Destiny's love

Part- 47

Author's POV

The week rolled on quietly, though "quiet" felt like the wrong word. For Hayoung, it was more of a dull hum in her chest — an awareness that something was off, but not knowing how to fix it. Her photoshoots filled her days, the flash of cameras blinding her into momentary distraction, but the moment the lights dimmed, her thoughts wandered to Nayoung... and the stubborn silence between them.

For Nayoung, it was the steady drone of meetings, phone calls, and documents. The work kept her mind sharp, but her heart felt heavy, weighed down by the absence of the girl she once texted about everything from breakfast choices to the color of the sky. She told herself she was fine, that maybe a little space was good. But she missed her.

And Rohan... Rohan noticed.

He had been keeping a closer eye on Hayoung since arriving in Seoul. Not obviously, never enough for her to suspect. But he could see the subtle changes: the way her smiles didn't quite reach her eyes anymore, the way she sometimes drifted off mid-conversation, how her usual excited chatter before shoots had thinned into simple nods.

It was during one of those moments — while she adjusted the cuff of her dress between takes — that he stepped closer, his voice warm, friendly, just as it had always been.

"You seem... distracted lately," he said, not accusing, but probing.

Hayoung blinked, startled. "Oh, no. Just tired, I guess."

"Hmm." His eyes lingered on her for a fraction longer than necessary before he smiled softly. "You've always been good at hiding when something's wrong. But I can tell, Hayoung. Is it work pressure?"

She shook her head quickly. "No, work is fine. You've always been supportive. It's just... personal stuff."

"Personal," he repeated, as if savoring the word. Then, as if deciding something, he gave a slow nod. "Sometimes the people closest to us... aren't as close as we think."

The statement caught her off guard, but before she could ask what he meant, the photographer called her back on set. She didn't notice the faint, almost invisible curve of satisfaction at the corner of his lips.

That night, in the privacy of his hotel suite, Rohan leaned back in his chair, fingers steepled. Pieces were clicking together. He didn't know the exact cause of Hayoung's gloom, but he had a guess — and if it had anything to do with that sharp-eyed best friend of hers, it was an opportunity.

From the moment he'd met Nayoung, he'd disliked her. She wasn't rude, not outwardly, but she carried herself like someone who could see through a person — and he had no doubt she saw through him. She asked too few questions and listened too intently, the kind of listening that stripped people bare. And that made her dangerous.

If Hayoung and Nayoung were already on bad terms... well, why not keep it that way?

It was a few days later when the opportunity presented itself.
Nayoung was at the mall, taking advantage of a rare afternoon off. The shopping bags on her arm were filled with a few new work blouses, a candle she didn't need but liked, and a small box of chocolates she planned to give Taehyung later. She was just about to head toward the parking lot when a voice, familiar but unwelcome, stopped her.

"Well, well. Ms. Nayoung."

She turned, and there he was — Rohan Sharma. Crisp white shirt, watch gleaming under the mall's bright lights, and that ever-present polite smile.

Nayoung's eyes narrowed instantly. "Mr. Sharma."

"What a coincidence," he said, taking a step closer. "Shopping for yourself? Or perhaps for our mutual friend?"