Chapter 123 - Hooked

"You should already know that I hate when someone holds my arm, Oppa," Ye Rim looked annoyed and Jun Hyeon released her arm. He had got rid of Na Ra for a moment, but it was not fair to leave her alone. Jun Hyeon knew he still needed to fulfill his mission: to convince the donor to visit the Ji Hyeon Foundation before leaving the country.

"I think you are avoiding me," he said. Before Ye Rim could reply, smiling Dae Won interrupted them,

"Why, Jun Hyeon, I thought you were pretending not to see us!"

"Ha, Na Ra has a huge list of people to greet. I'm here for work, actually," Dr. Kim rushed to say, feeling Ye Rim's gaze on him.

"But since you're here, let's toast! Ye Rim signed a contract with Optimus Entertainment!" his hyung reported, reaching for two glasses of drink with the waiter. Jun Hyeon blinked,

"When was that? Why haven't I heard of it?" It was important, wasn't it? Why hadn't she told him yet? He looked at Ye Rim with suspicious eyes, but she replied only,

"Dae Won Oppa struggled to make it happen. He has a big influence on that. I'm so glad!"

'Oh, and just for that reason do you think you have to go out with him? I don't believe it, 'Jun Hyeon really hoped that wasn't the core of her presence by Dae Won's side.

"But I have news that will interest you both! In fact, I even expected to find Jun Hyeon here and have you both together. Although I feel a bit of a cheater for saying something I shouldn't," Dae Won had an excited smile, about to reveal a secret.

"You have my attention," he replied to Dae Won, interested. Ye Ri also looked very attentive and expectant.

"The role of the singer that Ye Rim is applying to got a revamp; the character will have more importance and more scenes. And besides just singing, she will be a tap dancer!"

The surgeon didn't hide his surprise. He turned to Ye Rim, who looked confused,

"You don't look thrilled ..."

"No! I'm happy! A more important role would give me more visibility!"

But he could say she was concerned, judging by her furrowed brows."Isn't it great that you have a friend who can teach you tap dancing?" Dae Won winked, patting Kim on the back. His words alarmed the Doctor, but he smiled at Ye Rim,

"Cool! Well, I know it isn't a very common dance style, but your agency must have ..."

"Please, Jun Hyeon! An agency usually has good dance professionals, but not a tap dance specialist! In addition, Ye Rim is a newbie and would not be entitled to a teacher just for her, as it's only an audition!"

Dae Won argued. "It won't be a problem! I know great teachers! Ye Rim will get the best tap dance teachers, I'll assure it!"

"We already have someone to blame if your tap dance doesn't impress the director, Ye Rim! Unfortunately, the Prince of Tap Dance cannot help you!"

"But I said I can! I'm going to talk to a lady friend, and…" Dr. Kim rushed to fix misunderstandings.

Ye Rim's skewed look when he said 'lady friend' almost made him choke. Of course, Dae Won was doing this on purpose. Showing who worked hard for her. 'Damn hyung! Don't make it a competition!'

"One of the first things Oppa told me when we met them was that he was a very busy man!" Ye Rim commented carelessly. Was there a tone of criticism, or was it just his impression?

"I AM busy, actually. But in fact, I believe that it's not the best option as a teacher. I can really recommend…" it was better to rectify it so he didn't look as slacking.

"Well, actually, I think the question may be more profound. Let's leave this matter alone. I didn't mean to upset you, Jun Hyeon. I just thought it would be fun if you taught Ye Rim tap dance. The little I learned was from you, remember?"

Yes, he remembered. Dae Won did everything to be close to Ji Hyeon, and spending time in the dance studio was one of those strategies.

"Yes, it was fun."

"It would be nice to learn from you, Oppa," Ye Rim said. "Right now, I can't afford a dance teacher, that's why. You would do it for free, as a favor from a friend, wouldn't you?"

'Why are you doing this to me?! AGHH!' the surgeon resisted the urge to wipe the sweat off his forehead. 'I haven't danced in years!'

But then he looked at her face. As always, chin slightly raised and one eyebrow raised, waiting for his answer. She expected a refusal, an excuse.

"I can check a schedule at that studio where you and Ji trained, if you can arrange your schedule to accommodate classes for Ye Rim," offered his hyung. 

'My God, just stop being perfect, Dae Won! You can always get intangible things for her, things she won't refuse!' his desire to strangle his hyung needed to be controlled with a small breathing exercise.

"Ye Rim, let's do this! It will be fun too! And I am sure that you will learn quickly, since you have experience with other dances!" Jun Hyeon spoke at once, before he regretted it. That would definitely mess with his schedule, but he wouldn't be selfish and accommodating. Moreover, the expression of disbelief on Ye Rim's face was priceless. First, the shock. And finally, she smiled,

"Really, Oppa?"

He nodded, very proud of himself. In the end, this was better than giving out those handbags. He would teach something that she couldn't sell.

Dae Won insisted on the glasses to make a toast. Kim watched from the corner of his eye while Ye Rim drank the champagne with bright eyes and full of hope for the future ... Or at least that was what Jun Hyeon imagined. She also looked sideways at him as she drank, and her eyes squeezed together with the smile, sharing her joy.

'It's official. I'm in love with this crazy woman,' Dr. Kim assumed to himself, as he watched Ye Rim.

Then she got excited and left everything to greet someone as if he were the most important person in the world,

"Baek Woo Geun! Woo Geun! You look fantastic! Where have you been in the past few months?!" she seemed very excited to find this who-is-him with flashy clothes and lots of makeup. The man wore special shoes to look taller, too.

"Ye Rim! You look beautiful! You should be my companion tonight, so we'd be the center of attention!"

'Really, did I hear that?' Kim turned to Dae Won with this dumb question on his face, and the musician shrugged, seeming to find the situation amusing.

"Let me introduce you to my new friends!" Ye Rim turned to them again, and to Jun Hyeon's shock, the unknown 'peac.o.c.k 'put his hand on Ye Rim's waist. The surgeon couldn't hide his astonishment and indignation, raising an eyebrow in question as he looked at her. Ye Rim just pretended not to notice and kept a beatific smile when introducing them to his fashionista friend. 'As long as this guy doesn't take his fingers off Ye Rim's waist, I'm not going to stop hating him. Should I hire people to destroy him on social media? If there is such a thing, I am very tempted to do it,' Jun Hyeon came around and stood on the opposite side of Ye Rim.

"At least you are with classy people, and not that Ryan Lee. You are peerlessly stunning. It's okay to be escorted by MP Lee. He's neither obfuscating nor shaming you," Woo Geun turned Ye Rim slightly so that the photo about to be shot would take them at favorable angles. Perhaps the photo recorded the exact moment when Dr. Kim was pinching the fashion critic's fingers behind the singer's back, to loosen him from her waist. Baek Woo Geun looked at him, surprised and angry, but Jun Hyeon kept a stern expression. At the very least, what the fashionista was doing was invasive!

"Sorry for my ignorance, but who is Ryan Lee?" Asked Dae Won, and Woo Geun just made a dismissive gesture, "Don't worry about him, it's just a well-dressed buck. Why don't we look for Eun Ha to take a picture with us?"

"Why, so that woman I saw earlier really was Eun Ha-ssi?!" Jun Hyeon remembered the meeting earlier. 

"I really thought I had heard her voice, said Ye Rim. I almost forgot for a moment, but I thought she was in trouble or something."

Then the brazen fashionista whispered something in Ye Rim's ear, while touching her shoulder! 'What a daring son of a bitch! Why doesn't she do anything? Doesn't she hate being touched?'

"Sorry to be indiscreet, but I want to congratulate your makeup artist," said Jun Hyeon, knowing he would hit him at Baek's weakest point. He couldn't help it while this funny guy was leaning against Ye Rim all the time. Dr. Kim had even seen him signal for some photographers to approach.

"Thanks," the fashionista replied without thinking, but then looked at him puzzled. "Anything I should pay more attention to?"

"Of course not. He's skilled at hiding imperfections. Well, I'm an expert, so I noticed…" out of the corner of his eye, he noticed his hyung lips tremble to hide his laughter, so Dr. Kim knew he was going the right way.

"Excuse me. It would be unethical," Jun Hyeon realized that the handsome man had insecurity with his eyes, since they were slightly different shapes. This upset the annoying man, who became self-aware and uptight. He felt a bit ashamed of doing it, but at least he took his hands off Ye Rim.

Baek was the first to see and waved,

"Hae Na Ra!"

"Sorry, I'll be right back," Ye Rim excused them to go to the bathroom, coinciding with Na Ra's arrival. 

Jun Hyeon just wanted to do the same.