TRACK 07 #2
Everyone at the table goes silent, and I swallow hard from it, lifting my chin confidently. "I promise that I'm not. I don't even have a way to. Kyung has my phone. I always give it to him when we're together."
Taking it out of his pocket, he hands it over to me.
I know that he feels comfortable enough to not think negatively, but I never want there to be any doubt like his leader has just shown.
Setting it on the table between us, I unlock it and offer, "You can look through it if you want.
There's no pictures or videos of us on there.
I've even got his and Dav En's names under an alias just in case. "
Minsul sits back in his chair, drawing my attention to him. When I glance at him, one side of his lips pulls up in a smile. Jae-un next to him has one eyebrow lifted in surprise, but when I look at him, his eyes shift to Seong Su. Mine drift to Yeon across from me, and he offers a supportive smile.
"That won't be necessary," Seong Su finally says, motioning for me to take my phone.
I pick it up and lock it before handing it back to Kyung who shoves it in his pocket. In the past couple months that I've known him, this is the closest I've seen him to being angry.
Seong Su apologizes to us both, "I'm sorry. I hope you understand this is for our safety and yours."
"Of course," I tell him.
"She's always done it," Kyung announces. "Since the moment we had the conversation about who I am."
"Mmm," I agree with him. "Didn't take me that long, either."
He chuckles just as Dav En leans around him to look at me, "What? You didn't think he was a dog, too, did you?"
"Whaaat?" In Se asks around a fit of laughter, covering his mouth at the same time.
Kyung and I are laughing with them, but the others are too surprised to do anything other than stare in various states of shock.
"It was a misunderstanding," I tell them, holding up my hand in defense. "Kyung purposely led me to believe he was bringing his dog on our date."
The man in question next to me laughs again, making the rest of them finally crack.
When it settles back down and we start eating again, In Se decides to pick back up the questioning, but with a new one this time.
I don't even remember what the other one was at this point. "How did you and Kyung meet?"
Glancing over and up at the man at my side, I grin at him. "Right place at the right time?"
"More like same place all the time," he counters.
"Every night I'd take a walk down to the overlook, and it didn't matter how late it was, this beautiful woman would always be standing there staring at the night lights of Seoul like she was searching for something.
Same exact place every night. So, I worked up the courage to talk to her. "
I let out a quiet giggle. "Mr. One Question and run."
His lips purse again, but this time it's not out of annoyance. Especially if the pink on the tops of his ears is anything to go by.
Letting him off the hook, I turn back to In Se. "What's your favorite hobby when you're not working?"
"Sleeping," he answers immediately. "Oh, and cooking. I like to cook."
"Why are you here?" Minsul asks with less suspicion in his voice this time.
"Well, it's my mother's native country, and I've always wanted to visit," I answer. "What's your favorite animal?"
"Black bear," he says smoothly, not even stopping to consider. A few of them, including In Se snicker at him, and he cuts someone off with his next question. "How long have you been here?"
"Two years now," I say, curious as to why they laughed at his answer, but not willing to take the bait.
"Where is your favorite place in the world?" I ask.
His lips do that one-sided smirk thing again. "Anywhere my members are."
I'm pretty sure my heart just melted in my chest. It's clear that there's a familiar bond between Dav En and Kyung. I wasn't sure if it was going to extend to the rest of them, but apparently, it does.
Seong Su directs my attention to him when he asks, "Why do you go to the same spot every night?"
"Honestly," I start, "I've been missing my omma a lot lately, and that place reminds me of her. Plus, it's a good walk to and from my apartment. Keeps me in shape and helps tire me out for sleep."
"Would you rather vacation in the woods or at the beach?" I ask, taking a sip of the water Kyung had set down in front of me.
Seong Su thinks about it for a few seconds before he decides, "Definitely the woods. It's more secluded, and sometimes quiet is nice."
"What do you do for work?" Jae-un asks from the other end of the table.
I'm taking bites between questions, so I finish chewing before answering him.
"So, I got a huge inheritance from my real parents once I turned eighteen.
I helped my omma with her medical bills and started college.
After everything, I decided that I only live once and am working on my degree while I travel all the places me and my omma had talked about.
And, a few we didn't. Who is your hero?"
Without hesitation, he nods toward the head of our table. "Our leader."
My heart melts even more as I watch Seong Su's smile lift even as his head drops.
"Is your mom still alive?" Yoon Ji asks from the other end of the table.
I catch the winces of everyone around us as I glance his direction, and Kyung reaches out to take my hand. Jae-un murmurs something under his breath that I can't hear that's obviously meant only for Yoon Ji. The man's head drops in shame as he apologizes to me.
"Yoon Ji," I state his name, waiting until he raises his eyes to look at me. The embarrassment that's in his expression just about breaks my heart. "Please don't be sorry for asking questions. It's the only way we get answers for anything, yeah?"
His lips pull up into a soft smile even as he refuses to look at anyone but me.
"My omma passed away four years ago," I answer. "It's a sensitive subject, but I don't mind talking about her. It's a way of keeping her alive right here."
The last I say, touching the middle of my chest. With a small wink, I add, "If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?"
His shoulders relax even further as Kyung squeezes my hand.
I get a feeling that it's as much for comfort as it is for doing the right thing with his member.
As a person who works with children almost daily, I'm used to the no filter thing between mouth and brain.
Plus, I'm not one who offends easily, so that helps, too.
Yoon Ji doesn't even think about his answer before he says, "Somewhere there are real penguins."
This makes me smile. "Have you ever seen a real one up close before?"
"No." He sighs wistfully. "One day, maybe."
"They're super cute," I tell him, watching his eyes light up with another question.
Too bad Yeon Hu beats him to it. "How long have you been traveling?"
My gaze finds his as he speaks, and I have to try really hard to keep color from rushing to my cheeks at the deep, soft sound of his voice.
"Ever since a couple months after my omma left me," I confess.
"I lost my puppy, Clover after my omma. There was nothing left for me there anymore.
I came here first, because we'd always talked about it.
I moved on to Thailand where I found one of my favorite places ever.
Still, I missed Seoul so much that I had to come back, and I've been here ever since. "
There's more than sympathy in his expression that I normally receive, empathy or compassion even. It makes me want to hit him with a serious question in return. "Who do you think would win a fight, Darth Vader or Gandalf?"
The table breaks into hysteric laughs, but Yeon Hu sits back in his chair as he looks at me with one side of his lips pulling up into a half smile while he seems to consider his answer. Once everyone is quiet again, he finally replies, "Gandalf, for sure."
I mock his pose, crossing my arms over my chest, though. "You seem so sure. Why?"
The rest of the table watches between the two of us in our battle of gazes and knowing smiles. I can even feel Kyung's eyes on the side of my face. It doesn't deter me from finding out Yeon Hu's explanation.
After a few seconds, I earn a full smile from Yeon Hu, morphing an already gorgeous man into an even more beautiful one. "The good guy always wins."
I can't stop my grin even if I wanted to try. Color floods his cheeks, but he doesn't back down or break eye contact first.
Minsul pulls my attention away after a few seconds. "What is your degree for?"
"Accounting with a minor in economics of underdeveloped countries," I reply easily, even though it's a mouthful.
In Se steals my opportunity to ask my own question as he gasps slightly. "My god! So, you're beautiful and smart."
The others laugh, but I shy away from the compliment. I'm quickly learning that I might have a problem.
Kyung is laughing too, but then announces loud enough for everyone to hear, "I think that's the first time that I've seen you blush from nothing but words."
My head turns slowly so that I can peg him with a disbelieving glare and my mouth slightly agape.
I'm not the only one that catches on, either, because Dav En on his other side leans forward enough to lock eyes with me with a surprised expression as he elbows Kyung.
In Se cackles across from us, making the rest of them laugh again.
Kyung, who obviously didn't mean it the way that the rest of us took it, looks confused before he catches on.
His own blush stealing across his cheeks before he covers his mouth with his laugh.
Yoon Ji is the only one quiet at the end of the table and finally blurts, "I don't get it."
And, it sends us into another fit.
A little while later, after I've offered to help clear the table and they've declined, I tell them I need to go, much to several of their protests. I get the feeling that several of us still need to process everything, myself included.
"I'm going to walk her home," Kyung announces.