faking you │ B.I.

► 09

I laugh and lean back against the couch, listening to Hanbin's story. "She really broke up with you by baking you a cake?"

"Yes! Why are you laughing? It's not funny!" His own eyes lift up as he smiles widely. "It was really embarrassing. Anyways, that's the reason I didn't date again until I met Jihyun."

I shake my head and my gaze lands on the coffee table in front of us. "Wow, that's...that's really something. She sounded...unique."

"Yeah. I can't say my first relationship was my best. How about you, who was your first relationship and how did it go?"

I purse my lips and look around the room before accidentally locking eyes with him. "Well..." He raises an eyebrow and looks at me expectantly. "Okay, I admit it. Jooheon is my first relationship."

Hanbin gasps in shock. "No way. Your first and only?"

I nod. "I've never dated anyone besides Jooheon."

He shakes his head. "No wonder you are the way you are."

I playfully hit his arm. "Hey! You only had one other girlfriend besides Jihyun!"

"Yeah, but I've had romantic interests other than my two official girlfriends! I'm not an amateur like someone..." He raises his eyebrows and looks over at me. 

I pout and cross my arms. "Whatever. I'm not embarrassed. Anyway, can you explain to me why there are popsicle sticks scattered across my coffee table?"

He nods. "Yes, about that. So, I was thinking about something that might help our relationship. Well, our fake relationship. Let's come up with date ideas."

"Date ideas?"

"Yeah, so far we've only gone to places I suggested. I thought about it and realized it probably wasn't fair to you. So, I thought that we could both come up with date ideas. And when it comes time for a new date, we can just pick from the 'Jar of Dates.' What do you think?"

I smile softly. "It's a great idea."

He smiles back and hands me a marker to write on the popsicle sticks. "Good. I've already got my first idea."

"Oh really? What is yours?"

"A cookie bake-off. We can see who makes the most unique and delicious cookies."

I laugh. "You just want free cookies because you know mine will be better."

"Oh, is that a challenge?"

I nod. "I believe so."

"Fine. I hope it's one of the first dates we pick. Do you have any date ideas?"

I think about it for a second and nod. "Yeah. I want to go to Build-A-Bear and make animals for each other."

He winces. "That's so girly and romantic."

I glare at him. "It's a cute idea!"

He shakes his head and chuckles. "Fine, whatever. So, let me ask my next question."

I wait for him to ask, writing down my date idea on one of the popsicle sticks. I put it in the jar that he brought, centered between us. I grab another stick and try to come up with another idea. Hanbin finishes writing his idea down and adds it to the jar before turning to face me again.

"Hwayoung seems...assertive. I've always been curious, what's it like to have her as your manager?"

I stop thinking and look down at the carpet. "Hwayoung..." I bite my lip and turn to look at him, wondering if I should tell him the full truth or not. His eyes urge me to do so, his soft brown eyes inviting me to tell him everything. "She is very assertive. She's toned down in recent time, but she wasn't always so...kind. Back when she first became my agent, she acted as if she despised me."

"How so?" He looks over at me confused.

"Well..." I feel the emotions of the past welling up inside of me again. "She was really harsh. If I did one thing wrong, she would lecture me for hours. Sometimes, she would punish me for certain things by taking away my dinner. For example, I 'got an attitude' with another agent that she knew. She embarrassed me in front of everyone by degrading me and then told me that a disgrace like me shouldn't be rewarded with a meal."

Hanbin widens his eyes. "That bad?"

I nod. "Sometimes, I get homesick. If I accidentally show my emotions, Hwayoung tells me to get over them and that these feelings will only ruin my career. I remember one time I argued with her about going to see my family. She ended up slapping me and we didn't speak another word about it. I haven't seen my family in a year and a half. I couldn't even see them last Christmas." I start crying again.

Hanbin tenses up and hesitantly reaches over, pulling me into a hug, much to my surprise. "Soojin, you shouldn't deal with that. Why didn't you fire her? That behavior is unacceptable."

"I was a young actress. I had just turned sixteen at the time. I didn't know what would happen if I fired her. I thought she would spread rumors around the industry and no one would hire me. Besides, that was five years ago. Like I said, she's toned down."

He pats my back, soothing me. "But you're still afraid of her."

I slowly nod and play with my fingers. "Yeah."

I hear him sigh. My tears have stopped again. After a quiet moment, I realize that he's still hugging me. I quickly pull away and sit up again. I awkwardly grab another stick and Hanbin does the same. "So...our next date ideas?"