Ryeo Tan looked uncomfortably at his feet while Pauline crossed her arms, glaring at him. They were alone at the hallway and Pauline confronted him.
"Why were you there?" she asked him with a suspicious eyes.
He sighed harshly, annoyed. "I told you that thrice already, Pauline. I was buying groceries."
"But you didn't bring any when I saw you that day," she insisted.
Ryeo Tan rolled his eyes. "It's because I already put it on the compartment. Come on, Pauline. Why do you make a fuss about it? Did something happen that day?"
"I..." her voice trailed off, unable to say anymore. She didn't know how to explain any further because Ryeo Tan might get the idea about the letter. She wouldn't want him to know how crazy she was about the person behind the letters of Mr. Grim.
Ryeo Tan was thoughtful at the moment while staring at her with furrowed eyes but then, his expression changed to mischief and he grinned at her.
"W-what?"
"Did your admirer give you his letter?" he asked teasingly.
Her face flushed in embarrassment. "N-no!"
He stepped closer to her. "And you thought that it was me who's giving you letters. Am I right?"
Her eyes widened as he took another step towards her and she backed away. The looked he was giving her made her gulped and wanted to run away from him. His eyes were so serious and full of unknown emotion that she couldn't comprehend.
What the hell.
"Ryeo Tan, what are you doing?"
But Ryeo Tan wasn't listening. He continued walking towards her until he cornered her in the wall. He was towering over her and his face was close to hers that she could feel his breath on her face.
She looked up to him, breathless. "Ryeo Tan..."
His eyes darkened as he stared at her deeply. Her stomach churned in horror when his eyes landed on her lips and slowly tilt his face as if to kiss her.
Pauline tightly closed her eyes and pressed her lips in a thin line. And out of too much emotion, she smacked his head hard.
"Ouch!" Ryeo Tan cried out and stared at her in disbelief.
She glared at him. "That wasn't funny."
He just pouted. "I was just teasing you."
Her eyes flickered in irritation and was about to hit him again but he backed away from her, laughing.
"Your face was priceless, by the way. I wished I had my camera to capture that and be able to upload it on the internet," he said, laughing.
Pauline just gave him a warning look. She was about to walk away from him when he called her again.
"What?"
Ryeo Tan looked at her directly. "Well, I did give you the letter."
Pauline parted her lips, unable to say anything. Her heart began to thumper in the mix of disbelief and horror. How...
"But I wasn't the one who wrote it. I just found it in my doorstep and followed the instructions," he explained.
Pauline was listening to him but the look on her face didn't falter.
"Believe me, Pauline. If ever I had feelings for you, I would confess to you right away without any embellishments."
She sighed and shook her head to clear her head. "I'm sorry. I just... it's just so crazy. I-I thought it was you so I confronted you about it."
Ryeo Tan smiled at her. "Maybe that person has a reason why he doesn't reveal himself to you."
Pauline shrugged. "Whatever the reason is, I don't care."
He winced. "You don't care enough to smack me in the head, hard."
She snickered. "You started it."
Both of them walked together and stopped when Shin Woo hastily walked towards them with a delight on his face.
Ryeo Tan asked him. "Where are you going?"
Shin Woo pulled them together and dragged them with him. "My boys are back."
Pauline nodded in realization. ASUS would be at home at LV Entertainment any minute by now to meet them.
When they reached at the lobby, staff had huddled together with ASUS members, cheering for their successful tour at the US. Shin Woo clapped his hands together to get their attention and everybody backed away to make way for them.
Shin Woo spread his arms as if to hug them. "My boys, come here to Papa."
Pauline and Ryeo Tan looked at him in disgust.
The ASUS members reluctantly walked towards Shin Woo and hugged him in return. Pauline almost snickered at the sight of them. It was very comical when she saw the look of the members. Their faces contorted more like an awkward and disgust while Shin Woo showed glee on his face like Christmas lights on a giant tree.
Shin Woo looked back at them. "Won't you hug them?"
Both Ryeo Tan and Pauline grimaced and all the staff around them roared in laughter.
Shin Woo frowned as he looked at her weirdly. Pauline gulped. "What?"
His eyes shifted on her neck. "Did you just wear a necklace, Pauline?"
Everybody looked at her and Pauline covered her necklace protectively, her face flushed. "Why? There's nothing wrong with it, isn't it?"
"You said to yourself that you hated wearing something on your neck. You didn't even wear my birthday present to you because you hated it."
Ryeo Tan's eyes glinted mischievously. "Oh. That necklace must be very special to you that you dangled it around your neck."
"I just bought it in the jewelry store. Stop making a fuss about it," Pauline reasoned and walked away from them, leaving them dumbfounded.
As she rounded at the corner, someone called her from behind and saw her secretary ran after her.
"I think you dropped this, Miss Pauline."
She frowned. "I didn't bring any things when I got to the lobby, Min Ji."
"But it has your name on it."
Pauline's eyes widened as realization hit her. She grabbed the paper from Min Ji's hand and hastily opened it and read.
Dear Miss Pauline,
I'm so pleased to see my necklace around your neck. It really suits you, my cherie.
That necklace signifies my feelings for you.
And that is my heart, my love. I'm giving you my heart and it's up to you whether to keep it or destroy it.
You own my heart and always will. No one can ever replace you.
And, my cherie.
I can't wait to finally reveal myself to you.
Be ready.
Loving,
Mr. Grim
Pauline leaned in on the wall, unable to breathe.
******