2.1 | The Better Half and Half ✓

TWENTY NINE>> Deadlier Than A Dead Sea

TWENTY NINE | Deadlier than a dead sea |KIM TAEHYUNG

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The level of my parents' gleeful state could be ascertained from the fact that they were ready to attend their daughter's engagement ceremony, despite the exhaustion weighing upon them as they carried on their tiresome journey from London to Korea. The arrangements for tonight had been done by the town's best event management team. It was Molan's idea to rent a late-night party boat, citing solitude and tranquility of the sea waves as the main factor.

Bristling, I rubbed off the red lipstick from the back of my hand in front of the bathroom mirror. My back collided against one of the two stalls as if a strong gust of wind pushed me back. Tonight, I would see my love smiling for someone else. My love proposing to someone else. My love kissing someone else. And that someone else was Choi Molan. By now, my heart should get used to suffering and pain.

As I emerged out of the bathroom I saw Mark standing afar with tension drawing thick lines on his forehead.
"Mark? What happened?"

Silly of me to ask this in the first place. He must be hurt. After all, he was my confidante, a witness to my love life.

While he chose not to speak I filled in myself,  "Oh, well, if you think I'm not happy. Then it's not true. I may not look okay but I'm bursting with-"

"Taehyung is there, checking on the steaks," his words hit straight like an arrow.

"Oh, the future groom has come. That's cool." I hid the nuanced change in my expression. "His presence is highly anticipated."

"He told me to tell you something about his past." Mark looked damn scared as he called in for some sincere attention.

I gulped and asserted, "That he's rich. That he has hosted dozens of events at casinos."

After a long pause, he took the pleasure of proving me wrong.

"He's father to Somi. Noona had a fling with Taehyung four years back." I stared at him as he savagely relayed some more facts. "Tae blames himself for infidelity. She was . . . pregnant when they broke up eventually." He purred his lips and made me sit next to him on the bed.

I began pressing the acupuncture points irregularly, pretending to hear okay. "And then."

"He returned in the camouflage of a driver, only to persuade Molan to get back to him. He changed his lavish lifestyle and addiction to women and clubs. But, Molan had already  developed hatred toward him, so he didn't get any attention."

My gaze turned at the floor. "All this happened when I was chilling in California."

"He admitted that if it hadn't been for your love, he wouldn't have taken long to get back to his bullshit days."

I covered my mouth and tears leaked through my eye sockets. Mark hugged me and I wrapped my one hand around his back. "I need him. I still couldn't get over everything we endured-" Suddenly, the door clicked open and my wet eyes widened at the sight. "Taehyung . . ."

His emotions flooded all at once. He rushed inside and got on his knee; he ran his hand at the scruff of my neck until pressing his forehead against mine. Mark made his way out silently.