*Jisue’s POV*

“Jisueeeeeeeeeee,” Kevin pouted, tugging on my arm. “I already said I was sorryyyyy.”

I shrugged him off and continued to fix my hair.

“Jisueeeeee~~~!”

“Aish! Out of all the people you had to say him. HIM!”

A day had passed since our confrontation with Detective Kim and I was finally being released from the hospital. My anger toward Kevin had hardly faded.

“It all happened so fast… what was I supposed to say?! Plus, Mr. Shin isn’t as bad as you make him out to be,” Kevin justified himself.

“Not as bad as I think? Kevin, he’s a freak! He works in an office and wears suits. I don’t even think he knows what the word ‘humor’ means. If I asked him he’d probably whip out a pocket dictionary or something!” I huffed.

“Can’t you just deal with it for a few months? Isn’t your career worth it?” he raised his eyebrows.

“Aigoo,” I crossed my arms and puffed out my cheeks in annoyance. “This isn’t fair.”

Just then the door opened, revealing Soohyun with a giant grin on his face.

“Ah, yebo!” he called happily into the room. “I’m so glad you’re better! Are you ready to go?” As soon as he closed the door his face fell into an icy glare. “Get your moving so we can leave. I have work to do.”

“Give me a second, honey,” I spit the words out like a sour candy, “I need to look beautiful for you, like a lady remember?”

“Look,” Soohyun stormed across the room, grabbed my arm, and whipped me around to face him. “I can go to the authorities, tell them the truth, and get you deported any time I want. So do as I say or I’ll ruin you!”

I huffed, blowing hot air in his face, “Ruining me will ruin you too. Assisting a criminal is pretty serious.”

His eyes drilled into me to the point where he looked like he was about to snap. Instead, he took a deep breath and let go of my arm, “Just hurry up will you. I have to get back to the office.”

“I didn’t ask you to bring me home in the first place,” I pointed out tying my hair back in a bun, “Kevin can bring me home.”

“We just thought it’d look better if you two left together,” Kevin spoke up. “You’re supposed to be in love after all.”

“Don’t remind me,” I sighed, slipping my bag over my shoulder. “Well come on, let’s do this.”

I glanced around the hospital as we walked down the hall, Soohyun and I hand in hand. A smile was plastered on each of our faces. To any random person we may’ve looked like a happy couple. But if someone took the time to look close enough, they might realize Soohyun and I squeezing each other’s hands so hard our fingers were practically purple, and the snarky comments we shot back and forth under our breaths.

“Aish.” “My goodness.” We both let out sighs of relief once the elevator doors closed, immediately pulling apart from each other and standing on opposite sides of the small room.

“I can’t do this,” Soohyun huffed.

“Oh, so you’re cool with going to jail? Could’ve fooled me,” I shot back.

“We’re almost out; just keep it together guys,” Kevin begged warily.

The elevator door opened and Soohyun and I resumed our fake coupling. When we got to the exit Soohyun held the door for me, but dropped it just before I passed through.

“Aish, pabo!” I smacked his arm. “Treat your fiancé with respect. I don’t know why I still stay with you!”

“Ya!” We looked to our right to see a little old lady sitting in a wheel chair. “Why are you men so cruel these days? Where have your manners gone?”

“Oh,” Soohyun looked at her in surprise, then bowed, “Choesonghamnida, ahjumma.”

“Take her back in there and do it again!”

“Ah- I… ahjumma-,”

“Annio! Do it now!”

“Aish,” Soohyun pulled me back in the door, Kevin giggling as we went. “This is ridiculous.”

“I think it’s hilarious,” Kevin smiled.

Soohyun let out an angry sigh, then pushed open the door, holding it open for me, “Here you go, yebo.”

“Now that wasn’t very hard was it?” I asked with mock sweetness as I passed through the doorway. “Thank you, ahjumma. Hopefully my fiancé will retain some of this knowledge on manners for the future.”

“Good luck with that, dear,” the old woman scoffed, glaring at Soohyun.

We walked down the sidewalk to where Soohyun had parked his car. He reached to open my door for me, but I smacked his hand, “I got it! Jeez, I know how to open a door.”

He stared at me with jaw dropped. “Unbelievable,” he mumbled, shaking his head as he walked around to the driver’s side of the car.

“I need an engagement ring,” I stated as Soohyun drove.

“Hah! I’m not paying for some phony engagement ring!” he exclaimed. “That one’s on you.”

“Fine. I’ll just say that my fiancé couldn’t afford the ring at the time of proposal, but promised to get me one. But he never came through with his promise.”

“Why are you so manipulative?!” Soohyun smacked his steering wheel in annoyance. “Look. I get off work early tonight. How about we go get a ring for you, then get our stories straight over some dinner. They’re going to grill us for information when we go in for questioning.”

“As long as Kevin can come,” I demanded.

“Of course,” my phony fiancé sighed. “He’s the only way I’m going to stay sane.”

I looked in the rearview mirror to see a smile spread across Kevin’s face.

Oh, great.

Soohyun dropped Kevin and me off at my apartment building and agreed to pick us up again at five. We went up to my apartment and I confronted Kevin upon entry.

“I can’t believe you!” I slammed the door shut, throwing my purse down on the kitchen counter.

“What?” Kevin furrowed his brow at me. “What did I do?”

“Don’t act all innocent. I know how you feel!”

“Feel about what?!”

“You’re trying to steal my fiancé!”

“Huh?” he shook his head, still not getting the whole picture.

“YOU LIKE MR. SHIN!”