NJ : Why did you lie to me?

Trembling feets retreated their steps till the closed door of her room, robbed Seol Ah of the space to step back any further. She stuttered with a throbbing heartbeat.

SEOL AH : I-I am sorry.

NJ : (-coldly-) Sorry doesn't answer my question, does it?

Big blinking eyes hardly matched with his rage filled ones, as she was desperately trying to shrink her figure with his growing closeness.

Coming on board with lying about his appointment, came to her with regrets.

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In the middle of the evening, when Seol Ah was peacefully working on speculating few top agencies, there was a bell ring.

Upon opening the door, she welcomed Ha Neul who—like her usual self—created a chaos, shouting Namjoon's name around the apartment. Completely ignoring Seol Ah's presence.

Unlike last time however, the latter did not stop her and was back to her work without a bother. And the younger eventually resorted to the manager, tired of straining her vocal muscles.

HA NEUL : Where is Oppa?

SEOL AH : He is out.

Seol Ah, busy typing something on her laptop, didn't spare her a glance.

HA NEUL : Then, why didn't you tell me before?!

SEOL AH : (-calmly-) You never asked me.

HA NEUL : YAH! Don't you have the courtesy to look at the person you are talking to?

SEOL AH : (-looking at her-) And don't you have the politeness to talk formally with a person you don't know much about? I suppose, we are not friends.

HA NEUL : (-sighs-) Whatever.

Ha Neul simply plopped herself on the couch, brooding without words.

Seeing the younger lost in her thoughts, the manager busied herself—noting the names that was flashed on her laptop. It showed the result she typed in for. Nevertheless, with seconds, Ha Neul bought her attention once again with a mystic remark.

HA NEUL : Hotel Eternal Spring.

Seol Ah gave her a doubtful stare as Ha Neul stood straight on her feet, before continuing her speech.

HA NEUL : Send Oppa to there at 8, tonight. And don't say he's going to meet me. He won't come then. (-walks past her-)

SEOL AH : If that's how it is... Why do you think I would lie to him?

Ha Neul glared at her with competitive eyes for a few moments. Thinking of a comeback, her attention focused on the few notes Seol Ah had taken about the agencies.

Thereby, Ha Neul patiently took a seat beside her, before coming on her with full readiness.

HA NEUL : Don't you think, it's a little hard to aim for other agencies now?

SEOL AH : (-closes her notepad-) What is your point?

HA NEUL : I believe, you are aware about the controversy between Oppa and the SK entertainment.

Seol Ah's ears raised at her comment and she kept silence, letting the other speak.

HA NEUL : And also that, I am the daughter of Kim Seong PD-nim, the owner of the same.

SEOL AH : Very well.

HA NEUL : (-smiles-) That's quite an improvement from your side. Anyways, don't you think, I can talk my father into dropping those controversial matters with him?

SEOL AH : And why do you suddenly want to do that if you haven't done it already, in the past one year?

HA NEUL : (-chuckles and rests her back-) The world is all about give and take, Ms.Manager. I was looking for the right time. (-stands up to leave-) I will look forward to see him at 8. Sharp.

Ha Neul, not waiting for another reply, saw herself out. Seol Ah was perplexed and flustered at her words.

Initially, she restrained from agreeing with her. And tried consuming her energy on the due work, rather than on the gormless thoughts.

Hours passed and she, inevitably, went back to HaNeul's offer. If just one lie could help him aid the wounds of his reputation, she was indulgent to do it.

With a few mindful debates, she finally decided to deceive Namjoon and dialed him with a nervous heart.

While at the meet, Namjoon was patiently waiting for Mr.Park in the hotel lobby, a staff excused him.

He informed Namjoon that his client is waiting in their room. And that he is requested to follow up there.
Although, Namjoon was a little skeptical about the staff addressing Mr.Park as his client, he didn't let it bother him—naming it trivial.

Outside the room, while attempting to ring the bell, he noticed the door was already open.

With a crease on his temple, he got himself in, after the two knocks of courtesy.

NJ : Producer Park? (-looking around the empty room-) Produ-

His words cut off, seeing Ha Neul come out of the washroom. He instantly whipped the other way, capturing the faint visage of her clothes. A satin robe lazily shrugging her laced lingerie.

NJ : I am sorry, Ha neul-ah. I might've come to the wrong room.

Namjoon attemptted to leave, but Ha Neul immediately stepped in, clinging to his arms.

HA NEUL : You're in the right room, Oppa. I called you here. Didn't you know about it?

NJ : What? I was here to meet a producer.

HA NEUL : (-chuckles-) I can't believe she did that. Anyways~

She sensually turned Namjoon around to face her, while he was occupied by the infuriating nerves at Seol Ah for lying. He couldn't think straight anymore. A day full of lies seemed to trigger his patience and her con totally exceeded the meter.

HA NEUL : Now that you are here. Why don't we spend some quality time together?

NJ : (-not looking at her-) Wear some clothes, Ha Neul-ah.

She slid the sleeves of her purple satin shrug by the shoulders, dropping them till her elbows. Wrapped her arms around his neck, Ha Neul, was almost throwing herself on him.

HA NEUL : Let's drop the clothes for tonight. I have had enough of you treating me like a Junior. Tonight, I want to be your woman.

She lined his hands around her thin waist. Namjoon's senses zoomed back from his thoughts at the touch of the silky fabric. He immediately withdrew his hands, creating a distance. Finally looking at her eyes but blinding himself to look anywhere else.

NJ : (-drapes her back with her robe-) This is the first and last time I am letting you know. You are like a baby sister to me and that is the only way I see you.

Namjoon simply vacated the room in the next moment, leaving Ha Neul hurt and embarrassed.

HA NEUL : Op- Oppa~

Her eyes bawled out at the slam of the door. She folded her legs into an asian squat, bursting into a loud cry. 

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NJ : Answer me! (-rams on her door-)

Seol Ah flinched and looked down at once. Never had she been more scared, and never had she felt more remorse for lying.

SEOL AH : I only wanted to help yo-

Namjoon, cutting her speech, spoke with gritted teeth.

NJ : Did I ever ask you of it?

SEOL AH : (-voice cracking-) I a-am s-sorry.

Namjoon rammed on the door once more, making her flinch and gulp the small tears that were forming in her eyes. He, using all his strength, mentally dragged his body away from her and shut himself inside his studio.

Seol Ah's legs trembled at the sudden loss of the magnetic field, she felt in his zero centimeter closeness.
She breathed heavy, greedily gasping in air as she balanced herself against the door.

??? : Seol Ah.

She was snapped at the source to find Kim, standing at a distance. Was it an alarm to wake her up from a nightmare or was her body, overreacting to Namjoon's foreign side. She questioned herself, as she instantly gained her composure at Kim's call.

SEOL AH : Min-ie. (-walks to him-)

They were of the same age and have talked out to drop the honorifics with each other. A new fangled friendship.

KIM : Can you stop with the "Min-ie" already? Call me Kim instead, I am more accustomed to hear that.

SEOL AH : (-dry chuckle-) Anyways, why are you here?

KIM : He left his cellphone in the car. (-hands it to her-) But, did you really lie to him though?

SEOL AH : Onh? Yeah, a little. I never knew he would be so worked up because of that.

While, she sadly stared at the door of his studio, Kim tried to lighten her guilt.

KIM : There might be other reasons too.

SEOL AH : Huh? Now that I think of it, I did feel him tensed on the phone call earlier. Did something happen in any of his meetings?

Kim did not want to walk her through the whole nine yards, which was insubstantial and out of context for her knowledge. Thus, he covered the truth.

KIM : I am not allowed to ask him about his meetings. I would only suggest, you give him time. He will be alright.

Seol Ah absent-mindedly nodded, regretting to have worsened his day further.

KIM : I will take off now. Take care~

Seol Ah, seeing him off, reluctantly marched to his studio, not sure if she should bother him then. However, she was pushed forward by a gut, telling her that he mustn't miss any important calls over her fear to face him.

Knocking twice, she turned the knob and pushed the door inside. Only to widen her eyes and drop her jaw at the terrifying sight.

The guitar which she never saw him use, have finally come to tell its usage.
She found it in two parts with the few tangled strings, barely connecting the broken parts.

NJ : (-holding the fingerboard of the guitar-) Oh! My clumsiness broke it again.

Seol Ah had known about the millions of moments of his clumsiness from YouTube. However, the way his hands quivered lightly in outrage, his sweat drenched hair, and his red eyes filled with fury—narrated her a whole different story.

He looked at her in the eyes and she rather saw the melancholy disguised in them. She could see through the wrath he tried to paint his grim with.

The Namjoon she had been living with, under the same roof for a week now. Whom, she thought was a self-indulgent, egocentric and uncharitable man—was actually suffering and agonizingly dolor.

Thunder strikes illuminated the ever so murky room of his ferocious stance, like the vagueness of a warrior—gripping on his sword. The frightening visuals hammered Seol Ah's scared heart and weakened her leg nerves. She grasped on the door knob, hardly balancing her figure.

Dropping the fingerboard next to its body, he marched out of his studio without a word. The muffled sniffs, reaching her ears when he passed by her, left a stinging sensation to her heart.

It was as if, the unleash of his over due dudgeon and vexation came out to be disastrous. He was disabled to accept the reason Chae Ri left was, at long last, him.

The remorse, that he had been living in for a year, has now confirmed itself to tie him down with guilt—for the rest of his life.

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Flashback

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NJ : It's actually an honor to be a part of SK entertainment, Seong PD-nim.

It was a time, when the hues surrounding him were still vibrant and lively. Namjoon still had his wide smiles skipping on his lips.

SEONG PD : (-smiles back-) Pleasure is all ours. Afterall, worldwide icon Kim Namjoon is signing with us.

NJ : (-politely-) Oh, no it's all your nobility.

And with a yet another humble gesture, Seong PD led the meet to walk on its purpose.

SEONG PD : Shall we proceed to the paper stuff? We shouldn't delay the good work, should we?

NJ : Oh, sure yes.

While Namjoon picked up a pen to sign the contract, the PD's eyes caught at the lady, standing a little away behind Namjoon.

SEONG PD : Why is your manager standing there? Is it "Chae Ri-ssi"?

CHAE RI : (-politely-) Ah, ye. It's Cha Chae Ri.

SEONG PD : (-smiles-) Chae Ri-ssi, come on, have a seat here. (-offers the one next to his-) Namjoon-ah, tell her.

NJ : (-smiles at her-) Yeah, it's okay. Have a seat.

Chae Ri, getting Namjoon's approval, occupied the room on the sofa beside Seong PD. She was more reluctant because of the perverted stares, the PD had been passing to her, all the way long. 

Namjoon failed to notice them, preoccupied reading through the contract. And thus, was oblivious of the situation.

SEONG PD : Now that you're into it. Why don't we talk about the conditions?

NJ : (-looks up at him-) Conditions? I don't follow you, PD-nim.

SEONG PD : Well, it's the simple give and take policy. You took the contract, now it's time to give.

Namjoon maintained a formal smile teased with a hint of fluster and confusion.

NJ : I still do not understand you. What do I have to give?

SEONG PD : Nothing much.

The PD's lustful gaze directed at Chae Ri beside him, consequently, the idol's smile dropped.

Namjoon's nerves were shot up instantly as Seong PD placed his hand on Chae Ri's thigh. She flinched at his touch but remained quiet for the sake of Namjoon's contract, however uncomfortable she felt.

SEONG PD : (-withdraws his hand-) I believe, I don't have to use words.

He smirked cheekily. And Namjoon gently closed the contract file, trying to stay put.

NJ : Chae Ri-ssi, leave the room.

CHAE RI : Yeh? But-

NJ : Now!

His loud tone made Chae Ri instantly stand up and leave, right after slightly greeting the PD.

SEONG PD : Come on, Namjoon. It's not the time to care about anything but your career.

Namjoon's eyes were fixed on the file.
Just how hard a labor he had to sweat out to sign that contract crossed his mind, as he silently took in everything the PD had to say.

SEONG PD : Don't be so sensitive. I will take care of her well. Trust me, I have been doing it all these years. Press right on their weakness and they turn into trained circus puppets.

The pulsating veins in Namjoon's arms were prominent with his jawline as sharp as a knife. He finally gazed up at the PD, who was smiling nonchalantly.

SEONG PD : You don't have to worry about a thing. Just leave her here for one night. A small price-

Seconds passed and the words pronounced,  Namjoon was edged to the brim. He unconsciously climbed on to plant a punch on the PD's smirking face. Only to stop, a few centimeters away. The singer's benevolent personality did not allow him to filthy himself on a vile lowlife.

SEONG PD : (-laughs-) Why? Weren't you the one saying in that interview, that you don't have any romantic relationships with your managers? Then, why am I seeing such fury in your eyes? Why do you care, what I do to her?

NJ : (-grabs his collars-) Right, I don't care what you do to her. But, if you ever try to near her again, I wouldn't care about my career anymore. To destroy you, would be my only goal.

The singer plunged him back to the couch and flounced out of the cabin.

While furiously exiting the SK entertainment, he promised himself to never bring his feet, walking back to the same building.

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Those very bulging veins were prominent once again amidst the few streams of water, snaking him down from the shower.

His wet clothes hugged him tightly against his built up and masculine physique. And the smoke blowing out from him, fogged all the glasses white.

He slammed both of his hands against the wall for support as he looked down, the running water directly hitting his nape.

Warm tears fearfully slid down his cheeks as he planted weak rams on the wall. To release the vicious knot, that tugged his insides painfully.

The regret of not punching him then. The regret of not trying to find out the truth about Chae Ri's leave. The regret of showing off his care for her. Such regrets feasted on him alive.

That night, he stepped into the pit of a darker shade of black, than he was already in.

The morning next, was as ghastly and somber as the last night. An icy silence that prevails after a calamity. After a whole night of downpour, the dingy weather outside, further complimented the glum mood.

Seol Ah, attending at his studio on time, received a note on his table. The empty chair felt lonely. The studio was incomplete without him in it.
She noticed his cellphone, that she left on the table last night, was gone and presumed he received it.

"Off work today!" she read the words on the note. Feebly walking back to the hall, Seol Ah sat herself on the couch. The memo still clutched in her palm.

Although, the concerned filled manager seeked to check on him once, with a straightened back. She was held back by Kim's words to give him time, and eased her body on the couch again.

Breathing out a long sigh as she rested her head on the sofa—staring on the ceiling above— she wondered how deep a scar it must've been. How painful it must've been for him, that he was locked inside his room now.

She never realized, it would be this strange and fearsome to not see him in his studio. That, this empty house would feel emptier without his movements around.

Those sad eyes; that brutally broken guitar; the ire in his tone of speech—vividly playing under her closed eyes left her in shivers. She shot her eyes open, snapping herself back to the present.

Desperately wanting to divert her mind, she impatiently marched around the hall— taking deep breaths and releasing small sighs, every now and then. In one of those times she faced the wall just opposite to the dining table, something caught her attention. The wall, entirely covered with huge black curtains, piqued her interest.

She had noticed that it was never off drapes. That it had always been shaded under the depressing black veil. And she never really summed up the chance to speculate it before.

Thus, her feet involuntarily moved towards it now. To satisfy her curious mind and unveil the truth, that was kept a cover upon.

However, just as she stretched out her arm to push the heavy curtains, Namjoon's voice startled her.

NJ : Stop!

_________

😬 What is he hiding under that curtain?