by J. S. Lee
“But what if you did?” Youngbin asked me, carefully.
I looked at the leader of Onyx, hopelessly, and then, cursing the hormones I was blaming on being pregnant, I burst into tears.
“Hyung, you made her cry!” JongB hissed, panicked.
Jiwon snorted. “More like the idea of marrying you made her cry.”
MinMin stepped back to me and wrapped his arms around me. Moments later, Xiao’s body was wrapped around the both of us. “JongB’s not that bad,” Xiao assured me. “Most of the time.”
Youngbin appeared in front of me, reaching up to wipe the tears away with the back of his hands. “I meant, what if you married all of us...”
“How?” I demanded. “It’s not legal.”
CX held his hand up. “Actually, I did a search and it’s legal in-”
“It doesn’t have to be,” Youngbin cut him off. “Not for us. But what if we had a ceremony. We can do it in Jeju. Just us and our families.”
My eyes locked with Youngbin’s. “Not Jeju,” I said, quietly.
“Kate, we could get married in this living room with you wearing your pajamas if you wanted to,” he said with a smile.
“I mean, not this time in Jeju. You can’t just get married without telling your parents, even if it is something that isn’t legally binding,” I explained. I took a breath, kicking myself for crying. “Jeju is going to be stressful enough with all your parents there. I can’t do a baby, meeting them, and getting married all in the same week.”
“But you would marry us all?” JongB asked.
I nodded. “But only if I get six rings.”
“You can have all the rings you want,” CX promised me.
The vacation could have been a year in the future and I still wouldn’t have felt mentally prepared for it. Despite JongB’s threats to ask my mom for my hand in marriage, it wasn’t going to happen. Aside from the fact I wasn’t inviting her, this was Onyx’s vacation and she had no reason to be there.
We were also travelling without any entourage. It was just Onyx, Sungmin, and me. Even Holly wasn’t there. She’d arranged for us to travel down a day earlier so that we could settle in.
It wasn’t a long flight to Jeju, especially not after the ones we’d been on for the tour, but I was already tired and ready for a nap in the minibus from the airport.
Apparently, being tired was a common ‘side-effect’ of being pregnant, according to CX. He’d bought at least a dozen e-books on pregnancy and had been devouring them for the last month. Why he needed so many, I had no idea, considering they were all saying the same thing.
I didn’t need a book to tell me I was tired. I was seven weeks pregnant, and as CX was now telling me on a weekly basis using fruit comparisons, our baby was the size of a blueberry. My stomach was still flat, and so far, wasn’t growing out. Which, considering I was meeting the parents, I was happy about. Unfortunately, what was growing, was my cleavage. My breasts had gone up a cup size.
On the plus side (for me at least, because all of the guys were happy at the bigger boobs), the nausea had finally subsided. Admittedly, it had been replaced with needing to go to the bathroom more often, because as that baby grew, apparently, my bladder was shrinking.
I uncrossed my legs and then crossed them again. Speaking of a small bladder… Jeju wasn’t really a big island, which meant, the journey from the airport to the resort wasn’t going to take that long, but I didn’t want to have to ask Sungmin if we could have a bathroom break.
Since he had proposed to me, he had gone straight back to the aloof Manager Sang who rarely spoke to me. I wasn’t intentionally trying to avoid the conversation I knew we needed, but two weeks in the house with someone from Onyx constantly around me meant that I never got any time to myself.
I wasn’t complaining; not really. I was happy to have one-on-one time with each of them, or group time with some of them (sometimes in the bedroom, sometimes not), or group time with all of them (strictly clothes on).
But it meant I hadn’t had the opportunity to have some alone time with Sungmin and clear the air.
“Are you OK?” CX asked me. I’d ended up sitting next to him and he’d been alternating between reading another pregnancy book and arching an eyebrow at me every time I shifted my weight.
I nodded, relaxing into him so that I could use his head as a pillow. If I could nap the rest of the journey, I wouldn’t need to go to the bathroom, and I’d get a little energy boost.
“We’re nearly there,” I heard Sungmin say. I couldn’t see him from where I was, so I wasn’t sure if he was saying that for my benefit, or as a general announcement.
He was right though. It wasn’t long before we were turning off the main road and along a smooth driveway. The bus pulled up under a covered entrance and I sat up as Sungmin opened the door beside him. “Stay here while I check in.”
As he shut the door, I sat up and unbuckled my seatbelt. “Where are you going?” Youngbin asked as I squeezed past him to the door.
“Why are you even asking, hyung?” CX asked him. “The bathroom.”
I ignored their chuckles as I stepped out of the bus and hurried into the resort. Sungmin was busy at the desk. Knowing that if he finished before I did that the others would tell him I was still inside, I didn’t bother to tell him I was there. Feeling like a small child, I dashed into the bathroom.
Sungmin was still at the desk when I came out. I was about to head out to the minibus when I realized he was taking so long because he was arguing with the woman trying to help him. Great. Were we going to have problems already?
“I’m sorry, but it’s not possible, Manager Sang,” the woman was apologizing. “Atlantis Entertainment booked all seven chalets. There isn’t an eighth.”
Sungmin let out an exasperated sigh. “Then what about a room in the main resort?”
The woman tapped at her keyboard, before giving Sungmin another apologetic shake of the head. “We’re fully booked until Monday. I can add you an additional room then.”
Sungmin hung his head in defeat. “No, that’s fine.”
“Then here are the chalet door codes.” A small folder was handed over with a glossy map on top. “You’re here. If you follow this road it will take you to the bay. I’ll call ahead and let the captain know you’re on the way. They’ll be able to take you straight over.”
Sungmin picked up the folder and map, turning around. He looked startled when he saw me. “Where did you come from?”
“The bathroom,” I said, using my thumb to point over my shoulder. “Is everything OK? Is there a problem with the rooms?”
“Everything is fine,” Sungmin responded, stiffly.
He walked past me to go back to the bus. I sighed. Now wasn’t the time for that conversation, but hopefully, with the others being distracted with their families, I would get the opportunity to clear the air.
I followed him outside, thanking him as he helped me back on the bus, and then returned to my seat beside CX. The woman had made it sound like it was a long way to the boat, but it wasn’t. We were soon standing in front of a jetty, while a small crew loaded our cases onto a boat which, weirdly, had little frogs painted around the side of it.
“Holly wasn’t kidding when she said she’d found us somewhere private,” I mumbled appreciatively. I could see a smaller island, just a little bigger than a dot, on the clear blue horizon.
“Isn’t this the place H3RO came to when someone tried to kidnap Jun?” MinMin asked JongB and Xiao.
“Technically, they succeeded,” JongB said, nodding his head. “Some crazy got him, but there was a storm and the boat they were in sank, so they didn’t get very far.”
“Great,” I grumbled. “She’s sent us to the set of a horror movie.” I swear, if someone tried any of that shit on my men, I was going to drown them in the ocean.
Thankfully, the sun and the salty sea air put me in a better mood as we crossed the strip of ocean to the chalets. It was only a forty-minute journey, an
d I loved every minute of it. I’d been brought up in a desert, so I loved any opportunity to be by the sea.
We followed the curve of the smaller island and then, the captain steered us into a smaller jetty.
Holy Fuckballs, Holly had found us a small island paradise.
The ‘chalets’ were in a cove. And by in a cove, I mean, actually in the turquoise water. There were seven huts on stilts, all connected with wooden walkways. If you followed the interconnecting paths, there was a central area under a giant canopy with a large table, and then, if you kept going, it looked like the walkway would lead you to the white sands of the beach behind.
“This is quite the romantic retreat,” Youngbin said, fixing me a stare.
“These are the family chalets,” Sungmin said, dampening the mood as he stepped between us. “The couple chalets are on the other side of the island.”
Behind him, I caught MinMin and JongB sharing a look. At least I wasn’t the only one who had noticed the change in Sungmin.
“Are you alright there, hyungnim?” Youngbin asked his manager.
“There is a chalet for each of you to stay in with your families. The biggest, number two, is for Xiao,” Sungmin said, glancing at the sheet he’d been given when he’d checked in. “It should comfortably get your parents and sisters in there.” He turned to JongB. “You’re in number five. The resort have added cots for your siblings. The rest of you can pick a chalet.”
“Does that mean my sister isn’t coming?” Jiwon asked, quietly.
“I don’t have that information,” Sungmin said, shaking his head. “But I can call Atlantis and confirm, especially if-”
“Don’t bother,” Jiwon frowned. “She won’t come.” He grabbed his case and started wheeling it across the walkway. I bit my lip, watching him go as the suitcase clacked as it rolled over the individual planks.
From what I had learned, Jiwon had the worst relationship with his parents. They barely approved of his career choice, although that was possibly fueled by his grandfather. He had a younger sister and because of his job, and because his parents weren’t supportive, he hardly ever saw her.
I straightened my back, reaching for my case, but CX wafted my hands away. “I can drag a case,” I said, rolling my eyes.
“Or, you could let one of us,” he retorted.
I was seven weeks pregnant and not showing. Knowing he meant well, I bit my tongue. “I’m staying with Jiwon tonight,” I told him.
“Good call,” Xiao agreed, patting my head.
“The resort is preparing a meal for seven,” Sungmin said, glancing at his phone. You have a couple of hours.” He grabbed his case, pulling it to the chalet closest to the jetty.
We followed after him, dispersing at the various chalets. CX paused at the fourth chalet to drop his case off, and then insisted on taking mine to the last chalet which Jiwon had claimed. “Good luck,” he said, kissing me, before walking off.
I pulled my suitcase into the chalet, not getting further than the entrance step as I stared around with my mouth hanging open. It was beautiful. It opened up into a living area with two enormous couches and a hanging bamboo seat in the corner, all facing a TV which took up most of a wall. At the back of the room was a dining table with six seats, and the kitchen was behind that.
Beside the TV was a staircase leading to a balcony which overhung the living area and two doors – one of which was open. Guessing that was the room Jiwon had claimed, I picked up my case and started carrying it upstairs.
“What the fuck are you doing?”
I looked up and found Jiwon glowering down at me. “I was planning on staying with you tonight.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“If you really think that, I won’t,” I said, pausing. “But I’ve barely had any alone time with you since we got back from the tour and I miss you.” That wasn’t a lie. It wasn’t intentional either.
“Stay.”
제10 장
I Wait
Jiwon hurried down the stairs taking the case off me. Once again, I found myself biting my lip to stop myself from pointing out that I could still carry things around – it wasn’t even that heavy.
I followed him up to the bedroom he had chosen, tilting my head at the two twin beds in there. He turned and found me staring in amusement. “I’m hardly going to take the master bedroom when my parents turn up tomorrow.”
“Fair,” I said, following him into the room, setting my backpack on the floor beside the disheveled bed he must have been lying on before I had come in. It was right in front of the window, a glorious view of the corner of the cove. “I guess we’ll have to snuggle later.”
“Mmmm,” he murmured. He might not have sounded impressed, but I knew I would be able to cuddle up with him anyway.
“Do you want to go for a walk?” he asked, suddenly.
That had me canting my head again. “Sure,” I said, not feeling so. I wasn’t against walking at all. I was just surprised that was what Jiwon wanted to do.
Without waiting for me, he walked back out of the bedroom. Something was troubling him. I followed after him and found him waiting by the front door for me.
Back outside, the boat had left the jetty and none of the other guys were in sight. Someone – I was guessing it was JongB from his choice in music – was playing music loud enough that I could just about make out the lyrics, but otherwise, the island was still.
Suddenly, Jiwon’s hand was holding mine. I glanced down at it, smiling, as I allowed him to lead the way while I walked beside him. We followed the walkway down to the beach. A section had been partitioned off so that it contained a wooden climbing frame and some other child play things. There was also a basketball court and a tennis court behind that.
Jiwon led me past them, along the almost white sand. It was getting close to the longest day of the year, and the sun was still quite high in the sky. If it wasn’t for the breeze coming off the ocean, rifling through the trees which were on the wrong side of us to offer any shade, it would have been uncomfortably warm.
After a while, I stopped and toed my shoes off. The second I set my feet on the sand, I winced: it was hot. Jiwon reached down, picking my shoes up before I could, and then he scooped me up, carrying me closer to the shoreline.
I was about to clutch onto the shirt he was wearing, convinced he was going to dump me in the ocean, but he gently set me down on the wet sand, just as a wave rushed in and over the tops of my feet.
“You thought I was going to throw you in the water, didn’t you?”
Sheepishly, I nodded. “Maybe.”
“Tempting as it was, I’m not going to do that.”
“Because I’m pregnant?”
Jiwon pulled a face. “Because I don’t want to destroy your phone.”
With the hot weather and while they still fit me, I was wearing a pair of denim cutoffs and an oversized t-shirt. The shorts were tight – because they were designed to be – and for once, I’d not put my phone in my pocket. It was still in the backpack on the floor by the bed.
But I wasn’t about to tell Jiwon that incase he changed his mind.
His hand reached for mine again, lacing his fingers through mine as we continued walking. With nothing but the sound of the ocean and the wind in the palm trees, it was blissfully peaceful. Jiwon let out a satisfied sigh.
“What?”
“Do you hear that?” he asked me.
I stopped, looking up and down the deserted beach, and then shook my head. “I don’t hear anything.”
“Exactly,” he agreed, a small smile on his face. “Being around so many people all the time, it’s hard to hear nothing.”
I looked at him and pointed down the beach. We couldn’t even see our chalets anymore. “I mean, I can go if you want?”
He let out another satisfied sigh before leading me up the beach to the edge of the tree line.
I wasn’t great when it came to silence, especially now I was always around
people. I was trying hard not to say anything and let Jiwon speak his mind. But Jiwon wasn’t the first I’d think of when it came to sharing how he felt, and I was getting close to gently prodding him to tell me what was on his mind.
Just before I protested against walking through the forest, he stopped and sat down on the sand, just in the shade. As I sat down beside him, he lay back, staring up at the sky.
I mimicked him. From where we were, we actually couldn’t see much of the sky as the palm tree leaves created a moving canopy above us. I watched the giant leaves dance, waiting for Jiwon to say… anything.
Fuck this.
I tried.
I turned my head, staring at his profile, momentarily distracted by his jawline, and then I shook my head. “Did we come all this way to not say anything?”
“No.”
I waited, not quite as patiently as I wanted, watching him.
Finally, he sighed. “I don’t think my parents will come tomorrow.”
“They might surprise you.”
“They adore Jimin. They wouldn’t come without her.” Jimin was his little sister. I’d seen a picture of her once. She looked just like Jiwon, only about fifteen years younger. If I remembered correctly, she was about eight.
“She’s not a toddler anymore. Couldn’t they find a family friend to look after her? It’s only a week.”
“My grandfather owns a company which makes brake pads for cars,” Jiwon said.
“That’s… random,” I frowned, trying to work out how you made a leap from children to cars.
“He owns four factories in China and two outside of Busan,” Jiwon continued. “The company is one of the biggest employers in Busan. My dad is the Vice Chairman.”
“Are you rich?” I asked him.
“No.”
“Sorry, that was rude.”
Jiwon sighed. “I have made money with Onyx, but I did it without my family’s money. They cut me off, financially, when I moved up to Seoul.”
