บท 70: Along With The Roses

Lee Changhyuk was looking at his phone. There was no fake beard nor other accessories that hid his features. Yet you could see that ethereal complexion was painted with fatigue.

He had locked himself inside of that meeting room for two days. There were dark circles under his eyes. The piles of documents almost burried his sillhouette. He slouched back to the chair and looked up to the ceiling.

"She still hasn't called." He took a deep sigh.

Yoon Doyoung, the chief of Yoon Law Firm raised his chin to look at his patron. He had worked for Lee Changhyuk for 6 years so he knew his temper well.

Oh well at least he's not complaining about work? The lawyer kept his thoughts to himself.

Having achieved so much despite the young age- everything was like a game to Lee Changhyuk.

And that young and free spirit could not stop Lee Changhyuk from being impulsive and act immature. He wouldn't even be surprised if Lee Changhyuk suddenly threw a tantrum and kick him out.

Yoon Doyoung was not too worried about it. The patron was someone capable of doing the extreme and deal with the consequence.

Yoon Doyoung never thought that he would follow someone 10 years younger than him for that long. He could not say it was a bad decision, it was his loyalty and devotion to Lee Changhyuk that helped him gain such remarkable reputation that he managed to open his own lawfirm.

And it was always interesting to see how Lee Changhyuk handled things.

Yoon Doyoung was the one who came all the way from Seoul to see Lee Changhyuk.

"You work for me yet Yoonjae hyung managed to send you like this." He was greatly annoyed and finally met Yoon Doyoung's gaze from accross the table.

Nobody else was in that enormous meeting room except the two of them. It might be a meeting room but it was actually as big as a hall. It had a private restroom and the pantry was full of food and refreshments.

"He did not send me here, Mr Lee. He only said you'd be in danger if these documents are left unchecked for too long."

Yoon Doyoung pulled the round spectacles on his nose and returned his gaze on the laptop before him.

Yes, and Kim Yoonjae would personally come to Tokyo and drag Lee Changhyuk back by all necessary means if he 'sensed' that Lee Changhyuk was delaying these documents.

Lee Changhyuk ignored Yoon Doyoung as he was scrolling over his phone- refreshing it while hoping that a text from the milk girl would come.

He still remembered how the milk girl changed her expression when he told her not to make breakfast for him. He was glad that she didn't ask any further cause it could put her in danger but he also felt sad cause the milk girl was clearly drawing a line between them.

"But I need your help." "Can you not leave?"

If she said those words, would he be able to take a step out of that house?

His phone started vibrating, so he sat up straight enthusiastically that some documents almost fell. He looked at the phone with sparkling eyes.

[Incoming Call: Mr. Manager, Mr. Park!]

Lee Changhyuk was disappointed as he saw the caller, he clicked his tongue then tossed away the phone with annoyance.

"Mr. Lee.." Yoon Doyoung called.

"Sorry." He pressed the bridge of his nose then went back to burry himself among the documents. The pain in his chest worsened but he knew it was not because of the bruised ribs.

He silently took pain killer every 6 hours to deal with the mountains of workload and the pain from the bruised ribs. He could not make Yoon Doyoung worried about him while the latter risked his life by coming here, could he?

He just wanted to finish these documents, send Yoon Doyoung back and ran to see her. Why did every second feel like hours?

He missed her.

"I heard Mr. Kim had finished reviewing his documents." The lawyer tried to spill some words of encouragement as he referred to Kim Yoonjae.

"He owns more buildings and more companies than me, yet he could finish it earlier."

"We are here purely for StarLord Entertainment, as you are their top song writer. It is normal if you take more time to fight for your royalty fee by reviewing them one by one."

Lee Changhyuk looked at Yoon Doyoung, unimpressed. Yes, he knew that already.

If GreenEast was to be ranked based on their net worth, Kim Yoonjae would effortlessly come #1 as he invested his wealth on other things. Well it was not a surprise, Kim Yoonjae was his mentor.

Kim Yoonjae was the one who taught him about investments and suggested him to have a team of lawyers and consultants under him to take care of his growing wealth.

"You have 148 songs under your name." The lawyer added, trying to lift up the morale of his patron.

"Tell me something that I don't know Mr. Yoon." Lee Changhyuk grabbed a pen and signed a document before finally throwing it in front of Yoon Doyoung.

"The contract for your modelling, merchandise, albums and...."

Lee Changhyuk didn't listen to Mr. Yoon as he took a peek at his phone.

'What is she doing now? I hope she's not being bullied.' He was touching his chin, unable to focus on work.

It was really late, but Cheerful Youth had a special shooting for a special section, since the artists were busy, Cheerful Youth crew could only say yes to the proposed schedule no matter what the time was.

'I hope they're not giving her a hard time, it's late.'

He scrolled the contact list and was about to call 'Miruku chan'.

What if she forgot to silence her phone and got kicked out? The bully will get even worse.

His chest ached.

'Those people, see if they could touch a single hair and I'll make them pay.'

Anger suddenly clouded his head. What did she do wrong!? How could they bully a girl who always tried to do her best!

He got up from his seat and grabbed his jacket, he accidentally nudged some documents.

THUD

"Mr. Lee, are you okay!?" Yoon Doyoung rushed from the other side of the table to Lee Changhyuk's. As soon as he made sure that he was unharmed, the lawyer started picking up the documents.

No I'm not.

"Mr. Yoon. 5 minutes." He said.

Yoon Doyoung knew it was an order, he immediately collected himself then bowed his head, leaving Lee Changhyuk all alone in that massive room full of crystal ornaments.

He could not think rationally.

He was angry, sad and worried. And this painful longing feeling that kept lingering his chest eversince he stepped out of that house. Oh, if only overdosing on pain killer could make the pain away. No, he doubted that.

He stayed quiet for quite some times to give some fresh air to his chaotic mind.

He stared at his phone for a while then dialed a phone number.

Dooot... Dooot...

"Hyung.."

"Ya Lee Changhyuk are you nuts? What time do you think it is?" Son Kangyu's voice was annoyed, instead of reading manga as usual, the Vocal Emperor was in the middle of sleeping.

It was 1 am and there was no time difference between Seoul and Tokyo.

"Hyung... I think I'm in love."

"Huh!?" Sleepiness left his voice. Lee Changhyuk could imagine how Son Kangyu kicked the blanket away and jumped out of bed.

He hasn't seen this kid for awhile and what did he just say in the middle of the night?

"HUH!?" He repeated, louder.

"I'm in love hyung. That's the only acceptable reasons why I'm behaving like this."

"Lee Changhyuk, did you realize what you just got yourself into?!"

"This girl... She's all I think about all day. My chest hurts whenever she's not around. I do things that I don't normally do. I have..."

There was a long pause between the two of them before the magnae finally finished his sentence with a long sigh.

"Become the biggest fool in the universe.."

"Changhyuk-ah.." Son Kangyu was not sure if he could say anything at all. He knew that the magnae wasn't joking.

There was another moment of silence between the two of them. Lee Changhyuk was debating inside as he was conflicted then finally broke the quietude.

"I kept my promise hyung, you are the first person to know about this. You will support me, right?"

Son kangyu took a long breath.

"Idiot, you should get some sleep first before worrying about anything else. I pity the people who have to deal with your cranky mood in the morning. I'm hanging up."

Beep. Call Ended.

Lee Changhyuk scoffed and tossed his phone away.

"That stupid hyung." He was cursing under his breath, but that smile wouldn't leave his face.

Finally. He said it.

They said denial was a form of torture and admittance was a bliss.

It was not because she was being treated unfairly. He couldn't careless if it was any other person. He was not a police. He didn't always have to stand up for justice.

And it was not because he liked her house, he owned much bigger properties to be bothered by that RoomBnB.

He loved her.

Why did he feel like jumping around just because he recognized this feeling? This idiotic smile that won't leave his face didn't feel bad at all. Eventhough he was not a partygoer like the leader Han Ryeowook, for the first time in his life, he felt like throwing a party!

And the party would not be complete without the princess!

Alright, so how should he confess to this princess?

Should he invite her to the most expensive restaurant in Tokyo? A date in the zoo? A romantic firework in themepark? Lee Changhyuk took a seat and started scribbling on a piece of paper.

It doesn't matter what I think. I should consider her feeling, I must ask her what she likes.

How many red roses should I prepare? Woochan hyung said Bulgaria has the best roses. Should I just take her there to enjoy the rose field?

He took out a K.A initial necklace from his pocket and a beautiful smile appeared on his handsome face. His resoluteness in making her happy was unyielding.

"And along with the roses, I shall return this necklace to her."