remorse ; beomgyu

ten.

"Remember the girl who was elected 'young model of the year ?' she's agreed to be crowned queen of the regatta. I thought she could wear the white chiffon number trimmed with lace — it's very regal...." Haewon told her daughter.

"...and we could rig the lady molly up with the sort of throne for her to sit on, as a centrepiece !" Haesoo said with a soft tone in her voice, as if telling a dreamy story to kids.

It was on the evening of the regatta that disaster strucked.

"Sweetie, the girl we were going to crown queen has got measles.. you'll have to stand in for her." Said Haewon.

"WHAT — WHO, ME ?" Haesoo was quite taken aback.

"Haesoo, you've got to. There's no one else available..."

"But I'll be a laughing stock— I'll never live it down."
Haesoo protested weakly, but she knew she had a little chance of winning, they were already several minutes late in starting the ceremony.

Haesoo kept thinking while they dressed her.

"I just hope no one recognises me in this. Especially Beomgyu, after all I've said. Oh, I wish this was over."

Doohyun gave Haesoo a sparkling, pink magic wand, and told her to go onto the throne.

She wasn't the only one — Beomgyu wasn't enjoying himself either. He was at the ceremony too. Well, Yeonjun and Haewon invited him, not only him, the others too.

"I wonder what's happened to Haesoo ?" Beomgyu asked Taehyun.

"No idea."

"Look ! The queen's there ! I want to take a good shot of her. Please move." Hueningkai shouted cheerfully.
"Wait. I feel like I know her."

"Hey ! That's Haesoo ! What's she doing there ?"

"Didn't want to be a model she said. Looks like she's changed her mind." Taehyun rolled his eyes.

"Right in front of the cameras too, what a stunt."

That seemed to be the general opinion shared by the rest of them.
With all these comments and opinions flying about him and given his own confusion about the regatta, Beomgyu could only come to one conclusion.

"I've been used, the way we all have. She wanted to get get to the top in a hurry and that's what she's done — climbing up over us like we were stepping stones." He thought to himself.

The gaiety of the scene had suddenly gone sore on him.

"I can hardly believe that she conned me like that. But what else can I think ? This whole advertisement, regatta thing has obviously been planned from the beginning, yet she never said a word." Beomgyu kept ranting about it to the others.

"Did she tell you that she also changed her mind about not participating for the advertisement?" Taehyun rolled his eyes after he spoke.

"No." Beomgyu sighed.

"No ? She and Yeonjun's gonna do it."

Meanwhile, Haesoo escaped from her royal position as soon as she could.

"Thank goodness that's over. Yeonjun, have you seen Beomgyu ? And what's more important — DID HE SEE ME ?"

"How could he miss you ? I saw him heading up the rooftop of that house with the others."

"Oh. He saw me." She frowned.

"Forget that. Go and explain yourself, I think the boys had left. He probably wants to be left alone. Go. Go." He pushed her to go.

He'd had a face like thunder, but Yeonjun thought it best not to mention that.

Haesoo knew, as soon as she saw his face, that he wasn't going to be reasonable.

"Beomgyu, please, let me explain."

"What is there to explain ? It should be clear to an idiot. I'm glad that Me and my bestfriend have been useful to you in your career. I expect I'll see you around on some pink glossy magazine cover or other —" Beomgyu was very much angry.
But if only, if only he'd listen to her.