Chapter 34

                                    

                                          

Taesan's POV

I've never been fond of large, crowded events, especially those filled with high-profile individuals. Their constant chatter and gossip often leave me feeling overwhelmed. 
School proms were a different story, though. Having my friends, including Leehan, by my side always made the crowds seem less daunting. Good company can truly make a difference.
Speaking of Leehan, his absence is starting to worry me. As one of the main attractions of the event, his announcement as the next CEO is highly anticipated. 
I've already mingled with most of the guests, but he's still nowhere to be found. 
"Han Dongmin," my father's voice interrupted my thoughts. 
I turned to see him with a couple around his age—the Sungs. 
"Oh my, how you've grown!" Mrs. Sung exclaimed, her eyes scanning me. 
"Still the bookworm, I see," Mr. Sung added with a chuckle.
While I don't dislike the Sungs, there's always been an undercurrent of discomfort in our interactions. 
"Dad, perhaps we should give him some space," I suggested, my gaze drifting toward the woman behind them. 
Yuri. The one they've always envisioned as my future wife. A business arrangement that seemed sensible when I was younger, but now feels increasingly outdated.
"Why don't you two catch up while the adults chat?" my father proposed, his smile a subtle command. 
I forced a smile in return. Yuri is undoubtedly beautiful and kind, but our romantic connection is nonexistent. We each have our own paths, and the idea of a forced marriage feels increasingly absurd. 
As the Sungs and my father walked away, I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. The night, once promising, now seemed to be taking an unexpected turn.
“You never really changed, Dongmin,” she teased, her laughter light. 
“Don’t even start, Yuri. You know how they’ll react if I speak my mind,” I replied, crossing my arms.
Yuri nodded thoughtfully. “True. But when will you start standing up for yourself? When it’s too late to fix things?” 
Her words struck a chord. Ever since I was young, Yuri had always pushed me to assert myself, but I always ended up taking the fall. 
I remembered the time I got into a huge fight with Nico, my childhood best friend. We were falsely accused of breaking an ancient vase, and I froze, unable to defend myself. The fear of disappointing my family silenced me. 
Nico, furious with my betrayal, moved away and eventually passed away in an accident. We never had a chance to reconcile.
“Same old, Dongmin,” Yuri sighed, shaking her head.
I rolled my eyes, determined to break free from this pattern.
Lost in thought, I didn’t notice Yuri drawing closer. She draped her arm over my shoulder, her warmth comforting. 
“Let’s change the topic,” she suggested. “How’s Kim Donghyun? I’ve heard a lot about him.”
A sense of pride washed over me. Every time someone praised Leehan, I felt a surge of happiness.
“He’s… unique,” I replied, smiling. “You’ll understand when you meet him.”
Yuri raised an eyebrow. “Unique? Like an alien?” 
I shrugged. “Something like that. He’s odd, but in a good way.” 
She shook her head, amused. “You really are something else, Dongmin. Now, I really want to meet that guy. My curiosity will eat me up whole at this point—”
“Taesan.”
A familiar voice cut through my anticipation. I turned around to see him. I knew he'll look great in his attire but Leehan always makes me stare in awe every single time. My smile didn't reach my eyes as I noticed that he wore a cold expression that I often see only whenever he's doing work-related things. 
“Leehan,” I greeted, my smile faltering. “What took you so long?”
“Family matters,” he replied curtly, his gaze sweeping over Yuri. “Who’s this?”
Yuri, ever the social butterfly, extended her hand. “I’m Sung Yuri, a friend of Dongmin.”
Leehan’s handshake was brief, his expression unreadable. A palpable tension filled the air, a silent battle between two strong personalities. Leehan’s unwavering gaze held Yuri captive, while she, in turn, avoided his intense scrutiny. 
As I tried to ease the tension, Leehan pulled me away, his grip firm. “I’ll take care of Dongmin now. Thank you for keeping him company. It was nice meeting you,” he said to Yuri, his tone curt.
I glanced back at Yuri, mouthing an apology. She simply smiled and gave me a thumbs-up before turning away.
Leehan’s demeanor had taken a sharp turn. “I was gone for a few minutes, and you’re already flirting with other people?” His voice was icy, a stark contrast to his usual warmth.
I was taken aback by his accusation. “What? Why would you think that?” I retorted, hurt and disbelief coloring my voice.
After all this time, did he really doubt my intentions? I’d always been loyal to him, and the thought that he could misinterpret my friendly interaction with Yuri was both painful and infuriating. 
Don't get me wrong, I understand that he must've understood the situation but after all these years that we're practically together, he doesn't know my standard? Am I that low of a person to flirt with every person that I talk to?
I usually can control my emotions and I'm not flirting since she's a friend of mine and we're close like siblings but it hurts me since it was Leehan who said such words.
“Is that how you think of me now?” I scoffed, voice slightly rising. I couldn't help myself anymore. I was hurt and disappointed at the same time.