By Zephyria “It was really, nice to listen to. You’re… really good at rapping sensually.”
I tried to be indifferent, but my voice trembled pathetically. But Sung Se-han didn’t seem to care. Judging by the way his long eyes were curving pleasantly.
“I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of… listening to it over and over again.”
The moment I revealed my honest feelings, a warm spark ignited in my heart with a click. The feeling of warm warmth slowly spreading throughout my body made me dizzy.
“Your voice… will really suit vocals too. Everyone will be surprised when they hear your song….”
I want to hear your song. I was glad that I was able to close my mouth before saying those words.
What would be left in a voice where the thorns I had been forcibly raising had all been broken? I was just glad that I was able to cover my mouth before Sung Se-han noticed.
“Didn’t you feel like you wanted to do it with me?”
The moment the low voice flowed out, it felt like someone had slapped the back of my head.
“What…?”
The brown eyes that were blatantly scanning my body instantly pulled me out of the ridiculous reverie I had been in.
“What did you say just now?”
“I asked if you didn’t want to do it with me.”
Hoo…! I released the arms I had been clenching tightly and put both hands on my waist. And I looked up at the ceiling and took a moment to catch my breath.
“I’m the real crazy one for trying to have a normal conversation with a crazy bastard.”
I glared at Sung Se-han with my teeth clenched, and he slightly covered his mouth with the back of his hand.
“What’s so funny? Do you think I’m a joke?”
“No. You’re too cute.”
Haa…! I could feel my blood pressure rising vertically so vividly that I pressed the back of my neck hard with one hand.
“Hey, should I tell you my honest thoughts?”
I stretched my neck from side to side and slowly caught my breath. If I get caught up with this guy again and get angry, I’m not Lee Tae-kyung, I’m an idiot.
“How long has it been since you got out of being a minor that you’re singing a song like that? Your fans think of you as a noble Prince, but won’t that fantasy all be shattered today? It seems like you can’t see the bottom right now, but once your image collapses, it’s only a matter of time before you fall to rock bottom. I’m advising you, you should have a sense of crisis before your true colors are revealed, okay?”
This wasn’t a curse, it was legitimate self-defense.
If I wanted to protect myself from Sung Se-han’s merciless attacks, there was no other way. I had to scream and shout, I had to do that to continue this insane situation.
I had to do this if I didn’t want my heart, which was beating like crazy, to be found out right away.
“Judging by how you’re avoiding the answer.”
Sung Se-han, who had one hand on the desk, leaned his body towards me.
“You do want to do it with me.”
The sunlight that came in through the window was completely resting on Sung Se-han’s brown eyes. I felt like I was stripped naked by that light and exposed in every detail without a place to run.
Sung Se-han.
I often thought of that voice.
Let’s meet next week, in six days. Your voice that said let’s spend it in bed.
If we had to break up anyway, I wish I could have spent two full days with you.
I wish I could have smelled your scent and hugged your sweaty shoulders to my heart’s content.
If you had hugged me to overflowing, maybe I would have missed you less.
“Perfect Puzzle, Sung Se-han.”
I know you don’t know anything, but, Sung Se-han.
Please, please don’t come to me cruelly. I’m begging you.
“You seem to not care who it is as long as their appearance is your type, but.”
I wanted to run away unconditionally. I wanted to get away from Sung Se-han, so I took two steps back from the desk.
“I’m not like that.”
I slowly shook my head and took another step back.
“I need to build up time for a long time. When emotions build up and I can’t escape that person.”
It felt like a hot fire was being lit in Sung Se-han’s eyes, which had been staring at me without moving. I bit my lower lip until it bled, as if suppressing my trembling heart.
“Then I can do it with that person. I can do anything for that person.”
Thud. The chair fell over because Sung Se-han got up with a rough movement and his long legs bumped into it. My shoulders flinched at the sudden noise.
Thud. Thud. Without even thinking about righting the fallen chair, Sung Se-han walked around the long desk. It was only after belatedly recognizing that Sung Se-han was coming towards me that I hurriedly turned around. There was nowhere for me to run, trapped in a space blocked by the window.
“Perfect.”
Sung Se-han, who had gotten closer in a flash while I was hesitating about whether to go over the desk, blocked my path.
“Sky Blue, Lee Tae-kyung.”
I was pushed back as if overwhelmed by the broad chest that blocked my vision. I couldn’t move even a step because I was trapped between Sung Se-han and the desk.
“I didn’t know that even our thoughts would match like this.”
Sung Se-han, who tilted his face at an angle, looked down at me, who couldn’t move a muscle.
“We’re really a perfect couple, aren’t we?”
“What…?”
I don’t know what this guy is talking about. The moment I glared, Sung Se-han lowered his shoulders.
“What if we’ve already built up more than enough time?”
Even if I furrowed my brow as much as possible, I couldn’t understand what Sung Se-han was saying. No, rather, I couldn’t concentrate on the conversation at all because I was so conscious of our bodies being so close.
“I don’t understand a single thing you’re saying, so get out of my way.”
I had to gather all the strength I had left to push Sung Se-han away. I laboriously lifted my elbow and pressed hard against Sung Se-han’s chest. Of course, this wouldn’t make his solid body budge, but I still had to make my intentions clear.
Suddenly, Sung Se-han straightened his upper body and took out his cell phone from his jacket pocket. He swiped at the screen and held it out in front of me.
“What are you doing…”
Instinctively, I looked at the phone, but I couldn’t make out what it was; the screen didn’t register properly.
“What the hell is this…”
“Look closely.”
His voice was firm, as if he was angry, so I had no choice but to squint and focus. After blinking several times, my eyes finally focused, and they widened as if they would pop out.
“T-this…?”
I looked at Sung Se-han as if I couldn’t believe it, then looked back at the phone, bringing it closer.
“No… this is me…?”
I was dumbfounded, my voice rising and my mouth opening wide.
The photo on Sung Se-han’s phone was me, Lee Tae-kyung, at twelve years old. I was wearing a grown-up shirt, talking to my piano teacher.
“No, how…!”
Looking again, I realized. It wasn’t a photo, but a screenshot from a video.
In other words, a scene from CCTV footage.
“Why is this… why do you have this…!”
Sung Se-han watched me silently as I repeated the same words with a pale face.
Wait, if this is… this can’t be happening…? Without thinking, I reached out, but he took the phone back.
I was left standing there, my hand suspended in the air, bewildered. I needed time to understand everything that had just happened. Right now, everything was dark, and I couldn’t see anything.
“You were so cute back then.”
My image was still on Sung Se-han’s phone.
“I was a little annoyed when you said you were going to be an idol instead of learning piano.”
Sung Se-han raised one corner of his mouth and turned his gaze to his phone. Then, he gave a slight eye smile and looked at me.
“But I held back. I thought you’d hate it if I forced you to learn piano.”
Sung Se-han’s languid voice was buzzing in my ears. I couldn’t move at all, as if I had turned into a statue. My mind felt as if it had hardened like a stone.
“I admit it’s one-sided.”
As if putting things away, Sung Se-han put his phone back in his jacket pocket and leaned his upper body towards me again.
“But what can you do? You have to accept it.”
I stopped breathing the moment I met his light-colored eyes. A stifled sound escaped from my lips.
“Hey, wait, just a minute! So…”
As I blinked rapidly, sparks flashed before my eyes.
“You shared my CCTV footage… without my consent? Isn’t that illegal?”
Illegal or not, that’s not the problem right now?
Something was collapsing in my head.
My plan…
The perfect plan to return to before I met Sung Se-han, everything I thought was going smoothly without any problems…
Are you saying that it’s all ruined because of that CCTV? Now?
What the…
“I’m… I’m going to sue everyone! I’ll sue the academy, and I’ll sue you…!”
Is this what it means to have your heart break? My head was pounding as if a bomb was exploding, and my heart was beating wildly as if a storm was raging.
“How could you do this! Do you even know what you’ve done? You’ve ruined everything! You damn bastard, why did you have my video…!”
I grabbed my head with both hands and mindlessly spewed out words without knowing what I was saying, then my eyes met Sung Se-han’s, who was staring at me intently.
“Sky Blue Lee Tae-kyung.”
Sung Se-han, who was looking at me with strange eyes, opened his mouth quietly.
“When you act like this, it keeps making me misunderstand.”