Chapter 5

"Nicole-ssi, how did you start your relationship with Jaejoong-ssi?"

"Nicole-ssi, where did you meet him for the first time?"

"Nicole-ssi, what do you like most from him?"

"Nicole-ssi..."

Instant celebrity was not even once got on Nicole's bucket list, but with everything happened between her and Kim Jaejoong, not forget the incident in Lily's bakery, sudden spot light was directed to this young musician-to-be. Chased by paparazzi had been her daily routine since ever. 'Don't worry, they'll get tired soon..' and instead of making any clarification, the main protagonist of the buzz happened just keep feeding those journalist with his own version of story.

He said he would take care of the mess happened IF she was with him, but it's not like he would be with her 24/7. There's time when she was left alone with the journalist and all she could do was hide her way from the camera. Nothing would be as bad as running away from your daily life just because the silly things interfere your serenity, she said.

She started to regret accepting the dumbest offer ever.

Sighed a relief, she sat on the last row on the classroom on the fifth floor they usually used for taking the Japanese lecture. There wouldn't be a Japanese class today which lead to the classroom to be left empty. But since it was located on the corner of fifth floor, the student rarely walked across this room unless they need to take the lecture there. It's a perfect place to take rest after her 'busy' day.

"Nicole!"

Her nerves jerked as she heard her name ws called. Thanks God it's Nana and Min.

"You two really scared me to death."

"You scare us more, you know?" Nana approached her fast and pinched her cheek. "Why don't you told us before about you and Kim Jaejoong?"

"And why you kept avoiding us these day?" Added Min.

Nicole looked at her besties with guilt in her eyes. It's one of the three conditions she need to fill.

'First, never tell anyone including your family and friends about this contract.'

Min and Nana were included in the said range. And she feel sorry bout it.

'Mianhe, chingu-ah...' She forcefully smile to them. "Ah, I just don't want to bother you with those journalist."

"Hey, never said that, OK?"

Min patted her shoulder. "Yeah, we're buddies, right?" she added.

"Anyway, how do you know about him? You never ever mentioned him before."

She'd ever think about the excuse she need to make them believe how things work behind the scene. Actually it's scripted, written by the almighty CEO. He need everything to be under his control. Including how people think about their relationship.

'Second, you need to walk accordinng to my instruction.' His words was an order.

"I met him after Junhyung reject me." yes they did, but not like how they think. "And since then, we started to talk and get to know each other."

It's completely a lie.

"But he want to keep it low until the bakery incident happened." she could feel the goosebumb on her neck as the lie escaped from . She's never good at lying. "Sorry."

Min and Nana seemed to believe what she said. "Hey, no need to say word, OK?"

"We will wish the best for you, as long as you're happy." Min gave her shoulder a light squeeze. Nana nodded her head agree.

"But don't you forget to take Park Yoochun autograph for me."

They bursted into laughter as Nana turned her fangirling mode on. They never changed. It's one of the reason why Nicole could survive alone in Seoul without her family. Both Nana and Min always stayed by herlself no matter what happened to her since the first time she landed her mark in Seoul. No matter how hard it was, as long as they stayed on her side, she would survive.

Ring.. Ring...

Nicole looked up on her phone and saw the name of her so-called boyfriend appeared on her flashing screen. 

"He's calling you." they looked excited but she didn't.

"Yoboseyo?"

"Yah, Jung Nicole. Meet me on Muse Entertainment now." She looked at her two excited besties.

"Ah... I'm with my friend right now." she tried to make it less obvious. "What's wrong?"

"Turn the speaker on."

"Huh?"

"I said, turn the speaker on." Again, his word was an order.

"OK, wait a minute." she did as he demand.

Both of them gave her confused look as she turned the speaker on. "Yoboseo?"

"Anyeong haseo, Kim Jaejoong inmida." he changed his speaking tone. "Are you Min and Nana?"

"How could you know about us?" they looked at each other.

"Nicole tell me a lot about you two." Nicole looked at her cellphone screen dumbly. She never remembered she's ever mentioned them in front of him. "By the way, can I borrow your friend for a while? I need to see her now."

"Take her!" both of them laughed excitedly, leaving the suspected girl speechless.

"OK, I'll pick you up in a minutes, chagiya." he paused. "Anyeong Min-ah, Nana-ah~"

"Anyeong~"

They grinned as the call ended. "I'm happy for you, Cole-ah! You have a perfect boyfriend!"

She was pulled into the group hug. Nicole let her besties drown into their own excitement while she herself can only snickering secretely.

"Haha.."

Yeah, he's a perfect little devil...

***

Nicole waved her friends goodbye as she got into his car. So did Jaejoong. Fastening their seat belt, they launched their way back to the Muses Entertainment.

"How do you know about my firends?" it's the question she's concerned most right now.

He put his eyes on the road and only looked at her when the traffic light turned red. He smirked.

"Junsu has not been following you for nothing." She's reminded about the luxurious car they saw outside the bakery which belong to Kim Junsu.

So she's been observed before? Alright, she's sure the answer is yes.

"You could asked me to do everything, but please don't disturbed my friends." she reminded him.

"I don't have that kind of interest." his eyes were back on the road as the green light was on. "I only need to make sure your friends believe that we ARE together."

His purpose was clear. And thanks to his great acting skill, he made it true.

"So, where are we heading now?"

"I said before, we're going to my office. We'll have an interview with the press."

left hang as she heard the word 'press'. "What...."

"It's your script." He passed on page paper to her. "Remember how you should answer the press. Never let them doubt our relationship."

'Third, our relationship is your main priority, never let your small mistake ruin it.'

She let out a heavy sigh. "Kim Jaejoong-ssi.."

"Ah, called me oppa when there's third person beside us."

"Yah!" Her raising voice took him aback. She never like it when someone cut her words again and again. "At least tell me why should I do all of it! You told me---"

It's her turn to be taken aback as he leaned close to her all of sudden. His hand on her cheek.

"What are you---"

"See the white van over there?" He gestured her to see the said car on her left side. "That's the journalist that had been following me for long. He has been wanted to make a bad rumour about me, so if he found out the truth about our relationship, it's the end."

His smile never leave his handsome face. "I'll tell you the rest after we meet the press, OK? But for now, please cooperate with me."

Nicole could feel his breath tickling her face as he speak. She couldn't deny that her heartbeat beat a little bit faster as he came closer. She looked away as soon as he's back to his driving. People who's looking from outside, espesially those journalist, must believe that they're real by his little gesture just now.

"Read the script carefully, I write something you need to say and something don't."

She sighed. "Alright."

***

"Alright, that's all we could tell you." Jaejoong took Nicole's hand and got up from his place. "So please, give us more private space. Especially for her."

He looked at her tenderly. She smiled at him. 'You little devil, really know how to act.'

"She's not used to be under spot light.."

The journalist put all of their tools back before left The Muse Entertainment. They just finished their interview with Jaejoong and Nicole, and everything went as smooth as he planned. They left the hall after the journalist bowed their way and leave without even letting each other hand go. Through this interview, Nicole learnt the reason why Jaejoong need her as his girlfriend.

He told her that those journalist he mentioned on the way to come here were hired by the rival entertainment company of The Muses Entertainment, King Media. They've been trying to make bad rumour for the artist under TME to ruin the healthy image of them since ever, but none of it were success. And lately, they changed their target to the CEO of it, Kim Jaejoong. The result was ever been the same though as he was a very careful and clever person who was able to avoid all of it, until recently the v-club incident happened.

One of their journalist were there following him. Unfortunately, the clash happened between him and the young man was captured on their lens. Kim Jaejoong had ever been a young man who's given the clean image to the public, thus a simple clash was enough to ruin everything he ever built. To avoid a further damage, he made up a story to persuade the public that he's doing it beyond his control.

"I met her on the bakery, at that moment she's not even who am I. She's got my attention at the first sight, but unfortunately there's another man in her heart.  But when I want to give up, the fate brought us again, but unfortunately there's someone who wanted to take advantage of her weak moment. My head and my hand went beyond its control as I saw that young man tried to hurt her." He said with plus and minus about the things happened on the V-club to the journlist during their interview. "But it's the start of our story. And ever since, I felt for her more deeply."

The moment she heard 'their story', she was amused of what a waste of him for not being an actor or scripwriter. She's sure that no one would believe the story if it come out from other people's mouth, but amazingly everything he spoke just finely believeable. The way he talked, his gesture and his gaze was so true. She would be fooled by him if she's not the protagonist of this beautiful story. But unfortunately, she was.

"But why you choose me to cover it up?" She's only asking him when they entered the elevator. "I'm not your only choice, right?"

Chuckles left his red lips. "Who do you think that drive me into this trouble?"

Nicole lost her words as he said it. Yes, he wouldn't be caught in trouble if she's not there causing trouble for the first time. It's part of her mistake.

"It's your responsibility too to clear it up for me."

She bite her lips. Alright.

"And also..." Smirk appeared on his lips as he saw her expression. She took a step back until her back hit the cold metal as he walked close to her. The second he stopped was when she was trapped between his long arm and the walll behind her. Her breath hitched as he lean closer to remove distance between them, eyes glued on he