Chained by Expectations | Park Sunghoon

Nineteen

Sunghoon woke up the next morning quietly changing into some comfortable clothes leaving Haneul curled up in bed to continue sleeping.

He made his way downstairs to prepare her something for breakfast. After a while Haneul woke up feeling sore from the previous night activities. Struggling to get out of bed as she made her way to the bathroom where she saw the dark bruising between her legs. Her face turned lightly red just from the thought of what had caused them. She quickly brushed her teeth, rinsed her face, and attempted to tame her hair. She put on some socks as she made her way to the staircase.

As she stood at the top of the staircase she could smell the delicious breakfast that Sunghoon was cooking. She slowly made her way down the stairs wincing in pain. She had to admit that last night's activities had left her with barley any ability to walk without pain.

Sunghoon turned at the sound of Haneul's soft steps and gentle whimpers, his expression shifting from concentration on breakfast to immediate concern. As she descended the staircase, he couldn't help but notice her delicate steps, wincing with each movement. The dark bruises on her inner thighs didn't escape his keen eyes, and a wave of worry washed over him.

"are you okay?" Sunghoon asked, abandoning his cooking momentarily to approach her.

Haneul bit her lip, trying to conceal the discomfort but realizing it was futile. "I'm... a little sore," she admitted, her cheeks turning a shade of pink.

Sunghoon gently took her arm, guiding her to a nearby chair. "Sit down. I'll make you something for the pain," he said, his worry transforming into a tender resolve.

As Haneul settled into the chair, Sunghoon disappeared into the kitchen, returning with a warm mug of tea and a comforting smile. "Here, this might help. And I made breakfast for you," he said, gesturing to the table set with a delicious spread.

As Haneul savored the meal, Sunghoon kept a watchful eye on her, a feeling of guilt washing over him. "I'm sorry." He said as he lightly traced small circles on her bruises.

She rose from the her seat, closing the distance between them, and placed a gentle peck on his lips.

"You don't have to be sorry," she reassured him, her voice tender. "And thank you for the delicious breakfast."

Sunghoon managed a small smile but maintained a look of guilt. He informed Haneul that he needed to go to the office to catch up on some work that he was behind on, despite the fact that it was a Saturday.

"But it's Saturday, can't you just stay, and we can watch movies?" Haneul suggested, a tinge of sadness in her voice.

"I can't today. I need to catch up on some things. I'm sorry," Sunghoon replied, planting a kiss on her cheek. Haneul, though disappointed, understood the demands of his work.

As Sunghoon headed upstairs to get ready, Haneul took the initiative to wash and clean the kitchen, refusing to let him take care of the dishes. Sunghoon returned with her backpack and a clean blanket.

"I brought your backpack down in case you want to study, and this in case you get cold," he said, placing the items in the living room.

"Thank you," Haneul replied, slowly making her way to him. She gave him a sweet kiss on the lips before expressing her plans for the day.

"I think I'll study before watching a movie. Will you be long?" she asked, looking up at him.

"I don't know. I'll try to be back for dinner," Sunghoon assured her, settling down on the couch beside her.

Haneul, sensing Sunghoon's departure was imminent, decided to lighten the mood with a playful gesture. She gently pushed him onto the couch, enveloping him in a warm hug, and nestled into the crook of his neck.

"Oh, Mr. Future CEO, are you sure you can't just stay?" she teased, her voice filled with affection, earning a chuckle from Sunghoon. His usual irritation and annoyance at such clingy behavior seemed to disappear in the warmth of her embrace. He reciprocated the hug, holding her close only feeding into his new found addiction for her.

"I wish I could," Sunghoon admitted, his fingers stroking her hair while he played with the beads of the red bracelet on her wrist. The familiarity and intimacy of the moment made him realize how deeply he was falling for her, which worried him.

Continuing to fidget with the beads, Haneul watched him, cherishing the scent and warmth he offered. Suddenly, she took the bracelet off her wrist and placed it on his. Looking up at him, she explained, "So you can think of me while you're at work."

As she carefully got up, ensuring not to aggravate her sore spots, she encouraged him to leave. "Now come on, if you leave now, you'll be back sooner."

Before heading towards the door, Sunghoon placed a tender kiss on her lips. "I'll try to get everything done today so we can spend more time together tomorrow," he promised. He then pointed down at her bruised thighs. "Please try to rest so those can heal quickly."

"Okay, be safe," Haneul replied, waving goodbye as he left the penthouse. Alone in the spacious living room, she couldn't help but smile, anticipating the time they would spend together once he returned.

Time Skip:

There was a light knock at his door that echoed through his office "Come in," Sunghoon called out, expecting someone else in his office. When he looked up from his computer, he was surprised to see So-he standing at the door.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, his expression turning stern as he glared at the familiar face.

"I was passing by and saw your car was here, thought I'd drop by to say hi," she responded casually.

Rolling his eyes, Sunghoon got up from his seat. "Look, So-he, I don't have time for this right now. You need to leave," he said firmly.

"I just want to talk, Sunghoon," she insisted. "I want us to work this out. Once you and Haneul divorce, we can just—"

"We won't be getting a divorce," Sunghoon interrupted, cutting her off.

"I just don't understand, Sunghoon! I thought you hated her, you didn't want to marry her, and now all of a sudden?" she expressed her frustration at his rejection and cold attitude.

"It's not for you to understand, So-he. I made it clear to you that we were nothing close to a couple. You were not my girlfriend, and I was not your boyfriend," he stated, carefully nudging her out the door.

So-he quickly grabbed Sunghoon by the wrist, preventing him from pushing her out the door. "Wait!" she exclaimed, stopping him in his tracks. "W-what if we just keep us a secret? No one will find out if that's what you're worried about. We can go back to how things were but be more careful," she insisted, causing Sunghoon to let out a sigh of frustration.

"So-he, are you not getting it? I don't want to see you anymore. I don't want anything between us," he finally said, his tone cold. He pulled his wrist out of her grip as her balled-up fist fell to her side. "Now, go home. I don't want to discuss this with you again," he added, shutting the door in her face.

Tears brimmed in her eyes from anger as she frustratingly wiped them away. She looked down at her hand, slowly opening it to reveal a simple red beaded bracelet. "You will be mine, Sunghoon," she muttered between gritted teeth as she slipped the bracelet onto her wrist. Turning around, she walked down the dimly lit hallway.

As she made it halfway down the hallway, her expression changed from anger to curiosity as she saw someone turn into the same hallway as her. "Hello," she said, bowing to the man she recognized.

"Hello, can you please direct me to Mr. Park's office?" the man asked kindly.

"Oh, yes. It's just down this hall," she said, pointing to the very last door down the hall.

"Thank you," he replied his eyes falling to the red beaded bracelet on her wrist. "Oh, I know someone who has a bracelet just like that, she always wears it." He said. "o-oh, it must be a very popular accessory then." She nervously laughed 'so it's hers' she thought to herself. Moving aside to let him through, she couldn't help but watch as he made his way down the hall and entered the office she had just come from. 'What is he doing here?' she thought to herself, a sense of curiosity lingering in her mind.

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Can you guess who Sunghoon's meeting with?!