Chapter 147 - Fashion and Meds

Dr. Kim looked at the phone screen with a smile as he turned off the phone. He was in the middle of a meeting but he had forgotten to hang up. Fortunately, the message he received made his day improve immensely after his morning high blood pressure problem.

Ye Rim was being silly and doing compatibility tests!

"Ahem, I'm sorry, It was an emergency," he apologized to the people gathered to discuss the annual Ji Hyeon Foundation event. But he could barely contain the smile on his lips during the entire costs presentation. After the marketing team explained the costs and how much they expected to raise, he commented, turning to Na Ra, who was also part of the committee,

"I received an email recently. I forwarded it to you, Na Ra, about two days ago. Mrs. Vivian Park seemed interested in donating an amount to our project. She said we met at the Fashion Ball, but I don't remember you introducing me to her, "Jun Hyeon never had a bad memory for names or faces, but at this point he didn't know if he could trust his mind.

"I didn't. Maybe it was someone else," replied Na Ra acidly. Several people at the table held their breath as if they were receiving the needling. Jun Hyeon tensed, he knew he still owed Na Ra an explanation about the Fashion Ball, but he wasn't going to do that during a business meeting. Even though this meeting was over.

But it was curious to realize that his personal life was apparently a known subject.

'What a bunch of gossipy people!' he thought, without real grief.

"Good, but who is she?" he jumped to the part that mattered, keeping his tone friendly.

When Na Ra described Vivian Park's appearance in detail and how she was dressed at the Fashion Ball, a click in Jun Hyeon's mind associated her with the pedantic woman who dropped her pills on the floor. Still, it intrigued him that a person he believed to be the epitome of arrogance offered a donation to the Jun Hyeon Foundation. 'If she knew who I was, why didn't she greet me? Or did she find out who I was after the incident? '

He commented to those present,

"Well, then I think I met her accidentally, at the Ball, but we didn't introduce ourselves. She's the woman who dropped her meds. She was a little embarrassed when I returned it, she didn't seem to be comfortable with it," he quoted the name of the medicine.

"Hm, some people still feel inferior because they have diseases that a long time ago were signs of impurity or even demonic possession," commented Dr. Jang, speaking of epilepsy.

"Well, this substance is used by patients who don't adapt to more modern ways of avoiding episodes, and tend to have frequent seizures," said Dr. Marion, who was the Ji Hyeon Foundation's Psychiatrist.

Na Ra shook his head, commenting, "Are you talking about epilepsy? Vivian Park doesn't have epilepsy."

"Well, there are few other uses for this substance other than to contain strong spasms and convulsions, typical of epilepsy episodes, but present in other pathologies as well," explained the doctor.

"Well, I don't know about Vivian Park's health problems. But I've been a model for Park and Zhang in the past. Alexander Zhang suffers from epilepsy, this is not a widely known fact, but some people in the industry know," said the former model. It intrigued Jun Hyeon. He learned that the Stylist didn't make his speech at the event because of a health problem. And then he found a woman, his partner actually, leaving the scene with the drugs that could contain his crisis. However, Dr. Marion was quicker to ask the question he would ask next, although he'd asked it differently,

"Na Ra, is it true that there is a rivalry between Vivian Park and Alexander Zhang?"

She smiled,

"Well, at least in the past it seemed that way. They used to say it at the time when I held fashion shows for the brand. But I think they said that because designer Park left part of the company to Alexander Zhang. Stylist Zhang considered him his successor, but let's say there was also a nasty rumor about it ... So I think part of these rumors is because Park gave Zhang part of the company. Vivian Park is an excellent person, in reality."

"Very informative, Na Ra, thank you," Jun Hyeon kept his impressions to himself, only reinforcing that they should invite Mrs. Park to the event and also to visit the Foundation. Although intimately he thought she was quietly trying to buy his silence with a donation.

When the meeting ended, Jun Hyeon asked if Na Ra would have breakfast with him. He needed to apologize officially for stood her up at the Ball.

They went to the Foundation's cafeteria, and after they placed their orders, Jun Hyeon started,

"I've been trying to talk to you about this for a few days, and I know you've been avoiding me. I need to apologize for leaving you like that at the party."

Na Ra took a deep breath,

"Dae Woon told me you left with his date there when I visited him at the hospital. And even that you and her found Hani's body in the Han River," her tone was full of hurt and anger, but he could understand that very well. There were many implications, and he was quite a sleazebag on this matter.

"Na Ra…"

"Are you dating? Or is this in your plans?" the question took him by surprise. She really wanted to know if it wasn't just an one-night stand, which would be even worse.

"Yes. It's in my plans. She's the woman I love," not only was it useless to beat around the bush and extend her suffering, but he wanted to say it out loud. But he felt his chest tighten as he watched Na Ra's eyes fill with tears, her face red with pain and fury, and her facial muscles tighten. He looked down,

"Listen, Na Ra. We have both been dragging this for a long time. This thing that never really existed between us. Most likely my fault, of course. It dragged on, even though I was sure we would never be together, actually. I think we spent too much time blaming several external factors, like my mother or the death of Ji Hyeon, and even the guilt that we both feel for what happened. But it only masked the most important. The fact that I always knew that what I felt for you was never strong enough to overcome any of these obstacles," Jun Hyeon knew he was hurting Na Ra, but there was no other way to do it. There was no elegant way or half words. "Now I know that I want to be with that woman. Even if it's like her friend, if she doesn't want me as a lover. I think about her all the time and it made me blind to everything else. It's this idiot you spent so much time with, Na Ra."

The ex-model's eyes widened. With shaking hands she reached for the glass of water in front of her, throwing it in Jun Hyeon's face. He felt the liquid run down his face without moving, as Na Ra grabbed her bag and hurriedly left the cafeteria.

Taking a deep breath, Jun Hyeon took a napkin and started drying himself, ignoring the people around him.

He reached for his cell phone and turned it back on, looking at the last message from Ye Rim, on the screen

NYR: 'Don't be conceited. Someone asked me, but I don't think it's necessary anymore. I'll be very busy in the next few days. I'm helping my unnie organize her fashion show. This is extremely important and urgent! Can we reschedule classes after that? I promise to train hard! '

'Is she avoiding me after our kiss?' it was definitely an alarming thought. He started typing something and thought about what he had just said to Na Ra. It was a relief and hoped that after a while, she'd be able to think that way too. Would he be friends with Ye Rim if she didn't want him?

"No. It definitely hurts so much that I have to find a way to shorten it."

°°°

In the early evening, Eun Ha had met Professor Shin for a class, but she was so excited by the unexpected turn that her plans had taken that same afternoon, that she poured all the news of the past 24 hours over the proverbially impatient ears of the older fairy.

"Oh boy, I should have brought a bottle of water. I'm thirsty!" she exclaimed, after her monologue. The Hunter just narrowed his eyes in his direction. She knew her throat was dry from having spoken for almost forty minutes uninterruptedly, telling everything from the moment she returned home after being rescued by him.

Finally, Hunter Shin asked,

"So you started solving the Fashion Ball problem with the help of Baek Woo Geun?"

"Yes, he will be the event manager. He'll call some of his friends who are models and ask if they want to do this without getting paid. Ye Rim lent me some money that, along with mine, it'll be enough for the major expenses and something else, but I still need to get a place. A good, big and beautiful place is where a lot of the money will go, unfortunately. The entire organization and people involved in the event ... I must reduce these costs. But it would be impossible to do everything with magic without people noticing. And the income tax would be relentless with me, too."

"Hmm, and how many people should there be, including the staff and models?" he asked.

"Can you help me find a good place, Professor Shin?! Woo Geun suggested that we be thrifty with the invitations to maintain the mystique, so there will be about 200 guests with the press included, and about 60 people behind the scenes," she already had the numbers in her head, after debating and downsizing along with Woo Geun.

"Well, I may know a place. But I don't know if that would be what you are looking for..."

"The price will be decisive, believe me. Professor Shin!"

"Then come with me," said the hunter, putting out his cigarette and getting up.

"...!" Eun Ha didn't know what to expect.