𝑯𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝑰𝒔 𝑶𝒖𝒓𝒔 ✓

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

HER brother was standing by the kitchen counter by the time she woke up and headed down the stairs. Big plastic bags filled with groceries from E-mart that had everything she needed and more were lying on the counter, some on the floor. She hurried towards him to wrap him in a tight hug, closing her eyes at the warm, overwhelming sensation of his body against hers.

"Hey, Mal..." he greeted in a soft, careful tone, returning the hug, "did you sleep well?"

She hesitated for a second, eventually nodding her head, "I guess so. I think I just felt better after talking to you."

He sent her a grin full of dimples at that.

"Thanks, m'lady," he replied cheekily, "but I think I prefer boys."

She playfully punched his arm, making him close his eyes and back away while laughing.

"I know, idiot," she giggled. "Anyways, what were you up to?"

He thought for a moment, "I don't know. I was hoping they would call us at the police station, but no one seems to tell us anything."

She sighed, her lips curving into a frown.

"I miss him, Rajwan," she concluded, her voice cracking, "I kept picturing him beside me because I couldn't sleep. I really can't imagine where he might be right now."

Rajwan sighed as well, "I know you miss him, Mal. And... I'm just hoping he's safe somewhere."

She nodded, ignoring the tears that welled up in her eyes.

"Anyways," she began in an attempt to distract herself, "what did you bring?"

Before speaking, he sent her a bright, proud smile, "all the snacks you love! Pringles, Lay's, Reese's, and all kinds of groceries. And, I brought pads!"

Her heart melted at his enthusiastic tone, "wow, I'm so proud of you. Thank you,"

He nodded and handed her one of the shopping bags.

"You take these, and I'll go set these down somewhere."

She nodded with a small smile, taking the bag from his hand. Opening its plastic handles, she found all types of colorful sacks of snacks. All her favorites, just like he said.

She gave him another tight hug, a small smile of gratitude on her face.

"I'll go wait for you on the couch."

❆

After settling down on the bed once again, she grabbed her phone from the nightstand and scrolled through it. Messages from her celebrity friends all around the world popped up after clearly seeing the news.

She hurried to scroll her numerous notifications and began to text her best friend, Millie, who was also her co-star and the main reason they had moved to Korea for seven months.

"I miss you," the girl typed, "how are you holding up?"

Despite feeling emotional and upset, she decided to text back her best friend and tell her that she was alright.

However, before she could type any more words, her phone vibrated in her hand. A familiar screen popped up before her sight.

Changbin is calling you.

She sighed and threw her head back, a small smile creeping over her face.

She unconsciously slid her finger over the green button and pressed it, soon putting the phone close to her ear to listen to her best friend's soft voice.

"Hey, Mal," Changbin began, putting the phone close to his ear as well, "we missed you."

She smiled, even though he couldn't see her face.

"Thanks, Binnie," she replied in a weak voice, "I miss you guys a lot too."

Changbin sighed.

"How is everything going? Is there any news about Hyunjin?"

She shook her head, tears filling up her eyes once again.

"No, no one called from the police station so far," she replied, her sad voice cracking lightly at the mention of her husband, "I don't understand... I thought I made it clear when I said I'll pay anything, and I really will. Why can't anyone call?"

He thought for a moment, "I don't know. But for all I know, you need to be patient. It's going to take a while, and even a small lead of information can track him down."

A long pause was met on the other end of the line.

"You still there?"

His voice echoed through her ears as if she was in a dream. A small tear escaped her eyes, which she quickly wiped away.

"Changbin, did..." Mal began tremblingly, "did Hyunjin speak to you about running away or something?"

She gulped, her heart beating loudly in her ears at the thought, "was I being too clingy with him or he just didn't want to be with me anymore?"

Changbin automatically shook his head at the questions.

"No," he replied, " god, no. He loved you. After practice he would hurry to call you because he didn't want you to worry about him," he took a deep breath, a small chuckle escaping his lips, "to the point when we began to make fun of him- just a little because sometimes he would want you to come to watch us practice."

He bit his lower lip at the words, "but... You know. JYP said no. That asshole."

She lightly giggled at Changbin's nickname for his boss.

"So you don't think he ran away?"

He shook his head once again, this time more positively.

"Highly unlikely. Hyunjin is crazy about you, and if it wasn't for JYP, he would've done his best to spend every minute with you."

Then, a small smile curved upon his mouth.

"And I began to wonder if I would act the same way if I fell in love with the girl my parents forced me to marry."

Mal lightly giggled once again, remembering all the events that passed in her life for the past six months. She had been forced to get married to Hyunjin to save herself from another abusive marriage, and with Hyunjin's efforts to make the situation work, she had fallen in love with him.

But not before he did first.

And with Changbin's words, she knew that she had to cross one sentence from her mind- a sentence she pretty much dreaded.

Her husband couldn't have run away.

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