Obsession (Chapter 12)

The Jealousy Unfolds... ^^^•••

Sunjae watches Annie and JK in the cabin, catching a glimpse of them sharing a kiss. Anger and jealousy flare up inside him, and he storms toward the cabin, his mind clouded with rage. Just as he’s about to open the door, Secretary Kim intervenes.

Secretary Kim: "Boss, please stop! This isn’t the right time."

Sunjae (angrily): "Don’t tell me what to do and when to do it!"

Secretary Kim: "Boss, if you act impulsively now, it’ll affect the company. Please, try to understand."

Sunjae (frustrated): "Fine!"

Fuming, Sunjae walks away, heading straight to his father’s office.

...

Sunjae: "Dad, I want us to terminate our partnership with JK immediately."

Boss: "What? Why would you want that?"

Sunjae: "Just end it. I don’t want him here anymore."

Boss: "Look, I don’t care what your reasons are. The company comes first. I won’t make any decisions that could harm it."

Sunjae (angrily): "But, Dad—"

Boss: "Enough! If it’s personal, keep your work and personal life separate."

Defeated, Sunjae leaves the office, his frustration boiling over. He feels hopeless and consumed by jealousy. The thought of Annie with JK drives him mad.

~~••••

Meanwhile, Tae sees Annie leaving JK’s cabin. The way they interact makes it clear something is going on between them. Tae feels a pang of sadness, his heart sinking.

Annie waits for the elevator, lost in thought, when Sunjae appears. Without a word, he grabs her hand and pulls her toward the stairwell, away from prying eyes.

Annie: "Boss? What are you doing? Let go of my hand!"

Sunjae doesn’t stop until they’re in the secluded stairwell. He pins her against the wall, slamming his fist beside her head. Startled, Annie flinches.

Sunjae (furious): "What’s going on between you and JK?"

Annie (confused): "What do you mean?"

Sunjae: "Don’t play dumb! I saw you with him in the cabin!"

Annie: "Boss, I don’t think that concerns you."

She tries to leave, but Sunjae grabs her arm, pulling her back.

Sunjae: "I’m not done talking! Tell me—how long has this been going on?"

Annie: (frustrated) "What’s going on between me and anyone is none of your business. You’re my boss, and I’m just an employee. So, stay in your limits and don’t cross the line."

Her words sting, but they only fuel Sunjae’s rage. He grabs her by the shoulders, pinning her against the wall again. His face inches closer to hers, his voice low and threatening.

Sunjae: "You think you can tell me what to do? Don’t provoke me, Annie, or I might cross all the lines right here, right now."

Annie: "Boss, let me go. You’re hurting me!"

Sunjae: "Hurting you? The real pain is seeing you with JK!"

Annie (challenging): "Oh, really? And why does it hurt you so much?"

Sunjae: "Because… because I like you!"

Annie: "Like me? And this is how you treat someone you like? By physically hurting them?"

Her words strike a chord. Sunjae steps back, releasing her.

Annie: "Stay away from me, Boss. It’ll be better for both of us."

Her gaze meets his for a moment before she walks away, leaving Sunjae standing there, broken and regretful.

~~••••

\---

Meanwhile... ^^^•••

Elsewhere in the office, Secretary Kim and Secretary Syo exchange subtle glances and smiles. Their playful flirting doesn’t go unnoticed.

Gossiping^^^•••

...

Parveen: "Wow, look at Secretary Kim and Secretary Syo. Something’s definitely going on there."

Nandani: "Really? How do you know?"

Meenu: "Just look at them! The way they’re smiling at each other says it all."

Nandani: "Ugh, everyone’s getting attention except us!"

Parveen: "Well, we’re not as cunning as Annie. She knows how to make guys chase her."

Meenu: "One day, someone will come for me too."

Nandani: "Yeah, in your dreams!"

Parveen: "Haha, exactly!"

Meenu pouts, crossing her arms as the others laugh.

~~••••

\---

Other\_Side~~~•••

Tae is at his desk, working, when his eyes fall on his laptop wallpaper—an image of JK. His emotions overwhelm him, and he feels a deep ache in his chest. Unable to concentrate, he gets up and heads to the terrace, seeking solitude.

Standing there, with the cool breeze brushing against his face, Tae recalls every moment he shared with JK.

Tae’s thoughts:

Tae: ''I don’t know how long I’ll keep feeling this pain. I can’t stay away from you, yet I can’t bring myself closer either. Sometimes, I think I should forget everything, but my heart refuses. How can I give up so easily? Why should I? But fate… what game is fate playing with me? It has placed me back at a starting point with no way forward."

~~~••••

\---

JK’s Cabin^^^•••

Inside JK’s cabin, Annie walks in with a file in her hands.

Annie: "JK, here’s the file for the project."

JK: (grabbing her hand) "Thanks."

Annie: (pulling her hand away) "What are you doing? Someone might see us!"

JK: "Let them see. Anyway, are you coming home with me tonight?"

Annie: "Tonight? We just spent time together yesterday."

JK: "So what? Don’t you want to come?"

Annie: "Fine, I’ll come."

JK: "Great. Finish your work, and then we’ll leave together."

Annie: "Okay."

Annie leaves the cabin, smiling softly as she returns to her seat.

From afar, Tae notices her leaving JK’s cabin. Her radiant smile stings him, filling him with jealousy and anger. Without thinking, he storms into JK’s cabin.

~~••••

\---

Tae enters the cabin and locks the door behind him.

JK: (surprised) "You? What are you doing here?"

Before JK can react, Tae strides toward him, grabs his face, and forcefully kisses him. Memories flood JK’s mind—nightmares from the past that send a sharp pain through his head. Tae continues to kiss him, holding him by the neck, desperate and unrelenting.

Snapping back to reality, JK pushes Tae away and stands up, his face etched with anger.

JK: "What the hell are you doing?"

Tae steps closer, his hands gripping JK’s collar, tears welling in his eyes.

Tae: (crying) "I can’t stay away from you, JK. What do I do? How much longer do I have to wait for you?"

JK: (trying to free himself) "You’re insane! How many times do I have to tell you to stop? Why don’t you understand?"

Tae: "Why won’t you give me a chance? You chose Annie so easily, but you won’t choose me? Can’t you see how much I love you?"

JK: "You and Annie can’t be compared. She’s a woman. You’re a man."

Tae: "Oh, really? So you’re only interested in Annie because she’s a woman? That’s pathetic."

JK: (angrily) "Enough! Get out, now!"

Tae’s emotions spiral out of control—anger, sadness, and desperation consuming him. He unbuttons his shirt and slides it off his shoulders, stepping closer to jk's lips. His hand rests on JK’s chest as he touch his chest & slowly grabs JK’s collar.

Tae: (intense, teary-eyed) "Look at me. What do you think? Am I not enough? What does Annie have that I don’t? Can she make you happier than I can… even in bed? Do you remember the nights we spent in China? Do you?"

JK’s anger explodes. He forcefully grabs Tae’s arms and shoves him away.

JK: "You’re crazy! Get out of here before I lose my temper completely."

Tae stares at him, tears streaming down his face, unable to move. JK grabs his arm, drags him to the door, and shoves him out.

~~~••••

\---

As Tae stumbles out of the cabin, he sees Annie standing nearby. She’s heard everything. Their eyes meet, but she doesn’t say a word. Tae walks away, broken, while Annie watches him leave, her heart heavy with sadness. A single tear escapes her eye.

Annie (whispering): "Just a little longer… please wait, just a little longer."

~~~•••

Other\_Side^^^^•••

In his cabin, Sunjae sits alone. He opens a drawer and takes out a small box. Inside is a single earring—Annie’s. He holds it in his hand, his mind wandering to the night they spent together at the club. The memory lingers, a bittersweet reminder of what he feels he’s losing..

~~•••

At Night:^^^•••

JK and Annie prepare to leave the office.

JK: "Annie, have you finished all your work?"

Annie: "Yes, it’s done."

JK: "Great! Let’s head home."

Annie: "Alright, let’s go."

JK pulls up his car, and Annie gets in. On the way, she notices they're taking a different route.

... ~~~

Annie: "This isn’t the way home. Where are we going?"

JK: "To a restaurant. Let’s have dinner first. Aren’t you hungry?"

Annie: "Actually, I am."

They stop at a cozy restaurant, have dinner, and then finally reach JK’s house.

In JK's Room^^^•••

JK: "I’ll take a shower. Make yourself comfortable."

Annie: "Okay, take your time."

While JK is in the shower, Annie curiously looks around his room. Her eyes fall on a box of medication. She quickly clicks a photo of the label and searches online. When she discovers the purpose of the medicine, her expression turns serious. She hides the medication before JK comes out in a towel.

JK: "What are you doing?"

Annie: (startled) "Oh, nothing! Just admiring this photo of you and your mom."

JK: (picks up the frame) "This… I miss her so much. I wish she were still here. Now, I only see her in my dreams."

Annie: "Dreams? You mean those nightmares you have?"

JK: "Yeah."

Annie: "Have you ever tried to learn more about them? Maybe there’s something in those dreams worth understanding."

JK: "I don’t know… What more is there to know? It’s always the same—mom, dad, their fights, and some blurry faces."

Annie: "Maybe digging deeper could bring clarity, something you never expected."

JK: "Hmm… Anyway, speaking of nightmares, I should take my meds before bed."

JK searches for the medication but can’t find it.

JK: "Where are they? Did Ajumma put them somewhere else?"

Annie: (holds his hand) "It’s late. Don’t disturb her. You’ll be fine without it tonight."

To distract him, Annie gently pulls JK closer and kisses him. He responds, their chemistry palpable.

Annie: "Now go get dressed, or you’ll catch a cold."

JK: (smirking) "Alright, alright."

Later, as they lie in bed, JK holds Annie’s hand and kisses her softly. As he moves to kiss her neck, Annie stops him.

Annie: "I’m really tired tonight. Can we just sleep?"

JK: "Okay, as you wish."

He switches off the light and hugs her as they drift off to sleep.

~~•••

Other\_Side At Tae’s House..•••

Meanwhile, Tae is in his room, staring at photos of JK. His heart feels heavy as tears roll down his cheeks. Suddenly, his mother enters the room.

Mom: "You’re still awake?"

Tae: (wiping his tears) "Yeah, I was just about to sleep."

His mother sits beside him, noticing his swollen eyes.

Mom: "Why are you crying? Who hurt my son?"

Tae: "Mom, it’s so hard. I can’t forget him."

Mom: "Is this about the person in these photos? Are you still holding onto hope?"

Tae: "You know how much I love JK. How can I forget him?"

Mom: (wiping his tears) "My son, you need to move on. Sometimes, what we desire most isn’t meant for us. If it’s written in your destiny, no one can take it away from you."

Tae: (sobbing) "I’ve lost both my love and my best friend."

Mom: "Be patient. If it’s truly meant to be, everything will fall into place someday."

Tae hugs his mom tightly, both of them overcome with emotion. She tucks him in, strokes his hair, and turns off the lights as he falls asleep.

.. ~~•••

\---

At Midnight.. ••••~~~~

Annie lies awake, watching JK sleep. Suddenly, JK begins to sweat and toss in his sleep, clearly trapped in another nightmare.

Annie: "JK, don’t wake up. Try to see it clearly. Focus on what’s happening."

JK’s eyes snap open, his face pale and drenched in sweat.

Annie: (handing him water) "Are you okay?"

JK: (drinking water) "Yeah, I’m fine now."

They both fall back asleep, but Annie’s mind is restless, pondering the secrets behind JK’s nightmares.