“Why couldn’t we just meet them at the apartment?” Greta moans at me as I drag her through the crowd inside the food hall we arranged to meet.
“I think Bryant’s scared of you and figured you’re less likely to murder him in a public place.” I jest and spot a server to our left.
“Excuse me. We have reservations under the name Park. Party of four.”
It’s crazy busy in this place, given it’s not even seven pm yet, but it’s a bar and restaurant in a trendy part of the city, so I guess it’s to be expected even if it’s a weekday night.
The girl motions for us to follow her to a desk by the corner, where she checks her computer screen and then points us in the direction of the hall leading to private rooms at the back.
“Room fifteen. Two are already here.” She smiles sweetly, and we move off to head down the dim mood-lit hallway with a lot fewer people milling ar
“Maybe not my best idea. I didn’t think it through. Yeah… I get it. I’m not the clearest of thinkers when it comes to Sohla. I never have been. It was a dumb idea, and I apologize.” Jyeon looks down at the phone on the table, somewhat sheepish and awkward for a second, yet it gives me weird butterflies. The more I see him lately, the worse my stupid inner reactions to him are getting. And him admitting to being wrong. I should film it for prosperity as Jyeon of the past was never wrong.I kept expecting him to revert to the cold and heartless Jyeon of the past the longer we’re here, but instead, it feels like we are growing closer, and he’s warming up with every encounter. Losing his awkwardness around me and relaxing. Maybe I am too, and I never imagined I would freely accept an invitation like tonight from him without questioning it first. The truth is I wanted to see him. I’m getting used to his presence daily again, and I m
I’m a lightweight when it comes to booze, and even though I spaced them out, my stomach is like a washing machine, and my head’s foggy. I feel like if I go on one more ride, I might throw up, and I’m seriously regretting the four drinks I consumed in the past two hours. I’m so not myself and very aware of that warm cozy feeling when alcohol takes the sensible part of your brain and throws it in a dumpster full of feathers. I’m beyond tipsy, and my ability to reason and be logical is dancing on pink fluffy clouds.“Come on, one more…. for me.” Bryant tugs Greta along by the sleeve and tries to coax her to get on a massively high ride that throws you into the sky. It’s a hard limit for me, and I know Jyeon hates heights, so he has no chance. Greta, my little daredevil, has been keeping Bryant company on most of his choices, and I stuck to the moderate ones that don’t scare me half to death. He’s bossing he
“What are you doing?” I accuse, widening my eyes at him, and am silenced by the complete lack of regret on his smiling face. Nose to nose, breathing combined air, and eyes locked on one another. Static in the air sizzling between us and my heart rate and breathing ups a gear in unison, making me so light-headed I fear I might actually pass out. Jyeon doesn’t seem fazed at all.“I really want to kiss you properly. Remember what that’s like. You have no idea how much I have held back from doing this for the past hour. You’re crazy sexy in this dress.” He utters it softly, so his words tickle my lips, and I instinctively suck in my bottom one to bite it. A nervous habit I picked up along the past two years, realizing a little too late that it’s a significant turn-on for him, and he leans in and kisses me again.I see it coming this time, and even though it gives me a chance to stop it or escape, I don’t move. Holding s
I can’t sleep. Tossing and turning for hours since Bryant brought us home in a cab, yet I don’t want to get out of bed and disturb Greta. She’s a light sleeper, even if she drunk a lot and would hear me wandering about. She looked exhausted, and I didn’t want to burden her with my problems until morning. One of us should be well-rested, at least. My head’s too messy, and I haven’t told her about kissing Jyeon or where he was going after he left. She doesn’t know about Claire, and Bryant didn’t seem to yet either. I’m guessing Jyeon would have told him after he left us, though.I get it. I do. The reason he feels responsible for this and the fact they reached out to him to accompany her. She tried to kill herself, and she shouldn’t be alone in a hospital after that. He knows it’s because of the other day and the very blunt way he dashed all her hopes, and it didn’t sound like she has anyone else. It all ma
“It’s about everything and how weak I am around him. I’m going to tell him the truth… about not having amnesia. Now I know he’s not a threat, and he’s investing emotion into this…… I’ll tell him. He’ll be hurt and realize we will never work, and he’ll let me go. I can bring back the cold me and show him what he’ll get if I stay. He hated that version of me, and his feelings will die quickly if that’s who he gets.”“I don’t know. It’s not that I want you to stay here with him, but I see how sincere he is, and that’s going to hurt a hell of a lot more than just sticking with the story and regaining them all at once. Jyeon is an idiot, but he seems to love you deep down genuinely. I don’t want to like him, and God knows I try hard not to, but something sad about him has made me warm to him, and I wonder if this is the best thing for you both. He’s as lonely
“Answer it.” Greta picks up my phone and holds it out to me, but I hesitate and stare at the flashing screen instead. Leaving it between us as we both sit tensely on the bed, now facing one another. Her eyes dart from it to me, and she sighs heavily. “Take it.”“It’s late. As far as he knows, I’m asleep.” I push it away from me but flinch when she grabs my wrist and forces it into my hand, swiping the answer button as she does so. Strangely strong for such a tiny wench.“Yeah, well, now he knows we’re not.” She winks, sliding away, and motions for me to lift it before jumping out of bed and heading to the door. She switches the overhead light and blinds me with the sudden assault. “Hi, Jyeon…….. Don’t keep her up too late. She’s a monster when she’s tired,” she yells loudly, making sure he would have heard her, before sauntering off with a wiggle and a mischiev
“You can deny it all you want. You sound mad, you’re acting mad, and if you didn’t care, you wouldn’t still wear this to bed tonight.” He reaches over my exposed chest, where the robe hangs open over my nightgown, and picks up my wedding ring, which rests on my necklace. Lifting it and holding it in front of my face, turning it in his fingertips while he leans in and presses his cheek against my temple. His skin-on-skin contact makes my stomach clench and my palms turn clammy.“It’s a part of my past. It reminds me not to go backward.” I yank it back, elbowing him away and berate my idiocy for still keeping this on and not covering it up properly. I make such stupid mistakes around him, and I’m already pissed and seething enough without him being a smart ass about it. “So, she’s fine then? You’re little mistress.” I divert his attention with bitchiness and throw him a cool look and raised brow. Soun
“I deserved it….. I did. It’s karma, and this is exactly what I should get.” He mutters it in a breathy, almost non-existent splice of words, still looking down and his hands, trembling the same way mine are. “It doesn’t make it hurt any less…. or mess me up any less. That you’ve been lying this whole time…. Pretending… Making me hope…. Was this punishment? Revenge? Did it give you a kick to see me falling all over you and trying to rekindle past memories?” Jyeon finally raises his head, his eyes so steeped in sadness and betrayal that it cuts me deeply. His words are slow and etched with bitterness. Questioning me in his mind and coming up with so many reasons I would drag this charade out and pretend not to know. I can see why he would think it was a ploy to hurt him that it was vindictive and mocking. Despite everything he did back then, I never wanted to wound him this way, and it wasn’t a manipul