Chapter 75：Shocked

And just like that Ye-jin left from the room but for him, it felt like she had left him.

Ray felt sad and hurt at seeing her disappearing back. He didn't like the idea of her leaving him. His mind suddenly flashed back to the party where he had heard about her dating a new guy. The same anger rushed through him once again. The same burn returned with the same force. Every fibre of him felt as if it was on fire at the thought of her with someone else. Between all of it, he couldn't understand what was even happening to him. He was still deep in contemplation of his feelings when he heard a dry mocking chuckle.

Ray: what are you doing here again?

Bo: (smirking) she left, didn't she?

Ray: What are you up to Bo? I can clearly see you want to gloat over something.

Bo: (grinning) tell me you got rid of that woman for good! She clearly doesn't suit your calm temperament with her anger issues. And you've clearly seen her arrogance right?

Liu Bo hadn't followed the couple out when they left chasing each other. She had been busy gloating over the success of her plan. She was a hundred per cent sure that they would quarrel.

She knew that Ray had invited Ye-jin over to let her listen to his new solo track which he had written exclusively for her. He had been preparing for this day from the moment he returned from London. He had carried a smitten look on his face all the while making her sick. How could her mighty brother be reduced to this?

She had been annoyed would be an understatement. Coupled with her dissatisfaction with him not acceding to her request of returning home she was more miffed.

She had purposefully incited Ye-jin before and had also used her name to intrude on their affectionate time. She was delighted to watch their colourful reactions. Basking in the sweet taste of victory she gave the couple a little time to widen the gap between themselves. She then approached her brother in the hopes of adding the fuel to the fire.

Ray: (balling up his fists) who are you to ask me that? Bo, you're my sister that doesn't give you the right to bad mouth people who are important to me.

Liu Bo was a little surprised when she heard her brothers' harsh tone in reprimanding her. But she shrug it off as him being in a terrible mood after the fight with his girlfriend.

Bo: (casually blowing nails) come on Ray, you can do way better than her.

Ray: (glowering) Liu Bo know your damn limits!

Bo: (startled) don't tell me you really like Ye-Jin?! You aren't- She is-

Ray: (fire blazing in the eyes) not you. She is not you.

Liu Bo finally understood something. All this while she had been thinking that her brother was only fooling around with Ye-jin as a means of testing the waters. How could she have known that the brother she had not seen for almost five years had fallen for the first-ever woman he was dating. In her shocked surprise, she blurted out the first thing that came to her mind

Bo: (surprised) you l-love h-her!

Ray's anger almost completely vanished.

Did he love Ye-jin? How could he not know of such an important thing? They were his emotions and almost everyone was aware of them and not him? Why was life always this unfair?

The more he thought of it the more solid his realisation was. He actually loved her!

It was exciting and intimidating at the same time. He wanted to explore more but Liu Bo was with him and he didn't wish to embarrass himself in front of him.

Ray: (shocked but holding onto his anger) yes I do!

Bo: (astonished) what the hell bro! You've been going out with her a few months only!

How can her brother be this vulnerable to fall into that woman's trap this easily! Where was his previous arrogance and conceitedness?

Ray: (sighing umpteenth time) we aren't dating Bo-

How can he explain his suffering to anyone? The very first time he realised his feelings and was still reeling from the shock of it and his sister was asking him the same nonsensical question he was annoyed of!

Liu Bo struck by both thunder and lightning at the same spot for a long time. They weren't dating? The reports she had gotten were false? Wait! Doesn't that mean her plan was unnecessary in the first place? But looking at it now, she had unwittingly helped her dense brother realise his feelings! How she felt like she had shot herself in the foot! She had indirectly helped that woman! How infuriating was this?

Ray didn't bother with Liu Bo any longer. He felt like his soul would fly out at any moment due to the sudden discovery. Leaving his sister behind he marched away from the empty practice room face twisted in shock at the surprising realisation and turn of events leaving a dumbfounded Liu behind him.

He was feeling everything and nothing at the same time. The awareness that he had fallen for one of his best friends was shocking as well as exhilarating. It was definitely both good and bad to have a name for the emotional roller coaster he was riding from the past few days.

He now stood in front of his group's personal waiting room. He had no idea how he had come to be there. He opened the door to find his big brother and his friend going through some papers. They looked up when he closed the door behind him.

Kai: (noticing right away) what happened to you? You look pretty shaken.

Ray: (trying to cool down) n-nothing.

Timo: (not looking up) is Ye-Jin still here?

Ray: she l-left I t-think.

Timo: (raising an eyebrow) so soon? I thought you were going to make her listen to that new song.

Ray: (shuffling on his feet) well- she had some emergency so... what are you guys doing from morning?

Kai: (shrugging) big bro wanted to donate some of his collections so we were just going through with all the procedure and whatnot.

Ray: (nodding) are you guys hungry? I was going to have lunch.

Kai: (mouth twitching) Ray it's just eleven right now.

Ray: (shrugging nonchalantly) early lunch. I'll ask if Ye-Jin would join us.

He left the other two guys to their devices and dialled Ye-Jin's number feeling excited and dreading it at the same time. His call straight went to voicemail. She wasn't picking it up. He tried again but he got the same response. He gave up on the call and sent her a text asking if they could meet up. Once again he got no response.

Everything burned down to only a single point for him, he wanted to see her badly.

Ray: (frustrated) why isn't she replying to me? Big bro, give me your phone.

Timo: (hesitant) she might be busy. Besides she left here an hour ago-

Ray: (not heeding to others) it's ringing…

This time he was lucky enough as Ye-Jin received on the fourth ring. But she was clearly ignoring him and he now somewhat understood why..

Ye-Jin: hello?

Ray: (filled with grievances) Ye-Jin where are you? Meet me for lunch today.

Ye-Jin: (almost agreeing) um… actually I am a little busy. I can't speak now. Catch you later.

Ray: (disbelief) she cut my call. How can she do that?

Kai: (shrugging) cause she is busy. Come let's go for that lunch, I am quite hungry.

Ray: (returning the phone to Timo) I am not hungry.

He left the room again sulking and upset about Ye-Jin's bland refusal about his plan.