Irene walked briskly past the fans at the airport, her gaze cast low as they surrounded her. She could feel tears threaten to slip as her bodyguards tried their best to keep fans at a distance. She was tired. So tired. A fifteen hour flight and to add to it a bunch of angry male fans because she was reading a feminist book. She watched in horror on the plane as they burned her pictures; cackling in the background as though it was nothing. Her manager taking her phone of her and telling her not to pay attention to it. She laughed in her head bitterly as fans were shouting it at her forcing her to remember it. She gulped back the tears before halting, looking up as she crouched down, fans swarming her as her bodyguards were pushed to the side. She sighed as phones were pushed into her face with books and pens.
It wasn't until an hour later that she had returned home. The girls had gone out for the night. Silence rang out as she dropped her belongings to the floor, her eyes staring into the darkness, as she crashed into her bed seconds later, her tears slipping finally. She let herself cry for five minutes before picking herself back up. She turned to her phone, watching the video again, the menacing laughter torturing her heart as she suppressed the sob that threatened to rip at her throat. She took time to try and steady her breathing but failed miserably as her sobs got louder. Seconds later her phone went off the banner reading Jackson's name. Her eye brows tensing in confusion as she managed to calm herself.
Her and Jackson had never been extremely close. It was hard too. Both belonging to rival companies and interactions limited. They knew off each other, but they didn't know each other. Things were looking up however in 2017 with them MCing for KBS Korea and Vietnam good relations festival. They finally got a chance to speak and begin to get to know each other. That night she felt herself change, as though a light switch had been flipped. She eased into conversation with him, laughing at small things he did and her eyes fought against her mind to watch him, drawn in to the point she did not want to let go. In his presence she felt nothing but protection and peace...two things her heart yearned for. On that night she saw him, the two conversing on the flight they shared, him constantly making her laugh as he watched her with a smile. She felt herself fall in seconds, a fall she had not anticipated, and from then she felt her eyes search for him at every event, begging for a small exchange even if it was limited, she needed some medicine for her heart but she did not get what she needed. His career sky rocketing, some events missed as Irene felt her mood slip before forcing on the facade. And that was the precise reason as to why she could not comprehend what the hell was going on. Her tears dried on her face as he triple messaged her. She closed her eyes clicking on the message, her mind taunting her saying that he probably meant to text someone else. Slowly she opened one eye, the next opening seconds later as she read what he sent.
From Jackson
Hey Irene
I know this seems out of the blue
But I saw what happened and I was just worried about you and so thought I'd text to see if you were okay.
She slapped herself making sure she wasn't dreaming, screaming to the above that her eyes best not be deceiving her. She took a deep breath.
From Irene
Hey Jackson, thanks for reaching out, it means a lot that you care.
She instantly received a message her heart doing a summersault in its cage.
From Jackson
Of course I care we are friends, I told you on that night with San E that I'd protect you. A promise is promise for life.
Her heart melted instantly, a smile that had been lost through the day returning.
From Irene
Stop your gonna melt this ice queen. 🙈🙈🙈
From Jackson
😂😂😂
Pretty sure that's a good thing so I'm gonna take that and carry on.
From Irene
🙄🙄🙄
From Jackson
You haven't answered my question though, don't think I don't know that your trying to avoid it.
From Irene
What are you talking about Wang?
From Jackson
I'm talking about how I asked if your okay Bae and you haven't answered to that.
Also know that I'm a lie detector.
She laughed, but hesitated for a minute her fingers typing a response 'No I'm not' but deleting it. She tried the simple route 'Yeah' but deleted that too. She sighed closing her eyes
From Irene
Yeah I'm fine
From Jackson
Lies
You hesitated for a full minute
She sighed, she knew he was perceptive but she foolishly thought he'd take the bait. Seconds later her phone brightened with his name and a picture she had taken when he fell asleep on the plane looking all cute. She stared at it putting her phone to one side as she stared at it ringing.
From Jackson
Pick up the phone Irene
From Irene
Why? we are texting? Let's carry on with that
From Jackson
Why? So you can hide behind the screen. Nope. Answer the phone.
Her phone then blared with FaceTime incoming call from him. She sighed he was not letting up. She quickly jumped out her bed grabbing her cap and putting it on in attempts to cover her eyes. She jumped back to her position grabbing her phone and answering the call. Her heart thundering as she watched him in a black suit, his hair slicked the side, her eyes widening in recognition as she lowered her gaze, he looked so good, her mind and heart finally in agreement as he called her name "Irene...."her gaze remained lowered. "Joohyun..." he whispered huskily, she forced a smile waving at him "Hey Jackson...." she muffled her voice with her hoodie to hide the fact it was hoarse. Her eyes moving constantly, refusing to look at him directly. "She's okay she says." Shaking his head "Hey, hey, hey look at me..." he spoke watching her eyes wonder. She looked up at him, his gaze softening "Are the girls with you?" "They are out." "Can we switch to normal call?" He asked. She nodded grateful that the embarrassment was over, his voice coming through seconds later "Have you eaten?" "Not hungry." She replied bluntly, she heard him sigh "I knew you would be like this." "Jackson I'm fine." "No your not and it's okay not to be." "I'm probably just tired from the flight I'll be okay." She heard him breath in frustration, as he engaged her in a different conversation "Where are the girls?" "They wanted to go out, I think Wendy and Mark were planning on meeting up...with JB and Suelgi and then the girls were gonna go for drinks later with the rest of the boys." Jackson nodded "Do they know?" "Yeah but I told them to go out, I'm fine." "Your not." "Jackson..." she breathed in defeat "Joohyun..." he said back equally defeated. Irene's eyes closed in ecstasy as he breathed her name. "I said like five minutes ago,
It's okay to not be okay, stop trying to hide it and let someone help you. Stop pushing people away." "I'M FINE." She screamed into the phone, a sob finally ripping through, one that she had been concealing since they begun their conversation. "Joohyun-" he begun,only for Irene to cut the phone seconds later.
Her tears becoming uncontrollable as she attempted to conquer her own emotions. She rocked herself back and forth, her eyes looking to her phone as her heart constricted at what she had just done. Seconds turned to minutes as she stared at the wall, tears slipping like a water fall from her eyes. She jumped at the knock at the door. She got up, looking In the mirror at her now red face. She attempted to dry the tears, as the knocking resounded moments later. "Coming!" She choked out, running to the door opening it to reveal Jackson who carried a food bag in his hand. Still clad in the black suit his eyes searching hers as she attempted to shut the door only for him to force his way in putting the food on the counter, turning to watch her. She ripped away violently turning away as he came up behind her turning her around gently. He took of the cap forcing her gaze into his own. He sighed, his eyes in pain at her pain. He pulled her into his chest, one hand on her waist, the other stroking her hair. He felt her stiffen against him trying to force herself away from him, her hands pushing against his chest, as he felt her tears soak his white shirt. Seconds later he felt her arms wrap around his waist pulling him closer as she broke in his arms. He kissed the top of her forehead, sheltering her from the waging world. "It's okay...I'm here." He whispered.
Hours later, after he had gotten her to eat something, he carried her bridal style to her bed, as he moved a piece of hair that had fallen on her face, bending down he kissed her forehead again, as he looked up to his friends and the girls who smiled at him warmly. Returning it, he picked his blazer from the couch looking to the girls "Let me know how she is in the morning." They nodded as he looked at the boys "I'm gonna head back home I'll see you guys." He reached the door turning and looking at the girls again "If something like that happens again, call me...please." With the girls nodding in confirmation he walked out to catch some sleep himself.
The following morning, Irene woke to a notification.
From Jackson
I know you are a strong person, i see that and it's one thing I love about you. But your allowed to be hurt, your entitled to that. If something hurts you, talk about it, tell someone how you feel when you feel it. I'm sorry if I overstepped last night but I'm glad I reached out when I did, I hope to never see you that vulnerable again but if I do I know that you've taken my advice of allowing yourself to feel.
Emotions whilst they can be dangerous they are beautiful, please don't run from that Joohyun. I hope that when your in pain like you were yesterday, I hope that when you feel like your world is falling apart and you need someone to hold the weight of your world that you'll let me be that person. Reach out to me, when you need me, I'll drop everything for you my ice queen.
Irene felt a fresh set of tears brew as she smiled at the message.
From Irene
Thank you.
For everything. For being there when I was a mess; despite pushing you away, you came through when you didn't have too. Thank you my fire king from your ice queen.
He smiled at the last part, as his attention got pulled back to the meeting he was currently in, thankful to the fact he reached out to her.
Authors note:
Heyyyyyyyy another one shot to end the week. Hope guys enjoy this one.
Let me know your thoughts in the comment section below. Did we love it or hate it? Lol look forward to hearing back.
Lots of love and best wishes to you all.