Chapter 14 #2
I laugh, because this is officially ridiculous. “You want me to apologize? For what? Not telling the gossip sites you’ve been lying about me? For not tipping off the photographers that you were basically staging everything? Or did I miss something else?”
Anger flashes across her face. It’s not a good look for her, and she seems to realize this, quickly regaining her composure. She smooths her hair and takes a breath, like she’s trying to find her zen. “I’ll have to accept that you don’t feel that’s necessary.”
“Because it’s not.” I begin walking to the door, ready to tell her she has to leave, when she stops me with another question.
“Are you still seeing her?”
It takes me a moment to recall that I had told her there might be someone else when we’d last seen each other. The night I’d gone driving around the city, trying to convince myself I didn’t want to kiss Sun. She obviously assumed it was a woman, which made sense as far as she knew.
Shaking my head, I reach for the door handle. “My personal relationships are not for public discussion.” It’s very much a dig at her, and I can see it lands from the way her whole demeanor turns cold again.
In what is truly terrible timing, just over her shoulder, through the glass wall of my office, I can see Sun approaching. Nikko is with him this time, thankfully, but they are carrying four drinks—two that I can tell are their own, and presumably one for me and one for Grace.
Sun catches my eyes and smiles, and it’s all I can do to not react. I will not give Chaeji any kind of hint about anything, especially not this. Not him.
He frowns, and Nikko looks back and forth between us, confused.
Chaeji turns, having noticed my focus was no longer on her. “What are they doing here?”
“I have no idea. I’m not currently working with them on anything,” I say, watching as Grace intercepts them and takes one of the cups, then hugs them both. It looks natural, intentional. “That makes sense. Grace is everyone’s favorite.”
She doesn’t like that answer, apparently, and opens the door to ask, “Who is that other coffee for?”
Both Sun and Nikko appear startled by the out-of-nowhere inquiry and who it’s coming from.
Nikko, in his best I’m-so-innocent manner, stammers, “Jase-ssi? We were… We wanted to thank him for our last lesson?”
Chaeji faces Sun. “Why are you bringing something to her?”
He sounds almost bored as he tells her, “Noona Grace helped me out this morning, and I’m quite polite. People like that about me.”
“I do. I like that very much. The both of you,” Grace interjects. “Get on with your delivery, boys. I believe Jase is working with a group in Studio C, and you can find him there. Thank you again.”
There is no Studio C, and Grace has no reason to know where Jase is right now, but I appreciate the flawlessness with which they have all executed this very fake scenario.
Chaeji watches them leave, eyes narrowed, still suspicious. “I’ll talk to you soon, Kija.”
“That doesn’t seem necessary, Chaeji. Good luck to you.” I give her a wave and catch Grace basically snarling at her as she walks past. Waiting until Chaeji is out of earshot, I say, “Don’t make me put you on a leash.”
“Save that for your boyfriend,” Grace quips before taking an exaggerated sip of her latte.
Something in my brain short circuits at her suggestion. The idea of Sun wearing a collar or choker suddenly has me very turned on for reasons I don’t entirely understand because it’s not something that has ever appealed to me before.
But I should be getting used to that by now when it comes to him.
Grace seems to realize she’s broken me a little bit and cackles from behind her desk. “You’re welcome!”
???
The lights are on.
I didn’t leave the lights on when I left this morning.
Looking around, I begin to notice a few other things are different, and each one makes me smile.
A pair of shoes that aren’t mine sit by the door, and there’s a leather bag on the couch, and a jacket draped over a chair.
And the faintest hint of perfume in the air.
I set my stuff on the table and wander through the apartment, surprised it’s so quiet if Sun did indeed let himself in and is still here.
But when I reach my bedroom, I see why.
Sun is sleeping, curled in on himself, wrapped around my pillow.
I give myself a few minutes to just watch him—breathing deeply, so peaceful and comfortable in my bed. My heart squeezes with a kind of fondness and affection that I’ve never felt for anyone before.
I haven’t ever wanted someone around like this. Never liked the idea of sharing my space. But coming home to him like this makes me hate the idea of ever coming home to an empty house again.
I can only guess that this must be what love feels like. I think it has to be.
Peeling off my shirt and pants, I let them fall on the floor and crawl onto the mattress, slotting myself in behind Sun and draping my arm over his waist.
He sighs, a contented little sound that makes me smile, and scoots back against me. Even in his sleep, he wants to be closer, and I am certainly not going to deny him.
I wouldn’t say no to anything he wanted.
Especially now, when we seem to want the same things.
Each other.
More time together.
Proximity.
I press a kiss to the back of his neck, and he stirs a little but doesn’t wake up.
Even though it’s still pretty early in the evening and I hadn’t been able to think about anything other than getting dinner on the way home, now I don’t want anything other than this.
Him in my arms, here in my bed.