What I Feared the Most

Chapter 6

[Trigger Warning:  This chapter contains attempted sexual assault and violence].

Wonho paced the floor of his hotel room, checking his watch every few minutes. He had tried calling Julia's cell, but she was not picking up. He called his manager, but only got his assistant. His crazed fan knew his location. He was sure of that much. He didn't know if she suspected that Julia was part of his security team or not. But Julia was gone, effectively leaving him alone in an unsecured location. He wanted to be angry, but he missed her too much for that. He replayed what had happened over and over in his mind. Had he moved too fast? But she was the one who wrapped her legs around him, he recalled. Try as he might, he couldn't figure out what had gone wrong. All he knew was that Julia had run off like a frightened child.

Just then, a knock on the door startled Wonho. He peeked through the peephole to see a young man in a gray track suit.

"Hello?" Wonho said through the door.

"Uh, hello, I'm Oh Si-Woo. I've come to replace Julia," he explained. Wonho opened the door a crack, but still left the chain on the door in case he had to close it quickly.

"May I come in?" Si-Woo asked, awkwardly.

"No offense. I'm sure you're a nice guy, but I want Julia back. Tell her I don't accept this change in personnel," Wonho emphasized.

"Julia told me you might be resistant, but she drilled into me that I was to stay with you no matter what you said," Si-Woo replied.

"Lovely," Wonho said sarcastically. Wonho opened the door and let Si-Woo in, adding, "This is only temporary. I still want Julia back, but you'll do until I can locate her," he conceded. Si-Woo entered with a small duffle bag and went to the adjoining room to settle in.

Wonho's phone rang, and he grabbed it quickly, hoping to see Julia's number. But it was only Mr. Park.

"Yeah," he answered dispiritedly.

"Have you been online today?" Mr. Park demanded without even greeting Wonho.

"No, why?" Wonho asked.

"One of the scandal sheets got a picture of you with Julia. They are accusing you of being in a relationship with her," Mr. Park replied. "Listen, I've thought through all the angles, and I think it's best if we come out and confirm the rumor as true. I mean, it's better if they think you have a secret girlfriend than for people to know you had to hire security because of a stalker," Mr. Park theorized. "Right?" he asked after a long pause in which Wonho said nothing.

"Do whatever you want to," Wonho answered. "Julia's gone anyway. She sent me some kid, and I gotta say, I'm not happy about it."

"What do you mean she's gone?!" Mr. Park demanded. "She was the best person, the one who came with the highest qualifications according to my friend," Mr. Park said. "This will not stand. I'm calling him right now and telling him to get her back on your case again."

Wonho flopped down on the bed despondently. "Do whatever you want," he repeated. "I don't think she's coming back."

"Why not?" Mr. Park asked in frustration. "What did you do to her?"

"Why do you assume I did something?" Wonho replied defensively. Wonho didn't want to tell Mr. Park what had happened. Despite the fact that it was consensual, he didn't want to hear the scolding that would inevitably come if Mr. Park knew Julia's reason for leaving. He assumed that Mr. Park would take her side in saying that their relationship had compromised her professionalism. He didn't want to hear that. He didn't want for it to be true because, in his mind, what he felt for her should trump protocol, but he knew that a hardliner like Mr. Park would never see things his way. So, he didn't tell him in the hopes that Julia wouldn't either.