Chapter 14

The two men were sitting on the front side of a coffee shop. Woosung gulped his coffee before talking about the topic.

"I am dating Choi Junyoung," he started the conversation which was shocking news for Hyunbin. "I confirmed it at the press conference this morning," he smiled in disbelief about what he had done that morning.

"You said that you love..." Hyunbin furrowed his brow flustering about what he had said in Daegu and what he just said was different.

"I know. Yejin told me about your ex. She also can't believe what happened. So..." he shook his head massaging his temple frustratedly.

"She threatens you," Hyunbin laid his back on the couch and mouthed in awe.

"Not her ...But, my agency. Did she threaten you back then?" Woosung asked him while his hands clasping together. Hyunbin grabbed his coffee and slurped it in a daze didn't answer his question. "Yejin got terrors from her," Woosung replied that made Hyunbin widened his eyes. The truth that he wasn't aware from the start.

"Don't do something before you got her flaws!" Hyunbin sighed. "I don't know what to say but, don't play with her if you don't have something to shut her up!" He added shrugging his shoulders.

"What had she done with you? You were in a long relationship with her before."

"You could have tried to look for her flaws if you want to go away from her faster."

"Why didn't you do it before?"

"She got my flaws."

"Your flaws?" Woosung said furrowing his brows. Hyunbin opened his phone's gallery and showed a picture of him kissing Yejin when she was sleeping in his first exhibition. Woosung pulled it closer.

"Yejin was rising her fame back then after years of her debut and I couldn't just be the one who ruined it. Junyoung had copied it and I couldn't do anything other than being hers." He exhaled and slurping his coffee. Listening to his explanation made Woosung dropped his jaw in disbelief.

"But, how can you break up with her?"

"She betrayed the promise. She made the scandal about Yejin for the first time."

"She did?" Woosung narrowing his eyes in anger, knowing she was the one who made the scandal that actually put him in. He bit his lower lip still in shock hearing the fact.

"Yeah and I broke up with her. And not long after that, Our parents arranged the marriage for us in sudden," he said while his lips were curving into a smile not even hiding it.

"How long have you been falling to her?" Woosung asked and he just in a daze. He pulled his coffee and slurped it calmly. He looked out of the window.

"I don't know..." he said as looking down to the ground with a smile.

*****((()))*****

Yejin was still sleeping on the ER bed while getting an IV injection. She was sleeping peacefully and Hyunbin came to her slowly with a bucket of peony he bought before. He dragged a chair and took a seat beside her after putting the bucket on the table. His hand held her free hand and it lightly. Seeing her weak condition he put her hand on his cheek.

The truth when she got terrors while he didn't aware about that twitched his heart, he tried hard on holding his clouded eyes while shutting them tight. He is the husband and he should protect her at any cost while he just knew the news a while ago.

"Oppa, Why?" A voice of her brought him to his sense. He wiped his eyes while turning his head against her.

"No, have you got any better?" He asked with his smile.

"I am fine," she mumbled while trying to get up. He naturally helped her to wake up. Yejin's eyes caught a bucket of peony beside her. "Oh, Oppa.." Yejin said as he brought the bucket closer to her.

"Do you have something to tell me?" he asked her in sudden.

"Thank you for the flowers, Oppa," she said smelling the flower with a wide smile. The smile was pure like she didn't have any burden on her back which was she was trying to hide by herself. He looked at her seriously. He took a deep breath while loosening his shirt.

"Tell me something that has been stressing you out these days," he said as Yejin looked at him with an unreadable expression. The reason she collapsed and even tiredness that she got while filming the movie. Dehydration, hypotension, lack of rest, and also stress could make her laying on the bed. However, after knowing by himself the box of terror and listening from Woosung about her these days convinced him that stress was undergone her much.

"I am fine, Oppa. Maybe the works drained me much. Ah... I should take more rest," she answered with a faintly smile diverting her eyes after looking at his keen eyes.

'DRRRRTTTT.....DRRRRTTTT... DRRRRTTT...'

Yejin's phone was ringing on the table and an unknown number was seen there. An unknown number that brought into a suspicion. Without any longer, Hyunbin snatched the phone before Yejin reached that.

"Hello ...." he greeted the caller with his husky voice.

"Oh...I don't know that you would be the one who is picking up the phone, brother-in-law," the caller replied with a mocking sound.

"Who are you?"

"I am your in-law."

"Stop using the voice changer! Show yourself!" He almost shouted to the caller just as if he didn't realize he was in the hospital.

"I am learning from you," the caller grinned. He narrowed his eyes redeeming his anger.

"Learning from me??? Who are you?"

"Let's see..."

"What do you want, Bastard?!"

"Ehmmm...Yejin's death?" The caller slurped something on the other side.

"Crazy Bastard!" Hyunbin cursed and suddenly Yejin grabbed his hand with her pleading eyes to give the phone back to her.

"Oppa, let me talk to the caller," she asked softly. He snatched her hand and brought the phone away from her.

"Finally, I can hear her beautiful voice,"

"What do you want?"

"HER DEATH!" the caller screamed in anger with the sound of glass was being thrown and shattered on the floor.

*****((()))*****

Junyoung rang the doorbell in front of the unit. She tried to ring the doorbell until the person in the unit opens the door. Jung Woosung with his white shirt and loosened comfy pant opened the door lazily.

"What do you want?" He asked in a cracked voice.

"Sunbae..." she handed a box of gift to him.

"Don't act like a real lover since we are doing this without feeling at all." He closed the door but she stopped the door by using her heels.

"Let me come inside! Look at the behind there is a cameraman, sunbae!" She said softly while fixing her hair behind. Woosung almost slammed the door but she stopped the door being closed and kissing him. Woosung pushed her back and she was taken aback. "Didn't Yoon Daepyo warn you already? Even it is only weeks left, can you just act like the real lover for a second?" Her facial expression turned into a devilish one. Woosung exhaled his breath in disbelief and let her came inside his very private place.

---

“What are you doing here?” Woosung handed her a glass of water on the table while she was strolling around his place innocently, ignoring the house owner's presence. “I will go somewhere what do you want?” he shrugged what to know her purpose coming to his apartment.

“Woosung Sunbae, Let me be here for an hour!” she asked while taking a seat in front of him.

“Honestly, who is the person do you really love? Why pulled me in?” he suddenly smirked.

“What do you mean, Sunbae?” she looked at him with almost burst out tears.

“WHAA, your acting is really improving. I knew you already. Don't pretend to be an innocent junior in front of me!" He smirked.

"As you wish, Sunbae..." her facial expression changed, and raised her phone.

"You, don't you say that you are getting married to him to cover our scandal?"

"I don't..."

"Yejin-ah... please, be honest to me!"

"I did, Sunbae. But it is not only the reason I am getting married to Oppa..."

"Do you love him?"

"I...." 'PRANG'

The time when the recorder started, his tight and his jaw tightened. He looked at her with his death glare and slammed the table.

"What do you want?" He sighed.

"Invite me to your movie's premiere," she smiled lightly. He raised his brow feeling irritated by her. "Since, it would be the last for us to act as a couple."

"I can't believe it. You are a parasite, Junyoung-ah."

"At least I won't hurt your lovingly Yejin before the movie is being released."

"I don't know you would be this low toward fame."

"I don't even care. Anyway, thanks for your help, Sunbae. My schedules well packed with your help."

*****((()))*****

In her apartment the place where they were living in. Yejin was already sleeping on the bed after getting permission to rest at home from the doctor. Hyunbin was still wide awake sitting with his back against the head bed. The call in the hospital ruined his mind and he couldn't do anything. He didn't know what to do anymore. He grabbed his phone and woke up from the bed and went to the living room. He called the number he believed so far.

"Hello, Yijeong-ah!" He greeted right after Hwang reporter picked up the call.

"What is it? It is still midnight," Yijeong yawned and replied with a cracked voice.

"Can you help me?"

"What is it?" He still answered with a lazy voice.

"Can you give me the footage near my hidden place in the Exhibition?"

"Is there something wrong? I should ask my team first. Will inform you soon. Can I Hung Up?"

"Ah, Okay. Thank you, Yijeong-ah. I am sorry for disturbing your sleep."

"Uh... Hung up now!"

'Ding Dong'

He lost his focus and turned to see the door behind his back. He walked lazily to the door.

*****((()))*****

The last shoot of Yejin's movie wrapped with the big claps. Since Hyunbin lived with her the terror started decreasing and made Yejin less worried. He always strolled around her filming site and he didn't care what the people in Yejin's room were thinking while he did his works in her waiting room after his pottery class. He didn't care about his presence was being shown in the public as long as they didn't know he is the one under HB Signature.

He naturally adapted to her situation. Sometimes he strolled at her filming site looking at her acting skill with Jung Woosung. Looking at their professionalism he grinned. However, when the scene was intimate enough, he left the site to redeem his jealousy. He always put it on his mind that It was for her work's purpose only.

"Oppa..."

"Where should we eat today?" She asked after getting the work done.

"Don't you have a party with the crews after filming? What is it called?" He tilted his head aside.

"Wrap-Up party?" She asked.

"Uhm.."

"Ahh... we're not going to make it today. Let's go somewhere!" She whined after convincing there were no people except the two of them in the waiting room.

"Your apartment..." he smiled full of purpose. Even he was adapted with filming site but still if they were out especially with that so-called Yejin, making him in worry.

"Heol... you're no fun, Oppa." Their conversation suddenly was being interrupted by his vibrated phone.

"Let me take this first!" He said while Yejin pouted taking cotton and a cleanser. She started cleansing her makeup and chirping.

"That Oppa... Tsk.."

*****((()))*****

"We found the footage. The ones who knew your hidden place were you and your wife, a woman, and a black suit man. The man looked blur and he seemed to know the place where the CCTV was put. So, I couldn't identify the face. But, the woman was your ex. I know for sure." Yijeong described the footage right after Hyunbin picked up the call.

"Can you send it to me?"

"Already, did it!" Yijeong strolled his chair after clicked the send button on the monitor. "By the way, why are you asking about something that had passed? It doesn't look like you." Yijeong bit the pen he was holding.

"It is just.." he sighed deeply.

"Did it connect with Yejin's father?" He asked gingerly with his frowned forehead.

"I think so..."

"Ah... I found his latest address in Seoul, though..." Yijeong took a paper with a written address.

"Her father had already died," his answer shocked him.

"What the ...?? Are you sure?" Yijeong's eyes widened and almost slammed his table if he didn't realize he was still in his office.

"I saw the picture of the ash barrel. Her father and her stepmother had died," He sighed deeply.

"Wow ... I don't even know it. How did you know that? I just know the address today and you already had the important news."

"She got terrorized these months."

"WHAT??" He slammed the table and unconsciously woke up from the chair. The people in the room put their eyes on him. He bowed lightly to the people in the room and sat on his chair slowly. "What do you mean?" He whispered.

"It seems like my in-law wants to meet her."

"In-law??" Yijeong flustered but then he recalled his memories and realizing the old picture Hyunbin was sent is making him frown. He scrolled for the picture on the monitor and dropped his jaw. "Her step-mother's kid. Is your in-law man or woman?"

"I don't know. The person used the voice changer as I did."

"Okay... I tried to gulp the information first and let me check it further!"

*****((()))*****

-Flashback-

Yejin walked toward the bus stop by herself when suddenly flour fell to her. She stopped walking and turned her head to the big waves of laughter floors above her. A group of girls looked at her in disgust and left her. She hissed and wiped the flour and tears. Woosik came to her hurriedly after watching the scene.

"Yah, Yejin-ah...! Are you okay?" He wiped the flour and tapped her uniform with his hands.

"I am okay, Oppa." She held her tears trying not to cry.

"It is fine if you want to cry. Don't hold it yourself!" He patted the flour on her uniform with his hands. Yejin looked at him feeling touched. Her brother loved her like they were born in the same womb.

"Oppa. I want your help..." she stuttered.

"What is it?"

"Please, don't tell Mom and Dad about this!"

"Yah, they should know about this."

"No, Oppa. They shouldn't know." She grabbed his hand pleading.

"Yah, Why?"

"I am very happy to be adopted by this family, that's enough. I am being grateful to be their daughter. I don't want to make them sad because they choose a daughter who is easily bullied."

"Yah, it is not you who are easily bullied. They're just jealous of your closeness with Hyunbin. I should tell them soon. They can't do that to you forever. How many times I've seen your looks like this? Should I hit them? But, they are all girls!" He put his arms on his waist rising his anger.

"No, Oppa. Don't ruin the family happiness because of me. I am happy with them. This is just a piece of cake for me. Also, don't do that. You shouldn't hit them," she said with her teary eyes. Woosik looked at her being flustered.

"Yah, I should warn them,"

"Oppa, it is better if you prepare yourself for university entrance and examination other than this. I can handle it myself."

"What are you saying? You often met me with these looks."

"Oppa, please! If you involve in this, I will get more bullying because you are as popular as Hyunbin Oppa."

"Yah, I am your brother."

"Oppa, please I am fine."

"Alright, then! Let's go for a new uniform and go to the nearest laundry service!"

"Yah, Oppa! It is fine with this uniform. I can wash it at home." She grabbed his arm.

"Are you stupid? You said that you don't want this to be known by Mom and Dad. You literally tell them that you're being bullied at school if you go home like this." He chirped.

"Ah... right! But, my saving is ..." she bit her lower lip uneasily.

"I bring mine," He replied in a second.

"Oppa. But,..."

"Take it or I will tell..."

"Alright, Oppa! .....Thank you ..." she grabbed his hand and dragged him outside while he stopped her.

"Buy the uniform first! Don't try to fool me, Son Yejin!" He turned their path back to the school's Co. before they were going too far.

---

Not far from the place where the new sibling had a conversation, Hyunbin was standing behind the building, eavesdropping on their conversation. His foot stomped worriedly at her. He wanted to come to her and reassuring her, but he couldn't come near. The conversation made him rising his guilt. The popularity actually harmed Yejin without he is noticing. He exhaled his breath deeply feeling wrong with the incident.

"Junyoung-ah, she is really at worst! She wouldn't beat you again. How can a first grader is being escorted by the agency? You are the one who can," A girl talked happily to her two friends that were walking together after the incident. The girls' voices were coming toward him. Hyunbin took a glance at them and walked away hiding somewhere before they realized his appearance, still eavesdropping on the girls' conversation.

"At least we warned her not to be too shown-off. After being clinging to Bin, she bravely took the agency's card without thinking?"

"Yeah, the first-grader that is clinging too much to Bin-ssi. Who does she think she is?" Another girl replied.

"Yah, I help you all though," The girl named Junyoung added.

"Yeah... thank you, Junyoung-ah! Finally, you make the move to warn her!"

"I couldn't be silence after she is trying to get something I should have," Junyoung said.

"But, you said you don't put your interest to Bin?"

"Yah, are you stupid? She means the agency." The other girl answered.

"Ah..right!" The girl hit her head while Junyoung smirked. They reached the end of the building and Hyunbin got on their way.

"OMO- OMO! You scared me!" Some of them were shocked at his sudden appearance.

"Don't touch her!" He said in a cold tone.

"Wh-what do you mean?" Junyoung's friend stuttered and hiding behind Junyoung who doesn't feel the shame.

"You know what I mean!" He gritted his teeth while the girls gulped their throats scared of Hyunbin's sudden death glare.

"Especially, you......Junyoung-ssi?" He convinced her name again.

"Why me?" she answered bluntly.

"It isn't her fault being offered by the agency. You should blame the agency, not her. Or maybe you're not good enough to be the one the agency needed," he ended and left them dumbfounded.

-to be continued-

 

Authors note:

Hi my beloved reader ^^

Here is an update ^^

Thank you for giving a tap on the star, comments, and direct messages that support me much all these time ^^

Enjoy the story and meet me again next chapter ^^

And for the last, kindly check my other stories The Binding Angel, Through Their Lenses, and The Luckiest ^^

Sincerely, Byeol-nim