Chained by Expectations | Park Sunghoon

Twenty-nine

"YOU WHAT?" they both asked in unison, shock filling their expressions as the three of them sat in Haneul's living room taking in the information that she had just spilled. "I know, okay!" Haneul exclaimed, understanding their disbelief. "Do you even know what you're doing? Like, seriously," Jay questioned her.

"Hey, if it wasn't for you two suggesting this, I probably would've never thought about doing it!" she retorted.

"Okay, but we didn't think you'd actually do it! You have to call this off; you're playing with literal fire, Haneul. It's Park Sunghoon we're talking about here. Let's not forget who he was before he met you," Sunoo warned.

"I don't know how to go back. I was too in the moment. I'm stupid, I know," she huffed, covering her face with a couch pillow. The weight of her impulsive decision sank in as she realized the potential consequences of her actions.

"And have you actually thought this through?" Sunoo asked, his concern evident in his voice.

"What do you mean?" Haneul mumbled from under the couch pillow she held over her face.

"Well, you know, Haneul, this kind of thing only works if you have absolutely no feelings for the guy," Jay commented. "And something tells me that's not the case for you." He mumbled, scratching the back of his head. He suddenly ducked, avoiding the pillow Haneul threw at his head. 

"Shut up, Jay!" she exclaimed.

"Maybe you can just make him jealous," Sunoo suggested. "I don't know, maybe it'll keep this whole plan," he said, adding quotation marks around the word "plan," "from backfiring on you."

"I don't know, I don't have anyone to make him jealous with..." She trailed off.

There was brief silence as they were all deep in thought. "Well, you do spend a lot of time with," Sunoo's eye's trailed over to Jay. "him." He pointed his finger at Jay who same as Haneul had a look of disbelief on his face.

There was a long silence as the two glanced at eachother and then at Sunoo

"You've lost you're mind right?" Jay began.

"The thought makes me want to throw up." Haneul continued.

"Oh I'm sorry that I'm trying to think of solutions." Sunoo said sassed.

"I'm just gonna have to tell him I was stupid and don't know what I was thinking." She said slouching down in her seat.

"but you know, there is one thing that I havent't been able to stop thinking about. " She sighed as her mind filled with many thoughts.

"What is it?" they both questioned

"We talked last night," She began to say "You know about everything that happened. He said that he wasn't the one that sent my dad those pictures." She said. She watched as they both glanced at eachother.

"And?" Jay asked.

"I don't know," she said running her hand through her hair. "I just don't see who else it could be. I have thought about it, even before now and he was always somehow there or near when I was with jake." she said.

"Well, did he say who it might be?" Sunoo asked.

"No, and I didn't ask him. I just don't know if I can believe him." She said as she continued to get lost in her thoughts.

Time Skip:

The following Monday, there was a knock at the door of Haneul's office. "Come in," she said, her attention momentarily diverted from her computer screen. When she looked up, surprise flashed across her face as she found Sunghoon standing at the door. Despite herself, a slight blush crept onto her cheeks before she quickly composed herself. Haneul cleared her throat, maintaining her seat.

"What are you doing here, Mr. Park?" she asked, her tone businesslike.

"I came to see you," he replied, closing the door behind him. "You look beautiful as always," Sunghoon added, slowly approaching her with his hands casually tucked into his pant pockets. He continued until he was leaning against her desk, just beside her. "Can I treat you to lunch?" he asked, his gaze fixed on her.

"I'm busy with work," she stammered, feeling a bit entranced by his intense presence.

"Then can I treat you to something else?" Sunghoon inquired, taking her chin gently in his hand and grazing her bottom lip with his thumb. Haneul felt an instant heat in her stomach, sighing at the unexpected touch.

"We need to talk," Haneul insisted, removing Sunghoon's hand from her chin. She stood, slightly averting her gaze as she positioned herself to be at eye level with Sunghoon, who was still leaning against her desk.

"I don't know what I was thinking on Saturday," she trailed off, the words stumbling out. "But we should forget about my proposal, and the whole thing in general." She finally managed to articulate her thoughts. The room was filled with an uneasy silence as Sunghoon remained quiet, studying her face. The weight of the silence gnawed at Haneul, unsure of what he was thinking. His gaze was stern and cold, reminiscent of their first meeting. She recognized the look, and it sent chills down her spine.

With a swift movement, Sunghoon's hand slipped slightly inside the waistband of her office skirt, tugging at it roughly, pulling her in to stand between his legs. "But I don't think I'm on board with that decision," he whispered into the nape of her neck, gently tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

she gasped at his sudden action her hands resting on his thighs now trying to keep her balance. "s-sunghoon" Haneul stammered out.

She could feel his hand slowly begin to trace the skin on the inside of her thigh. Before he could go any further Haneul looked down stopping him. "We can't, someone could come in and see us." She sighed as she removed his hand attempting to step away from him. Sunghoon however brought his hand to the small of her back bring her in again. 

"Okay, if I can't treat you to lunch let me treat you to dinner." He said as his other hand came up to her chin again grazing her lip.

There was a silence and a very evident tension in the atmosphere. Haneul's eyes trailed from his intense gaze to his lips. "If I agree, will you leave?" She asked barley above a whisper.

"Only if you want me to." He answered as he was also feeling the tension in the air. Haneul's gaze fell again to his lips before looking back up at Sunghoon "I do have a lot of work to get done. So, you do need to leave." She said finally pulling away completely.

"Okay Ms. CEO. I will pick you up at 5 for dinner." Sunghoon said as he made his way to the door. "I'll see you then." He finally said exiting the office.

Haneul stood there contemplating what she was feeling. Haneul knewing that the more time she would spend with him the harder it would be for her to deny the underlying feelings she still had for him.

"I want to hate him but I can't." She said as she sat back down in her seat. For the rest of the day she tried to push any thought of him out of her head, but it was hard.

Soon enough the work day was over and she was now anxious as the clock was quickly approaching 5pm. As if on cue there was a knock at her door and Sunghoon came striding in.  "Ready?" he asked as he watched her collect the last of her things.

Haneul didn't say anything rather just nodded as she exited her office followed by Sunghoon.

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