Obviously this piques my curiosity. “And what kind of expression is that?”
“A little bit dazed, a smidge confused, with just a touch ofwhat the fuck,” he says, dropping onto the couch and stretching out. “What happened this time?”
“Yung-Sun came by my office again.” I rub at my temples, trying to fight off the tension I can feel building. It only happens when I’m starting to get overwhelmed, and I am willing to admit that this whole thing with Yung-Sun is starting to push me in that direction. The way he puts me off-kilter is messing with my head.
“These visits are becoming a regular thing, huh?” he asks, eyebrow raised.
I glare at him. “I don’t think two—three?—times counts as a regular occurrence,Jase.”
“It’s definitely the start of something. A pattern, perhaps.” He shifts and puts a pillow behind his head. When I don’t say anything, he prompts me with a wave of his hand. “Go on.”
“It was like part two of the last time? He told me again that I could have him. I told him I date women. He says trying new things is good. He was… flirty.”
“Mmm-hmmmm,” Jase hums, indicating he’s listening and apparently still not surprised by anything I’m saying.
Which is very much a recurring theme with these conversations. And I don’t know what that means either.
“I told him about Chaeji wanting to see me again…” I stop abruptly as Jase pops upright, gaping at me. I realize I haven’t told him about that. “Oh yeah, she’s trying to get me to see her again. I guess I’m going to have to tell her face-to-face, because she’s very much not giving up.”
“Damn, Kija. Look at you. One of the most famous idols on the planet and one of the most beautiful actresses in the world, both fighting for your attention,” Jase says and everything sounds even more insane when he puts it like that. “Impressive predicament you have here.”
“Not really. I don’t wantherand I don’t know whyhewantsme.” Getting up, I go into the kitchen and open the fridge to stare inside like something is going to offer itself up to me like Yung-Sun keeps doing. Jase joins me as I finally reach in for a bottle of water.
“I mean, I could start a list of all of the reasons you’re awesome, maybe compare notes with Yung-Sun,” he suggests. “I’ve got history going for me, but he’d take the win for workplace hotness exposure.”
I don’t want to smile at him, but I do anyway as I lean back against the counter across from him. “Stop.”
He looks more serious as he says, “I know this is weird. Maybe I shouldn’t be teasing you about any of it, so I apologize for that if it’s making things worse. Yes, a lot ofpeople would love to be in your position right now, but if you’re uncomfortable, that’s the only thing that matters. It’s bad enough trying to deal with the crazy girl, so Nikko can tell Yung-Sun to back off.”
“You don’t need to get your boyfriend involved. I can fight my own battles,” I tell him, without admitting it’s weirdly sweet he’d offer. “And calling it a battle isn’t even the right thing. Chaeji might be difficult to convince, but she’s harmless, I think. And Yung-Sun isn’t bothering me. It’s just more like I feel bad that he keeps trying, and I don’t know what to do with that, except to say thanks.”
“Turning people down sucks, regardless of the situation,” Jase says. “Not that I have much experience doing it, but I think that’s a fairly universal truth.”
It wouldn’t be a first for me, certainly, but it’s never easy and generally just feels bad for everyone involved. Despite my sometimes ready-to-challenge-everything demeanor at work, I’m pretty nonconfrontational. “I wish there was a simple way to tell someone to move on that didn’t hurt anyone,” I sigh.
“Does everyone know what a softie you really are? Or am I just lucky?” Jase questions, I don’t answer him as he grabs for his phone as soon as it pings. “Oh damn,” he breathes, eyes wide.
“I assume Nikko has done something you find attractive?” I joke. I’m sure the message is from Nikko, but what he’s sent could be literally anything to get that sort of response from Jase. The easy guess is something sexy, which I do not want to know anything about.
“He’s just sending me some pictures from the photo shoot today.”
Turning so I can see the screen, too, I catch sight of not only Nikko, but also Tang and Ryo. They’re all dressed in couture—a little avant garde, but tailored to look like it was made for them. I know enough about fashion to be able to recognize the designer’s signature and be impressed. I like to dress welland don’t even mind going all-out for some of the industry events. “They look great.”
“Uh, yeah,” he mumbles, then swipes to the next image. “Wow.”
It’s just Nikko and Yung-Sun this time. And the picture is stunning. They’re styled and posed as opposites—Nikko in an all-white, structured suit, his face done up in icy metallic silver, and Yung-Sun in black, flowing material that slinks over his body in a way that seems revealing even though he’s covered up, his eyes lined with dark, smoky smudges. Everything about it looks intense. Seductive. There’s that word again. It’s the only one that I can think of that fits. Feels right.
I don’t realize how long I’ve been staring until I notice Jase is looking at me and not what’s in front of him on his phone. “What?”
“It’s just…” he pauses, like he’s considering exactly what he wants to say. “Now that I’ve seen this, I’m gonna go home, and I’m gonna get my boyfriend naked. And then I’m going to spend the rest of the night doing things to him that I know you don’t want to hear about. And you… you kind of look like you might be entertaining similar thoughts.”
“I donotwant to fuck Nikko,” I retort instantly, then add, “No offense to Nikko, of course.”
“Yeah, Nikko wasn’t the one I was talking about.” He taps at the screen and I feel my own phone vibrate in my pocket. “Shared the pic. You know, just a little something for you to think about tonight.”
I don’t say anything as he smirks and heads back to the front door, our hang time apparently over now that he’s got his boyfriend tempting him to go home and get lucky. I wave as he leaves, then go lock the door behind him before going to my bedroom. I forgo turning on the lights and just crash on the bed, eyes closed. Immediately I’m imagining that picture of Yung-Sun, practically making my phone burn in my pocket.
He was still styled from the shoot when he came to see me. I’m not sure why that feels significant for some reason. Maybe it’s not. Maybe it is.
