Chapter 19
A Story Titled You
Kii's words still echoed in Seokjin's head as he entered the office, but seeing Eri sitting behind the office table without a care in the world, flipping through magazine pages after she destroyed her sister's relationship, he felt a mix of anger and disappointment. "Hey Ahyoong, mind giving me a minute with Eri?"
"No problem." Ahyoong replied, getting up from the side where she was searching for something in the lower cabinets.
"Yoong-ah, I'd rather you finish that now. I need the slippers." Eri said nonchalantly. "I can talk to Mr. Kim later."
Ahyoong glanced from Eri to Seokjin.
Seokjin walked closer to the table. "You'll talk to me now."
Ahyoong blinked a few times then departed hurriedly, forgetting to close the door behind her.
Eri continued on flipping through the magazine. Keeping a poker face on. "I have nothing to say to you."
"Too bad, I have something to say to you. And if you don't want our conversation to be broadcasted all over town, you'll come with me now."
Her lips pressed into a thin line. She put the magazine down on the table then gracefully got up from the chair. She walked on her bare feet to close the door of the office. She blew an exasperated breath when she glanced back at him with an arched eyebrow, tossing her hair over her shoulder. Then settled back on the chair.
"Eri." He snapped after waiting for her.
She lifted her face to look at him. "I'm not going anywhere with you, so what is it?"
"You know well what I want to talk to you about, don't pretend you don't."
She picked up the magazine again. "Actually I don't."
He gritted his teeth. "Yes you do. You were at the crafthouse when Miyoung and I were there."
"Ah yes, the crafthouse you plan to tear down. The one I spent thousands updating for you."
"Look Eri, I didn't mean for you to find out that way. I'm sorry. And I plan to pay you back."
"That's right. Because you're not broke, are you? Your medical expenses didn't tap you out. I guess it's a good thing I didn't follow up on the veteran's ministry after all. I would've humiliated myself trying to help someone, when that someone didn't even need the help."
Seokjin was tired of being put on the defensive. "I didn't ask you to do it. You did that on your own."
"How dare you! I thought you were having financial problems, living in an old hanok and doing business on that run down crafthouse. I just wanted to..." She rubbed her chest. "All along it was a game to you. You and my sister must have had a good laugh at my expense."
He searched her face, looking for signs of anxiety attack. Rubbing her chest indicated she might be having one, but other than that he couldn't tell. There was a part of him that felt guilty for upsetting her, playing her, but then the fact that she sent that photo alleviated some of the guilt. It was her plan to break up Miyoung and Taehyung in the first place. "Is that why you sent the photo to Taehyung? To get back at me and Miyoung?"
Eri glared at him. What photo? The one she took at the crafthouse? How dare he accuse her again. She only showed it to Kii and no one else. Wait, did Kii send it? She is confused, but right now is not the time to show weakness. "Taehyung deserved to know what his fiance was doing behind his back before marrying her. At first I thought Taehyung was no good for Miyoung and that she deserved better, but now, I realized it's Taehyung who deserved better. He has the right to know what was going on between you and my sister. Or are you going to deny that too?"
"Because of the poem you sent, Taehyung packed up and left. Your sister was understandably upset."
"Is that what you plan on telling Taehyung? That you were kissing his fiance because she was... ...upset?"
"Wait, kissing? What kissing?"
She laughed, and not in amusement. "Please, the man is a doctor, he's smarter than that. You better come up with something else."
"That photo wasn't what it looked like. There is nothing going on between me and Miyoung. I didn't kiss her. I was just comforting her." He walked around the table and closed the short distance between them. Putting his hands on the armrest of the chair, securing Eri in her place. "Do you actually think after that kiss we shared, after making plans with you tonight, that I'd be kissing your sister a few hours later?"
"I heard everything. It was all part of the plan. The only reason I was even staying at your place was because of my sister. It was always Miyoung for you Seokjin. I don't know why I thought it would be different now. This town and the people in it, ugh, I should've gone back to Seoul yesterday."
"You're wrong. I didn't kiss your sister. I never have. It was... we could have had something Eri. I thought..." He straightened, angry at himself for thinking there was even a 'we'. She had changed. She didn't intend to stay here in the first place. Of course, she'd leave. Just like what she did eleven years ago. Turning on his heel ready to leave, he said. "You're right. Do everyone a favor and go back to Seoul."
Eri stared after Seokjin. He thought they had something? Not him and her sister? Confused, she found herself lur
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