwon got confused. Even when they argued, his eyes would always give it away. Fake. Fake. Fake. He knew how to work those eyes, no matter how untrue the feelings were. They weren’t real, he didn’t have any concern, any feeling – but he was good making you believe it.

She wondered just how many women have been put under that spell.

She knew she wouldn’t be.

Not ever.

Baekhyun caught her stare. That expression again. Those eyes again. Those fake lovesick eyes he always gave to get in her pants. That was all they were for. That was his only reason. She knew very well, it was obvious. But at the same time … he looked bothered by something. Was it only her who was seeing this? He looked unwell behind the mask he was giving off to her and to everyone. Was she overthinking things? Was it the Advil she took this morning because her head was hurting? She needed to stop taking them without eating first – it was making her see things.

Focus, she told herself over and over again.

“Good work, everyone. Day 1, cut!” Everyone applauded and bowed to each other. They wrapped up their first day of photoshoot. One location down, two more to go. Baekhyun looked up to the gloomy sky. He just finished at the right time; he really tried his best to finish the photoshoot sooner than he planned. It was going to rain. Despite rushing a bit, he was able to do his job neatly and properly. It was actually quite fun working with his friends, it didn’t feel much of a work. Do Kyungsoo was a handful for the first five minutes but the man eventually got more comfortable through his encouragements.

Park Hara, well he didn’t even need to do anything with her. That was already a given.

All in all, it was a good day for the most part. Busy was always good. Distraction, he especially needed that today. It was his mother’s birthday today – one of his least favorite days along with his own birthday. Why celebrate it when she was already gone? Why pray for her when she didn’t deserve it? Why remember her birth when she herself chose to end her own life? Those were his go-to answers whenever his father and his relatives would invite him to gatherings.

One drop. Two drops. Three. Four. Five.

Heavy rain drops started hitting his face as he walked. He looked at the other staff—both from Park & Co. and Wedding21. Because of the circumstances, they had to pack up as quickly as they could and left. He watched as the company vans drove off ahead of him. Hara and Kyungsoo were the very first ones who left after changing. Kim Jiwon—where the hell was Kim Jiwon?

He adjusted the strap of his camera bag before opening his umbrella. And as soon as he did, it poured heavily. Damn heavy. “What the fu—” He looked up in surprise, feeling the heaviness of every drop that hit his umbrella. He hugged his camera bag very close to his chest, protecting it from getting too wet. He approached the gates of the place and was about to step out when his eyes landed at one of the pavilions at a distance.

There was Kim Jiwon, standing with a folder hugged closed to her chest. He squinted his eyes to see more closely, he realized the pavilion also led to the museum’s office. Ah, she must have gone there after the photoshoot ended to talk to the staff.

“Yah!” He called, waving a hand.

She looked at his direction, a frustrated look on her face. To his dismay, she just looked away and hugged the folder tighter. “Oh m—serio