Chapter 31
The afternoon sun filtered softly through the massive, sheer curtains of a sprawling estate, casting a warm glow across a bedroom that looked like it belonged in a fairy tale. Inside this luxurious sanctuary, Ga Eul paced restlessly back and forth, the fabric of her outfit rustling with her quick, anxious movements.
Today, she looked like a literal modern princess, wearing a stunning pink princess dress that flared out elegantly around her, paired with matching pink flat shoes. Her long hair was styled beautifully, flowing completely down in a soft, cascading princess style that framed her bright, expressive face.Despite how perfect she looked, her mind was in complete chaos. She shifted from her vanity mirror to her bed, finally sitting down on the edge of the plush, brand-new mattress while tightly clutching her glowing smartphone in her hands.
"Should I call him, or should I not?" she kept bubbling to herself, her voice a nervous whisper in the quiet room. She chewed on her bottom lip, her heart doing anxious flips at the mere thought of him
. "What if he's too busy? What if he thinks I'm being annoying?"She groaned, throwing herself backward onto the pillows, her pink dress puffing up around her. She stared at the ceiling, debating the life-changing choice for several long minutes until her absolute desire to hear his voice finally won over her fear.With a determined nod, she sat up straight, opened her contact list, and scrolled until she found Yi Jung's name. Taking a deep breath to steady her shaking fingers, a bright, unstoppable smile lit up her face as she courageously dialed the line and placed the device to her ear.The phone barely managed to complete a single ring before the line suddenly clicked open.
"Hello, sweetheart," Yi Jung's smooth, effortlessly melodious voice greeted from the other end.Ga Eul instantly blushed furiously at the sudden, unexpected endearment, her cheeks turning a deep, radiant crimson that matched the rose accents in her room.
"Hello... sweet pie. How are you doing?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly with excitement."I'm good," he answered simply, his calm tone sending a pleasant, familiar shiver down her spine.
"Ummm... well..." Ga Eul stuttered nervously, her free hand twisting the delicate silk hem of her pink gown as she tried to gather her confidence. "I actually called you to ask if you have anything doing this evening? If not... can you come over to my place?"
"Huh?" Yi Jung's tone changed instantly, a heavy wave of visible shock completely overtaking his usual cool, unbothered composure.Panicking that her directness had just completely terrified him or overstepped some invisible boundary, Ga Eul's eyes widened, and she quickly scrambled to give him an easy out.
"Or... or maybe I should just come over to your place instead...? If that's better... if I'm not scaring you..."
"Ummm... okay..." Yi Jung muttered through the line, his voice sounding completely distracted and distant, as if his mind were suddenly a million miles away.Ga Eul jumped straight out of her seat in absolute disbelief, her eyes wide as she gripped the phone tighter. "Okay?! Wait, does that mean you are actually coming over here???"
"I'll call you later," Yi Jung said abruptly, before hanging up the call without another syllable.The line went completely dead with a harsh, mechanical beep, and Ga Eul's excited mood instantly plummeted into total sadness. The bright smile vanished from her face. She slumped miserably back onto her bed, staring blankly at the dark phone screen as the silence of her bedroom rushed back in to mock her.
"Did I scare him away?" she whispered softly to herself, tears of deep disappointment pricking the corners of her eyes. "He doesn't want to see me... I shouldn't have been so forward."A few quiet, agonizing minutes ticked by while Ga Eul wallowed in her sadness. Suddenly, a soft, rhythmic knock echoed at her heavy bedroom door. Ga Eul dragged herself upright, smoothing down her princess dress, and answered in a deeply bored, thoroughly miserable tone. "Come in..."
The heavy, polished door creaked open, and her personal maid stepped cautiously into the room. "Miss Lee... someone is here to—"
"Ga Eul?" Ga Eul's head shot up in absolute, breathtaking shock. Her breath hitched completely in her throat, her mind frantically praying that she hadn't just imagined that incredibly familiar, deep, and rich voice. But as she looked past the maid, her eyes went wide. There he was. Yi Jung was standing right by her doorway, dressed down casually in a comfortable blue hoodie and matching joggers, his handsome face shining effortlessly under her room's bright chandeliers.Without a single thought for her royal, delicate attire, Ga Eul raced across the room like a whirlwind. She threw her arms tightly around his neck, burying her face in his shoulder, and placed a sweet, enthusiastic peck on his cheek.
The sudden, fierce burst of affectionate energy caught the normally unflappable boy completely off guard, making Yi Jung blush incredibly hard, a rare pink hue creeping up his neck.The maid, still standing awkwardly between them in the open doorway, cleared her throat softly to get their attention.
"Miss Lee—"
"You can go!" Ga Eul interrupted her maid happily, her voice bubbling with laughter as she refused to break her locked gaze with the boy in her arms.
The maid smiled knowingly, stepped backward out of the room, and closed the door behind her, leaving the two of them completely alone.
"You actually came! You're really here!" she squealed in pure, unadulterated excitement, her earlier sadness vanishing like mist.
Yi Jung chuckled softly, a warm, genuine expression melting his usual frosty exterior as his hand reached up to pat her head with immense tenderness.
"I did. I told you I would call you later, but I figured showing up was better. Now, what exactly should we do now that I am finally here?"
"Let's play!" Ga Eul cheered, her eyes sparkling with pure mischief as she tightly grabbed his hand, her fingers locking with his. "Come... come to my playground downstairs! Let me show you my custom doll house!"
Before he could even formulate a proper response or protest, she was already pulling him quickly out of the bedroom, her pink flats clicking joyfully against the pristine, marble floors of the estate as she led her modern prince into her world.
***
That very same evening, a completely different world of ultimate luxury and high society was unfolding across the city.Inside the sleek corporate headquarters of their shared fashion company, a peaceful atmosphere reigned. The room was beautifully designed with marble accents and comfortable designer furniture, providing the perfect space for relaxation.
The three elegant women—Mrs. Lee, Mrs. Kim, and Mrs. Seo—were unwinding together, taking a welcome break from their busy schedules to enjoy some quiet conversation. Beside them sat Mrs. Park, who had recently joined their powerful circle following the high-profile engagement announcement. They were comfortably seated, laughing softly and sharing stories about their latest projects.Suddenly, a loud, cheerful ringtone cut through the air, interrupting the ladies' relaxed and friendly conversation. Mrs. Park checked her flashing phone, smiled warmly at her companions, and picked up the call, immediately tapping the loudspeaker button so everyone could hear.
"Hello, sweetie... how are you doing?" Mrs. Park greeted affectionately.
"Mom! I think I finally found my fiancé!" Paige's voice flooded through the speaker, breathing in massive, audible relief.The wealthy women all chuckled softly among themselves upon hearing her breathless, excited confession.
"Oh... congratulations, dear," Mrs. Park replied, her eyes twinkling with amusement as she looked over at the other mothers.
"Not just him, Mom!" Paige rushed out, her excitement bleeding through the line. "He is staying with the others! Kim Jo and Seo Joon are right there with him!"
"We all know, Paige," Mrs. Seo chimed in, a knowing smirk on her face as the entire group of mothers laughed elegantly. "We already saw them trending all over the internet as the famous 'BVS lookalikes' at the local supermarket".
"But please, Paige, listen to me very carefully. Do not meet them in person right now," Mrs. Kim instructed, her tone shifting into a firm, maternal authority.
"They are currently in the middle of a very important mission. Okay? He will come back to you when the time is completely right."
Paige let out a loud, dramatic groan of deep dissatisfaction through the receiver, wishing she could go to him immediately.
"Okay, ma," she answered reluctantly, knowing better than to argue with the powerful matrons."See you very soon, sweetheart," Mrs. Lee added with a gentle smile, before Mrs. Park officially hung up the call.Mrs. Kim smoothed out her outfit, turning her focus back to their peaceful gathering.
"Well, where exactly were we before that lovely interruption?"With the safety and whereabouts of their sons secretly confirmed, the four elegant ladies happily continued their conversation, relaxing inside the company walls as they discussed the design details of their highly anticipated, latest dress.
***
Later that evening, inside the pristine yellow and white duplex, Lucy was sitting at her modern study table. She had her acoustic guitar resting in her lap, genuinely trying to concentrate on her music, but her phone simply would not stop buzzing. The continuous, frantic beeping of notifications completely shattered her focus.Sighing, she picked up the device and unlocked the screen. Her eyes widened as she opened the trending page. There, plastered across every social media platform, were the high-quality photos of the boys from their recent trip to the supermarket.
However, the image had been carefully cropped—her side was completely removed from the frame, leaving only Kim Jo, Seo Joon, and Lee Dae smiling cheerfully under the bright grocery store lights.The internet was in an absolute frenzy, and the "BVS Kings lookalikes" tags had kept the entire online world busy for hours. Fans and reporters were obsessing over the uncanny resemblance, debating whether the real idols were secretly walking among them.
Lucy stared at the screen and let out a heavy sigh, a small wave of possessiveness washing over her.
"They are mine, not your BVS kings. Stop creating an unnecessary post about my boys," she typed out directly under the most viral thread, hitting send before dropping her phone face-down onto the wooden table.Just then, the heavy wooden door to her bedroom swung wide open.
Kim Jo walked straight into the room, entirely unannounced, holding a tall glass of warm milk in his hand. His sharp eyes immediately locked onto her.
"U-bi!" he shouted loudly, the sudden burst of energy completely startling Lucy.She flinched, her heart leaping into her throat as she quickly placed her hand over her chest to calm her breathing.
"Jimmy! You scared me half to death! Why didn't you knock?" she yelled, her voice echoing off the clean walls.Kim Jo didn't look remotely sorry. Instead, he simply raised his left eyebrow, a familiar, arrogant smirk playing on his lips.
"Why should I knock on my lady's door before entering?"Lucy rolled her eyes and let out a defeated groan.
"There is no point in arguing with you," she muttered under her breath.Kim Jo chuckled softly at her reaction, his rigid posture completely vanishing the moment he was near her. He stepped closer and handed over the glass of warm milk. Lucy accepted it from him, the warmth of the glass instantly soothing her hands.
"Thank you," she murmured, taking a small sip.
"Welcome," Kim Jo replied smoothly, leaning his hip against the edge of her desk. He gestured toward the instrument in her lap. "So, mind telling me what song you are working on?"
"Well..." Lucy started, looking down at the strings, her fingers lightly brushing against the wood. "I can't seem to find the right note. Or let me just say... I don't really know the proper note of my song on a guitar yet."
"Need some help?" Kim Jo asked, a brilliant, confident smile spreading across his handsome face.Lucy raised her brows, giving him a deeply skeptical, doubtful look that practically screamed her thoughts.
"Can you even play the guitar?"Her expression made him burst into a genuine laugh, the rich sound filling the quiet room.
"Yeah, I can play. Trust me."
Lucy stared at him in silence for a few long seconds, weighing her options, before finally lifting the guitar and handing it over to him. Kim Jo took it effortlessly, his long, practiced fingers instantly finding the correct positioning on the neck, a subtle hint of his true idol training slipping through.
"Okay," Kim Jo said, looking down at her. "What's the song?"
"What song?" Lucy asked back, her expression completely innocent.Kim Jo blinked, a wave of total confusion washing over his face.
"You literally just said you couldn't find the note for your song, and I said I want to help you.""I didn't say that," Lucy replied with a perfectly straight face.Kim Jo's eyes narrowed slightly. He didn't say a word, and neither did she.
The room fell into an immediate, intense staring competition, neither one of them willing to back down or break eye contact first.
The heavy silence was abruptly broken by the sound of the door opening again. Lee Dae and Seo Joon strolled right into the bedroom.
"What's the problem, young couple?" Lee Dae asked with a teasing grin, making himself right at home as he walked over and seated himself comfortably on the edge of Lucy's bed.Seo Joon, looking far more relaxed than he had during the phone threat, simply walked over and sat down cross-legged on the clean floor, resting his back against the wall.Lucy didn't miss a beat. Turning her gaze away from Kim Jo, she looked directly at the new arrivals and lied flawlessly.
"Jimmy just said he wants to compose a special song for my birthday that's coming up in the next two months."
"Really?" Seo Joon asked, his eyes immediately shifting to lock onto Kim Jo, who looked completely lost and bewildered by the sudden fabrication.
"Did I...?" Kim Jo stammered, looking back and forth between his bandmates and the girl in front of him.
"Yes, you did," Lucy answered, a sweet, victorious smile blooming on her face as she trapped him in the lie.The entire bedroom went completely quiet as the boys stared at Kim Jo, waiting to see how the proud leader would handle being completely outsmarted by his lady.
"Flawless lie " Kim Jo muttered looking at Lucy.