Simple | IM JAEBUM

ii.

Seonjae bowed, and as he bowed back, heard a familiar laugh. Jaebum was there, looking confused as he scratched the back of his neck.

She looked back and forth between them sheepishly, the perfect image of a nervous newbie. "I'm-I'm your new partner."

And so she spoke, and so she smiled. To return home without any unnecessary baggage, Seonjae needed to be pleasant and lovely. Blind as many eyes as possible until she left...

That had been the plan, at least, until she spotted a petite blonde girl walking directly towards her. Then she had all of a blink to remember who she was, what she was, and what... who she swore to destroy.

"Haein-ssi," Insik bowed first, gaping at the singer when he rose again. "H-How are you?"

Seonjae caught Haein's glance. "I've been well. I hope you have been, too... I came to inform Seonjae-ssi about PD-nim's instructions for us."

Her heart pounded at how easily she used that word: us. "What instructions?"

Insik outstretched a hand, throwing her a warning look. Seonjae clenched her jaw.

Haein had the good sense to look apprehensive as she watched them. "We have been assigned to collaborate regularly."

"Why?" She snapped, the same time Insik asked "How?"

She glared at the side of his face, but was ignored. Haein said. "There will be a recording studio reserved for us every second week, every other month, for two years."

Her fingers tingled with the urge to wrap around someone's neck. Her own or Haein's, she didn't know. She just needed to crush something.

Insik tore his eyes away from her face, his hand shooting to clamp around her forearm. "Thank you. We'll see you then."

He tugged-

-and failed to move her.

Seonjae's vision was lined with red. "You didn't bother to ask the president why he believes having you and me in the same booth is a good idea? You're that confident I'd be in tears seeing you?"

Haein's dark eyes narrowed, the only sign of anger she let show. "Not all of us were born with power and wealth, you know. I can't just do that-"

There was a roaring in her ears. "Initiative is important in business administration. Don't blame my family for your lack of skills."

Insik gripped her shoulder as a stunned expression crossed the blonde's face. "Enough."

Haein hung her head, so adorably hurt and teary-eyed and fake. "I had hoped that everything was already behind us, but... you're still as childish as I remember.."

Seonjae hadn't realized she was about to lunge until there was an increasing grip around her left wrist. "Seonjae, stop."

There was enough command in his voice that she could only watch as Haein turned away, wiping away what was undoubtedly fake tears.

Insik's hand slipped around her own, but this time, she pulled away. "What the hell was that?"

He blinked. "You have the nerve to ask me that? You lost to your temper." His shoulders curved inwards with... disappointment. "Haven't we already gone past this?"

Seonjae drew her lips into a line, and breathed through her nose. Calm-she needed to calm down. She promised... "It looks like there's more to be done, then."

For the rest of the day's shooting, they remained together, but didn't speak unless absolutely necessary. Insik introduced her to Jinyoung, Youngjae, and Yugyeom, and let her sort out her thoughts on her own, fully aware that she would struggle without telling someone-without telling him.

At least Yugyeom's acting was cringy enough. He struggled to pretend the camera was the girl-the fans, Seonjae supposed-that she wondered if the two actors in their group bothered to teach him anything. Or if they wanted to see him suffer.

Someone came up between them. Her periphery caught hands in pockets, a raised chin, and black hair. "Why are you two being awkward?"

Park Jinyoung-ssi.

Insik plastered a smile on his face. "She's in one of her moods. You know how girls are."

She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. "Careful. You might hurt me."

Jinyoung grew progressively delighted. "Why are you mad, Seonjae-ssi? Did he look at another girl twice?"

No, but the word twice was certainly applicable. She shook her head. "I'm not mad," Anymore, anyway. "I would have killed him already."

"Try," Insik said over Jinyoung's shoulder. "I insist."

Jinyoung laughed, raising a hand to his mouth. He promptly dismissed himself, responding to a staff member.

Seonjae's lips pulled up. "The last time you told me that, I wiped the sparring ring with your ass."

"You still did most of the work."

"You still lost."

"Didn't you complain about a sore body the next day?"

"I still beat you."

The smile on his face softened as their eyes met. Seonjae looked away first, muttering. "I rarely beat you."

His broad shoulders rose in a heavy sigh, and he said with equal quiet. "I feel proud everytime you do."

She cleared her throat in a poor attempt to loosen the knot building there. In a distant world, she saw Yugyeom continue cringing, and let herself smile. "I'm... You're right. She was a chance to improve my patience, and I missed it."

For a moment, he didn't respond. Maybe she shouldn't have mentioned it, should have savored the lightness that Jinyoung-ssi cluelessly started between them. She shouldn't have said anything. She should've stopped-

A weight pressed down on her head. A hand. She peered up, and Insik was smiling, however faintly. He patted her head thrice, then walked away without a word.

This time, she followed him easily.