Chapter 2 #2
“It’s fine, I guess. It’s sweet that she put a clock with Seoul time on her phone so she can try to keep track of when I might be up or available to answer a call.
” Jase draws his finger around the rim of his glass.
“I kind of think she’s intrigued by the whole celebrity thing too.
I’m not sure that she really totally understands all of it, but she knows he’s famous and she can’t tell her friends about us. ”
Pushing the sizzling meat around to make sure it cooks evenly, I realize that’s something I’d never thought about.
Working at the company, we keep so many secrets, but Jase has to do it too.
Has to warn people and get them to swear they won’t say anything for fear of the wrong person finding out and trying to destroy what they have.
Every precaution they take to remain hidden is another thing to worry about, but here I am, with my straight privilege I guess, getting photographed with this actress or that model and all I get is a pat on the back of admiration from my colleagues.
“I’m sure she’s happy you’re happy,” I tell him, finally.
“Yeah.” He nods, a slight tilt of his head. “She hasn’t—and probably won’t—just come out and say that, but I guess that’s what parents want for their kids.”
“Well, one of the things,” I joke. “Dad was happy with all my taekwondo trophies and when I got accepted to Yonsei. But I know my mom won’t be satisfied until I come back to Jeju with a wife and a couple of kids.”
“Is that what you want?” Jase asks, suddenly.
“What? To go back home to Jeju? Or a wife and kids?” I flip a piece of pork onto his plate while waiting for clarification.
“Both?” He blows on the bite until he can pop it in his mouth and then gives me a thumbs up. “I feel like we haven’t talked about this for a while.”
“I don’t think we’ve talked about it at all,” I correct him. Maybe way back in the day. I lower my voice, out of both caution and sarcasm. “Plus, we’ve been talking about your relationship with Nikko for the last year.”
Jase’s jaw drops like he’s about to protest and then he seems to lose all the fight he had, because he knows I’m right and just quietly takes another slice of pork and starts chewing.
I snort at his reticence and take a sip of my drink.
“I’d like to go visit them more. I know Jeju isn’t that far, but it’s not a day trip.
So fitting it in my schedule is complicated.
As for the wife and kids, I don’t know. I’m not opposed.
I guess I’m just waiting for someone to show up and make me want that kind of thing,” I say with a shrug.
“I think I feel like I still have time? I’m only just about to turn thirty. No one settles down so early anymore.”
“Dae-ho is about to,” Jase counters.
“Yeah, well, he was always an overachiever.” I can confidently attest to this, as I’ve known him since elementary school and he’s never not been in a rush to be the first to do everything.
Get his license, lose his virginity, get married.
All of it. I am positive his wife will be pregnant before they celebrate their first wedding anniversary.
After snagging the rest of the kimchi and some muchim, Jase looks at me and asks, “You’re sure you don’t mind me staying longer?”
“I really don’t. I told you when you first brought up the idea of coming back that you could stay with me as long as you needed to,” I tell him, again.
“I maybe should have reconsidered saying Noel could come, too, but…” I yelp when he kicks me under the table.
“I’m kidding. You know that little hellion is welcome. ”
“Noel loves you,” he insists.
I scoff. “Sure. Should we take bets on what she’s destroyed while we’ve been gone? It’s been long enough that she may have shredded the couch or something.”
Jase looks completely offended. “She would never!”
“Yeah, okay.” I take the last few pieces of meat off the grill, splitting them between the two of us. “Do you need anything? At home? Is there something that would make you more comfortable while you stay?”
“Yes,” he replies entirely too quickly.
I’m a little alarmed by how he didn’t have to think about it at all. Am I the worst host ever? Damn. “Okay, what? Name it.”
“I need you to stop folding your fancy underwear at the kitchen table,” he says, miming the action as he speaks.
I can’t help but laugh. “Me doing my laundry bothers you that much? Just because you haphazardly shove all of your stuff in a drawer…”
“No,” he cuts me off. “First. I don’t shove anything.
Second, it’s not your laundry I’m talking about, it’s specifically you bringing a basket of your business guy socks and the underwear with all the wild prints and patterns on it and flinging them all over the kitchen table.
Sometimes while I’m working! We eat there! ”
I just stare at him, still kind of silently chuckling at his outrage.
“When did you become that guy? Your socks are like, silky. And what’s wrong with black boxer-briefs like you used to wear?” He’s legitimately having a moment with this, all indignant that I decided to add some color and style to what’s under my clothes.
“Should I find it weird that you not only paid attention to the fact I wore boxer-briefs in the past, but also remember they were always only black?” I raise an eyebrow, challenging him.
“I’m gay and I thought you were hot, Kija. Of course I noticed your underwear,” he says with a casual shrug.
As I flag the server over to bring another round of drinks, I realize something. “Wait. Thought I was hot? Past tense?”
“That’s what you’re taking away from this?” Jase squawks.
Leaning back in the seat, I have to cover my mouth to stifle my laughter because other diners are turning to look at us. Times like this I’m glad that Jase and I usually use English so there’s slightly less of a chance that everyone around us is listening to our inane conversations.
He huffs like he’s annoyed with me, but I know he’s not. I can see the corners of his mouth twitching because he’s trying to fight a smile.
“You’re impossible,” he mutters.
“That’s no way to talk to your roommate,” I joke, but then get serious. “I do like having you around again. I know it hasn’t been that long, and I’m sure we’ll start to get on each other’s nerves at some point, but I’m having fun. It’s nice to be able to spend time with you.”
Jase smiles. “Yeah. I’m not really that upset I didn’t find anything today. I have been enjoying hanging out too. I want a place where I can have Nikko over and not get in your way eventually, but this isn’t bad for now.”
“Maybe you can have a chat with Noel, get her to quit taking her frustrations out on all my stuff,” I suggest.
“Right after you stop flaunting your underwear in front of me,” he counters.
“Understood.”