Baek Ha Rim

i was currently helping the staff move the bed on the set. after that short little talk with the ceo, i almost instantly got back to work like nothing happened.

"is this alright?" one of the staffs asked.

"hmm, move it a bit to the center just a little more." the photographer instructed.

we immediately did as we were told until suddenly, another staff member called out for help.

"can someone help adjust the lighting please?"

"i'll do it!" i volunteered and rushed towards the side.

"please position this one right there." she instructed.

i quickly nodded and went ahead to do as she said.

"okay everyone, we're about to start the shoot now!" the photographer called.

i quickly adjusted the lighting one last time until i finally saw the ceo make his way up to the center. i looked at him walking towards my direction while his eyes were fixed on me.

suddenly, i caught his lips tug into a little smile before he eventually looked away and turned to face the photographer.

he was now in a completely different style from the one earlier. 

slowly, i made my exit from the center and walked to the side where the staff were observing the shoot.

"okay, ready!" the photographer lifted his camera and began snapping away his first few shots after giving the cue.

"good!" he was on a complimenting spree once again.

i observed the way the ceo posed naturally. his movements were free flowing and there was nothing exaggerated at all. he seemed very calm and relaxed doing his own thing.

very professional of him. with that face of his, every second just looked like a painting no matter how small he tried.

"how could he have it all? he's already the ceo, and he's also face of his own brand. no one could do it like him at all!" i heard the staff at the back whisper as they carefully observed the shoot as well.

"the gods must probably have their favorites. apparently, chae hyungwon is one of them." another one added.

i focused my eyes on the videographer who was doing his best to capture scenes while the photoshoot was going on. truly, they were working hard.

i already bet the advertisement would look like a short film just containing the one and only chae hyungwon himself.

"look a bit to the side." the photographer instructed.

suddenly, the ceo looked at me from afar as he did what he was told.

"wonderful!" the photographer went on as he snapped away while chae hyungwon was already fixing his eyes in my direction.

his charismatic eyes were looking at me. i slowly breathed in as i looked back at him, not wanting to feel intimidated by his gaze.

if you don't consider yourself immune to his charms, he could freeze you away with a mere look.

"okay wait, let's pause for a sec. can someone please move that light stand? we need assistance here." the photographer called out towards our direction.

"you two, go!" one of the staff members pushed my back along with the person beside me which made us step to the front without any choice.

it couldn't be helped because we were both already standing at the front. we walked towards the photographer to get his instructions but the staff that was with me was a bit too eager to help. 

"we need the lighting to be a bit different. maybe it needs to be moved to the fron-" 

"i'm on it!!" she immediately rushed towards the stand without having the photographer finish with his words. 

"wait!" the photographer tried to call out as we were both taken aback. 

i took a few steps towards her in an attempt to correct her immediately, but she suddenly lifted the big light stand on her own when it actually had rollers so she could just slide them on the floor.

"oh my gosh, the backdrop stand-!!"

i felt alarmed hearing the photographer yell, and soon, i realized that the staff member accidentally swung the light stand as she turned, hitting the backdrop stand as a clumsy mistake. 

from that moment, we were all made to expect the worse.

"yaaahh!" the photographer yelled.

i next heard the gasps of those watching the scene. some shut their eyes tightly, refusing to see the unfortunate event that was about to happen.

as the backdrop became unstable and was about to drop forward, i immediately looked at the ceo and got on my feet as a reflex.

i wasted no time and rushed towards him, pulling his arm and dragging him away from the scene to save him from the risk of getting hit by the unstable backdrop behind him.

he moved his body along with me, and thankfully, the backdrop had already fallen down by then without anyone getting hurt.

"i'm sorry!" the culprit apologized as she put the light stand down. she was guilty of her careless mistake.

i looked at the photographer and noticed him facepalming himself.

suddenly, the head staff came forward and scolded the girl.

"how could you be so clumsy? the light stands have rollers below! are you crazy?" she expressed disappointment.

"everyone! start fixing the backdrop now!" she called out, making the rest get to work immediately.

"are you okay, mr. chae?" i suddenly the heard photographer speak beside us.

"i am." he assured shortly.

i could already expect the ceo actually being irritated deep inside.

"let's take a break for a while." the photographer said and eventually went back to sit down to review the photos for the meantime.

"miss baek."

i suddenly turned my head to face the ceo who was right in front of me upon hearing his voice call.

"huh?" i asked, still out of my mind.

"you can let go of my arms now." he looked down and showed me.

i immediately flinched realizing that i still had my grip on him. quickly, i let go and placed my hands behind my back out of shame.

i looked up to see the ceo's face, and realized that he wasn't frowning or anything like so. rather, he was smiling to himself.

"thanks for saving me." he spoke, this time with a straight face.

"i guess in that sense of getting each other out of danger, we're even now." he added.

i simply looked down because i didn't have anymore to say to him. as if he was able to read the signs, he started moving away from my sight and went off to the dressing room on his own.

"why did i do that?" i asked myself, staring at the ceo's back.

"... i could've just let him stay in danger." i closed my eyes upon realizing my actions and mentally cursed at myself.

________________________________

i entered the house after a long day at work. apparently, kwon eun gyeol came to the set just when we were about to wrap up. though i was invited to dinner with the people there, i decided that it was best for me to just exclude myself and come home.

i simply didn't have enough energy to deal with seeing the ceo's clingy fiancée.

if i stayed, nothing good would come out of that situation. she'll surely start bitching about how threatened she is that i may come near her soon-to-be husband again.

well, sucks to be her.

"i'm home!" i called out, putting my slippers on.

"ha rim-ah? we're in the dining room!" i heard mr. baek's voice respond.

i put down my things and walked to the dining room where they all were.

i was just in time for dinner.

i slowly took a seat beside wonho and looked around us noticing that we were incomplete.

"where's changkyun?" i asked.

"i asked him to do something." mr. baek answered while getting rice for himself.

"don't tell me, you sent him to another missio-"

"it's nothing like that. i sent him to buy me some bottles of wine." he explained.

i settled on my seat after hearing that changkyun was just made to do a simple task. sooner then, i started eating with the rest of the family.

"i heard you worked close with the ceo today?" mr. baek brought up.

"i did. it was a photoshoot." i nodded.

"you did that? that's not even part of your job description." wonho suddenly butted in, scoffing.

well of course, just to make me feel bad again.

"exactly. i'm just wondering why chae's son would do it like that. there's no problem at work, isn't it?" mr. baek asked.

"there's none. i, uhm..." suddenly, i felt the need to explain the situation.

i long hesitated because i didn't want them getting the wrong idea that i'm betraying the family if ever they'd take it that way.

"well actually... working on this photoshoot outside the office was a little something chae hyungwon had personally tasked me." i started.

"it's for the night he came to my rescue when i almost got sexually assaulted by a drunk man.." i admitted.

i looked at the faces of mr. baek's family and they didn't seem to believe nor understand what was going on.

"he saved you?" mr. baek put his utensils down with a bitter face.

he intertwined his fingers together and now his full attention was on me.

"technically, i guess..." i slowly brought my head down.

"is there any reason for him to do so, baek ha rim? you sure you're not having any special connections with that chae hyungwon behind our back?" mr. baek asked.

i swallowed hard as i began to feel tension building up.

"why would you think i do?" i asked as i tightened the grip on my fork as i didn't like the feeling of being cornered or accused.

"because if there was none, then there would be no reason for someone like him to care enough and go out of his way just to save you."

"what? anyone would do that for anyone if they were in trouble. are you saying you'd rather have me be sexually assaulted that night than to be saved by a chae?"

"now you're defending him? do you really know which side you're on?"

"oh, i clearly know. i'm not on his side nor yours. this has always been my own fight for revenge anyway. what do you care about how i get myself associated to him?"

"watch your mouth! do you really think you would have that kind of plan if it weren't for me? if i didn't prepare you? no! you would be a weak orphan who couldn't do anything but to grieve over her parents' tragic loss. a mere weeping failure." mr. baek stood up his seat as he raised his voice at me.

my eyes simply widened hearing mr. baek's harsh words.

unknowingly, my lips started to tremble as i lost control over my emotions. before i could stop it, my eyes were now clouded with tears forming and dropping down my cheeks fast.

i was hurt. my heart was aching, my ears couldn't believe what they heard, and my eyes couldn't believe that it came from the person who i considered as a father figure.

the person who raised me was also the person who looked down on me like that.

"how dare you." i said, gritting my teeth in anger.

wonho and mrs. baek looked at the two of us seeming to have lost their appetite from our exchange.

"what i'm saying is, don't ever allow yourself to be vulnerable for that chae. resent and only resent him. never leave any other feelings to grow or take room in your heart." mr. baek continued.

"your plans are just taking too long for me. i want you to kill them and trample them down coldly and brutally while you can. don't make it so late for us to see victory."

i frowned and got out of my seat immediately. i was tired of hearing it all. my tears weren't stopping; they continuously flowed just like my pouring emotions.

××××××××××××××××××××××××

i hope you enjoyed this update! i went to the dentist to adjust my braces and they hurt like hell right now. i fell asleep because of the pain, but got back to working on this because i really wanted to update today!

hope you stay tuned for the next!

please leave me a vote or comment too huhu~

thank you guys! ily! ♡