by J. S. Lee
“I’m sorry,” I said, again. The money side of things never bothered me. I mean, yes, I needed to earn it, and I had been lucky with this job that almost everything was being paid for by Atlantis so that I got to save most of what I had earned. But the money that Jiwon and the others earned was unimportant to me.
“I’m not. Not about the money, anyway. But I miss my sister.” He reached up and scrubbed at his face with the palm of his hand. “My family has money. They could afford to have someone look after Jimin. They could afford to have someone come with them to look after Jimin. But they’re not going to come.”
“Maybe we could get some time off and go to Busan to see them?” I offered. The dialect was always stronger when he was upset, and I’d had to make an educated guess on some of what he was saying, but it was making my heart ache for him.
“No,” he said, firmly. “They won’t like you.”
I wasn’t surprised to hear it, and with all the things I’d heard about his family, I was kind of expecting it. It still sucked though. “You mean my award-winning personality wouldn’t win them over?”
“I don’t think they’d give you the opportunity to open your mouth.”
I sat up, shaking the sand out of my hair, and looked down at Jiwon with a sad smile. We had come from two different sides of the world, brought up completely differently, and yet, here we were; two individuals with screwed up families. “They might still turn up,” I told him. “Sungmin didn’t say anything about them not coming.”
Jiwon finally turned his head to look at me. He had sad eyes, but there was a glimmer of hope in them. “Money can’t buy you great parenting skills and I’m not sure I’ve had the best example of what to do.”
I reached out for his hand, lacing my fingers through his. “I’m not sure I have either, but the way I see it is I know what not to do.”
Jiwon jerked his arm, pulling me towards him. The movement was sharp and abrupt, but he caught me before I crashed onto him. “I didn’t really want kids,” he told me, quietly. “And it’s not that I don’t like them, because I do. I just don’t think I’d be a good father.” He reached up, brushing the hair from my face and holding it back. “I still don’t think I’d be a great one.”
“I think you’re going to surprise yourself,” I told him, meaning it.
“I think this boy is going to stand a fighting a chance because he’s got you as a mom,” he corrected me.
I smiled in amusement. “Boy?”
Jiwon nodded. “A girl would be cute. And a girl who looks like you would be adorable. But I’m no fool. The shit that you do drives me insane.”
My eyes went wide. “Me?”
“You are seeing six guys!” he exclaimed. “You think I’m going to cope if my daughter comes home and says she has just one boyfriend? She’s not even born and she can fuck off with that idea. No, we’re having a boy.”
“And what if the boy comes home and says he’s one of six dating a girl?”
“So long as she’s as good as you are, I’m good.” He reached up and pulled me to him, claiming my lips with his own.
I melted into him as he took control. Firm but possessive kisses, that had the usual dominance of Jiwon. Normally, Jiwon was in control in the bedroom. He would tell me exactly what he wanted. Normally, I was more than happy to oblige his wishes.
Maybe it was the fact we were on the beach. Somewhere, which, theoretically, someone could walk past and see us. Maybe these guys were making me bolder overall.
Maybe I was just one horny pregnant woman.
But today, I was going to take control.
I pulled back, watching Jiwon lick his lips as he watched me with curiosity. I stood, pulling my top off and discarding it to the side. “What are you doing?” he asked.
I ignored him, shimmying out of my shorts and panties, and toed them over towards my top, creating a messy pile of clothing. The sun was finally starting to dip below the tree-line behind us and the cooler air passed between my legs like a feather-light kiss. Jiwon started to prop himself up, but I shook my head. “You can stay right there,” I informed him.
Jiwon licked his lips as a smirk spread over them. “I can, can I?”
As I stood over him, a shiver of excitement ran down my spine. Realistically, no one was going to see us here, and if it was, let’s be honest, it was going to be JongB because I swear he had some GPS device which kicked in when I was getting naked, but the idea that someone could walk past, had me hot.
“I want to know what’s going through your mind right now,” he told me.
“You are talking too much,” I informed him. I walked over to him, and then, in a move which had him arching an eyebrow, I put a foot either side of him. Only, when I sank down to my knees, my core was above his face. “Now, put that tongue to better use, because you don’t get to come until I do.”
“Yes, noona,” he chuckled. His palms latched onto the outside of my knees. I had barely dug my fingers into the sand either side of his hips to keep my balanced when his fingers curled around my legs and he pulled me backwards so that his arms were over the backs of my calves, and I was just above him.
And then his tongue ran along the length of me.
I fisted the sand as a moan escaped me.
I fucked up. I should have told him I wanted two orgasms first.
As if he knew what I was thinking, his lips locked around my clit and he sucked. When I tried to pull away, his hands clamped around my ass, holding me in place.
Without thinking, I tugged the top of his shorts down, just enough for his thick cock to spring free. I licked away the little bead of pre-cum which was already there and I was rewarded by the grip on my ass tightening as Jiwon muttered something I couldn’t hear, but could certainly feel.
As I dropped my mouth around his cock, taking him as deep as I could, he ran his tongue along me before pushing it into me. He had a long tongue, but it wasn’t quite long enough to give me the satisfaction I craved.
A hand left my ass, and then his fingers were working at my clit as his tongue did wicked things to the inside of me.
If he was going to be such a tease, so was I. slowly, making sure my tongue ran the length of his cock, I brought my head up, focusing only on the tip of his cock. As I did, a breeze came off the ocean, making Jiwon pause as he groaned into me.
Well that gave a whole new meaning to the term ‘blowjob’.
I leaned forward and went down the length of his shaft, taking him deeper into my mouth so I could take all of him. Just as slowly, I pulled my head back up, this time gently using my teeth. Only this time, I completely pulled my head back. “Make me come, Jiwon.” It was an order, not a request.
Beneath me, Jiwon pulled me down, his lips on mine as he fucked me with his tongue.
“Holy father of my baby,“ I said, breathlessly as his fingers stepped up in working me into a frenzy. I was so close. My mouth reclaimed his cock, running my tongue along the length of him as I bobbed my head up and down his shaft. He was close too. I could sense it.
There was another breeze, this time from the forest behind us. It seemed to run along my ass and under me and I understood why Jiwon had enjoyed that sensation because holy fuck, the cold air on my hot core added a whole new sensation as Jiwon sucked at me.
And then I pulled my head back just as the orgasm hit me, crying out my pleasure into the wind. While Jiwon continued to lap at my core, swirling his tongue around my throbbing clit, I went to deliver on my promise.
His cries were muffled by me as he bucked into me. I swallowed his orgasm greedily. Only then did I roll off him, lying on my back beside him. The sun had just about set and the temperature had dropped a few degrees, but I welcomed the cool air.
“What was that?” Jiwon asked, eventually. “I’m not sure I approve of this side of you.”
“I don’t know,” I admitted. “And with hindsight, I’m not sure it was the best location to do this.”
“I liked it.”
Shaking his head Jiwon got to his feet and then he helped me to mine. While I brushed the sand off my body, he collected my clothes, shaking them out.
We were probably going to be late for dinner, I realized, as we walked back. It was worth it, though. No one would be sending out the search parties yet, and I was sure Jiwon was feeling better for getting things off his chest, even if he wasn’t going to say any more on the matter.
By the time we had gotten back to the chalets, the smell of tasty food was in the air and it had gone completely dark. Outside of the collection of chalets, the only other lights came from the stars and the twinkling on the horizon of the main part of the resort.
“Where have you two been?” Sungmin demanded as Jiwon and I took the two vacant seats at the table. Judging from the plates, they’d only just dished up the food.
“Is that really a question you want answering, hyungnim?” Youngbin asked him.
Without looking in our direction, Sungmin leaned forward, rubbing at his temples. “No.”
제11 장
Hola Hola
We’d been told that Onyx’s families were due at the island at three in the afternoon. That gave me plenty of time to move my things out of Jiwon’s chalet and into the one Sungmin had claimed. While Jiwon was adamant his parents weren’t coming, regardless of what Sungmin’s email told him, we had a goal for this vacation.
Atlantis had arranged this as a reward for the group, but we were taking the opportunity to, over the space of the week, introduce me to the various families and somehow, try to explain what ‘we’ were.
And of course, my stomach was full of butterflies.
The cabin Sungmin had claimed was almost identical to the one Jiwon had chosen. I walked in, expecting to take the room with two single beds, but that had been the one Sungmin had claimed. He was also hiding in the room, working.
I had a shower and took my time getting ready, picking out an outfit that I felt comfortable in and wouldn’t offend anyone; a bright yellow sundress which wasn’t too short and wasn’t too lowcut.
I was staring at my reflection as I blow dried my hair, pouting at the fact that the color was a mess. My natural hair color was a light brown. I’d dyed it auburn before Christmas, then gone blonde after breaking up with Damien. Then, the mess had happened with Anita and the accident, and I’d had to dye my hair dark brown. My roots were lighter than my hair, and it was in desperate need of a trim. Could you dye your hair when pregnant?
My hair was half blow-dried when I heard the horn from the boat announcing it was docking. I glanced at my watch, mortified that I’d lost track of time. I couldn’t go out like this!
Plans for sleek hair were abandoned and I threw it up into a messy bun, dashing out of the bedroom. I paused, looking towards Sungmin’s room, but the door was open – he’d already gone. Of course he had. He wasn’t Onyx’s manager for nothing.
I was the last one to meet everyone at the boats. The families had come across on two boats, and the little jetty was packed with people and cases. With so many people there, I was glad I had arrived late. There was so much commotion as the members of Onyx reunited with their families.
It also looked like their parents had met before, which, considering how long they’d been together, made sense. I’d just never considered it.
I hung back, watching from a distance, wishing I’d brought my camera. JongB and his family were the closest to me. I’d met his family when the tour had taken us to Chicago and they were the only names I knew. JongB’s step-dad, Tom, was the only non-Asian there aside from me.
I wasn’t entirely sure of the details, but his mom had been pregnant when she’d moved to Chicago and JongB’s real father had died when he was a child. She’d remarried recently, but she had been with Tom for several years before then. JongB had a half-sister called Mina who was three, and an eleven-year-old half-brother called Robin. Robin was busy pointing to the frogs painted on the boat, keeping his sister entertained as they waited for the adults to do their thing.
Xiao’s mom and dad were there along with his two older sisters. They were identical in the face, and if it wasn’t for their very different hairstyles, I would never have been able to tell them apart. I knew one was called Lei Ling, and the other was Lei Ying, but I had no idea who had the blonde hair, and who had the chin-length bob. They looked to be about the same age as Sungmin, maybe a little older, in their early thirties.
MinMin’s parents were very smiley, but very reserved, standing back out of the way to speak to their son. I couldn’t hear what was being said, but I was willing to bet money that, from the way his mom was patting her son down, that he needed to put on weight.
CX, like MinMin, didn’t have siblings, but both his parents were there too. There was something stern but calm about his mother. She reminded me of a doctor, but I knew that wasn’t the case. CX had mentioned that they’d struggled enough with money when he was younger that he wouldn’t have been able to go to university, but that was all I remembered about them.
Youngbin was the spitting image of his father. “Fuck,” I muttered, unsure if it was a good thing, or a weird thing that I thought his dad was kinda hot. “Baby hormones. It’s baby hormones.” That shit excuse worked for Jacob in Twilight and I was going for the same excuse even if it wasn’t quite the same…
And then I found Jiwon. At first, I nearly fell over, surprised at how old his dad was, and then I realized the man he was stood in front of with his head bowed and not looking directly in the eye was his grandfather. He and his father, who was stood beside him, were the only two men in suits, despite the fact we were on an island resort in the hot sun. Next to them, sheltering under a parasol, was an elegant woman with a dress that looked as smart as her husband’s suit.
I was so distracted by the cold body language that I hadn’t even noticed that hiding behind his mom, watching everything with wide eyes, was Jiwon’s little sister. She was dressed as impeccably as her parents and it looked just as out of place in the setting, never mind on an eight-year-old.
I rubbed my hand over the back of my neck. It was already damp from the heat, but I had a feeling it was going to be a permanent feature over the next few days. Jiwon had already said his parent weren’t going to like me, and looking at them, I was certain he was right.
I was also certain that this wasn’t going to be an easy thing to tackle with most of them.
Fuckety-fuck.
Most of them might be reasonably tolerant and accepting when they found out that I was dating their son, but the moment they discovered that was plural… I was going to be public enemy number one.
Fuck.
Suddenly feeling completely overwhelmed, I walked away from the jetty. Now wasn’t the time for introductions, and I needed to get inside to some air conditioning.
I retreated back to my chalet, investigating the contents of the refrigerator before deciding on a glass of iced water. Why the hell had I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to tell their parents? This was insane.
Onyx rarely got the opportunity to spend time with their family, and for someone like Xiao, this was the first time they were seeing them in years. This should be about them, not about me.
We could have worked out another way to tell them, to visit them individually, at a location which didn’t have me trapped on an island.
Was it too late to send a message to the boys to tell them not to say anything?
But one of them was a father and they had every right to tell their parents that.
One of them was a father.
Was this selfish? Should I have waited until I was far along enough to do a paternity test and find out who the actual father was, so that only his family needed to be told.
I stopped, realizing I had been pacing back and forth. “They wanted to tell their parents,” I told myself.
“We had a discussion and they wanted to tell them.”
I drank half of my water, greedily. I didn’t doubt Onyx’s feelings for me, but the sad reality of this was that their families were unlikely to understand this. Most of the western world wouldn’t. Korea was barely acknowledging its LGBTQ+ citizens. Hell, it had hardly been accepting of divorce.
I hurried upstairs to my room. My dress didn’t have pockets so I’d left my phone on the bed. With everyone distracted by their families, I had no messages waiting for me, but I was toying with the idea of sending them a message to tell them all not to say anything today.
They needed at least one evening with their families.
The phone beeped and vibrated in my hands, making me jump. It was a message from Youngbin. Where are you? There are welcome drinks. You should come join us.
I toyed with telling him I needed to rest, but if I did that, I was sure at least one of them would turn up at the door to check up on me, and that was probably going to raise more eyebrows than me joining them.
“Suck it up,” I told myself, taking a deep breath. “You’re a grown-ass adult and this is what they wanted.”
I’m on my way, I messaged back.
I didn’t have much experience at meeting the in-laws, but I was willing to bet most people didn’t have the same level of nerves as I did. This wasn’t one set of parents to impress, but six.
I stepped out of the chalet, into the wall of warmth, and glanced down the walkway. The jetty was empty, but I could hear voices – laughter and conversation, with the occasional squeal of a child playing. That was probably Mina.
I followed the noise to the central area we had eaten at the night before. The table had been removed and more seats had been brought in. The area was full of people. Before I could get close, something slammed into my legs, latching on to me so I couldn’t move.
I looked down and found two brown eyes staring up at me. “Mina?” She giggled, squeezed my legs, and then ran away to her mother. As soon as Joomi saw me, she smiled and waved me over. “Hello, Mrs. Im,” I greeted her.
