Chapter 26 - The Video

Inwardly, Mirae snickered at the scene. After how her time with Ash was cut short, it was satisfying to see KJ's predicament.

KJ finally managed to push Psycho away. His usually cold face was flustered by the assault and he backed far away from Psycho. It was a good thing his face was still covered with a mask and Psycho could not kiss his actual lips. It still felt like harassment.

"Oppa..." Psycho blushed. "I have waited for this moment for a long time."

"Who the hell are you calling an oppa?" KJ spluttered. "You're a guy!"

"All handsome men are my oppa!" Psycho announced.

Uh oh, Mirae thought. She made a mental note to keep Ash away from Psycho.

"Anyways, Psycho!" the CEO stepped in between KJ and him, taking off her sunglasses. "We need the evidence against Madam Hong. Do you have it?"

"I'll give it on one condition," Psycho demanded. "I want to go on a date with KJ oppa!"

He looked hopefully at KJ, who cowered away in fear.

"No!" KJ protested.

"Give us a minute," the CEO excused herself, tugging KJ with her. "We need to discuss this through."

She motioned Heroine to stay and led KJ into a broom closet, away from Psycho. Once inside the broom closet, she gruffly held his collar and pushed him to the wall.

It was a very small broom cupboard space. KJ and the CEO were standing uncomfortably close. She was standing so close to his, that he could see her eyelashes. Her green eyes pored into his brown ones. If she felt any discomfort to be in close proximity with KJ, she showed none of it. On the contrary, she was resolute.

"Listen here, punk," she gritted her teeth. "Whatever is happening, is your fault. You pushed your best friend back into that hellhole and you must bring him out of there, unscathed."

"I am working on that!" KJ exclaimed. "Nothing will happen to Ash!"

"Well, I don't trust you!" the CEO shot back. "Madam Hong isn't as stupid as you think. She's ruthless! She won't hesitate to kill him if she finds out the truth!"

"We'll subdue her before she can get the chance to," KJ said in a calm tone. "Just listen to me."

He slowly explained the details of his secret plan. As she heard his plan, her frown deepened. She let go of his collar.

"It's a good plan...but..." she hesitated. So much of it depended on chance and luck. "It all depends on luck. We'll need a back up. We need that evidence Psycho has against her. If your one fails, at least we will still have the upper hand."

KJ nodded. She was right. They will need extremely good luck on their side for his plan. But if combined with the CEO's plan to plant the evidence, they will have a chance to corner Madam Hong. Only problem was...

"I am not going on a date with him," KJ said. He was traumatized by the sudden kiss. He was not prejudiced against Psycho, but he was not a fan of assaults like that.

The CEO, despite her initial amusement, read his underlying discomfort. "I know," she said. "But it's the only way. Why don't you suggest a lunch date at some fancy restaurant? Also, lay some boundaries. Just...just hang in there."

She tried to console him. For once, they were not fighting but were in agreement on an issue.

KJ sighed. "Fine," he agreed. "But I have a condition too."

"Which is?"

"I am curious about one thing," KJ started. "Why are you so concerned about Ash? What is going on between you two?"

"Nothing," the CEO lied. "We barely know each other."

"Please don't insult my intelligence," KJ snapped. "In all the years I've known him, he never got drunk even after drinking two bottles and you're telling me that he got so drunk after one tiny glass of alcohol that he left his car at my building?"

Judging by the flash of fear which passed in her eyes, KJ knew he hit the mark. The CEO's eyes were very expressive. Just like his wife Mirae's...

Realization dawned on him.

"It was you, wasn't it?" KJ asked her. "You were the one who bought Ash in that auction. That's why you were so flustered when I proposed that Ash would seduce Madam Hong..."

The CEO did not reply but instead kept on looking straight into his eyes.

"Protect him," she said. Her voice had a hint of plea in it. With the last words, she exited the closet.

KJ stood there, stumped by the realization. He pieced all the dots together. The subtle changes in Ash and the CEO's reaction from that day. also, if Ash's car was at his building last night, then that means he...

A strange feeling crept up inside KJ's heart. If the CEO really was Mirae, then that means, she and Ash were...together?

The very thought made KJ feel as if his heart was ripped out of his chest. Was it love for the relationship he wiped out from existence or the lingering feelings for Mirae, which propped up in his years of loneliness, he could not tell.

But the thought of Mirae being with another man was eating him alive. It was difficult to determine if Mirae and the CEO were the same person. He must find out.

Composing himself, KJ emerged out of the closet. He went back to the VIP room where everyone was waiting for him.

"I'll go on a lunch date with you," he announced to Psycho. "But there are some ground rules. One, you will not sexually assault me like that, ever again. Two, no pictures. Three, this will be a one time lunch date and don't even ask for anything like this again."

"One lunch is fine, oppa!" Psycho piped up, his eyes giving off a lovey dovey vibe. The CEO and Heroine gave KJ 'all-the-best-handling-him' looks. Even Jade managed to give him a sympathetic look.

"But we want to see the evidence first," KJ said.

"What's the guarantee that you'll keep your promise after you've seen it?" Psycho pouted.

"KJ never backs off his promises," KJ reminded him. "All my true fans know this."

Psycho looked at him in awe. He had been a fan of KJ for years and he knew, his idol would never back out of his word.

"Fine," Psycho conceded. "Wait here. You guys are so gonna be psyched upon seeing what I have against Madam Hong!"

He gleefully strode out of the room only to return after a few minutes with an USB stick and a laptop in his hands. He sat at one of the tables in the room while the others curiously gathered around him, watching the screen. Jade jumped on to Heroine's arms, to take a closer look at what everyone was watching.

"Behold, the sight," Psycho smiled.

"What is it?" the CEO asked curiously. But her question was answered by the video which started to play on the screen.

Everyone quietened down when they saw the content on screen. Beneath her mask, Mirae's mouth fell open. Beside her, she felt Heroine getting disturbed by the video and even KJ could not manage to keep a straight face. They did not even notice that Jade's face was also flushed red.

"Turn it off! Turn it off!" the Heroine exclaimed, closing her eyes. "My eyes! MY EYES!"

The CEO shut the lid of the laptop.

"You had this all this time?" she turned on Psycho. "And all this happened here? HERE?"

"Yep," Psycho said cheerfully. "Right here, in this very room."

Hearing his words, the nauseous feeling in KJ's stomach increased.

"If any of you touched anything in this room, then please stay away from me," he said, feeling sick. "For the rest of my life."

"Who else knows about this?" the CEO asked in a disgusted tone.

"No one else," Psycho answered. "Apart from us."

"Now," he turned to KJ. "Please do not forget our date tomorrow. I will hand over this video to you, afterwards."

"Deal," KJ said. "We'll go on our...date tomorrow during lunchtime. After the date is over, you'll hand over this video to me."

Psycho jumped in excitement. "This is so exciting!" he said, clapping his hands. "Oppa and I are going on a date!"

The CEO shook her head in despair. She felt sorry for KJ, who maintained a stoic expression on his face.

"Just keep your promise," she warned Psycho in a stern tone. "Otherwise, I'll destroy you."

Psycho knew the last words were not a threat; it was a promise. He knew better than to anger the CEO of Abyss.

"Yes, yes," he rolled his eyes.

"Let's go," she ordered her team. "It's getting late. We should get going."

KJ and Heroine followed her out, with Jade in the latter's arms. Psycho bid them farewell.

"CEO, is it alright if I stay over at your place tonight?" the Heroine asked. "I don't think I'll be able to sleep after seeing that abomination."

"Tag along," the CEO said as she got into the driver's seat.

"Here's your cat," Heroine handed over Jade to KJ. They got into the car.

No one spoke a word throughout the ride, each lost in their own thoughts. KJ glanced at the girl driving the car. Was she really Mirae? How will he handle her relationship with another man?

Soon they reached their apartment building. The CEO and Heroine wished him good night at their doorstep and headed in. KJ and Jade entered their home.

"My virgin eyes will never recover again," Jade shuddered as soon as the door was closed. "I don't think I can sleep for nights after watching that!"

He turned around to see KJ was frozen in his place, not listening to what Jade was saying.

"Earth to KJ!" he called out. "Why are you so lost in your thoughts?"

KJ stooped down and looked at him. "The CEO of Abyss and Ash are in a relationship," he revealed.