♡ 16

Sunghoon moves closer to me, his hand coming up to cup my cheek as he deepens this kiss, taking my bottom lip between his. His other hand grips my waist. An electric energy flowing through me and even though it is late, I have never felt more awake.

"Peaches," he whispers against my mouth, lightly kissing me before continuing. "We should go somewhere more private. Someone could look out of the windows. Sohyun shouldn't find out like this."

Someone could look out of the windows. He's right. It's like a bucket of ice is dumped over me as I move away from him. What am I doing? This man is blackmailing me and has been a menace. Heeseung is the one I should want and I haven't spent any time with him since Sunghoon started blackmailing me. Not really, anyway.

I got caught up. It's late and Sunghoon was in rare form tonight where he was actually sweet. But that isn't him. He will go back to his normal obnoxious self tomorrow. I can't get caught up.

"You're right." I nod, moving farther away. "We shouldn't be doing this."

"It isn't that we shouldn't." Sunghoon takes a step toward me, reaching for me under the water. "I think we should go somewhere that isn't this exposed."

"No." I shook my head, moving again. "I'm sorry I did that. I got caught up in the moment and it's late. If Heeseung were to see..."

"Heeseung." Sunghoon cuts me off, an expression crossing his face that I can't quite read. "Of course."

"I don't want him to get the wrong idea, that's all."

"Because the idea he has of you right now is better, right?" Sunghoon shakes his head. "A little sister that he's never once thought of as a sexual being with needs. A guy that picks every other girl with a tight dress and willing consent over you. That's the guy you want."

"Once he sees..."

"You know what, Y/n." He cuts me off again, taking a step back. "I think you want to be ignored. Hide away with your dirty little comic, not actually going for the real thing."

His words are harsh and I look down, tears stinging my eyes. Why is he being like this?

He waits for me to reply, but I can't find words. I feel like the air has been kicked out of me. He lets out a harsh laugh and mutters something that sounds like 'good luck with that', before lifting himself out of the pool, grabbing his towel, and heading back inside, leaving me there.

I eventually get out and dry off, going back inside. Why had I been this stupid? To break my own rule. And what is with this ache in my chest? Stupid heart. Thinking you have feelings for Sunghoon.

Do I? I can't ignore that is the first kiss I have ever felt like that with. My lips are still tingling.

I reach up and gently touch my lips, now laying beside Sohyun again. I wish I could talk to her about this, but she would freak out. And how would I ever tell her?

"Hey, I have been screwing your brother for a while and now I think I have developed actual feelings?"

No, I can't do that. I need to discuss things with Sunghoon first, see where he stands and then we will go from there. We can tell her together.

"Are you going to sleep all day?" Sohyun yells, shaking me hard. "We have a day planned and you are missing it!"

I groan as I open my eyes, yawning. What is she yelling about? I grab my phone and look to see it is past eleven. Shit, I did sleep late.

"Okay, okay." I push her off me. "I'm up."

I get up and quickly shower and get ready, meeting everyone else downstairs. Everyone, but Sunghoon.

"Is Sunghoon not coming?" I ask, glancing back toward the stairs. Is he avoiding me? Maybe he's sick.

"He left early this morning." Sohyun replies, tossing a grape into her mouth.

"Left?" My eyes go wide. "He went back home?"

"No," she shakes her head. "He has an influencer friend he needed to meet up with while he was in Seoul. He'll be back before we leave tomorrow."

"He won't be here tonight?" I ask. This can't be happening.

"Isn't it great?" Sohyun smiles widely, going to stand by Jake, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Yeah... Great..."

"You can ride with me if that's what you're worried about." Heeseung wraps an arm around my shoulder. "I haven't gotten the chance to apologize for the other day anyway."

"Yeah, ok." I nod. "I think I left something upstairs. I'll be right back."

I duck under his arm and run upstairs, locking myself in my room, quickly pulling out my phone. I needed to talk to him now.

"Y/n." Sunghoon answers the phone, his voice tight. "I can't talk right now, I am busy."

"I know, I'm sorry for calling. I wanted to speak to you about last night and I can't..."

"Sunghoon! Come on, you are missing all the fun!" A female voice calls in the background and my heart stops. Nobody said his influencer friend was a girl.

"Y/n, don't worry about it." He replies and I can't help but notice that's the second time he's called me by my name instead of Peaches. "Like you said, it was late and we were running off the high of the concert."

"But..."

"We can forget it happened and go back to our original deal, all right?" He sounds like it is easy. As if this is my idea and he doesn't have to feel guilty about it.

"Suuuuuunnnngggghoooonnn!" The annoying girl's voice calls.

"I'll meet up with you later."

"Okay..." And before I can say anything else, he hangs up the phone.

He didn't even give me a chance to think about things before he went running to another girl.

Y/n, they could be friends. Just friends. You have guy friends.

Not guy friends that make it a point to be annoyingly visible when I am on the phone.

Maybe he's right. Maybe we should reset things to our original plan.

Sohyun knocks on the door and I step back, opening the door, trying not to look as upset as I am.

"Sorry, I..."

"It's fine." She waves a hand, closing the door. "I wanted to catch you before we left. Alone."

"What's up?"

"I think I might be in love with Jake." She says, biting her lip. I smile.

"Sohyun, that's great."

"It is." She nods.

"If you want to sleep in there tonight, I am good here."

"Thanks for that." She nods. "But that's not what I came for. I came to tell you my feelings for Heeseung are completely gone."

"Really?"

"Yeah." She nods. "I am all in with Jake. So, I guess what I mean is, our deal is off. If you want him, go for it."

"Wow, are you sure?"

"Absolutely!"

I hug her, congratulating her on her feelings for Jake. I am truly happy for them. Jake is great. But did I want Heeseung?

We go back downstairs and join my group. Heeseung does apologize for calling me his little sister and we have a good time singing along to his playlist on the way, Sunoo joining in.

"Oh my God, ew!" Sohyun winkles her nose at her phone as we are walking around the Zoo.

"What's wrong?" I ask and she turns her phone toward me.

"My brother."

On her phone is a post someone has made about Sunghoon and Youngji Cha, a popular beauty infulencer. There are several pictures, some of them shopping, at lunch, at the movies. In all of them, Sunghoon's arm is around her waist and he is smiling.

I get it now. Everything seems to click when I see the picture. After our kiss, Sunghoon was looking for a way to let me down easy, because he didn't like me. I threw myself at him, thinking my feelings were mutual, but they weren't.

How long has he had this date planned with this woman? Why didn't he tell me? I guess he doesn't have to tell me. We aren't together. I am writing a script for him and he is helping me with my web comic and that it is.

I hand the phone back to Sohyun and shake my head.

"Weird." I laugh.

"Heeseung," I say, bumping my shoulder into his. "Let's go look at the red pandas."

"Sure." He smiles. "We will catch up with you guys later?"

Sohyun gives me a smile and a wink as we walk away. I have decided to put my efforts into Heeseung. Sohyun has given me the green light and Heeseung is a good guy. He is the entire point I started this with Sunghoon in the first place.

Stupid Sunghoon.