Chapter 25 - Familiar Voice

This wasn't the kind of 'fun' Joreen had planned. She looked around and saw a lot of people having fun and laughing together. She felt alone. Although Hoy was beside her and they greeted some guests, it wasn't more than that and she wanted it to be more. 

"What do you want to do?" She heard Hoy's voice beside her and turned to look at him. 

"What?" She asked. She wanted to be sure he was really asking her what she wanted to do and not because he was going to stop her from doing it. 

"Tell me what you want to do." He said again in his usual monotone voice. 

She narrowed her eyes to look at him. She couldn't read his facial expression to know what he was up to but she decided to try. 

"I want to... at least have a... drink...?" She said with uncertainty and waited for him to say no immediately, but surprisingly, he didn't. 

He nodded and said, "Wait here. I'll join you in a moment." He began to walk away from her but stopped when Joreen suddenly grabbed his hand and held him back. 

"Wait, really?" She asked in surprise. 

"...." He cocked a brow at her. 

"Like... you are... just going to agree? Why? Are you tired of me already?" She asked with sad eyes that made Hoy confused. 

Whenever he tried to stop her from doing things, she threw tantrums and snubbed him. Now he was trying to let her do what she wanted seeing how bored she looked. Joreen didn't have friends and didn't know how to make friends because of how kids always tried to bully her. Her only friend was Reen who was busy having a conversation with someone, with her boyfriend standing beside her. He wanted Joreen to do something to make her happy but she was finding him suspicious? It was hilarious actually. 

"What do you want? Me being protective of you or letting you do whatever you wish to do?" He asked. 

She thought about it for a moment. "I... don't know." She really didn't. Being protective of her made her feel like he cared about her even though sometimes it was annoying. But...

She still wasn't sure. Even if he was going to let her do all she wanted to do, he would still be there to protect her right? Since everyone kept trying to make it look like adulthood was very difficult and dangerous. 

"Then wait here. Hmm?" 

She nodded. She waited for him to leave but he didn't. He just kept looking at her, wondering why he was still standing there. "What?" She asked.

His eyes trailed down to their hands. She followed his gaze and immediately let go of his hand.

He didn't comment on it and simply walked away. 

Immediately he left, someone came behind Joreen. 

"He finally let you go." 

Joreen turned and was surprised to see Hoy's mother. She greeted her with a smile since the woman was a really good aunt to her too. 

"You must be uncomfortable with him always around right?"

"No." Joreen answered immediately. 

"You do not have to pretend dear. I was speaking with your sister Sara earlier about him and suggested finding him a lady during this trip. She let me know you two were already planning to do that."

"Oh..." Joreen bit her lower lip. She didn't know what answer she was supposed to give.

"I met a young lady earlier. I want to introduce her to him but I know he won't agree to meet her. That is why I need you." 

"Me?" Joreen asked in surprise.

"Yes." She said with a mischievous smile. 

"What... am I supposed to do?" 

"I am going to threaten him with something he cares about." She gave Joreen a pointed look. 

"What?" Joreen's eyes widened and she moved closer to whisper, "You... are going to threatened him with... the company? You can't do that to him!" 

"Haha! Silly!" The woman laughed in amusement. "Of course not. That is too extreme. Besides, I cannot do that." She paused. "I am threatening him with YOU."

*********

When Suyin was done, she swiveled the chair to face the mirror so Heya could see her reflection.

Heya looked at her reflection in surprise. "This... is too much." She complained but tried not to sound ungrateful. 

"It isn't too much. This is how you should look when going to an occasion like this." Suyin said with a smile. 

Heya continued to look at her reflection. She had worn make ups prettier than this before, but she felt this was still too much especially since she wasn't interested in the ocassion, neither was she planning to spend more than an hour there. 

Her make up was between smokey and modest. She had to admit Suyin was really talented. 

"Ready to leave?" Suyin asked as she began to take care of her own look. 

"Uhm... I guess." Heya stood up and stretched to relieve her stiff muscles, after sitting there for a while. She noticed how her belly popped out and quickly sucked in air to keep herself in shape. 

Her reflection was really pretty so she smiled.

"You didn't come with a purse?" Suyin asked when they stepped out of the room.

"I didn't." 

"Really? Then where did you leave your key card?" 

"I didn't activate the lock." 

"You mean you left your room open?" She asked in disbelief. 

Heya shrugged. "Not like I have anything worth stealing. Besides, I don't think these people here are capable of stealing. There are also CCTV—"

"People shouldn't leave their rooms open. Maybe they won't really go there to steal, but you never can tell who is a pervert. Just lock your room and hand me your key card. I'll keep it inside my purse if you really do not wish to carry one." 

Heya did that. She went inside, activated the lock and gave the card to Suyin.

"Good! No room for nonchalance." Suyin said with a smile that made Heya smile back. 

She was becoming fond of this girl who wasn't only pretty but really nice, innocent and charming.

Suyin chattered nonstop as they made their way to the hall. She talked about her family. She was here with her parents and older brother, they were born here but relocated 15 years ago. She dealed on jewelries and was able to speak five different languages fluently. She mentioned her brother was a basketballer who played internationally so he could even speak more languages than she could. 

Heya tried to contribute to the conversation because she didn't want to be rude by ignoring her. She was relieved when she began to hear the sound of soft classical music as they approached the hall.

Although Suyin wasn't a bad company, Heya wasn't comfortable with people who always liked to talk. 

Heya was really surprised when she took the first step inside the hall. The people, the lights, the atmosphere, it was all beautiful. The hall was really large. She wondered why she wasn't seeing any chairs. She didn't want to stand for a long time wearing a heel. 

"Hello everyone, thanks for coming down here. I hope you are all enjoying this trip?" A man appeared on stage with a mic.

Most of the people inside the hall began to clap. They were obviously having fun already. Well, the couples were. She couldn't tell about other singles like her.

"So we'll be moving to the hall were we'll be having dinner and getting to know some prominent people in our midst." 

There is another hall? Heya asked herself. Just how big was this ship?

"Ladies and Gentlemen, this way please." The man gestured behind him and to their surprise, the curtain parted to reveal another properly decorated hall with chairs and tables and different exotic drinks on each tables with appetizers. 

The sight was so beautiful that they began to clap again. 

"You're finally here, I have been looking all over for— You came!" Yan Shen was looking at his sister before his eyes went to Heya who was standing beside her. There was a smile on his face as he looked Heya up and down. 

"I heard you two already met each other." Suyin said before going to standing beside her older brother.

"Yea." He answered before. "You look great." Shen said with his eyes on Heya. 

Heya was a bit uncomfortable so she forced a smile before looking around for any familiar face.

"I'll go look for my parents." She said and was about to leave when she heard a cold voice behind her say, "You are on my way, Miss."

She realised she had been standing by the main door but more than that, she realised the voice sounded really familiar and froze on the spot. 

"Babe! I have been looking all over for you." Suyin who was directly facing the door said to the person behind Heya.

Maybe they just had the same voice right? It couldn't probably be him. They hadn't met for years, how can they suddenly bump into each other here? It was absurd!

"I am sor–" She stepped away from the door and turned around to apologize to the young man. Her words seized in her throat when she came face to face with him.

It was him. 

Her eyes widened.

And so did his.