Chapter 9 #2
“You can.” He buried his face into the side of her neck. “Come on. Try it on. It would make me happy. Don’t you want me to be happy?”
She wanted that more than anything. “Okay,” she said. “Where’s the fitting room?”
“Don’t be silly. There’s nobody here.”
Dahye looked around. Indeed, the woman helping them had disappeared. Hyukjoon led Dahye to the floor-length mirror sitting on the floor in front of them. Its edges were ornate gold. Nuzzling her neck, he reached for the zipper of her skirt. She swatted his hand away. “Stop it,” she hissed.
“Come on,” he murmured. “Lighten up.”
She watched him in the reflection as he tugged the zipper down, shivering as the cold air brushed against her skin. Hyukjoon hooked his thumbs over the edge of her lacy underwear. She let out a small cry but could do nothing to stop him. Soon, she was completely naked.
“Turn around. I want to see you.”
She turned, looking past him, at the beautiful room, the dresses, the paintings on the walls.
The chandelier glittered, catching the light.
On the side farthest from them, she noticed a painting she had initially missed: a tiger in the throes of slaughtering its prey.
She closed her eyes and then Hyukjoon’s hand was heavy on her shoulders, pushing her down.
She had no way of resisting. Her knees buckled and touched the carpet.
“Look at me,” Hyukjoon said.
She obeyed. Staring up into his face, she waited.
+
They were over an hour late for their reservation. If Hyukjoon had been anybody else, they would have been turned away. But the beautiful hostess did not betray even a hint of annoyance. “This way,” she said, smiling, leading them to a table hidden in the corner.
Dahye sat with her hands heavy in her lap.
A single candle sat in between them in a smooth, polished stone, the flame flickering.
In the low light, Hyukjoon’s face was waxy, the shadows accentuating the hollows of his face.
Suddenly he seemed much less handsome to her, and she looked away, nauseated. Her knees twinged.
Stop it, she chastised herself. You’re being foolish.
In the end, Hyukjoon had insisted on buying the red dress, the most expensive one on the rack. It had cost him over 1,500,000 won, but he hadn’t even blinked. Just waved his hand.
“Put it on the Amex,” he had said.
She should have been happy. Anybody in her situation would have been.
So what if he had been a little rough? He was a man; he had needs.
He loved her and cared about her. He had brought her to this beautiful restaurant, where every single woman was jealously watching her. Wasn’t that all that mattered?
Oblivious, he smiled at her, reaching across the table to touch the crook of her elbow. “What do you think?” he asked affectionately. “Is it everything you dreamed of?”
She had been so preoccupied with her thoughts that she hadn’t had the chance to look around.
She craned her neck. The ceiling was painted the deep blue of a night sky.
From it dangled hundreds of tiny lights, each one arranged like stars.
The walls were made of textured gray concrete, and dried moss peeked out from the cracks.
In the center of the restaurant, a fake fire blazed, casting long shadows over the diners.
A man’s voice drifted from a nearby table.
“It’s like eating in a cave!”
“That’s the point,” the woman sitting with him retorted.
“It’s brilliant, isn’t it? Coming to Namu is like dining in the past, while the sister restaurant in New York is like going to the future.
Two very different concepts that go hand in hand.
Simply gorgeous, don’t you think? It evokes that deep, primal urge to—”
The man groaned. “I’m so sick of this pretentious bullshit. I just want to eat.”
“You’re the one who insisted on coming!”
Hyukjoon winked at Dahye, and she swallowed a laugh.
The surrounding tables were occupied, and at the table closest to them, sat a beautiful, familiar-looking woman.
Dahye tried to pinpoint how she knew her.
Perhaps she was an influencer? Talk show host?
Suddenly, her heart fluttered with excitement.
She bowed her head, eyes darting around.
“That’s Lee Eunkyung,” she hissed.
Hyukjoon glanced over. “Oh. Yeah, it is. I didn’t realize.”
“Oh my god.” Dahye straightened up and brushed her fingers through her hair. “Oh my god. She’s so beautiful in real life. I mean, I’ve seen celebrities before, and they mostly look the same, but—” She stopped, noticing Hyukjoon’s raised eyebrows. “What?”
“I see her around a lot,” he said. “She’s not that great.
Her latest movie is terrible, and her acting is abysmal.
And haven’t I told you that she’s a total bitch?
” Dahye clamped her mouth shut. Shook her head, as Hyukjoon leaned in, voice low.
“To tell you the truth, I went on a blind date with her a few years back.”
“You did? Why didn’t you tell me?”
He shrugged. “Because I’ve been on a lot of dates. If I told you about every single one, we would be here for hours. Don’t worry. I didn’t like her at all. She’s a total snob.”
“Oh.”
“Don’t be hurt. I’d pick you over her any day. I’m here with you now, aren’t I?”
Dahye didn’t respond. The dress Lee Eunkyung was wearing was almost identical to the one Hyukjoon had purchased. Of course, Dahye knew that the actress looked much better than she did. Turning to Hyukjoon, she asked, “Do you really mean that?”
“Why would I lie?”
Warmth flooded her chest. Regretting her earlier meanness, she took his hand and kissed it. “Thank you for bringing me here.”
“Anything for you,” he said. “Also, no pressure, but … I booked a suite at the Park Hyatt for us tonight. We don’t have to go if you don’t want to. But I thought it would be fun.”
Under the table, his hand slithered up her thigh. Goosebumps erupted along her skin. Hyukjoon watched, waiting for her response. He cocked his head, his fingers brushing against her underwear. “We can order room service and get a massage …”
Dahye thought back to earlier in the evening. Her knees had sunk into the carpet like quicksand. The tiger had stared at her while Hyukjoon’s hands were clamped tightly onto both sides of her head. Her jaw still hurt.
“Okay,” she said.
+
The suite was beautiful. Spacious, with a king-sized bed and full-length windows that overlooked the city.
Recessed lighting bathed them in a warm yellow glow.
As Dahye peered into the bathroom, inspecting the shower and the tub, Hyukjoon flopped backward onto the perfectly crisp sheets, his arms spread wide.
A bottle of wine was waiting for them, along with a basket of fresh fruit and pastries from the kitchen.
Hyukjoon sat up and uncorked the bottle.
“You drank so much during dinner,” she murmured, watching him. She didn’t mention the Dom Pérignon at the store.
“I only had a few glasses,” he said dismissively. “Anyway, if we don’t drink it, it’ll go to waste.” He poured, then took a sip, smacking his lips. “Try it. It’s good.”
“In a second.”
Dahye retreated into the bathroom, closing the door.
Still fully clothed, she sat on the toilet, listening to the hum overhead.
It was loud. She looked up at the ceiling, searching.
Was it the fan? She wanted it to stop; her head was pounding.
To make matters worse, she could hear the glug of wine being poured just outside the door.
She leaned against the wall with her eyes closed and, feeling suddenly annoyed, climbed onto the toilet seat and peered at the fixture on the ceiling, rapping the glass with her knuckles.
“Dahye? Everything alright in there?”
“Fine, sorry,” she called. “I’ll be out shortly.” She pressed her fingers against the light. It was warm. She couldn’t tell if the sound was coming from the light or somewhere else entirely. Frowning, she turned to the vent in the wall, peering into the metal grate.
Red eyes glowed at her through the slats.
She screamed and tumbled to the floor. The door swung open, narrowly missing her head. In the doorway, Hyukjoon stood, his expression frantic with alarm.
“What happened?”
“There’s something in the vent—”
A wrinkle appeared across Hyukjoon’s forehead. “In the vent?”
“Up there.” She pointed, her finger quivering. Hyukjoon stepped over her and stood on tiptoe to look inside. “There’s nothing here.” He crouched and helped her up, still looking concerned. “Did you watch scary movies again last night?”
She swallowed. “No.”
“Tell me the truth. I won’t be mad.”
She shook her head. “I didn’t,” she said faintly. Hyukjoon picked her up and gently laid her on the bed. Then he sat next to her, placing his palm flat against her forehead. A purple wine stain marred the white sheets.
“Well.” He glanced at the mess. “Maybe we both drank a little too much tonight.”
He moved away from the spilled wine and settled in next to her, his lips nuzzling her cheek and neck.
His hand lingered on her waist, but she was in no mood to mess around after the scare in the bathroom.
Thankfully, Hyukjoon tried only halfheartedly to seduce her before giving up.
For a while, they lay there with the lights on, not speaking.
She must have dozed off because a short while later, she jolted awake to find the room completely dark. The space next to her was empty.
“Oppa?”
She heard a soft rustle and felt her throat tighten. The eyes. The thing in the vent. It had snatched Hyukjoon, had gotten ahold of him, and—
“I was about to wake you. I have to go.”
She found Hyukjoon sitting on the couch, the glow from his phone’s screen illuminating the center of his face, and immediately felt a sense of relief. He looked up at her, and she noticed he was angry. Removing his glasses, he pinched the bridge of his nose.
“Go?” She looked around at the room. “Go where?”