Two Can Play That Game

So, I'm guessing you guys didn't really enjoy Manipulator, huh??! Hmmmm, ottoke??! I lost my Joongbo Mojo already...

Well, for this one, the optimists are prolly gonna hate me more!! Those who I talk to a lot will probably get a hint how this was created... Chege, GO LANG NG GO!!!

This is for you 'the Gwaps' aka HATER TO THE LEFT!! Your 'optimism' is inspiring and shrouding my already clouded brain, but I <3 you nonetheless..

Please leave comments--hate, love, whatever!!
~*~
Hwangbo lets the bitter liquid slide down her throat, feeling the heat it emulates on the long tunnel until it stings and burns her soul a bit. She somehow thought she needed it, for courage and the stomach to face him.

The rustling of the keys and squeaking of the door was her signal. It was time. He was home or at least that’s what it was for a couple of months or so. She stood up from the blood red couch and put the wine glass on top of the clear glass table.

She feels her spirit quiver in fear, but it was too late to turn back now.

Hyunjoong entered the door looking like a zombie—his hair disheveled, his face pale and there were dark circles under his eyes.

She walks over to him like a good wife does when her husband comes home from work and settles inside his embrace when he opened his arms to hug her.

Hwangbo feels the hairs on the back of her neck stand. It used to be an exciting new feeling when he hugged her like that, but now, all she felt was anger, spite, deep loathing. Her tears were about to slide down her cheeks, but she held her breath and held them in.

‘For the sake of my pride’, she thought.

She wiggled her way out of his embrace when she thought her lungs were about to give up, sputtering the first excuse she could think of.

“Have you eaten?”, she asked and turned towards the kitchen.

“I prepared dinner, but it has gone cold”, she continued, “Let me heat it up for you. Just rest there for awhile.”

The silence made it possible for her to relax, but when she realized he was watching her intently as she moved behind the counters, her muscles started to tense up a bit.

‘So, what did you do today?’, she wanted so badly to ask him in a tone full of sarcasm and mockery, but she did not, knowing his answer was going to be a candy-coated lie.

Hyunjoong cleared his throat and spoke first, “We were busy filming today..”

“Hyungjun came over at the location..”, you wince in pain when you heard him recite his lie.

“He was busy with his radio program and some shows in Japan and Taiwan..”, he continued

You did not want to hear anymore of his lie, but you stayed quiet and pretended to listen.

The truth was Hyungjun came over that afternoon to return several things he borrowed from Hyunjoong. He stayed for about an hour to chat and have tea with his favorite Noona. Hwangbo wanted him to stay for dinner, but he declined the offer saying he had to catch be at the radio station for some meeting. He even left a note on top of the stuff he returned, thanking his Hyung and apologizing for not returning it in person since they have not seen each other for a month or so.

The ting of the microwave stopped Hyunjoong from spouting more of his lies.

After spooning in more rice into his mouth, he began talking again, this time about Jaejoong.

“Jaejoong-ah, he invited me to drink with him earlier. I guess he’s having some relationship problems with the Japanese model he’s dating”, he said.

This time Hwangbo had to turn away. She could not believe how easy it was for him to say those lies to her face. She breathed in and out, trying hard to relax and not to lose grip.

“Sincha?”, she asked, “But I read somewhere that he was really happy with the model..”

Jaejoong was indeed really happy with his model friend, very happy that he called earlier that evening to tell his friend and announce that he was proposing to her and was flying off to Japan that evening. His voice message was still stored on their phone.

“He was just having some problems, that’s why he invited me for a couple of drinks..”, he added to his pile of lies.

Hwangbo stood up, enraged. But she knew better than to get mad. She had to get even.

After washing the dishes and putting everything away, she immediately took a quick bath and made a few phone calls.

It took an hour for Hyunjoong to finally notice that his wife had gone missing after clearing the table. She was no longer in the kitchen and was definitely done taking a shower.

He found her sitting in front of her vanity, applying some make-up. He watched her put on the reddest of lipstick, something he has never seen her wear before.

“Are you going out?”, he asked her.

She smiled and confidently answered, “Aniya!! How can a married woman go out and party at this time of the night? What will the people say?”

She adjusted the thin straps of her gray dress, “Can you zip me up?”

Although he did not like how short the dress was and how deep the neckline plunged, he helped her zip up anyway.

He watched her curiously as she wandered inside the adjacent bedroom looking for her pumps.

“The PD of Storm called me up, he said we have to film some scenes again for the episode and the Producer wanted some changes.”, she explained, surprised at how easily the lie slipped through her tongue.

Hwangbo kissed her husband on the cheek, doing that made her want to puke, but she had to get her act together.

“Don’t wait up for me. I might not be able to come home until tomorrow afternoon.”, she said before closing the door.

Hyunjoong stood by the large windows in the dark living room, wondering why a Rolls-Royce Phantom was parked on their driveway.

He saw a slim feminine figure approach the tall man clad in an expensive looking suite. The man took her hand and led her inside the luxury car.

He watched as the Phantom sped away, then it deemed upon him that it was his wife who rode inside the car with some man.

The silence was disturbed by the loud ringing of a cell phone. It was not his, but he picked it up anyway.

“Hyejung-ah, don’t do it.. Even if your husband is cheating on you, you do not have to stoop so low. Just don’t do it Hyejung-ah..”, the voice on the other line was about to say something else, but Hyunjoong ended the call.

His heart raced, his palms were sweaty. A bead of sweat trickled on his forehead, his guilt was sending shivers through his spine.

“She knows..”, he thought, his brain was panic-stricken, “My wife knows..”

His wife, Hwangbo, knows of his infidelity, and now, she was out to get her revenge.

He could not believe it. Hyunjoong looked around, he needed some sort of confirmation.

He noticed the flickering light of their home phone, he pushed the play button of the answering machine. In a matter of seconds, Jaejoong’s gruff voice filled the room.

Hyunjoong’s fear was realized.

On a stool beside the phone were piles of clothes, a note was placed on top. It was the note from Hyungjun.

That was it. A surge of guilt raced through his veins.

He closed his eyes, imagining the pain he could have caused his wife. All the struggle and trials they went through to fight for their relationship will go to waste. The silent declarations of love, their happy moments together, their plans of starting a family together, the dreams they dreamed together are all going down the drain, and it was all because of him, his lies, and his infidelity.

Hwangbo opened her eyes. The arms draped around her did not feel familiar, it was uncomfortable even. She looked at the other man’s jawline, his face, his brows—they were entirely different from the face she was used to.

For a moment, she realized what she was doing was wrong, that there was a better way to handle this. But the anger and deep loathing she felt for him was more powerful. The hate brewing up in the pit of her stomach was reaching the boiling point. To her, he was filthy and lesser than the pus that infects the mucus, that cruds up the fungus that feeds on the pond scum*.

The other man held her tightly. And, she knew she was no better than Hyunjoong for doing this. But she has gone too far, and she definitely can’t go back now.

She sighed. She was no longer mad at him, besides what good will hating do. It’s not the time to get mad, it’s time to get even**.
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* from My Best Friend's Wedding
**from First Wive's Club