faking you │ B.I.

► 08

A week passes with numerous calls from Hanbin. I ignore them all, even ignoring some of Jooheon's calls. Of course, Jooheon comes to my apartment when I ignore his. While I stay in the dark, my manager works with Hanbin's on the rumors, setting up our break-up. Something in me wants them to keep the dating scandal going, but then I think back to Jihyun and decide it's best for us to go our separate ways. 

One evening, I'm laying on my couch when someone knocks on my door. I groan and refuse to get up, so I ignore the door. If it's Jooheon, he'll walk in. Anyone else can just leave. After a few more knocks, I hear the doorknob rattling. I figure it's Jooheon and stay on the couch, waiting for him to come reprimand me for not answering the door.

A moment later, I hear the door open. "Min Soojin, where the hell are you?"

I shoot up on the couch. "Hanbin?" 

He walks into my living room angrily. "What, surprised to see me? Where have you been? I've been calling for a week!"

I look down at the ground. "So?"

His eyes widen in anger for a moment before he storms over to me. I back myself as far into the couch cushions as I can. I must look afraid because as soon as he sees this, he stops in his tracks. Then, he sighs and runs his hands through his hair while looking down at the ground.

"I didn't mean to come in here this angry. It just seems like you're not even trying. You've missed two dates. This is going to look bad for us."

"Maybe I want it to..." I mutter.

He looks down at me, his face softening a little. He sits down beside me on the couch and looks over at me confused. He clasps his hands together and leans forward, facing me. "Why would you want that?"

For some reason, tears well up in my eyes. I blink fast to stop myself from crying. "Neither of us want this, Hanbin...It's tearing our relationships apart...This whole stunt isn't doing us any good."

Hanbin looks a little sad, then he sighs. "What's happened to make you think this? I'd be happy to end things, too, but we made a deal and we have to fulfill our promises."

I bite my lip, the truth on the verge of coming out. Instead, I swallow the truth and say, "It's okay, I'm pretty sure our managers are working out break-up rumors as we speak. Maybe the break-up can happen a little sooner than we thought."

Hanbin's jaw tightens and he looks away. "Sure, if that's what you want." I smile softly up at him. "But you're an open book and I've figured out how to tell when you're hiding something. So, what is it?"

Surprised, I just shake my head and look down. "It's nothing..."

He sighs. "Am I really that easy to hate?"

I look back at him. "I didn't...it's not...I don't hate you as much anymore."

The corner of his mouth twitches, almost as if he was going to smile. He quickly fixes his expression into looking upset again. "What is it then?"

I sigh. "I can't tell you what you're looking for, but I'll just tell you that someone is especially upset about us being together. And I can't do it anymore."

He tries to look into my eyes. "Jooheon?" I avoid eye contact. "No, wait. It was Jihyun, that's why you got upset at the party. What did Jihyun say to you?"

My lips tremble and tears form in my eyes again. "She's just upset is all..."

"Yeah, I know. But you seemed especially upset that day. What did she do? You can tell me, Soojin." He speaks to me in a soothing voice, catching me off-guard.

I can't hold back the tears. "She slapped me...and pushed me...she told me that I was a threat and that I needed to stay away from you. She thinks I love you." My lips quiver as the words spill out and tears stream down my face.

Hanbin's jaw tightens again before I see his shoulders relax and he gently wipes away a tear. "I'm sorry she did that to you. I guess she's more jealous than I thought." He pulls his hand away as if realizing how kind he was being. "Look, I'm not saying it's going to be easy to pull this off. But it really is working for the publicity. We should give it a shot just a bit longer, okay?"

I look at him, trying to decide what I'd like to do. "I don't know..."

"Soojin, I'm a jerk. I know. I'm a teasing, flirty jerk. And I'm sure I've been terrible since this whole thing began. But I'll push it behind us, and I'll agree to being friends. Maybe it'll help you get through this for the extra time."

I bite my lip and sigh. "Okay, you've won me over."

He smiles and lightly pats my head, just like Jooheon does. I feel a quick stab in my chest before I shake it off. Hanbin stands up. "All right. Then, if we're going to be friends. I want to get to know you. And...I have an idea that will make this fake relationship a bit more fun, too. Do you have popsicle sticks?"

I look at him questioningly. "Maybe..?"