Min Ho balled his fists and closed his eyes, feeling confused and helpless. Ever since he and Shin Hye got together, he had conditioned himself for a scenario such as this. But nothing could have prepared him for that overwhelming feeling of limbo. He had been in this position before, but back then it seemed like only his career was at stake. This time, he was holding on to a bigger fear.
‘Okay, I’ll meet him at the lobby,’ he heard his manager say. The ahjussi was on the phone with one of his staff members who went to the news agency that published the story first. Min Ho was told that they were trying to track down the writer of the article to uncover how all this uproar started. He knew that he should be more concerned about what was happening around him, but there was only one thing on his mind right now. Min Ho glanced at his phone again. It was almost twelve noon in Japan but he still hasn’t heard from her. Is she screening my calls on purpose? He shook his head.She wouldn’t do that. Impossible.
When he saw his manager hang up, he stood up from his seat. ‘Hyung, why can’t I reach Shin Hye? Have you talked to her agency yet?’ He’s been holding it together long enough, but he could no longer keep his anxiety in. He needed to know if she was okay.
‘I’ve contacted Joon a few hours ago. I don’t know if he has talked to her yet. But President Jang is at her agency as we speak. They’re trying to find a way to make this go away,’ he replied.
Min Ho let out a frustrated sigh. ‘I’m not asking you about the agencies. I’m asking you about Shin Hye. Why hasn’t she picked up any of my calls? This isn’t like her. She knows I get anxious when I don’t know where she is. I don’t believe for one second that she doesn’t know what’s happening yet. She should have contacted me by now!’ He didn’t like raising his voice at his manager, but he couldn’t control it. The three staff members who were in his room turned their attention to them, looking concerned. It was out of character for Min Ho to be acting that way.
‘Min Ho-yah, please calm down. Maybe Shin Hye is still busy with her family. You told me she’s on a vacation, right? Maybe she turned off her phone so she doesn’t get bothered. I’m sure she’s fine,’ he said calmly.
Min Ho was seething. How stupid do they think I am? ‘Listen to yourself, hyung. Does that make any sense to you? Since she landed in Japan, she’s been texting and calling me everyday. Now this happens and I can’t reach her? If I find out that President Jang is purposely blocking me from talking to her, I’m not going to let this slide!’
Min Ho stomped to the door and opened it so violently he could have torn it off the wall.
‘Ya! Where are you going?’ His manager called out to him. He didn’t reply and slammed the door, unsure of where to go. All he knew was that he needed to get out of there. He found himself striding to the end of the hotel floor. Hearing his bodyguards’ footsteps behind him, he turned around to face them. ‘Hyung, I’m not going anywhere else, just there,’ he pointed to the corner where the fire exit was. ‘I need to be alone.’
His bodyguards nodded their heads slightly and told Min Ho that they’ll be waiting by the corridor. Min Ho thanked them and made his way to the fire exit. As soon as he closed the door behind him, he sat on the one of the steps and leaned his forehead on his palms. The moment the articles came out, his mind was filled by so many worries. But now, he didn’t care about all that. He just wanted to know why Shin Hye wasn’t picking her phone up. He took his phone from his pocket and saw that there were already several messages, including one from her sister.
Jung Il Woo: I just read the articles. Are you okay? Is Shin Hye okay?
Kim Woo Bin: Hyung. I hope everything gets settled soon. Himnae.
Lee Jun Kyung: Min Ho-yah, gwaenchana? Shin Hye neun? I haven’t told Omma and Appa about the articles yet. Call me when you can.
He ignored the messages and started typing.
‘Shin Hye, please pick up. I don’t’ know why you’re not answering but I need to talk to you. Chaebal…’ He stared at the message for a while, debating whether to press send or not. I’ve sent her enough messages. One more doesn’t make a difference if she really doesn’t want to reply. He pressed his lips together and erased it.
Just then, he received another text.
Jang Geun Suk: I just talked to Shin Hye. I hope you’re okay Min Ho-yah.
Min Ho stared at his screen as the realization hit him. It was as if something punched him in the gut, trying to knock him senseless. Except he couldn’t black out and he was still sitting there, bearing the ache. She talked to him. He was trying to make sense of Geun Suk’s message and in the process, creating excuses for her. She wants to give me space to process this. She’s only going to cry when she hears my voice. She knows that I can tell that she’s going through a tough time just by talking to her on the phone and she doesn’t want me to worry. He must have listed a dozen reasonable explanations as to why she wouldn’t answer his calls, but even then, it didn’t lessen the hurt.
He clenched his jaw, trying to bar the thoughts that were suddenly assailing his mind. He didn’t want it to, but he could sense the pain turning into anger. She knows I need her right now. She knows this must be hard for me. She knows. His grip on the phone tightened as he fought off the urge to punch the wall. He stood up and paced in an effort to cool down. But he couldn’t stop his thoughts. He finally let out a yell, amplified by all the pent up steam since that morning. He heard his voice echo through the fire exit stairs. A few seconds after, his bodyguards burst through the door looking worried. Without a word, he made his way out and back to the hotel corridor, pushing the two guys aside.
Min Ho balled his fists and closed his eyes, feeling confused and helpless. Ever since he and Shin Hye got together, he had conditioned himself for a scenario such as this. But nothing could have prepared him for that overwhelming feeling of limbo. He had been in this position before, but back then it seemed like only his career was at stake. This time, he was holding on to a bigger fear.
‘Okay, I’ll meet him at the lobby,’ he heard his manager say. The ahjussi was on the phone with one of his staff members who went to the news agency that published the story first. Min Ho was told that they were trying to track down the writer of the article to uncover how all this uproar started. He knew that he should be more concerned about what was happening around him, but there was only one thing on his mind right now. Min Ho glanced at his phone again. It was almost twelve noon in Japan but he still hasn’t heard from her. Is she screening my calls on purpose? He shook his head.She wouldn’t do that. Impossible.
When he saw his manager hang up, he stood up from his seat. ‘Hyung, why can’t I reach Shin Hye? Have you talked to her agency yet?’ He’s been holding it together long enough, but he could no longer keep his anxiety in. He needed to know if she was okay.
‘I’ve contacted Joon a few hours ago. I don’t know if he has talked to her yet. But President Jang is at her agency as we speak. They’re trying to find a way to make this go away,’ he replied.
Min Ho let out a frustrated sigh. ‘I’m not asking you about the agencies. I’m asking you about Shin Hye. Why hasn’t she picked up any of my calls? This isn’t like her. She knows I get anxious when I don’t know where she is. I don’t believe for one second that she doesn’t know what’s happening yet. She should have contacted me by now!’ He didn’t like raising his voice at his manager, but he couldn’t control it. The three staff members who were in his room turned their attention to them, looking concerned. It was out of character for Min Ho to be acting that way.
‘Min Ho-yah, please calm down. Maybe Shin Hye is still busy with her family. You told me she’s on a vacation, right? Maybe she turned off her phone so she doesn’t get bothered. I’m sure she’s fine,’ he said calmly.
Min Ho was seething. How stupid do they think I am? ‘Listen to yourself, hyung. Does that make any sense to you? Since she landed in Japan, she’s been texting and calling me everyday. Now this happens and I can’t reach her? If I find out that President Jang is purposely blocking me from talking to her, I’m not going to let this slide!’
Min Ho stomped to the door and opened it so violently he could have torn it off the wall.
‘Ya! Where are you going?’ His manager called out to him. He didn’t reply and slammed the door, unsure of where to go. All he knew was that he needed to get out of there. He found himself striding to the end of the hotel floor. Hearing his bodyguards’ footsteps behind him, he turned around to face them. ‘Hyung, I’m not going anywhere else, just there,’ he pointed to the corner where the fire exit was. ‘I need to be alone.’
His bodyguards nodded their heads slightly and told Min Ho that they’ll be waiting by the corridor. Min Ho thanked them and made his way to the fire exit. As soon as he closed the door behind him, he sat on the one of the steps and leaned his forehead on his palms. The moment the articles came out, his mind was filled by so many worries. But now, he didn’t care about all that. He just wanted to know why Shin Hye wasn’t picking her phone up. He took his phone from his pocket and saw that there were already several messages, including one from her sister.
Jung Il Woo: I just read the articles. Are you okay? Is Shin Hye okay?
Kim Woo Bin: Hyung. I hope everything gets settled soon. Himnae.
Lee Jun Kyung: Min Ho-yah, gwaenchana? Shin Hye neun? I haven’t told Omma and Appa about the articles yet. Call me when you can.
He ignored the messages and started typing.
‘Shin Hye, please pick up. I don’t’ know why you’re not answering but I need to talk to you. Chaebal…’ He stared at the message for a while, debating whether to press send or not. I’ve sent her enough messages. One more doesn’t make a difference if she really doesn’t want to reply. He pressed his lips together and erased it.
Just then, he received another text.
Jang Geun Suk: I just talked to Shin Hye. I hope you’re okay Min Ho-yah.
Min Ho stared at his screen as the realization hit him. It was as if something punched him in the gut, trying to knock him senseless. Except he couldn’t black out and he was still sitting there, bearing the ache. She talked to him. He was trying to make sense of Geun Suk’s message and in the process, creating excuses for her. She wants to give me space to process this. She’s only going to cry when she hears my voice. She knows that I can tell that she’s going through a tough time just by talking to her on the phone and she doesn’t want me to worry. He must have listed a dozen reasonable explanations as to why she wouldn’t answer his calls, but even then, it didn’t lessen the hurt.
He clenched his jaw, trying to bar the thoughts that were suddenly assailing his mind. He didn’t want it to, but he could sense the pain turning into anger. She knows I need her right now. She knows this must be hard for me. She knows. His grip on the phone tightened as he fought off the urge to punch the wall. He stood up and paced in an effort to cool down. But he couldn’t stop his thoughts. He finally let out a yell, amplified by all the pent up steam since that morning. He heard his voice echo through the fire exit stairs. A few seconds after, his bodyguards burst through the door looking worried. Without a word, he made his way out and back to the hotel corridor, pushing the two guys aside.
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