Chapter 18

 

As much as Hyuna dreaded going on this honeymoon, she didn’t have much of a choice. Eunju had already arranged pretty much everything for them on such short notice per Jiyong’s sudden request.

 

Now they’re here together, thousands of feet up into the sky. Hyuna stared out the window of the plane, watching the clouds passing by as the moonlight stood before her. Below the city lights shined brightly during the night. It was quite a view.

 

Her body was startled when she felt something soft brush against her shoulder. Hyuna turned to her side and saw Jiyong lying soundlessly onto her. She stared at his sleeping face. A soft but sincere smile curved on her lips. She genuinely loved his face when he was sleeping because he seemed most at peace.

 

The flight was hours long. She didn’t know how she would respond to Jiyong if another nightmare occurred and she talked in her sleep again. She never meant for him to witness one of her nightmares. She never wanted him to question her about it.

 

As time passed them by, Hyuna’s eyes fell and she drifted off to sleep. It will be a while before they arrive at their destination.

 

When Hyuna woke up she was no longer on the plane. Her surroundings have completely changed. Her hands felt around her and she could feel the silk sheets under her finger tips. The room was lightly dim with a red and orange color. But the one person she expected to see wasn’t there.

 

Hyuna turned to her side where she could perfectly see out the patio doors. It didn’t take long for Hyuna to know where she was. Her body removed herself from the bed and she walked through the patio doors. Her hands gripped onto the black railings and her eyes stared out to the city.

 

Paris. The city of lights. The city of love. It felt so suffocating even if the view of the city was beautiful and a sight to look at. Hyuna never thought she’d come to Paris. She never thought she’d come here with Jiyong.

 

Staring at the Eiffel Tower, Hyuna took a breath. Her heart was beating hard and loud in her chest.

 

A pair of arms wrapped around her waist. To Jiyong’s surprise, Hyuna didn’t try to break away from him. A smile curved on his lips as he rested his chin along her shoulder.

 

“I love you,” Jiyong said.

 

Hyuna bit down on her tongue. It was like she was screaming but no one could hear her. Her fingers began undoing Jiyong’s clasped hands at her waist. Jiyong didn’t budge though. He turned her body around, trapping her in between his body and the railing of the patio.

 

Hyuna adverted her eyes down. She couldn’t look at Jiyong. One look into his eyes, one look at his face and she would break down.

 

His fingers caressed her face until he felt something wet along her cheeks. Not resisting, Hyuna allowed Jiyong to raise her head up so that their eyes could finally meet. There was no use now, the tears were already falling. His thumbs gently wiped away the tears.

 

“Do you know every time you say that my heart breaks just a little?” Hyuna asked. “Could you please… not say those words?”

 

Hyuna could feel Jiyong’s body stiffen but his eyes kept in lock with hers. She couldn’t see past them. All she could see was her own reflection in those brown orbs.

 

“Why? Because you don’t love me?”

 

“Being with you scares me,” Hyuna replied. “Being in love with you scares me more.”

 

“Why is that?”

 

Because I can’t love you.

 

Hyuna almost said it but she stopped herself with a shake of her head. Her gaze adverted elsewhere but cold fingers were placed below her chin, drawing her attention back to those same eyes.

 

“Your lips don’t have to say anything,” Jiyong said. “I remember everything. I was the one who use to make you smile. Now I see I’m the one who’s taking it away. It may not be easy for you to love me again. Maybe you won’t but I admit it to you now, I’m selfish, Hyuna. Because even if you don’t love me anymore, as long as I have you, I can stand the pain.”

 

Hyuna shuddered. “I wish I could give you what you really want but I need to stop lying to myself.”

 

Because I too would be selfish.

 

There was a hint of confusion building up in Jiyong’s eyes. His lips were parting to speak but Hyuna had enough. She dove in without thinking about drowning. Her lips connected with Jiyong’s. Her eyes opened slowly only to see his staring down at her without any hint of emotion on his face.

 

Hyuna took a step back, regretting her action now as seen on the face of Jiyong. Her body turned slightly trying to avoid Jiyong’s presence by looking back out into the city. Her body was seized, being lifted into the air securely with arms holding onto her.

 

“Ji—” His eyes told her not to speak. Her lips shut tight but her mind kept wondering what was going on in his head. He brought her back inside the room without a word.

 

Laying Hyuna down, Jiyong stared down at Hyuna’s teary eyes which looked up at him with fear and uncertainty. He smiled warmly at her, leaning down before placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. “I love you.”

 

This again, Hyuna could no longer lie to herself. She didn’t want to be selfish either. It was either break her own heart or break Jiyong’s. In the end it wouldn’t matter, her heart would be broken either way.

 

“I love you,” Hyuna admitted breathlessly as their lips met.

 

It was ok to be selfish for this night. For one night only, Hyuna told herself. In the morning she would wake up with regret. In the morning, she can hate herself for taking someone else’s love.

 

***

 

The room grew darker as time passed and Hyeona had lost track of time. She screamed through the duct tape at her lips and tossed around madly on the bed.

 

Jaejoong entered the room in a pair of black sweats and a towel draped around his shoulder. He chuckled at Hyeona’s ability to fight. It was truly entertaining to him. She was truly something.

 

“What did I tell you about causing trouble?” Jaejoong asked as he walked over to the mattress.

 

Hyeona felt the bed dip at Jaejoong’s weight. She stopped thrashing around and turned her head towards his direction. She couldn’t see his face but she knew he was smirking. The bastard even had the audacity to blindfold her.

 

His fingers slowly peeled the duct tape off and threw it aside.

 

“I hate you!” Hyeona shouted.

 

“Ouch, that hurt.” The sarcasm in his voice boiled Hyeona’s blood. “Do you want to see my face now, doll?”

 

“I’d like to punch your face.”

 

“Did you forget your hands are tied to the bed post?”

 

Hyeona chuckled, “Then let me go and I’ll really mess up that pretty face of yours.”

 

The blindfold was torn off her face within seconds of those words being released from . Hyeona glared at the man angrily. She even had the strength and courage to try and lunge herself at him, given her state.

 

A laugh emitted from Jaejoong’s throat and it echoed inside the small room. “You are so much fun.”

 

“Yeah? Are you getting bored?”

 

“No.”

 

Hyeona’s lip curved up into a half smirk. “I’m sorry your girl couldn’t give you what you wanted but let me tell you something, I ain’t giving you anything.”

 

Jaejoong leaned forward, a bit too close but Hyeona didn’t move an inch. “It doesn’t matter if you’re willing. You’re at my clutches. I have you right where I want you and I intend to keep it that way.”

 

“Perhaps it’s not your girl not giving you what you want. Maybe it’s you. She’s probably bored with you and your tactics. Frankly I am too. The difference between me and her is that I get bored fast. Is my face so intriguing to you?”

 

“Don’t flatter yourself too much,” Jaejoong said. “I’ll get bored too but that’s when the real nightmare begins for you. So for your sake, don’t bore me.” His eyes scanned her body and Hyeona saw it. She saw all the bruises and marks on her body.

 

“Bastard!” Hyeona screamed. “When I get out of here, you’ll be dead! Do you hear me?”

 

Jaejoong pulled out a lipstick from the pocket of his black sweats. He bit on the black cap and pulled it off. He gestured his head for Hyeona to part her lips.

 

Gritting her teeth, Hyeona obeyed, staring at him dead in the eyes.

 

He smiled, smearing the red color on her lips. “Red is Hyuna. Hyuna is red.”

 

And Hyeona’s eyes darkened at her sister’s name.

 

***

 

Everything Hyuna knew she would feel when she woke up, she was feeling now. Her eyes looked up ahead at the ceiling as tears fell. She quietly sobbed not wanting to wake Jiyong up. Her head turned to the side to stare at his face. A bitter sweet smile curved on her whimpering lips.

 

I’m sorry.

 

Hyuna brought a hand to Jiyong’s cheek, it gently. “I’m sorry to the both of you.”

 

With those words leaving , Hyuna cried harder, covering with her other hand. Her eyes wouldn’t leave Jiyong’s sleeping form. Everything she said last night was true. She shouldn’t have said them but Hyuna did not regret letting Jiyong know.

 

Hyuna felt terrible, almost sick just lying there next to Jiyong. A person who didn’t belong to her but another woman named Kim Hyuna. She turned away with her back facing him and pulled her covers close to her chest. She sobbed silently until time passed and Jiyong stirred awake. Hyuna, without even seeing him, knew he was awake but kept silent just so he could stare at the back of her head.

 

“Last night felt like a dream,” Jiyong said. “Only it wasn’t because you’re here with me now.”

 

The silence was finally broken. Hyuna guessed it was her turn to speak.

 

“Last night…” Hyuna began, “can’t happen again.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“It was a mistake.”

 

Jiyong’s expression changed so quick but Hyuna had to say it.

 

“A mistake?” Jiyong scoffed. “Are you joking right now?”

 

“No.”

 

“Was I no better than all those others?” Jiyong asked, throwing the covers over and hopping off the bed. Hyuna remained still with her back turned towards him.

 

“I don’t want to fight,” Hyuna said. “Please, what we did last night. I don’t want it to happen again.”

 

“You told me you love me and now you suddenly changed your mind?” Jiyong asked in disbelief.

 

“I do love you, Jiyong,” Hyuna said truthfully. “But I’m afraid you love me too much.”

 

“As long as you love me,” Jiyong said before walking away into the bathroom. The door slammed loudly and Hyuna shook from the impact of it.

 

“Where are you?” Hyuna cried softly. “He’s been waiting for you for so long. I can’t hurt him without hurting myself. Come back to him.”

 

A part of Hyuna prayed that the real Kim Hyuna, Jiyong loves would find her way back to him but another part prayed that she wouldn’t. Hyuna could no longer deny that she loves Jiyong. The thing that hurt her most about this situation is that Jiyong’s love wasn’t really meant for her and Hyuna couldn’t accept that love. She wouldn’t. For that she is deeply and sincerely sorry.

 

***

 

Jung-Hwa surfed through the channels on the TV, bored of everything she was seeing. Nothing caught her attention. Her eyes adverted to the clock hanging on the wall. It was late and Seungsung was not home. It was only her and Sohyun.

 

The sudden ringing of the doorbell startled both of them. Both the mother and daughter duo looked at each other before deciding who was going to answer. None of the two were expecting visitors and if it was Seungsung returning, he would have entered with his key.

 

“I’ll get it, mom,” Sohyun said.

 

As Sohyun left to answer the front door, Jung-Hwa continued pressing buttons on the remote in hopes to find some sort of entertainment.

 

“Who are you?! Stop! You can’t enter! Mom! Help me!” Sohyun’s voice was shouting throughout the house. Jung-Hwa sat up and quickly ran to the front door. She stopped in her tracks when she saw three big men barge their way through.

 

“What’s the meaning of this?” Jung-Hwa asked, taking Sohyun and placing her behind her back.

 

“I want my money,” one of them spoke.

 

Jung-Hwa felt paralyzed and Sohyun could clearly see the fear in her mother’s eyes. Her expression was clear and by the way she spoke, Sohyun knew that her mother knew who this man was.

 

“I said I’d get it Jinyoung,” Jung-Hwa said. “I need time. You promised me you’d give me time.”

 

“Time’s up,” Jinyoung said. “How long has it been? Hmm? More than a year. And you just keep doing it over and over again.”

 

Sohyun grabbed onto her mother’s arm. “What is he talking about, mom?” Jinyong’s eyes locked with hers. “What is he talking about?!”

 

“Can we discuss this somewhere else?” Jung-Hwa tried to reason. “I don’t want to do this in front of my daughter. Please, Jinyoung.”

 

“If you have money to gamble, you have money to pay me back!” His voice was like thunder. Both Jung-Hwa and Sohyun stumbled back in fear. “I waited long enough. I thought I was being fair but you, Jung-Hwa, played dirty.”

 

“I’ll get the money!” Jung-Hwa said. “Just go!”

 

“I think you need a little bit of motivation,” Jinyoung said. “Take her.” He looked directly at Sohyun. On command, the two men standing at his side stepped forward.

 

“No, no, mom!” Sohyun cried.

 

“Please don’t take my daughter!” Jung-Hwa said, holding onto Sohyun as the two men grabbed her. “Don’t take her! She has nothing to do with this!” Jung-Hwa’s eyes widened as she looked to the front door or who was at the front door. “They’re trying to take her!”

 

“Don’t touch my daughter!” Seungsung yelled, storming towards the men. He tried prying them off Sohyun and it worked until the numbers game got the best of him.

 

“Stop!” Jung-Hwa screamed as she watched her husband get demolished. “You’re going to kill him!”

 

“Father!” Sohyun cried. “Please mom, you have to stop them!”

 

“Jinyoung, listen to me, I’ll pay you back, just stop!”

 

Jinyong raised a hand in the air and both his men stopped. “I’ll give you a month. If I don’t get my money in one month’s time. You, her and him,” he pointed, “will not have to worry anymore. You’ll pay with you lives.” He looked down at Seungsung who didn’t move after the beating. “That is if he’s still alive. Let’s go.”

 

The second the three of them went out the door, Jung-Hwa and Sohyun rushed to Seungsung’s side. He was unresponsive, no matter how many times they called his name or shook him to wake up.

 

“What did you do?” Sohyun cried. “What did you do?!”

 

“Don’t blame me!” Jung-Hwa sobbed. “I didn’t do this! I never meant for this to happen!”

 

A/N: Not edited.