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Naseol.My heart drops into my stomach.

“I don’t know if I should go. I—I wasn’t invited.” It’s a lie. I was invited, by the other guest of honor. But I can’t show up to Nathaniel’s event with adate.

“It’s fine,” Donghyun says, driving up to the curb. As he reaches for the door handle, I grab his arm.

“Can we not tell people that we’re, you know...?”

He looks down at my hand, then up at my face. “That we’re on a date?”

“Yes,” I say, slightly out of breath.

“Of course. We’ll tell people that we’re friends, not that we came together. It’ll be our secret.” He presses his hand to mine, squeezes, then lets go. I feel nauseous.

Outside, the photographers perk up at our entrance. I try to cover my face with my purse, but a few of them recognize me. “Min Sori, look this way! Sori-yah, are you here to support Nathaniel? Sori, are the rumors of a real-life MinLee couple true?” I’m reminded of two nights ago, the reporters crowding around me, yelling for me. I stumble on the steps leading up to the building.

Donghyun catches my arm before I can fall, leading me through the doors and into the foyer. I’m breathing heavily, sweat on my brow.

“Sori-ssi?” Donghyun says, concern in his voice. “What’s wrong?”

“Donghyun-ah?”

Both of us look up.

Naseol stands in the foyer, having apparently come out from the main event hall, where through the large flung-open doors a stage and screen are in view, along with banquet tables.

She’s not alone.

“Sori,” Nathaniel says. His eyes move slowly from me to Donghyun, who’s still gripping my arm.

“Jihyuk-ah,” Naseol says, “this is Cha Donghyun, my CEO’s nephew.”

“Sori,” Nathaniel says again, his brow furrowed. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. There were just a lot of cameras...” I trail off, meeting Nathaniel’s eyes. He isn’t even trying to hide his feelings, radiating concern, confusion.

I flush.

When I turn to Donghyun, I find his gaze trained on Nathaniel, a deep frown on his face.

“Sori and I were on a date,” Donghyun says. I gape at him. Iexpressly told himnotto say this. “But I wanted to come congratulate you, Nuna.” Though his words are meant for Naseol, his gaze never leaves Nathaniel.

Silence descends upon the hall. I can’tdenywhat he’s said. We are—were—on a date.And I haven’t gotten my father’s shares of Joah, the whole reason why I’d gone on it in the first place, which I can’t, of course,say.

“You missed the event, Donghyun-ah,” Naseol chides, oblivious to the tension. “But we were just on our way to a restaurant. You’re welcome to join us. You and your girlfriend.” She laughs.

I feel light-headed.

The sounds of voices come from the main event hall as more guests exit into the foyer. I recognize some of them: Sun, Jaewoo, Youngmin, Hyemi, a few KS artists. Lee Byeol from the radio show. They haven’t seen us yet. The thought of them seeing me with Donghyun fills me with dread. How will I explain him? Sun will know what I’m doing. With one look at Donghyun, he’ll know that I’m using him forsomething, even if he won’t know quite what that is. What if he mentions him to my mother? She’d never allow me to make a deal with my father. But if I don’t, she’ll lose the company.

“Donghyun-ssi,” I say, turning to him, almost pleading, “I’ll meet you outside. I need to use the restroom.”

His eyes widen, alerted to my panic. “Of course.”

I rush across the foyer into a secluded hallway. Finding the door to the bathroom, I push it open. Luckily, it’s empty, with only a few stalls.

Nathaniel catches the door as it closes behind me, following me inside.

“What are you doing?” I hiss. “What if someone saw you?”