Work Text:
Rachel was sitting at the library trying to study when her phone beeped, "7pm don't be late." Her mother has just sent her a message. She suddenly felt annoyance and irritation even though her day was going by just fine. She wanted to call her mom and to tell her just to back off from her life. After turning the age of 20, she felt like she was able to have a say in her life and to do what she wanted to do. Growing up rich and living in luxury wasn't everything and Rachel often wished she just lived a normal life.
Her thumbs were a blur over the screen as she quickly replied to her mom. "I have an exam tomorrow so I won't be able to make it. Tell them I'm sorry." She tried to make it sound as direct but polite as possible. She put her phone down; hoping to ignore what was going to happen later on with her declining the offer and just wanting to concentrate on her studies.
Her phone beeped again and she couldn't help but roll her eyes. She looked at the name on the screen and her mouth turned into a small smile. "What's cooking good looking?" She couldn't help but laugh a little bit before replying, "I'm studying...What are you up to?" She set her phone down again, hoping that he wouldn't reply right way to give her a little bit of time to study before he distracts her again. Rachel swore that she just set her phone down just for a second before she hears it beeping again. "He must be doing nothing," she thinks to herself. He was answering her way too quickly.
"I miss you and I'm bored. Can you not study and come hang out with me?" Rachel read that line over and over again. How she wishes she could just drop everything and be with him. She had to refrain herself from going over to his hotel room to study there because in the end, she would always be distracted by him. "No, you're so distracting. It's my last exam too. Are you not doing anything? Why are you answering me so quickly?" His reply came quickly again. "Please? I haven't seen you in 3 days! You should know that your boyfriend misses his smart girlfriend who doesn't need to study."
Rachel just stares at her phone. He was being whiny again. There was only a few times he was like this and there must be good reason behind Young Do's whininess. Either his mom was nagging him to go back to school or he was getting sick. Rachel was thinking of what to say until her phone starts ringing and she sees his picture pop up on the screen
"Hello?" She whispers. She was in the library for goodness sake. She did not want people giving her the looks that she normally gives. "Rachel-" His voice cuts of short as she cuts in. "Young Do, it's my last exam. Just one more day." She tried to make herself sound polite as possible but just the thought of her mom setting her up with another guy tonight is enough to set the irritated tone in her voice.
"What are you doing after studying? You can't be studying all day. If you are, I'm coming to get you." Rachel wants him to come get her so badly, especially after her mom's text message. To get him just to take her somewhere far on his bike or go back to his hotel and just watch movies all night. She wanted to say yes so bad but for some reason, she just stayed quiet.
"Your mom set you up with a guy again didn't she?" His voice was quiet and she knew he was getting upset. He was beginning to read her better each and every day. Rachel can't blame him though. They've been secretly dating behind her mom's back for the past year and a half. She knows that her mom is upset just because of what happened with his dad but Young Do and his dad are not the same person. Whenever she mentions Young Do, her mom dismisses the topic and either stops talking to her or changes the topic. Rachel felt that it wasn't fair for her mom to think of Young Do that way. She wanted her to give him a chance.
"Yea," she said quietly. Waiting for his response and answer. It was a long pause until she hears him sigh over the phone. "When Rachel, when? It sucks having to see you go out on a blind date with a guy every week and me having to pretend like that is perfectly normal. Some guy is talking and having dinner with my girlfriend while her real boyfriend is sitting at home waiting for her until she's done." Rachel rubs her eyes and her temples, feeling a really bad headache coming up.
"What can I do Young Do-ah? She won't even let me see you. All this time when I am at your hotel or with you, she thinks I'm either at the library or with Bo Na. How am I supposed to tell her?" Rachel can feel her throat tighten and she can already tell that her day is ruined. Ruined by her mother and because she can sense that they are going to be arguing again. She wanted Young Do to understand but would he now? He has been dealing with this for a while and it's only until a certain amount of time until he cracks. Rachel hates it when Young Do cracks. It takes weeks or even up to a month for him to calm down.
Rachel remembered the last time it happened. It was a fight. They argued about her mom, her studies, his life and what he wanted to do. They didn't talk for month. Rachel heard from Myung Soo that Young Do went clubbing a few nights after and she even received drunken calls and texts from him. She was then relieved knowing that he was smart with his actions and didn't end up in different girls' beds or vice versa. She was grateful for Myung Soo because he watched over him and took care of him. What frustrates Rachel is that Young Do is not like that at all. She knows that he is smart and has big dreams but because of what happened with his parents and the whole situation with his dad, he just felt indifferent to the company and to the hotel.
"It's your life Rachel. If you want this to stop then tell your mom tonight." His tone was strict, like he was ordering his workers around. The call ended short as he hung up on her. She sighs and put her phone down. She leaned down and rested her head on the table. "Crap," she thought as she sat up with her eyes wide. "I hope he doesn't do anything stupid or crazy."
It's Young Do though. It's in his blood to do something crazy.
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"Rachel, this is Jae Min. He's working with his father at their company." Rachel smiles at him and reaches out her hand to shake his hand. Jae Min looks like he is seventeen. Rachel hope that her mom wasn't crazy enough to set her, a twenty year old lady up with a seventeen year old boy. She was glad that she was able to hold in her emotions and feelings better now than what it was two years ago.
"Hi, nice to meet you." Rachel turned to shake his father's hands before sitting down. She tired to make her face seem like she was enjoying the conversation and the mood at the table. "Oh my gosh, my mom is crazy. He's a kid. He's a boy!" What was her mom thinking this time. Did Rachel look like she was desperate? Was she holding a sign that only her mom can see saying, "Hi I'm desperate?" She would politely smile whenever they would talk to her and she also try to answer with one word answers polity whenever they asked her something. She kept looking down at her food when she felt like things were getting awkward.
While she was daydreaming and thinking of just how dumb this whole thing is, she felt someone staring her down. "No, he can't." She thought again. "He's crazy. Everyone is crazy today. Is it a full moon tonight?" She tried to be discrete to turn to see if he was behind her. To her dismay, he was standing there. In a full suit and his hair was up.
Her eyes were wide as she stares at him. Her mom didn't notice since she was too busy talking with that older guy but Jae Min seems to notice. "Hey isn't that Choi Young Do?" he asked pointing behind them. Rachel looked down and grabbed the arms of her chair. A tornado was going to rip through this restaurant tonight and she doesn't know if she'll be able to survive it.
"What is he doing here?" Rachel turns to her mom to see her looking at Rachel like what the heck is going on. Rachel looks at her and says the first thing that came to her mind, "Choi Young Do? Oh I guess he has an event here too! What a coincidence!" Rachel smiles and goes back to eating. Her smile disappears and she is silently praying that he will not come over here and make a scene.
That was all cut short when she felt him stand behind her. "Rachel. What are you doing? Why aren't you introducing me?" Rachel didn't have to look to know that he is putting on his innocence face to the viewers. Rachel was silently praying that all this was a nightmare and she will wake up laughing at this all later. Rachel looks over to her mom to see that her face was not happy. "Choi Young Do. I am going to kill you." Rachel thinks as she is looking at her mom and back at him. "Uh, this is Choi Young Do and he is my friend who happens to have an event here tonight as well." She turns to look at him straight in the eye. "You're late for your event right? Why don't you go since they're all waiting for you."
Rachel silently cringes when she sees Young Do's innocent face turn into one of his sardonic expressions. "Friend? What friend? Am I a friend that Rachel spends all her time with? Am I a friend that she kisses goodnight on the cheek and tells me how much she misses me?" He puts his hand to his mouth and makes an "O" shape with this mouth. "Oh so I'm that friend that holds her hand when we're sitting on the couch watching movies or when we're walking around Seoul." He then put his hand down and looks at Rachel straight in the eyes. "I am just a friend that will wrap my arms around her the end of the day to let her know how much I care about her."
Rachel can feel her blood boil. He has crossed the line. Not just crossed it. He has crossed it so far that she does not know how he's going to get back. Rachel sees her mom look at her. Her mom's face says it all. She's dead meat. She's going to get security to follow her wherever she goes to make sure she's not with him. Rachel wants to cry, she wants to laugh like a crazy lady that seemed to have lost her mind. She wants to kick Young Do so hard and slap him until his cheeks are red. She wants to run out of that restaurant and never come back.
Before she can think, she pushed her chair back, politely excusing herself and went to go grab Young Do's hand to drag him out of the restaurant. "He's dead meat! Dead!" Rachel thought as she was pulling him out. Young Do was reluctant to follow but he followed along to see what she was going to say. They stop in front of an alleyway and Rachel let go of his hand. Before she could say anything, Young Do dragged her into the alleyway and crushed his lips down on hers.
Her eyes widened at first but she knows that she misses him too. Rachel kisses him back for a little bit until she pushes him way because she is angry with him. It was dark so she can't tell what his expression is saying exactly. "You're crazy," Rachel hisses. "Crazy! Do You want to die or something? My mom will get security to follow me now! You're the craziest freak I know and I am wondering what is going through your mind for you to be able to do something like that!" She is angry and she knows that Young Do knows as well.
It got quiet for a moment. Neither of them saying anything and Rachel was getting frustrated at this point. "You have to control your emotions and feelings a little bit Young Do. I know that when you liked Eun Sang, you couldn't help it but it's been two years and I would really appreciate it if you can just calm down and think before you act!" By now, Rachel has pushed Young Do away from her. She still can't tell what he was thinking but she knew that he was reacting to this.
Rachel didn't even know if it was ok for her to bring up his old feelings for Eun Sang. She just wanted to say what was on her heart and mind for the longest time. Yes they were all friends with each other but when it comes to Young Do and Rachel, they never brought up the feelings Rachel had for Tan or what Young Do had for Eun Sang. It was the past the left it behind but tonight, Rachel had brought it up again.
Young Do grabs her arm and pushes her against the wall. "Why are you bringing Eun Sang up?" By this time, she knew he was angry too. "I don't give a damn about Eun Sang or what I had for her ok? You're my girl and I have the right to be jealous." She felt his grip tighten on her. After a few seconds, Young Do let go of her. He let out a frustrated sigh and pushes his hair back. Rachel was looking down at the ground. Young Do has never been that forceful with her before and because of that, she knows that he is not happy at all with what just happened. Rachel blamed herself for bringing up Eun Sang but she couldn't help it.
Maybe it is the full moon that's out tonight or maybe she was getting her period but what came out of her mouth next surprised both of them. "Maybe we should take a break." Her eyes were on the ground the entire time. She was still angry. Very angry but he is equally angry too. He has the right to be though. She brought up Eun Sang and now she wants to break up with him.
"What?" He asks quietly. His voice hinting that she just cut open his heart even more. Rachel eyes were on the ground. She felt tears brimming at the corner of her eyes. Whenever they fought, she would never even think of breaking up with him but right now, this was what she was feeling. Maybe it was because her mom will be stricter with her. Maybe someone will hurt Young Do. The thought of someone hurting him because of her scares her and she thinks that maybe if they break up, it would be better.
"No, we're not breaking up. We've fought before, even worse than this." Young Do says with his eyes looking straight down at her. Rachel voice was shaky, "It's for the better don't you think? If we're not together, my mom won't be after us. They will be following me Young-Do ah. They will hurt you or even worse, they could lock me in my room and I won't be able to see you for days, weeks or even months." Rachel knows she's over reacting but this is the reality she wants Young Do to picture as well.
Rachel thinks she's going crazy. She knows that she will regret this later but right now, she feels that this is right. This is the only way to do this to prevent her mom from going psycho on her. Young Do kept quiet. He feels his throat tighten and for the first time in a long time, he wants to scream and throw punches against the wall.
"Rachel! We are not breaking up! You're crazy! Why would you think that? If the thought of your mom locking you inside your house to prevent you from seeing me is what's scaring you, then I will be at your house everyday, finding my way through them to get to you. They'd be damn if they think I will stay away from you." Young Do leans in closer while she moves back.
She can't look at him right now. She just asked for a break up and now he's leaning in closer. She needed room to breathe. She needed to think. Her last exam was tomorrow and after that, they could talk if her mom will even let her even see him. Before she knew it, Young Do scooped her up in his arms. He leaned his forehead against her and she relaxed a little bit around him.
"Look at me," he says. "Look at me and tell me that we're not breaking up. We can work through this Rachel. I know your mom doesn't like me because of my dad but we have to prove and show it to her that I'm not like him. I know that I have hurt you and made you cry before but you know me better than anyone else." His hands were around her waist and his head was in her hair. He kissed her lightly on her head and this was his way of saying sorry. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for making a scene and embarrassing you at the restaurant. You know I can't control my actions sometimes when it comes to you. You know that." He reaches down and lifts her chin so she can look at him in the eye. "Forgive me ok?" He leans down and places a soft kiss on her nose.
Rachel squirms a bit. "Stop kissing my nose, I think it's gross." Young Do grins and pulls her close to him. "Why? Your nose is so cute." He laughs a little bit more when he hears her squeal and squirm again. "Seriously stop, I'm still mad at you." Rachel was surprised how much of an affect he has on her. The way he's so gentle with her even though she knows that he's upset still.
He hugs a little bit longer and whispers, "I know, I'm sorry." After a couple of minutes, he let her go and reaches down to grab her hand. "So I should take you home? Your exam is tomorrow and even though I know you're going to pass, you should get some rest." Rachel was quiet but she walks him and then links their fingers together. They are reaching near his car until she stops in her steps and looks up at him. He looks curious and raises his eyebrows, "What?" he asks.
Rachel gave her cheeky grin and says, "Actually let's go to your hotel. We have some catching up to do." She looks at him straight in the eyes, waiting to see his reaction. He looks surprised before smirking at her, "Ah, I see. Ok, after you my lady." He opens the passenger door and guides her in. As soon as she sat down, he leans down and gives her a quick kiss on her lips. "I can't wait," he smirks at her and quickly goes to his side to speed back to his hotel.