Chapter 2

Hayeon stood outside the sports car, a little hesitant, as Jongup slid in. “What are you waiting for?” Hayeon frowned, “Where are we going?”

“Paradise.”  Jongup laughed, still unwilling to let Hayeon know where  their destination was going to be. “I’m not going with you.” Hayeon grumbled. “You don’t have a choice.” Jongup had, by then, appeared beside Hayeon. “I repeat myself: I. AM. NOT. GOING. ANYWHERE. WITH. YOU.” Hayeon turned, and was about to leave when she was lifted off the ground.

“Let me down!” Hayeon screamed, trashing about in the strong hold of Jongup. He held her bridal-style, their faces only inches away from each other. Both of them fell silent at the awkwardly close distance and Jongup set Hayeon down in the only passenger seat in the car. She kept blushing until he had returned to the driver’s seat, locking the door. Jongup started driving towards she-don’t-know-where and Hayeon began studying him again.

“I want to go home.” Hayeon growled as she was held captive by Jongup in that amazing sports car of his. He simply laughed. “I want to go home!” She screamed again, like a spoiled little princess.

“I promise you’ll enjoy yourself. Just trust me.”

“How can I trust you? We just met.” Hayeon was turning into the stubborn donkey she was known as.

“Then why are you sitting so comfortably in my car, Nam Hayeon?” Jongup could not help but smile, keeping his eyes on the road the whole time.

“You kidnapped me!” Hayeon shrieked in annoyance at Jongup’s chuckle. Folding her arms across her chest, she grumbled like an old hag. “Could have gone shopping with Jae… One design would have been completed by now… Stupid Jongup… Lousy car… Kidnapper…” Hayeon glared at the brown-haired boy who still has a slight smile on his handsome features.

“NamNam, we’ve reached. Stop being a donkey.” Jongup laughed, getting out of the vehicle. Hayeon grew purple with rage as he opened the door for her, like a gentleman. “What did you call me?” Hayeon exploded.

“Nothing,” he just smiled mysteriously, pretending not to see the scowl on Hayeon’s face. Neither did he realise that she had stopped walking just paces in front of the lush McLaren until the only footsteps he could hear was his own.

Frowning, he retraced his steps and found the donkey smiling to herself as she leaned on his car. “Don’t lean!” he fumed, while she appeared pleased at his barely concealed fury. “Why shouldn’t I?” She asked as she raised her eyebrows, as though mocking him. “Why should you?” He retorted, his brows furrowing in annoyance at the small of her back barely touching the shiny white surface of his sports car. She smirked, leaning further against his precious car, as she typed furiously away on her mobile. “Nam Hayeon, this is my last warning to you. You better-“ Jongup began, a little apprehensive, but was cut short by the ringing of Hayeon’s device. “Namu, where are you?” Jongup could barely eavesdrop on the conversation. “Oh, I was, no, I am kidnapped.” Hayeon’s annoying mocking smirk resurfaced. The person on the other line blasted Hayeon’s ears with a series of screaming and, probably, cursing. Hayeon laughed, a sound so mellifluous that he thought he was hallucinating. “I’m safe, Jae.” She said. “I think.”

That sent ‘Jae’ hysterical.

“Just shut up, Ryu Jaeyeon.” Hayeon interrupted the screaming and suspicious crying. “I’m really fine. Wait, I’m not. Can you come and save me?”

What?

Both Jongup and Jaeyeon could not believe their ears.

“Where are you now?” Jaeyeon asked, after calming down a little.

“Jeju.” Hayeon stated, leaning her full body weight on the vehicle.

“Which part of Jeju,” Hayeon could already visualize Jaeyeon rolling her eyes.

“At-“ Jongup snatched her white Samsung Galaxy away from her freezing fingers and immediately ended the call. “You’re coming with me,” he sighed, heaving her feather-light body unto his shoulders like a ragged doll and headed to the east of Jeju Island with Hayeon screaming and kicking in an desperate attempt to break free.

                                                                                                           ***

“Hayeon? Hayeon!” Ryu Jaeyeon cried as the service had cut itself short. Or was it being hung up by her kidnapper? Jaeyeon began panicking, slamming her phone on the table and immediately began apologising to it. “I need to do something…” she muttered, already on the verge of pulling all her hair out. She redialled Hayeon’s number continuously but was put off by the endless rejection of the mobile servicer telling her that ‘their subscriber isn’t available at the moment’.

Of course she isn't available, Jaeyeon thought to herself in frustration. She's kidnapped!

Exasperated, Jaeyeon tried to call Hayeon's mother. But she didn't pick up. “Hello? Uncle, is Hayeon with you?” Jaeyeon's voice was trembling as Hayeon's father picked up his cell after what seemed like an eternity. “Hayeon? No... She's not working with me, anymore. Remember? Why?”

“Erm,” Jaeyeon hesitated. What if Mister Nam suffers from a heart attack after he found out Hayeon was kidnapped? “Nothing,” Jaeyeon faked a laugh. “She's just late for our shopping date.”

. I need to go to her office. Jaeyeon cursed as soon as the line went dead. Pulling her apron off her salmon coloured tee, she shouted, “Jun, I'm going out for awhile. Take care of the store!” With that, she dashed out of the flower shop she was working part-time in, without even waiting for her partner's reply. Jaeyeon dived into her pale yellow Infiniti G37S Convertible Coupe and it roared to life as she sped towards the tall grey building with plenty of glass windows, holding Hayeon's new name card in her hand and speeding past several red lights.

“Excuse me, may I look for Nam Hayeon?” Jaeyeon tried to speak as politely as she could to the receptionist, while feeling annoyed at her slow movements.

“Nam Hayeon-ssi?” The receptionist typed away at her computer. “She went out with the director.”

“The who?”

“The director.” The receptionist rolled her eyes at Jaeyeon, as if only idiots would have no idea what she was talking about.

Jaeyeon grunted in annoyance. “May I know who the director is?” The receptionist’s mouth hung agape as she stared at Jaeyeon in disbelief. “Director Moon Jongup.”

“Can I have his name card,” It wasn’t a question as Jaeyeon stretched out her hand when the receptionist made no gesture to give her one.

“Moon Jongup,” Jaeyeon muttered as she grabbed the name card and strode out of the office without even looking back at the pure white reception counter. Stuffing two small pale yellow headpiece buds into her freezing ears, Jaeyeon kicked at the car pedal once again, this time heading towards the Jeju Island.

                                                                                                                ***

“This is atrocious, Moon Jongup. You kidnapped me just to bring me here?” Hayeon gestured at the wooden structure that has steam emerging from the roof. “Well, I figured you are a workaholic…” Jongup absentmindedly messed up the back of his hair with his awkward trailing hand.

“I’m not going in.” She concluded, folding her arms across her chest and turning away from Jongup just to hide her face. “Come on, why not?” He tugged at her firmly crossed hands, attempting to drag her in without using force.

“No!” Hayeon screamed at his shocked face, Jongup’s hand stopping in mid-air.  “Namnam…are you blushing?” He asked a little hesitantly.

“N-no, I’m not!” She flung his concerning hand away from her.

He sighed, puffing out a cloud of vapour. “You’re embarrassed.”

“N-no,” Hayeon stuttered again, avoiding Jongup’s searching eyes. “Of me, or of the public?” He asked quietly, but still refusing to drop his point.

“I told you I wasn’t embarrassed!” She insisted, flushing hardly to contradict herself. A small smile lifted the side of Jongup’s lips as he grabbed her arms and dragged her to the hot spring. “I’m not going in there!” Her voice hide a tinge of fear as she struggled in his hold.

“Excuse me,” Jongup approached the hostess of the hot spring centre, ignoring Hayeon’s whining protests. “I’d to book down an entire hot spring room.”

“Sure, sire.” She smiled. “Couple room with your girlfriend?”

“No, I mean the public area? I’d like to book one entire public room.”

“Erm, sire, don’t you want our couple room? We can get a suite version for you.”

“No, thank you. I’d like to book the public area.” Jongup’s voice was unexpectedly strong, surprising Hayeon. She stopped defying his grip, which loosened as soon as she did so, in sheer astonishment. “Would you like to try their spa? It’s daebak.” Jongup recommended, flashing that signature bright smile of his. “No, thank you very much.” The small crease between her brows resurfaced.

“Yup, okay sire. This way, please.” The slightly plump lady excused herself from the counter, beckoning Jongup and Hayeon. She stopped in front of a translucent, frosted glass and switched the sign to ‘Closed’. “This is the key to lock from inside. Enjoy your stay.” Her warm smile was suspicious to Hayeon as Jongup bowed to her in thanks and opened the door for the spring bath pools.

“Come on in.” Jongup gestured to the wide, inviting pools with hot steam rising from the blue surface. “It’s cold outside.”

“No.”

“What?”

“You’ll be inside too.” Her blush reappeared, embarrassing her as her palms shot up to cover the red patches on her cheeks. “You can go and change there. I will be here. No interaction needed.” Jongup raised his hands in surrender.

“I…I…” For once, Hayeon was caught speechless and at a loss for words.

Jongup cocked his head to one side, like a confused puppy. “I…” She repeated retardedly. Sudden realisation struck Jongup’s features as he choked down his laughter. “Nam Hayeon, you haven’t been to a hot spring, have you? You can wrap yourself with a towel.” Hayeon suddenly felt really small, very ignorant, as Jongup tried desperately to hide his amusement with a lopsided smile.

“Oh,” was her only reply as she scurried to the changing room at the other end. “Don’t peek, Nam Hayeon.” Jongup joked as he strolled to his changing room.

“What are you looking at?” Hayeon growled as she walked out of the changing room, with only a towel as white as snow, sliding into the only other pool opposite the one Jongup was already in. She winced at the sudden rise of temperature, stubbornly refusing to cry out in shock. “Nothing,” he muffled his chuckle with his words.

Blood rose to her cheeks once again as she spat, “Don’t you dare laugh at me.”

“Sorry,” Jongup laughed, obviously not caring about Hayeon’s threat. “You should try this.” He rose from the pool he was soaking in, holding a bucket in his hand. Hayeon’s curiosity was pricked, as she narrowed her eyes at the wooden bucket, thinking that Jongup might have ordered some snacks while she was changing like people do when they go for hot springs.

His perfectly chiselled body towered over her like a skyscraper and a smile tugged at one side of his pale lips.

She definitely did not expect him to down a pail of steaming hot spring water at her unknowing face.

“MOON JONGUP!” She screamed, her hands frantically slapping at the water around her body. “Hey, it’s good for the skin.” Jongup clutched his sides as they ached from laughing at his stupid and impulsive act.

“YOU ARE GOING TO PAY FOR THAT.” Hayeon’s eyes burned with fury, tinted slightly with mischief. “It’s payback time.”

                                                                                                               ***

And this whole time, Ryu Jaeyeon had been calling both of their cells, which was hidden somewhere inside their jeans, in the wooden locker provided by the hot spring centre.

Author's Note: Hey, I'm back again~ Sorry for the late update. Is this long enough to appease you guys? n____n Many thanks for those who still stuck with this story though I took a long long time to update. I'll try harder to update! Enjoy~ (p.s. sorry for the lack of the poster u___u)