Beyond Us [Bangchan] [Finished]

Chapter 42

"What did he say?" I asked Chan after he ended the call with his manager.

"Don't worry too much, we'll handle it." He said, calm and composed, giving me a small smile.

"I cannot worry". I said, dead serious, knowing he would try to handle it by himself. He talked for a good couple of minutes with his manager too. If he wanted me to chill, he could say something more than that.

"Well, uhm... there's no need to worry, at least for now. There are usually ways to manage these things too".

"And what are we doing?"

"Uhm... for now, just wait. There's no proof of real photos of us yet, so we will wait until they send them to us and then, negotiate". I nodded, taking in his words.

"Because if we try to negotiate right away and there are no pictures, they will know you're with someone even if they didn't see you with me".

"Right, so don't worry yet," he scratched his nose.

"Yet", I repeated kind of sarcastically without intention.

"Ah, I word it wrong. Just, don't think about it". He took my hand, caressing it with his thumb.

"Aren't you worried?" We held each other's gaze for a moment before he answered.

"I wouldn't say worried. It's more like... nervous?" He made a small giggle.

"Would you keep me updated?" I asked, swinging our hands.

"Ok", he said after pressing his lips together as if he was thinking about it. He knew I would get mad if he didn't tell me anything, though.

Despite everything, we sat down and had breakfast in a very cheerful mood. Then we watched a movie and I fell asleep again. I woke up hearing Chan talking over the phone.

"Yes, I'm sorry". He was saying it in Korean. "Yes, I don't mind, but I think it's not ideal".

There was a pause, and he agreed again before saying something I couldn't understand, but he was talking very formally. I incorporated myself on the couch, and he turned to me.

"Yes, thank you. I'm really sorry". He said again before leaving his phone aside. "Did I wake you up?" He asked sitting next to me.

"No, did your manager call you again?"

"Uh...", he looked away and scratched the back of his neck. He seemed nervous, I gulped down, expecting the worse. "They weren't kidding when they said they caught us".

I felt guilty as fuck. I knew what was coming, they paid for silence or the photos were going to be realized.

Chan seemed a bit tense, but who wouldn't? I couldn't stop apologizing for a while. He said it was his fault for not being careful enough. Now that I think about it, none of us should have been apologizing in the first place. You don't say sorry for living your life.

I wondered if he would mind us being exposed... The first thing that came to my mind after that thought was all those raging fans, then the press and the media, and how draining all that would be. Even if he were ok with that, I would prefer it to be a secret forever if that meant he could be more at ease and live, at least a tiny bit, more freely.

We spent the rest of the afternoon chilling at home and playing Jenga. It was the first day I spent with Chan that felt way too long.

The next day, I couldn't take my eyes off the phone. I wanted Chan to call me and say it was all good and solved so badly... but I didn't get a single sign of life from him until late at night.

There was not much progress on the matter, and we didn't talk for long because he was busy.

Around 11 a.m. the next morning, I was in a meeting with my work team when Chan called me. I grabbed my phone as if my life depended on it.

"Guys, give me a few minutes, please". I said as I muted the microphone and took Chan's call. "Hey! How's my fave Bang?"

"Hi, I have good news. Are you busy?" He sounded happy.

"I can talk a few minutes".

"I can call you later if you want".

"No, no. What is the news?"I asked expectantly.

"Uhm... well, everything's settled".

"Wasn't it fast? Did they ask for too much?" The mere thought of it gave me a stomachache.

"No, the company had charges against her, they were supposed to go to trial next month. They will drop the charges and she will delete the photos".

"Really? Is that easy?"

"More or less". I felt so damn relieved.

"Wait, what if she doesn't delete them, or has a backup or something". Watching so many movies and dramas was not helping at all.

"It will be fine. I already talked with the legal team". He said in a reassuring voice.

"Oh, ok. God, you don't know how relieved I am". I sighed.

"I felt the same just now", he giggled. "Should we celebrate?"

"I thought you were working until late today".

"Uh... I think it can wait a little bit. It's worth it".

"Ok!" I was happy just at the thought of it. "What are we doing?"

We bought some pizza and got drunk that night. Supposedly, we were going to share a beer but ended up being a few more than that.

The following day, Chan's hangover face was priceless. I couldn't hold it in and laughed in his face, which I had to pay by being ignored by him for three whole minutes and a hundred kisses scattered all over his face.

For the time being, we decided to be extra careful, just in case. It also was a request from his manager. So, in the following weeks, Chan made different detours on his way to my apartment on the days we met. They weren't that many anyway since, as usual, their end-of-the-year performances promised to be at their own level.

But he wasn't the only one with a cramped schedule those days, I was hella busy too.

I didn't even have time to complain about not being able to see Chan. I had my own business to take care of.

The team always took Christmas and New Year's weeks off. That meant we had to get as much work done as we could to make up those two weeks. I mean... you could not take them, it was voluntary but we all wanted two paid weeks off, who in his right mind wouldn't?

After some intense weeks, in various aspects apart from work, I was finally getting everything done for Christmas. I had to go for Chan's present that same week, it's not what I wanted because going shopping the same week of Christmas is a pain in the ass, everywhere is crowded! But I had no choice unless I bought it online but I wanted to make sure it was perfect, so I had to go myself.

On day D-2 my nerves were cracking. It's not because I had something big prepared though, I'm just not the type of person who's good at buying and keeping presents in secret for too long. I had to sit on my hands to not grab the box and deliver it to Chan right away.

Seriously, I was so happy for being able to spend an important date with him.

Looking back, I would never have guessed what my little trip to Korea was preparing for me. It felt like I had been living in a dream for the past eight months, I meant it.