Hanni's POV
I opened my eyes just to make sure that I wasn't in a dream, we were exactly where we had fallen asleep last night, on the floor of the living room beside the fireplace that at this time didn't have any more fire. I looked at the center table and saw the two glasses there with the rest of the liquid that we didn't even cared to finish. I looked at our clothes scattered on the floor and focused on Minji's sweatshirt, I had the urge to grab it to feel her sweet perfume, when I realized that I didn't need to because I had the owner of the perfume lying beside me, face down with her naked back and the rest of her body covered by the blanket that was there. Her hair was perfect, the urge to run my hands through it was huge and I couldn't help myself, I just let the moment take me.
I ran my hands across her naked back going towards her hair in which I relaxed my hand and started a caress there, I put her hair to the side and I could see the marks on her neck that denunciated exactly what we had done last night, marks of love. Love. Minji loved me and I loved her, hopelessly and madly. That woman is my beginning and my end. Yes, she is, my drug, my paradise in hell.
I started to place kisses on the marks that were on her neck, and it was when the woman showed signs that she had woken up.
"If every time we make love you wake me up like this, we will have to make love forever!" the brunette said with that husky voice, dragged and full of affection.
"If this is a request, you'll have to be clearer." I whispered in her ear, full of second intentions, giving a little bite on her earlobe in the end.
Second intentions that didn't go unnoticed by Minji, who turned around completely naked, with her pale and soft skin that I could stay admiring for many years, and pulled me to her lap, sitting up right away with me, putting her mouth next to my ear to say:
"I don't usually ask, Miss Pham. This clearly was an order." she said with her arrogant and unique way, that way that shivered me from head to toe.
Minji started to roam her hands on my naked back while distributing kisses on my neck, and only that was already driving me crazy.
I held on to her hair that was already pretty messy from last night, and let out a small laugh when I remembered again what had happened. Not just yesterday, but the whole weekend. It was when Minji stopped what she was doing and looked at me with a pretty funny face.
"Am I tickling you, Miss Pham?" the brunette asked in such a cute way that only made me laugh again.
Minji now looked at me with a not so good face for having cut her sexy moment, so it was when I decided to tease her a bit.
"What, Miss Kim? Have you lost your touch?" I asked in the most sarcastic way could.
"You are playing with fire, Miss Pham."
"I'm not afraid of getting burned. Come on, show me what you got." I teased, dragging each word in the most sensual way I could. I could see the fire in Minji's eyes and I knew it, I would surely come out burned, but I was rooting for it, I needed her touch, almost like a drug addict needs his drug. And she was my drug. There was desire in those irises that now had a dark tone, so dark that it gave an intense air to the moment. We stayed staring at each other, an already lost battle for me that soon looked down to her mouth, inviting and fleshy. I almost had no time to think about looking back up to her eyes because Minji glued her body on mine and took my lips in a mind-blowing kiss.
She kissed me with fury, with arousal and with hunger. I lost myself with each second. One of her hands went to my neck, tangling her fingers on my hair and pulling it back, having full access to my neck. I moaned when she began to suck on it, which clearly was driving me to the edge and she knew it. But she was also playing, and I would show her that I also knew how to play, and very well.
But before I could continue, her phone started ringing.
"Fuck!" Minji let out, showing her total annoyance at the interruption. Minji looked at me as if she was apologizing with her gaze, and I just nodded getting out of her lap so that the woman could stop that noise once and for all. I thought about who could be calling at this hour and ended up distracting myself with the view that I had just witnessed.
I stood up grabbing Minji's sweatshirt and putting it on, since Minji had taken the blanket with her, and I couldn't be more thankful for it. Minji stopped in front of the large glass window, in the same way she had yesterday night, watching the rain fall, but this time a beautiful sun was shining outside. The rays of sunlight that passed through the window gave Minji an angelical air and she was able to look even more beautiful, if that's even possible, of course. With her messy hair and the blanket covering her only from the waist down, leaving all my fingernail marks, that screamed in contrast with her pale skin, showing. I remembered a song of Lana that fitted perfectly in that moment:
"Oh that grace, oh that body,
Oh that face, makes me wanna party.
She's my Sun,
She makes me shine like diamonds."
I hummed in thought looking at her, who seemed to be sad with the conversation.
I went towards her without her noticing and hugged her from behind, feeling her sweet perfume invade my nostrils. I felt her muscles relax in my arms. I put her hair to the side and leaned my head on her shoulder, and just stood there, looking at the large garden outside.
"It's beautiful, right?"
"What?" I asked confused.
I hadn't even noticed that Minji had finished the call.
"The garden, Han! It's beautiful. In what world are you?" she asked with a gaze a bit vague.
"In our world." I spoke very close to her ear, pecking her ear, and her hairs soon stood on end.
We stood in silence for a few more minutes, when she finally spoke.
"I received a call from Hyein."
Minji was silent again, and I knew that something was wrong.
"My dad is really bad, he has worsened since the last time we were there. Each day that goes by he gets worse."
Silence. It was what was happening at that moment.
"You know, Hanni, my greatest fear is that one day he doesn't recognize us anymore, that he doesn't recognize me anymore. But I know it's inevitable, one day he will wake up and life will play a trick on all of us, at once, and it scares me..."
Minji was opening up, like the first time we were at her parents' house, but this time it was worse, I knew of her pain, and I shared it. I wanted to hug her and protect her from it all, but I couldn't because I needed her to protect me as well. But while we were there in our world, it could happen, so I just held her tightly against my body as if I could transfer all of her pain to me with that hug. and she realized it because she relaxed more and continued to speak.
"He's my hero, Han, if I am where I am because of him. If I am who I am because he taught me so, he made me the woman I am today, and I owe it all to him.”
Silence made itself present again, I couldn't say anything, she didn't need that now, she just wanted someone to listen to her, and it was what I was doing. She sighed heavily and shrank more in my arms, even though I was shorter than her, somehow I felt capable of keeping us in our bubble, at least for a while. At least this moment I felt capable.
"He brought me here every time he could, and we stayed right there, under that tree. He told me stories, about others and about himself. I loved every second with him, if I could, Hanni, I would go back..." she paused, just to pass her hand through her eyes, an act that denounced her crying.
That broke my heart in every way possible, Minji was vulnerable, she was without her armors.
"You know, you are the first woman that I brought here." she said standing in front of me, and changing the subject.
Our gazes met and everything around me disappeared. Her eyes were now lighter than ever, dark brown eyes, almost transparent. Her iris showed her vulnerability, her sincerity and her care to what she was about to say.
"Hanni... I love you."
She said that looking straight into my eyes. We held our gaze until I felt a tear running down my cheek, a tear that Minji took care of wiping with one hand, since the other hand was holding the blanket.
And kissed where before the tear was.
"And I love you, Minji."
There didn't exist Kim Minji, or Pham Hanni, or Scarlet. It was just us and the feelings. that didn't fit in our chest anymore.
It was love.
"If I could, I would stay with you here for more time." the woman said, staring at me lovingly In our world.
"That would really be wonderful, Minji." I said almost at the same time as her.
"Yes, Han, in OUR world." she said, and taking me completely by surprise, she kissed me.
One of those passionate kisses, those from the movies that take your breath away and take you to the clouds. I felt myself floating, 1 felt complete, happy, fulfilled. I fell in love. Yes, completely in love with Minji.
--------------
After our moment in the living room we went to shower, separately of course, otherwise we wouldn't leave for the company today, and we still had to stop by Hye Kyo's house to drop off Eunchae, who at this moment had already woken up and taken. her bath. Oh Eunchae, how I wanted her to live with me, how I wanted her to have a better life, how I wanted to give her everything that I never had. Give her love, affection, a childhood, give her a real family. But at the moment my life was a mess.
God, I would still have to face Lily after having denied her request to dance, which I had never done before. And knowing the woman the way I do, I was in trouble, and this time Scarlet had nothing to do with it.
And Ryujin, I have to call her. After the episode in the office I haven't spoken to her, but from the way things ended, it was really better not to. The worst of all of this is that Minji understands everything wrong, Ryujin is just a friend, and we never went past that.
And then there was Scarlet. She, by far, was my biggest problem, but also my greatest solution. I didn't know what to do, I was lost.
-----------
We had breakfast like a typical American family. This time it wasn't Minji who prepared it, it was the employees that should be very angry with our 'little' mess last night. We didn't take long to finish, and we were already ready waiting for Minji's helicopter to return to the harsh reality.
We would go to Minji's house and from there she would come with me to drop off Eunchae at home, who by some miracle gets everything she wants. She didn't even have to ask since Minji had already told her that she would take her in her big car. Eunchae was all smiles.
I was the one who wasn't very happy, I would have to face Hye Kyo, that without a doubt was with that piece of shit inside the house again. Ugh... This week was already starting to get agitated.
----------
The helicopter trip to Minji's house was pretty peaceful. Eunchae was in the front with the pilot while Minji and I were in the back. She was with a different countenance, her eyes were vague, she looked at nowhere and just held my hand, with our fingers intertwined and making a small caress with her thumb.
"Minji?" I called her in a soft way.
I didn't get a response, she just remained inert in her thoughts. I knew that Hyein's call still hammered in her mind, because Minji's words made themselves present in my thoughts:
"You know, Hanni, my greatest fear is that one day he doesn't recognize us anymore, that he doesn't recognize me anymore. But I know it's inevitable, one day he will wake up and life will play a trick on all of us, at once, and it scares me..."
The words that ached in her, also ached in me.
"Minji?" I called for the second time, it was when she looked away from the window and looked at me.
Her eyes told me so much.
Our gazes connected in a magical way, as if they had been attracted by a magnet. Those eyes, brown, so light that were able to lighten my life and save me, yes, Minji's eyes were my refuge, my light, my salvation. While I had those eyes, I would feel safe. And I would do the same for her, I would be her salvation, I would help her get through this, and I wouldn't leave her side, regardless of what might happen.
I glued our foreheads and placed both of my hands on each side of the brunette's face, and hummed softly a part of a song that I knew would make sense to Minji:
"I Promise you don't have to be afraid,
I'll wait, love is here and here to stay,
So lay your head on me…"
"I will love you even on stormy days, Minji." I said, staring at the beautiful woman.
"You couldn't be better, could you?" Minji whispered before sealing our lips in a gentle way.
The kiss only lasted a few seconds, Minji broke our contact when a little voice called us.
"Unnie, Minji! Look, people down there look like little ants." Eunchae spoke with a gigantic smile.
Minji smiled and looked at me as if thanking me for that moment. I knew that it had been more than a weekend for her. I had her in every way. I saw every side of Minji Kim, every behavior, every crack, I saved every detail of that woman.
"Scar', you still haven't told me where that nickname came from, Han." the beautiful woman looked at me with a curious gaze.
When Eunchae spoke, I felt my heart stopping and I could have sworn that Minji would throw me out of that helicopter if she knew my full name.
"It's because of Han’s other name, duh."
"Other name?" Minji casted me a look as if asking for answers.
It was when the pilot warned us that we should prepare for landing. I had never thanked God so much.
----------
We left the helicopter in the direction of Minji's car that by now was already waiting for us. Wonbin was there, standing still, impeccable as always. Finally Danielle had gotten lucky for having that handsome young man at her side. As soon as he saw us, Wonbin greeted us.
"Good Morning, Miss Kim. Miss Pham."
"Good Morning, Wonbin." Minji and I said in harmony and we looked at each other right away, letting out a laugh.
"And you must be Pham Eunchae. Miss Pham's little sister." Wonbin said, extending his hand to Eunchae.
The little one extended her little hand with the greatest attitude and said with the greatest possible pose:
"Miss Pham Eunchae, but you can call me Eunchae, you seem to be friendly." she said, emphasizing the 'Miss' and winking at the man who blushed right away with the precocious gesture of the little one in front of him.
"Very well, Miss Eunchae, my name is Park Wonbin and I'll be your driver this morning." the man said in the friendliest way he could, to then open the so that we could enter the big car.
Already inside the car, Minji picked up her phone, which was already ringing nonstop, to answer it. And it seemed to be something important since all of her attention was taken.
Eunchae looked at the streets and was talking about random things with Wonbin. And I? Well, I felt lost in my own thoughts.
I only realized that we had arrived at Hye Kyo's house when Wonbin spoke. Eunchae jumped on Minji's lap, who had just ended the call.
"Thank you, Minji, for letting me spend the weekend in your enormous house. I'll miss you, promise that you'll come to visit me?" Eunchae spoke with a certain sadness in her voice.
Sadness that Minji noticed.
"Hey, little one, but this won't be the last time that we are seeing each other. I promise that next time will be even better." Minji said with so much affection in her voice that I found that scene the cutest in the world.
"Pinky swear?" Eunchae asked raising her pinky so that Minji could do the same, sealing there a promise.
Minji raised her pinky, hooking it on Eunchae, and then depositing a little peck on her forehead. Eunchae jumped from her lap to mine and went out the door that Wonbin had already opened.
They made some kind of high five that could only be recognized by them. I grabbed Eunchae's backpack and the teddy bear that Minji had gotten for her on the first day at the amusement park. With care Wonbin extended me his hand so that I could get out of the car without falling. I went towards the door of the house, pressed the doorbell and waited.
Hye Kyo showed up with a not so good face, diverting her attention behind me, and I knew that she was looking at Minji's parked car.
I leaned down to give a kiss on the little one next to me and a big hug. "I'll miss you, shorty. Remember that you can always come visit me. I love you, girl." I said, hiding my urge to cry behind those words.
"Don't worry, Unnie, I will. I love you so much." the little one said, grabbing her teddy bear and her backpack, and disappearing through the door.
I stood up and came face to face with a curious and at the same time furious Hye Kyo.
As soon as she had a chance she let out: "It appears that you found a sucker to support you, right Hanni?!" the woman said with disdain.
"And it appears that you thought about what you shouldn't. Don't you get tired of meddling into my life, Hye Kyo?" I spat the words on that woman.
"I am your mother, Hanni, unfortunately I am your mother and, yes, I meddle in your life. It's not because you became a whore that I have to see you giving yourself for any one. But from what I'm seeing you are not dumb, at least you found someone with money to support you." she let out at once and I felt my blood boil.
I inched really close to her, standing a little taller than her due to the heels I was wearing, and my intention was to hit her with a slap, but I wouldn't do it. She didn't deserve even that from me.
"First, Hye Kyo, you are not my mother, you never were." I already felt hot, hot of anger for that despicable being.
"Second, whore is what you find in the corner, and I never needed to go to a corner to support myself nor to support you." I spat the words on her face.
"Third, I give myself to whomever I want. And fourth, you are the dumb one, so dumb that even after being dumped by that trash, you still accepted him back, you brought him all my money." with each word that I uttered, the weight on my back got lighter. him back into my house and you are giving. When Hye Kyo was about to open her mouth, I noticed that there was someone behind me, so I turned around, finding an extremely perfect Minji.
"Hanni, is there a problem? It's already time to go, shall we?" Minji extended her hand and I turned to look at Hye Kyo one last time before I turned to the beautiful woman who was waiting for me.
"We still haven't finished, Hanni.”
"Yes, you have finished, Mrs. Pham." Minji said in her authoritative tone.
"If I may, I have important commitments with my woman. Have a nice day."
Minji said leaving right after in a fully superior way, pulling me by the hand, and leaving behind a static Hye Kyo.
Wonbin waited for us with the door open. Minji gave me a passage and I entered, Minji sat beside me and extended me her hand, intertwining her pale fingers on mine, and staying in silence while Wonbin started the car.
"My woman?" I decided to break that silence in the best possible way.
"Yes, Miss Pham. My woman." Minji said with her arrogant and authoritarian tone, looking away from the street and staring at me.
That tone that aroused me in a fast and lethal way.
"That sounds like an order, Miss Kim." I said biting my lower lip in the way that I knew drove Minji crazy.
Her eyes looked down at my lips. Bingo.
"Not here, Hanni. Please." Minji said, diverting her gaze to the device in her hands and to the front of the car where Wonbin was.
I just nodded and relaxed, waiting to arrive at the company.
15 minutes later we were already in front of the company. We entered in a triumphal way, everyone around stopped to look at us. There we were boss and secretary, and I needed to remind myself of that. All eyes were on Minji who was divine in that black dress that went until the knees and high heels of the same color, the sunglasses on her face, her inseparable blood red lipstick and her hair loose, falling on her back in an amazing way.
We entered the elevator and Minji spoke on the phone. I took the opportunity and sent Danielle a text to meet me, I needed to speak with her urgently. When we arrived at the top floor, Minji walked to her office, still very focused on her phone call that she barely spoke to me. I took that as a clear sign that the phone call was important.
I sat at my desk, ready for another day of work, when I noticed a very familiar silhouette. Danielle. I could hardly believe it.
I stood up at a unique speed, being received by a happy and well-humored Danielle.
"Wow, I think you are the living proof that sex is good for the mood." I let out, teasing her.
"Shut up, Hanni, before I smack you. Now come here and tell me everything." she said, pulling me to one of the conference rooms that were there.
--------------------------
Eunseo's POV
I couldn't believe in what Lily had told me. We spent a lovely couple of hours talking about what to do to end with this charade. And it was already time to put our plan into action. Kim Minji was mine, and no one else's.
I walked into Kim's Industry like a hurricane, not caring even one bit with the looks I received. I knew that the game was changing, and I would show Hanni who really had the advantage.
I immediately called the elevator and it didn't take long for it to arrive. I entered it receiving some more sinful looks. It seemed that I was inside that cubicle for a century when it finally stopped on the top floor. I walked out finding Hanni's place empty, but I heard some voices coming from one of the conference rooms. I thought it would be Minji since her office was closed and her little pet wasn't at her desk. I decided to follow the noise to see who I encountered.
As soon as I approached the room I could hear two voices, one was Hanni's. I was sure. And the other, that voice was familiar, I would recognize that voice at any moment, yes, it was the voice of her annoying friend, the one that was involved with Wonbin. Danielle. Yes, that totally ignorant little woman. It really seemed that they were best friends.
I could hear some parts of the conversation, something about an argument with someone named Hye Kyo that Minji had interrupted, and something related to 'Imperium'. Exactly where I wanted to come. When they started talking about this subject, I knew that this would be my cue, I would act now. I entered the room without even knocking and they both turned to my direction with wide and clearly nervous eyes. They looked at each other and I just watched.
"Am I disrupting something?" I asked in a cautious and extremely calm way.
Danielle was the first to respond, with her sharp tongue.
"Yes, you are. In fact, you always disrupt the lives of others, Eunseo."
Hanni who remained in silence looked static at her friend who just smirked.
"The only one who disrupts the lives of others is your friend, Danielle, who by the way is very good at it. I wanted to know how you do it, Hanni. Being so dissimulated." I casted a penetrating look at Hanni who soon composed herself and looked at me.
"How do I do what, Eunseo?" She responded to me rudely. She was nervous, and that was great.
"You know, Hanni. Better yet, I really wanted to have a conversation with you, can we? It's of your interest, I can assure you." Danielle looked at Hanni who nodded, leaving the room and leaving us alone. 1-0 Pham. As soon as I heard the door shut and was sure that the lioness had already left and that there was just me and her in that room, it was time. It was time to play.
"What do you want, Eunseo? Just tell me, let's get it over with."
"Hanni, my dear, we are just starting." I said approaching the woman who stared at me with anger in her eyes.
"Starting what exactly? Can I know?"
"This, Hanni, our conversation. Or did you really think that you were going to fool me with that little double life of yours?" I dropped the bomb at once.
Hanni stayed static, I could see the blood stopping to circulate on her face. She didn't expect this, and I caught her just like I wanted.
"What is it, Hanni? Did you really think that I wouldn't find out? I keep wondering how a woman like Minji, intelligent and powerful, didn't find out about that scam of yours." I said, staring at the woman who just stared at me speechless. I took it that she was just a harmless little girl and I approached her.
"While I'm rooting for that mask of yours to fall, I really want to know the end of this story. Well, in the end, in reality, I already know. And here it is, Minji will find out that you are nothing but a whore who wants her money, like all the others. She will fire you from here because she will be disgusted to look at your cynical face, and after she will come running to my arms, the only arms in which she can truly trust. Because you are nothing more than a cheap little whore." I spat every word very close to her face, just waiting for her action.
Hanni seemed to have nurtured strength from those words and raised her hand to hit my face, and with that I had achieved exactly what I wanted.
I looked into her eyes and said:
"Go ahead, hit me. Hit me and give me one more reason to go up to Minji's office and tell her everything. Come on, Hanni, hit me. Show me that you are a woman, and I will show you that I am the triple of what you are. Because this charade with Minji is nothing more than a good fuck. Because that is all that she wants with you. So, Hanni, I'm giving you a chance to get out of my way before you regret one day having become Scarlet." I said everything in a serious tone while Hanni stared at me with a deadly gaze. I think if she could kill with her gaze, I surely wouldn't be in this world anymore.
Hanni had her hand centimeters away from my face.
I only diverted my gaze, from her eyes to her hand and back to her eyes again to finish with a gold key.
"I knew you would make the right decision, Pham. Have a nice day. And remember, I will give you until Scarlet's next dance for you to tell Minji, otherwise don't even bother to show up here the next day."
I left, in the same way that I entered, in the greatest silence. The hallway remained empty. I decided not to talk to Minji today, I just went towards the elevators and got in. Feeling victorious.
---------------------------
Hanni's POV
Anger. Disgust. Humiliation. It was all that I was feeling at that moment. How I wanted to have hit that slap on her face, but it was exactly what she wanted, and I had already understood her game. And that wouldn't stay like that. She wanted to play, I would show her that this went way beyond Hanni/Scarlet. She was entering a game that only I could win, and I knew exactly who would help me. I grabbed my phone dialing that number that was already known by me:
"Hey! I really need your help. Meet me for lunch in about 40 minutes? Eunseo found out everything, and I need to fix this.”
------------
I didn't hear from Minji the whole morning, she just asked to transfer her phone calls, to cancel her meetings for that day and to not be bothered.
40 minutes had already passed. It was when I decided to go to lunch, I had some business to take care of, and a person to meet.
-----------
It was already 4PM, almost the end of working hours. Minji didn't come out during the entire day, just stayed in her office. I decided not to bother.
I was completely focused on my work when a familiar voice distracted me. I looked up and saw Ryujin.
--------------------------
Minji's POV
The day today was being full, the phone didn't stop ringing, and I had to focus, actually, I needed to. If I didn't focus on work, I would focus on my dad and the last thing that I wanted was to spend my day drowned in booze. For a moment I wished to have Ryujin there with me, she was the only who understood me, of course I had Hanni too, but Ryujin has always been with me, she knows everything, she's the type of friend that always makes you feel better regardless of what you are going through.
She was always lively, telling you nonsense's and making you laugh. For a moment I cussed myself for having treated her that way, I think I owed her an apology. I grabbed my phone decided in calling her to do something.
When a hurricane of joy entered my office.
"Hi, bitch!" the woman said all jumpy in front of me.
And to my surprise, none other than Shin Ryujin showed up. My heart filled with hope in that moment, I felt lighter with her presence alone.
She threw herself on the couch that was there, and I stood up going towards her and throwing myself on the couch as well, snuggling in her arms.
"I have never been so happy to see you, Ryujin."
"I know, bitch, you can't live without me. And as proof that I forgave you for being a jealous ogre, I am here again." the woman spoke, causing me a weak laugh.
That moment reminded me of the day that my dad had his first episode of memory loss and we found out about his disease.
That day was awful, and the only person that was by my side was Ryujin. And I knew that in this moment I needed her, more than ever, I needed to tell her the craziness I was living, the war that my heart and my head were having, my feelings coming into contradiction, and only she could help me, Ryujin was my angel.
"Jesus, you look terrible."
"I need some time."
"Then I think that is a good time for us to go to our favorite place, what do you think? Are you in?" Ryujin asked, holding me tighter in her arms.
"Just you and I? Like old times?"
"Yes, Minji, you and I and a shit load of drinks. Like old times."
I thought very well in her proposal, maybe I should go, maybe I should have a time for myself, to think about me, I should take some time away from this craziness. And nothing better than a good company and a drink to relax the mind.
"Deal, bitch. When are we going?”
"Now."
It was now the time to get back on track. It was now that I needed to make a decision in my life. Hanni Pham or Scarlet? Love or desire? Reason or feelings? The stripper or the secretary?
I would make a decision. I needed to.