Hoseok's Bride

Chapter 41

~Jiyeon~

It was about two weeks later that Namjoon surprised me by knocking on my door while I was getting ready to head out for a date with Hoseok. Hoseok was recording something at the studio and told me he'd pick me up when he's done.

"Namjoon?"

"Uh, are you busy?" Namjoon asked, awkwardly raking his fingers through his hair.

"No," I shook my head and took a step back. Namjoon stepped into the room and closed the door behind him.

"I want to talk to you," he said.

I knew what this was going to be about. I was waiting for him to come talk to me or one of the members but he never did.

"It's about Jihye, right?"

Namjoon hesitated and then nodded, "Yeah."

I gestured for him to sit and then walked over to sit on the bed. I waited until Namjoon sat down before asking, "What about her?"

"How do you know her?"

"We went to high school together," I replied. "We weren't close though. We just knew each other."

"That day when we came to get you," Namjoon said, slowly, "You were with Jihye. I don't want to force it out of you so don't answer me if you don't want to."

I nodded, waiting for him to speak.

After a beat, he sighed deeply, "Did she mention anything about... me?"

I figured they had a past together. It was obvious.

I shook my head, "Honestly, I don't think she knows I was married to Hoseok."

"She doesn't know?"

I shook my head, "No."

Namjoon went quiet for a while as he let my words sink in. Looking at him, I could tell that he was conflicted about something.

"Do you...have something you want to particularly ask?" I asked, slowly.

Namjoon lifted his eyes to meet mine, "Why is she in that town? The Jihye I knew wanted to explore the world and live in Seoul or somewhere big and beautiful."

I hesitated. Was it my place to tell him? I don't know if I have the right but ever since coming back here, Jihye's been quiet too. Just like Namjoon. I don't know what happened between the two but I wonder if that sad look in Jihye's eyes had something to do with Namjoon.

Looking at Namjoon right now, I could see that his eyes mirrored Jihye's too.

"Her father is ill," I mumbled, "That's why she moved there for him."

"Ill?"

I nodded. "I don't know the details though. Jihye seemed... a little uncomfortable talking about it so I just left it there."

Namjoon nodded. "Good."

Silence fell once more.

"Is there a man in her life?"

I blinked and stared at him. A man in her life? Well...

"There is," he stated.

"I...well, she did mention something about a guy telling her to lose weight and grow out her hair," I mumbled, feeling bad for telling Namjoon this. There's a slight chance that the guy was Namjoon although I don't believe it for a second too.

"Come again?"

I repeated what I'd said and watched as Namjoon's eyes darkened with anger.

"Namjoon—" I began.

He stood up, shaking his head, "Thanks for telling me this."

"Huh?" I stood up, wanting to stop him.

Namjoon closed his eyes and inhaled deeply before opening his eyes and smiled at me, "You have a date with Hoseok, right? I don't want to waste any more of your time."

I grabbed onto his arm to stop him from leaving the room. Namjoon looked over his shoulder at me.

"Jihye..." I hesitated. "Was there something between you and Jihye, Namjoon?"

"What makes you say that?"

"It's kind of obvious," I said, bluntly. "You guys had a past."

Namjoon sighed softly, "Yeah, we did."

"Was it bad?"

Namjoon studied me for a brief moment before answering, "Bad."

"Bad?"

He smiled but it didn't reach his eyes at all, "There's more good than bad."

That's what I was afraid to hear.

"The sad in her eyes? I was the cause of that," Namjoon said, smiling. A smile that mirrored Jihye's.

"Namjoon," I said, softly.

"Don't worry about it," he said, tousling my hair, "I need to get back to work so I'll leave you to it."

This time, I watched him leave, sighing to myself.

"What a mess," I murmured.