24K Magic for a Perfect Illusion

Ch 7: Showin' Up

Ves left the villa before sunrise, he left the apology note to his stepfather for making his mother cry last night along with the words ‘take care of my mother on my behalf’.

He may not be able to bid farewell properly to his mother and last night may be the last time he can be with the first woman whom he loves the most, as tomorrow is full of uncertainties.

Whether he could make it out alive after three years, and he can go back to his ordinary life, he doesn’t know, all he knows, he has to cut off ties with the people that matters to him.

It’s better to distance himself to everyone that can be used as his weakness as the life he’s about to start will put people’s lives into danger and he won’t risk it, not a chance.

Hestia woke up in Ves arms, she should kick him out of the bed but recently she’s not that reluctant anymore when they’re too intimate to each other.

They’ve been friends for over 11 years and they grew up familiar to each other that they aren’t uncomfortable seeing one’s flaws and imperfections, thus she can tell when there’s something going on with Ves that he couldn’t express to her in words.

She knew that Ves lied to her on the night of his supposed to be birthday party, Lesley told her that Ves knew about the event so the fact that he still left knowing how much she prepared for his party, she’s upset at him for wasting all her efforts.

He even had the audacity to lie and put the blame on her, but she knows there’s something wrong about him that he can’t tell to her.

“Are you falling in love with me now?” Ves uttered before he opened his eyes.

Ves felt the woman in his arms woke up and staring at him for a long time but he didn’t want to end their intimate moment yet.

“I’m actually thinking if I should kick you in between your legs or punch your face.” Hestia responded coldly at him.

“Aren’t you too violent first thing in the morning?” Ves covered his precious part between his legs with his both hands.

“So, you prefer to be punch on the face.” Hestia snickered.

“Do you have the heart to hurt your best friend’s handsome face?”

“Why not if he’s being a p*****t first thing in the morning?”

“What did I do?” Ves feigned innocence.

“Ves.” Hestia cupped his face with both hands. “What’s going on?”

“Alright, I admit I kinda feel horny but I didn’t do anything else aside from hugging you.” Ves replied half-jokingly.

“That’s not what I meant. I know you, there’s something bothering you. Tell me, what is it?” Hestia staring straight at Ves eyes for her not to miss any emotions his gaze has.

“Nothing, just had an argument with Mom last night but it’s fine now. I already solved the problem.” Ves tried to look straight in Hestia’s eyes for her not to get suspicious anymore.

“Does it have something to do with your disappearance last Sunday night in the bar?” Hestia probed. “I knew you were trouble when you came late in the research facility.”

“Yes.” Ves nodded his head slightly.

Hestia pursed her lips and asked again, “Is it too personal in your family that you can’t tell me?”

“Yes.” Ves nodded again.

“Then I won’t ask you again about it, me too got family affairs that I can’t tell to you so it’s fair enough for us to have some privacy.”

“Mmm. Sorry.” Ves apologized sincerely.

“You don’t have to apologized; I understand.” Hestia embraced Ves in her arms, resting his head on her chest. “Whatever it is, I’m here for you, you’re not alone.”

Ves usually don’t cry but at that moment tears kept on falling from his blurry eyes, the fact that he’ll be cutting off his ties with Hestia, it’s killing him inside.

It hurts more than he got his parents divorced as he already knew then that their love won’t end well, if there really is love between his parents or just for the sake of their personal benefits.

The first thing that Ves promised to Hestia is he won’t leave her and they’re always be together but he has to break that promise.

Ves rather be alone than put the lives of her loved ones at risk, specially Hestia, it’s a given that joining a gang means danger.

If he really could get out with the means of money then there’s no point for those people on the dark side to monitor him for years, they’re clearly after him and the boss set his eyes on him.

Ves expected to be taken that night, thus he went out from the mansion with his suitcase to the hotel where the two brought him in a week before, but no one showed up until morning.

With the thought that the boss changed his mind and took his mother life instead, Ves rushed to the hotel to confirm his mother’s safety and he sighed in relief when he found out that the troublesome woman is still alive and kicking.

However, another realization dawned on him, they might think that he won’t come along and being monitored for years they know what his weakness is, HER.

It was late afternoon when Ves arrived at the research facility, he urged the taxi driver to get to his destination as soon as possible in exchanged for tripling the fare he needed to pay.

Fortunately, he has all his stuffs on him thus the security on the gate let him passed after he showed his identification card.

Originally, he’ll just go AWOL from work but since he’s already in the facility might as well bid farewell to HR after he confirm Hestia’s safety.

When Ves entered the laboratory where she and Hestia supposed to be working with an experiment, he saw the two people he never wants to be seen with the woman he loves.

“Hes!” Ves called out Hestia immediately and pulled her away from the two as he glared at them.

“What’s the matter?” Hestia asked in confusion, she never seen Ves being hostile to anyone before.

“Are you alright?” Ves put Hestia behind him as he asked her over his shoulder. “What are you two doing here?” he questioned.

“Ves are you out of your mind?!” Hestia pulled Ves’ sleeve. “Why are you being rude to Dr. Hernandez and Dr. Germanotta??!” she stood in front of Ves and apologized to the two American doctors with her head slightly bowed. “I apologized for his behavior; he must’ve woken up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.”

“Haha, no worries, I actually find him adorable.” Dr. Germanotta said coquettishly as she gave Ves a once-over.

“You’re late.” Dr. Hernandez glanced at Ves ID. “Ves Taz, shouldn’t you be here with Hestia since nine in the morning, how come the psychologist let his psychometrician do all the work by herself?”

Ves looked at the two coldly while thinking if he should get along with their façade, but he needs to compromise as Hestia is in the same room with them and who knows what crazy things the two might do if he exposed their identities. “I’m sorry, I won’t be late next time.”

“I heard you were also late on your first day here, are you really taking your job seriously, Mr. Taz?” Dr. Hernandez probed.

“I do, Dr. Hernandez, it’s just that I keep on meeting people that has showin’ up unexpectedly.” Ves snapped at him.

“Alright, boys, that’s enough of the chit-chat we got work to do here, the report won’t write itself.” Dr. Germanotta put a halt on the standoff as she tapped Dr. Hernandez shoulder before she took a glance on her wrist watch. “Oh, it’s lunchbreak, why don’t we all go for a meal before we continue? What do you think, Hestia?” she used her trump card wisely.

“Of course, we can’t work well with an empty stomach.” Hestia nudged Ves abdomen. “You’re famished, right?”

“Mmm.” Ves hummed in response. “Since I’m late, lunch is on me.”

“Ooh, didn’t know that Ves is a generous guy.” Dr. Germanotta snickered. “Sure, I won’t say no to free meal.” she clung her arm to Hestia and said, “Let’s go, we need to freshen up first before going out, us ladies should pay more attention to our appearance.”

“A-Alright.” Hestia answered timidly, though she’s not used to being touch by anyone, she can’t refute her senior’s approach.

‘We’re both ladies anyway.’ Hestia thought as she looked at Ves over her shoulder while being dragged away by her senior.

When the room’s door closed and the ladies are out of sight, Ves didn’t have to hold back anymore. “I’m coming with you two, you don’t have to involve her. I waited for you two on the hotel …”

“We know.” Peter cut him off. “You initiated to surrender; thus, the boss gave you until the end of the month to spend time with the woman you love. We won’t harm her, we only come here to play until the day we take you with us.” he tapped Ves chest as the latter is taller than him by six inches. “Relax, just play along.”

“How can I relax if you’re pressuring me like this?” Ves followed Peter outside the room. “You’re too close for me to chill out.”

“Nah, you’ll get used to it, we’ll be on a team eventually.” Peter said nonchalantly as he took off his white coat. “You need a lot of physical training by the way, you’re too skinny. You have to gain some muscles, man.”

“Are you a physical fitness trainer, now?” Ves scoffed at him.

“I can be … but I have to charge you for a fee.” Peter joked.

Pestering Ves in the workplace wasn’t enough, Stefani got her way to make Hestia make her and Peter stay at the mansion for their accommodation, with her sad story that is convincing enough for Hestia to sympathize.

Ves had to lie again why he snuck out in the middle of the night as Hestia won’t forgive him unless he gave a reasonable explanation.

The four actually got along for two days and nights, but on the third day, the show is over and they have to end the play.

“I’m sorry sweetheart, you’re good but we’re looking for the best, and Ves is the only one who meets our standards.” Stefani making up another story as to why Ves is recruited by their organization.

“It’s alright, I understand.” Hestia smiled faintly.

What Hestia knows is that Dr. Hernandez and Dr. Germanotta are from an organization run by the US government, and they come to the research facility to recruit people according to their standards, the rest of the information are highly classified.

Ves is no doubt well-versed in his field, but aside from passing the standards of who knows what and how, Hestia couldn’t figure it out why would the US government take a Korean man to serve them, is America lacking of people?

At the Nevaeh mansion …

“Hey, I’ve called the office in Seoul, they’ll be sending Dr. Anna Ji and Ruby Lee to continue our assignment here.” Ves cooed Hestia.

“Perfect, they’ll be sending the two people who hates me the most because I keep on hanging out with the man of their dreams.”

“You’ll be fine, I know you’re not a pushover. You can’t be bullied easily.” Ves patted Hestia’s head gently. “It’s just a three-year contract, we’ll be colleagues again after a few years.”

“Make it five years, in case you forgot, you’ll need to serve the Korean military when you turn 28 and that’s after three years.”

“Oh sh*t!” Ves cussed when he realized Hestia’s point. “Should I change my citizenship before I turn 28? I think US will grant me that benefit since I’ll be working for them.”

“So, you’re considering to be Americanized?” Hestia probed.

“If that’s what it takes to lessen the years that I’ll be away from you, why not?” Ves stated truthfully. “I want to get back on your side as soon as possible.”

“Geez. If it’s for me, don’t do it. I can wait for you to come back.”

“It’s me who can’t wait that long to be with you again.” Ves stared at Hestia’s side profile. “I don’t even want to leave you at all.”

“They say that I’m the one who’s clingy to you but if people hear you right now, they might think that you’ve fallen in love with me.”

“What if I really am in love with you?” Ves didn’t know where his courage come from to confess his feelings suddenly but he couldn’t take back his words now.

Hestia looked at Ves in puzzlement, she doesn’t know if he’s just pulling a prank on her as he’s a big jokester and prankster, but she’s moved with his words whether he mean it or not.

They’ve been friends for over a decade, she’s his best friend while he’s her only friend after Kim Sunggyu migrated to America.

Despite knowing each other that long, Hestia still can’t tell if Ves is serious or not as the latter can pull a joke with a straight face.

“If you’re afraid that I’ll replace you with someone else after you leave then you don’t need to worry. You don’t have to pretend that you love me just to secure your position in my life, you’re my best friend and it won’t change no matter how long we’re separated from each other … but don’t take too long, alright?”

“Haha. You just said that you’ll wait for me to come back.” Ves knows that it isn’t the right time for him to tell his feelings, it’s better to change the subject and forget about confessing.

“Yes, but I won’t wait forever. Hmm … it sounds like I’m promising myself to wait for my soldier husband to come back after the war.” Hestia shivered with her creative imagination. “But come to think of it, I do admire those women who remain faithful to their men after a long time without seeing each other.”

“Can you be one of them too?” Ves asked expectantly.

“If I really love my husband that much then maybe I can be loyal to him for the rest of my life.” Hestia answered truthfully,

“Then it all depends on how much you love someone that you’re willing to be devoted to him?” Ves probed.

“Why would I waste my time and effort to somebody who doesn’t affect my life at all?” Hestia get back at him.

“Yeah right, that’s the very reason you don’t have any friends aside from me and that rich guy who manage the hotel.” Ves scoffed. “You never initiate to reach out to others.”

Hestia pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes at Ves. “How come our conversation get down to this?”

“Haha, I don’t have any idea, we’ll just talk whatever comes into our minds.” Ves shrugged. “Anyway, it’s getting late, I have a flight to catch tomorrow morning and you need to get to work.”

“I think I’ll be quitting after a few days or weeks. I used my connection to work as your assistant and now you’re leaving me, how can I last long without you?” Hestia pouted as she makes herself more aggrieve because of his sudden departure.

“You’ll get by, I believe in you.” Ves stood up from the sofa. “You’re not just a pretty face and the granddaughter of a legendary businessman, you are you.”

“That’s why I’m going to miss you so much.” Hestia looking up at Ves who’s towering his height at her while she stays seated. “No one will cheer me up when I’m feeling down.”

“Hey, you’re making me feel guilty as if I’m abandoning you. You’re also making it sound that you’ll be alone when I’m gone though you have a happy big family at home.” Ves sighed helplessly.

“Still, they aren’t you.” Hestia wiped her tears before they fall from her pooling eyes. “It’s unfair, you shouldn’t accept their offer when they refused me to go with you.”

Ves shook his head as he crouched down and gestured to Hestia to get on his back. “So, when you congratulated me earlier, you weren’t sincere?”

“I am sincere!” Hestia got on his back and let Ves carried her. “It’s just that I’m upset with myself because I can’t be on the same level as you. You’re the best and I’m just good enough.”