'I don't wanna look at anything else now that I saw you.'
Coming from a wealthy family was never the major flex in her life. To others, she might come off as a rich spoilt brat but the reality was far from what they perceived her to be.
In a world...
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"You're hiding something from me."
The question froze Miyeon mid-motion, her hand stilling on the car door handle. Her grip on her phone tightened instinctively, a gesture Wonwoo didn't miss. His frown deepened, suspicion flickering across his features as he watched her closely.
The car sat parked in the middle of the driveway, surrounded by her family's other vehicles, the imposing silhouette of the mansion looming behind them. The air was unnervingly still, so much so that Wonwoo could almost hear the erratic pounding of her heart.
Miyeon didn't respond immediately. She couldn't. Not without putting him in danger. The bright atmosphere from earlier had evaporated, replaced by a suffocating tension. Her back remained turned to Wonwoo, her posture stiff as she tried to think of a way out of the conversation. She knew his calculating, hurt gaze was fixed on her, and the weight of it made her want to disappear into the ground.
"Why would you say that?" she asked quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. When she turned to face him, her eyes refused to meet his, darting everywhere else instead.
"You tell me," he shot back, his tone sharp. Miyeon bit the inside of her cheek. He had already picked up on her nervousness. "Why are you clutching your phone so tightly, Miyeon?"
She flinched at the sound of her name on his lips. He only ever said it like that-firm and cold-when he was upset. She braced herself for the argument she knew was coming.
"I'm not hiding anything from you, Wonwoo," she insisted, her voice cracking slightly as she attempted to sound composed. But he wasn't buying it.
"You're lying. Again."
How could she explain? How could she tell him that she was doing this for him? That her silence was her way of protecting him? The threatening messages from the anonymous stalker had been clear, terrifyingly so. Her hands trembled, and she quickly buried them in the fabric of her sleeves, a nervous habit she couldn't suppress.
Wonwoo's sharp eyes caught the movement. He sighed, taking a moment to rein in his frustration. Losing his temper wouldn't help. Not with her. Not now.
"You know you can tell me anything, right?" His voice softened, tinged with concern. She nodded immediately, her sincerity undeniable, and he managed a faint, fleeting smile. "Then why do you look so tense? Why does it feel like you're keeping something from me?"
"It's nothing," she replied quickly, her voice a little too forced. "Just... stressed out from practice, that's all." She offered him a weak smile, one that didn't quite reach her eyes. Wonwoo's expression darkened as he studied her.
