The Assistant -LeeKnow

Chapter 25

Lee know was quiet the next morning. He didn't say much after they woke up and he didn't say much at breakfast. Naeun was wondering if she freaked him out by asking him about Danielle. Actually she knew she did and she also knew she should have just kept her damn mouth shut. It didn't help the situation any. She didn't feel any better knowing she sucked him off. It actually made her feel worse. She felt stabbing jealousy when it came down to it. Not that she had any deep particular need to suck him off – she'd already been down that road.

When Lee know mentioned things changing between them, it freaked her out. It wasn't the fact that she wanted him to be her boyfriend, it was more the fact that she knew he wasn't capable of giving her what she wanted. Because in the end, she wanted a man that was going to treat her the way she deserved to be treated. She needed someone who was going to be there for her, and someone who was romantic and loving and wouldn't cheat on her with the first girl who caught his eye. Naeun knew she'd never be able to find that with Lee know. He'd proven that time and time again. She watched him with all the girls he cheated on Chaewon with – her being one of them. She knew he wouldn't hesitate to do it again.

But what really threw her off was that she wanted Lee know to be all those things for her. She wanted the romance and the special treatment and affection. And she wanted it from him. That was what made it all so hard. She wanted him. But she wanted a version of him that didn't exist and it was hard to realize that sometimes. And that was what was making her decision to leave a hard one. She wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt and give him a chance to change. But another part of her knew someone like him was never going to change no matter how many chances he was given.

But there was something about him that kept her from putting in her notice. Every day she put it off and it was all because of him – because he seemed to be changing right before her very eyes. He already did so much.

"Are you okay?" Naeun heard Lee know ask her when they got on the bus that morning.

"I'm fine. I was going to ask you the same thing," she countered, eyeing him skeptically. She didn't know where they really stood after last night. It was kind of all up in the air.

"I'm fine," he shrugged passively and dropped the subject as they settled in as the rest of the guys piled onto the bus.

Luckily for all of them, the bus ride was less than three hours long and it wasn't long before they were pulling into the venue. Lee know listened to music with his headphones the whole time, laying across his favorite couch in the front lounge, really making it impossible for them to keep up with their dating façade. Naeun was certain that any one of his band or crew members would catch on soon to the fact that the two of them really had nothing in common and on most days they couldn't even stand to be around one another.

...

"How are you and Lee know doing?" Naeun heard Jinae ask her when they finally settled into the venue .

Naeun cringed at the thought of answering the question. Their fake relationship was getting out of hand. If it was a real relationship, she would have felt some sort of pride over the fact that it seemed like everyone was rooting for them, but it all just made her feel sick to her stomach. She was sure it stemmed from the fact that she didn't want to disappoint any of them and she knew it was going to happen when their fake relationship finally ended.

"Uh, we're fine," she lied, trying to look more pleasant than she felt.

"Is he treating you alright?" Jinae asked with a worried look on her face. Her question caught Naeun off guard and made her chest tighten painfully.

"Oh. Of course he is. He, uh... he's a gentleman," Naeun said, smiling weakly at her.

"I know he can be a little hard-headed at times, but he means well, Naeun. I can see the adoration in his eyes when he looks at you," Jinae told her, causing Naeun's whole face to flush and her stomach to tie in knots.