Roommate?

Everest brows furrow, looking flabbergasted, "SSHHH!!!" he hurriedly places a hand to cover Belen's mouth turning to the sound of the thumps on the door. Everest sighs, removing his hand from her mouth while getting a towel to cover the bottom of the door.

He whispers angrily, gritting his teeth, "they can hear everything!"

Belen, on the other hand, is appalled at the fact that someone put their hand on her lips, and the more she thinks about it, the more disgusted she feels realizing that it was Everests hand.

Once he turned, Belen is standing at the corner of the room, he cocks his head, confused, "What's the matter?"

"your hand… it's dirty," she says innocently.

He can't help but sarcastically laugh, "wow, do you think I'm that unclean?"

She innocently nods, offending Everest, "oh! Forget it!"

Belen walks near to sit on the corner of the bed, "so what do you say? Will you move in with me?"

Everest is sitting on the floor looking up at her in disbelief, "you were serious?" he pauses with a smirk, "Your charity is considerate, but I don't need it."

She scoffs, "if I were in the mood for charity, then I would've gone someplace where I'd be treated better."

"Wait a second," Everest humorously looks at her, "are you saying that I'm treating you like trash?"

Belen gives him a look with just her eyes saying, "yes."

He suddenly stands, "Belen, you are serious," speechless to say, "someone like you wouldn't know anything about bullying."

She asks, "are you saying I've been bullying you?"

"Well, you tell me? You want everyone to do as YOU like, you get angry if something is moved or placed differently, and…you're always so mad."

Belen lightly chuckles, "I do? Hmm," she grins, "I think you have it wrong. If I were a bully, then I would've done even worse things."

"ha, I seriously don't doubt that!" he says, bitterly walking to the window.

Her faces soften, "getting bullied is different. It makes you think you're better off dead than alive," she says, gently spacing out into nothing.

Everest's heart skips a beat, that's exactly how he felt, but he wondered. How does she know? He asks to feed his curiosity, "were you bullied?" he raises an eyebrow.

She lightly raises the corner of her lip, "ever since I was in middle school…"

"Ever since? Then what about now?"

She looks at him with weak, shaky eyes, "tell me, Everest, since you've started working for me, have you seen me with any friends?"

He pauses for a moment, "I don't think so?"

She nods, "exactly, see Everest as you get older, it gets complicated making friends, with work and life's ups and downs. It's not easy trusting just anyone, but I decided to trust you. That is why I hired to train you, but…"

He finishes her sentence, "but I got you into this mess," he slouches, feeling dispirited, blaming himself, when Belen comments, "It's not your fault."

His eyes look at her with hope yet amazed, "w-what, did you?"

She unknowingly smiles, "you were set up. Leena showed me the evidence before it got released to the press. It seems your so-called friend also set you up."

His jaw drops from shock, "set up?! Hold on! Are you sure? Which friend? Who?" he shakes Belen by the shoulders.

She winces at his strength. Seeing this makes him snap out of his disbelief when he takes three steps back, "can you tell me what happened?"

"The friend you met at the club near Hermosa Beach was the one who set everything. He was the one who hired that prostitute to seem as if you two slept with each other."

"And?" he asks, swallowing his saliva out of nervousness.

"turns out, you never slept with her, or anyone in fact. But they were charged for drugging you."

He gasps, clenching his fist, "that fucking bastard!" he mumbles underneath his breath.

Belen comments, "I came here on Leena's request, but in reality, I came here to see how you were doing," she says boldly, flustering Everest to blush.

Was she always this blunt? He thinks to himself while turning away from Belen's gaze to hide his flushed expression.

"I was set up by a 'friend' as well, but as a woman, it's worse," she says sadly looking at the floor, "anyways, I kind of figured you'd be like this, except back then I had no one check up on me…"

Everest mocks, "not even Noah?"

She senses his sarcastic tone, "seriously," she sighs, "what is it with you and Noah?" she looks at him, confused.

Everest locks his arms proudly, "nothing, it's just, he pisses me off!"

She laughs, "you two just can't stand each other, huh?"

"At least he finally stopped hiding that fact from you."

"Noah was never hiding it from the beginning, but I chose not to pay attention because it's between you two, not me."

"he's argh! He's just so damn perfect! How can you stand such a guy?"

"He's my best friend," Belen says warmly, "it wasn't easy for him either. He went through prejudice back in South Korea. When I found him, he had just lost his job, but when I brought him back here with me. I saw his true potential. I was envious of his natural talents since I was still adjusting to everything. But I admired his work ethic. I can honestly say I wouldn't be where I am now with A Star if it weren't for Noah," she smiles.

Everest's anger subsides, "speaking of Noah," he cautiously peaks out the window curtains, "where is he? what's taking him so damn long?"

They suddenly hear a loud knock on the door, frightening both of them to jump when someone says in a muffled voice, "Madam! Belen! It's Noah! We have security. It's safe to come out!"

At that moment, Belen softly glances at Everest, but he merely looks away, bothered that his time with her is up. She feels sorry for him when rising from the corner of the bed. She looks back at Everest and breaths in before opening the door.

Once the door opened, Noah quickly pulled her hand when Everest looks over at the bed, noticing she's forgotten her coat and runs after her, but just then, he gets bombarded by paparazzi.

He starts panicking as his pupils start shaking, his hands that are holding on tightly to the coat shivering. He does not know where to look and can't make out where Belen went since the flash in his face blurs his vision.

Belen is gently pulled by the wrist when she looks back, noticing that the reporters are not following her until her eyes widen in shock to see Everest surrounded by the paparazzi.

She stops, making Noah turn to look at her but trails her gaze behind security to see Everest struggling with the reporters when he clicks his tongue annoyingly, "that idiot!"

He notices Belen trying to loosen his grip on her wrist, but he tightens it by pulling her harder, "come on, Belen! We don't have time! Let's go!"

But as she's pulled away, she can't take her eyes off Everest, as her heart weakens, remembering, "he hates it…"

Noah turns around, "what?"

In that instant, Belen aggressively pulls away from his grip, running in the direction of Everest. Noah couldn't help but shout, "BELEN!!"

At that moment, the paparazzi turn their attention, making a path for her leading up to Everest. When he anxiously turns to see her, like a light of hope finally making it way back into his life, a calm smile forms on his face. When Belen grabs his trembling cold hands while panting, ignoring the many crowded reporters and flashing cameras.

She quickly thinks of a solution and pulls the coat from Everest's tight grasp flinging it to cover his face. As she did this, she uses the corners of the coat, pulling it down to her petite size, whispering, "don't be scared, I'm here…" as she said this, Everest's eyes widen when Belen holds onto his hand firmly while pulling him away.

Luckily Noah and security escort them out into a black van. The farther they drove away from the cameras and reporters, the quieter it got. Noah is sitting in the passenger seat while glancing back at the sight of Belen comforting Everest.

This sight only angers him, thinking, "why did you bring him Belen? what are planning to do? Why him! Dammit! Why!" he quietly becomes frustrated.

Meanwhile, Belen finally calms Everest when he innocently pokes his head out of the coat, still shivering a bit from shock, but she taps his hands, "they're gone, don't worry."

Everest snaps back to reality when he notices the gates to Belen's estate open. He wonders, "what am I doing here?"

They all get off the car when Belen sighs in relief, "Thanks, Noah."

He fakes a smile, "no problem, but what are you going to do with him? Why did you bring him along?"

They both turn to Everest, causing him to flinch at their stares. Belen smirks, "Oh! He's going to live with me," she says casually.

They both exclaim, "WHAT?!" in disbelief.

Belen argues, "why do you look so surprised? I told you back in the motel, remember?" she turns to Everest.

Noah bites his lower lip, "just how long were they in that motel?"

Everest claims, "I never agreed in the first place!"

Belen teases him, "Then why did you follow me?" she tilts her head with a grin.

He looks away, unable to admit the reason when Noah annoyingly interferes, "see Belen. This isn't a great idea! I can drive him back home."

Belen annoyingly reveals, "he has no home to go back to."

Noah is stunned, speechless, "y-you can't be serious" he tries to laugh, thinking it's a joke. But none of them are laughing, except him.

Belen is tired of standing when she grabs Everest's wrist, "goodnight Noah" she says, pulling Everest near the entrance gate to her house.

Noah immediately grabs Everest's free wrist, making him turn back in surprise but at the same time in disgust.

Belen feels a light pull, making her look back to see Noah holding on tightly to Everest's wrist, "Belen! Let's talk this out! You can't have him live here with you!"

She angrily retaliates, pulling Everest to her side, "and why not?!"

Noah pulls him to his side, "because he's a man! You don't know anything about him! He could harm you!"

She pulls him again with great force, sinking her nails into Everest's skin, "you don't trust me!?"

Noah grunts pulling him away from Belen, "I trust you, but I don't trust him! It's dangerous!"

Everest feels like a plushy toy seeing the two of them fighting over who gets to keep him. His patience is slowly running out between the two, continuously him pulling back and forth.

"He's going to live with me!" Belen argues. Noah argues back, "He can stay at another motel!"

"NO! It's safer if he stays with me!"

Noah makes a final offer knowing he'll regret it later on, "THEN HE CAN STAY WITH ME!!" he sneers, pulling Everest to his side.

Everest finally snaps, pulling away from both of their grips when he shouts, "ENOUGH! Stop it! Don't I have a right to say where I want to go?"

Belen confidently asks, "fine, then choose. Do you want to live with Noah or me?"

Just as Noah was about to speak, she silences him with a cold glare, almost growling.

Everest only sighs when he answers, "I'll just stay with Noah."

Noah somehow cheers but is quickly stunned when Belen smirks at them, "you won this time, Noah, goodnight," she yawns, happily walking away into her house, leaving the two in silence, "d-did I just get?"

Everest comments, "played!" he laughs.

Noah looks at him coldly, "…tricked" he sighs disappointedly at the turn of events while rubbing his forehead, "what did I get myself into?"

He notices Everest gone when he turns sideways, seeing him from a distance shouting, "this is the direction of your house, right?"

Noah only rolls his eyes internally, sighing, "shit!"

***

After a good warm shower, Belen throws herself onto the bed, "glad that's over with," she turns over, "I hope I can fall asleep now," she shuts her eyes while wrapping her arm around a pillow, "things are about to get interesting, with him around," she softly smiles.

***

Meanwhile, it hasn't been a full hour since Everest moved in with Noah. He decided to give Everest a mini-tour of his house, or at least the places he's allowed to enter.

During the tour, Everest can't help but feel amazed by the grand house, though it's not a two-story mansion like Belen's. Nonetheless, it's still large and beautiful.

They stop outside a specific room when Noah's tone shifts, "don't enter this room, never, not even once if you do. I'll know," he threatens Everest with a mad look.

Everest gets chills down his spine, "O-okay," he stutters.

Noah reveals a fake smile, "great, then let me show you to the room you'll be using." He walks across into another section of the house when Everest looks back at the forbidden room, wondering, "what's in there?"

Finally, they stop near a room. Noah explains, "it's a little messy, but that'll be where you can stay for the meantime."

Everest is awed by the large room, internally gasping, "Woah!" he utters.

Noah is somewhat delighted to hear he likes it, "then I'll be turning in for the night. You already know where the kitchen is in case you want to drink water. And if you need anything just knock on my door, it'd be better you bother me than Belen" he walks away yawning.

Everest waits until he is gone. When shutting the door, he looks around the room, opening the empty closets and laying on the bumpy twin bed, "hmm, it's not bad but too small, and it stinks," he sniffs himself, shocked to realize it's him who stinks.

"I should take a shower, wait! Where did he say his room was?" he struggles to remember when standing outside his room, "this way?" he wanders off.

Noah just finished taking a shower and casually walks into his room with only a towel wrapped around his waist and over his head.

"I'm so tired," he says, exhaustedly sitting on the corner of his bed, drying his hair roughly with the towel. "damn it! Everest, why was Belen with him? What were they doing?" his imagination begins to run wild. He quickly shakes his head like a wet dog, "no, nope! I don't want to see that…"

He overhears footsteps. Just as he rose from the bed, the towel on his waist comes off when he notices Everest staring at him. He freezes paralyzed for a few seconds.

Everest immediately runs away, embarrassed, but Noah froze in shock for a few seconds until coming back to his sense, feeling a cold breeze in his reproductive area. He quickly looks down, frightened to see his towel unfastened. He hurriedly picks up the towel while covering his private, stomping out to the window.

Noah furiously yells at the top of his lungs, "EVEREST!!!"

Like cat and mouse, Noah quickly changed into some pants chasing Everest around the house, "where are you?!" he says in a deep voice.

Though as he got closer, Everest gulped his saliva, hoping not to be found, "you don't think I'm shocked too?" he squints, "it was a nightmare to see!"

Noah's demonic voice resounds near Everest, making him sweat until he comes out into the light, "h-hey d-dude!" he says awkwardly, avoiding his gaze from going to Noah's crotch.

Noah stomps his way to him with baring red eyes full of wrath, "YOU!!"

Everest awkwardly laughs, moving back into the corner of the wall. He trembles, "I didn't mean to look! I got lost!" he admits.

Noah leans against the wall coming closer to his face with disgust, "Don't give me that bull! What were you doing outside my window?! How did you get lost when I gave you a tour of the house!"

Everest turns away from his eyes, "I'm not that great with directions, hehe. Sorry!" he bumps his forehead against Noah's, making them both groan.

Noah tries to calm his composure when rubbing his forehead, "where were you trying to go? How did you get lost?"

Everest answers, groaning because the hit on his forehead hurt him more, "I was looking for the bathroom!"

"HUH?!" Noah asks, unable to believe him.

"I'm serious! I was trying to look for your room to ask if you can let me borrow a towel to shower!" he rubs his forehead, "ow."

After hearing his confession, Noah decides to believe him, "shit, how did I get stuck with you?" he says unpleasantly.

Everest argues back, "you think I wanted to live with you? I'd rather be homeless than live under the same roof as you!"

"then leave! I'm not going to stop you!"

"I have no problem staying with Belen," Everest secretly threatens.

Noah gives in, "…just stay. I'll get you a towel," he says reluctantly, not having much of a choice since he does not want Everest to move in with Belen. He must sacrifice his home in return.

"Come to my room," Noah says, turning his back to him.

Everest suspiciously stops, narrowing his eyes, "why?"

Noah recognizes his expression when he embarrassingly shouts, "TO GET YOUR DAMN TOWEL, YOU IDIOT! Get your head out of the damn gutter!"

As he turned, Everest got so irritated that he kept mocking Noah by cringing his face and mimicking him with a high-pitch voice.

***

The next morning, Belen invited both Noah and Everest to her house for breakfast, which Noah is cooking, but she told him to bring Everest along, bothering Noah.

While Noah is cooking, Belen can't help but notice the two's indifferent, uncomfortably attitude towards one another. But she is in a pleasant mood because of the great sleep she finally managed to get, "so how did your first night sleeping at Noah's turn out Everest?"

Everest glances at Noah cooking when he says, "not that great. There was a misunderstanding."

"Oh?" Belen asks, intrigued, "what kind?"

Noah interrupts them when placing a plate beside Belen and for himself, "breakfast is done!" he says, trying to mask his tone behind his irritated smile.

Everest stares at their plates. When Belen asks, "what about his plate?" she points.

Noah coldly smiles at him, "I believe he can get his plate on his own."

Everest clicks his tongue, "okay, I don't have a problem getting my own plate, psh!"

Noah rushes to stop him from grabbing the plates on the cabinet, "not there! Get one from the rack!" he says, irritated.

Everest snatches the plate from his hand, "got it! you could've just said that from the beginning."

"Well then, next time, ask!" Noah snatches it back from him, "now that you know, get it yourself."

Tension is in the air as opposite electricity sparks between the two when Everest violently grabs Noah's wrist, preventing him from putting the plate back.

His brows furrow, "don't touch me!" Noah slaps his hand away from his grip.

Everest manages to snatch back the plate giving Noah a little grin annoying him. Once they sat down, Noah sat right beside Belen, leaving Everest alone on the other side of the table.

At this point, Everest is merely observing their morning when he notices Noah serving Belen like a waiter. He realizes that she doesn't try to help or bother to stop him. It freaks Everest out because even he feels uncomfortable seeing them happily chat without caring for his presence.

He finally tries the food, impressed by both taste and smell, when Belen says, "I'll trust the inspections to you for today, Noah."

"You're not coming to A Star?" he asks, bewildered.

"I'm going to run some errands with Everest," she smiles at him, making Noah feel jealous.

Everest answers in a mouthful, "errands? With me?"

"Once I finish my errands, I'll come back to A Star, hmm, no later than 12."

Noah slumps, "I see," he says in a low tone, "then I better get going, take care," he says, moving the plates and pans to the sink, except Everest's.

Just as he was about to walk out of her house, he worriedly says, "call me if anything happens!"

As the door to her house shut, Everest got up to wash his plate when Belen sighs, "my my, looks like you know how to wash dishes," she teases.

He chuckles, "it's the least I can do," He utters underneath his breath, "knowing him, I doubt he'd wash my plate."

Belen rises from her seat into a stretch, "Arrrr, mmmm," making weird sounds when Everest looks back, "are you okay?"

Belen laughs, "I'm just tired" she relaxes her posture as she sat back down.

"So, where are we going?"

"buy some furniture."

"Ooh! You're changing your furniture?" he asks, perplexed.

"No."

"Then?" he asks, drying the dishes.

"For you," she says casually scrolling through her contacts, "hello? Yes, this is she, oh perfect! Yes, uh-huh, yes, I should be there in maybe an hour? Yes, I'll be making a big purchase, okay bye-bye~" she hangs up.

Everest leans against the kitchen counter, confused by her phone call, "who was that?"

She walks out, "you're finished? Great, let's go!" she leads him to the garage where her many cars are.

Everest freezes upon seeing this many cars in her garage when he says aloud, "what the fuck?!" his voice echoes.

Belen, on the other hand, is trying to decide which car to take when finally she picks out a flashy red Ferrari. As she opened the door, she whistles to get Everest's attention, "get in!"

Everest cannot believe she has such beautiful expensive cars that not even he can afford, let alone his father. It goes to show just how rich and wealthy Belen was, and it shocked Everest to the bone. All he can say was, "Woah! Wow! Woah!"

Belen annoyingly puts on her shades, "can you sit tight for a second?! You're not a child," she laughs, "here" she hands Everest a pair of shades.

"What for?" he asks nervously.

"There is a slight chance we might run into a few reporters, wear them for in case we do. I don't want you to freeze up like you did last night on me" she gives him an alluring smile while pressing down on the pedal.

***

Noah finished the morning inspections. He kept staring at his phone at any chance he got to see if he's gotten any message or call from Belen. So far, nothing, making him worry but at the same time envious.

"How can I just stay here with the thought of those two out there doing who knows what!" he thinks to himself when a phone call comes through.

He hurriedly answers without looking at the caller ID, thinking it's Belen, when he hears sniffs through the phone, "Hello? Hello?" he asks, worriedly looking at the caller ID, "Mabel? Mabel, what's the matter?"

Sniff, "…Noah, it's Emma…she's in the hospital," her voice cracks making Noah feel paralyzed with fear.

"E-Emma?" his face turns pale when murmuring, "h-hospital?"