Chained by Expectations | Park Sunghoon

Thirty

Sunghoon and Haneul found themselves in a fancy restaurant, the dim lights casting a warm glow on the polished interior. Haneul couldn't help but question why Sunghoon had chosen such an upscale place, but she decided to keep her curiosity to herself.

As they enjoyed their dinner, Haneul took a small sip of her wine, her eyes wandering across the room. However, an unsettling feeling crept over her, and she couldn't shake the sensation that they were being watched. Trying not to appear suspicious, she discreetly looked around, but Sunghoon noticed her discomfort.

"Who are you looking for?" he asked, catching her attention.

"No one," she replied quickly, her eyes returning to her plate. "This is just a really nice restaurant," she added, attempting to cover up her unease. Despite her efforts, Sunghoon observed her carefully, a hint of curiosity in his eyes.

Sunghoon and Haneul continued to enjoy their dinner in the upscale restaurant. The atmosphere was elegant, and the clinking of silverware on fine china accompanied their conversation.

"Are you available on Wednesday? I'd like to take you somewhere," Sunghoon said, breaking the silence as he looked up from his plate, savoring a bite of his food.

"I'm busy all week," Haneul replied, her focus remaining on her own plate.

Sunghoon persisted, "What about this weekend?"

"I'll be busy then as well," she stated firmly. The air grew slightly tense before Sunghoon leaned back in his seat, a furrow forming on his brow. "Why have you changed your mind?" he asked, taking a sip of his wine.

"What do you mean?" Haneul inquired, finally meeting his gaze.

"Your proposal," Sunghoon clarified, studying her face.

"I just don't think it's a good idea, and like I said, I was caught up in the moment," Haneul explained calmly. The air hung heavy with unspoken words as Sunghoon observed her.

"Okay, whatever you want to do, I'm okay with. But I would like to get closer to you again, Haneul. We can take things slow," he suggested.

"I just don't think I can ever trust you again," Haneul confessed, her words catching Sunghoon off guard. He felt a lump in his throat but understood the gravity of her statement. The scars from their past lingered, and trust was not easily rebuilt.

"What can I do to prove to you that you can?" Sunghoon asked, his expression serious and sincere.

"I don't know, Sunghoon," Haneul replied, a hint of weariness in her voice. She felt drained by the persistence of the conversation. "You should figure it out yourself; I shouldn't have to tell you," she added, unsure of what more she could say.

"I want to know who sent my dad those pictures. If it wasn't you and it wasn't Jake, then who was it?" she questioned, her gaze fixed on Sunghoon.

As Sunghoon contemplated her question, a sudden disturbance caught Haneul's attention. She squinted her eyes, trying to identify the source, and her focus shifted to a flash of light coming from behind Sunghoon.

"What is it?" Sunghoon inquired, turning to look in the direction she was pointing.

Haneul, still squinting, said, "I thought I saw a camera flash. Over there." She gestured towards the distant spot.

Sunghoon turned to look but found nothing. "There's no one over there," he reassured her, his tone gentle. He tried to calm her unease, but Haneul remained fixated on the distant point.

"I swear I saw it," she insisted.

"Haneul, there's no one over there," Sunghoon repeated, attempting to ease her concerns, though the unease in the air lingered.

"Maybe, I'm just seeing things. " She muttered as she turned back to look at Sunghoon and taking a sip of her wine.

"Will you be attending the annual banquet this year?" Sunghoon asked, attempting to divert the conversation to a different topic.

"I was planning on it," Haneul sighed. "i'm assuming that you won't be attending since it's not your thing." she said.

"I'd love to attend if we can go together," Sunghoon proposed, his tone hopeful.

Haneul's expression tightened. "I don't think that's a good idea. A lot of the people there know about our history, and it'd be inappropriate on the business side," she stated firmly.

"I see that you still care heavily about others' opinions," Sunghoon remarked, pinching the bridge of his nose in mild frustration.

"I guess so," she replied, her voice holding a hint of reluctance. "Can we go now?" she asked, moving to collect her belongings. The unease between them lingered, leaving an unspoken tension in the air.

Time Skip:

Sunghoon waited anxiously as Jake answered the door, rubbing his tired eyes. "What are you doing here?" Jake asked, allowing Sunghoon to enter his apartment. Sunghoon took a seat on the couch, a look of frustration etched on his face.

"I need to talk to you about something," Sunghoon began, his voice heavy with concern. "I went to dinner with Haneul today, and I just feel like I'm not getting anywhere with her. I talked to her about everything already, but she just doesn't believe me. She doesn't trust me," he admitted, the weight of his words hanging in the air.

Jake listened attentively as Sunghoon continued to express his feelings of defeat. "Well, what are you gonna do?" Jake inquired, curious about Sunghoon's plan.

"I need to figure out who sent those stupid pictures," Sunghoon said, his gaze fixed on the ground. He then pulled out the vibrant red beaded bracelet that had caused a tear in his relationship with Haneul.

"That night when I went to Mr. Kim's house, pleading for him to let me see her, he told me something," Sunghoon explained, his eyes meeting Jake's. "It had to do with this." He held up the bracelet. "Mr. Kim mentioned that my secretary had the same one on the night he went to speak with me about terminating the contract."

"But you don't have a secretary," Jake pointed out, confusion evident on his face.

"Yeah, I know," Sunghoon agreed. "But, I remember that right before he got to my office, So-he had paid a surprise visit. She wanted me to leave Haneul and go back to messing around with her. Now, when Haneul and I talked about everything, she mentioned that this bracelet—"

"So-he was wearing it on her wrist when she came looking for me that night at the penthouse, that's why I found it on the counter that night when I got home" Sunghoon finished, and Jake's eyes widened as realization hit him.

"Holy shit," Jake muttered, running a hand through his hair. "So, you think she sent them?"

"Yeah, but I mean, I don't know. Do you remember seeing her during any of these occasions when the pictures were taken?" Sunghoon asked, hoping Jake could recall important details from back then.

"Not really? I mean, maybe for a few, but I'm not sure why she would be following us around trying to take these pictures," Jake said, deep in thought.

"Unless she knew?" he suggested, raising an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" Sunghoon asked, intrigued by Jake's theory.

"Did she know that Haneul cheating on you was the only way for you guys to get divorced?" Jake questioned.

"I'm not sure, but I wouldn't doubt if she somehow figured it out," Sunghoon admitted. "Will you help me look into her? I want to know who was behind those pictures. Maybe then I can gain her trust back," he added, almost whispering to himself.

"She's the person I suspect the most right now," Sunghoon confessed.

"I'll help you, don't worry," Jake assured him, patting his friend's back, reminiscent of the time when Sunghoon needed comforting after Haneul left him.

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Thank you to everyone who has been reading my story! 💕