14 | Protect

 

 

***

 

 

Yoong didn't say anything but just gesture to his bodyguard to take her camera and rummage on her backpack which they complied.

 

"Aren't you curious why am I doing this?" Sunny asks as he chuckled. 

 

"Tell me then." Scoffs Yoong, crosses his arms on his chest in front of her. 

 

"Money." Replied Sunny in an instant.

 

"I knew it." Wasn't surprised at all, Yoong just simply said but still glaring at her.

 

Sunny took her phone from the bodyguard and showed the photos she sent her friend, which shows the doe-eyed and Seohyun. "My friend is from dispatch. If you agree with my offer, I'll stop him from publishing these." She said, smirking. 

 

"How dare you." It angers Yoong and he tried to snatch it but Sunny avoided his reach. "Okay. How much?" So he decided to give it to her.

 

"1million dollars." 

 

"Seriously?" 

 

Sunny chuckled mockingly. "I thought you are rich? And you love Seohyun, right? Then do as what I said." 

 

"I can charge you for blackmailing me like this, Ms. Lee." Yoong warned seriously. 

 

"Really? Then you leave me no choice." Sunny didn't hesitate and she types a message to her friend.

 

Yoong hastily snatched her phone. "I was just kidding." He chuckled and hastily deleted the message she composed. "But assure me first. Tell your friend to delete the photos otherwise I am calling the police. This is against the privacy act, don't you know that?"

 

"Of course. But wire me the money right after."

 

"Deal." 

 

Sunny scoffs and she took her phone back. She typed her message and sent it to her friend right away and showed it to Yoong. "A million dollars Mr. Im or I'm taking my words back." She warned.

 

Delete the photos buddy. We got better money here.

 

Yoong reads the message in his mind but waited until her friend just said okay. "Tell him to screenshot if he really deleted it."

 

"Tsk, so demanding." Sunny mutters but complied nonetheless and her friend immediately sent evidence.

 

Yoong took her bank account and sent the money hastily through a bank account on his phone only. "If this gets a leak, you better be hiding well, I'm finding you in every corner of this city." He firmly warned. He didn't also missed a chance and deleted the photos and deleted it completely from the phone's recovery file. 

 

"Easy there, Mr. Im. I just really need money. Just pure business." Sunny replied and smiled to see her bank account.

 

"Seriously? You would come this far? How do you think Seohyun will react to this?" Yoong questioned couldn't believe what he heard and it frustrates him. 

 

"She isn't even replying to my messages and ignores my calls. Now I know the reason. Just don't tell her we meet then." Smirks Sunny while shaking her head gently as she looks at him from head to toe. 

 

Yoong scoffs. "As if you don't understand why she's doing this."

 

"Oh yes, I do. But still, this is big news if I-"

 

"Don't you ing dare!" Yoong advances as he pointed at her.

 

"Alright, alright! Easy there." Sunny put her hands in the air briefly as she steps back two. "You have my phone number and address. I'm not going anywhere."

 

"You and your friend, don't you dare do something stupid, otherwise you know what's going to happen." Seriously Yoong said and he turns to leave, gesturing the bodyguards to come with him. "Keep an eye on her." He instructed his bodyguards. He took a look back on her as he sent her a brief glare.

 

Sunny is still in disbelief watching Yoong's back. It was easy for him to hand the kind of amount and she's really sure he can add more if she had demanded bigger. But a million is enough for now. "ing idiot they don't have to step into my camera." She finally realized her DSLR is broken and they even took the memory card.

 

-

 

"Did you get the paparazzi?" Ask Seohyun just as Yoong returned.

 

"Yeah, and we got the memory card." Informed Yoong as he shared it with his wife.

 

"Chincha?" Seohyun got the card and inserted it into her phone. Her eyes widened to see photos of her and Yoong earlier. "That was close." It just makes her heart beats faster.

 

"Definitely." Sighs Yoong heavily.

 

"Where's the paparazzi now, Mr. Im?" Ask Hyo as it still concerned her.

 

"I threatened to file a charge so yeah, we got that. She got scared."

 

"Thanks, Yoongie for immediately taking action." Seohyun is relieved to know. 

 

"No, thanks to Hyo. She was the one who spotted her. And I just did as what a husband does to protect his wife." Smiled Yoong briefly. He doesn't mind giving that million if it means protecting the love of his wife.

 

"That was nothing. I want to protect you guys too." Smiled Hyo as she holds Seouyun's hand. 

 

"I think we really should go home now." Yoong announced. He didn't wait for their reaction as he the engine and carefully drove off.

 

 

:::

 

 

Walking out of the bathroom wearing her usual pajama dress, Seohyun realized her husband isn't sitting on their bed anymore when she left him. She just shrugs and walks to the vanity to have her hairbrush and put some lotion on her dry skin. After some time, she walked out of the room and heard Yoong's voice from downstairs, talking with someone she recognized.

 

"Manager Hwang!" Which she hastily called happily as she walks downstairs.

 

Yoong automatically jumped off of the sofa and meet with Seohyun halfway to carry her in a bridal style and brought her carefully to the living room.

 

"Wow, look at how big is your stomach now!" Manager Hwang cheered, getting up, and greeted his artist with a brief hug. "I missed you so much, Hyun."

 

"I miss you too, Oppa." Seohyun giggles.

 

"Uh, I think I have to get the ordered food now. Make yourself at home, Manager Hwang." Yoong said as he excused himself to get what they ordered while Hyo is preparing Seohyun's dinner.

 

Seohyun took her manager's hand as they take their seats on the sofa. "So how was the agency doing, Oppa?"

 

"Nah, as usual, stressful. Especially that you weren't around. Everyone is trying to fill into you like a commercial film. You know we can't convince those companies to wait for you so we ask if it's okay that your colleagues will do it. But this doesn't mean they replaced you as their ambassador. The contract is still there."

 

Seohyun nodded in understanding. She doesn't mind at all as long as there's still a job for her when she returned.

 

"How about you? How's pregnancy and your relationship with Yoong? He's taking care of you well, right?" Manager Hwang took her hand and hold it. "Tell me honestly." 

 

Seohyun chuckled in amusement. She patted her manager's hand as an assurance. "He's taking care of me well. I think it's me who isn't doing what I should do for him."

 

"Yah, you're pregnant. You need to make sure you and your baby will be safe." Manager Hwang reminded. "Good and he's doing what a partner should do. But why did you guys hired a midwife?"

 

"He's a bit busy because of his brother's being hospitalized. Hyo Unnie is making sure I am doing what a pregnant should do while he's not around. You know, to avoid not being stressed alone." Shared Seohyun, flashing a cheerful smile.

 

"I see... How many months is the baby again?"

 

"Just turned five months. Just three or four months left, we'll see baby Seoyoung." 

 

"Oh, so you guys have named her?" Manager Hwang got excited to hear it. "Who named her?"

 

"I and he agrees right away." Giggles Seohyun.

 

"Cute name. Like it's you and his name combined. I can't wait to be her Godfather."  Couldn't help it, Manager Hwang touches Seohyun's stomach and it greeted him with a kick. "Omo." Which causes him to retract his hand right away.

 

Seohyun chuckled and caresses her baby bump. "That's Uncle Jungmin, baby Seoyoung. Say hi to your Godfather." She said with a sweet smile, looking down at her stomach.

 

"Wow, you're really used to it?"

 

"Definitely Oppa. We communicate well. Right baby?" Seohyun flutters as she feels like Seoyoung rubs her back.

 

"You'll be a great mother." 

 

Seohyun smiled shyly. "I hope so, Oppa." But she wasn't sure. She'll do her best either way.

 

"You will, I tell you." Manager Hwang firmly said as he patted her hand. He then felt his phone vibrating from his pocket which causes him to pause to check who's calling. "I'll get this phone call first." And he gets up to take a call outside.

 

Seohyun just doesn't mind and turned her attention to the tv that had been playing since she left earlier. Just a couple of minutes later, her manager returned.

 

"Mr. Lee, he wants to talk to you." Manager Hwang handed his phone.

 

"Wae?" Seohyun asks curiously.

 

"Just take it."

 

Quiet stranged, Seohyun took the phone and answered the CEO of the agency on the next line. "Mr. Lee." In a casual way.

 

[Hyun, do you know about the paparazzi that captured you and your boyfriend?]

 

"Yes. Yoong saw it."

 

[God damn it, that idiot offered a five million dollar in return for the photos not to be published.]

 

"What?" Seohyun gasps when she learned. "Wha... What did you do?" And her heart beats faster again as it worries her.

 

[Of course, I need to protect you. I send the money. But please, I am asking you to refrain from going out with him in public. Otherwise, I will not give what will they ask anymore. Or might as well break up with him. Either way, you guys aren't married yet. It's the best we can do to stop-]

 

"No. I'm not breaking up with him. I promise that will be the last time."

 

[How would I know eh? Yah, You really should break up with him. Paparazzi are so interested in your hiatus right now. Don't see him anymore!]

 

"He's the father of my child!" Seohyun countered seriously. "No way I am preventing him to see our child. You can trust me, okay? We aren't going to public places anymore. Just don't ever forbid me seeing him." 

 

[Wow, Joohyun I thought I'm the CEO here and you are my artist. I know-]

 

"And He's freaking my husband now!" It frustrates Seohyun that she blurted it out unconsciously. "He has all the right now, whether you like it or not." But she ends up defending her husband. She feels like she needed to do it as it scares her.

 

[What?]

 

"We have registered for marriage while I was away in my hometown. I'm sorry if I didn't tell you but it's the best thing to do while I'm pregnant. My parents even pursued us. So please, I'm asking for your support, Mr. Lee."

 

[You don't know what you are doing Seo Joohyun.] 

 

Seohyun was about to continue when the phone call hangs up and it frustrates her. "Aish!" She looked back at her manager just to see him stunned. Sighing, Seohyun smiled and nodded to confirm what she said.

 

 

:::

 

 

Upon finishing putting on a white shirt, Yoong smiled as he crawled to the bed while his wife is sitting with her back against the board. She's reading some book on top of the pillow.

 

Leaning in, he kissed her cheek that brought her attention to him. Seohyun sweetly smiled as she caresses his cheek peck on his lips.

 

"You're not sleeping yet?" Ask Yoong softly.

 

"After this chapter." Replied Seohyun instantly as her eyes returned to her book.

 

Yoong places his chin on her shoulder as one arm sneak on her baby bump, caressing it gently while he tried to read something from the book. "What is it about?"

 

"About a family that goes for an adventure trip." Shares Seohyun, smiling as she flutters because of her husband's hand over her stomach. She then put the book down to hold his hand on her stomach. "I am curious... Did the paparazzi made you an offer?"

 

Yoong pulled back to look at her. "Why did you ask?"

 

"Well, Mr. Lee, the agency's CEO called earlier and he received an offer in return for deleting the photos." Explained the young actress, raising her eyebrows towards the doe-eyed. "She offered you, didn't she?"

 

Yoong took a deep breath and slowly relaxed, nodding gently his head. 

 

"Why didn't you tell me?" Seohyun whined.

 

"It wasn't like a big deal. And it's just a million you know. I did it because I want to protect you. I wasn't aware she will also offer the agency." Yoong explained defensively. "But don't worry, I hired one of my bodyguards to keep an eye on her. She will not do anything stupid."

 

"Do you know the paparazzi?" Seohyun felt weird the way Yoong is talking.

 

"Well, I don't think I can keep it. It's Sunny, your friend. Isn't it funny? The people we thought we could trust are betraying us and those we don't is not." Chuckled Yoong bitterly. It just feels really weird and he is annoyed, upset, and disappointed.

 

Seohyun got quiet. She doesn't have a guess and it's upsetting as she takes a moment to process what she learned. "She's..." And it's slowly aching her heart.