by J. S. Lee
My good mood lasted until breakfast. After MinMin and JongB had returned to their respective rooms to dress, I’d gone down to the hotel’s dining room and ordered a coffee and one of their breakfasts (which apparently consisted of a lot of meat and cheese: not my first choice normally, but still enjoyable), when Sungmin sat down at the table opposite me.
I looked up and frowned in concern. “Are you OK?” The question was more rhetorical than anything. He looked like shit.
“I’d be better if I could get some sleep.”
“Struggling to sleep if it’s not your own bed?” I asked, sympathetically, taking a sip of my drink. I wasn’t the only one in need of the caffeine, it seemed.
Sungmin gave me a dark glare. “Struggling to sleep when people don’t realize that hotel rooms don’t have soundproofed walls.”
I almost choked on my coffee.
From behind, someone started patting my back. I looked up and found Xiao. “Put me and JongB next to Kate’s room next time. I sleep with JongB: I can sleep through anything, and JongB… he won’t care. He’d probably like it.”
My head disappeared into my hands, mortified. In front of me, Sungmin stood. “Xiao.”
The two of them disappeared, leaving me with no appetite and the desire for the floor to open and swallow me whole. “What’s wrong?” CX asked, sliding into the seat next to me.
“Just trying to decide if Sungmin is going to survive this tour without killing us all,” I muttered.
“Did Xiao speak to you?”
“Yes, and I think that Sungmin is currently planning his execution,” I said, aware my face was still burning as I pointed at the pair on the other side of the room. I took another sip of my drink.
CX frowned. “I thought Manager Sungmin preferred two of us to be with you at a time?”
So help me, I nearly choked on my coffee again. I set it down as CX hit my back. No more drinking for me. “What?” I squeaked.
“Going out in public,” CX explained, puzzled at my reaction.
It took me a second to realize we weren’t having the same conversation. “Me, you, and Xiao?”
CX nodded. “Did you read the group message?” I hadn’t. I’d put my phone on night mode and not had any notification bleep at me this morning because of it. “We don’t have to be at the venue until mid-afternoon. We’re allowed to explore if we want.”
I was absolutely convinced Sungmin was doing this because it was the only way he could have some alone time and some peace for a few hours.
“Xiao and I talked. We wanted to take you out on a date.”
I arched an eyebrow. “Are you using me as cover to drag me around the Red Light District?”
“We just want to spend time with you, outside of the bedroom, but Amsterdam has a Red Light District?” CX sat down opposite me.
I nodded. “You can walk down the street and see men and women standing in windows in just their underwear and…” I trailed off with a sigh. Every so often, I forgot that CX was not as innocent as his appearance would lead you to believe. This was one of those instances. “But you already know that.”
“I do,” he agreed. “And I think it’s cute you think I’m pure enough to believe otherwise.”
“I absolutely do not think you’re pure,” I scoffed. “But I would love to go on a date with you both.” I glanced back over at Xiao and Sungmin. “Assuming Xiao survives.”
We were joined by the rest of Onyx who all took seats around the table. While they chatted, I picked up my phone, surprised to see so many notifications on my Facebook. I’d put the phone on night mode the night before and missed all the beeping and vibrating. Curious, I opened up the app.
My stomach churned.
They were all comments on the photo album Atlantis had uploaded for the Paris concert. All of them were complaining about the brightness (or lack thereof), and how they’d all been whitewashed.
I hadn’t whitewashed anyone, and I’d spent hours trying to get those images as close to perfect as I could. I knew they weren’t completely correct, but if they could have seen the originals, they would know how hard I’d worked on them.
“What’s the matter?” Youngbin asked.
I looked up and found him watching me. “I’m just tired,” I lied.
“Hashtag-sorry-not-sorry,” JongB shrugged, looking completely unapologetic as he grinned smugly at me.
Jiwon let out a harassed sigh, sounding uncannily like his manager, and turned to MinMin. “Have you got plans for today?” MinMin shook his head. “Want to explore Amsterdam with me?”
“Sure,” MinMin agreed.
The Facebook comments were momentarily forgotten about. While I sensed there was an intention that perhaps wouldn’t have been there before yesterday, the two did seem genuinely at ease with each other. Their disagreement had been dealt with and they were moving on. It was a warming thing to see.
I sent a silent prayer that this would be the end of it. Angry as I was last night – and that was because MinMin and JongB were upset – anyone could tell that Jiwon cared about them. And that was even with his gruff exterior.
제 16 장
Better Together
Amsterdam was beautiful. It was one of the prettiest places I had been to. The weather, although cool in the shade, was pleasant in the sun. The buildings and narrow streets were quirky, and all the canals were simply stunning. Even the frequent aroma of weed seemed to add to the mood of the city.
CX, Xiao, and I, had taken a tram to the central station and, after walking along the waterfront, had changed direction into the city. We had no destination in mind, content just walking along and admiring the city.
“I want pancakes,” CX declared.
I arched an eyebrow. “We ate breakfast an hour ago.”
“And then we’re going to head to the venue and we’re never going to have the opportunity to eat pancakes again.”
“Melodramatic enough, JongB?” I asked him.
CX shot me a look of disbelief. “Did you just call me JongB?”
“Did you just say you were never going to be able to eat pancakes ever again?” I returned.
“That was nothing like JongB! If I wanted to do an impression of JongB, I would sound like this…” CX suddenly sprung towards a lamp post, using it to hold onto as he leaned backwards, clutching at his heart. “How can you deny me of pancakes? You wound me, Kate.”
His impression was uncanny. “OK, one JongB is enough,” I told him.
CX righted himself, straightening his coat. “See: I’m not that bad.”
I didn’t have the chance to respond before I was being pulled down a narrow alleyway. Before I could work out where I was, I was being pushed up against a wall and Xiao’s mouth was crushing mine. Hands snaked around my waist, fingertips dipping just below the waist of my jeans and settling on the curve of my ass.
His kiss left me breathless. “What was that?”
“I saw an opportunity and took it.”
“You’re not the only one who saw the opportunity,” CX added, dryly.
We both turned to look at him. He was in the alleyway, watching us. Panic filtered through me but the few people who were walking past weren’t paying us any attention at all. As my worry turned to confusion, CX pointed behind us.
The recess was a covered window. Behind which was a woman in her very skimpy underwear.
Wait… my eyes fell to her crotch: that was a cock.
My gaze flicked up to the owner of said cock, whose eyes were locked on Xiao with a look of hunger in them. He was beckoning for Xiao to come in.
I think that was the first time I’d ever seen Xiao look shy. He flashed a bashful smile, grabbed my hand, and then pulled me back into the alley, all while CX was laughing at him.
“I thought you liked when people watched?” I asked.
“I like JongB knowing I can make you come,” he corrected me. “I don’t want just anyone watching.”
“To be fair, she looked like she
wanted to join in,” CX offered.
The alley opened out into a wider street with a canal running down the middle. I stopped, eyeing up the buildings which lined the water. “Are you sure you haven’t used me as cover to visit the Red Light District?” It was late morning, but there were several windows with scantily clad women standing in them.
Despite my question, I wasn’t offended. Only amused… and maybe intrigued. As the daughter of a showgirl, there wasn’t much I hadn’t seen – but not women in windows like this. It was cool. I had the strangest urge to pull my camera out and take photographs, but there were a few windows with signs asking tourists not to.
“This wasn’t intentional,” Xiao murmured. Once again, he was embarrassed.
I watched him, curious as to why he was finding this embarrassing. Even CX was staring at the windows with eyes wide in interest. And Xiao was one who certainly didn’t seem embarrassed in the bedroom.
“There’s a pancake shop,” he muttered.
I glanced at the store, and quickly shook my head. “We are not eating in that store. I’ve seen how your country reacts to that. Two years later and TOP is still getting it in the neck.”
“Pancakes in the neck?” Xiao asked.
TOP, a member of a hugely popular group, had been prosecuted for taking drugs – a criminal offense in Korea – and even now, he was still catching grief from netizens. ‘Netizens’ would have a nervous breakdown if they ever looked at some western artists.
“We will find a different pancake house,” I told them, leading them back down the street. “But not here. We’ve lucked out with not seeing any of your fans, but it would just take one photograph of you staring at a semi-naked woman while eating weed pancakes and your career is done for.”
I snorted at that. There were so many things that could end their career…
We found a more suitable establishment to eat Nutella filled crepes. They were amazing. We even had a second one each!
Once our bellies were full, we decided to make our way back to the train station so we could get a tram back to the hotel. We’d managed to go the whole morning without a single person recognizing us. While I hadn’t been able to let my guard down fully, paranoid that someone would spot us and swarm us, I could see that Xiao and CX were more relaxed than I’d seen them in a public place.
Which was why I was surprised when I heard someone squeal, “I love Onyx” as we were walking. I stopped, looking around for the source of the noise, fully expecting to be descended upon by a mob, but the shout wasn’t aimed at us.
Just in front of us I could see a long line. It was to gain entry into some building, though I couldn’t work out what, but in front of the line, were Jiwon and MinMin. There were four girls, who aside from being exceptionally excitable, were keeping a respectful distance, talking to the pair.
My instinct was to hurry over and get them all to back off, but Xiao grabbed my hand, shaking his head, as though he could read my mind. “They’re not bothering them.”
As a woman and her daughter joined the four girls, I couldn’t help but feel dubious about that. Then, the little girl, who couldn’t have been much older than six or seven, wandered up to MinMin and tugged on his coat. MinMin scooped her up, a bright smile on his face.
For the first time in my life, I felt broody.
I pushed that to the back of my mind.
The little girl, after kissing MinMin’s cheek, reached up and started playing with his hair. A conversation I couldn’t hear took place, and then the group moved away from the line to an area of the sidewalk where there was room for people to pass by. MinMin carried the girl the whole way, and then, when he sat down, set her down.
I shared a look with Xiao and CX, and then we walked over to watch them – from a safer distance. As we got close, the little girl was already putting MinMin’s hair into two short, stubby, mismatched pigtails.
“Lucy!” the mother was sighing. “Please leave MinMin alone.”
“Don’t want to,” little Lucy pouted.
“It’s OK,” MinMin said, enthralled with her. He sat there, patiently, while she proceeded to pull makeup from a Transformers bag her mother had been carrying, and then allowed her to put on bright green eye shadow and hot pink lipstick.
Most of the lipstick made it onto his lips.
He looked like Barbie and the Joker had a lovechild and he was the spawn that was created.
He looked ridiculously happy to be playing with the child.
“MinMin doesn’t like children,” CX muttered.
“Bullshit,” I scoffed. “That is not the face of someone who doesn’t like children.” I didn’t mind at all: I thought it was cute. Even when the wings, tutu, and glitter came out. He was a giant, sparkly fairy and it was cute as fuck.
And then the little girl turned to Jiwon, fingers covered in glitter and pink lipstick, and held her hands out to him. Without batting an eyelid, the surly member of Onyx crouched down and lowered his face for her. Although traces of the lipstick appeared in smudges across his cheek as the glitter was applied, the amount of makeup was quite reserved compared to MinMin’s.
He even allowed her to put his hair into a ponytail, albeit a short stumpy palm tree-like thing on the top of his head.
Only, the sight of that made me feel sad. If the conversation with his grandfather still held, he wasn’t going to be seeing his own baby sister for some time. “What’s the matter?” CX asked me.
I turned and found him watching me instead of the cuteness overload in front of us. I shook my head in response; Jiwon hadn’t shared that information with MinMin, so I certainly wasn’t going to share it with anyone.
“I think we need to work out how to call a taxi,” Xiao said with a frown. I glanced back at Jiwon and MinMin. They were happily chatting with all the fans there, and although they were being respectful still, I was inclined to agree. Public transportation back to the hotel wasn’t the best idea right now. We were currently very lucky that Xiao and CX hadn’t been spotted.
After a quick Google search, and downloading an app, an Uber had been requested. It took ten minutes to appear and I managed to usher Xiao and CX in the back of it before walking over to the other two. They both looked surprised to see me. I gave everyone a bright but apologetic smile. “Sorry, guys, but these two need to get to the ball.”
That earned me a round of laughter… from everyone but one person.
Anita.
I hadn’t even seen her appear. Honestly, I was expecting her to be waiting in line at the venue like she had been on other occasions. Someone must have tweeted something and she’d high-tailed it down here. Admittedly, she was standing back, taking photographs with a scowl on her face unless she was looking at Jiwon.
I refrained from rolling my eyes at her. Just because she wound me up the wrong way didn’t make her a bad person. It had taken me a while to understand the purpose of a fan site, but now I did, I couldn’t be angry at her providing quality pictures either.
But I still didn’t like her.
I turned to the two members of Onyx and switched to Korean. “We called a taxi.”
“Good idea,” MinMin agreed, keeping a smile on his face.
Jiwon held out a hand and, once MinMin had taken it, pulled him up with ease. “Where?”
I nodded my head towards the taxi. Once they had spotted it, they said goodbye to the small group of fans and then followed me to the minivan. Xiao and CX were already in the back seat, and we slid into the middle row. As soon as the door was safely closed, Xiao leaned forward, grinning at Jiwon. “You said you wouldn’t wear glitter again.”
“Shut it,” he grumbled.
“Eunhae is probably going to kill you both, because glitter lasts forever, but I think it looks kinda hot,” I shrugged.
Jiwon turned to face Xiao, gave him a smug grin, then sat back in his chair with a straight back.
“Maybe I’ll keep it on for later,” MinMin suggested.
It took about eight
seconds for Jiwon to slowly turn his head to stare at the guy next to him. “Huh?”
“Oh, shit,” I muttered, realizing that at no point had anyone mentioned what had happened last night. Hell, I’d never told MinMin exactly what was going on. I had no idea why not either. It had all seemed so natural that it had never occurred to me.
Jiwon leaned forward so he could look past MinMin to me. “What is he talking about? Later?”
I stared back at him, wondering why my mouth wasn’t catching up to my brain. “Don’t freak out,” I said, slowly.
“Last night,” MinMin said before I could say anything. “Me, Kate, JongB…” he held up his hand and gave Jiwon the ‘OK’ sign. Jiwon looked confused. And then MinMin poked his finger in and out of it, filling in the blanks.
“But you’re gay!” Jiwon exclaimed, even more confused, but thankfully not angry.
MinMin shook his head. “I like who I like. I never said I was gay.”
“What do you know?” Xiao asked from the back seat. His voice made me jump; I was so caught up in this that I’d forgotten he and CX were there.
MinMin turned and shrugged. “JongB filled me in last night.”
“Look, I don’t care what you get up to with JongB, but I really don’t want to hear the details!” Jiwon told him, rolling his eyes. “I also don’t want to know the details if JongB isn’t there.”
MinMin turned back to Jiwon and arched an eyebrow. “Hyung… that’s not…” he let out a long, suffering sigh, and shook his head. “Whatever.” He turned around so he could see Xiao. “JongB explained.”
“And you’re cool with that?”
MinMin nodded.
“Cool,” Xiao shrugged, settling back into his seat with a shrug.
“I don’t want to see it. I don’t want to hear about it. You sleep with whoever you want – it just does not interest me,” Jiwon repeated, pulling out his phone.
I stared in amazement. Was that it? I suppose my agreement had been sealed with an orgasm, but I was surprised at the ease that was resolved. Surprised, strangely relived… and suddenly overwhelmed. Six? Six guys?
