In Between the Lines | Completed

Chapter Thirty-One | That Damned Group Chat

Lee Young-Min

My stomach is a bundle of nerves as I watch the door to the conference room. I was sitting with the cast and crew preparing to read through the next section of the script and it would be my first-time seeing Vivian since I had confessed. She was due to arrive any moment and the anticipation in my gut was sending me into overdrive.

"I wonder how the advertising meeting went," Bu Seok comments airily. He and Gar Yung-Hee had been casually watching me not-so-casually watch the door and were typing away on their phones as they discussed random topics.

No doubt updating the group chat... those bastards.

"Any update on the confession front?" Bu Seok smiles at me, batting his eyes. I let out a growl and look down at the table. "I mean from Du Shin-Il, not you, of course." He says innocently.

"What are you talking about?" I huff.

"Du Jii and I ran into each other at the stadium. He told me he has a new sister-in-law. I didn't believe it of course, but apparently, he's been meeting up with Miss Jones' hot roommate the last few weeks since she moved here."

"Miss Jones' roommate?" I repeat, leaving out his less than polite description. "Xiao Mei Cheng?"

"Yeah, she seems like a lot of fun," Gar Yung-Hee smiles, chuckling at a photo on her phone. I catch the title of her chat out of the corner of my eye, creatively titled 'Jonesin' for Mr. Lee.'

"She's rooting for you if that matters," Bu Seok adds. "Anyways, Du Jii swears that those two will get together. Apparently, she was there when Du Shin-Il found out the fan sent that package, and something happened that made her run for the hills and Du Shin-Il to follow. Du Min and Du Jii witnessed him run out of the house, barefoot even, and KISS her on the sidewalk."

"Our Du Shin-Il? Kissed her?" I say, my mouth dropping in shock.

"Barefoot?" Gar Yung-Hee's nose scrunches at the thought. "That's just unsanitary. Seoul streets without a barrier? That's just asking to catch a disease."

"He was wearing socks."

"How do you know that?"

"Du Jii sent me a photo of the kiss."

"Why didn't he send that in the chat?" Gar Yung-Hee pouts. "Despite it not being about Vivian, I still would've been interested."

"Du Shin-Il and Xiao Mei Cheng are in the chat and I'm sure Du Jii was worried for his safety if he spread his brother's business out in the open so freely."

"He must not be that worried if he sent the photo to you," I say dryly. "Everyone knows you're a huge gossip."

"True," Gar Yung-Hee nods.

"Du Shin-Il is in the damn group chat?" I realize.

"Doesn't comment much, but he does check the messages."

"Especially Mei Cheng's which makes a lot more sense now." Gar Yung-Hee smiles, "Oh to be young and in love again, having a handsome man chasing after me."

"Why haven't I been added? Obviously, we're all on the same side."

"For the most part—"

"What—"

The conference room door opens, and I perk up as am aid enters the room with a stack of papers. He walks over to Bu Seok and whispers something in his ear. Bu Seok's face falls and becomes serious as he turns to respond to him.