Chained by Expectations | Park Sunghoon

Fifteen

The soft rays of the morning sun filtered through the curtains, casting a gentle glow across the room. Sunghoon woke up to find Haneul still nestled against his chest, her features softened in the early light. As he looked down at her he couldn't help but notice the marks on her neck, visible reminders of the previous night's shared intimacy, a sly smirk played on his lips as he gently traced them with his fingers. Sunghoon, careful not to disturb her slumber, gently slipped out of bed.

He dressed quietly, the room filled with the hushed rustle of fabric, and made his way downstairs to the kitchen. However, the calm of the morning was shattered by the presence of So-he, her expression clearly reflecting discontent. The air between them grew heavy with unspoken tension as she confronted him.

"Where did you sleep?" she questioned, her eyes narrowing with concern and frustration. "You know I stayed up all night waiting for you."

Sunghoon poured himself a cup of coffee before responding, his tone blunt and matter-of-fact. "I've told you before, So-he, I don't like sharing my bed with just anybody."

"I'm not just anyone, Sunghoon," she retorted, her annoyance evident.

With a sigh, Sunghoon set down his coffee, meeting her gaze. "Look, I don't want to discuss this right now. It's still early, and I don't feel like starting my morning off like this. But I will tell you, this has to stop." He motioned between them, emphasizing the need for boundaries.

So-he's frustration escalated into anger, her eyes welling with tears. "Don't tell me you have feelings for her," she exclaimed.

"It doesn't matter," Sunghoon replied calmly. "Legally, she is my wife, and I'm afraid the tabloids are becoming suspicious of us. I can't risk the company's reputation or my role in the company if my parents find out about you and me."

As he sipped his coffee, So-he's anger intensified. "Then I'll leave," she threatened, hoping for a change in his stance.

"Do as you please, So-he," Sunghoon said, leaving her in the kitchen before she stormed off to her room.

Sunghoon entered the living room, finding Jake already awake. A subtle nod of acknowledgment passed between them, followed by an awkward silence that hung in the air. Sunghoon joined Jake on the couch, a genuine curiosity etching his features.

"How have you been?" he inquired, his tone laced with sincerity. Jake, caught off guard by the unexpected question, stammered a response, "G-good. Why do you ask?"

A chuckle escaped Sunghoon's lips as he took a sip of his coffee. "You know, Jake, we used to be close. Some would even say best friends, but I haven't talked to you since I've been back in Korea. You can blame Haneul for that." He looked at Jake, his gaze piercing but not unkind. "Truth is, I had been asking about you when I came back. I wanted to see how my old friend was doing. I'm sure you probably heard all the things people had to say about me, right?"

The atmosphere shifted as Sunghoon continued, revealing a vulnerability beneath his composed exterior. "But then I found out that you and Haneul became close. I couldn't befriend you anymore; it would be like giving you the green light to pursue her."

Jake, taken aback by the candidness of the conversation, listened as Sunghoon spoke. "But I want us to be friends, Jake, and friends don't go after each other's girls, right?" Sunghoon's gaze bore into Jake, seeking understanding.

Jake, a bit stunned by the unexpected confrontation, hesitated before responding, "Don't you think she should be the one to choose?"

A contemplative look crossed Sunghoon's face as he met Jake's gaze. "She will. I just want you to know where my feelings stand," Sunghoon explained, a sense of conviction in his voice. The unspoken tension lingered in the room, leaving the possibility of a renewed friendship hanging in the balance.

"I'm studying business, like I told you I would back then." Jake shared breaking the silence.

"So I've heard. You and Haneul go to the same school right?" Sunghoon asked becoming much more relaxed at the shared detail.

As Jake and Sunghoon shared updates on their lives since Sunghoon's return, a silent relief settled between them. The unspoken understanding marked the rekindling of their friendship.

Time Skip:

The sun hung high in the sky as the group decided to spend their last day at the beach. Haneul and Sunghoon's silence since morning spoke volumes, an obvious tension lingering after the previous night. Haneul, shy and avoiding Sunghoon, concealed marks on her neck with concealer, her hair draped to shield them as she walked with Sunoo.

Noticing her continuous attempts to hide the marks, Sunoo chuckled, "You're so obvious," teasing her. Her face reddened from embarrassment, not just the sun. "Stop!" she whined, smacking her older cousin.

Sunoo, intrigued, questioned her about the marks and was shocked when Haneul spilled the details of what happened between her and Sunghoon. "Have you talked to him?" he asked, still processing the unexpected revelation.

"No, and I don't want to right now. I can't believe that happened. What if he hates me more now?" Haneul cringed at the thought. "Are you stupid? He's literally in love with you," Sunoo said, lightly pushing her. "He's not," she muttered, eyes fixed on Jake and Sunghoon in the distance.

"They've been pretty close since this morning," Haneul observed. "Yeah, it's kind of weird," Sunoo added. "Oh! Did you see So-he left this morning? I tried to ask her what happened, but she walked past me like I didn't exist. Something tells me she wasn't happy," Sunoo informed Haneul.

"Wait, really? Is that why she wasn't at breakfast?" Haneul asked, surprised. The two continued to talk about random things and dissect Haneul and Sunghoon's relationship as they strolled towards a shaded area, the beach's gentle waves providing a soothing soundtrack to their conversation.

Time Skip:

The room was bathed in a soft evening light as Haneul struggled to apply aloe vera on her sunburned back. The discomfort was evident on her face as she grappled with reaching the most affected areas. Startled by someone entering the room, she quickly turned to face Sunghoon.

"Don't you knock?" she asked, her cheeks reddening.

"This is my room too, why would I?" he replied nonchalantly. His eyes fell on the aloe vera, then on Haneul, who bore the sunburn from their day under the sun. Sunghoon approached her, offering his help.

"N-no, it's okay," she stammered, attempting to create space between them. As she moved backward, her back hit the wall, causing her to wince in pain. A hint of concern crossed Sunghoon's face as he pulled her closer.

"It's going to blister if you don't put it on correctly. Let me help you," he insisted, turning her around to see the extent of the damage. "Did you not wear sunscreen?" he asked, squeezing some aloe into his hand and massaging it into her back.

"I did, but I still got burnt," she sighed in relief closing her eyes as the aloe eased the pain. Sunghoon moved her hair to one side, his eyes tracing down to her exposed neck and the concealed marks.

"Why did you hide them?" he whispered, tracing the marks with his fingertips. Haneul's eyes shot open, moving away from him. "I didn't want anyone to see them," she explained, her cheeks flushing.

"Why? They look good on you," Sunghoon remarked, pulling her closer again as he continued to apply aloe. "I just don't want them to think we—"

"You shouldn't care so much about others' perceptions, Haneul," Sunghoon cut her off. "It's none of their business what we do together. We're technically married. What do they expect when I have you as my wife?" causing Haneul to blush.

"I wanted to tell you today. I wanted to tell you that you looked so pretty on the beach, but you kept avoiding me," he confessed.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" Haneul asked, turning around and stepping back.

"I'm not. I'm just being honest. I've always thought you were pretty," he admitted coldly. "Now, let's get ready for bed. The sun today drained me, and we have a flight tomorrow morning."

Still stunned by his sudden confession, Haneul nodded. They both prepared for bed and slipped under the covers. As Haneul was about to drift off to sleep, she felt Sunghoon's arm snake around her waist, pulling her closer. Tensing at first, she ended up relaxing her body, drifting off into a deep, comfortable sleep.