Author's Note: I had an interesting day today at work. The kids I work with were way to excited that I was there and they automatically asked if they could listen to KPOP. Of course I obliged. Any time I can listen to my music is a good day for me. It also helped me write this chapter. I didn't have access to a computer so it took longer to hand write than it usually does to type, but here it is.
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Onew lay in the bed with Storm running his fingers through her mass of curls. Essentially he had been ignoring his duties. Not that it mattered. Taemin was spending all his time with Ji Hoon.
Since that night two weeks ago, Storm hadn't said a word. In fact she had barely said more than two words since. She didn't answer questions at all, even with messages. If they wanted an elongated answer, they had to ask Jax. But the teacher was gone on vacation at the moment.
Storm sighed in her sleep and rolled over, pressing her forehead into his neck. Onew hated this. He wouldn't have an issue if Taemin had simply stood his ground like he promised. Onew had nevre known his friend to be wishy washy. He had always been very up front and honest about his feelings. Where had all that gone?
A series of high pitched dings pierced the silence. Onew reached for his phone and opened his message box. It was Jonghyun asking for a shift change to go to the doctor. The leader could be snarky and deny it, but it wasn't Jonghyun's fault all of this had happened. Unfortunately, the other three guys had been pulled into the middle of this feud.
Storm felt Onew shift and adjust her so he could get up. He had been staying with her for two weeks, ever since she had been caught at the studio with Taemin. He had arranged all the schedules so he could meet her at night and go home with her.
He had heard her speak, but hadn't asked her to do so since. He had been extremely patient and proactive. He made dinner every night and packed a lunch every day. He truly took care of her.
As she watched him move around the room, something tickled her emotions. This man was so kind and gentle. He took care of those important to him with such ease she wondered why no one had snatched him up. He was so easy going she wondered if he ever got angry.
Onew turned around after pulling on his shirt and stopped. Storm was watching him with the most open expression he had ever seen from her. Even though she rarely showed anything but gentleness and kindness, he had always known somewhere inside her she felt things deeply. She was an artist after all.
He drew her attention by walking over to the bed. She didn't shift to look up at im but did so when he kneeled down. He ran his hand over her hair as he watched the contentment settle over her face.
"I have to go. Jonghyun has a doctor's appointment he can't miss. I probably won't be back until late tonight. Are you going to the studio?" he asked. She nodded and he knew she would. She had a show to get ready for. ""All right. Text me if you want me to pick you up."
She nodded and he leaned down to kiss her forehead. He trailed his fingers across her face as he stood.
Storm listened to his retreating footsteps and waited until she heard the door close. She wanted to be lazy and take the day off, but in truth her show was two weeks away. She didn't have the luxury.
Rolling out of the bed, she deftly braided her hair and reached for a pair of blue jeans hanging on her desk chair. She knocked Onew's chain belt in the floor. Reaching to pick it up, she realized how much the man had taken over her life. Even Taemin hadn't left clothes scattered around her room.
She had been really surprised when Jax had allowed Onew to stay in the house while he was gone. Her brother was a stickler for propriety and usually balked at guys living with women. But he hadn't minded in this instance. It had almost bee like he had welcomed it.
She finished getting dressed and went to gather the canvas and paints she had taken from the studio. Storing it in the bag, she picked it up as well as her coat and headed to the door. She pulled on her coat as she slipped into her tennis shoes. Finally ready to go, she picked up her stuff and left the house.
Headphones in, she rode the elevator down in silence. The husky voice of B.A.P's Yong Guk sounded in her ears as the group talked about a warrior. It was at times like this she wished the songs talked about her. She wished she could be like this sometimes; strong and a fighter.
Stepping out of the elevator, she saw a commotion outside and the doorman trying to handle it. Not thinking anything of it, she walked outside.
Immediately she was swamped. Reporters and photographers and cameramen were in her face asking questions. They were pushing and shoving to get to her. They all wanted to know the same thing.
What was her relationship to Crown Prince Taemin?
They surged forward at the same time security descended on them. In the middle of it, one of the security guards took her by the arm and slung her out of the fray. By doing so, she hit the sidewalk and the bag and concrete caught her in the face.
"Miss Montgomery, are you all right?" the doorman asked as he helped her to her feet. He hissed as he saw her face. "Is there someone I should call?"
Storm was about to hand him her phone when someone started shoving everyone out of the way. Woo Bin made his way to her. He took one look and turned on the media.
"Get out of here before I slap a lawsuit on all of you," he ordered. He didn't budge until every last one of them was gone then he turned to them. "Sir, is there anything I should do?"
The doorman shook his head. "No. No damage was done to the building. But you should get Miss Montgomery's face checked out."
Woo Bin looked down at Storm as she sat on the sidewalk and opened her bag. Immediately she shoved it away, angry tears pooling in her eyes. Concerned he held out his hand. When she took it, he pulled her up and took the straps to the bag the doorman handed him.
Storm sat in the front seat of the car and watched as the traffic went by. She was upset and her face stung to the heavens. She didn't want to know who had done this even though she had an idea.
Woo Bin pulled up to the studio and let out a slight curse. He knew the car parked beside Yi Jeong's. he looked at Storm to judge her reaction. She didn't say anything as she opened the door.
Storm walked into the studio trying to ignore the pain in her hand and face. As soon as she pulled the door open, she regretted it. There were three people in the studio, and one she didn't want to see particularly.
"What the hell happened?" Yi Jeong asked as she walked by.
Taemin turned and dropped the brush in his hand. Storm's face was scratched and bruising with blood running towards her chin. He didn't know what to do. His brain short circuited and he didn't know what to do.
"Storm what happened?" the potter asked as he opened the first aid kit.
"She was attacked by the media," Woo Bin said. He set the bag on the table and opened it. "They destroyed this. No wonder she was mad."
Yi Jeong pulled out a Wet One and unwrapped it. He took her face gently. "Let me see." He turned it to clean the worst one on her temple. "Did they hit you?"
Storm shook her head as he dabbed at the wounds. She barely met Taemin's gaze before wincing at the sting of alcohol. She didn't want to point fingers at anyone even though she was fairly certain she knew who'd done this.
Taemin shouldn't have been shocked by her silence, but he was. She looked so small and lost by the blank expression in her eyes. He wanted to go to her desperately. He wanted to pull her into his arms and hug her until she talked again. But he knew she wasn't going to accept him, not after what he'd done two weeks ago.
Yi Jeong looked up sharply when Storm jerked her hand away. All he wanted to do was clean the scraps along her knuckles. She refused to look at him as she held it securely at her side. He looked over her head at Woo Bin. She was injured more than she was letting on.
So instead he got up to check on the piece of destroyed work. When he pulled the canvas out, he nearly let out a sob. The village piece she had worked so hard on was in shambles. There was no saving it. They were going to have to rearrange the entire show. That meant more work for both of them.
He looked back at Storm. She was looking at nothing in particular. Just for a moment he wished she would speak to them, tell them how she felt instead of stewing in silence.
"Noona," Taemin tried. She didn't look at him but he had her attention by the ways she turned her head. "You should get your hand checked out. It could be broken."
She shook her head and got up to go into the furnace room. Knowing if she shut the door she wouldn't come out, Taemin got up and grabbed her hand. She let out a cry of pain and he looked down.
He could see the bruising under her caramel skin. There were skid marks on her wrist where she had fallen on the concrete. But he could feel one of her bones shift as he moved his fingers across her skin.
She tugged on her hand, begging him to let go. He ached watching the desperate look in her eyes. Slowly he dropped his hand and watched as she retreated from him.
Just as Woo Bin crossed the room to Storm, Ji Hoon came through the door. She took one look around the room before cold rage settled over her. She stormed across the small space until she was almost face to face with the other woman. Woo Bin turned until his six foot frame was between them.
"I told you to stay away from him," she scolded in her haughtiest voice. "Did you think I wouldn't know when you came to see him?"
"She didn't come here to see me, Ji Hoon," Taemin said. "She's here to work."
"Why are you hiding? You had so much to say when I caught you whoring around with him. Where did that spirit go?"
Woo Bin caught her arm as she tried to go around him. "You better stop running that ugly mouth of yours before I sue your entire family for everything they're worth."
Ji Hoon scowled up at him, an impressive feat since Woo Bin was so much taller than her. "Who the hell are you?"
"They're F4's Song Woo Bin and So Yi Jeong," Ji Hoo said from behind her. Taemin turned to see Jun Pyo flanking him. "It won't just be Woo Bin you have to worry about. Last time I checked the majority of your father's stock is owned by Shinhwa Group. Meet the CEO."
Jun Pyo left his spot by Ji Hoo and crossed the room. Woo Bin stepped aside and the CEO took the woman's damaged hand. She didn't pull away from him, but she did flinch and refused to look at him. He looked down and instantly felt sorry because of the one look on her face.
"Are you okay?" he asked. She didn't answer him, which was enough. He scratched his head with his friend hand. "Taemin, get her out of here."
The prince didn't argue as he took Ji Hoon's hand and started for the door. Key fell into step with him, bypassing him not too long after. Taemin glanced back as he passed the door before leaving.
Storm pulled her hand from Jun Pyo's and sat down hard in the floor. Warmth from the furnace seeped into her back but didn't ease her shaking. She heard Woo Bin explaining what had happened, but didn't hear all the details, nor did she want to.
She looked up to see Ji Hoo sit in front of her, his knees gently bumping into hers. He gently took her hand and turned it from side to side. Then he pressed into it with his fingers. She bit back a gasp as he pressed into her index finger then rolled his thumb from side to side. He looked up then reached for his bag. Slowly he started wrapping her hand.
"You have a hairline fraction," he said. "You might not be able to grip the tube for a while. Do you have all of your glass finished?" She nodded and pulled her hand back into her lap. "How much do you have left to do?"
"We have to come up with a whole new center piece. The press effectively destroyed this one," Yi Jeong said tossing the broken pieces back on the table. "We're trying to give people an adequate description of her hometown, but now I don't know what we can do."
"You can make it about the things she feels."
"That's been done before. Storm's best feature is the glass blowing."
Ji Hoo sighed. "I don't know what else to tell you. You're the artist. You know how to work that angle." He turned back to Storm. "Do you want me to take you home?"
She shook her head and stood up. The four men watched her walk between her works. Yi Jeong knew what she was going to do before she did it. He didn't make it to her in time before she swiped her good hand across the colored glass. They crashed to the floor and splintered into a thousand pieces each. Yi Jeong had to duck as she chucked a vase across the room with blinding speed. Even Woo Bin had a hard time getting out of the way before it shattered by his head.
Without warning, Storm grabbed her coat and started for the door. Woo Bin tried to grab her but she shoved him away from her. He stared at her as she looked at him with teary eyes. Immediately she turned around and headed out the door.