“Ne. We’re dating. Wae?”

 

Just then they heard a loud banging of the door. Leeteuk, whose back is facing the door, didn’t pay too much attention to it thinking that it was just a staff that came out. He’s used to it already since he’s been working in this industry for quite a long time. Most of the staffs in the music shows or variety programs usually close the door loudly in a hurry especially shows that go on a live broadcast just like this one.

 

However, the scene was different for Minho and Seohyun as they saw who came out the room and made that loud sound. It was YongHwa, and Seohyun knew that he’s upset and she knew the reason why.

 

She turned to Minho to see if he had seen YongHwa’s reaction. Seohyun knew that if ever Minho saw his reaction, he would feel sorry. But she could not believe what she saw when she turned to him, she did not see regret neither apologetic look on his face, all she saw was Minho grinning as if he won a lottery.

 

“Heol.” She mumbled unconsciously.

 

“Wae?” Leeteuk asked her upon hearing her.

 

“O-Oh?” She’s in deep thought that she didn’t realized she mumbled loudly, enough for the two men to heard her.

 

“Yah! Do you really hate the idea of dating me that you have to make that kind of remark?” Minho asked almost in disbelief.

 

“A-Aniya. What are you saying? I-It’s not like that.” She said waving her hands.

 

“Need I remind you that I’m Lee MinHo, you should be proud dating me.” He said teasingly. hang open upon hearing what he said.

 

“Ah! Jinjja!” She mumbled annoyingly, she crossed her arms as she looked at him.

 

“You really have so much self confidence in you, Mister. You should tone it down a bit.” She said rolling her eyes.

 

Minho is about to open his mouth to even more when Leeteuk in.

 

“Okay now I’m confused. Are you guys dating or not?”

 

“We’re not dating, Oppa.” Seohyun said before Minho could even utter a word that might bring any misunderstanding to anyone who might have been listening to them.

 

“Woah! You denied it so fast, Princess.” Minho said hitting her elbow lightly.

 

“I’m not denying it. I’m telling the truth.” She said matter of factly.

                                                                                                                      

“Aish! I thought you’re really a couple.” Leeteuk grumbled.

 

“I can’t date someone whose popularity is greater than mine. You know she’s Hollywood’s Rising Superstar, I can’t handle that kind of pressure.” Minho said jokingly putting an emphasis to her title.

 

“Mwo?! YAH!” Seohyun hit his chest.

 

“Ouch! And did I forget to mention a brutal lover?” Minho said chuckling.

 

“Yah! You’re really dead later! Jinjja!” Seohyun glared at him that earns a hearty laugh from both men.

 

“But seriously, it’s a pity you’re not dating her.” Leeteuk said after recovering from a hard laugh.

 

“Ah jeongmal! You really thought that I would date him? Come on, Oppa. You know the real situation. I can’t date anyone because of my status. You know that I’m not that kind of person.” She said wearing a serious expression.

 

“Ahra. Keunyang..You know, I thought you will---“

 

“You thought I will date someone and forget everything that happened not to mention that I’m still married?” she cut him off.

 

“Yes, you can say that. I mean, after what he did to you. You have the right to do that.” The three of them remained silence for a while.

 

She heaves a sigh before she speaks.

 

“Oppa, you know that we got married twice, right? One of it was a church wedding in France, legally speaking, I can’t do that and even if I can, I won’t. I’m carrying his name and I vowed to be a good wife, he might have cheated on me but that doesn’t really mean I have to give shame to his family. His family had been really good to me even after we got separated. I can’t just disappoint them. Making them proud of me, though I’m not part of their family anymore, would be the least thing I can do.” She said swallowing a hard lump in .

 

“I got your point there and trust me, they are proud of you just like how proud we are to you.” Leeteuk assured her.

 

Seohyun gave him a warm smile. “Thank you, Oppa.”

 

“Keunde, I guess you have to talk to him. I won’t say why you have to do it because I know that you already know why but there are just things you still don’t know and you deserve to know it all, so talk to him maknae.”

 

Before Seohyun can even say a word, a staff called LeeTeuk telling him to prepare for the show.

 

“I’ll go ahead. Think about what I said, okay?”

 

Leeteuk pats her head before walking out the room.

 

‘Why does everyone wants me to talk to him? Is there something that I don’t know?’

 

“He’s right," He heard MinHo speak so she looked at him.

 

"you really have to talk to him.” He added.

 

“Do you think so too? Do you think I’m ready?” She asked nervously.

 

“You would never know you’re ready not unless you give it a try. Besides, it’s about time you stop running.” MinHo said seriously, she bit her lower lip as she heave a sigh contemplating what LeeTeuk and Minho had said.

 

After what happened last night, she is not sure if talking to him about what happened is really a good idea but she knows that she needs to hear his side too. She knew that running away instead of talking to him was a mistake and she doesn’t want to do the same mistake again. She doesn’t know what will happen after talking to him but she needs to do it. She is totally aware that what they need now is a proper closure to move on with their own lives. Just by thinking that everything about them will finally end brings pain to her chest, her stomach churns at the sudden thought, but she has to do it, once and for all, she has to end things between them. Ignoring the pain that she’s feeling, she smiled at Minho.

 

MinHo just looked at her curiously as he can’t read what’s on her mind now. He was taken aback with what she did next. Seohyun hugged her not minding that everyone in the dressing room are looking at them and might misunderstand their ‘intimate’ moment but he ignored it when he heard her speak.

 

“Thank you, Oppa.” She mumbles.

 

It was a short word but she doesn’t need to elaborate it, he knew why she said that. He hugged her back.

 

“I’m just here, Princess. When everything did not fall at the right place, Oppa and Minyoung Unnie will always be here for you. Not just us, you still have your soshi Unnie deul, who by the way is looking daggers at us now.”

 

He heard her giggles as she pulled away from the hug. She turned to look at her Unnies and MinHo was right. “Mian. We might have a new dating scandal.”

 

“Oh, I can’t wait. I told you, let’s just make it real so they would stop us.”

 

“And forget that you’re engaged?”

 

“You can be my mistress.” He shrugged.

 

“MWORAGO?!”

 

=-=-=-=-=

 

For a few minutes they just sat there having small talk. Seohyun knew that he was just making her comfortable.

 

Seohyun took a deep breath, for she can't count how many times she does the same action repeatedly.

 

“Stop being nervous.” He warned her.

 

“I-I can’t help it. This would be my first live appearance in Korea after three years. What if I messed up?” She said fidgeting.

 

MinHo cupped her face, an action that he usually do to her when he wants her to see his point.

 

Just then YongHwa came into the room. He smirked upon seeing them.

 

“O-Oppa—“

 

“Look at me.”MinHo said oblivious of YongHwa’s presence. His voice is full of authority so she did, she looked at him nervously,aware that YongHwa is glaring at them.

 

“You’re Seo JooHyun. There is no reason for you to get nervous. You’re a great performer, the whole world knows that. You would nail this. Do you understand me?” He said seriously looking straight at her eyes.

 

Seohyun shut her eyes tightly as she took another deep breath. When she opened her eyes, she looked at him full of determination.

 

“Ne.” She smiled warmly.

 

“Good. That’s my princess.” She said patting her head.

 

He looked at his wristwatch. “Look, I would really love to see you perform later but my fiancée might kill me if I didn’t go with her for our food test today so I really need to go.”

 

“Ahrasseo. I’ll see you later then.”

 

“Geure. Hwaiting.” MinHo said before gently kissing her forehead.

 

A few minutes after MinHo left, JiYoung gave her the list of the songs that she’s going to perform later.

 

“I think he misunderstands MinHo’s action.” She heard her speak without looking at her.

 

“Hmm? Who?” Seohyun asked, her eyes are on  the paper.

 

“YongHwa.” She mumbled as she flip the portfolio she’s reading. It’s the file for Seohyun’s next project so she needs to study it well.

 

Seohyun stops reading and looked at her manager then she looked around the room. She saw him talking to ShinHye or it could be the other way around since she’s the only one talking while YongHwa is obviously ignoring her presence. She looked at JiYoung again.

 

“I think everyone does but that’s how we act, we can’t change it just because it doesn’t pleases them.”

 

“Yes, what matter is MinHo did his job well. You aren’t nervous anymore,right?”JiYoung said smiling.

 

“Ne.”

 

“Then you’re good. Let’s talk about your next project after your photo shoot. You’re photo shoot for the drama today won’t take long so I’ll just email you the details of your next project.  Since I’ll be having a meeting with SNSD Managers today, I guess we can talk about this tomorrow on our way to filming. I’ll send MinJe to accompany you to your photo shoot.”

 

“Ne. Algeussimnida.”

 

At that time, Seohyun forgets the pain, she forgets her own dilemma, all she can think now is her performance for later. She needs to focus on her work, she’ll face her problem later on.

 

-=-=-=-=-=-

“YongHwa-yah!”

 

SNSD are in the middle of their rehearsal when ShinHye called YongHwa loudly that made everyone stops from what they are doing.

 

“Where are you going?” She asked sweetly linking her arm to his.

 

“Are you my manager now? Do I need to ask for your permission with everything that I do?” YongHwa said coldly removing her hands as he sat on the couch. He is obviously annoyed.

 

“Mwo?” Shinhye looked around feeling embarassed.

 

“You’re not even my wife so stop pretending that you are.” YongHwa coldly said then  he starts walking to the door. Seohyun immediately looked away when YongHwa stops in front of her and glances at her.

 

“Pffft!!!” Seohyun heard Sica trying to suppress her laughter when YongHwa finally left the room.

 

“Unnie.” She said as if warning her.

 

“Alright! I’m sorry. I just find it entertaining, okay?” She said rolling her eyes, Seohyun just shook her head.

 

“Are we not done yet? I think we’re good, right?” Sica asked their choreographer cheerfully.

 

“Ne. We’re good. You can get ready for the show but I think JooHyun will still have a rehearsal for her solo performance,right?”

 

“Ne.” She nods to the choreographer.

 

“You may all take your rest girls!” She announced.

 

“I’ll just call your voice coach.” She said looking at Seohyun.

 

“Kamsahamanida!” The girls bowed together.

 

Seohyun sat to continue reading the book that she brought today while waiting for her voice coach and his assistant. Her stylist then came to fix her make up and her hair.

 

While she was reading, she felt someone sat beside her. She stops reading and saw  from her peripheral vision who it is. It’s YongHwa, she ignored him and resume from she’s reading.

 

She stops reading when she saw that she was giving her an opened bottled water.

 

“What is that?” She asked without even glancing at him.

 

“This one? This is what you called water. You drink this---“He stops talking when she glares at him.

 

“I was just thinking maybe you’re thirsty from your rehearsal.” He said smiling which Seohyun finds weird.

 

“Could you please leave us for a moment please?” Seohyun asked her stylist nicely.

 

“Ne.” The woman bowed to them before walking away from them.

 

“You went overboard with her a while ago. You should not embarrass a woman like that no matter how pissed you are.” She said still not taking the bottled water. YongHwa puts down the bottle.

 

“I’m not here to talk about her.” He puts both his elbow on his lap, his hands intertwined with each other, as he looked at her.

 

“I’m here because I want to remind you that I’m still your husband. We’re still married and while our divorce case isn’t settled yet you can’t date anybody neither flirt with any men in front of me.” His voice is stern.

 

“Mworagoyo?!” Seohyun asked trying to sound calm. She closed the book and grip it tightly. She felt insulted and angry with what she just heard that she wants to slap him but she stops herself. She grips her book even tightly this time to control her emotion.

 

“That was really a low blow, Jung YongHwa ssi.I didn’t expect that you think so lowly of me until today. Between the two of us, who do you think is a flirt? Is it me who tried to cover your infidelity for three freaking years? Or is it you who remained quiet all this time but still spending a lot of time with your mistress. Don’t worry, you don’t have to remind me of our marriage, it’s you who should be reminded.” She stand to leave him because she know that if she stay longer, she might say the words that might hurt him. She is so pissed right now that she would rather stay away from him than say things she might just regret later o