Backstage Show Pt.3
★🎸 {} .. hobie brown x groupie!reader
rating. m
word count. 3.5k
synopsis. hobie invites you to hang with him and his band for your birthday. They have the birthday present planned for you
or
hobie lets his band have their way with you
🍒・.❕warnings. the sexual tension is palpable, lots of group teasing, group is just different versions of Hobie's concept art, voyeurism (sex in front of hobie), clothed sex, ass eating (f receiving), fingering, praise, three on one, kinda foursome, titty play, making out with multiple people, hobie has a bit of a god/ superiority complex, y/n is a group who'd do anything for her idol, bit of a power dynamic fr
backstage show pt.1 | backstage show pt.2
Hobie had you on a leash. Metaphorically of course but you'd be more than happy to make it physical if he so desired. From that first night, you were hooked, waiting on every beck and call, obsessed was too light of a word to describe it. Fanatic maybe, in dire need of therapy is another option because you'd let him do whatever he wanted to you and he knew it.
Hobie took advantage of it in minor ways, asking you if you might send him pictures knowing that you would without so much as a second thought. He could ruin your life with pictures like that in his possession, your fingers in your wet pussy just like he instructed, so down bad that your own self preservation for any future endeavors was thrown out the window. But he had proved that he at least cared somewhat for you reputation and not getting you fired from your job by hiding your face from the tabloids when the two of you were caught fucking in an alley.
You were madly in love. Any fan would be if they were regularly fucking the person they idolized, the parasocial feelings you had suddenly becoming actualized and recognized by the one on the receiving end of it.
Never once did you try to place a label on things and Hobie appreciated it, you could tell. So often people will want to rush into trying him down to something he never really agreed to. You never tried to call yourself his girlfriend or claim him as your boyfriend because you were just happy to have him in any way he would allow. Maybe that’s why he was so comfortable letting you stick around, because you knew your place and didn’t infringe on those boundaries.
You were thinking about the long game, really. Not just the momentary gratification.
Hobie texted you after nearly a week of radio silence. For a moment, you feared he might be done with you even after the two of you stayed up texting into the early mornings about music and life, and all sorts of things. You ran through your messages time and time again trying to decipher if he had given any signs that he was upset with you. None were apparent. You told yourself that he was just busy to soothe your nerves and when you received his text, he didn’t address his absence. However, he did address something else of import.
Happy birthday, luv. You wanna come over?
Something you had offhandedly mentioned, something as important as you birthday, he took the time to remember. Even when you, who was too busy worrying about him to even remember, didn't.
It was hardly even a question you had to consider. You had tossed on a nice outfit as quickly as possible, did your hair and makeup. You grabbed your bag and left the house for the subway while asking him for the address. So quickly you had forgotten about him ignoring your text because you knew that in some way he was thinking about you and you were just lucky to even be acknowledged by him.
That’s how you got here, at this little building that was rundown but cozy, just how you liked it. The entrance was round the side and the door was left unlocked for you. You pulled open the rusting metal door gate before walking inside. You could hear the music from upstairs as well as the laughter emanating from the men and followed it up to their studio.
“There she is." Hobie's lead guitarist, Mace motioned to you as you entered the room. “Told ya she’s the punctual type.” He nudged Hobie who sat beside him with a joint. Their studio was a dim place, layered in a perpetual haze of smoke only illuminated by a red LED light in the corner. There were posters and decorations all over the wall, some spray painted art on the East wall. The boys were lounging around, listening to music while either drinking or smoking.
They were all beautiful and you’d have your pick of any of them, or rather, all of them if you could. Mace, the lead guitarist with his long locs he usually kept in a half up, half own style decorated in gold cuffs. He was cool, occasionally playful, and spent most of his time while you were around teasing. Cass, the rhythm guitar and backup singer, kept his locs in a ponytail with the font out and down his face. He was the quieter type, didn’t talk much, but he was kind when he did talk.Then there was Eli, the drummer, loud, eccentric with hair to match in streaks of white and red. He had the prettiest eyes, one blue and one brown. He was the one who brazenly flirted with you in front of Hobie.
But there was a way they all looked at you. It’s not surprising seeing as your very first interaction with them was getting fucked in front of them while they jerk off to it. Sexual tension was implied with an interaction like that.
Hobie smiled at you as you entered. “There’s ma girl. Com’ere, luv.” He motioned you to him with two fingers and you came. You slid into place beside him and he kissed you, his teeth grazing your bottom lip and his fingers tracing the curve of your delicate jaw. He kissed you like he knew you were in love with him, always kissing with just enough passion to keep you on the hook but never enough to make you believe that you’re entitled to claim him in any sort of way. "Happy birthday, baby."
“Aw, I don’ get to have a kiss, doll?” Eli came over, placing his hands on the back of the couch on their side of your head as he leaned in close to you. You hesitated, your eyes widening as you look at Hobie for what to do. He doesn’t give you any reassurance nor does he show any sign that he’s upset about the question. He just takes a drag from his joint while the other two see what you’ll do.
On the other side of the room, Cass sat strumming to the melody of the song playing over the hidden speakers on his guitar. “Don’ look so fuckin’ terrified. He’s jus’ pullin’ ya leg, dove.” He scratched behind his gauged ears, his upper lip pierced with fanged angel bites pulling into a lopsided grin. "Happy birthday by the way."
Eli sighed and fell onto the couch beside you, tossing his arm over your shoulder. You were wedged between him and Hobie, both of them with an arm around you as Hobie passed his joint to Eli. Oh the things you thought about. All the ways they could manhandle you into any position they so desired. They could pass you around like that joint they have and you’d have absolutely no qualms with it.
“Nice shirt. You make it ya’self?” Mace leaned over Hobie’s lap to get a good look at your crop top with the band’s signature and “The Mary Janes” written in bleached letters. You nodded. “Took me forever to figure out what kind of design I wanted to do but yeah.” You find that he's looking hard. Your shirt is tight, leaves nothing to the imagination though it's not like they haven't seen you in various positions. He's checking you out hard. They all are in their own way and it's nothing new but it flusters you every time.
"Stop starin' at 'er tits, pervert." Hobie jabs him in the chest with his elbow and earns himself a tug at one of his wicks in return. They squabble like siblings, bickering between themselves while Hobie moved his hand to your thigh subconsciously. You're wearing a low-waisted black maxi skirt with platform boots. A simple outfit your haphazardly tossed together in the moment to get out of the house as quickly as possible.
Eli places the joint in front of you as it sits between his long, slender fingers. "You eva smoked before, doll?" He asked in a hushed whisper beside your ear. You look up at him. “Once when I was younger. I didn’t like it all that much… but I’d be willing to try it again.” He huffs out a laugh at this and hands you the joint to take a drag of it. The smoke immediately makes you cough and your face twist up, nose scrunching in slight disdain. Cass laughs at you lightheartedly from across the room. “Maybe smokin’s jus’ not for ‘er.”
You hand it back to Eli who laughs as well, placing the joint back between his lips. “Mmh,” He hummed softly, “tha’ strawberry?” He could taste your lipgloss on the tip, savored it a little before taking a drag. “Like ma girl’s with a lil’ flavor.”
“I’m not your girl though, am I?” You say this still while leaning your head on his shoulder and looking up at him with the smallest hint of a smile. Sometimes you took it upon yourself to flirt with the others. It’s not like you an Hobie are an official thing, you two are free to flirt with whoever you so please (though you’re sure if he were to give the attention he gave to you to someone else, you’d lose your shit).
“Sure ‘Obes wouldn’t mind sharin’, would ya ‘obie?”
Hobie stopped his wrestling with Mace to look at his sporadic drummer then at you. “Don’ usually like sharin’ ma tings… but I also don’t believe in consistency.” He glances at you, something mischievous brimming on his lips as he leans in and kisses you, his hand comes to cradle your neck, his thumb rubbing over your throat. “She’ll always know who she belongs to at the end of the day, won’t you?” You look him in the eyes and nod.
"Das ma good girl." Hobie hummed softly and pecked you one more time. "My bes' girl. I gotta surprise fo ma favorite." Your chest swelled at his praise and the thought that he thought enough about you enough to gift you a surprise.
Hobie got up from the couch, leaving a dip in the cushion from not moving for so long. "Since it's your birthday and you must be tired just fuckin' with me all the time–" He made his way over to a recording panel, plopping himself down in a spinning chair. He was joking knowing you could never get tired of him. "So, the boys offered themselves up. Let them make you feel good, birthday girl, if you'd like. No fucking or blowjobs in return."
You never thought you'd be in a position like this, surrounded by the most beautiful men in the world and they were offering themselves up to you for your pleasure. For your birthday.
"I-I don't know…are you okay with it?" You wanted to, you wanted their hands all over you, wanted their mouths in any way you could have them but you had a creeping suspicion that this was all some elaborate test to see if you really were loyal to him. Hobie didn't like sharing his things. He already made it every clear.
"Baby, that's up to you. I only agreed as long as I was there to watch." Hobie looked at you for a moment, the way you sit squeezed between the large, warm bodies of Mace and Eli. Cass had put down his guitar and stood up. “You said ya good wit’ us sharin’ ya girl here?” He made his way slowly over to the table and around it.
"No but how could I deny my girl on her birthday?"
It was like their minds ran in parallel with each other because they all had that same look on their faces. Mace and Eli turned in to you and you felt even more trapped between the two of them and Cass standing right in front of you, looking down at you with a smirk ghosting over his lips.
It was intimidating to be trapped between three men so beautiful you felt you might pass out and they all looked about ready to devour you. What a dream it would be to be splayed open, let them pass you round, take their turns with you until you’re all dumb and fucked out. Then you want Hobie to hold you, tell you you did an amazing job while he cleans you up.
It was Mace who kissed you first. Softly at first to ease you into it. You panicked a little admittedly when he pulled back, immediately looked to Hobie for some kind of approval of the situation but he completely left it up to you to decide that for yourself. Fuck you how and who you’d like, at the end of the day the two of you had no commitment to each other. He took another drag and crossed his legs, waiting. Plus, he wanted you to accept his gift to you.
You turned back to Mace, everyone waiting to see what you might choose, all willing to back off if you gave any indication you didn’t want any of this. It takes you a second that in the moment, you have all the power and if feels fucking amazing. You kiss Mace again and that give the signal for all of them to attack.
So many hands are on you at once, tugging at your clothes, grasping at your skin, removing as much as they could to expand their access to you. It’s almost overwhelming how quickly they leave you exposed and whimpering. Cass is on his knees, his large hands grasping your thighs while Mace and Eli trade places. Eli's much rougher when he kisses, his tongue demanding absolute submission from yours, his teeth sinking into the supple flesh of your lips. Mace busied himself with those pretty breasts of yours, his long fingers playing with the pebbled peak of your nipple while his lips latch onto the nipple of your other.
"Be gentle. Don't like ma tings broken, mates." Hobie makes eye contact with you and smirks. "Go on an' slut 'er out. She's a stupid cockwhore anyway. You-" he finally speaks to you like you aren't just an accessory in the room. "don' you dare take ya eyes off me, got it?"
Your only confirmation was obedience. Your eyes remained on Hobie even as Cass's lips kissed the lips of your pussy and his tongue dipped to test the waters. Even as Mace tortured your sensitive buds with his own tongue and fingers, pinching and nipping and teasing to no end. Eli’s lips teased at your neck, feasting on the way your breathing hitched at every overstimulating touch.
Hobie was relaxed, not threatened in the least by the way you could hardly handle the sensation of all of them on you. Cass’s head was slotted between your thighs. He took his time to explore, spit on your pretty little pussy like he intended to claim it. Eli helped him out, his fingers playing in Cass’s mess, teasing at your clit while his mate's tongue went back and forth between your little cunt and the taut ring of muscle of your ass. Cass kept your legs pried open despite how your muscles fought to cover your modesty and hide from the overbearing nature of their stimulation. Together, they had your pussy trembling.
Mace fondled your breasts in his hands obsessively. You wonder how many times in all of this he's thought about tit-fucking you. Maybe from the moment Hobie first brought you around. He left red marks against the brown of your skin, all destined to blossom into roses of blue and purple.
"H-Hobie." You moaned his name like he was the one with his tongue in your cunt and his fingers playing your swollen clit like a fiddle. It seemed he was enjoying the show from where he was sitting. "What is it, ma pretty girl? You enjoyin' yaself?"
Enjoying yourself was an understatement. They were making your pussy sing, playing you like a fiddle. Mace was teasing your nipples raw and you were sure you'd simply combust at any moment. You could only whine in response, looking at Hobie as he smiled and continued to talk you through your pleasure. "They've all been wannin' to fuck you for a while now, you know tha'? All they talk 'bout afta ya leave."
You could feel Cass chuckle against your clit while his tongue swirls between Eli's soaked fingers. "Have 3 holes 'n a nice pair of tits fo a reason." He spits on your clit again, making a mess of his bandmate's fingers and your pussy before dribbling down the underside of your pretty little asshole.
"Oh the ways we've thought 'bout usin' you, lovely." Mace added on with a rumbling chuckle of his own as he kissed down your diaphragm. "How we talked 'bout takin' turns fuckin' this magical cunt Hobie was goin' crazy ova."
"I talk high praise ova ma girl." Hobie murmured from the side as he took another drag. "Bes' pussy this side of the Atlantic."
"Tas'e like heaven." Cass murmured against your saliva-coated pussy while Eli continued to pinch and flick at your clit. Your pussy is pulsating, you moans growing in volume and cadence. Mace's lips are on yours again, his tongue exploring yours and savoring your taste, his long, skilled fingers teasing their buds of your nipples.
There was a thin line that separated Heaven from Hell, blissful pleasure from soul-crushing pain and you walked that line like a tightrope, wobbling a little into each from time to time but never fully surrendering to one or the other. All those hands, all those tongues, Hobie’s piercing gaze as he watched them have their way with your body. Cass’ tongue soothed the ache of Eli’s aggressive fingers, Eli’s lips kissed the bites Mace left on your body, Mace cooed at how well you were for them all while Cass went places only Hobie has ever known.
And Hobie— he was there to watch you fall apart completely and utterly. He took a drag from this joint before leaning forward to tap off the ashes as he stood. Your eyes were trained on him, muscles quivering from the onslaught of pleasure seizing them but you’d such a good girl that you never take your gaze from his pretty, slander frame.
He stood before you, partially over Cass who ate your pussy like a starved dog, lips wet with your slick ad saliva. Mace moves his hot mouth from yours and focuses more on your abused tits, littered in hickeys and bruises, nipples erect and slightly swollen from stimulation. Eli slipped his fingers down your smutty pussy and teased at the entrance of your cunt accompanied by Cass’ tongue. He used the heel of his palm to rub your clit as he sled his two long digits into your dripping pussy causing you to gasp sharply.
Hobie reached out, taking the opportunity to slide his thumb onto the wet pad of your tongue. “Close.” And you closed your lips around his thumb, suckling softly as you moaned in pleasure. You were so close to that high you sought everytime you were with Hobie. You looked up at his with those large eyes of yours, your body spasming as your tongue rolled against his thumb.
“You gonna cum, doll?” Hobie murmured at you, taking another drag as he pussed his thumb further into your mouth and down your throat until you gagged, your throat constricting. You nodded vigorously, your hips bucking uncontrollably against Cass’ face and Eli’s hand. Your hands were in Mace’s hair as he reached down and replaced Eli’s palm with his fingers now testing your clit. Your pussy jolted, throbbed with the beginnings of a climax as you moaned against his tongue. You drooled, Cass hands push your legs apart as you attempt to close them around the many fingers and single tongue against your cunt.
“Go ahead. I know they’re dying for it. They want my pretty, birthday girl to feel her best.”
Tears pricked the ducts of your eyes as your orgasm crashed down on you. Your cries were muffled by Hobie’s thumb as he weighed the pad of it down against your tongue. Your muscles spasmed, back arching off the couch as you shook. You kept looking at Hobie under the red LEDs and through the smoke from his mouth like a good girl, wanting nothing more than to feel his lips on yours.
When he pulled his thumb from your lips, a string of saliva connecting you, he ran the pad of his thumb across your southern lip and cooed at you. “My girl.” You feel back against the couch, fucked out and sleepy while they one by one retracted themselves from you, starting with Cass, then Eli, then Mace.
“You’ve ou’done yaselves, boys.” Hobie came and sat beside you, pulling you into his lap while you trembled against him. His fingers ran circles along your inner thing, growing nearer to your swollen, used heat until his fingers her dragging through the cum and saliva Cass left behind. “Ain’t this the bes’ birthday eva?” Hobie whispered into your ear and with your arms wrapped around his neck, you nod against his cheek with your lips pressed into his cheek.
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𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒊𝒓𝒍𝒔 | chap 04
SYPNOSIS: wherein Hwang Stella's life is tangled in a predicament involving her clandestine identity as a racer, her seemingly daily life as the official heir to the Hwang Empire, and seven guys with whom she has a complex history with.
PAIRING: enhypen members x fem oc.
GENRE: 18+ (mdni), reverse harem, chaebols, semi-college & racing, eventual adulthood, non-idol au, eventual enha being f1 drivers, multiple pov (this fic is written in first pov).
WARNINGS: violence, angst, drama, fem!oc drowning.
WORD COUNT: 9k+
TAGLIST ✧ @aishigrey @kgneptun
🍒 MASTERLIST 🍒
STELLA: I'm ready to talk. Meet me at the park near our campus.
As I read her text, relief thaws the aggravation that feels like endless turmoil. It has almost been a month since she decided to ghost me out of nowhere. Initially, I wasn't bothered in the slightest due to how my schedules have been occupying me, preventing me from meeting her.
But as time passed, her avoidance perturbed me, especially when she ignored my calls and texts, which wasn't like her, as she usually returned them as quickly as she could, no matter how busy she could get. The perturbation eventually transitioned into vexation.
Then, at Sunghoon's party, I caught her and Heeseung being a little too friendly with each other. I knew that I didn't have the right to feel envious, but when I saw Heeseung touching her, holding her in his arms, and with her smiling and laughing with him, I couldn't contain the rage I felt.
It did feel good to be able to punch Heeseung back, but when I saw how fearful her eyes were when she looked at us, it felt as though she punched me in the gut. I never want to frighten her.
After sending her a quick 'okay', I place my phone in my pocket and make my way to the students' parking lot. As I'm about to arrive at the entrance, I spot Jake, who is leaning his back against the wall while typing on his phone.
Not only has Stella been avoiding me, but Jake as well. After the incident at the party with the truth unravelled, Jake didn't say anything to anyone, leaving Sunghoon's place in silence. I tried calling and texting, but he's just the same as Stella.
I walk towards him with the intention of confronting him. He can't avoid me forever. Heck, I feel bitter and slightly hurt because of the way he is.
"Jake."
He looks up from his phone, and his once blank face morphs into something that I've never seen him looking at me before. Resentment.
Instead of responding, he attempts to walk away, turning his back on me, but I'm not having any of that.
"Sim Jaeyun, you can't avoid me forever."
He stops and turns around to meet my eyes. His gaze burns through me as though I'm his enemy.
"We need to talk." I tell him firmly.
"Oh, do we?" Jake scoffs. "I didn't think that we needed to talk after the revelation at Sunghoon's."
Annoyance sparks within me from his sarcasm. "I don't understand you. Why should it matter to you what Stella and I were doing? She's not your business anymore."
"It matters because I thought you were my best pal." Jake grits his teeth while he clenches a fist. "I didn't expect my best pal to betray me by going after my ex."
"It's been months, Jake! Months!" Thankfully, there are not many students in the vicinity. "I thought you'd finally moved on! You're even dating her sister, for fuck's sake!"
I step forward, glowering at him. "I didn't want to tell you this, but ever since you've been dating Rena, you've changed. I chose to be on your side because we grew up together and you're my best friend."
An inexplicable emotion flickers in his eye. "You don't even know half of the things I've gone through." He says with such hatred. "You don't even know what I had to sacrifice."
Despite how he's speaking to me with such hatred, I can't help but feel that there is also despair. He's hiding something.
"What are you hiding, Jake?" I ask as the prior indignation diminishes. "You know you can trust me. We've known each other since forever."
There it is, the cold, resentful facade he puts up is beginning to crack. My gut is telling me that whatever happened or whatever he has been hiding from us weighs heavier than he can carry.
"You wouldn't understand."
"Then help me understand." I sigh. "What are you hiding? Why do you seem so afraid to tell me?"
"Forget it. What's done is done."
Before he can turn around, I tell him something that I know he needs to hear. "You still love Stella."
With the way he visibly flinches, I already know the answer, despite how my heart feels a sting.
"Admit it, Jake." My voice sounds unyielding. "You still love Stella, but you're a fucking idiot because right now, you're with the wrong Hwang."
Jake turns his back on me while I manage to catch his hand, forming a fist once more. "Like I said, Jay, what's done is done."
"Jake! You coward! I wasn't finished!" I call out after him as he keeps walking until he disappears from my sight.
Because of him, the curiosity that sparks within me becomes tenfold. I don't care if he's still mad at me or hates me, but I will get to the bottom of this.
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
I park my silver Aston Martin DB12 Volante by the curb and switch off the ignition. As I step out, I spot Stella seated on one of the playground swings. Her lilac waves look beautiful, suiting her overall countenance. Even though most perceives of her as someone who is cruel and heartless, I know for a fact that they're wrong.
Stella is anything but cruel and heartless. Sure, her icy demeanour probably makes other people to be wary of her and her reputation as the Hwang heir, but honestly, I don't see her the way they all do.
Yeah, we were friends with benefits, but she sure was a good friend to me. At times, I found myself opening up to her and sharing things that I didn't share with the guys. I like the way she thinks uniquely, the way she understands me as I too, am the official heir.
"Stella." I greet her, standing next to her as I tower over her figure.
"Jay." Her voice sounds different to how she would usually speak to me. I ignore the pinch in my heart.
"I'm sorry for what happened at Sunghoon's party." I start off, clearly aware of my deplorable behaviour. "I'm sorry for what I said. I was pissed-off and went over my head with how I acted towards you and Heeseung."
Stella looks up at me, confusion resides in her gaze. "That's the thing, Jay. I don't understand why you were mad."
She's right. But I can't let her know the reason behind my anger.
"I was a fool. I thought you had replaced me with Heeseung." I mutter.
"Even if I had, why should it matter to you? We're nothing but friends."
"Because it's obvious that Heeseung and I don't get along well." It's such a lame excuse, but I'm desperate enough to tell her white lies.
She frowns. "So if Heeseung and I were friends, which we already are, you'd disapprove? I can't believe how possessive you are."
My fingers run through my hair in frustration. "Stella─"
"Anyway, you wanted to know why I ghosted you, right?" She cuts me off, her tone sounds sharp like a knife. "I didn't know how to tell you at the point of time and I couldn't bring myself to face you."
"Tell me what?"
She inhales sharply, her eye contact remains unwavering. "That I'm done being your fuck buddy. It was great while it lasted, but it's time we put an end to it."
I don't fucking care that she doesn't want to sleep with me anymore, but why does it feel like she's also putting an end to our friendship?
"Okay." My voice comes out soft. "If that's what you want, then we'll stop."
"And," She continues, though she seems hesitant. "I don't think we can be friends anymore."
My heart feels as though it has shattered into pieces. "What? But why?"
Stella shakes her head and slowly rises from the swing. She turns her back on me. "I already gave you the answers you seek."
I grab her wrist before she can even walk away. "Don't be like this, Stella." I sound desperate, but I no longer give a fuck about it. "You didn't even tell me why you wanted to end it all yet. Don't leave me hanging again."
She whips her head around, startling me with the anger in her eyes. "What about you? You left me hanging too. You ignored my texts and calls too while you were out with other girls."
"That wasn't true!" I protest. "I was busy with the amount of workload! You know it yourself, being the official heir! And about the other girls, they were just my parents' good business friends' daughters!"
The anger slowly diminishes before looks of despair and heartbreak shine in her eyes. "You want to know the real reason why I want to cut ties with you?" She chuckles sadly. "Because I broke the agreement."
The sound of my heart pounding seems to be getting loud in my ears. "What do you mean?"
"I grew feelings for you, Jay." Her lips quiver. "Feelings that are beyond platonic."
My grip on her wrist slowly loosens. "Stella─"
She snatches her wrist from my loosen grasp. Though there are no tears in her eyes, she looks crushed. "I still do, but I'm trying to get rid of my feelings for you. I know that you will never reciprocate what I feel for you, so please, allow me to do you a favour by cutting ties with you."
It feels like I've been paralysed, unable to move or speak out any words. Most of all, my heart is screaming at me, begging me not to let her disappear from my grasps.
"I have my own baggage to deal with, so please understand that I'm also doing you a favour because I'm a complicated mess. Always was." Sentimentality shines in her eyes as she looks at me for the last time. "I won't take our friendship and the moments we had for granted. So, goodbye, Jay."
I don't know how long I've been standing here since she left the park, but soon, my knees feel like giving up. She was just a friend, a great friend who understood me the way no one did, but why do I feel as though my soul has been crushed and my heart has been ripped off my chest?
Instead of heading to the mansion, I find myself driving to the skating park that I used to go to with my uncle, my brother, and Jaeyun. After what happened with Jay, I need to clear my mind. Surprisingly, I didn't shed a tear, despite how my heart was hurting.
Deep down, I know that I can never blame Jay. It's all on me. Yes, I do have feelings for Jay, but at the same time, my heart can't seem to let go of Jaeyun. To make things even more complex, my encounters and interactions with Jungwon and Heeseung have begun to stir something in me.
And so, I decided that it was for the best for Jay to not be tied to someone like me. Someone who doesn't know who or what she wants. Someone who is desperate for some validation and affection. Someone who easily falls in love.
As I shut the driver's door, I begin to make my way towards the park while my hand searches for a familiar box inside my pocket. Bringing it out, I look down. My hand is shaky as I take out one stick. After lighting it up, I bring it up to my lips before inhaling the toxic substances.
I know I promised myself that I'd try to quit, but just for tonight, I need something to ease me.
As I look up, my heart stops beating momentarily while I halt my steps. Only a few feet away from me is the person I never expected to come here.
The stick settles between my fingers as I lower it. I can't seem to look away from his eyes, even though the intensity of his gaze alone is enough to cause my state of mind to shamble.
For a moment, I almost want to run into his arms—his arms that used to be a place where I could find comfort, his arms that used to feel like a blanket of security.
I swallow down the lump of sadness, forcing myself to maintain my icy demeanour. "What are you doing here?" I ask harshly, though I hope that he won't detect the shakiness.
"None of your business." The coldness in his voice feels as though a knife has cut my heart open. There is no longer the warmth and affection he used to convey to me. His eyes look down at the burning stick between my fingers. "Since when did you smoke?"
"None of your business." I counter coldly before attempting to walk past him. "You should leave."
I hear him scoff. "You don't get to tell me what to do. This is a free zone."
"Oh, really? Do you bring Rena here often too?" I grit my teeth as I halt my steps. "Do you teach her how to skate like you did with me?"
"Don't bring Rena into the conversation."
I spin around, seething with anger amidst the despair. I look at him dead in the eyes. "Protective of your sweet little girlfriend now? How honourable." My tongue tastes like poison as I speak. "Tell me, is it fun dating your ex's sister? Oh, and does she know how much of a coward you are?"
Jake remains silent, though the coldness in his gaze doesn't melt. I continue to speak, expressing all the pent-up emotions I've been keeping since the day he left and broke my heart.
"It wasn't long after our breakup before you started dating Rena. And while we're at it, it wasn't even a mutual breakup!" As I raise my voice, my throat starts to burn, as does the back of my eyes, burning with the incoming waterworks. "You gave me cold shoulders and started being indifferent before you decided to break up by sending me a text, like a coward!"
By now, tears have erupted as they roll down my cheeks while my body trembles with so many emotions. "I tried calling you after you sent that text, but you didn't answer. You know what's worse? When I called you, it was when I needed you the most." I choke on a sob, the betrayal feels fresh as day one. "And now you're dating my bitch of a sister? How cruel can you get?!"
"Don't speak of her that way." Though he sounds stern, I can almost discern how weak his voice sounds.
With my index finger, I jab it at where my heart is. "It fucking hurt when I found out you were dating her. You have no idea how much you broke my heart when you decided to get together with the girl who used to make my life a living hell!"
Droplets of rain start pouring down, but I don't have the heart to care that my clothes will soon be damp. A sob leaves my lips as I pathetically wipe my tears with the back of my hand. "How could you do this to me, Jaeyun? I gave you my all, and I loved you more than anything." I still do.
The whole time, he remains silent, and I can't make out the expression on his face. My body trembles as I continue to pour my heart out. "All those moments you spent with me, the words you spoke to me, how you used to tell me I was your only girl—you can't tell me that they were fake."
I blink my eyes, finally being able to look at his face a little clearer despite the rain. Strands of his hair stick to his forehead, and his clothes are as damp as mine. His gaze remains unwavering on mine, but his hand forms a fist.
"Maybe I'm just a good actor." He clenches his jaw. "It looks like they worked, considering how you've fallen for them."
"Screw you!" I scream at him. "You don't just do that to someone with whom you've been together for three fucking years! You know what? I don't care anymore! Fuck you and your girlfriend!" My chest heaves heavily while my throat begins to hurt. I look at him for the last time. "I can't believe I ever loved you."
I turn my back on him and briskly walk away from him. I wipe my tears again, but it seems that every time I do, the tears come running down my cheeks again. I don't know how long I've been walking in the rain, but as I bring the cigarette stick to my lips, frustration ignites in me as the stick has dissipated. Soon, the frustration turns into despair once more. I halt my steps before I crouch down, and I begin to bawl my eyes out with ugly sobs leaving my lips.
A part of me expects Jaeyun to follow me and hug me from the back, but it doesn't happen. Once again, he left me here in the cold, just like that day. I should've known better that Jaeyun is no longer the Jaeyun I once knew. Jaeyun, whom I used to be able to call mine.
I just keep crying in the heavy rain, pouring my heart out and all the pent-up emotions. It is all so fucking complicated, and yet I'm the one who complicates things. It frustrates yet astounds me that my heart harbours feelings for more than one person.
Two heartbreaks in one night. That's a new record.
"You know what's worse? When I called you, it was when I needed you the most."
"How could you do this to me, Jaeyun? I gave you my all, and I loved you more than anything."
No matter how hard I tried to bury the memory with her two nights ago, they always managed to resurface in my mind. It even emerged in my sleep, as if it were haunting me. Of course, it did. I hurt the only girl who ever loved me sincerely.
The familiar sound of a bell chime brings my attention to the bunch of kids running and walking towards the school gate, making their way to the respective cars that are waiting for them, while some can be seen hugging their parents and guardians.
I lean my back against my red Audi SQ8 Sportback e-tron car with my arms crossed over my chest, waiting for a certain munchkin with two-tied ponytails.
"Jakey Oppa!"
There she is, with a beaming smile plastered on her face, as she comes running towards me gleefully. As I lean away from my car, she arrives just in time to throw her limbs around my figure, her head reaching near my waist.
A breathy chuckle leaves my lips as I rub her head affectionately. "It looks like someone is happier than usual. How was school, kiddo?"
I assist her, opening the passenger seat for her as she happily enters. I quickly make my way over to the driver's. After I enter, I start the ignition while she buckles herself up with the seatbelt.
"School was fun! I got an A for math!" She gives me a crooked smile, and her eyes sparkle with hope. "Do you think Mom will be happy?"
In response, I offer her a deceptive smile before returning my gaze to the road as I drive us out of the school compound. "I'm sure she will be."
I don't want to give her any hope, considering our good for nothing mother will never give a damn about any of her children unless it's in her best interest. Plus, my little sister has a sensitive heart.
Meet Charlotte Sim, my only little sister, who is turning nine this year. She can be mischievous like any other kid her age, but at times, she often surprises me with how mature she thinks and acts. I do admit that she can be wiser than I could ever be.
"Anyway, Oppa, you wanted to know why I'm happier than usual?" She asks rhetorically while I merely hum in response, too busy focusing on the road that is busier than usual. "Because that Unnie isn't here, finally."
My eyebrows jump up in surprise at her statement. "That Unnie has a name, Char."
"I don't care, and I don't like her!" From my peripheral vision, I notice Charlotte huffing as she crosses her arms.
"Why don't you like her?" I muse. I am not entirely surprised by her proclamation. It's been so blatantly clear with the way Charlotte acts around Rena.
"Because she called you Jakey, and I'm the only one who is allowed to call you that, and she's annoying with how she keeps following you like a lost puppy." Charlotte pauses before the tone of her voice sounds dispirited. "Most of all, she's not Stella Unnie."
Instantly, my grip on the steering wheel tightens. Charlotte's last statement feels like a punch to the gut.
When Stella first met Charlotte, Charlotte liked her instantly, despite how awkward Stella was with kids. Eventually, the two got closer and became inseparable anytime I brought Charlotte along with us. They were practically like sisters. Whenever Char got hurt or cried, she came running to Stella instead of me. I often joked with them about how we could adopt Char and live far away from everyone here.
Melancholy brims in my eyes, but I suck it all up. What's done is done. Let the past stay in the past.
Don't fool yourself, Jake. You're still stuck in that restaurant with her, and you know it.
The restaurant where I brought her for our first anniversary. It was just a simple dinner, yet it was a memorable one. I remember how beautiful she looked in a white dress and the way her eyes shone with love when she gazed at me under the resplendent artificial lights. After that dinner, we headed for an ice cream parlour and walked on the pavement under the moonlight with our hands intertwined.
Fuck, yeah, I'm still stuck in that restaurant.
"Jakey?" Char's timid voice pulls me back to reality while her hand tugs at the sleeve of my coat. I take a glance at her, and I am taken aback to see the guilt in her eyes.
She must've been wondering why I went quiet for the entire ride. I didn't even realise that we had already arrived in the familiar garage of Sim's mansion.
"Are you mad at me?" Her lips quiver in sadness.
"No, baby, I promise I'm not mad at you." I sigh, reaching out to pat her head gently. "I was just thinking."
I help her unbuckle her seatbelt and carry her pink bag before exiting the car. She settles herself next to me, holding my hand as we make our way into the mansion.
"I miss Stella Unnie so much." Char mumbles while my stomach twists in guilt. "No one could ever replace her."
"You can try to like Rena." I don't even know why I fucking insist. I glance down at her and give her a faint smile. "I'm sure she's not that bad."
"I told you so many times, Oppa, that I would never ever like Rena!" Char's outburst doesn't deter me. She releases my hand and looks at me with disbelief while her eyes turn glossy. "Because of her, we lost Stella Unnie! I lost my favourite Unnie!"
I must've underestimated Char's attachment to Stella. The commotion seems to be garnering attention, with some of the helpers glancing our way. Alas, the person whom I don't wish to see appears.
"What's with all the yelling?" My mother, Rhea Sim, donning a smart casual fit, walks towards us with a disapproving glare. "Charlotte Sim, that is not the way to act as a proper lady."
"It's your fault too, Oppa!" Char ignores our mother as she yells at me once more before storming off towards the stairs.
Rhea turns to me with a bizarre look. "Explain." She demands.
"Nothing. She's just throwing a tantrum. It's natural for a child to behave that way." I keep my tone as curt as possible, bending down to place Char's bag on the floor.
"Jake─"
"I won't be able to fetch Char for at least two weeks." I cut her off sharply, wanting to get this over with, because the longer Rhea is in my vicinity, the more my hatred for her grows. "I'll be busy with a workload of assignments and some racing."
My parents are aware of me being a racer, and they support me despite how some may regard racing as preposterous in our high-class society. Luckily, I don't give a fuck about what others think.
I hear my Rhea sigh in frustration. "How long are you going to stay mad at me?"
My jaw feels tight. "Longer than you actually think."
"Jake, it's been months. I can't possibly comprehend how it still affects you." Rhea says abrasively. "I see you're doing just fine dating Rena. Besides, I'd rather you date her than that girl."
"It's called putting up a fucking act, mother." The venomous tone in my voice causes her to flinch visibly. "Remember, mother, that you're the reason why I'm in this complex shit."
Rhea attempts to calm me down by cautiously placing her hand on my shoulder. "It's for the greater cause."
I scoff loudly and jerk away from her touch. "You mean, it's for your cause. You're so selfish. You already knew how happy and in love I was with Stella, and I even had the intention to marry her as soon as we graduate from college, but you just had to be a terrible mom."
Rhea gasps, hurt is visible on her face. "Sim Jaeyun! How could you be so hateful towards your own mother?"
"I hated you the moment you forced me to date Hwang Rena." My eyes are burning with such fervent loathing. "I hated you the moment you made me abandon the only love of my life."
"But─"
"But nothing!" I snarl at her. "The moment you accepted Hwang Jihyun's partnership in collaborating with your business in exchange for my breaking up with Stella, I knew that my happiness has never mattered to you!"
Rhea masks her sadness with the usual coldness, staring at me sharply. "Say what you want. My collaboration is already going smoothly with Jihyun's. So don't you dare break up with Rena and run back to that girl."
"That girl has a name. Hwang Stella." I turn my back on her, but not before glancing at her with a smirk. "Oh, and mother? I've been known to break rules. So you may never know what happens next."
"Sim Jaeyun!" By the time Rhea shouts my name in sheer rage, I'm already outside of the mansion and have made my way back to the garage.
Thankfully, I've been living alone in an apartment since I started college. I imagine if I were still living here, I'd probably kill myself off due to Rhea's controlling and manipulating tendencies.
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
I knew that I had to unwind after what happened. So I decided to head to the arena with the intention of driving for as many laps as my Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, which is in a gorgeous red, could handle.
I don't know how long I've been speeding on the track until I decide that it's time to take a little break. However, as I'm about to pull up at my usual station, I spot Sunghoon at his. The guy appears to have been watching me with his back leaning against the hood of his car and his arms crossed.
I don't know what compels me to stop near his station, but as soon as I do, I roll down the window. His eyes meet mine while his lips turn into a smirk.
"What are you doing here?" I ask with a frown. I thought I would have this place all to myself since it's a Thursday night.
"Why can't I be here? I own this place─"
"You mean your uncle owns this place?"
Sunghoon rolls his eyes at my remark. "Let me guess. You're currently unwinding because something got you all worked up."
I blink my eyes, feeling surprised. "How did you know?"
"Because you're my best─" Sunghoon pauses and looks away from my gaze briefly before clearing his throat awkwardly. "I mean, I've known you for three years. Whenever something happened or got you worked up, you often decided to unwind by racing on these tracks."
I surprise myself as a chuckle leaves my lips. "And you're still as observant. But yeah, I've got too worked up."
Sunghoon purses his lips, seeming to be contemplating, because he leans away from his car and walks towards me. "Since we're the only ones here and my curiosity is annoying me, just pretend that we're still friends."
I exit the car, following Sunghoon, before we choose to sit on the ground. "So, what happened?" He asks.
I heave a deep sigh before hanging my head low. "I don't know where to start."
"Well, you can start off by telling me whatever the fuck happened months ago." Sunghoon suggests, unfiltered as always. "You do realise that you're the reason why the dynamic of our overall friendship was affected?"
"Says you." I retort. "You and Jay were fighting as well."
"Yeah, but not as bad as you and Heeseung were." Sunghoon narrows his eyes at me. "Tell me the damn truth, Jake."
As I look at him, nostalgia sets in. I am reminded of the past, where Sunghoon and I often shared things, even the stupid ones, and yet we enjoyed each other's company. My heart is beginning to sting a little.
"I fucked things up with Stella, as you obviously know." I begin to unravel bits by bits. "My breaking up with her was the root cause of the way I acted and behaved months ago."
"I kind of got a feeling, but I still don't get the part where you were in a brawl with Heeseung at the period where you started acting like an asshole."
Fortunately, I'm used to Sunghoon's unfiltered mouth. I raise my head and stare straight ahead. "Rena told me about how Heeseung had a crush on Stella and had been eyeing her for a long time." I rub my face. "At that point, my life was in shambles. I wasn't in the right state of mind. When I saw Heeseung, I confronted him about it. Before I knew it, I punched him first."
"You're a fucking idiot, Sim." Sunghoon shakes his head. "You should've known not to start a fight. Especially not with Heeseung. He may be a nerd, but his violence is not to be messed with. The guy's a beast!"
I nod my head in agreement. Out of the seven of us, Heeseung's violence is the worst. Once, he had gotten some guy into a coma, because apparently, that guy had sexually assaulted Lee Aera.
"Then I started to date Rena." I state the obvious. "But I had no choice."
"There's always a choice, Sim." Sunghoon sighs. "You just have to be brave enough to make that choice. What happened to the rule-breaker I knew?"
I look at him, my eyes hardening. "Because if I didn't date Rena, my business in racing would've been jeopardised."
Sunghoon furrows his eyebrows in confusion. "Elaborate."
"The only reason I was allowed to race in the first place was because my mother approved, as long as I heeded her decree." I ruffle my tousled hair in frustration. "Apparently, Hwang Jihyun had a business proposal for collaborating with my mother's business, but in exchange, I broke up with Stella and dated Rena instead."
"As much as I hate Stella, that is so fucked up." Sunghoon rubs his temple while I'm going to pretend that I didn't hear that. "But I have to give credit to you. You made dating with Rena seem so easy. You really fooled me."
"The longer I'm with Rena, I'm afraid that I might snap sooner than expected." I sigh, feeling despondent. My eyes blur with the tears I haven't realised have appeared while my heart clenches in despair. "I still love Stella. You should've seen her the other night when I accidentally stumbled upon her."
Only God knows how badly I wanted to chase after her, hold her again, and deliver my heartfelt apologies.
Sunghoon looks at me with an indecipherable emotion. "I honestly don't know how to comfort you, but I know for a fact that you're a rule-breaker. Always have been." He hesitates, but eventually he places his hand on my shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze. "So buck up and fucking break those rules. You have my support."
I blink away the tears, and my lips break into a grin. "You're right. I can't be weak and compliant forever." To safeguard my venture in motorsports and elude my mother's clutches, I must devise a strategy.
Sunghoon mirrors my grin. "That's the spirit. But it does beg the question: Why did Hwang Jihyun want you to break up with her beloved daughter?"
I shrug my shoulders, though I'm curious as well. "I have no clue. Maybe I wasn't good enough for Stella? I mean, considering she's the official heir and an important figure. You do know that the Hwangs are the most dominant in our society."
Sunghoon snorts as he rolls his eyes. "Hence, the more reason I should hate the Hwangs. Anyway, since you're the only one here, let's have a race."
He rises from the ground before extending his hand towards me, which I gladly accept. I'm uncertain of what tonight says about Sunghoon and me. Like, have we reconciled? Are we friends again? Or are we going to continue being enemies?
But one thing is for sure: I'm glad to have talked to Sunghoon and to race with him, because deep down, I know that I've missed him.
I don't know what awaits me, but I know for a fact that I've just dug my own grave─though not completely─the moment I foolishly suggested that I was willing whatever it took for as long as he kept my identity a secret.
Earlier, I had received a text from Sunoo ordering me to fetch him at his place and to wait for him in the parking lot. Initially, I was confused and annoyed because who the hell did he think he was? Then, realisation hit me when I recalled a certain memory.
Once again, fuck me and my mouth.
"You took forever to get here." Sunoo complains as soon as he gets into my car, inviting himself to the passenger seat.
I glance down at my watch, and my lips downturn into a frown before I look at him deadpan. "Oh, accept my humble apologies for being two minutes late, your highness."
Sunoo gives me a side-eye. "Sarcasm won't do you good."
I merely brush off his remark, driving us out of the parking lot. "So where exactly do you want to go, and why am I your chauffeur when you can obviously drive?"
"Because I obviously ordered you to?" Sunoo adjusts his hair as he checks himself on his phone's camera. "And also because driving is hard work."
I heave a sigh, trying my best to simmer my annoyance. "But why me? You have other friends, don't you?"
"Aera is busy, and so are the others. Sunghoon was available, but he hung up the call as soon as I asked him if he could drive me to the mall. So that leaves you as my last option."
"Geez. I'm honoured." I grumble. I had no idea that Sunoo would turn out to be such a princess.
"Don't get all attitude on me. Remember that you were the one who suggested that I could ask you to do anything as long as I kept your secret."
"Regrettably."
I hear Sunoo sigh in annoyance. "Look, Aera clearly has taken a huge liking to you while you seem to get along well with Jungwon, Riki, and Heeseung. Maybe I can try to like you if you choose not to be insufferable."
I gasp loudly, turning my head to look at him with such offence. "I'm insufferable?! You're practically acting like a spoiled brat princess!"
To my great astonishment, his fingers grab my chin and force me to look straight ahead, back on the road. "Eyes on the road. I don't want any accidents to happen and potentially ruin my face."
I inhale a deep breath, struggling to remain calm while my grip on the steering wheel tightens. Good Lord, I hope I can last this dreadful day with Sunoo.
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
Not only does he make me drive around wherever he likes, but apparently he also makes me carry the stuff he bought. He even asks for my opinions on certain items that catch his attention, but he always ends up choosing different ones.
"Pick up the pace, Stella! We don't have all day!" Sunoo calls out to me, walking further and further from me while I am left struggling with the weight of these shopping bags, which slows me down.
If he tells me that again one more time, I'm going to explode. I'm most certain he's not oblivious to the fact that I'm physically struggling, especially with the way he appears to be annoyingly delighted. Plus, I'm exhausted and hungry, which is not a great combo.
"Kim Sunoo!" A disgruntled grunt leaves my lips as soon as I manage to catch up to him. He abruptly stops before turning around, but I'm too caught up in my head with the ways to kill a man in his sleep, which caused me to bump into his solid figure at the same time when he turned around.
"Woah!" I expected to fall, but what I didn't expect was when he managed to catch me swiftly. His arms swiftly wrap around my waist, preventing me from falling back, though I'm surprised by the fact that he does it without breaking a sweat despite the additional weight on me due to the shopping bags.
"Tsk, clumsy as always." Sunoo says with a slight smirk, staring down at me. But at the moment he raises his hand, I instinctively close my eyes without realising I have also visibly flinched. There is a brief pause before I feel his finger gently tap on my nose.
I open my eyes and blink them, confused, while he gazes at me with something that is beyond my ability to decipher. "Clumsy, what did you think I was about to do?"
"Um," Nervousness seeps from me as I answer him awkwardly. "I-I thought─"
He raises his eyebrow at me in an oddly attractive way. "You thought I was going to kiss you?"
My eyes widen while my breath gets stuck in my throat as he closes the gap between our faces. His smirk seems to widen upon seeing how reactive I am being. "I would've kissed you if we weren't in the eyes of the public."
He steadies me before letting go of me, while I am still feeling flustered by what happened. "Sunoo!"
He grins boyishly at me. "What?"
"You can't just say that to me!" I ignore the way my cheeks have been feeling hot.
"I can say whatever I want. Unfortunately, given how you were cursing me─"
"H-How did you even know?!"
Mischievousness gleams in his eyes. "I know everything, darling. Besides, you weren't exactly being discreet."
I give him a scowl. "Then you must've known that I'm feeling hungry."
"That's why I brought you here." He gestures to the restaurant, a few metres away from us. "Oh, and I wasn't done with what I was saying." He steps a little closer to me. "Given how you were cursing me, I guess your privilege of being able to kiss me has been stripped off."
My jaw goes unhinged, and my mind goes haywire upon hearing his statement. "Are you mad?! Why would I ever want to kiss you?!"
"You should really stop being dramatic, Darling." He sighs, walking around me before I feel his hands on my shoulders, pushing me in the direction of the restaurant.
The blush on my cheeks remains the whole time. One minute he acts as if I'm his arch-enemy, and the next, he teases and flirts with me. Kim Sunoo is beyond predictable. What a sly fox indeed.
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
"Hey, Stella?"
"Yes, princess?" I answer with a sly grin, my eyes not leaving the sight of the road as I drive Sunoo home.
After we ate our early dinner, Sunoo wanted to drag me to the karaoke, but upon seeing how evidently spent I was, I guess he felt a tad bad before deciding to end the day. Though I did notice how slightly despondent he looked.
"First of all, never call me that again." He snaps at me as I stifle laughter. "Second of all, I want you to go with me to this pool party on Saturday night, which will be hosted by a good friend of mine whom you probably don't know. Aera won't be going, but the others guys are."
I groan loudly. "I can't comprehend how you guys seem to party at least twice in two weeks. The other party at Sunghoon's was enough to drain me."
"The more reason why I should drag you with me to any social events." From the corner of my eyes, he can be seen smiling at me with his pearly white teeth. "If you want to be in our inner circle, you have to learn how to be sociable."
"I hate people." I admit blatantly. "Plus, I don't intend to be part of your inner circle."
"Too late, darling. You've already been one the moment you caught Aera's attention." He goes silent for a moment. "Besides, you also seem to be the centre of attention now."
Intrigued, I raise my eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
"Like how Heeseung and Jay fought because of you? How Jake was the root cause of our separation, but only after he broke up with you." Sunoo rambles. "Then there's Sunghoon, who completely despises your guts. Meanwhile, Ni-Ki and Jungwon seem to care a great deal about you."
I pull over as soon as I reach the familiar parking lot. "I really don't think that I'm the centre of attention."
"Oh, you definitely are, my dear." Sunoo shocks me when he gently tilts my chin to face him. A smirk tugs at his pretty pink lips. "You've already caught my attention, and I don't intend to let you stray from me."
"I don't get you, Sunoo." I mutter, feeling breathless by the second. "I thought you didn't like me. Hence, the reason you've been trying to torture me the whole day we were together."
"Then I suggest you stop assuming how I feel for you from now on." He grabs my hand, gently pulling it towards his lips, before he kisses the tips of my fingers softly while my heart seems to be pounding loudly in my ears.
He flutters his eyes, meeting my gaze. "Thank you for today. I look forward to our next hangout." He gives me a smile—a genuine smile. "Have a good night, darling."
Even as he leaves, I am still here in the parking lot, wondering what the hell just happened in a span of a day. He even told me that he looked forward to our next hangout. I didn't even know there would be another hangout.
"Do not be swayed, Hwang Stella." My palms hit my cheeks softly as I smack them. "He probably has a hidden agenda."
Oh, definitely. I didn't miss the way he looked at me. But my heart doesn't seem to stop racing until after I leave his compound.
Do you know what I love most about being a Chaebol? It's the fact that I get to flaunt my wealth whenever I want to and that many adventures await me.
However, being a Chaebol means that either everyone likes you or hates you. I've been called names by those who detest me, but conceited is what I hear often. If being proud of the abundance of wealth that runs in my family and the fact that everyone in my entire family has worked hard to get to where we are now means I'm being fucking conceited, then I don't give a damn what others throw labels at me.
My parents frequently shower me and my three older siblings with equal love and devotion, despite their hectic schedules, as my father is the CEO of a prevailing business in the automotive industry across SoKor, and my mother is the CEO of a renowned five-star hotel that is currently expanding its business throughout SoKor.
Though it is readily apparent that my siblings and I are prosperous, we have never taken our wealth or what we have for granted.
My three older siblings, consisting of my eldest brother and followed by my twin sisters, have long since graduated from the same university I'm enrolling in, and they are currently pursuing different paths. My elder brother is currently living his finest life in the US, working as a high paying doctor. As for my twin sisters, one of them is a model, while the other is a lawyer.
Then that leaves me─the youngest in the family. Even now, I have no idea what I truly want after finishing university. My siblings have reassured me that I do not need to fret over what I want to accomplish, but this does not alleviate the burden I impose on myself. I have thoughts about becoming a permanent racer, but irresolution always seems to muddle my judgement.
I love my siblings, but at the same time, I envy them. They knew what they wanted when they were around my current age. What's worse is the fact that my father intends to make me the official heir, even though I have no desire for it.
I want something more. Something that never fails to enthral me.
In the meantime, I can decisively affirm that racing is my focal point. I was first introduced to racing by my uncle, Park Junho. He taught me how to drive instead of my father. He used to be an esteemed racer in Seoul, but soon retired due to some health conditions. Growing up, I watched his racing content on screen and even attended his competitions, competing against his competitors. From there, my interest in racing grew tenfold, which led to where I am now.
I am thankful that my parents support me and what I do, despite the fact that my mother patently disapproves that I enjoy this dangerous motorsport. My father, on the other hand, approves for as long as I will serve my duties and responsibilities once I become the official heir.
I really do love my parents, but sometimes they are the reason why I'm fucking mental. It is unfair how my siblings manage to escape from all of this while I can't. Even when I was young, my parents frequently compared me to any other kid who surpassed me, especially Hwang Stella.
For some reason, my parents detest the Hwangs, just as other Chaebols do. Throughout preschool until high school, Stella and I managed to be classmates without fail. Whenever Stella scored the highest or won in competitions, my parents would compare me to her, though they did it in a gentle-parenting way.
Hence, I've grown to hate Stella. I hate how she always used to outwit me in every way. While she was number one, I would always be below her.
So to see the sight of Stella with Sunoo by her side as they enter the party's compound greatly irks me, because first of all, since when did Sunoo and her decide to be all friendly to each other?
My eyes remain fixed on them as I toss my head to the back, and the liquor trickles down my throat as it burns. I crush the red cup in my grasp before throwing it aside.
I hate it. I hate that some of my friends seem to be involving themselves with her. If she hadn't been with Jake in the first place, then Jake wouldn't be the way he is. If she hadn't been the reason why Heeseung and Jay fought, then Jay and Jake would've still been on talking terms.
Speaking of Jake, I guess we are slowly amending the broken fences between us, even though we haven't exactly talked it out. I am quite pleased that he has unblocked me after the talk we had, for which I'm grateful.
After having enough of staring at Sunoo and Stella being awfully close, my eyes shift elsewhere. I haven't seen Jake, Jay, or Ni-Ki anywhere. Heeseung and I arrived here at the same time, but he is currently somewhere in the mansion, probably smooching other girls or finally losing his virginity. I swear, my cousin is the opposite of what everyone else perceives of him. As for Jungwon, I saw him mingling with some guys in our batch in the backyard where the swimming pool is.
Just as I'm about to get up from the couch, a girl covered in a mere bikini appears in front of me. "Sunghoon! I've been looking everywhere for you!" She greets me cheerily.
Instead of looking at how blatantly provocative her body is, given how the other guys who are passing by us whistle and check her out, I keep my eyes trained on her face while a frown tugs at my lips. "Uh, do I know you?"
Disbelief is written across her face before her red lips form into a pout. "How could you forget me so easily? We slept together once last year."
Oh. While I do remember her, I can't say the same about her name or which department she's from. I rub my temple. This is the consequence of fucking around with girls who only wanted me for my money, looks, or just needed me to satisfy their needs.
It was fun in the beginning. I didn't want to look for anything serious, and some of those girls were willing to help me with my relief. I didn't care about love or committing myself to a serious relationship. But after I entered my senior year, it wasn't fun anymore. The sex I had was all boring and monotonous. From then on, no one could ever satisfy me the way I wanted.
"Do you want to head upstairs or something?" She asks, and the suggestiveness in her seductive gaze alone makes it obvious what she is planning.
In response, I offer her a terse smile before rising from the couch. "You're not my type."
I hear her gasp audibly as I walk past her, heading straight for Heeseung as soon as I spot him descending the stairs.
"Where the hell did you go?" I ask in annoyance while he quirks an eyebrow. "I need your help. Pretend that you're talking and walking me out."
"I am talking to you." Heeseung muses as I grab his hand, dragging him with me amidst the crowd of people. Geez, and here I thought they would be at the pool, where I could hear the booming music.
I shoot him a brief scowl. "Just help a bro out."
"Okay, fine." Heeseung chuckles. "What happened this time?"
"Some girl bothered me." I answer shortly as we finally step outside. A groan leaves my lips as I rub my face. "This marks the third time that has happened this week! Now I'm regretting what a major fuckboy I was before."
Heeseung pats my shoulder as though in an attempt to comfort me. "There, there. Those are just the consequences of your actions. That's all."
"Ass!" I shove him, though it is meant to be playful. "Anyway, what were you doing upstairs?"
"I was catching up with my old classmates." Heeseung leans his back against the wall and proceeds to take out a familiar small box. "Why? You thought I was with some girl?"
"Obviously." I gesture to Heeseung for one stick, and he begrudgingly gives me one. "You really need to get laid."
"Why do you seem so insistent about me losing my virginity?" He asks after inhaling the substance and blowing out smoke.
I mirror his action, leaning my back against the wall. "Don't you have needs? As in sexual urges?"
He casts a side glance at me. "Of course I do. But unlike you, I have them under control."
"But watching porn isn't the same as the real thing." I counter. "Plus, you have girls lined up, and yet you don't bother to get to know at least one. How are you going to be in a relationship, your first ever at that, if you continue to avoid them girls?"
Heeseung chuckles dryly. "You really want to know the real reason why I'm not interested in relationships? It's because I only have eyes for─"
The commotion that happens abruptly catches our attention. We hear clamouring that is coming from the backyard. Some of the people who are loitering in the same area as us begin to make their way to the backyard. Nosy bunch.
"Huh. I wonder what happened." Heeseung murmurs.
"Just another typical college fight that broke out." I plainly say. "I mean, what's a party without a fight happening, right?"
Just then, two guys walk past us, and what comes out of their mouths sparks curiosity within me. "I can't believe this is the first time that two girls are in a fight!"
"Who?" I accidentally blurt out to them, causing their heads to whip at me.
The two guys exchange glances. "Word has it, the Hwang sisters are having a fight by the pool."
In our university, there are only two Hwangs we all know.
Without a word, Heeseung starts to make his way alongside everyone else. As my curiosity grows, I can't help but follow suit. To see the Hwang sisters fight is something I need to witness at least once in my life.
"Heeseung!" I finally manage to catch up to him. "Dude! What got you to walk so damn fast?"
Heeseung ignores me as he is too distracted by what is happening, prompting me to look at the scene. The clamour around me seems to be getting louder while some are chanting 'fight!'. Fucking hell, there are some who even record the whole thing.
Just as I return my gaze to the Hwang sisters, my eyes widen when Rena pushes Stella hard, resulting in the latter falling into the pool with a loud splash. Laughter of enjoyment erupts around me, but I'm the only one who knows that this is no amusing matter. I hear the sound of my pulse drumming loudly and a certain memory that flashes itself in my mind, as though to taunt me again and reignite the guilt.
Fuck this and my better instinct.
"Sunghoon!"
Earlier
I should've known that this pool party was hosted by one of Rena's friends. The moment Sunoo parted ways with me, some of the females I recognise as Rena's friends, or rather associates, began to deliver impolite words to me, while others gave me stinky eyes.
What's worse is the fact that I somehow manage to end up by the pool, where the main party is. My eyes spot Rena, who is approaching me. I turn my back on her, having no intention to deal with her, but two of her minions grab me by my arms and forcefully drag me until they shove me to the ground.
Alas, the attention from the people by the pool has diverted to me. My hands form into fists as I hear the familiar sound of Rena's heels approaching me.
"Get up." Rena demands, but I rise back on my feet on my own accord. Rena's eyes pierce into mine. "You shouldn't have come here, but I guess that just made my job easier."
I sigh and roll my eyes. "What do you want now?"
"Tonight, I want you dead." She is practically fuming. "You fucked things up between me and Jake."
My face contorts into confusion despite the anger that simmers within me. "I'm the one who fucked things between the two of you?" I ask incredulously. This bitch is unbelievable.
"You did something to him, which is why he has begun to ignore me and refuses to listen to me." She steps closer. "How could you do this to your sister?! Stealing my boyfriend from me?!"
I can already feel the disgusted gaze from the people by the pool and in our vicinity, but I am too furious to focus on them. The fucking audacity of her?
I close my eyes and sigh as I rub my temple. "Listen, Rena, I don't know where you got the notion that I stole him or were just blatantly making assumptions, but I don't fucking care about you or your boyfriend." I hiss. "You can gladly have him."
Rena takes me by surprise at the moment she slaps me, turning my head sideways. "Don't act so smart with your mouth. I know for a fact that you still love him while, at the same time, you're whoring around with his friends."
Of course, she would want the people here to spread words about me being the evil one. Well, since I've been painted as the evil sister, why don't I act like it?
I raise my hand and slap her twice as hard, drawing gasps around me. I smirk, taking pleasure in seeing the humiliation on her face. "You'd do well to remember who you're talking to next time, Hwang Rena." My voice sounds unyielding cold, causing the others to flinch visibly. "Oh, and as for your clearly unstable relationship with Jake, have you ever thought that maybe he has finally fallen out of love for you?"
"Shut up! Shut the fuck up!" Rena lashes out as my words clearly begin to affect her. "Your existence alone is a mistake! You shouldn't have been born!"
The next moment I'm standing by the pool, and the next, I find myself falling into the pool as Rena had pushed me harder than I expected. When realisation hits me at the same time the water does, I know that I'm fucked because I don't know how to swim.
I try to swim back up, but I fail miserably. Panic and anxiety fill my chest as it hurts. I cough, needing air, but instead my lungs continue to fill with water. The pool is deeper than I thought, causing more panic within me. I feel myself getting pulled down further and further.
Black dots fill my vision while consciousness is leaving my body. I flutter my eyes close, accepting this cruel fate. As darkness begins to engulf me whole, I feel hands on my body, but the darkness has already welcomed me into its arms.
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