The Assistant -LeeKnow

Chapter 20

Over the next couple of days, it was like night and day with Lee know. If it was just the two of them, he seemed to be cold and distant. But when they were in the company of the rest of the guys, he was pleasant and even a little flirty with Naeun. She was certain it was just him putting on a show and it made her loathe him so much more than she already did. She was so boggled down with stress to the point that she became an emotional mess. It was like she was stuck in some twisted, fucked-up film noir.

"Naeun, are you alright?" She heard Han's concerned voice.

"Oh my god," she said quickly, wiping at her eyes, embarrassed that she was just caught in an emotional meltdown.

"Hey, hey. What's the matter?" He asked sweetly, coming over to her, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"I'm fine. I'm fine," she said, wiping vigorously at her eyes, trying to shield her face away from him.

"Tell me what's upsetting you," he insisted.

"I'm fine," Naeun said once again.

"Naeun, you're all alone in a room crying. You're not fine. Is it Lee know?" He asked. She looked up at him, giving him a knowing look.

"Tell me," he urged.

"It's just everything. Everything is just so stressful—" She began. He nodded, listening contently to her.

"Lee know—we had a fight and he's mad at me and it's all just... ugh. I don't want to deal with it," she growled.

"Sounds like you need a stiff drink," he joked, chuckling lightly.

"I need something," she sighed.

"How about when we get to the hotel tonight, you, me and the guys – excluding your beloved..." Han smirked at her and she gave him a narrowed, unamused look.

"We'll go down to the hotel bar and have a few drinks to get your mind off things," Han offered.

"I don't think drinking will help me," she said, eyeing him.

"Drinking helps everyone drown their sorrows," he insisted with a chuckle.

She was reluctant, but honestly having an ally in all of this was almost too good to pass up.

Naeun found herself sandwiched between Han and Hyunjin on a stool in the bar of the Hotel. Seungmin, Changbin, Felix and Chan were also with and they were already two or three shots in as Naeun slowly nursed the tall beer sitting in front of her. Being with all of them without Lee know looming over her watching her like a shadow, felt freeing. Fake boyfriend or not, he was suffocating.

Hyunjin, of course, was comical as ever and as soon as he had enough in him, he was once again spewing hilarious pick-up lines at her.

"I know you're like fucking Lee know and shit, but like... I gotta know, if that smug bastard wouldn't have swooped in, did I have a chance?" Hyunjin asked, his words slurred and Naeun was certain if he even had one more drink he would most likely black-out.

"Shut it, Hyunjin," Han laughed, swatting at him from behind Naeun.

"No. I'm serious. I wanna know. Cause fuck, Naeun. You're one hot bird, you know that? You're like, proper gorgeous. And I know Lee know's the older than me and the favorite of the group, but I gotta know – would you have broken the contract to fuck me?" He asked bluntly, causing Naeun to laugh out loud.

"God, Hyunjin," Felix laughed, shaking his head.

"No, no. I'm serious," Hyunjin said, his dark eyes looking contently at Naeun.

"You're beautiful, Hyunjin. You really are," Naeun said, her words slurring a bit due to her drunken state.

"But would you have broken your contract to fuck me?" He asked, really pressing for an answer, causing all the other guys to laugh.