16 Promise
Bitter Love, Complicated Life
[Sora's POV]
I get up from my seat. I've been checking the update of the news for 3 hours now, not even bothering about getting out from my room.
The gossips spread around really fast. Tweets, posts, articles. All of them are keep increasing rapidly. Somehow I feel glad that I have closed down my official website and deactivated my Twitter account.
My sister has called me an hour ago and, as I thought, she was really panic when she found out about the pictures. She said that she will visit me tonight after her work is done.
Ugh, it's so frustrating.
I just want to spend the remaining days here in peace. I guess I just can't do that. Life is not as simple as I think, isn't it?
I sigh and look at the door. I really want to know what happened outside. Why did they forbid me to leave my room?
I decide to take a walk for a while since I want to buy ingredients for dinner as well. I grab my jacket and wear my shoes quickly.
The moment I open the door, I am surprise because of the mess caused by paint all over the wall.
There are two janitors who are working to clean up the paint but the mess is really big. I think it will take a while to clean it up.
I don't believe it will be this much. The fans have attacked me not only via internet but they also showed their hatred at my apartment.
This is too much. Seriously.
I look down and shake my head quickly. I walk to the elevator, stepping inside and waiting for the elevator to reach the lobby.
I really need fresh air now. I must think of something. Fast.
I suddenly trip down when I walk pass the main gate of the apartment, causing bruises on both of my arms. I even scratched my cheek because of a tree twig.
"Aish," I try to stand up, fighting back the pain.
There are three girls standing around me, giving me deadly glares. One of them is holding a rope; looks like it's the reason why I tripped down. They did that on purpose.
"Stay away from Yoseob Oppa," one of them speaks out. "You flirted with Gikwang Oppa and now Yoseob Oppa? Who do you think you are?!"
I don't answer them. I clean up my shirt from dust and check my bruises. The bruises are not that bad but it does hurt.
"It's a warning," the other one says. "Do your work. Be professional. Don't think we will stay still if you keep flirting with Yoseob Oppa."
These girls are so narrow minded.
"Don't use him as your shield," the one who is holding a rope hisses. "I can't believe you even asked him to help you with his tweets. You're such a coward!"
My heart skips a beat.
Tweet?
I rush back to my room, ignoring their curses for me.
[Gikwang's POV]
We step out from President's room with troubled faces. He just gave us a really long lecture about our behaviors in public, mostly Yoseob was the only one who was snapped by President.
"I have told you about the rules," the President sighed. "All of you know the reason I forbid you from dating."
He looked at Yoseob. All of us were looking down; we didn't dare to look at the President because we completely knew that we would be blamed for the rising issue.
"Those pictures," the President stopped his step. "Is it true that you are dating your own personal photographer?"
We took a glance at Yoseob. He didn't answer the question, instead he was clenching his fists silently.
"Sora is not our personal photographer anymore," Doojoon tried to break the silence but President cut in quickly.
"She will go back to Paris. I know that. Her cousin will be taking her position," President leaned to the table. "But this issue will keep going on even though she leave to Paris. You should have known it."
We stayed quiet again.
"We will held our first family concert in two days and I hope this issue will not affect the concert. Actually I hope you will come up with the solution as soon as possible or...," President glanced at Yoseob, "...Sora will be forbidden from the concert."
"What?" Yoseob looked up, surprised with the statement. "But she must make the documentation!"
"I will hire another photographer for that day," President looked disappointed. "I don't want riot to happen on the day. Remember, there will be your fans and they might do anything we never imagined."
He's right. We know that.
"My head is hurt," Hyunseung rubs his temple. "What should we say to the press?"
I look at Yoseob. He is holding his phone but doesn't do anything. He only stared at the phone quietly.
I take out my phone to check the Twitter, hoping that it will calm down even just for a little, but I was wrong.
I shock when I read Yoseob's last tweet. He tweeted it before we went to meet President.
"Please do respect Sora. Don't make me angry."
I know he is a little bit emotional and he shows it with his tweets.
Yoseob did it before when there were rumors began circulating of his possible casting with Rainbow's Jaekyung for We Got Married. His fans attacked Jaekyung's homepages by leaving hateful messages.
But it's different. It was a rumor.
This one is a fact.
What will he do now?
[Yoseob's POV]
"Hey," Gikwang approaches me with cold look. "You shouldn't tweet something like that. It could we worsen everything."
Tweet? Ah, my last tweet.
"Why?" I frown. "I just want them to stop attacking Sora."
"Don't you get it?" he sighs. "It's different from your past rumors. They have proofs for this one. They even attacked Sora at our own apartment. This is really serious."
I clench my fists. Of course I know this is serious!
"Look, let's stick to our plan," Doojoon says. "We will discuss it with Sora tonight since she is not going to leave her room. President is still waiting for your explanation, Yoseob."
Why can't I just tell President the truth? That I love Sora and I'm sure the fans will accept the fact sooner or later, just like Junhyung and Hara.
Is the difference between being in a relationship with an artist and a non artist really big?
Our manager keeps nagging and lecturing us in our way back to the apartment. There are some fans waiting for us in front of CUBE Entertainment building; they want to know whether the pictures show the real truth or not.
I mess my own hair. This is so frustrating.
No one talks in the van. We just let our manager blurts out all of his words.
When we reach our apartment, I can see there are some fans waiting in front of the main gate. Sure, they can't step inside the apartment, this apartment is well guarded enough from fans so the other people won't be bothered by our fans.
Our manager drops us right in front of the main door so we don't need to be caught by the fans. I can hear some of them screaming, asking for my answer.
I want to turn back and tell them that it's true, that I love Sora, and I don't care if she is not an artist.
But of course I can't do that. Even a single tweet by me can make everything worse in seconds.
"They are so stubborn," Junhyung sighs as he leans to the wall, waiting for Doojoon to open the door. "I hope Sora will be alright."
"I'm going to check on Sora," I murmur as I walk to Sora's room. "I'll catch up later."
[Sora's POV]
I was trying to cover my bruises when I hear knocks on the door. I shut down my notebook since I've checked the Twitter; Yoseob is carried away by his emotion. He shouldn't tweet things like that.
I grab a cardigan to hide my bruises; I don't want anyone to know about the attack. It's messy enough now.
I open the door and find Yoseob is standing in front of my door. I can see that the wall is almost clean now.
"You're back," I open the door wider but he doesn't step in.
His eyes are full with shock and I try to figure out the reason.
"What happened to you?" he lifts up my chin with his finger. "Your face has a scratch."
Ah, I forgot about the scratch.
"Nothing," I pull away from him. I close the door after he stepped in.
I walk inside and sit on the sofa. He does the same but still giving me the shocked expression; it's just a scratch.
"I tripped," I mutter. "That's all."
"Tripped?" he frowns. "You leave this room?"
I flinch. I shouldn't have said that.
"Sora ah," he sighs, "we told you to stay still. We don't want anything bad happen to you."
"I can't hide forever," I mumble. "Sooner or later I must face it. It's not like your fans are going to forgive me anyway."
Why did I say that? Why did I sound like I'm pissed off?
[Yoseob's POV]
My heart is aching when I hear her words. I know she doesn't mean to hurt me but I feel like she's going to give up on me.
I lift her chin slowly with my finger and lean closer to her, kissing the scratch on her left cheek softly.
"Is it hurt?" I whisper.
She doesn't react.
I pull her into a hug gently, patting her head, "I'm sorry. It's my fault."
"It's not like that," she clutches on my shirt, sounds really sad. "I just... I will go back to Paris soon and I can't do anything to help you."
"I will think for something. Don't worry," I reassure her. I don't know how but I just don't want to let anyone harm her again.
"Maybe you can tell the public that we're not dating?" she gives me an option. "I mean I will be staying at Paris for some times so I will not be with you for a while."
"I will ask the others," I smile to her and kiss her forehead.
I've thought of that option before. But the problem is if President make an official announcement like that, I must do it. If I tell the others that I'm not dating her, then it should be like that.
It's not that President doesn't want to help me but he told me he wants me to concentrate on my work. Before I am mature enough to combine work and private life, I shouldn't be dating anyone.
I don't want to break up with her. I mean, she just realized her own feeling and she finally returned my feeling.
There is no way I will let her go.
There is no way I will let her go.
[Sora's POV]
"Yoseob Oppa," I look at her directly. "Can we continue our relationship?"
He blinks, "Why do you ask?"
"If...," I pause for a second, "...we need to break up..."
Suddenly he locks his lips with mine, not letting me to utter a word.
"Don't," he whispers after he parted his lips from mine. "Don't say things like that. Don't even think like that."
He embraces my hand softly, "I will stay with you. No matter what. I promise."
I don't blush this time, instead I look down, looking at his hold on my hand.
I don't want him to suffer. I know he loves his fans as well and I know his fans just love him too much.
Ah, I just remember that I must tell him something important. My sister just called me because she's on her way to my apartment and my father just called her to tell me his wish.
"Oppa," I mutter. "I need to tell you something."
"Hmm?" he my hair with a smile that makes me feel so much better. "Let's talk after we take care of your scratch."
"It will heal soon," I try to keep him to sit down. "Don't worry."
"Am I not allowed to worry about my girlfriend?" he winks and stands up, looking for aid toolkit.
I blush and smile when I look at him. I must be the happiest girl in the world to have him as someone who loves me so much.
I need to tell him that Mina will leave Taiwan tomorrow night so she can work for United Cube Concert.
I will leave to Paris tomorrow night.
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