Beyond Boundaries • A KNJ Fanfiction

22.

I walked downstairs, my face cold and composed, though my mind was far from calm. She was there, sitting on the couch, a magazine in her hands. Her posture was tense, her fingers gripping the edges of the glossy pages just a little too tightly. I could tell she was nervous.

She always had this effect on me, pulling me toward her like gravity, but now I had to resist. For her sake. I couldn’t let her become a target of baseless rumors that had no truth but could cause real harm.

“This is the latest edition of the magazine. Unreleased,” I said softly, breaking the silence as I stepped into the living room. She looked up at me, her eyes meeting mine, and for a brief moment, I felt myself falter. Her gaze always did that to me, softening the walls I’d carefully built.

I gestured to the magazine, hoping to ease the tension. “It’s not out yet.”

Her lips parted as if she wanted to say something, but she hesitated before asking, “Do you always get unreleased versions?”

“No,” I replied, sitting on the couch opposite hers, keeping my distance though I wanted nothing more than to be closer. “Only when I’m featured. Especially if there’s an interview or a special column about me.”

She nodded, her fingers still fiddling with the edges of the magazine. “You’re always on magazines... all over the billboards, everywhere.”

I smiled faintly, avoiding her eyes. I couldn’t risk her seeing too much, seeing the emotions I was trying to bury. “Let’s go. Mrs. Shin must have dinner ready by now.”

“How do you know?” she asked, tilting her head slightly.

“I eat right on time,” I said, glancing at the clock. “And it’s the right time now.”

“Hmm... so you’re punctual about these things?”

“That’s the secret of my beauty,” I teased lightly, trying to keep the mood light. “Right timing, healthy diet, and healthy habits.”

She blinked at me, her expression blank as if she was processing something.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, though her silence was already making my chest tighten.

“You seem... changed,” she said finally, her voice soft but laced with curiosity.

I paused for a moment, wondering if she could sense how I was holding myself back, trying to be less overwhelming, less of a temptation. Did she notice how I was trying to protect her in the only way I knew how?

“Changed? I don’t know what you mean,” I said lightly, brushing off her words. “Let’s go eat.”

“Okay,” she murmured, standing up as I did.

I led the way to the dining area, feeling her presence just a few steps behind me. Every part of me wanted to turn around, to look at her, to say something that would ease the tension between us. But I couldn’t afford to let my guard down, not now. Not when everything I did was to keep her safe.

The dining table was wrapped in an almost unbearable silence, with only the faint clinking of cutlery breaking the stillness. My eyes flickered toward her now and then, unable to resist, though I quickly averted them. She avoided looking at me, her shoulders tense, and I could feel the weight of her unease filling the room. Even Mrs. Shin, bustling in the background, seemed aware of the tension.

“Mrs. Shin,” I said finally, my voice calm but firm, “have you and the helpers eaten?”

“No, sir. You both eat first, then we’ll go home,” she replied politely.