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Chapter 17 The hotel resort’s dance hall where the award ceremony took place was full with famous faces. The award show has ended and they were having a quick break before the next program. Taecyeon had been getting a few little surprises here and there from Bekah throughout the night. She would deliberately glance at him when no one was looking, or lightly squeezed his forearm as she laughed at MC’s jokes. Despite of her awkward Korean, she surprisingly looked really comfortable making light conversation with people who shared the same table with them. He just wished she didn’t ignore him as much.  Something vibrated inside his pocket, luckily he remembered to set his phone on silent mode. Khun mobile -his screen showed. He contemplated for a while before hitting the reject button. It’s been a little weird ever since Bekah mentioned she went out with Khun for a drink, not that she had to tell him everything, but a little note would have been appreciated. Wise to say he was more bothered by Khun who snuck up behind his back since that little incident is still fresh in his memory. His fingers tapped on the clear glass before drinking its remaining liquid as if he had to flush down the bitter taste inside his mouth.  Jay. Where is now and what’s he been up to? He’d be lying if he said his last encounter with that guy wasn’t awkward enough for both of them. There were many words unsaid behind their exchanging stares. Both of them knew, none of them act on it. If only Bekah wasn’t on their way, he’d love to approach his friend once again after all this years to clear the air. But she was there… -and Jay kissed her. Taec sighed heavily. Why would he do such thing? Didn’t he remember how hurt it feels, a betrayal? Taec took another sip of his empty glass without consent. His eyebrows showed more emotion than he intended to, his eyes automatically wandered to the source of familiar noise coming from his side. Bekah just let out her distinctive laughter with her head tilted back, she seemed to be having the time of her life. Unlike many other girls, he appreciates certain areas she doesn’t hold back; things that make her more fun in general. He smiled, unconsciously. Something that Chansung said played again in his head. His friend was joking around but it got Taecyeon thinking about it many times since that night. “Just ask her out already. If worst comes to worst, at least you live your life with no regrets.” Taecyeon rested his elbows on the shiny white damask linen and gazed his eyes upon Bekah who was now walking back towards their table where he had been sitting all by himself. A whiff of white flowers snuggled his olfactory nerves just a moment before she was sitting down.  “Hey.” Bekah greeted and bloomed a smile; and just like that his nervous rate went off the chart. “You look really pretty tonight.” He whispered lightly and quickly wiped his sweaty palm. This is ridiculous, he silently muttered to himself. “Aw thanks. You too, Taec.” She casually brushed her hair back, resulting his eyes went to her shoulders. Taec cleared his throat to distract himself from the tempting beauty sitting beside him nonchalantly. “Oh, that woman over there thought we’re together, isn’t that funny?” said Bekah again. “Not really.” His answer got her full attention. “I’m sorry?” Taecyeon found his phone vibrating again but this time he didn’t even bother to check. “Bekah…can I ask you one thing?” She looked more alert. “Of course.” “Are you…allowed to date?” Bekah’s eye blinked at least twice more while digesting his question. “Umm I think so-“, her curious eyes widened. “-why did you ask?” Taecyeon made sure Bekah, and only Bekah, heard him. “Because I’d really like to date you.” *************************************************** What did he just say? Bekah’s head spun in questions and blinked multiple times. If she was to put one penny in a piggy bank each time Taecyeon caught her off guard, she would have been so filthy rich by now. His intimidating stare were still piercing through undeterred by the shadow hanging over them. Tonight was a major challenging moment for her, purposely seducing a man was definitely out of her character. Luckily once they arrived at the award ceremony, she was a little bit overwhelmed by everything else that she neglected to worry about her role as a temptress. Which is good. Taking Bekah’s mind back to the time being, the orchestra started to hum some melody and within seconds people begun to fill up the dance floor. “Dance with me.” Taecyeon stood up and asked for her hand. She followed him without words and quickly felt the warmth of his body once he pulled her in. Bekah was intrigued by the hint of cockiness she found in the way he dragged her down there. It was a statement more than a request. As if he noticed her disarray, he nuzzled in and held her waist tighter. “Let me ask you properly,” he cleared his throat, “Would you do the honor and go out with me?” Bekah almost believed his voice trembling in her ear but his abiding stance and statuesque posture clued her otherwise. ”You’re seriously asking me out?” Bekah asked back, still dancing side by side without seeing each other’s eyes. She felt his head shook.  “Nope. I’m begging you.”  His answered made her chuckle, she jerked back to laugh with him but the look in his eyes made her doubt if what he just said was supposed to be a joke. Bekah talked herself out of it. “But….what about your company, Taec?” He shrugged careless. “What about it?” Bekah could see a bead of sweat on his forehead. “I really like you, Bekah, and I don’t care what people think. I’m asking you, because that’s all that matters.” said Taec, his eyes were demanding answers and they truthfully did anything but helpful to her.    Taec had planted the seed of her seduction so carefully, so perfectly, that Bekah had been undone before she’d known how to stop herself. The simple challenge of resistance inflamed her. The urge to beat him at his own game, to make him crawl and beg, was irresistible. What her friends said the other night kept playing in her mind, how she should have been stronger and never let Taecyeon had his way. How she should plan a counter blow just to keep his ego in check. But, if she was being honest to herself, was tonight merely a form of revenge? Was her satisfaction seeing Taecyeon’s dumbfounded look born out of reward for her brilliant acting, or solely a form of self approval for her ability bringing a man to his knees? Bekah had absolutely no clue, she must have lost her mind somewhere down the line. “I can get on my knees if you want me to.” Taecyeon’s voice startled her. Bekah looked up and saw him smiling. She would imagine her face must have looked ridiculous from all those thinking.  “No…” She giggled. Taecyeon’s eyes pierced, “N-no what?” “I mean, no, please don’t kneel…” said Bekah while paying attention to those around them. The butterfly in her stomach started to flap its wings uncontrollably, her sane brain was beaten down and locked up in the darkest corner of her heart. She then wrapped her arms around his neck and fixed her stare at the guy who she thinks is the most good looking man in the room tonight. “And yes, I’d date you, Ok Taecyeon.”  Soon enough Bekah felt his tensed shoulder relaxing under her arm, he even breathed a sigh of relief. “However, do you think maybe we should wait before we tell people?” He lightly rubbed his hand on her back, pushing their bodies even closer together. “We can do that, yeah. It’s fun being secretive.”, said Taec.   Bekah couldn’t help but feeling nervous about this decision. What about their show? They can’t live together now that they’re dating……can they?  “Taec?” “Hmm?” He led her around the dance floor with the least amount of effort. With his size, whoever partner Taec has would look fragile compared to him.  “How come you never dated ever since you came to Korea?” Bekah voiced her lingering question since that one night when Jay told her a little bit of information. Taecyeon didn’t seem concern about how she knew such thing. He shrugged. “I haven’t met anyone suitable in a while.” “Suitable?” she frowned. “You know, someone who understands what I do. Someone who wants to make the most of it when we’re together, but doesn’t demand a lot in between times.” It sounds like he dates the way he does everything else; logically, with imperative target. Bekah was suddenly reminded of her previous relationship, the one she let to fall apart under her nose.  “I want to learn how to date,” she said out of the blue. “What do you want?” He chuckled and ran a finger along her jaw. “Do you need to ask? You’re a beautiful, fascinating-” his voice turned husky, “-desirable woman.” Bekah’s legs weakened. She must not budge. “I mean, what precisely would dating you involve?” Her empirical question seemed to amuse him. “Well, we’d go out when we have the time. A lot of schedule-matching too, obviously. I’d like to see you as much as I can, even between schedules. My company car would be useful for that. Oh, and there will be more of this…” He leaned down until their lips were only an inch apart. “Taec-” Bekah yelped. “I don’t think that would be a good idea….with all these people.” Taecyeon realized instantly and moved back. “Apologies. I forgot…” he shyly smiled. Something about his demeanor spellbound her in the most perplexing way. He had been nothing but a gentleman and his confident aura didn’t clash with her stubborn self tonight. It must be his monkey suit, Bekah thought. “You wanna get out of here?” Taecyeon looked around and saw his manager chatting with a couple of other people on the side. “We can run pass him if we’re quick enough. But…” His eyes lowered down to her shoes. Bekah’s eyes glistened from the challenge. “Oh, I can run alright.” “In those?” He glared at her killer heels. “Well, Ok Taecyeon, there are a few things you still don’t know about me,” said Bekah playfully before observing the quickest way to the nearest exit.  Taec smirked as she yanked his hand and ran sneaking behind other people. “Then you’d be pleased to know that I love surprises.”  *************************************************** Running through the golf course in the middle of the night might not be his ideal way to spend this evening, but the full moon shining its soft silver beam on the quiet, empty field and the fragrant aroma coming from hibiscus garden spotted around the hotel had made it extra special for him. They kept running until they reached the small oak forest which fenced the rest of bungalows.  Taec was panting. He’s surprised Bekah could match his running speed wearing her heels and didn’t even look half as weary as he did. “Any idea where we’re going?” asked Bekah after they stopped to catch some breath. “Not really. But at last…we’re alone now, aren’t we?”   She looked around to the high and closed trees ahead of them. “Looks like it.”  He closed the gap between them. “Good. ‘Cause I’ve been dying to do this.” Taecyeon dropped his head for a kiss, Bekah wasn’t prepared for the same spark of electricity that had left her lips tingling a couple months back to multiply tenfold. She grasped his strong arms to steady herself as he pushed her until she felt her back against a tree. He then stopped just a hairbreadth away, so close she could have sworn she still sensed the warmth of his lips. ”That was long overdue, right babe?”  She rested her forehead against his, the tips of their noses just touching. Her fingers dug into him, and he almost thought he could feel them tremble. He then pulled away to search for her face under the minimal light; he was looking for something he couldn’t quite put a name to. Bekah’s cheeks look flushed and warm, Taec wasn’t sure if it was from the running or the kiss. He cupped her face, caressing the high point of her cheekbone, enjoying the warmth of her skin. “Did I tell you how I enjoy your little game today?” Bekah’s tongue peeked out to wet her bottom lip and she smiled innocently, “What game?” Taec held back a grin and set his foot between the grass and surfacing tree roots. “You know what I’m talking about.”  “What makes you think it was a game and not a punishment?” Bekah’s lips quirked up, mocking him. His mouth went dry, “Punishment?” Taec groaned. ”Hmm, yeah I guess I deserved it.” He reached down to her waist and pulled her closer. The shock of sensibility that somewhere deep within her, a blaze of desire had been ignited, tickled her mind. “Let me make it up to you.” His whisper made all the hair behind Bekah’s neck stand up. When he brought her arm up and kissed her palm, her knees weakened.  Surrounded by lush forest and minimal light, Bekah could only see his brown hair as he slid his lips down to the pulse point at her wrist. “You have lovely hands.” he said. Bekah made a small delighted noise in the back of her throat when Taec gathered  her arms up and held her hands above her with one of his. Another hand pressing against her back, pushing her into him. The forest was empty and silent, Bekah swore she could hear the heavy breathing coming out of them. Loud and clear. Apparently Taec decided to take a revenge on the torture she’d put him through tonight. Instead of continuing, he stood still in front of her with nothing but his gazing eyes cherishing her body. That was a lust she saw there, nothing less.   “You’re shaking.” he murmured while nuzzling his nose behind her ear. His warm breath and gentle kisses made her feel like she’s losing her ground. ”I-I’m sorry.” Bekah’s voice came out embarrassingly breathy. Taec looked up. A hint of smile lurked beneath his perfectly curved mouth. “Don’t be.” It wasn’t long until their lips meet again, and this time they both gave in. Her stomach felt tense when he deepened his kisses, little by little. This can’t be a normal protocol for a first date, but Bekah had obviously left her traditional way of thinking when she slipped into that provocative dress in which at the moment is getting a full attention from Taec. His hand had moved up to play with her hair; his eyes looked more dangerous than usual. “Wait Bek,” he suddenly said. “If this is too fast for you, let me know. I don’t want to lead you on if you’re-“ Bekah shut him up with another kiss, which surprised him a little. She moved her arms to signal him, asking to be freed. Once he did, Bekah reached out to his neck and removed his tight bow-tie. “Ahhh that feels so much better,” Taec thanked her and rested his right hand on her behind. She had this sudden urge to feel the warmth of his skin but the tux shirt had one of those little buttons that are impossible. He noticed her frustration and calmly held her hand, “I’ll do it. But perhaps we need to move to somewhere more….private.” “We can go home.” suggested Bekah, still eyeing his fingers that were struggling to undone his first two buttons. “Yeah, but that would defeat the purpose.” Taecyeon winked and gave her the most secretive smile. “Or we can just run a little bit more ‘til we reach those bungalows. You can see them, right?” He pointed East where she could see a line of cabana houses behind the other part of the golf course.  “But we need to book-” Bekah’s sentence was hold off by a shiny object Taecyeon jingled in front of her eyes. “When did you…?” her eyes showed amazement. “You’re not the only one with surprises, Bekah. Come, before anyone sees us.” He took her hand and went towards the referred direction. Before the reached the empty field, Taecyeon playfully grabbed her waist and stole a deep, longing kiss. Million things were playing in his mind; if this is the right decision for them, or whether they move too fast, but overall he knew one thing for sure, that tonight would change everything. While still thinking all those things, his part of the brain that still functions was aware of the faint, familiar sound. “Shit,” he cursed just a moment before the sprinkler systems came on and hit them with water. “Oh no!!!” screamed Bekah. They exchanged glances and started laughing.  “We surely needed some cooling-off,” Taec groaned while brushing his soaked hair back. “, but this is ridiculous.” “Please tell me you didn’t plan this, Taec.” giggled Bekah while trying to wipe her remaining mascaras off. “We have no other way but to cross that field.” He looked around, “You’re right. But I think you might want to take those shoes off this time around. Let’s go.” They both started running in one direcetion and at the same time avoiding the water as quick as they could. Fortunately the room where Taecyeon had somehow booked wasn’t too far from the field. “Here, take the key. I’m gonna remove my shoes real fast and hang them out here before I make a mess.” Taec threw her the small gold object and sat himself down at the edge of the wall that separated their bungalow with the next one. Bekah inserted the key and turned it but it somehow locked itself back. That’s weird, thought Bekah. On the second try she finally got it open and as soon as she walked inside, someone turned around to face her. Bekah jolted back and called out for Taec. She was indeed shocked. He ran in haste, “What’s the matter?” Soon enough he realized there was someone else waiting in that room. The least expected person he would see tonight. “……… HYUNG?”

Chapter 17

The hotel resort’s dance hall where the award ceremony took place was full with famous faces. The award show has ended and they were having a quick break before the next program. Taecyeon had been getting a few little surprises here and there from Bekah throughout the night. She would deliberately glance at him when no one was looking, or lightly squeezed his forearm as she laughed at MC’s jokes. Despite of her awkward Korean, she surprisingly looked really comfortable making light conversation with people who shared the same table with them. He just wished she didn’t ignore him as much. 

Something vibrated inside his pocket, luckily he remembered to set his phone on silent mode. Khun mobile -his screen showed. He contemplated for a while before hitting the reject button. It’s been a little weird ever since Bekah mentioned she went out with Khun for a drink, not that she had to tell him everything, but a little note would have been appreciated. Wise to say he was more bothered by Khun who snuck up behind his back since that little incident is still fresh in his memory. His fingers tapped on the clear glass before drinking its remaining liquid as if he had to flush down the bitter taste inside his mouth. 

Jay.

Where is now and what’s he been up to?

He’d be lying if he said his last encounter with that guy wasn’t awkward enough for both of them. There were many words unsaid behind their exchanging stares. Both of them knew, none of them act on it. If only Bekah wasn’t on their way, he’d love to approach his friend once again after all this years to clear the air.

But she was there… -and Jay kissed her.

Taec sighed heavily.

Why would he do such thing? Didn’t he remember how hurt it feels, a betrayal?

Taec took another sip of his empty glass without consent. His eyebrows showed more emotion than he intended to, his eyes automatically wandered to the source of familiar noise coming from his side. Bekah just let out her distinctive laughter with her head tilted back, she seemed to be having the time of her life. Unlike many other girls, he appreciates certain areas she doesn’t hold back; things that make her more fun in general.

He smiled, unconsciously. Something that Chansung said played again in his head. His friend was joking around but it got Taecyeon thinking about it many times since that night.

“Just ask her out already. If worst comes to worst, at least you live your life with no regrets.”

Taecyeon rested his elbows on the shiny white damask linen and gazed his eyes upon Bekah who was now walking back towards their table where he had been sitting all by himself. A whiff of white flowers snuggled his olfactory nerves just a moment before she was sitting down. 

“Hey.”

Bekah greeted and bloomed a smile; and just like that his nervous rate went off the chart. “You look really pretty tonight.” He whispered lightly and quickly wiped his sweaty palm. This is ridiculous, he silently muttered to himself.

“Aw thanks. You too, Taec.” She casually brushed her hair back, resulting his eyes went to her shoulders. Taec cleared his throat to distract himself from the tempting beauty sitting beside him nonchalantly. “Oh, that woman over there thought we’re together, isn’t that funny?” said Bekah again.

“Not really.”

His answer got her full attention. “I’m sorry?”

Taecyeon found his phone vibrating again but this time he didn’t even bother to check. “Bekah…can I ask you one thing?”

She looked more alert. “Of course.”

“Are you…allowed to date?”

Bekah’s eye blinked at least twice more while digesting his question. “Umm I think so-“, her curious eyes widened. “-why did you ask?”

Taecyeon made sure Bekah, and only Bekah, heard him.

“Because I’d really like to date you.”

***************************************************

What did he just say?

Bekah’s head spun in questions and blinked multiple times. If she was to put one penny in a piggy bank each time Taecyeon caught her off guard, she would have been so filthy rich by now. His intimidating stare were still piercing through undeterred by the shadow hanging over them. Tonight was a major challenging moment for her, purposely seducing a man was definitely out of her character. Luckily once they arrived at the award ceremony, she was a little bit overwhelmed by everything else that she neglected to worry about her role as a temptress. Which is good.

Taking Bekah’s mind back to the time being, the orchestra started to hum some melody and within seconds people begun to fill up the dance floor.

“Dance with me.” Taecyeon stood up and asked for her hand. She followed him without words and quickly felt the warmth of his body once he pulled her in. Bekah was intrigued by the hint of cockiness she found in the way he dragged her down there. It was a statement more than a request. As if he noticed her disarray, he nuzzled in and held her waist tighter. “Let me ask you properly,” he cleared his throat, “Would you do the honor and go out with me?”

Bekah almost believed his voice trembling in her ear but his abiding stance and statuesque posture clued her otherwise. ”You’re seriously asking me out?” Bekah asked back, still dancing side by side without seeing each other’s eyes. She felt his head shook. 

“Nope. I’m begging you.” 

His answered made her chuckle, she jerked back to laugh with him but the look in his eyes made her doubt if what he just said was supposed to be a joke. Bekah talked herself out of it. “But….what about your company, Taec?”

He shrugged careless. “What about it?” Bekah could see a bead of sweat on his forehead. “I really like you, Bekah, and I don’t care what people think. I’m asking you, because that’s all that matters.” said Taec, his eyes were demanding answers and they truthfully did anything but helpful to her.   

Taec had planted the seed of her seduction so carefully, so perfectly, that Bekah had been undone before she’d known how to stop herself. The simple challenge of resistance inflamed her. The urge to beat him at his own game, to make him crawl and beg, was irresistible. What her friends said the other night kept playing in her mind, how she should have been stronger and never let Taecyeon had his way. How she should plan a counter blow just to keep his ego in check.

But, if she was being honest to herself, was tonight merely a form of revenge? Was her satisfaction seeing Taecyeon’s dumbfounded look born out of reward for her brilliant acting, or solely a form of self approval for her ability bringing a man to his knees? Bekah had absolutely no clue, she must have lost her mind somewhere down the line.

“I can get on my knees if you want me to.” Taecyeon’s voice startled her. Bekah looked up and saw him smiling. She would imagine her face must have looked ridiculous from all those thinking. 

“No…” She giggled.

Taecyeon’s eyes pierced, “N-no what?”

“I mean, no, please don’t kneel…” said Bekah while paying attention to those around them. The butterfly in her stomach started to flap its wings uncontrollably, her sane brain was beaten down and locked up in the darkest corner of her heart. She then wrapped her arms around his neck and fixed her stare at the guy who she thinks is the most good looking man in the room tonight.

“And yes, I’d date you, Ok Taecyeon.” 

Soon enough Bekah felt his tensed shoulder relaxing under her arm, he even breathed a sigh of relief. “However, do you think maybe we should wait before we tell people?”

He lightly rubbed his hand on her back, pushing their bodies even closer together. “We can do that, yeah. It’s fun being secretive.”, said Taec.  

Bekah couldn’t help but feeling nervous about this decision. What about their show? They can’t live together now that they’re dating……can they? 

“Taec?”

“Hmm?” He led her around the dance floor with the least amount of effort. With his size, whoever partner Taec has would look fragile compared to him. 

“How come you never dated ever since you came to Korea?” Bekah voiced her lingering question since that one night when Jay told her a little bit of information. Taecyeon didn’t seem concern about how she knew such thing.

He shrugged. “I haven’t met anyone suitable in a while.”

“Suitable?” she frowned.

“You know, someone who understands what I do. Someone who wants to make the most of it when we’re together, but doesn’t demand a lot in between times.”

It sounds like he dates the way he does everything else; logically, with imperative target. Bekah was suddenly reminded of her previous relationship, the one she let to fall apart under her nose. 

“I want to learn how to date,” she said out of the blue. “What do you want?”

He chuckled and ran a finger along her jaw. “Do you need to ask? You’re a beautiful, fascinating-” his voice turned husky, “-desirable woman.”

Bekah’s legs weakened. She must not budge. “I mean, what precisely would dating you involve?”

Her empirical question seemed to amuse him.

“Well, we’d go out when we have the time. A lot of schedule-matching too, obviously. I’d like to see you as much as I can, even between schedules. My company car would be useful for that. Oh, and there will be more of this…” He leaned down until their lips were only an inch apart.

“Taec-” Bekah yelped. “I don’t think that would be a good idea….with all these people.” Taecyeon realized instantly and moved back. “Apologies. I forgot…” he shyly smiled. Something about his demeanor spellbound her in the most perplexing way. He had been nothing but a gentleman and his confident aura didn’t clash with her stubborn self tonight. It must be his monkey suit, Bekah thought.

“You wanna get out of here?” Taecyeon looked around and saw his manager chatting with a couple of other people on the side. “We can run pass him if we’re quick enough. But…” His eyes lowered down to her shoes.

Bekah’s eyes glistened from the challenge. “Oh, I can run alright.”

“In those?” He glared at her killer heels.

“Well, Ok Taecyeon, there are a few things you still don’t know about me,” said Bekah playfully before observing the quickest way to the nearest exit. 

Taec smirked as she yanked his hand and ran sneaking behind other people. “Then you’d be pleased to know that I love surprises.” 

***************************************************

Running through the golf course in the middle of the night might not be his ideal way to spend this evening, but the full moon shining its soft silver beam on the quiet, empty field and the fragrant aroma coming from hibiscus garden spotted around the hotel had made it extra special for him. They kept running until they reached the small oak forest which fenced the rest of bungalows. 

Taec was panting. He’s surprised Bekah could match his running speed wearing her heels and didn’t even look half as weary as he did.

“Any idea where we’re going?” asked Bekah after they stopped to catch some breath.

“Not really. But at last…we’re alone now, aren’t we?”  

She looked around to the high and closed trees ahead of them. “Looks like it.” 

He closed the gap between them. “Good. ‘Cause I’ve been dying to do this.”

Taecyeon dropped his head for a kiss, Bekah wasn’t prepared for the same spark of electricity that had left her lips tingling a couple months back to multiply tenfold. She grasped his strong arms to steady herself as he pushed her until she felt her back against a tree. He then stopped just a hairbreadth away, so close she could have sworn she still sensed the warmth of his lips. ”That was long overdue, right babe?” 

She rested her forehead against his, the tips of their noses just touching. Her fingers dug into him, and he almost thought he could feel them tremble. He then pulled away to search for her face under the minimal light; he was looking for something he couldn’t quite put a name to. Bekah’s cheeks look flushed and warm, Taec wasn’t sure if it was from the running or the kiss. He cupped her face, caressing the high point of her cheekbone, enjoying the warmth of her skin. “Did I tell you how I enjoy your little game today?”

Bekah’s tongue peeked out to wet her bottom lip and she smiled innocently, “What game?”

Taec held back a grin and set his foot between the grass and surfacing tree roots. “You know what I’m talking about.” 

“What makes you think it was a game and not a punishment?” Bekah’s lips quirked up, mocking him.

His mouth went dry, “Punishment?” Taec groaned. ”Hmm, yeah I guess I deserved it.” He reached down to her waist and pulled her closer. The shock of sensibility that somewhere deep within her, a blaze of desire had been ignited, tickled her mind. “Let me make it up to you.” His whisper made all the hair behind Bekah’s neck stand up. When he brought her arm up and kissed her palm, her knees weakened. 

Surrounded by lush forest and minimal light, Bekah could only see his brown hair as he slid his lips down to the pulse point at her wrist. “You have lovely hands.” he said. Bekah made a small delighted noise in the back of her throat when Taec gathered  her arms up and held her hands above her with one of his. Another hand pressing against her back, pushing her into him. The forest was empty and silent, Bekah swore she could hear the heavy breathing coming out of them. Loud and clear. Apparently Taec decided to take a revenge on the torture she’d put him through tonight. Instead of continuing, he stood still in front of her with nothing but his gazing eyes cherishing her body. That was a lust she saw there, nothing less.  

“You’re shaking.” he murmured while nuzzling his nose behind her ear. His warm breath and gentle kisses made her feel like she’s losing her ground. ”I-I’m sorry.” Bekah’s voice came out embarrassingly breathy. Taec looked up. A hint of smile lurked beneath his perfectly curved mouth. “Don’t be.” It wasn’t long until their lips meet again, and this time they both gave in. Her stomach felt tense when he deepened his kisses, little by little. This can’t be a normal protocol for a first date, but Bekah had obviously left her traditional way of thinking when she slipped into that provocative dress in which at the moment is getting a full attention from Taec. His hand had moved up to play with her hair; his eyes looked more dangerous than usual.

“Wait Bek,” he suddenly said. “If this is too fast for you, let me know. I don’t want to lead you on if you’re-“

Bekah shut him up with another kiss, which surprised him a little. She moved her arms to signal him, asking to be freed. Once he did, Bekah reached out to his neck and removed his tight bow-tie. “Ahhh that feels so much better,” Taec thanked her and rested his right hand on her behind. She had this sudden urge to feel the warmth of his skin but the tux shirt had one of those little buttons that are impossible. He noticed her frustration and calmly held her hand, “I’ll do it. But perhaps we need to move to somewhere more….private.”

“We can go home.” suggested Bekah, still eyeing his fingers that were struggling to undone his first two buttons.

“Yeah, but that would defeat the purpose.” Taecyeon winked and gave her the most secretive smile. “Or we can just run a little bit more ‘til we reach those bungalows. You can see them, right?” He pointed East where she could see a line of cabana houses behind the other part of the golf course. 

“But we need to book-” Bekah’s sentence was hold off by a shiny object Taecyeon jingled in front of her eyes. “When did you…?” her eyes showed amazement.

“You’re not the only one with surprises, Bekah. Come, before anyone sees us.” He took her hand and went towards the referred direction. Before the reached the empty field, Taecyeon playfully grabbed her waist and stole a deep, longing kiss. Million things were playing in his mind; if this is the right decision for them, or whether they move too fast, but overall he knew one thing for sure, that tonight would change everything. While still thinking all those things, his part of the brain that still functions was aware of the faint, familiar sound. “Shit,” he cursed just a moment before the sprinkler systems came on and hit them with water.

“Oh no!!!” screamed Bekah. They exchanged glances and started laughing. 

“We surely needed some cooling-off,” Taec groaned while brushing his soaked hair back. “, but this is ridiculous.”

“Please tell me you didn’t plan this, Taec.” giggled Bekah while trying to wipe her remaining mascaras off. “We have no other way but to cross that field.”

He looked around, “You’re right. But I think you might want to take those shoes off this time around. Let’s go.”

They both started running in one direcetion and at the same time avoiding the water as quick as they could. Fortunately the room where Taecyeon had somehow booked wasn’t too far from the field. “Here, take the key. I’m gonna remove my shoes real fast and hang them out here before I make a mess.” Taec threw her the small gold object and sat himself down at the edge of the wall that separated their bungalow with the next one.

Bekah inserted the key and turned it but it somehow locked itself back. That’s weird, thought Bekah. On the second try she finally got it open and as soon as she walked inside, someone turned around to face her. Bekah jolted back and called out for Taec. She was indeed shocked.

He ran in haste, “What’s the matter?” Soon enough he realized there was someone else waiting in that room. The least expected person he would see tonight.

“……… HYUNG?”

2 weeks ago  6 notes View high resolution View comments

Chapter 16 “Well, what’d you expect her to do?” asked Chansung the next day at the gym. Taec had been lifting weight the whole day like a mad man to release some of his frustration. “You must have seen it coming, right? You did it, hyung. Aren’t you supposed to be happy about this?” “Do I look happy?” Taecyeon glared. Chansung shrugged and ignored him. “So what stopped you, then? Are you afraid of what would happen next?” asked Chansung after a long silence. Taecyeon swears Chansung could read his mind like a book, probably the reason why he prefers Chansung over everyone else whenever he needs seek advise; it cuts the work in half. “I’m not afraid, ok? I just don’t think it’s the right thing to do, to……you know,” muttered Taec. “Sleep with her?” Chansung finished Taec’s sentence for him. “… yeah.” Chansung gave a quick nod. “It makes sense. Although actually, I don’t think any other guy would mind sleeping with her, given the circumstances.” “I don’t wanna hear about those other guys, damn it!” growled Taec while dropping dumbbells on the floor. “Wow.” Chansung grinned, putting his hand up above his head like he surrendered. “You’re jealous.” “Shut up. You just got me all riled up about it, nothing else.” Taec picked his dumbbell up and continued to work out. He heaved before continuing, “Imagine living in the same house with someone you’re attracted to yet you can’t do anything about it. I’ll tell you one thing for sure, your monthly bill will skyrocket because you have to take a lot of cold shower. It’s frustrating.” “I could only imagine.” Chansung smiled widely though Taecyeon’s alarming glare wiped his smirk off in an instant. “And by that I meant I sympathize, of course.” Taec sat up and grunted some incoherent words to himself, he reminded Chansung of an old, grumpy guy who is bitter about the world. “I’m done. Hey, man…thanks for listening, alright?”, he then used a small towel wrapped around his neck to catch a drop of sweat on the corner of his eyebrow.  “No problem.” Chansung lightly smacked his friend’s drenched-in-sweat back. “Oh by the way, I think your tuxedo has been dry-cleaned and ready to go. I saw it hanging in our costume rack upstairs.”, followed Chansung just when Taecyeon swung the gym door opened. “Oh cool. I’ll pick it up tomorrow, gotta go and help my aunt tonight. She’s going to move to Italy.”  “Really? When?” “End of this month. Her gallery is closing pretty soon, so I’m gonna stop by for a bit to help her with some stuffs. Catch you later!”. Taecyeon disappeared behind the door, leaving Chansung alone with a couple of young trainees who just walked in. He always knew Taecyeon has a big ego, couldn’t admit he’s more than ‘attracted’ to his roommate. Something had struck him today and made him realize Taecyeon had failed his mission and everything is becoming so muddled to a point where Chansung doesn’t even know how it’s going to end between those two. He only knew it’s not going to be good. Last night when he was walking back to their practice room, he accidentally eavesdrop the conversation between his boss with someone on the phone about Taecyeon and Bekah, and he was surprised to hear Jaebum’s name being mentioned as well. However, he was more curious about the reason lies behind those furious tone his boss used to end his conversation and how he confidently said “It’ll be taken care of.” before he hung up. Chansung was still not sure if he should tell Taecyeon about it, but it seemed like that guy had a lot of things going in his mind at the moment so he thought it could probably wait for a day or two. ******************* “Is this really necessary?” Bekah opened her eyes and found Kahi, Jung Ah, and Jooyeon stood behind her while their makeup artist was working on her. “Absolutely! We need to go on full force to get revenge on that cocky little bas-“ “Be nice, Jung Ah.” Kahi warned her friend who still looked upset about Bekah’s situation. “And yes, Bekah darling, you need to look stunning for tonight. You finally get a chance to appear on an award show as Rebekah Kim, not a part of After School. It’s your time to shine, baby.” Bekah could only hum her agreement and sighed. She should be excited attend one of the prestigious TV entertainment award and to be able to presenting one of the award on stage, but that also means she has to sit next to Taecyeon for a full 2 hours and that idea brought conclusion that she would rather sit at home in her pajama and paint the whole night. Thinking about it now, Bekah still feels so embarrassed about her drunk behaviour, although according to her friends what Taecyeon did was not a rejection; it was resistance. To Bekah they meant the same thing but apparently her friends thought otherwise. “You need to seduce him.” said Jooyeon and Jung Ah almost in unison last night. They then laughed at Bekah’s face which seemed shock, intrigued, and embarrassed all at once. “He needs to realize what he’s missing out, so you have to dangle all that beauty and pizzazz you’ve got right in front of his eyes…and then, just when he’s about to get a taste of you, yank it out of him and watch him suffer!”, Jung Ah’s right hand clenched a fist while the left one was covering it. It looked like she was ready to beat somebody up. “I doubt that’s gonna work, guys. I mean, we both have lived together for so long. We also have seen each other in our best and worst form possible.” “Well, you just have to trust us on this, alright? Now, this afternoon Jooyeon had picked up a lovely dress for you from her favorite boutique. You can try it on after you’re done with your makeup.” said Kahi after sitting down on the sofa nearby. Bekah straightened up her back and eyed on the big shopping bag Jooyeon’s carrying in her hand. “May I see it, Joo?” “Oh sure.” Jooyeon stepped forward closer to her. “I also picked up some lingerie to go with it, Bek. I figured they go hand in hand.” She winked with a big smile on her face. “Where is that thing….. Oh, here it is!”, continued Jooyeon before pulling something out of her bag to show Bekah. “Wow, that’s a lovely color!” mumbled Bekah after seeing something that looks like a mini babydoll nightgown. “It’s so pretty, Joo. Thank you. May I also see the dress?” “That is the dress, Bek.” replied Jooyeon calmly, enjoying how Bekah’s eyes widened after realizing what she just heard. “What?! But…that dress is way too short!” protested Bekah. She kept eyeballing the dress with a concern look. “Oh shush you, the length is perfect. You have the ass and legs to work it and the color matches your eyes really well.” said Jooyeon. The two other ladies nodded in silent agreement. The makeup artist also took a quick glance at the dress and whistled. “Oh honey, no man would say no to that. Straight or not.” he chuckled along. Bekah inhaled deeply, she wanted to trust her friends and took a chance on their suggestion. No one could force her to do anything if she fully against the idea. Consequently, deep inside Bekah must have needed some sort of redemption for herself. One thing she is less confident about, is to believe a revenge could actually make her feel better about herself.  ******************* Taecyeon was running late the day of the award show and arrived at home with quite a sulky mood. He almost forgot to pick up his tuxedo at his management building and even though it would be so much more convenient for him to get ready over there, he didn’t want to be rude to Bekah, letting her go to the award show on her own as they were invited as a team anyway. The weekend traffic made him only have fifteen minutes to take a shower and get ready. “Bekah?” he shouted as he was climbing the stairs. “Sorry I’m late, I left my office pretty early but there was traf——“ His throat suddenly felt dry and his words got lost somewhere when he walked pass by Bekah’s room. The door was left opened and there she was, standing in front of the mirror wearing something that he prayed to be a dress, while struggling to put on an earring. Bekah must have seen him from the reflection, she turned around and presented him with a dangerous view he was not prepared himself to see. “Something wrong?” asked Bekah with her big eyes fixed on him. Wrong? I could think of many more suitable adjectives to describe you but ‘wrong’ is certainly not it, wondered Taecyeon. He’s always seen Bekah around the house wearing her baggy shirts, sometimes having a paint brush” stuck in her hair and running around with absolutely no makeup. He’s pretty much used to her natural beauty, although of course, he clearly admits Bekah is a very beautiful woman. The only time he remembered her dressing up was when he saw her at his aunt’s gallery but Bekah looked more like a goddess back then; more refined and classy. Tonight, the woman who’s still staring at him waiting for his response looks more like a sex kitten. The satiny mini dress hugged her body like a glove, seductive yet leaving something to the imagination. When her long dangling earrings brushed her naked shoulder, Taecyeon quickly regretted his decision the other night which could have given him a pass to get the taste of those smooth skin. “You don’t like my dress, do you?” Her berry lips showed a bit of disappointment when they curved down while her hand stroking the soft and shiny fabric. She had no idea what she did was driving him crazy. “I can change if you want.” “No!”, yelled Taecyeon. “Don’t,” he repeated while his muscles are tensing up. “I mean…don’t change anything. I was just surprised to see you looking like this. Oh man,” He kept rubbing the back of his neck, wondering if she could possibly wear anything else under that tiny little dress. It’s working, Bekah smiled inside. “Jooyeon picked this one for me.” She did a little twirl for him, looking cheerful meanwhile Taec insinuated that he was being tortured. “Remind me to thank her later.” grumbled Taecyeon. “I will….tomorrow.” Bekah turned and smiled at him. “Oh, no…” she gasped lightly, “I knew this thing would give me a hard time.” Bekah innocently rest her leg on the side of the bed and traced her stocking line, which had become visible to his eyes, from her ankle all the way up to her upper thigh before it disappears beneath that damned short skirt. When she simply bent down to straighten it up, a heavy blood flow rushed from his head to his groin. “My god…” he almost broke down out of lust. Bekah immediately looked up,“What?” “Nothing.” “Oh, good. I thought you left something behind.” Yeah, my sanity… cussed Taecyeon in his mind. Bekah put her feet back down once she was pleased with the fix. “What do you think? They’re straight now, yes?” Taecyeon wanted to tell Bekah that he wouldn’t mind skipping tonight’s schedule so he could spend the whole night kissing her warm skin and making love to her, but considering how things went down between them the other night, he would only scare her off with his presumptuousness. He threw his tuxedo set covered with plastic on the nearest chair and proceeded towards her. “Are you, by any chance, trying to seduce me, Rebekah?” His dark and watchful eyes seemed threatening and dangerous; they gave her the shivers. “Why would you say so?” asked Bekah, playing dumb.  Taecyeon slyly smiled. “Let’s say I’ve got the hunch. Are you?” “Well, do you feel seduced?” Bekah smirked and bit her lower lip. Taecyeon felt his head was about to explode in a minute. He then grabbed Bekah’s hand and shamefully placed it in front of his jeans.  “You be the judge, babe.” Taecyeon grunted and silently enjoyed the change of expression on Bekah’s face. Her cheeks had turned bright red, contrasting with her dark sapphire dress, but she didn’t retract her hand at all. “Shall we just stay home tonight, hmm?” Taec whispered to her, close enough to make all the hair on the back of her neck stand up. Bekah couldn’t believe the plan works so effectively but she didn’t plan to end it way too soon. ”That sounds like a good idea but,” she paused and pushed his chest back a little “I can’t think of anything else better for us to do here.” Jooyeon was right, this dress is one hell of a weapon.  “Kissing you would be a good start. I was being a dumbass the other night, forgive me.” groused Taecyeon. He didn’t move at all, his eyes were as deadly as a night hunter. Bekah chuckled and brought Taecyeon’s hand near her face. He blinked a couple of times, trying to figure out what she wanted from him. “We could do that…”, she then landed a light peck on his inner wrist, leaving a lipstick mark while watching Taec’s extremely dumbfounded face, “but we’re presenting an award tonight…so I’m sure you don’t want to disappoint people who are expecting us, right?” Bekah continued caressing his inner forearm which only aroused him even more. “You’re right.” His voice was gravelly. “If I started kissing you, we would arrive very late for the show.” “I think if you started kissing me, we wouldn’t even make it to the show.” said Bekah under her breath. Her smile was commanding.  “Right. In that case, I’d better go and get ready.” Taecyeon muttered and unhappily walked away from her to pick up his suit. He almost caught Bekah grinning to herself when he suddenly turned around. “You stay close to me tonight, alright? That dress brings out the worst in men, even the most decent ones.” “That doesn’t include you, I believe.” replied Bekah. “Oh, you’ll see.” hasted Taec before closing his own door. He had to be careful unzipping his suddenly-becoming-tight jeans, thanks to Bekah’s evil attempt and keep reminding himself while he was under the cold shower, that tonight is going to be a long, painful night.  *******************

Chapter 16

“Well, what’d you expect her to do?” asked Chansung the next day at the gym. Taec had been lifting weight the whole day like a mad man to release some of his frustration. “You must have seen it coming, right? You did it, hyung. Aren’t you supposed to be happy about this?”

“Do I look happy?” Taecyeon glared.

Chansung shrugged and ignored him. “So what stopped you, then? Are you afraid of what would happen next?” asked Chansung after a long silence.

Taecyeon swears Chansung could read his mind like a book, probably the reason why he prefers Chansung over everyone else whenever he needs seek advise; it cuts the work in half. “I’m not afraid, ok? I just don’t think it’s the right thing to do, to……you know,” muttered Taec.

“Sleep with her?” Chansung finished Taec’s sentence for him.

“… yeah.”

Chansung gave a quick nod. “It makes sense. Although actually, I don’t think any other guy would mind sleeping with her, given the circumstances.”

“I don’t wanna hear about those other guys, damn it!” growled Taec while dropping dumbbells on the floor.

“Wow.” Chansung grinned, putting his hand up above his head like he surrendered. “You’re jealous.”

“Shut up. You just got me all riled up about it, nothing else.” Taec picked his dumbbell up and continued to work out. He heaved before continuing, “Imagine living in the same house with someone you’re attracted to yet you can’t do anything about it. I’ll tell you one thing for sure, your monthly bill will skyrocket because you have to take a lot of cold shower. It’s frustrating.”

“I could only imagine.” Chansung smiled widely though Taecyeon’s alarming glare wiped his smirk off in an instant. “And by that I meant I sympathize, of course.”

Taec sat up and grunted some incoherent words to himself, he reminded Chansung of an old, grumpy guy who is bitter about the world. “I’m done. Hey, man…thanks for listening, alright?”, he then used a small towel wrapped around his neck to catch a drop of sweat on the corner of his eyebrow. 

“No problem.” Chansung lightly smacked his friend’s drenched-in-sweat back. “Oh by the way, I think your tuxedo has been dry-cleaned and ready to go. I saw it hanging in our costume rack upstairs.”, followed Chansung just when Taecyeon swung the gym door opened.

“Oh cool. I’ll pick it up tomorrow, gotta go and help my aunt tonight. She’s going to move to Italy.” 

“Really? When?”

“End of this month. Her gallery is closing pretty soon, so I’m gonna stop by for a bit to help her with some stuffs. Catch you later!”. Taecyeon disappeared behind the door, leaving Chansung alone with a couple of young trainees who just walked in. He always knew Taecyeon has a big ego, couldn’t admit he’s more than ‘attracted’ to his roommate. Something had struck him today and made him realize Taecyeon had failed his mission and everything is becoming so muddled to a point where Chansung doesn’t even know how it’s going to end between those two. He only knew it’s not going to be good. Last night when he was walking back to their practice room, he accidentally eavesdrop the conversation between his boss with someone on the phone about Taecyeon and Bekah, and he was surprised to hear Jaebum’s name being mentioned as well. However, he was more curious about the reason lies behind those furious tone his boss used to end his conversation and how he confidently said “It’ll be taken care of.” before he hung up. Chansung was still not sure if he should tell Taecyeon about it, but it seemed like that guy had a lot of things going in his mind at the moment so he thought it could probably wait for a day or two.

*******************

“Is this really necessary?” Bekah opened her eyes and found Kahi, Jung Ah, and Jooyeon stood behind her while their makeup artist was working on her.

“Absolutely! We need to go on full force to get revenge on that cocky little bas-“

“Be nice, Jung Ah.” Kahi warned her friend who still looked upset about Bekah’s situation. “And yes, Bekah darling, you need to look stunning for tonight. You finally get a chance to appear on an award show as Rebekah Kim, not a part of After School. It’s your time to shine, baby.”

Bekah could only hum her agreement and sighed. She should be excited attend one of the prestigious TV entertainment award and to be able to presenting one of the award on stage, but that also means she has to sit next to Taecyeon for a full 2 hours and that idea brought conclusion that she would rather sit at home in her pajama and paint the whole night.

Thinking about it now, Bekah still feels so embarrassed about her drunk behaviour, although according to her friends what Taecyeon did was not a rejection; it was resistance. To Bekah they meant the same thing but apparently her friends thought otherwise.

“You need to seduce him.” said Jooyeon and Jung Ah almost in unison last night. They then laughed at Bekah’s face which seemed shock, intrigued, and embarrassed all at once. “He needs to realize what he’s missing out, so you have to dangle all that beauty and pizzazz you’ve got right in front of his eyes…and then, just when he’s about to get a taste of you, yank it out of him and watch him suffer!”, Jung Ah’s right hand clenched a fist while the left one was covering it. It looked like she was ready to beat somebody up.

“I doubt that’s gonna work, guys. I mean, we both have lived together for so long. We also have seen each other in our best and worst form possible.”

“Well, you just have to trust us on this, alright? Now, this afternoon Jooyeon had picked up a lovely dress for you from her favorite boutique. You can try it on after you’re done with your makeup.” said Kahi after sitting down on the sofa nearby.

Bekah straightened up her back and eyed on the big shopping bag Jooyeon’s carrying in her hand. “May I see it, Joo?”

“Oh sure.” Jooyeon stepped forward closer to her. “I also picked up some lingerie to go with it, Bek. I figured they go hand in hand.” She winked with a big smile on her face. “Where is that thing….. Oh, here it is!”, continued Jooyeon before pulling something out of her bag to show Bekah.

“Wow, that’s a lovely color!” mumbled Bekah after seeing something that looks like a mini babydoll nightgown. “It’s so pretty, Joo. Thank you. May I also see the dress?”

“That is the dress, Bek.” replied Jooyeon calmly, enjoying how Bekah’s eyes widened after realizing what she just heard.

“What?! But…that dress is way too short!” protested Bekah. She kept eyeballing the dress with a concern look.

“Oh shush you, the length is perfect. You have the ass and legs to work it and the color matches your eyes really well.” said Jooyeon. The two other ladies nodded in silent agreement. The makeup artist also took a quick glance at the dress and whistled. “Oh honey, no man would say no to that. Straight or not.” he chuckled along.

Bekah inhaled deeply, she wanted to trust her friends and took a chance on their suggestion. No one could force her to do anything if she fully against the idea. Consequently, deep inside Bekah must have needed some sort of redemption for herself. One thing she is less confident about, is to believe a revenge could actually make her feel better about herself. 

*******************

Taecyeon was running late the day of the award show and arrived at home with quite a sulky mood. He almost forgot to pick up his tuxedo at his management building and even though it would be so much more convenient for him to get ready over there, he didn’t want to be rude to Bekah, letting her go to the award show on her own as they were invited as a team anyway. The weekend traffic made him only have fifteen minutes to take a shower and get ready.

“Bekah?” he shouted as he was climbing the stairs. “Sorry I’m late, I left my office pretty early but there was traf——“

His throat suddenly felt dry and his words got lost somewhere when he walked pass by Bekah’s room. The door was left opened and there she was, standing in front of the mirror wearing something that he prayed to be a dress, while struggling to put on an earring. Bekah must have seen him from the reflection, she turned around and presented him with a dangerous view he was not prepared himself to see.

“Something wrong?” asked Bekah with her big eyes fixed on him. Wrong? I could think of many more suitable adjectives to describe you but ‘wrong’ is certainly not it, wondered Taecyeon. He’s always seen Bekah around the house wearing her baggy shirts, sometimes having a paint brush” stuck in her hair and running around with absolutely no makeup. He’s pretty much used to her natural beauty, although of course, he clearly admits Bekah is a very beautiful woman. The only time he remembered her dressing up was when he saw her at his aunt’s gallery but Bekah looked more like a goddess back then; more refined and classy. Tonight, the woman who’s still staring at him waiting for his response looks more like a sex kitten. The satiny mini dress hugged her body like a glove, seductive yet leaving something to the imagination. When her long dangling earrings brushed her naked shoulder, Taecyeon quickly regretted his decision the other night which could have given him a pass to get the taste of those smooth skin.

“You don’t like my dress, do you?” Her berry lips showed a bit of disappointment when they curved down while her hand stroking the soft and shiny fabric. She had no idea what she did was driving him crazy. “I can change if you want.”

“No!”, yelled Taecyeon. “Don’t,” he repeated while his muscles are tensing up. “I mean…don’t change anything. I was just surprised to see you looking like this. Oh man,” He kept rubbing the back of his neck, wondering if she could possibly wear anything else under that tiny little dress.

It’s working, Bekah smiled inside. “Jooyeon picked this one for me.” She did a little twirl for him, looking cheerful meanwhile Taec insinuated that he was being tortured.

“Remind me to thank her later.” grumbled Taecyeon.

“I will….tomorrow.” Bekah turned and smiled at him. “Oh, no…” she gasped lightly, “I knew this thing would give me a hard time.” Bekah innocently rest her leg on the side of the bed and traced her stocking line, which had become visible to his eyes, from her ankle all the way up to her upper thigh before it disappears beneath that damned short skirt. When she simply bent down to straighten it up, a heavy blood flow rushed from his head to his groin.

“My god…” he almost broke down out of lust.

Bekah immediately looked up,“What?”

“Nothing.”

“Oh, good. I thought you left something behind.”

Yeah, my sanity… cussed Taecyeon in his mind.

Bekah put her feet back down once she was pleased with the fix. “What do you think? They’re straight now, yes?”

Taecyeon wanted to tell Bekah that he wouldn’t mind skipping tonight’s schedule so he could spend the whole night kissing her warm skin and making love to her, but considering how things went down between them the other night, he would only scare her off with his presumptuousness. He threw his tuxedo set covered with plastic on the nearest chair and proceeded towards her. “Are you, by any chance, trying to seduce me, Rebekah?” His dark and watchful eyes seemed threatening and dangerous; they gave her the shivers.

“Why would you say so?” asked Bekah, playing dumb. 

Taecyeon slyly smiled. “Let’s say I’ve got the hunch. Are you?”

“Well, do you feel seduced?” Bekah smirked and bit her lower lip. Taecyeon felt his head was about to explode in a minute. He then grabbed Bekah’s hand and shamefully placed it in front of his jeans. 

“You be the judge, babe.” Taecyeon grunted and silently enjoyed the change of expression on Bekah’s face. Her cheeks had turned bright red, contrasting with her dark sapphire dress, but she didn’t retract her hand at all. “Shall we just stay home tonight, hmm?” Taec whispered to her, close enough to make all the hair on the back of her neck stand up.

Bekah couldn’t believe the plan works so effectively but she didn’t plan to end it way too soon. ”That sounds like a good idea but,” she paused and pushed his chest back a little “I can’t think of anything else better for us to do here.” Jooyeon was right, this dress is one hell of a weapon. 

“Kissing you would be a good start. I was being a dumbass the other night, forgive me.” groused Taecyeon. He didn’t move at all, his eyes were as deadly as a night hunter. Bekah chuckled and brought Taecyeon’s hand near her face. He blinked a couple of times, trying to figure out what she wanted from him.

“We could do that…”, she then landed a light peck on his inner wrist, leaving a lipstick mark while watching Taec’s extremely dumbfounded face, “but we’re presenting an award tonight…so I’m sure you don’t want to disappoint people who are expecting us, right?” Bekah continued caressing his inner forearm which only aroused him even more.

“You’re right.” His voice was gravelly. “If I started kissing you, we would arrive very late for the show.”

“I think if you started kissing me, we wouldn’t even make it to the show.” said Bekah under her breath. Her smile was commanding. 

“Right. In that case, I’d better go and get ready.” Taecyeon muttered and unhappily walked away from her to pick up his suit. He almost caught Bekah grinning to herself when he suddenly turned around. “You stay close to me tonight, alright? That dress brings out the worst in men, even the most decent ones.”

“That doesn’t include you, I believe.” replied Bekah.

“Oh, you’ll see.” hasted Taec before closing his own door. He had to be careful unzipping his suddenly-becoming-tight jeans, thanks to Bekah’s evil attempt and keep reminding himself while he was under the cold shower, that tonight is going to be a long, painful night. 

*******************

4 months ago  9 notes View high resolution View comments

Chapter 15 “Slow dancing? That’s all?” asked a dark-haired girl with slim body. She trailed around the room with her tall stilettos making clanking noise. She then stopped right in front of the big canvas where another girl was sitting across from.  “U-huh.” mumbled Bekah after updating her friend with her last encounter on the roof. Bekah’s hair was tied up into a high messy bun and she had paints all over her hands, some even on her face. Her baggy boyfriend shirt hanging loose; she looked like a mess, as most artsy people do.  “Anything else after that?” Jooyeon asked again after unsuccessfully waiting for further explanation from her friend. Bekah shook her head no. “I haven’t even seen him home, their schedules must be crazy this week.” She sounded a little preoccupied; a faint line was formed in the center of her forehead whenever her hand had stopped mid-air to study her own progress. “You two frustrate me, really.” Jooyeon sighed, “At this rate I would have expected a kiss, at the very least.” “Well…actually,” Bekah murmured quite faintly, she stopped coloring a woman’s hair on the canvas. The tone of her voice gave impression that she mistakenly blurbed out her own thought and just realized it. Of course, it was too late. Jooyeon’s big round eyes blasted open in curiosity, “What? Did something else happen?”  Bekah hesitated for a little, “A couple weeks ago we…uhm, kissed.” Her face automatically turned red remembering that night when she met Taecyeon in the hallway after her breakup. Kissed would definitely be an understatement, if her brain still functioned correctly. Jooyeon dragged a chair out of nowhere, sitting next to Bekah with such hopeful face. “And then…?” “And then, nothing.” She chuckled inside, it’s always fun messing with her friend, knowing how easily she’d take a bait. “We both thought it was a mistake, the timing and everything.” “Seriously?” Bekah nodded and her right hand went back to her canvas. “And two nights ago? On the roof?” “Told you, we just danced.” Jooyeon huffed in disappointment. “You guys suck.”  “Whatever.” Bekah chuckled and dodged her friend’s nudge on the rib. They sat side by side for a good couple of minutes, Bekah concentrating on her work and Jooyeon watching. Finally, Bekah turned to her visitor who still hasn’t told why she suddenly came over without notice. ”Joo?” “Yeah?”  “Weren’t you gonna tell me why you are here?” “Oh, right. Well, I just wanted to check up on you.” “Don’t lie.” said Bekah without even looking at Jooyeon. Being friends for years gives her the ability to notice little things as simple as a lying tone.  “Ok, fine. I need your help.” “Sure,” said Bekah after fixing her posture. ”What can I do for you?” “Come with me?” “…where?” “On a date.” Bekah lowered her hand. “Hmm…not sure if you notice this but,” she glanced over, “I like men.” Jooyeon laughed “I’m serious! I have a date and now I’m scared shitless.” “A d-… A DATE!!!” Bekah finally grasped the reality. Jooyeon nodded and they both yelped and grinned like two teenagers. Bekah remembered three years ago, Jooyeon told her she had made a promise to herself that she wouldn’t let any guy to treat her poorly like her previous boyfriend. That, had to be accomplish by not going for the wrong guys, as she had always been. For that reason, her friend had been very picky and as far as Bekah could remember, Jooyeon never dated anyone again ever since. “So this guy…he must be special, huh?” Bekah sent an encouraging smile. “Yeah, he seems alright. But I’m so nervous, Bek..that’s why I need you to be there too.” “Don’t you think it’s weird tho, bringing friends on a date?” “Well, you can sit on another table, of course. I just need an emotional booster, having you around makes me calm. Plus, you can let me know what you think of him afterward, so I don’t make the same mistakes I did.” “So you want me to judge how your date goes?” Bekah glared at her. “Pleeeeease…I beg you. I’ll pay for your meal, hmm? How about that?”   Bekah sighed, she couldn’t say no to her friend although the idea of being a watcher for Jooyeon’s date didn’t really settle well her. “Fine. Just let me know beforehand so I could prepare.”  “Actually…” Jooyeon seemed reluctant, “It’s tonight.” “What!!!” Bekah almost choked. “What time?” “Errr, 8 o’clock.” “Joo, that’s half an hour from now!” Bekah panicked and stood up in an instant. She accidentally knocked down a brush can and it landed successfully on her toes. “Dang it!” “Don’t worry, the restaurant is not far from here. Take your time.” “But…..have you seen me, Joo?” Bekah grabbed her dirty shirt and hysterically showed her face which looked closer to a tribal woman. “I look like a mess.” “Go shower now and get ready, I’ll wait for you here. Besides, I don’t mind being fashionably late…you know, keep him waiting.” Jooyeon winked. “Alright-alright, I’ll be right back!” In no time Bekah already disappeared upstairs and stomped into her room. Jooyeon heard some thumping sounds followed by a couple of muffled cursing. Jooyeon walked towards a stack of canvas leaning against the wall; they were all covered with white cloth. Jooyeon had been watching Bekah paints since they were trainees. Bekah usually paints in series, therefore although her individual drawings are beautiful as they are, people normally wouldn’t get too much out of them. They need to see the bigger picture and read them like puzzle. Since Jooyeon knew it would take a while for Bekah to wash those paints off her face, she decided to reveal and arrange the canvases together to see if she could understand them. Within seconds Jooyeon’s full lips curved up and formed a smile. Rather than surprised, her smile was solaced.  ******************* I should have worn something nicer, wondered Bekah while observing the restaurant. From where she was sitting, she could see how Jooyeon rested her back with her fingers tapping on the tall glass. They were rushing to get out of the house, Bekah didn’t even ask Jooyeon for the guy’s name. Apparently they didn’t need to rush after all because apparently this mystery guy wasn’t even there yet. She saw Jooyeon glanced at her; Bekah calmed her friend with her gesture to wait a little longer. Ten minutes waiting for this guy wasn’t that bad, but they were already 15 minutes late. Being late for 25 minutes on the first date…he better be good looking, or else.. “Have you decided, Ma’am?” A waiter showed up and blocked Bekah’s view. She just realized there was a thick menu book in her hand that she hasn’t even opened yet. She was too nervous for Jooyeon. “Hmm, not quite. May I have a glass of water in the meantime?” The waiter nodded and left. Bekah flipped through the menu and amazed by the price of the food there. Her lips formed a round expression of surprise right before a figure came up and stood next to her table. She thought it was the waiter bringing water but the voice greeted her almost made her jump. “You look out of place.” Bekah knew it was Taecyeon as soon as she saw his toned arm. Her question was why was he there. “Taec?!?” What are you doing here?” asked Bekah in shock. Taecyeon seemed surprised too, judging from his expression.  “What about you, what are you doing here?” he asked her back. “I-uh.. I asked you first.” Bekah didn’t back down. She saw the older couple sitting nearby started stealing glances. A waiter approached her table and noticed Taecyeon standing there. She asked if she could also bring him something to drink too. “I’ll have gin & tonic, on the rocks.” answered Taecyeon with his eyes still planted on Bekah. “Are you okay with just water, Ma’am?”  “Oh yeah, she doesn’t drink.” Taec suddenly cut in before Bekah even blinked. “Make it two. Thank you.” said Bekah firmly, a little annoyed by his presumptuousness. The waiter seemed a little confused but she left without saying anything.  “So are you gonna let me sit there and join you or you’re saving the seat for somebody else?” asked Taecyeon. Bekah sighed and signaled him to sit across from her. Although only wearing a shirt, a sport coat and jeans, Taecyeon looked incredibly handsome and well-dressed. She was, once again, regretting her choice of outfit tonight. “Now that no one else is coming, obviously, may I know why you were sitting alone in this kind of restaurant? Oh…don’t tell me your date taking a rain-check again.” Bekah couldn’t get her mind around this guy sometimes. A couple nights ago he was all nice and civil, romantic even; and now he’s being his usual annoying self. “No. I came here with Jooyeon.” Taec looked around in confusion, “Did she abandon you, then?” “No! She’s over…there.” Bekah pointed somewhere on the other side of the room, behind the big flower arrangements. “A big date night for her, she asked me if I could come along because she’s too nervous.” “You’ve gotta be kidding me.” Taecyeon scoffed and smirked in his seat. “Yea, I know…I hesitated at first but-“ “No no, not that…believe it or not, I’m actually here for the same reason.” said Taec once he noticed she was about to justify herself. “Oh God, this is so funny.” “Wait…you-what?” Bekah was bewildered and it definitely showed. Suddenly she found the urge to check on Jooyeon. Her friend was still sitting by herself but looking more and more impatient. ”Wait, who did you say you’re here with again?” Bekah turned to Taecyeon.  “I didn’t.” Taec shrugged and followed Bekah’s head direction. The waiter came with two drinks but they were busy watching a familiar figure who just entered and smoothly strolled across the room. Bekah’s eyes were wide opened and her jaw dropped.  “Wooyoung? Her date is Wooyoung !?!”  “Yep.” Taecyeon answered before sipping on his drink calmly. He wasn’t sure if Bekah wailed that question at him or at herself. He had a feeling it was the latter. ********************** Thirty minutes had passed and conversation flew along with the food and drinks being served in front of them. Despite of the rocky start, Taecyeon was surprised that they managed to stay until now. Perhaps the reason being was Bekah had loosened up with the help of alcohol.  “So…who was she?” she asked; not even looking into his eyes as she reached for her glass.  “Who was who?” “The girl who gave you such a negative perspective on love.” Taecyeon had brought his rocks glass to his mouth but hadn’t yet sipped. He slowly lowered it. “Is that how you view me? A non-delusional?” She grinned. “I know you limit yourself to some degree.” said Bekah. “Isn’t that what you do too, Bekah?” Taecyeon asked back. He saw her startled a little. “Me? Pshhh how do you know?” She was a little loud. Her cheeks were pinker than usual.  “Did something happen…with your dad?”  Bekah played with the bottom of her glass before looking up and answered him. “Oh you know, he just…left. One day my parents just decided they had fallen out of love, I guess..I don’t know. Can we not talk about this?” She let out a small burp and apologized. Taec was profoundly watching her. ”Sure.”  “No actually, let me continue.” followed Bekah on the contrary of her previous statement. Taecyeon was taken back but he remained calm and paid attention to her. This girl is drunk, he scoffed.  “For me, whose life had been filled with believing her parents were meant for each other, was confusing. I thought everyone in this world live to find his or her one true partner.”  “Do you still talk to him?” asked Taecyeon softly. “Nu-uh. It’s been 10 years. I miss him sometimes, but what can I do? I don’t even know where he is or what he does…” Her eyes glistened. “Anyway, can I get more refill on this?” She looked around raising her glass. “You’re done for the night. Let’s get you home, okay?” Taecyeon pulled her arm and raised his to ask for the bills. “I don’t like going home, it’s lonely.” she rested her head on her palm and pouted. Taecyeon wondered if she was telling the truth, that she felt lonely. “You have me, Bek. I’ll go home with you.”  “But Jooyeon-” Bekah objected again. “I’m sure she’s fine, Wooyoung is not a dangerous being as far as I know. He’ll take care of her, don’t worry.” “I want to pay my share…” She mumbled again, struggling to find her wallet in the purse. “It’s alright, tonight’s on me.” Taec swiftly took his credit card and gave it to the waiter. “What’s wrong with sharing the bills? Nichkhun was just the same tsk.. Male ego.” she sighed. Taecyeon glanced, “Khun? You guys hang out?” Bekah nodded but she paid him no full attention due to the fact that Jooyeon and Wooyoung had just left the restaurant. “They left.” She stood up and started walking towards them but immediately stumbled and had to hold on to a chair.    “Woa woa, slow down! Let me help you.” “That was my bad ankle, Taec. I hurt myself last year.” She grinned at him and apologized.  “Then you should be careful, okay?” Taecyeon followed and braced her shoulder so she could stand straighter.  Bekah didn’t quite remember how she got to the car because she pretty much put all her weight on Taec. All she remembered was the long cab ride and her staring at Taecyeon most of the time. When they got home, Taecyeon brought her to her bedroom and tried to ignore her constant giggling. There was one moment when he tucked her in and she refused to go to bed. ”It’s still 9 o’clock!!! So early…” “Yeah, but you need to rest, Bekah.” “Why?” She sat up. “You’re a little drunk.” “The hell, I’m not.” “That’s what drunk people say.” “Come here, please.” Bekah suddenly uncovered the blanket and tapped on the bed. One elegantly straight brow arched as she stared him down, amber eyes unblinking. There was a stillness about her that was fascinating, reminiscent of a doe as the growling of hounds washes over her and she takes faith of her options before gushing into flight. It made it hard to look away from her. Impossible, really. Taec found himself and yanked his wandering mind away from her. He was tired, and sleeplessness always fostered fantasies and gave luster to otherwise boring things. She couldn’t possibly be as beautiful as she looked at that moment. No woman could.  “I don’t think that’s a good idea.” He stood still at the foot of the bed.  “Why not?” “Just…get some sleep, alright?” “Taec?” she called out. “Kiss me.” Taec was already by the door when he heard her again. He paused for one second before continued walking. If he stayed a moment longer, he’d tumble into bed with her and falling under her spell was the last thing he could afford to do. Besides, it would yet be another decision they might regret later on. He was convinced that once their lips met, he would lose himself once again and obviously Bekah was no where near decent state to make any wise decision for herself. I don’t want to hurt you, Bekah. Not this way… Annoyed with himself, he swore, turned on his feet and slammed the bedroom door.

Chapter 15

“Slow dancing? That’s all?” asked a dark-haired girl with slim body. She trailed around the room with her tall stilettos making clanking noise. She then stopped right in front of the big canvas where another girl was sitting across from. 

“U-huh.” mumbled Bekah after updating her friend with her last encounter on the roof. Bekah’s hair was tied up into a high messy bun and she had paints all over her hands, some even on her face. Her baggy boyfriend shirt hanging loose; she looked like a mess, as most artsy people do. 

“Anything else after that?” Jooyeon asked again after unsuccessfully waiting for further explanation from her friend.

Bekah shook her head no. “I haven’t even seen him home, their schedules must be crazy this week.” She sounded a little preoccupied; a faint line was formed in the center of her forehead whenever her hand had stopped mid-air to study her own progress.

“You two frustrate me, really.” Jooyeon sighed, “At this rate I would have expected a kiss, at the very least.”

“Well…actually,” Bekah murmured quite faintly, she stopped coloring a woman’s hair on the canvas. The tone of her voice gave impression that she mistakenly blurbed out her own thought and just realized it. Of course, it was too late.

Jooyeon’s big round eyes blasted open in curiosity, “What? Did something else happen?” 

Bekah hesitated for a little, “A couple weeks ago we…uhm, kissed.” Her face automatically turned red remembering that night when she met Taecyeon in the hallway after her breakup. Kissed would definitely be an understatement, if her brain still functioned correctly.

Jooyeon dragged a chair out of nowhere, sitting next to Bekah with such hopeful face. “And then…?”

“And then, nothing.” She chuckled inside, it’s always fun messing with her friend, knowing how easily she’d take a bait. “We both thought it was a mistake, the timing and everything.”

“Seriously?”

Bekah nodded and her right hand went back to her canvas.

“And two nights ago? On the roof?”

“Told you, we just danced.”

Jooyeon huffed in disappointment. “You guys suck.” 

“Whatever.” Bekah chuckled and dodged her friend’s nudge on the rib. They sat side by side for a good couple of minutes, Bekah concentrating on her work and Jooyeon watching. Finally, Bekah turned to her visitor who still hasn’t told why she suddenly came over without notice. ”Joo?”

“Yeah?” 

“Weren’t you gonna tell me why you are here?”

“Oh, right. Well, I just wanted to check up on you.”

“Don’t lie.” said Bekah without even looking at Jooyeon. Being friends for years gives her the ability to notice little things as simple as a lying tone. 

“Ok, fine. I need your help.”

“Sure,” said Bekah after fixing her posture. ”What can I do for you?”

“Come with me?”

“…where?”

“On a date.”

Bekah lowered her hand. “Hmm…not sure if you notice this but,” she glanced over, “I like men.”

Jooyeon laughed “I’m serious! I have a date and now I’m scared shitless.”

“A d-… A DATE!!!” Bekah finally grasped the reality. Jooyeon nodded and they both yelped and grinned like two teenagers. Bekah remembered three years ago, Jooyeon told her she had made a promise to herself that she wouldn’t let any guy to treat her poorly like her previous boyfriend. That, had to be accomplish by not going for the wrong guys, as she had always been. For that reason, her friend had been very picky and as far as Bekah could remember, Jooyeon never dated anyone again ever since.

“So this guy…he must be special, huh?” Bekah sent an encouraging smile.

“Yeah, he seems alright. But I’m so nervous, Bek..that’s why I need you to be there too.”

“Don’t you think it’s weird tho, bringing friends on a date?”

“Well, you can sit on another table, of course. I just need an emotional booster, having you around makes me calm. Plus, you can let me know what you think of him afterward, so I don’t make the same mistakes I did.”

“So you want me to judge how your date goes?” Bekah glared at her.

“Pleeeeease…I beg you. I’ll pay for your meal, hmm? How about that?”  

Bekah sighed, she couldn’t say no to her friend although the idea of being a watcher for Jooyeon’s date didn’t really settle well her. “Fine. Just let me know beforehand so I could prepare.” 

“Actually…” Jooyeon seemed reluctant, “It’s tonight.”

“What!!!” Bekah almost choked. “What time?”

“Errr, 8 o’clock.”

“Joo, that’s half an hour from now!” Bekah panicked and stood up in an instant. She accidentally knocked down a brush can and it landed successfully on her toes. “Dang it!”

“Don’t worry, the restaurant is not far from here. Take your time.”

“But…..have you seen me, Joo?” Bekah grabbed her dirty shirt and hysterically showed her face which looked closer to a tribal woman. “I look like a mess.”

“Go shower now and get ready, I’ll wait for you here. Besides, I don’t mind being fashionably late…you know, keep him waiting.” Jooyeon winked.

“Alright-alright, I’ll be right back!” In no time Bekah already disappeared upstairs and stomped into her room. Jooyeon heard some thumping sounds followed by a couple of muffled cursing. Jooyeon walked towards a stack of canvas leaning against the wall; they were all covered with white cloth. Jooyeon had been watching Bekah paints since they were trainees. Bekah usually paints in series, therefore although her individual drawings are beautiful as they are, people normally wouldn’t get too much out of them. They need to see the bigger picture and read them like puzzle. Since Jooyeon knew it would take a while for Bekah to wash those paints off her face, she decided to reveal and arrange the canvases together to see if she could understand them. Within seconds Jooyeon’s full lips curved up and formed a smile. Rather than surprised, her smile was solaced. 

*******************

I should have worn something nicer, wondered Bekah while observing the restaurant. From where she was sitting, she could see how Jooyeon rested her back with her fingers tapping on the tall glass. They were rushing to get out of the house, Bekah didn’t even ask Jooyeon for the guy’s name. Apparently they didn’t need to rush after all because apparently this mystery guy wasn’t even there yet. She saw Jooyeon glanced at her; Bekah calmed her friend with her gesture to wait a little longer. Ten minutes waiting for this guy wasn’t that bad, but they were already 15 minutes late. Being late for 25 minutes on the first date…he better be good looking, or else..

“Have you decided, Ma’am?” A waiter showed up and blocked Bekah’s view. She just realized there was a thick menu book in her hand that she hasn’t even opened yet. She was too nervous for Jooyeon.

“Hmm, not quite. May I have a glass of water in the meantime?”

The waiter nodded and left. Bekah flipped through the menu and amazed by the price of the food there. Her lips formed a round expression of surprise right before a figure came up and stood next to her table. She thought it was the waiter bringing water but the voice greeted her almost made her jump.

“You look out of place.”

Bekah knew it was Taecyeon as soon as she saw his toned arm. Her question was why was he there.

“Taec?!?” What are you doing here?” asked Bekah in shock. Taecyeon seemed surprised too, judging from his expression. 

“What about you, what are you doing here?” he asked her back.

“I-uh.. I asked you first.” Bekah didn’t back down. She saw the older couple sitting nearby started stealing glances. A waiter approached her table and noticed Taecyeon standing there. She asked if she could also bring him something to drink too.

“I’ll have gin & tonic, on the rocks.” answered Taecyeon with his eyes still planted on Bekah.

“Are you okay with just water, Ma’am?” 

“Oh yeah, she doesn’t drink.” Taec suddenly cut in before Bekah even blinked.

“Make it two. Thank you.” said Bekah firmly, a little annoyed by his presumptuousness. The waiter seemed a little confused but she left without saying anything. 

“So are you gonna let me sit there and join you or you’re saving the seat for somebody else?” asked Taecyeon. Bekah sighed and signaled him to sit across from her. Although only wearing a shirt, a sport coat and jeans, Taecyeon looked incredibly handsome and well-dressed. She was, once again, regretting her choice of outfit tonight.

“Now that no one else is coming, obviously, may I know why you were sitting alone in this kind of restaurant? Oh…don’t tell me your date taking a rain-check again.”

Bekah couldn’t get her mind around this guy sometimes. A couple nights ago he was all nice and civil, romantic even; and now he’s being his usual annoying self. “No. I came here with Jooyeon.”

Taec looked around in confusion, “Did she abandon you, then?”

“No! She’s over…there.” Bekah pointed somewhere on the other side of the room, behind the big flower arrangements. “A big date night for her, she asked me if I could come along because she’s too nervous.”

“You’ve gotta be kidding me.” Taecyeon scoffed and smirked in his seat.

“Yea, I know…I hesitated at first but-“

“No no, not that…believe it or not, I’m actually here for the same reason.” said Taec once he noticed she was about to justify herself. “Oh God, this is so funny.”

“Wait…you-what?” Bekah was bewildered and it definitely showed. Suddenly she found the urge to check on Jooyeon. Her friend was still sitting by herself but looking more and more impatient. ”Wait, who did you say you’re here with again?” Bekah turned to Taecyeon. 

“I didn’t.” Taec shrugged and followed Bekah’s head direction. The waiter came with two drinks but they were busy watching a familiar figure who just entered and smoothly strolled across the room. Bekah’s eyes were wide opened and her jaw dropped. 

“Wooyoung? Her date is Wooyoung !?!” 

“Yep.” Taecyeon answered before sipping on his drink calmly. He wasn’t sure if Bekah wailed that question at him or at herself. He had a feeling it was the latter.

**********************

Thirty minutes had passed and conversation flew along with the food and drinks being served in front of them. Despite of the rocky start, Taecyeon was surprised that they managed to stay until now. Perhaps the reason being was Bekah had loosened up with the help of alcohol. 

“So…who was she?” she asked; not even looking into his eyes as she reached for her glass. 

“Who was who?”

“The girl who gave you such a negative perspective on love.”

Taecyeon had brought his rocks glass to his mouth but hadn’t yet sipped. He slowly lowered it. “Is that how you view me? A non-delusional?”

She grinned. “I know you limit yourself to some degree.” said Bekah.

“Isn’t that what you do too, Bekah?” Taecyeon asked back. He saw her startled a little.

“Me? Pshhh how do you know?” She was a little loud. Her cheeks were pinker than usual. 

“Did something happen…with your dad?” 

Bekah played with the bottom of her glass before looking up and answered him. “Oh you know, he just…left. One day my parents just decided they had fallen out of love, I guess..I don’t know. Can we not talk about this?” She let out a small burp and apologized.

Taec was profoundly watching her. ”Sure.” 

“No actually, let me continue.” followed Bekah on the contrary of her previous statement. Taecyeon was taken back but he remained calm and paid attention to her. This girl is drunk, he scoffed. 

“For me, whose life had been filled with believing her parents were meant for each other, was confusing. I thought everyone in this world live to find his or her one true partner.” 

“Do you still talk to him?” asked Taecyeon softly.

“Nu-uh. It’s been 10 years. I miss him sometimes, but what can I do? I don’t even know where he is or what he does…” Her eyes glistened. “Anyway, can I get more refill on this?” She looked around raising her glass.

“You’re done for the night. Let’s get you home, okay?” Taecyeon pulled her arm and raised his to ask for the bills.

“I don’t like going home, it’s lonely.” she rested her head on her palm and pouted. Taecyeon wondered if she was telling the truth, that she felt lonely.

“You have me, Bek. I’ll go home with you.” 

“But Jooyeon-” Bekah objected again.

“I’m sure she’s fine, Wooyoung is not a dangerous being as far as I know. He’ll take care of her, don’t worry.”

“I want to pay my share…” She mumbled again, struggling to find her wallet in the purse.

“It’s alright, tonight’s on me.” Taec swiftly took his credit card and gave it to the waiter.

“What’s wrong with sharing the bills? Nichkhun was just the same tsk.. Male ego.” she sighed.

Taecyeon glanced, “Khun? You guys hang out?”

Bekah nodded but she paid him no full attention due to the fact that Jooyeon and Wooyoung had just left the restaurant. “They left.” She stood up and started walking towards them but immediately stumbled and had to hold on to a chair.   

“Woa woa, slow down! Let me help you.”

“That was my bad ankle, Taec. I hurt myself last year.” She grinned at him and apologized. 

“Then you should be careful, okay?” Taecyeon followed and braced her shoulder so she could stand straighter. 

Bekah didn’t quite remember how she got to the car because she pretty much put all her weight on Taec. All she remembered was the long cab ride and her staring at Taecyeon most of the time. When they got home, Taecyeon brought her to her bedroom and tried to ignore her constant giggling. There was one moment when he tucked her in and she refused to go to bed. ”It’s still 9 o’clock!!! So early…”

“Yeah, but you need to rest, Bekah.”

“Why?” She sat up.

“You’re a little drunk.”

“The hell, I’m not.”

“That’s what drunk people say.”

“Come here, please.” Bekah suddenly uncovered the blanket and tapped on the bed. One elegantly straight brow arched as she stared him down, amber eyes unblinking. There was a stillness about her that was fascinating, reminiscent of a doe as the growling of hounds washes over her and she takes faith of her options before gushing into flight. It made it hard to look away from her. Impossible, really.

Taec found himself and yanked his wandering mind away from her. He was tired, and sleeplessness always fostered fantasies and gave luster to otherwise boring things. She couldn’t possibly be as beautiful as she looked at that moment. No woman could. 

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” He stood still at the foot of the bed. 

“Why not?”

“Just…get some sleep, alright?”

“Taec?” she called out. “Kiss me.”

Taec was already by the door when he heard her again. He paused for one second before continued walking. If he stayed a moment longer, he’d tumble into bed with her and falling under her spell was the last thing he could afford to do. Besides, it would yet be another decision they might regret later on. He was convinced that once their lips met, he would lose himself once again and obviously Bekah was no where near decent state to make any wise decision for herself. I don’t want to hurt you, Bekah. Not this way… Annoyed with himself, he swore, turned on his feet and slammed the bedroom door.

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Chapter 14 Bekah didn’t need to lift her chin to fathom a tall figure with long strides crossing the yard alongside swimming pool. In the corner of her eye she knew someone was coming for her. She maintained her posture, hands in lap; a passing breeze tickled her bare back, making her shudder a little. As soon as the figure stopped next to her, she barked, “What do you want !?!” thinking it must have been Taecyeon. But the surprised face looking down at her wasn’t his. “I-…just wanted to ask if you’d like to dance.” said Khun, sounding undaunted.  Bekah felt apologetic for her insolence and she said sorry. When he asked for her hand, Bekah had no other choice but to give it. Khun led her inside, all the way to the dance floor, joining a crowd of moving bodies. He then smiled at her, slowly placed his hands on her waist, bringing her closer to him. Bekah found a gap where the music wasn’t all blasting loud, she leaned in and said, “I’m sorry I yelled at you. I thought you were- you know…”   “Taec? Yeah, I figured.” Khun quickly responded. He brushed a strand of hair on her bare shoulder before whispering on her ear, “Let’s forget about him tonight, mmm? What do you say?” Khun had this tightness on his jaw as he was looking back at her. She wondered what could have caused that. “Sounds good.”, Bekah whispered back. The less I think about Taec, the better anyway. At that point her mind was greatly tangled; less than half an hour ago, a guy kissed her and now she’s dancing with another. When the one you’re always thinking about is somewhere else, a voice in her head told her. The music had veered from upbeat to a slower tempo. Khun pressed his palm against her back, hugging her even tighter. They danced with no words, seeking comfort from each other’s presence, but that’s about it for Bekah. It felt like dancing with her best friend; no butterflies, no electricity. She thought it was the same for him too until he suddenly faced her and added, ”I like you, B.” He was still holding her hand when she moved her lips without sound coming out, like a fish breathing underwater. She was too dazed to say anything, really. After an awkward silence, she finally found her voice, “Oh Nick…umm, Khun. I like you too…but, not as more than a friend.”  “Ah, shit…this is embarrassing.” He nervously chuckled, scratching his head. “No no no, it’s not. I appreciate you’re telling me, but- I just…can’t. I’m sorry.”  Khun sighed quite deeply, “You really fell for him, huh?” “Khun-“ “No, no, I get it. It’s just…tsk, how do I say this?”, he paused for a while, his eyes were wandering across the room as if he was checking for someone, “There is something you need to know, Bekah.” Her forehead scrunched, “What is it?” “It’s all a lie.” said Khun. “A…lie?” Before Khun responded, a taller guy suddenly appeared behind him. Bekah saw him first and Khun was startled by her sudden change of expression. “We need to talk.” said a deep gloomy voice. Taecyeon had taken his jacket off and unbuttoned the two of his shirt buttons. He was clearly talking to Bekah since his eyes were evermore planted to her. Khun was almost invisible to him.  Bekah’s face was red. “If you’re here to tell me that I lost the bet, you-“ “Deal’s off.” Taec replied in an even gloomier tone. She raised one eyebrow as a result of his snappiness, more than the fact that he called off their bet. If anything she should be the one who felt crossed by his cunning scheme. “Then we have nothing to talk about.” mumbled Bekah, showing no interest to carry a further conversation with him. “Bro, she is dancing with me.” Khun turned to face his friend. People around them started stealing glances, wondering about their awkward body languages. Taecyeon seemed to notice too, he moved and intentionally block their view with his towering body. “Fine, do you mind if I cut in then?” he grunted. Khun exhaled, at first it seemed like he was about to object but Taec’s eyes made him decide otherwise. He shrugged and turned around, looking defeated.  “I’m not gonna dance with you.” expressed Bekah with arms folded. “Why not? Are you afraid?” “Afraid ?!?”, she shrieked in disbelief, “I’m not afraid of you, Ok Taecyeon.” “So…?” He impatiently stood around and waited for her answer while angrily glared at a couple of people who seemed to take further interest in their conversation. “I’m done playing games, you lying prick.” She punctuated her words by stabbing the air in front of his nose with her index finger. “Excuse me?” he asked haughtily, wanting to swat that finger away. “Do I look stupid to you?” Bekah put her arms on her waist, provoking him. “No!!! What do you-“  He stopped, realizing his loud voice had gained more interested eyes. He then promptly pulled Bekah’s hand and dragged her along to the second floor. Bekah was complaining as she was forced to follow him across the dance floor but Taec was way too strong for her to actually made impact on him. He opened the bathroom door after checking no one was in there and locked the door behind him just as fast as Bekah’s accusation. “What the hell do you want from me?”, she roared.    Taec returned her angry stare as he sat on the edge of bath tub. “I don’t appreciate you calling me names in front of everybody,” Taec looked up “And you! Don’t act like an innocent victim, Bekah. I really should applaud you for surprising me, didn’t think you’d have a trick up your sleeve, my lovely roommate.” Bekah sensed a sarcasm in the way he pronounce his last words but she chose to disregard it on purpose. “What trick?” “Oh don’t play dumb… It was a nice timing for Jay to show up.” “WHAT?”, her eyes opened wider, “You think I planned that?” Taec didn’t react at once. He seemed a little frustrated, Bekah knew his gesture. “Are you two…together?” asked him after a while, with a less inflamed tone. Bekah wanted Taec to see how ridiculous that question sounded to her, but he was looking down at the carpet between them. “No. We’re just…friends.” “Like YOU-and-ME friends, Bek? Is that why you kissed him too?” “We-” Bekah was confused. She didn’t know he saw the kiss, but if this is where all his anger came from, maybe she should have listened to her intuition more. ”Taec…are you jealous?” “AM I JE-” He suddenly stood up and scoffed. Instead of finishing his sentence, he barged towards her in a quick motion and it jolted her. She automatically stepped back until her shoulder met the cold wood door. She said nothing in return, only glared at him with coldness.  “You should have never brought him here tonight.” continued Taec with his arms stretched against the door, trapping her in between. Those words slithered from his lips like an evil spell. Though the room was dark Bekah could sense his revulsion and it made her very angry, even more than she had already been.  “I can bring whoever I want, whenever I want, and YOU can’t stop ME.”, she emphasized her words.  “This is my house too! I have as much rights as you do to decide who can walk through that front door!” Taec replied in higher tone. “Oh great! Like today when you decided to have a party here without my permission?” she screamed back. “At least I know how to have fun.” said Taec. “What’s that supposed to mean?” Taec turned around towards the shower area in the back corner. He ran his hand through his hair in frustration. “I noticed you’ve been distancing yourself from me recently. You chose to lock yourself in that room instead of facing me.” Taec stopped and exhaled loudly; his head dropped, eyes looking at the ground. “I just wish…argh,”  “You wish what?” asked Bekah curiously. He stole a quick glance. “I wish you could just tell me what you really feel, okay? It’s so frustrating trying to get things out of you. I threw this…this…stupid party just to crack you.” Taec’s eyes went directly at her; they were demanding. “You felt something going on between us too, didn’t you?” He stepped forward, cornering her with his big body. She had no choice but to look at him, wishing she could find the doorknob easily and just run away. “I…Uh-“ “Admit it.” he whispered. The closeness of their bodies induced her heart to race and pace like she just ran a marathon. Her breathing started to feel heavy from the decreasing amount of oxygen they were sharing; her chest moved, trying to gasp for more air. Taec glanced down, not even aware he was doing it. His glance was brief, nothing offensive; almost certainly an impulse considering the urge to check out a woman’s cleavage appeared primal into male genes. His gaze went back to her face, but not quick enough that she would have missed the way his eyes narrowed and his jaw flexed under the dim bathroom light. Bekah was alarmed when those eyes exposed the dark intensity and appreciation for a mere second, all traces of that anger disappearing. It was lust, pure and undisguised. Unconcealed by social norms or proper upbringing that insisted it wasn’t polite to visibly want somebody. She, too, wanted this man; much as she hated to admit it. Wanted him badly enough to consider breaking every rule she’d ever made for herself and that was all the more reason to resist the impulse. “I have to go.” whimpered Bekah, in the weakest tone ever come out from her lips. She turned around to find he way out but Taec stopped her in sudden move. He reached behind her to lock the door. He took the key and moved further away from her. She saw a glimpse of tease in his eyes as he pulled the front of his pants, threatening to drop the key in.  “You’ve gotta be kidding me.” muttered Bekah. He purposely dangled the key even harder. ”Admit it or I’ll drop this. Quick, my fingers suddenly feel so sweaty…”  Bekah rolled her eyes. ”What are you, five? Give me the key!” “Nope. Words first.” She was clearly annoyed. “Never.” “Fine then. Come and get it.” He suavely drop the key inside his drawers. Bekah yelped in shock.  “You’re such an asshole!!! Let me out of here.” She hissed at him. He swallowed down the anger that had been building all evening, eyes fixed on the woman standing in front of him who looked like she was ready to kill any minute. ”Nope, not until you admit it.” he playfully grinned with satisfaction. She wanted to wipe that smirk away so bad.  “What made you so sure, Taec? Have you ever thought maybe your arrogance had clouded your judgment, once again?” “Oh I’m sure, Bekah, because if you didn’t feel anything between us, you would have answered my question by now. Am I right or am I right?” he smirked even wider. Bekah wished to object but she was lost for words. He was waiting for her to say something, his intimidating eyes examined her every move closely. “What we felt was just…lust. Nothing more. We’ve lived here together, for months. It must have been one of those spur-of-the-moment thing.” said Bekah finally. “Don’t give me that crap…you can’t possibly believe that.” “Then what do you want me to say, Taec?”, she abruptly replied, “That-that-I have fallen for you faster, deeper, crazier than I’ve ever let myself to? That I can’t seem to know what’s right and what’s wrong whenever I’m with you? And the more I think about it, the more lost I feel?” said Bekah in a firmer tone, although she still sounded helpless. Her cheeks started to feel warm from the truth that she finally let out for him. He had created a hunger inside her that hadn’t been there even when she was with Nick. It was both thrilling and shameful. She was afraid of his virility, but fascinated by it, too. He epitomized masculinity in its rawest form. The salty taste and smell of his skin, the roughness of his faint beard, the huskiness of his voice, all appealed to her. His size and shape and well-honed muscles were a blood-stirring contrast to her femininity. I guess he was right, I might have been afraid of him. “Is that your true feeling?” he asked, his fingers lifting her chin. Ahhh, feeling… Bekah had never been honest with her feeling, not when Nick broke up with her, not when her dad decided to leave her mom, not when her little sister climbed into her bed and cried every night. To her, feeling almost seems like weakness. Once you disclose it, people know how to get to you, to destroy you. She always felt she needed to guard herself; from the pain, from falling. She was afraid once she gave in, she had nothing else to hold on to. But today, even when she was angry at how he tricked her, she couldn’t lie. She was so afraid to crumble in front of him because the more he looked at her, the more fragile she got. And she was right; now she’s standing before him, blurting her heart out like a frantic teenager.   Taec’s lips suddenly arched in the corner, forming a smile. Why is he smiling? Bekah blinked multiple times while she was watching him turn around. It seemed like he was trying to reach for something. The key. She was relieved that he finally decided to let her go. He turned around and said, “Would you care to come with me?” “Where?” “Upstairs.” She flicked her gaze over him, thinking he must have been joking again. “We are upstairs, Taec.” He let out a heavy sigh, “Trust me this time, please?” Bekah nodded and let him open the door for them. The loud music was still banging loud from the first floor, people chattering filled up their house like a constant background noise that neither bother them nor trigger their curiosity. Taecyeon signaled her to follow him to the very end of the corridor. Bekah never went there because it was always dark and she never felt the need to. He knocked on the wall several times, there was this excitement on his face like a little child on a treasure hunt. Taec said “Ah!” when he knocked on a wall that sounded hollower than the rest. He then pushed this piece of wood inward, like a secret door, revealing a couple of stairs leading up to another door. She followed him with many questions in her head and as soon as Taec swung that door ope, a warm breeze blowing in; it felt rather nice. He stepped outside and made sure it was safe for Bekah to step on.  “Wow…we’re on-“ “The roof, yes.” He sounded proud. She always knew their house had a flat roof but she never explored to find out how to get up here. She didn’t even figure it was possible. The night was still silent, the jet black sky with no cloud was staring back at them. They both sat near the roof edge with their legs dangling down. “How’d you find the way here?”, asked Bekah. “Oh, by accident. I came here sometimes to sit and watch how slow the day feels when you have no one to talk to. It’s a nice change from our…you know, hectic life.” he chuckled. “See that blinking red light?” Taec pointed at a distant red dot that seems like the point of a tower building. Bekah nodded. “That’s where my company office is located. Before joining JYPE, I used to sit in my room, looking out that way. Watching the same light while telling myself that until I sign a contract with them, I would never quit trying. I convinced myself that being an idol is the only thing that can make me happy. Now I look back, I realized that I was so naive. I just wanted to do something different than what my dad had planned. But that light, always got me going. It was almost like a finish line I kept running towards. Now…whenever I watch it blinking, and I feel-” he left his sentence hanging. It made Bekah turned her head to him. “You feel what?” “Ahh…nothing.” “No, please..tell me.” she sent him a supportive smile.  “I feel nothing, Bek. Isn’t it weird? I accomplished it. I got there. I made my dream come true. Now what?” He huffed and resting his palm behind his back, reclining.  “Now you find another dream.” answered Bekah. She looked up to the sky and saw a blinking star. She pointed and said “See that? That’s where I need to go.” Taecyeon laughed, “Ok now you’re just making fun of me.” “I’m not!” She laughed back, “When I was little my dad used to tell me this story. It was rather stupid because for some reason I believed it was true.” “What story?” Taec showed an interest, he sat straight back up and stared deep into her eyes. She had to look away because it made her nervous, as always. “Well…there was this princess who was very beautiful and kind. She wanted to marry this man of her dream but her parents didn’t approve because he was poor. In order to separate them, her parents sent the guy away on a quest, to collect stars. They said the princess wanted a carnival of stars for wedding gift from him.” “Wait..wait, stars?” cut Taec. “I know, it makes no sense…but when I was a kid I didn’t question the sanity of the story, alright?” “Fine, fine…go on then. So the poor dude was set out on a star-collecting quest,” She nudged his rib for making it sound even more ridiculous. “Yes…but she was lied to by her parents. They told her he went away to get her a very special gift for their wedding. It was supposed to be a surprise but they wanted her to know anyway. She believed them and anxiously waiting for him every night. The journey was dangerous, he was never meant to return. But she never stopped waiting for him, always looking up to the sky and watched the stars blink. To her it was a sign from him that he had caught another one, and the more he caught, the sooner he would come back to her.” Taec stared at her as Bekah stopped talking. “That was probably the saddest children story I have ever heard.” Bekah giggled faintly. “Yeah, I know..it’s pretty tragic. But I was so enchanted by it. I always watched the sky from my window, imagining how much hope there was in her eyes whenever she gazed up above, longing for him. I then told my dad I wanted to fly to the last blinking star to find that guy for her and tell him to return to his princess.” “Not trying to bust your bubble but, you know those blinking thing in the sky could actually be-“ “Satellites, I know. I discovered that cold truth later on.” replied Bekah. “Damn, you must have been a very delusional kid then.” Taec shook his head. “Heh, I guess. But as I grew older, I learned a lesson sometimes people you love don’t always tell the truth.” she sighed, “And sometimes, they walk away from you too.” He noticed a sudden change of tone in her voice, “What happened?” Bekah didn’t return his stare, instead she looked down at her legs and smiled quietly. “Long story, we’ll save it for another night.” Taecyeon turned to watching his blinking red dot again, still feeling empty. In the corner of his eyes, he saw Bekah shivered a little in her seat and suddenly felt bad for not considering her outfit. “Are you cold? Do you want to get back inside?”  “I’m fine. I like it out here.” replied her.  They went silent, taking in all the peaceful night and the stories they shared as they sat side by side. “Bek?”, called Taec after a while. “Hmm?” She faced him when he didn’t continue talking. Taecyeon had turned his body to her completely. The wind had whisked his hair to look messier than it usually did. He was staring at her lips before returning to a pair of brown eyes that were watching him. Her eyes had that same ring of fire he saw several months ago, it still feels like yesterday. The curious eyes dancing beneath long lashes. Bekah bit her lower lip, an unconscious defense mechanism she built to cope with the nervous feeling whenever Taecyeon looked at her a certain way. “Taec?” asked her weakly, ignoring the flustered pulse beating its way through her veins. She knew he was going for a kiss. His leaning body and gentle touch around her face confirmed her prediction. Bekah could not think of a better horizon. She always wanted to be kissed on a roof, for her it was very romantic. But am I giving in too easily? Then her phone rang, chirping ‘Somewhere Out There’. Taecyeon jolted back to his senses; a bashful smile bloomed on his face while watching Bekah answering her call. By the time she’d convinced Jooyeon she was not returning to their dorm tonight, Taecyeon had stood up and regarding her inquisitively. “Did your phone just play ‘Somewhere Out There’?” “Uh-huh. It’s a personal ring tone. It’s…optimistic.” “Somewhere out there…” he chuckled, “You’re still living your dream, aren’t you?” Taecyeon slid his hands in pockets, glancing over her. “Well, it just happens to be my favorite song too, so I made it a ring tone.” “I can’t believe your ring tone is- heheh…” “Why, what’s wrong with that?” She sounded a little mad, it made him grin. “Nevermind.” Taecyeon looked amused yet withdrawn. “Come here and play that song again.” “Really?” asked Bekah, half in disbelief. Taecyeon nodded. “For what?” “For us to dance, of course. You owe me one downstairs.” She walked close to him like it was the only reasonable thing to do. She played the song in a loop and placed her phone across from where they were standing. Taecyeon took her hands and wrapped them around his neck. The next thing she knew they were looking at each other’s eyes. It was weird because Bekah couldn’t feel her legs yet their bodies swayed and moved together like in the movie. His eyes were mesmerizing, for once Bekah didn’t feel threatened by them. She wondered how many different way this guy look at her that she needed to discover.  “You still believe this is just a mere lust?” he asked her out of the blue. Bekah gulped and breathed in some air before answering, ”Taec, I honestly don’t know what we’re doing here.” “Huh? We’re dancing.” he clasped her hand with his and hugged her waist closer. “I mean…us. We’re living here together, and the things I said back there…I mean, I don’t know how you feel… You didn’t even make it clear to me if-“ “Shhh,” Taecyeon placed his finger on her lips. “I thought my action was clear enough for you, Bekah. Words can be misleading, don’t you agree? Besides you’ve done too much talking for tonight.” “I’m sorry?” She looked up and uncovered he was just messing with her. He was delighted to see how easily he could give her a hard time. ”We have tomorrow to talk, if you want, but tonight…” he effortlessly made her do a small twirl before pulling her back into his arms, “Tonight we dance.” **************************

Chapter 14

Bekah didn’t need to lift her chin to fathom a tall figure with long strides crossing the yard alongside swimming pool. In the corner of her eye she knew someone was coming for her. She maintained her posture, hands in lap; a passing breeze tickled her bare back, making her shudder a little. As soon as the figure stopped next to her, she barked, “What do you want !?!” thinking it must have been Taecyeon. But the surprised face looking down at her wasn’t his.

“I-…just wanted to ask if you’d like to dance.” said Khun, sounding undaunted. 

Bekah felt apologetic for her insolence and she said sorry. When he asked for her hand, Bekah had no other choice but to give it. Khun led her inside, all the way to the dance floor, joining a crowd of moving bodies. He then smiled at her, slowly placed his hands on her waist, bringing her closer to him.

Bekah found a gap where the music wasn’t all blasting loud, she leaned in and said, “I’m sorry I yelled at you. I thought you were- you know…”  

“Taec? Yeah, I figured.” Khun quickly responded. He brushed a strand of hair on her bare shoulder before whispering on her ear, “Let’s forget about him tonight, mmm? What do you say?”

Khun had this tightness on his jaw as he was looking back at her. She wondered what could have caused that. “Sounds good.”, Bekah whispered back. The less I think about Taec, the better anyway.

At that point her mind was greatly tangled; less than half an hour ago, a guy kissed her and now she’s dancing with another. When the one you’re always thinking about is somewhere else, a voice in her head told her.

The music had veered from upbeat to a slower tempo. Khun pressed his palm against her back, hugging her even tighter. They danced with no words, seeking comfort from each other’s presence, but that’s about it for Bekah. It felt like dancing with her best friend; no butterflies, no electricity. She thought it was the same for him too until he suddenly faced her and added, ”I like you, B.”

He was still holding her hand when she moved her lips without sound coming out, like a fish breathing underwater. She was too dazed to say anything, really. After an awkward silence, she finally found her voice, “Oh Nick…umm, Khun. I like you too…but, not as more than a friend.” 

“Ah, shit…this is embarrassing.” He nervously chuckled, scratching his head.

“No no no, it’s not. I appreciate you’re telling me, but- I just…can’t. I’m sorry.” 

Khun sighed quite deeply, “You really fell for him, huh?”

“Khun-“

“No, no, I get it. It’s just…tsk, how do I say this?”, he paused for a while, his eyes were wandering across the room as if he was checking for someone, “There is something you need to know, Bekah.”

Her forehead scrunched, “What is it?”

“It’s all a lie.” said Khun.

“A…lie?”

Before Khun responded, a taller guy suddenly appeared behind him. Bekah saw him first and Khun was startled by her sudden change of expression.

“We need to talk.” said a deep gloomy voice. Taecyeon had taken his jacket off and unbuttoned the two of his shirt buttons. He was clearly talking to Bekah since his eyes were evermore planted to her. Khun was almost invisible to him. 

Bekah’s face was red. “If you’re here to tell me that I lost the bet, you-“

“Deal’s off.” Taec replied in an even gloomier tone. She raised one eyebrow as a result of his snappiness, more than the fact that he called off their bet. If anything she should be the one who felt crossed by his cunning scheme.

“Then we have nothing to talk about.” mumbled Bekah, showing no interest to carry a further conversation with him.

“Bro, she is dancing with me.” Khun turned to face his friend. People around them started stealing glances, wondering about their awkward body languages. Taecyeon seemed to notice too, he moved and intentionally block their view with his towering body. “Fine, do you mind if I cut in then?” he grunted. Khun exhaled, at first it seemed like he was about to object but Taec’s eyes made him decide otherwise. He shrugged and turned around, looking defeated. 

“I’m not gonna dance with you.” expressed Bekah with arms folded.

“Why not? Are you afraid?”

“Afraid ?!?”, she shrieked in disbelief, “I’m not afraid of you, Ok Taecyeon.”

“So…?” He impatiently stood around and waited for her answer while angrily glared at a couple of people who seemed to take further interest in their conversation.

“I’m done playing games, you lying prick.” She punctuated her words by stabbing the air in front of his nose with her index finger.

“Excuse me?” he asked haughtily, wanting to swat that finger away.

“Do I look stupid to you?” Bekah put her arms on her waist, provoking him.

“No!!! What do you-“ 

He stopped, realizing his loud voice had gained more interested eyes. He then promptly pulled Bekah’s hand and dragged her along to the second floor. Bekah was complaining as she was forced to follow him across the dance floor but Taec was way too strong for her to actually made impact on him. He opened the bathroom door after checking no one was in there and locked the door behind him just as fast as Bekah’s accusation.

“What the hell do you want from me?”, she roared.   

Taec returned her angry stare as he sat on the edge of bath tub. “I don’t appreciate you calling me names in front of everybody,” Taec looked up “And you! Don’t act like an innocent victim, Bekah. I really should applaud you for surprising me, didn’t think you’d have a trick up your sleeve, my lovely roommate.”

Bekah sensed a sarcasm in the way he pronounce his last words but she chose to disregard it on purpose. “What trick?”

“Oh don’t play dumb… It was a nice timing for Jay to show up.”

“WHAT?”, her eyes opened wider, “You think I planned that?”

Taec didn’t react at once. He seemed a little frustrated, Bekah knew his gesture. “Are you two…together?” asked him after a while, with a less inflamed tone. Bekah wanted Taec to see how ridiculous that question sounded to her, but he was looking down at the carpet between them.

“No. We’re just…friends.”

“Like YOU-and-ME friends, Bek? Is that why you kissed him too?”

“We-” Bekah was confused. She didn’t know he saw the kiss, but if this is where all his anger came from, maybe she should have listened to her intuition more. ”Taec…are you jealous?”

“AM I JE-” He suddenly stood up and scoffed. Instead of finishing his sentence, he barged towards her in a quick motion and it jolted her. She automatically stepped back until her shoulder met the cold wood door. She said nothing in return, only glared at him with coldness. 

“You should have never brought him here tonight.” continued Taec with his arms stretched against the door, trapping her in between. Those words slithered from his lips like an evil spell. Though the room was dark Bekah could sense his revulsion and it made her very angry, even more than she had already been. 

“I can bring whoever I want, whenever I want, and YOU can’t stop ME.”, she emphasized her words. 

“This is my house too! I have as much rights as you do to decide who can walk through that front door!” Taec replied in higher tone.

“Oh great! Like today when you decided to have a party here without my permission?” she screamed back.

“At least I know how to have fun.” said Taec.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Taec turned around towards the shower area in the back corner. He ran his hand through his hair in frustration. “I noticed you’ve been distancing yourself from me recently. You chose to lock yourself in that room instead of facing me.” Taec stopped and exhaled loudly; his head dropped, eyes looking at the ground. “I just wish…argh,” 

“You wish what?” asked Bekah curiously.

He stole a quick glance. “I wish you could just tell me what you really feel, okay? It’s so frustrating trying to get things out of you. I threw this…this…stupid party just to crack you.” Taec’s eyes went directly at her; they were demanding. “You felt something going on between us too, didn’t you?”

He stepped forward, cornering her with his big body. She had no choice but to look at him, wishing she could find the doorknob easily and just run away. “I…Uh-“

“Admit it.” he whispered. The closeness of their bodies induced her heart to race and pace like she just ran a marathon. Her breathing started to feel heavy from the decreasing amount of oxygen they were sharing; her chest moved, trying to gasp for more air. Taec glanced down, not even aware he was doing it. His glance was brief, nothing offensive; almost certainly an impulse considering the urge to check out a woman’s cleavage appeared primal into male genes. His gaze went back to her face, but not quick enough that she would have missed the way his eyes narrowed and his jaw flexed under the dim bathroom light. Bekah was alarmed when those eyes exposed the dark intensity and appreciation for a mere second, all traces of that anger disappearing. It was lust, pure and undisguised. Unconcealed by social norms or proper upbringing that insisted it wasn’t polite to visibly want somebody.

She, too, wanted this man; much as she hated to admit it. Wanted him badly enough to consider breaking every rule she’d ever made for herself and that was all the more reason to resist the impulse. “I have to go.” whimpered Bekah, in the weakest tone ever come out from her lips. She turned around to find he way out but Taec stopped her in sudden move. He reached behind her to lock the door. He took the key and moved further away from her. She saw a glimpse of tease in his eyes as he pulled the front of his pants, threatening to drop the key in. 

“You’ve gotta be kidding me.” muttered Bekah.

He purposely dangled the key even harder. ”Admit it or I’ll drop this. Quick, my fingers suddenly feel so sweaty…” 

Bekah rolled her eyes. ”What are you, five? Give me the key!”

“Nope. Words first.”

She was clearly annoyed. “Never.”

“Fine then. Come and get it.” He suavely drop the key inside his drawers. Bekah yelped in shock. 

“You’re such an asshole!!! Let me out of here.” She hissed at him.

He swallowed down the anger that had been building all evening, eyes fixed on the woman standing in front of him who looked like she was ready to kill any minute. ”Nope, not until you admit it.” he playfully grinned with satisfaction. She wanted to wipe that smirk away so bad. 

“What made you so sure, Taec? Have you ever thought maybe your arrogance had clouded your judgment, once again?”

“Oh I’m sure, Bekah, because if you didn’t feel anything between us, you would have answered my question by now. Am I right or am I right?” he smirked even wider.

Bekah wished to object but she was lost for words. He was waiting for her to say something, his intimidating eyes examined her every move closely. “What we felt was just…lust. Nothing more. We’ve lived here together, for months. It must have been one of those spur-of-the-moment thing.” said Bekah finally.

“Don’t give me that crap…you can’t possibly believe that.”

“Then what do you want me to say, Taec?”, she abruptly replied, “That-that-I have fallen for you faster, deeper, crazier than I’ve ever let myself to? That I can’t seem to know what’s right and what’s wrong whenever I’m with you? And the more I think about it, the more lost I feel?” said Bekah in a firmer tone, although she still sounded helpless. Her cheeks started to feel warm from the truth that she finally let out for him. He had created a hunger inside her that hadn’t been there even when she was with Nick. It was both thrilling and shameful. She was afraid of his virility, but fascinated by it, too. He epitomized masculinity in its rawest form. The salty taste and smell of his skin, the roughness of his faint beard, the huskiness of his voice, all appealed to her. His size and shape and well-honed muscles were a blood-stirring contrast to her femininity.

I guess he was right, I might have been afraid of him.

“Is that your true feeling?” he asked, his fingers lifting her chin.

Ahhh, feeling… Bekah had never been honest with her feeling, not when Nick broke up with her, not when her dad decided to leave her mom, not when her little sister climbed into her bed and cried every night. To her, feeling almost seems like weakness. Once you disclose it, people know how to get to you, to destroy you. She always felt she needed to guard herself; from the pain, from falling. She was afraid once she gave in, she had nothing else to hold on to. But today, even when she was angry at how he tricked her, she couldn’t lie. She was so afraid to crumble in front of him because the more he looked at her, the more fragile she got. And she was right; now she’s standing before him, blurting her heart out like a frantic teenager.  

Taec’s lips suddenly arched in the corner, forming a smile. Why is he smiling? Bekah blinked multiple times while she was watching him turn around. It seemed like he was trying to reach for something.

The key.

She was relieved that he finally decided to let her go. He turned around and said, “Would you care to come with me?”

“Where?”

“Upstairs.”

She flicked her gaze over him, thinking he must have been joking again. “We are upstairs, Taec.”

He let out a heavy sigh, “Trust me this time, please?”

Bekah nodded and let him open the door for them. The loud music was still banging loud from the first floor, people chattering filled up their house like a constant background noise that neither bother them nor trigger their curiosity. Taecyeon signaled her to follow him to the very end of the corridor. Bekah never went there because it was always dark and she never felt the need to. He knocked on the wall several times, there was this excitement on his face like a little child on a treasure hunt. Taec said “Ah!” when he knocked on a wall that sounded hollower than the rest. He then pushed this piece of wood inward, like a secret door, revealing a couple of stairs leading up to another door. She followed him with many questions in her head and as soon as Taec swung that door ope, a warm breeze blowing in; it felt rather nice. He stepped outside and made sure it was safe for Bekah to step on. 

“Wow…we’re on-“

“The roof, yes.” He sounded proud.

She always knew their house had a flat roof but she never explored to find out how to get up here. She didn’t even figure it was possible. The night was still silent, the jet black sky with no cloud was staring back at them. They both sat near the roof edge with their legs dangling down. “How’d you find the way here?”, asked Bekah.

“Oh, by accident. I came here sometimes to sit and watch how slow the day feels when you have no one to talk to. It’s a nice change from our…you know, hectic life.” he chuckled. “See that blinking red light?” Taec pointed at a distant red dot that seems like the point of a tower building. Bekah nodded. “That’s where my company office is located. Before joining JYPE, I used to sit in my room, looking out that way. Watching the same light while telling myself that until I sign a contract with them, I would never quit trying. I convinced myself that being an idol is the only thing that can make me happy. Now I look back, I realized that I was so naive. I just wanted to do something different than what my dad had planned. But that light, always got me going. It was almost like a finish line I kept running towards. Now…whenever I watch it blinking, and I feel-” he left his sentence hanging. It made Bekah turned her head to him.

“You feel what?”

“Ahh…nothing.”

“No, please..tell me.” she sent him a supportive smile. 

“I feel nothing, Bek. Isn’t it weird? I accomplished it. I got there. I made my dream come true. Now what?” He huffed and resting his palm behind his back, reclining. 

“Now you find another dream.” answered Bekah. She looked up to the sky and saw a blinking star. She pointed and said “See that? That’s where I need to go.”

Taecyeon laughed, “Ok now you’re just making fun of me.”

“I’m not!” She laughed back, “When I was little my dad used to tell me this story. It was rather stupid because for some reason I believed it was true.”

“What story?” Taec showed an interest, he sat straight back up and stared deep into her eyes. She had to look away because it made her nervous, as always.

“Well…there was this princess who was very beautiful and kind. She wanted to marry this man of her dream but her parents didn’t approve because he was poor. In order to separate them, her parents sent the guy away on a quest, to collect stars. They said the princess wanted a carnival of stars for wedding gift from him.”

“Wait..wait, stars?” cut Taec.

“I know, it makes no sense…but when I was a kid I didn’t question the sanity of the story, alright?”

“Fine, fine…go on then. So the poor dude was set out on a star-collecting quest,”

She nudged his rib for making it sound even more ridiculous. “Yes…but she was lied to by her parents. They told her he went away to get her a very special gift for their wedding. It was supposed to be a surprise but they wanted her to know anyway. She believed them and anxiously waiting for him every night. The journey was dangerous, he was never meant to return. But she never stopped waiting for him, always looking up to the sky and watched the stars blink. To her it was a sign from him that he had caught another one, and the more he caught, the sooner he would come back to her.”

Taec stared at her as Bekah stopped talking. “That was probably the saddest children story I have ever heard.”

Bekah giggled faintly. “Yeah, I know..it’s pretty tragic. But I was so enchanted by it. I always watched the sky from my window, imagining how much hope there was in her eyes whenever she gazed up above, longing for him. I then told my dad I wanted to fly to the last blinking star to find that guy for her and tell him to return to his princess.”

“Not trying to bust your bubble but, you know those blinking thing in the sky could actually be-“

“Satellites, I know. I discovered that cold truth later on.” replied Bekah.

“Damn, you must have been a very delusional kid then.” Taec shook his head.

“Heh, I guess. But as I grew older, I learned a lesson sometimes people you love don’t always tell the truth.” she sighed, “And sometimes, they walk away from you too.”

He noticed a sudden change of tone in her voice, “What happened?”

Bekah didn’t return his stare, instead she looked down at her legs and smiled quietly. “Long story, we’ll save it for another night.”

Taecyeon turned to watching his blinking red dot again, still feeling empty. In the corner of his eyes, he saw Bekah shivered a little in her seat and suddenly felt bad for not considering her outfit. “Are you cold? Do you want to get back inside?” 

“I’m fine. I like it out here.” replied her. 

They went silent, taking in all the peaceful night and the stories they shared as they sat side by side.

“Bek?”, called Taec after a while.

“Hmm?” She faced him when he didn’t continue talking. Taecyeon had turned his body to her completely. The wind had whisked his hair to look messier than it usually did. He was staring at her lips before returning to a pair of brown eyes that were watching him. Her eyes had that same ring of fire he saw several months ago, it still feels like yesterday. The curious eyes dancing beneath long lashes.

Bekah bit her lower lip, an unconscious defense mechanism she built to cope with the nervous feeling whenever Taecyeon looked at her a certain way. “Taec?” asked her weakly, ignoring the flustered pulse beating its way through her veins. She knew he was going for a kiss. His leaning body and gentle touch around her face confirmed her prediction. Bekah could not think of a better horizon. She always wanted to be kissed on a roof, for her it was very romantic. But am I giving in too easily?

Then her phone rang, chirping ‘Somewhere Out There’. Taecyeon jolted back to his senses; a bashful smile bloomed on his face while watching Bekah answering her call. By the time she’d convinced Jooyeon she was not returning to their dorm tonight, Taecyeon had stood up and regarding her inquisitively. “Did your phone just play ‘Somewhere Out There’?”

“Uh-huh. It’s a personal ring tone. It’s…optimistic.”

“Somewhere out there…” he chuckled, “You’re still living your dream, aren’t you?” Taecyeon slid his hands in pockets, glancing over her.

“Well, it just happens to be my favorite song too, so I made it a ring tone.”

“I can’t believe your ring tone is- heheh…”

“Why, what’s wrong with that?” She sounded a little mad, it made him grin.

“Nevermind.” Taecyeon looked amused yet withdrawn. “Come here and play that song again.”

“Really?” asked Bekah, half in disbelief.

Taecyeon nodded.

“For what?”

“For us to dance, of course. You owe me one downstairs.”

She walked close to him like it was the only reasonable thing to do. She played the song in a loop and placed her phone across from where they were standing. Taecyeon took her hands and wrapped them around his neck. The next thing she knew they were looking at each other’s eyes. It was weird because Bekah couldn’t feel her legs yet their bodies swayed and moved together like in the movie. His eyes were mesmerizing, for once Bekah didn’t feel threatened by them. She wondered how many different way this guy look at her that she needed to discover. 

“You still believe this is just a mere lust?” he asked her out of the blue.

Bekah gulped and breathed in some air before answering, ”Taec, I honestly don’t know what we’re doing here.”

“Huh? We’re dancing.” he clasped her hand with his and hugged her waist closer.

“I mean…us. We’re living here together, and the things I said back there…I mean, I don’t know how you feel… You didn’t even make it clear to me if-“

“Shhh,” Taecyeon placed his finger on her lips. “I thought my action was clear enough for you, Bekah. Words can be misleading, don’t you agree? Besides you’ve done too much talking for tonight.”

“I’m sorry?” She looked up and uncovered he was just messing with her.

He was delighted to see how easily he could give her a hard time. ”We have tomorrow to talk, if you want, but tonight…” he effortlessly made her do a small twirl before pulling her back into his arms,

“Tonight we dance.”

**************************

8 months ago  12 notes View comments

Chapter 13 Bekah couldn’t believe she decided to do this. It must be the alcohol boosting her confidence and slowly, but firmly, shook her ability to deliver good judgment. In one way or another, somewhere deep inside her head, Bekah admitted to herself that her choice was probably made out of desperation. She knew she was running out of time and this might had been her last hope for winning tonight. She tried to stand still, embracing her figure while constantly pulling down her skirt which has started to ride up for the millionth times that night. The nearest man to the stage kept gawking at her long legs, ignoring the gesture of disagreement coming from the girl standing next to him, who Bekah reckoned to be his girlfriend. The spotlight was blinding her eyes, making it almost impossible to see the rest of the audience. Being up on stage shouldn’t have been nerve-wracking for her, considering her profession, however the main reason lies behind her standing up here did somehow make her feel nervous until her palms started to sweat. She looked to her right and saw four other girls, all also wearing masks, had lined up beside her, preparing themselves. The MC kept warming up the audience, the lads started clamoring when suddenly the lights dimmed and the girl standing in the far right stepped forward and began to move according to the song played loudly by the DJ. Suddenly Bekah wished she listened carefully at the condition before foolishly jumping up to the stage. “Uh, sorry, but…do we have to do that?” Bekah whispered closely to the person right next to her and pointed to the first girl who started doing sexy waves. “Dancing? Why yes, of course…we’ll dance for a little bit and then the guys start bidding on how much they would buy us.” The short girl tiptoed so that she could reach Bekah’s ear. Buy us, Bekah had those words swirling in her mind. She didn’t particularly want to put her body out there to be appraised, ogled, or catcalled over by a bunch of bawdy men. She heard the noise the guys were making as they watched the girl dancing provocatively; they all watched hungrily, calling out obscene suggestions as the raucous bidding continued for that girl who was currently taking the center stage. Well, all except one. A tall guy standing about fifteen feet away from the stage. He drew her eyes as she scanned the crowd. That’s Taecyeon, Bekah spluttered. His body language looked almost bored, standing with arms folded on his chest. Even at the darkest room Bekah could detect his sharp eyes under the mask covering the half of his face. She was caught off guard looking when suddenly Taec stared back at her and raised one corner of his mouth. It was a rather cocky smile. She ignored it. At this point, Bekah would rather focus on what she was going to do next and if it was enough for her to land a date by the end of the night. She must not lose, especially after putting herself out there. “You know what scares me the most?” whispered the girl next to Bekah after watching the second contestant finished her dance. “Falling flat on your face?” replied Bekah, trying to break the tension. The girl giggled, “That too, but what if whoever buys us ended up being creepy and requests us to do some weird stuffs?”   “Isn’t there…….rules against that?” Bekah felt horrified particularly after the other girl shrugged at her. “You know my biggest fear? asked Bekah. The girl shook her head. “Not being bid on.” “That’s impossible.” The short girl scoffed and nervously watched the girl before her almost finishing her performance. “Wish me luck.” she whispered. Bekah sent her encouragement with a light tap on the shoulder as her new friend proceeded to the center. The stage is now empty as the previous girls had been bought and currently are spending time with their buyers, chatting on the side of the stage..some already even hit the bar. Bekah closed her eyes for a second and told herself that this too, shall pass. The short girl was braver than how she appeared; Bekah watched how some guys in the audience already raised their hands and shouted some numbers they were willing to pay to win the date with her. Just like how the rule goes, there won’t be no real money involved but the numbers they bid on are divided by 10,000 won and it will be the number of glass of shots the bidder is supposed to drink tonight. It was merely a masculinity display, the men with their ego would take it as a challenge. All and all it was just for fun but what Bekah felt at this moment was far from fun indeed.   ************************** Taecyeon smirked as soon as he spotted Bekah walking across the dance floor, proceeding to the stage. As he expected, she walked voluntarily right into his trap. With the tight situation he put her in, she would have no other choice but to put herself out there, to sell herself, to be seen, to be bought. For a second there he felt sorry for her and started to wonder if he went too far. Threatening his friends and those young trainees to not interact with Bekah was easy, the harder part was to watch the girl suffer from the humiliation he set her up for. But this is how it imagined it to be, soon he would take action and hopefully by then he pushed her hard enough to break her shell, to come clean, to tell what she truly wants from him. For now he’s just going to enjoy every moment, watching how she blushed under his supervision and pretended that their eyes never met. He was satisfied with how tonight went so far, except for Bekah’s dress. It was too short and tight. And extremely distracting. From the moment she walked down the stairs, his eyes were glued to her. He, of course, noticed how uncomfortable she was trying her best sitting on that bar stool without revealing every bit of her perfectly toned thighs. That moment when Chansung fled her side leaving a big disappointment on her face, made him grin. That kid did what he asked, almost as convincing as the girl who was asked to act as his ex-girlfriend in front of Bekah. He had to make a deal with this girl, who obviously wanted something more from him, but he can deal with that later. As for now, he was convinced that her acting was quite impressive, judging from Bekah’s face when that girl marched across the room to be welcomed in his arms. Nothing escaped his watchful eyes, a contented smile bloomed as his plot was beautifully played as the night continued to edge. “Are you sure this is what you want?” Khun’s voice suddenly appeared, nudging him from behind. They both watched how Bekah stood alone on stage while the MC kept asking the audience if no one really wanted to bid for her. Taec was actually surprised that those guys really obeyed him until the end and no one raised any hand. He shifted his attention to Bekah, who just took off her mask. As soon as he saw her, he regretted it. He regretted everything. Her expression was indecipherable; there was sadness in there, but mostly disappointment was written all over. Taecyeon moved forward to see clearer, a chill crept behind his neck when he saw how her eyes glistened under the bright stage light. She looked utterly vulnerable, even more than that night he kissed her tears away in the corridor. In any different scenario, he would find an urge to assault whoever responsible to make her look that way, but in this case he has only himself to be blamed. “Hyung, how much longer do you plan to torture her? Please, raise your hand, or I will.” Chansung’s voice sounded firmer than usual. Taecyeon was startled, feeling a little embarrassed to be told that way by a younger friend. Even before Chansung showed up, Taec already had his left arm half lifted midair. He continued raising his hand higher in one quick motion, but someone went before him. Khun leaned against the pillar with his eyes planted to the stage; he smiled, well pleased with himself for having silenced the entire room. That guy ignored Taec’s alarming glare, concentrating on how all the attention had veered to their standing area. The MC, who looked as relieved as ever, started shouting in heat, “There we go! Finally..Please announce your bid, Sir!” “Fifty-thousand.” Khun shouted first, eyes still on Taecyeon. “Sixty.” Taec responded. “Seventy.” “Ninety.” “Ninety-five.” Suddenly another voice from the other side of the room shouted, silencing the room once again. “Two hundred thousand.” The spotlight quickly found a raising hand, followed by every single head turned to the back side of the room almost out near the front door where the voice came from. Both Khun and Taec who were taller than everyone else had the first look of the person who just outbid them. Even with a mask, that guy was way too familiar for them to not recognize him. His broad shoulder, his relaxed gesture, his blithe tone of voice.  “Sold to the gentleman in the back with TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND! I can’t believe it !!!” The MC shrieked his delight, “What’s your name, Sir?” “Name? Oh, the name’s Jay.”   ***********************      Bekah blinked twice. Her thumb quickly wiped away a drop of tears mixed with sweat under her eyes. She was ready to run away from that stage when someone suddenly decided to bid for her. She wasn’t sure whether or not if it was out of pity, but looking at the bidder it probably was. To her biggest surprise, Taecyeon decided to bid against Khun. It made her angry, mostly because it seemed like he did because Khun challenged him, not because he wanted to. She watched them go back and forth, wearing their ego like a well-tailored armor, until one final offer shut them up. Bekah still couldn’t recover from the shock, first by the number she was bid on; it was the highest of the night; but most of all by the owner of that voice. She squinted to see his face, it was too bright with the amount of spotlight beaming at him, but as soon as he told them his name Bekah realized that when she thought her night couldn’t be more unpredictable, she had just been proven wrong. Very wrong. “This is actually not bad once you get the hang of it.” Jay’s shot glass made a clank noise on the table. “Jay, you don’t have to continue.” Bekah sat silently next to him, painfully watching how her highest bidder chugging down his drinks. “Why not? It’s my prize, besides the bartender is watching me, look! He’s counting too.” He secretly pointed at the guy who was obviously closed enough to hear what he said. Bekah chuckled, still half worried for him since Jay didn’t seem like the type who can drink a lot. “It’s fine, you don’t have to finish all twenty shots, man.” The bartender told Jay. He then turned to Bekah and winked, “See? I knew you’d find someone.” “Is it just me or people are watching us.” Jay who sounded a bit buzzed looked around the room. Bekah followed his head and just realized it herself. “Let’s go outside then. Come, follow me.” She pulled his arm and started walking towards the glass door that would lead them to the pool. She could see Taecyeon and the rest of the guys were following them with their eyes, but she didn’t stop nor look back at them. The clean air welcomed them right when the door was opened, it was quite a beautiful night. The sky was completely black, but clear with stars scattered all across. They found an empty table and chairs under a canopy, almost hidden in the corner. “You never told me you live with Taec.” said Jay as soon as they both sat down. “I planned to, tonight. I’m sorry, I should have mentioned earlier.” Bekah pulled her chair forward, her eyes were apologetic. “Hey, no worries, besides it was me who took a rain check. It’s also my decision to come here.” “Yeah but…” Bekah stopped, she didn’t know what else to say. “Thank you, for saving me in there.” “Saving you? From what?” Jay asked. “From those two.” murmured Bekah, she cursed them inside her head. Jay was scrutinizing her before he spoke again. “Look, I know those guys pretty well and I think I know what’s going on. Not sure if you noticed but it seems like Taecyeon had an agenda tonight.” “What do you mean?” “I arrived just when the girl before you started dancing. No offense to her but if she could score some bids, there is no way in this world that you couldn’t. It’s either those guys in that room are all visually challenged, mentally disturbed, or something else was up. My bet would be on the latter one. And looking at how it went between Khun and Taecyeon, I knew they must have had a part in it, or at least one of them. Tell me, is there anything unusual happened tonight?” “Ah!” Bekah’s eyes suddenly opened even bigger, ”That tricky little jerk!” she huffed, causing him grinning in his seat. Taecyeon was everything but little.   “I take that as a yes.” He stretched his arms out. She silenced, thinking everything over and realized up until now she still didn’t know how he get there. “Hey Jay, so how did you find your way here?” “Your friends. That meeting finished sooner than I thought, so I went over to your dorm to see if you’re still up for some late night dessert or something.” “They told you this address?” Jay nodded. “Did they tell you about Taec?” “Nope. Found out myself when I saw them across the room.” “I’m sorry again.” Bekah whispered weakly. “Stop apologizing, girl, it’s all good. A little awkward, sure, but I can deal with it.” “You’re not allowed to talk about it, aren’t you?” She carefully chose her words. As she predicted, he was quite taken back by her question. He hesitated at first, looking around to make sure no one else was standing close to them. “It’s not that I’m not allowed. I just prefer not to. Still too soon.” “I understand.” They both went quiet for a while until Bekah started speaking again, “We talked about you, you know? Me and my friends.” She surprised herself with her decision to share this information with him. “Really?” Jay perked up, he rested his chin on one hand against the table. “Yeah, we had some theories.” replied Bekah. “Some conspiracies?” he dragged his chair closer. “Something like that,” Bekah cracked up. “Why tell me then, you geniuses, I want to hear your brilliant speculation.” “Are you sure?” Bekah couldn’t help but laugh at his sudden curiosity. “Alright, well there were some crazy ones, can’t really remember exactly what they said but I recall Jooyeon’s. She thought you guys were fighting over a girl or something and it ended bad.” Jay laughed but he shook his head, “Nah, I think we respect each other well enough to not cross that line.” “I see. So that’s not it.” Bekah mumbled. “Hey hey hey, is this a trick? Are you fishing information?” hasted Jay with joking tone. He let their laugh died down and for the first time he found a courage to tell someone about the truth. It was quite confounding how he felt comfortable sharing it with her. Something in her smile, the way she carries herself, made him feel like they are two long time friends who haven’t seen each other for a while. Jay breathed in, “I wanted out. Had it in my mind for quite some time before I finally told them what I wanted. I couldn’t shake the feeling of being restricted to do what I could do. From the very start, I was already oblivious, thinking I could just deal with what’s coming at me later. I was reckless, yes, and after that it was just like an avalanche. I was forgetting Junsu, Taec, Khun, Wooyoung, Junho and Chansung… How much it must have affected them too if not more than how it affected me. They were mad, still are most probably, and I could totally understand their reason. We just wanted something different in the end, and I failed to let them know along the line. I think that’s why they felt betrayed the most, that I couldn’t even tell them the truth.” “Why couldn’t you?” asked Bekah, completely focused on the guy in front of her. “My nature. I don’t like disappointing my friends, although in the end that exactly what I did to them, in most probably a worse degree. But you know, it was a tough decision. If I stayed I wouldn’t have been happy anyway. It was just a matter of time. There were many moments that I felt like I was happy with what I was doing, but-” “…you always wonder if you would be happier doing something else.” added Bekah. “Exactly. How do you know?” Jay seemed surprised. Bekah shrugged but there was something flickered in her eyes that told Jay she meant more than that. He wanted to ask right after the moment had passed. She was already looking away and came back snickering after glancing upwards. “What?” he asked and followed where she was looking. Taecyeon, appeared in the balcony with a girl who was resting her arms around his waist. He didn’t seem to engage at her as much as she was. That guy just sipped his drink calmly and looked around in a thoughtless manner. Luckily the canopy was large enough to cover Jay and Bekah from his sight.  “I wonder who that girl is,“ Jay casually commented. “Isn’t she-wait… that’s not his ex?” questioned Bekah. Jay looked as surprised as her, “Not that I know of. He only had one girlfriend a long time ago and that’s definitely not her.” “Oh wow.” Bekah talked to herself, her cheeks were red. “Are you ok?” asked Jay. “Yeah, I just…realized something. God, I’m so stupid. I should have followed my instinct!” “What happened?” Bekah told how everything went absolutely wrong for her. She also mention about that little bet she and Taecyeon had agreed upon. The condition, the consequences, and the reason why she was up on that stage. “Wait a second, you said midnight?” Jay cut her. Bekah nodded. “It’s already past midnight.” he showed her his watch. “Yeah I know. I don’t care anymore, this is not a fair game, this never was! That asshole, I can’t believe it took me a while to realize how rigged this was.” She was fuming mad. Jay watched her as she spilled her resentment, as much as he likes her he knew she is already far beyond his reach. Taecyeon is a smart guy and he obviously knew what he was doing, and what he was doing to her. She could say all she wants but it was pretty clear that his little game worked out the way he intended to. No one would understand this if they didn’t know Taec. That guy has an ego bigger than his body, all resulted from his desolate past. It was hard for him to trust again, but when he does he can be the loyalest guy someone could ever hope for. Jay had never seen Taec worked this hard for a girl, he normally didn’t care and let them come to him. But Jay had a feeling this time is different. He just hoped Taec realize that the girl in front of him is also like none other. Bekah slowly noticed Jay hadn’t been paying attention to her mumbling and complaints, she stopped talking and bit her lower lips. “I’m sorry…I’m such a horrible companion.” She moved back to her chair. “No no, it’s just…I should probably head out soon.”  “Oh, right.” She followed him, walking near the pool. There were some couples sitting around the edge, their heads turned when Bekah and Jay walked closer. “Jay?” She stopped right next to the glass door and faced him. “Yes?” “Thank you again…for tonight, I mean it.” “My pleasure, I was just paying my debt, remember? For the coffee incident.” “Oh, I already forgot about that, but sure…” she smiled, “So now we’re even?”  Jay wanted to agree but he had something else in his mind. From where he stood he had a clear view of Taecyeon up in second floor veranda, still watching them like an eagle. He knew what he was about to do next would jeopardize his chance to make up with his friends, but heck, he figured some things could wait and eventually reveal themselves when they’re supposed to. He took his eyes back to Bekah who was still waiting for him. With her back facing Taecyeon, she had no clue that the guy still had his eyes on them. Without a word, Jay leaned over, caressed her cheek with the tips of his fingers and covered her lips with his own. She tensed for a moment when his hand cupped the back of her head. He tilted his head, the kiss remained sweet, light, innocent, and it ended almost quickly as it started. When they parted, Jay saw Bekah’s astonished face.  “Now we are.” He smiled shyly. Since Bekah wasn’t moving, he took initiative to break the ice. “Are you coming inside?” He signaled the door. She cleared her throat, still shocked by his sudden kiss, “Umm, I think I’m gonna stay here for a little while.” “Alright, good night, then. I’ll see you soon, hopefully.” He winked before waving goodbye.  “Yeah…see ya.” Bekah seemed a bit confused but she replied to him softly and waved back. She thought she saw something moving on the second floor but when she looked up, no one was there. Little did she know, she just missed the enraged look coming from her room mate before he turned around and went inside. How he watched them kissing with his fist forming on his side. How he felt defeated by his own little game, and wished he could just rewind everything. She missed his yearning when he saw Jay tilting his head, embracing her, flaunting how their lips met. How Jay closed his eyes for her, and how he died from wondering if she also closed hers for Jay.  She missed all of those, and God willing, for her own good.

Chapter 13

Bekah couldn’t believe she decided to do this. It must be the alcohol boosting her confidence and slowly, but firmly, shook her ability to deliver good judgment. In one way or another, somewhere deep inside her head, Bekah admitted to herself that her choice was probably made out of desperation. She knew she was running out of time and this might had been her last hope for winning tonight.

She tried to stand still, embracing her figure while constantly pulling down her skirt which has started to ride up for the millionth times that night. The nearest man to the stage kept gawking at her long legs, ignoring the gesture of disagreement coming from the girl standing next to him, who Bekah reckoned to be his girlfriend. The spotlight was blinding her eyes, making it almost impossible to see the rest of the audience. Being up on stage shouldn’t have been nerve-wracking for her, considering her profession, however the main reason lies behind her standing up here did somehow make her feel nervous until her palms started to sweat.

She looked to her right and saw four other girls, all also wearing masks, had lined up beside her, preparing themselves. The MC kept warming up the audience, the lads started clamoring when suddenly the lights dimmed and the girl standing in the far right stepped forward and began to move according to the song played loudly by the DJ. Suddenly Bekah wished she listened carefully at the condition before foolishly jumping up to the stage.

“Uh, sorry, but…do we have to do that?” Bekah whispered closely to the person right next to her and pointed to the first girl who started doing sexy waves. “Dancing? Why yes, of course…we’ll dance for a little bit and then the guys start bidding on how much they would buy us.” The short girl tiptoed so that she could reach Bekah’s ear.

Buy us, Bekah had those words swirling in her mind. She didn’t particularly want to put her body out there to be appraised, ogled, or catcalled over by a bunch of bawdy men. She heard the noise the guys were making as they watched the girl dancing provocatively; they all watched hungrily, calling out obscene suggestions as the raucous bidding continued for that girl who was currently taking the center stage. Well, all except one. A tall guy standing about fifteen feet away from the stage. He drew her eyes as she scanned the crowd. That’s Taecyeon, Bekah spluttered. His body language looked almost bored, standing with arms folded on his chest. Even at the darkest room Bekah could detect his sharp eyes under the mask covering the half of his face. She was caught off guard looking when suddenly Taec stared back at her and raised one corner of his mouth. It was a rather cocky smile. She ignored it. At this point, Bekah would rather focus on what she was going to do next and if it was enough for her to land a date by the end of the night. She must not lose, especially after putting herself out there.

“You know what scares me the most?” whispered the girl next to Bekah after watching the second contestant finished her dance.

“Falling flat on your face?” replied Bekah, trying to break the tension.

The girl giggled, “That too, but what if whoever buys us ended up being creepy and requests us to do some weird stuffs?”  

“Isn’t there…….rules against that?” Bekah felt horrified particularly after the other girl shrugged at her.

“You know my biggest fear? asked Bekah.

The girl shook her head.

“Not being bid on.”

“That’s impossible.” The short girl scoffed and nervously watched the girl before her almost finishing her performance. “Wish me luck.” she whispered.

Bekah sent her encouragement with a light tap on the shoulder as her new friend proceeded to the center. The stage is now empty as the previous girls had been bought and currently are spending time with their buyers, chatting on the side of the stage..some already even hit the bar. Bekah closed her eyes for a second and told herself that this too, shall pass. The short girl was braver than how she appeared; Bekah watched how some guys in the audience already raised their hands and shouted some numbers they were willing to pay to win the date with her. Just like how the rule goes, there won’t be no real money involved but the numbers they bid on are divided by 10,000 won and it will be the number of glass of shots the bidder is supposed to drink tonight. It was merely a masculinity display, the men with their ego would take it as a challenge. All and all it was just for fun but what Bekah felt at this moment was far from fun indeed.  

**************************

Taecyeon smirked as soon as he spotted Bekah walking across the dance floor, proceeding to the stage. As he expected, she walked voluntarily right into his trap. With the tight situation he put her in, she would have no other choice but to put herself out there, to sell herself, to be seen, to be bought. For a second there he felt sorry for her and started to wonder if he went too far. Threatening his friends and those young trainees to not interact with Bekah was easy, the harder part was to watch the girl suffer from the humiliation he set her up for.

But this is how it imagined it to be, soon he would take action and hopefully by then he pushed her hard enough to break her shell, to come clean, to tell what she truly wants from him.

For now he’s just going to enjoy every moment, watching how she blushed under his supervision and pretended that their eyes never met. He was satisfied with how tonight went so far, except for Bekah’s dress. It was too short and tight. And extremely distracting. From the moment she walked down the stairs, his eyes were glued to her. He, of course, noticed how uncomfortable she was trying her best sitting on that bar stool without revealing every bit of her perfectly toned thighs. That moment when Chansung fled her side leaving a big disappointment on her face, made him grin. That kid did what he asked, almost as convincing as the girl who was asked to act as his ex-girlfriend in front of Bekah. He had to make a deal with this girl, who obviously wanted something more from him, but he can deal with that later. As for now, he was convinced that her acting was quite impressive, judging from Bekah’s face when that girl marched across the room to be welcomed in his arms. Nothing escaped his watchful eyes, a contented smile bloomed as his plot was beautifully played as the night continued to edge.

“Are you sure this is what you want?” Khun’s voice suddenly appeared, nudging him from behind. They both watched how Bekah stood alone on stage while the MC kept asking the audience if no one really wanted to bid for her. Taec was actually surprised that those guys really obeyed him until the end and no one raised any hand. He shifted his attention to Bekah, who just took off her mask. As soon as he saw her, he regretted it.

He regretted everything.

Her expression was indecipherable; there was sadness in there, but mostly disappointment was written all over. Taecyeon moved forward to see clearer, a chill crept behind his neck when he saw how her eyes glistened under the bright stage light. She looked utterly vulnerable, even more than that night he kissed her tears away in the corridor. In any different scenario, he would find an urge to assault whoever responsible to make her look that way, but in this case he has only himself to be blamed.

“Hyung, how much longer do you plan to torture her? Please, raise your hand, or I will.” Chansung’s voice sounded firmer than usual.

Taecyeon was startled, feeling a little embarrassed to be told that way by a younger friend. Even before Chansung showed up, Taec already had his left arm half lifted midair. He continued raising his hand higher in one quick motion, but someone went before him. Khun leaned against the pillar with his eyes planted to the stage; he smiled, well pleased with himself for having silenced the entire room. That guy ignored Taec’s alarming glare, concentrating on how all the attention had veered to their standing area.

The MC, who looked as relieved as ever, started shouting in heat, “There we go! Finally..Please announce your bid, Sir!”

“Fifty-thousand.” Khun shouted first, eyes still on Taecyeon.

“Sixty.” Taec responded.

“Seventy.”

“Ninety.”

“Ninety-five.”

Suddenly another voice from the other side of the room shouted, silencing the room once again. “Two hundred thousand.”

The spotlight quickly found a raising hand, followed by every single head turned to the back side of the room almost out near the front door where the voice came from. Both Khun and Taec who were taller than everyone else had the first look of the person who just outbid them. Even with a mask, that guy was way too familiar for them to not recognize him. His broad shoulder, his relaxed gesture, his blithe tone of voice. 

“Sold to the gentleman in the back with TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND! I can’t believe it !!!” The MC shrieked his delight, “What’s your name, Sir?”

“Name? Oh, the name’s Jay.”  

***********************     

Bekah blinked twice. Her thumb quickly wiped away a drop of tears mixed with sweat under her eyes. She was ready to run away from that stage when someone suddenly decided to bid for her. She wasn’t sure whether or not if it was out of pity, but looking at the bidder it probably was. To her biggest surprise, Taecyeon decided to bid against Khun. It made her angry, mostly because it seemed like he did because Khun challenged him, not because he wanted to. She watched them go back and forth, wearing their ego like a well-tailored armor, until one final offer shut them up. Bekah still couldn’t recover from the shock, first by the number she was bid on; it was the highest of the night; but most of all by the owner of that voice. She squinted to see his face, it was too bright with the amount of spotlight beaming at him, but as soon as he told them his name Bekah realized that when she thought her night couldn’t be more unpredictable, she had just been proven wrong.

Very wrong.

“This is actually not bad once you get the hang of it.” Jay’s shot glass made a clank noise on the table.

“Jay, you don’t have to continue.” Bekah sat silently next to him, painfully watching how her highest bidder chugging down his drinks.

“Why not? It’s my prize, besides the bartender is watching me, look! He’s counting too.” He secretly pointed at the guy who was obviously closed enough to hear what he said.

Bekah chuckled, still half worried for him since Jay didn’t seem like the type who can drink a lot.

“It’s fine, you don’t have to finish all twenty shots, man.” The bartender told Jay. He then turned to Bekah and winked, “See? I knew you’d find someone.”

“Is it just me or people are watching us.” Jay who sounded a bit buzzed looked around the room. Bekah followed his head and just realized it herself.

“Let’s go outside then. Come, follow me.” She pulled his arm and started walking towards the glass door that would lead them to the pool. She could see Taecyeon and the rest of the guys were following them with their eyes, but she didn’t stop nor look back at them.

The clean air welcomed them right when the door was opened, it was quite a beautiful night. The sky was completely black, but clear with stars scattered all across. They found an empty table and chairs under a canopy, almost hidden in the corner. “You never told me you live with Taec.” said Jay as soon as they both sat down.

“I planned to, tonight. I’m sorry, I should have mentioned earlier.” Bekah pulled her chair forward, her eyes were apologetic.

“Hey, no worries, besides it was me who took a rain check. It’s also my decision to come here.”

“Yeah but…” Bekah stopped, she didn’t know what else to say. “Thank you, for saving me in there.”

“Saving you? From what?” Jay asked.

“From those two.” murmured Bekah, she cursed them inside her head.

Jay was scrutinizing her before he spoke again. “Look, I know those guys pretty well and I think I know what’s going on. Not sure if you noticed but it seems like Taecyeon had an agenda tonight.”

“What do you mean?”

“I arrived just when the girl before you started dancing. No offense to her but if she could score some bids, there is no way in this world that you couldn’t. It’s either those guys in that room are all visually challenged, mentally disturbed, or something else was up. My bet would be on the latter one. And looking at how it went between Khun and Taecyeon, I knew they must have had a part in it, or at least one of them. Tell me, is there anything unusual happened tonight?”

“Ah!” Bekah’s eyes suddenly opened even bigger, ”That tricky little jerk!” she huffed, causing him grinning in his seat. Taecyeon was everything but little.  

“I take that as a yes.” He stretched his arms out.

She silenced, thinking everything over and realized up until now she still didn’t know how he get there. “Hey Jay, so how did you find your way here?”

“Your friends. That meeting finished sooner than I thought, so I went over to your dorm to see if you’re still up for some late night dessert or something.”

“They told you this address?”

Jay nodded.

“Did they tell you about Taec?”

“Nope. Found out myself when I saw them across the room.”

“I’m sorry again.” Bekah whispered weakly.

“Stop apologizing, girl, it’s all good. A little awkward, sure, but I can deal with it.”

“You’re not allowed to talk about it, aren’t you?” She carefully chose her words. As she predicted, he was quite taken back by her question. He hesitated at first, looking around to make sure no one else was standing close to them.

“It’s not that I’m not allowed. I just prefer not to. Still too soon.”

“I understand.” They both went quiet for a while until Bekah started speaking again, “We talked about you, you know? Me and my friends.”

She surprised herself with her decision to share this information with him.

“Really?” Jay perked up, he rested his chin on one hand against the table.

“Yeah, we had some theories.” replied Bekah.

“Some conspiracies?” he dragged his chair closer.

“Something like that,” Bekah cracked up.

“Why tell me then, you geniuses, I want to hear your brilliant speculation.”

“Are you sure?” Bekah couldn’t help but laugh at his sudden curiosity. “Alright, well there were some crazy ones, can’t really remember exactly what they said but I recall Jooyeon’s. She thought you guys were fighting over a girl or something and it ended bad.”

Jay laughed but he shook his head, “Nah, I think we respect each other well enough to not cross that line.”

“I see. So that’s not it.” Bekah mumbled.

“Hey hey hey, is this a trick? Are you fishing information?” hasted Jay with joking tone.

He let their laugh died down and for the first time he found a courage to tell someone about the truth. It was quite confounding how he felt comfortable sharing it with her. Something in her smile, the way she carries herself, made him feel like they are two long time friends who haven’t seen each other for a while.

Jay breathed in, “I wanted out. Had it in my mind for quite some time before I finally told them what I wanted. I couldn’t shake the feeling of being restricted to do what I could do. From the very start, I was already oblivious, thinking I could just deal with what’s coming at me later. I was reckless, yes, and after that it was just like an avalanche. I was forgetting Junsu, Taec, Khun, Wooyoung, Junho and Chansung… How much it must have affected them too if not more than how it affected me. They were mad, still are most probably, and I could totally understand their reason. We just wanted something different in the end, and I failed to let them know along the line. I think that’s why they felt betrayed the most, that I couldn’t even tell them the truth.”

“Why couldn’t you?” asked Bekah, completely focused on the guy in front of her.

“My nature. I don’t like disappointing my friends, although in the end that exactly what I did to them, in most probably a worse degree. But you know, it was a tough decision. If I stayed I wouldn’t have been happy anyway. It was just a matter of time. There were many moments that I felt like I was happy with what I was doing, but-”

“…you always wonder if you would be happier doing something else.” added Bekah.

“Exactly. How do you know?” Jay seemed surprised. Bekah shrugged but there was something flickered in her eyes that told Jay she meant more than that. He wanted to ask right after the moment had passed. She was already looking away and came back snickering after glancing upwards. “What?” he asked and followed where she was looking. Taecyeon, appeared in the balcony with a girl who was resting her arms around his waist. He didn’t seem to engage at her as much as she was. That guy just sipped his drink calmly and looked around in a thoughtless manner. Luckily the canopy was large enough to cover Jay and Bekah from his sight. 

“I wonder who that girl is,“ Jay casually commented.

“Isn’t she-wait… that’s not his ex?” questioned Bekah.

Jay looked as surprised as her, “Not that I know of. He only had one girlfriend a long time ago and that’s definitely not her.”

“Oh wow.” Bekah talked to herself, her cheeks were red.

“Are you ok?” asked Jay.

“Yeah, I just…realized something. God, I’m so stupid. I should have followed my instinct!”

“What happened?”

Bekah told how everything went absolutely wrong for her. She also mention about that little bet she and Taecyeon had agreed upon. The condition, the consequences, and the reason why she was up on that stage.

“Wait a second, you said midnight?” Jay cut her. Bekah nodded. “It’s already past midnight.” he showed her his watch.

“Yeah I know. I don’t care anymore, this is not a fair game, this never was! That asshole, I can’t believe it took me a while to realize how rigged this was.” She was fuming mad.

Jay watched her as she spilled her resentment, as much as he likes her he knew she is already far beyond his reach. Taecyeon is a smart guy and he obviously knew what he was doing, and what he was doing to her. She could say all she wants but it was pretty clear that his little game worked out the way he intended to. No one would understand this if they didn’t know Taec. That guy has an ego bigger than his body, all resulted from his desolate past. It was hard for him to trust again, but when he does he can be the loyalest guy someone could ever hope for. Jay had never seen Taec worked this hard for a girl, he normally didn’t care and let them come to him.

But Jay had a feeling this time is different. He just hoped Taec realize that the girl in front of him is also like none other.

Bekah slowly noticed Jay hadn’t been paying attention to her mumbling and complaints, she stopped talking and bit her lower lips. “I’m sorry…I’m such a horrible companion.” She moved back to her chair.

“No no, it’s just…I should probably head out soon.” 

“Oh, right.” She followed him, walking near the pool. There were some couples sitting around the edge, their heads turned when Bekah and Jay walked closer.

“Jay?” She stopped right next to the glass door and faced him.

“Yes?”

“Thank you again…for tonight, I mean it.”

“My pleasure, I was just paying my debt, remember? For the coffee incident.”

“Oh, I already forgot about that, but sure…” she smiled, “So now we’re even?” 

Jay wanted to agree but he had something else in his mind. From where he stood he had a clear view of Taecyeon up in second floor veranda, still watching them like an eagle. He knew what he was about to do next would jeopardize his chance to make up with his friends, but heck, he figured some things could wait and eventually reveal themselves when they’re supposed to. He took his eyes back to Bekah who was still waiting for him. With her back facing Taecyeon, she had no clue that the guy still had his eyes on them. Without a word, Jay leaned over, caressed her cheek with the tips of his fingers and covered her lips with his own. She tensed for a moment when his hand cupped the back of her head. He tilted his head, the kiss remained sweet, light, innocent, and it ended almost quickly as it started. When they parted, Jay saw Bekah’s astonished face. 

“Now we are.” He smiled shyly. Since Bekah wasn’t moving, he took initiative to break the ice. “Are you coming inside?” He signaled the door.

She cleared her throat, still shocked by his sudden kiss, “Umm, I think I’m gonna stay here for a little while.”

“Alright, good night, then. I’ll see you soon, hopefully.” He winked before waving goodbye. 

“Yeah…see ya.” Bekah seemed a bit confused but she replied to him softly and waved back. She thought she saw something moving on the second floor but when she looked up, no one was there.

Little did she know, she just missed the enraged look coming from her room mate before he turned around and went inside. How he watched them kissing with his fist forming on his side. How he felt defeated by his own little game, and wished he could just rewind everything. She missed his yearning when he saw Jay tilting his head, embracing her, flaunting how their lips met. How Jay closed his eyes for her, and how he died from wondering if she also closed hers for Jay. 

She missed all of those, and God willing, for her own good.

10 months ago  11 notes View comments

Chapter 12 “Can I stay here tonight?” The voice turned every head in the living room, shifting all eyes from the TV to the door. No one expected to see Bekah back at their dorm, at least not that early in the morning. “Why of course, silly. Come in!” Kahi knelt on the sofa, calling Bekah to sit next to her. “Did you finally quit?” asked Jung Ah before putting a big spoon of cereal in her mouth. Bekah groaned and plopped next to Kahi, putting on her ambiguous smile. Kahi knew what that smile means and so far it has never been a good thing. “Are you alright?” “Yeah, I just need to get away from that house for a second.” answered Bekah, while silently thanking Jooyeon for the banana that was handed to her. “What did he do?” asked Kahi. Bekah faced her, “Who- Oh…Taec?” She mulled the question over in her head. As much as she wanted to shout he’s making me lose my mind, she knew it wasn’t fully his to blame. “No, it was just me… I think I’m starting to lose track.” Something has gotten into her this morning when she woke up next to a guy that had been occupying her mind for the last several months. Bekah could never bring herself to admit how much she wanted to be with him. Many nights she laid on her bed, wondering what he was doing in the next room. Shuffling noises woke her up, her brain cells were fried from the thought of him showing up at her door, whispering good night.  But he never did, and it was probably for the best. She was always scared to meet him in the hallway ever since he kissed her there. She was terrified of his masculine scent that worked her up like a spell. His eyes, his kisses, his touch…most of all, she was scared of herself when he was around. This morning when she saw him sleeping peacefully, she had to test him. Soon she regretted that decision because once she felt his warm skin under her touch, she couldn’t stop. He felt so alive. Bekah knew he would let her roam her fingers all over him if she requested, but they both knew the consequences. That’s why she’d rather do it when he wasn’t conscious; at least it was safer on her part.  “Bek?” Kahi nudged her. “Sorry, what?” “Jung Ah just asked again if you quitted.” “Oh, not yet. That’s why I came here, to regain energy, to recharge myself.” “He didn’t hurt you, did he?” Jooyeon asked, her big doe eyes almost came out of sockets. “Gosh no!  I’m fine, guys. As I said, I just need…distraction.” “Why don’t you call Jay to see if he wants to hang out, it’s the weekend.” Everyone seemed to agree with what Jooyeon suggested. After all, that guy had been texting her these days to let her know that he’s back in Korea again. “You think I should?” Bekah hesitated, looking at her friends who immediately nodded in unison. Her hand plucked the cellphone from her pocket and decided to reply his previous “Good night ^ㅠ^” message that had been sitting in her inbox for days. Before long, a notification came in. It was from him. “What did he say?” asked everyone in sync. Bekah read the message and smiled before looking up. “I’ve got a dinner date. He’s free tomorrow night.” The girls clapped in excitement, including Kahi, but the oldest one suddenly remembered something. “Wait…does he know your situation with Taecyeon? Aren’t they still not in good term?” “I’ll find out tomorrow when I see him.” replied Bekah. “So, what are you going to wear? Didn’t you bring all your clothes to that house?” Jooyeon suddenly asked from the kitchen. “Shoot, I did.” Bekah griped with a slap on her forehead, “Well, I guess I’ll just head there to change real fast tomorrow before Jay picks me up.” “He’s gonna pick you up?” “That’s what he said.” “Where?” “Here.” “Oh no! What are we going to wear?” followed Jooyeon in such panic mode which had caused everyone shaking their heads.  ***************************** The sky had gotten dark pretty early albeit the fact that Spring wind already started showing its presence. Bekah, who spent too much time in the saloon with Jooyeon, almost late for her date because that dear friend of hers insisted them to get a full body treatment.  “You need to look dashing for him, ok? Don’t let us down!” she said. Truthfully Bekah did not take this dinner date as serious as all her friends, but Jooyeon could be so overwhelming and sometimes it’s just easier to agree with her. Bekah made a turn to a familiar neighborhood and surprised to see the street where her house was located had been blocked by a Do Not Enter sign. She then chose to park her car one block away and started walking. At the gate she felt the need to check the house number just to make sure she was at the right place. All those cars in the driveway and loud noises coming from inside were just too unusual. Is this Taec’s birthday or something? Bekah wondered as she walked closer to the entrance. Right after she opened the door, a loud blasting techno music filled up her ears. Their living room had been transformed into some kind of nightclub with a small stage placed right before the sliding glass doors that was supposed to lead to the swimming pool. She had to squint to see clearer since the only lamp working that night was the one swirling around above their heads; a disco ball. “Welcome! Here, please choose one.” A girl in skimpy clothes appeared out of nowhere, offering Bekah some sort of masquerade masks in her hand as she was also wearing one. “Oh, um…I don’t think I’ll be needing that. I just want to go upstairs.” explained Bekah while still examining the whole entire room. “You must wear one if you want to enter. In fact, you’re supposed to show me the invitation in order to go in. Sorry, I forgot to ask.” The young girl grinned, she was obviously nervous. “I don’t have the invitation but I live here.” Bekah had to shout to overpower the loud music. “You…what?” “It’s ok, she’s with me.” Suddenly Chansung showed up and pulled Bekah’s arm. The girl apologized and disappeared as quickly as she appeared. Bekah had no other choice but to follow Chansung who was walking toward the laundry room in the back area of the house. He closed the door behind them and turned on the light. Bekah had to blink again multiple times by the sudden change of brightness and her sight finally settled, she could see Chansung was wearing his dress shirt, casual long pants and some fancy shoes. “Cool mask!” joked Bekah. “Thanks, it’s rather silly honestly, but Taecyeon-hyung insisted to have this kind of masquerade ball…party tonight.” replied Chansung, sounding a little unsure. Looking at him, Bekah still wasn’t certain why she was dragged there. She glanced at her watch and knew she really had to rush if she wanted to make it to that dinner. “Chan, I need to go upstairs to change.” “Why? You look good just like that. I’ll give you a mask that would match your training pants.” He leaned against the washing machine, fixing his collar. “No, I’m not staying. I have to meet…someone.” She had a quick pause before deciding not to reveal who she was going to dinner with. “But….” Chansung obviously had gotten confused, “You live here so practically you’re the host. You can’t leave.” “Chansung, I didn’t even know about this party until I got here.” Bekah reminded him, she shifted over and reached out for the door knob. “Wait! W-where are you going?” he panicked and quickly put himself between Bekah and the door. She impatiently clucked her tongue with her hands on the hips, “I understand that Taecyeon must have instructed you to make sure that I stay but I really, really have to go and change.” His big body still barred her from leaving the laundry room. “I will speak with Taecyeon if that’d make your job easier.” She’d taken the silence on his part for agreement. He finally moved aside and let her go. Bekah almost ran upstairs and as soon as the bedroom door was closed, her closet door was opened. Couldn’t bring herself to wear something too formal to a casual dinner, she pulled out her skinny jeans, a fitted shirt and an open blazer. She changed in a flash and decided to put on her leopard print platform shoes in contrast with her subdued clothes’ color. Bekah checked her reflection one last time and she was about to leave the room when her mobile phone suddenly vibrated. She took it out and it was a text message. Hi… So sorry that it’s such short notice but I don’t think I can make it tonight. There’s an urgency and looks like it’s gonna take a while before I could be dismissed. I’m so so so sorry. Jay Bekah stared at the screen and read it twice to understand it fully. Sure she felt a little disappointed inside, she was so ready after all, but a part of her felt somewhat relieved, which was more surprising than her initial reaction. Her shoes were about to come off when Bekah heard knocking on her door. She immediately knew it was her roommate from the way he knocked; two quick ones, small pause and a loud final one. Breathe, Bekah…Breathe, she chanted to herself. “Come in.” shouted Bekah after making sure she was ready. The door swung opened and Bekah saw a tall figure standing. Taecyeon was wearing a plaid shirt under his sporty jacket, his hair was relaxed and rather messy. His aura almost felt suffocating for Bekah. He stepped toward her and the whole room seemed to shrink. She lowered her eyes and saw him carrying a gold mask with pearl sequins dotted along the outer edge. He sat down on her bed with his legs crossed, showcasing his shiny black shoes. “You wanted to see me?” His voice almost sounded like a growl in contrast with his casual body language. Bekah felt a little intimidated especially when the whole house was dark and she only had her candles illuminating a fairly small room which starting to feel too crowded with both of them in there. She had to digest his question and remembered her conversation with Chansung earlier.  “I wanted to tell you that I wouldn’t be able to stay for your party because I have-“ “-a date?” Taec quickly replied, there was some boredom in his tone but Bekah caught him flicking his gaze over her outfit. Bekah confirmed solemnly “Yes, a date…but it doesn’t matter anymore because I don’t think it’s gonna happen tonight.” “He took a rain check?” “Something like that, yeah.”  Taecyeon grumbled, his shoulder seemed a little less tensed than when he just walked in. “You’ve been going on a lot of dates lately but I always wondered why you never introduce him to me.” He lifted his left hand which was apparently carrying a glass of champagne and drank some of the content. Bekah stared at him for a while, finding the right thing to say. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Taec.” “Why not, am I that embarrassing?” “What?” she almost shrieked. “No, of course not.” Taecyeon stood up in an unexpected manner, moving toward her hauntingly and slowly like a jaguar approaching its prey. Bekah automatically stepped back, his piercing eyes were enough to make her run if she wasn’t being cornered. “He still doesn’t know that you live with me, is that why?” Taec snickered. Bekah nodded, it’s true although wasn’t particularly the only reason. Taec reached behind her back, a clank sound signaled that he had put his tall glass on a surface. Bekah gulped when he then leaned forward and trapped her between the table and his body. His arms locked her sides, didn’t seem to have a plan on releasing her any soon. She dared to look him in the eye but unlike previous times, those eyes staring back at her were icy cold. “Can I be honest with you?” Bekah gulped, nodding quickly. “I’m tired of this so why don’t we end it tonight?” he whispered, clenching his teeth. “Wh-“ Bekah cleared her throat, “What do you mean?” “If you want to continue dating, this is clearly not the ideal situation for you. I don’t want to be the reason why you can’t move on with your life. Also it’s quite obvious that none of us enjoy being here anymore,” answered Taec, “-and don’t even try to deny it coz I know you well”, he said right after Bekah opened her mouth to object, “I am so sick of all these rules so I’d say screw it, screw them all. Why don’t we make our own rules tonight, huh? Our own bet.” Bekah blinked in astonishment. She looked down while thinking it through. Truthfully she agreed with most of the things he said, but the way he offered it was somewhat dubious. “What kind of bet?” “Let’s see,” he checked his watch “It’s almost nine at the moment. Now, within three hours you may go downstairs to search around and find the right guy to-” He stopped and hid his smirk. “To what?”  “Kiss.” A chill started to creep on her back. “…kiss?” He nodded. “Exactly at midnight, we both must kiss someone in the opposite sex and you can’t just grab anybody. The person must know something about you that no one knows.” “Taec….are you drunk?” “No. I’m dead serious. The loser must leave the house. In or out?” He waited, his soft breathing on her face felt like an autumn breeze blowing over a torrid desert. “In.” said Bekah, finally. She waggled a little, trying to make space between them. “Great. And remember, right when the clock strikes 12.” He released her and walked away. Before leaving the room Taec threw the masquerade mask at Bekah who caught it right on time. “Wear it, matches your outfit.” he said nonchalantly.  There were moments when she felt like she just voluntarily walked into a nicely designed trap and right now is definitely one of them. As Bekah made her way downstairs after quite some time, she could easily spot Taecyeon sitting on a half-moon sofa with four girls by his sides. He obviously noticed her too because that guy just raised his tall glass at her along with one of his eyebrow, as usual. Bekah huffed, making up her mind that if she really wanted to have a guy kissing her at the end of the night, what she was wearing would never gonna cut it. Carrying her dignity on the tip of her nose, Bekah lifted her dress like a princess and marched back to her room. _______ “Hyung, what are you doing?” Chansung leaned over and whispered on Taecyeon’s ear, ignoring the girls who kept pulling his arms, inviting him to sit down and join them. The guys sent Chansung to check if Taecyeon, who’s been basking with women around him, had completely lost his mind. Taecyeon looked up and smiled really wide. “What’d you think I’m doing?” “Can…can I talk to you in private?” hasted Chansung. Taec sighed and left his pimp chair, telling the girls he’d come back for them. Chansung dragged him behind the stage and went outside near the pool area. “Alright, tell me the truth.” Chansung folded his arms. “What truth?” replied Taecyeon carelessly while waving at some girls who were checking them out from inside the house. “You told me you are throwing this party for Bekah but she said she had no idea about any of this. Also, according to your plan you’re supposed to win her over but all you’ve done so far is surrounding yourself with women. What is going on, hyung?” “Trust me, Chansung, I have a plan.” “I do trust you but can you at least tell me what it is so I don’t look stupid?” Chansung sounded upset. “I can’t tell you much right now, I’m afraid, but there is one more thing I want you to do,” Taecyeon moved closer with a serious face. Chansung had no other choice but to lean in and listen. “Tonight Bekah will probably make her way and approach you and the other guys. She’s also quite possibly gonna try to seduce you to kiss her when the midnight strikes. So please be aware of that and make sure you don’t give in. Reject her, if it’s easier for you to ignore her, do that instead. You understand?” “No. What the hell did you just tell me?” “Ignore her tonight. Don’t even make eye contact. Make her feel unwanted.” “…. THAT is your plan?” Chansung side-eyed him. “Part of it. Leave the rest to me, you just play your part. Tell the others too, be strong. Now go back inside, I need to mingle more.” “Your plan sucks.” Chansung scoffed and slid the door open. “So does your ability to compromise, but hey, I’m not complaining.” Taecyeon replied and went back to the girls who welcomed him like a King. _____ Are they all gay or something? Bekah grunted when the guy whom she just smiled at suddenly fled the kitchen bar which has been morphed into a real bar, leaving her sitting all by herself. She fixed her red tight bandage dress to prevent it from riding up when she crossed her legs. It’s been almost two hours since she came downstairs after changing into this dress, which was once called Slutiform by Kahi the first time she saw it hanging in Bekah’s closet, yet her effort seemed to be futile. All men treated her like a ghost, some even openly avoided her like a plague. Not so long ago Chansung ran away when Bekah approached him at one point, saying that he had to go check on the DJ, which was obviously a lie since Bekah saw him hiding behind Taecyeon instead. On the other hand, everything seems to be working well for her rival. Every time Bekah glanced over, he had someone in his arms and they were never the same people. She was genuinely surprised that he hadn’t kissed anyone yet. “Are you…that girl, tsk what’s your name, hun?” asked someone who suddenly appeared and sat down next to Bekah. She took off her mask and called the bartender who was cutting lemons near the refrigerator. Her friends showed up behind her and were also looking at Bekah curiously as they ordered their drinks. Bekah stared at her, thinking that she might have seen her somewhere. “I’m Bekah. Um, sorry but do I know you?” She also removed her mask and held it on her lap. “No honey, but Taec knows me.” she replied, her lips bloomed an insolent smile but it was clearly set out for her friends. ”So, you’re the one living with him right?” Bekah nodded. “You slept with him yet?” Bekah wish she could pretend she didn’t hear it but that question was asked loud and clear, even the bartender glanced and turned his attention to them.  It’s none of your business, Bekah badly wanted to answer but she was afraid she’d come off rude. “Of course not.” answered Bekah awkwardly.  “Why not? He’s hot.” she said, the other girls also showed their agreement. “Yeah but… it’s complicated.” “He’s a complicated guy, I know. Dating him is like trying to break a secret code.” “You’re…dating him?” asked Bekah, her throat suddenly felt dry. “Dated. We broke up years ago, I got bored. But he’s been looking so fine recently, I think I should try and remind him how much fun we had.” She winked to her friends and unbuttoned her shirt down until the top of her bra was showing. “You guys aren’t together or anything like that, right?”, she turned to Bekah. ”.. no.” “Awesome! I just wanted to make sure.” She then tapped Bekah by her upper arm and said, “Wish me luck!”  Bekah could only watch that pretty girl making her way across the dance floor, towards Taecyeon who was hanging out with Chansung and Khun in the corner. His eyes lit up and welcomed the girl with a hug on her waist and a peck on her cheek. That moment Bekah had to look away, she didn’t even know where the jealousy was coming from. She had seen Taecyeon hugging girls million times before and even the thought of him kissing someone tonight for the sake of their bet didn’t bother her too much. But this time it felt different and she wondered why.  It’s because they had a past together, you stupid, a voice in her head told her. She sighed and decided to call the bartender and order a drink. He came over but instead of fulfilling her request, the guy leaned over and asked, “Why did you lie?” “I’m sorry?” “I’ve seen that look before and it screams jealousy. You shouldn’t have let her get your man.” “He’s not my man.” “But you wish he was.” Bekah wanted to kick herself for being too transparent, even a stranger could read her like a book. She couldn’t say yes or no to his conclusion and ended up heaving pretty loud as a result of her frustration.   “I’ll tell you what, you need to go out there and get what you want!” The bartender said it enthusiastically, throwing his fist in the air. Bekah couldn’t help but giggle at this random act of hilarity. “Alright, that was maybe a little too much, but you know what I mean? Don’t just sit here all alone and sulk. The night is young, so go! Find yourself a nice guy.” “Believe me, I’ve been trying.” “Try harder.” “I need a drink first.” “Oh right!” He slapped his forehead “What would you like?” “Dirty martini, please.” said Bekah, still smiling. “Coming right up.” Bekah saluted and really considered what that guy said. What’s the worst can happen if she tells Taec that she likes him? Rejection, is one thing. Humiliation, would most likely follow. But maybe they’re worth it, maybe it’s better than sitting here, wondering about all of these what-ifs. He was so cold to her today and she didn’t fancy that side of him. She’d have him being annoying to her any day, or even his greasy side that she always discredited; it was better than being treated like an enemy.  Perhaps I’ll just swallow my pride and tell him now, Bekah wondered. Alright, I’ll do it after I have my drink. While waiting, she turned her chair around to see what was happening on the stage. Someone had just walking up and introduced himself as the MC. Bekah could hear his voice, but her view was blocked by all the bodies standing in between. Her Korean was never been perfect and tonight she was reminded once again. She couldn’t understand what they guy was saying, especially now that all the men in their house seemed to hoot, clap and whistle at the same time. Luckily, the bartender came back with her drink so Bekah took the opportunity and ask him, ”What’s going on up there?”  “Auction game.” “Auction? What’s being auctioned?” “Girls, apparently.” 

Chapter 12

“Can I stay here tonight?”

The voice turned every head in the living room, shifting all eyes from the TV to the door. No one expected to see Bekah back at their dorm, at least not that early in the morning. “Why of course, silly. Come in!” Kahi knelt on the sofa, calling Bekah to sit next to her. “Did you finally quit?” asked Jung Ah before putting a big spoon of cereal in her mouth.

Bekah groaned and plopped next to Kahi, putting on her ambiguous smile. Kahi knew what that smile means and so far it has never been a good thing. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah, I just need to get away from that house for a second.” answered Bekah, while silently thanking Jooyeon for the banana that was handed to her.

“What did he do?” asked Kahi.

Bekah faced her, “Who- Oh…Taec?” She mulled the question over in her head. As much as she wanted to shout he’s making me lose my mind, she knew it wasn’t fully his to blame. “No, it was just me… I think I’m starting to lose track.”

Something has gotten into her this morning when she woke up next to a guy that had been occupying her mind for the last several months. Bekah could never bring herself to admit how much she wanted to be with him. Many nights she laid on her bed, wondering what he was doing in the next room. Shuffling noises woke her up, her brain cells were fried from the thought of him showing up at her door, whispering good night.  But he never did, and it was probably for the best. She was always scared to meet him in the hallway ever since he kissed her there. She was terrified of his masculine scent that worked her up like a spell. His eyes, his kisses, his touch…most of all, she was scared of herself when he was around.

This morning when she saw him sleeping peacefully, she had to test him. Soon she regretted that decision because once she felt his warm skin under her touch, she couldn’t stop. He felt so alive. Bekah knew he would let her roam her fingers all over him if she requested, but they both knew the consequences. That’s why she’d rather do it when he wasn’t conscious; at least it was safer on her part. 

“Bek?” Kahi nudged her.

“Sorry, what?”

“Jung Ah just asked again if you quitted.”

“Oh, not yet. That’s why I came here, to regain energy, to recharge myself.”

“He didn’t hurt you, did he?” Jooyeon asked, her big doe eyes almost came out of sockets.

“Gosh no!  I’m fine, guys. As I said, I just need…distraction.”

“Why don’t you call Jay to see if he wants to hang out, it’s the weekend.”

Everyone seemed to agree with what Jooyeon suggested. After all, that guy had been texting her these days to let her know that he’s back in Korea again.

“You think I should?” Bekah hesitated, looking at her friends who immediately nodded in unison. Her hand plucked the cellphone from her pocket and decided to reply his previous “Good night ^ㅠ^” message that had been sitting in her inbox for days.

Before long, a notification came in. It was from him.

“What did he say?” asked everyone in sync. Bekah read the message and smiled before looking up.

“I’ve got a dinner date. He’s free tomorrow night.”

The girls clapped in excitement, including Kahi, but the oldest one suddenly remembered something. “Wait…does he know your situation with Taecyeon? Aren’t they still not in good term?”

“I’ll find out tomorrow when I see him.” replied Bekah.

“So, what are you going to wear? Didn’t you bring all your clothes to that house?” Jooyeon suddenly asked from the kitchen.

“Shoot, I did.” Bekah griped with a slap on her forehead, “Well, I guess I’ll just head there to change real fast tomorrow before Jay picks me up.”

“He’s gonna pick you up?”

“That’s what he said.”

“Where?”

“Here.”

“Oh no! What are we going to wear?” followed Jooyeon in such panic mode which had caused everyone shaking their heads.

 *****************************

The sky had gotten dark pretty early albeit the fact that Spring wind already started showing its presence. Bekah, who spent too much time in the saloon with Jooyeon, almost late for her date because that dear friend of hers insisted them to get a full body treatment. 

“You need to look dashing for him, ok? Don’t let us down!” she said.

Truthfully Bekah did not take this dinner date as serious as all her friends, but Jooyeon could be so overwhelming and sometimes it’s just easier to agree with her.

Bekah made a turn to a familiar neighborhood and surprised to see the street where her house was located had been blocked by a Do Not Enter sign. She then chose to park her car one block away and started walking. At the gate she felt the need to check the house number just to make sure she was at the right place. All those cars in the driveway and loud noises coming from inside were just too unusual.

Is this Taec’s birthday or something? Bekah wondered as she walked closer to the entrance. Right after she opened the door, a loud blasting techno music filled up her ears. Their living room had been transformed into some kind of nightclub with a small stage placed right before the sliding glass doors that was supposed to lead to the swimming pool. She had to squint to see clearer since the only lamp working that night was the one swirling around above their heads; a disco ball.

“Welcome! Here, please choose one.” A girl in skimpy clothes appeared out of nowhere, offering Bekah some sort of masquerade masks in her hand as she was also wearing one.

“Oh, um…I don’t think I’ll be needing that. I just want to go upstairs.” explained Bekah while still examining the whole entire room.

“You must wear one if you want to enter. In fact, you’re supposed to show me the invitation in order to go in. Sorry, I forgot to ask.” The young girl grinned, she was obviously nervous.

“I don’t have the invitation but I live here.” Bekah had to shout to overpower the loud music.

“You…what?”

“It’s ok, she’s with me.” Suddenly Chansung showed up and pulled Bekah’s arm. The girl apologized and disappeared as quickly as she appeared. Bekah had no other choice but to follow Chansung who was walking toward the laundry room in the back area of the house. He closed the door behind them and turned on the light. Bekah had to blink again multiple times by the sudden change of brightness and her sight finally settled, she could see Chansung was wearing his dress shirt, casual long pants and some fancy shoes.

“Cool mask!” joked Bekah.

“Thanks, it’s rather silly honestly, but Taecyeon-hyung insisted to have this kind of masquerade ball…party tonight.” replied Chansung, sounding a little unsure.

Looking at him, Bekah still wasn’t certain why she was dragged there. She glanced at her watch and knew she really had to rush if she wanted to make it to that dinner. “Chan, I need to go upstairs to change.”

“Why? You look good just like that. I’ll give you a mask that would match your training pants.” He leaned against the washing machine, fixing his collar.

“No, I’m not staying. I have to meet…someone.” She had a quick pause before deciding not to reveal who she was going to dinner with.

“But….” Chansung obviously had gotten confused, “You live here so practically you’re the host. You can’t leave.”

“Chansung, I didn’t even know about this party until I got here.” Bekah reminded him, she shifted over and reached out for the door knob.

“Wait! W-where are you going?” he panicked and quickly put himself between Bekah and the door.

She impatiently clucked her tongue with her hands on the hips, “I understand that Taecyeon must have instructed you to make sure that I stay but I really, really have to go and change.”

His big body still barred her from leaving the laundry room.

“I will speak with Taecyeon if that’d make your job easier.”

She’d taken the silence on his part for agreement. He finally moved aside and let her go. Bekah almost ran upstairs and as soon as the bedroom door was closed, her closet door was opened. Couldn’t bring herself to wear something too formal to a casual dinner, she pulled out her skinny jeans, a fitted shirt and an open blazer. She changed in a flash and decided to put on her leopard print platform shoes in contrast with her subdued clothes’ color. Bekah checked her reflection one last time and she was about to leave the room when her mobile phone suddenly vibrated. She took it out and it was a text message.

Hi…

So sorry that it’s such short notice but I don’t think I can make it tonight.

There’s an urgency and looks like it’s gonna take a while before I could be dismissed.

I’m so so so sorry.

Jay

Bekah stared at the screen and read it twice to understand it fully. Sure she felt a little disappointed inside, she was so ready after all, but a part of her felt somewhat relieved, which was more surprising than her initial reaction. Her shoes were about to come off when Bekah heard knocking on her door. She immediately knew it was her roommate from the way he knocked; two quick ones, small pause and a loud final one.

Breathe, Bekah…Breathe, she chanted to herself. “Come in.” shouted Bekah after making sure she was ready.

The door swung opened and Bekah saw a tall figure standing. Taecyeon was wearing a plaid shirt under his sporty jacket, his hair was relaxed and rather messy. His aura almost felt suffocating for Bekah. He stepped toward her and the whole room seemed to shrink. She lowered her eyes and saw him carrying a gold mask with pearl sequins dotted along the outer edge.

He sat down on her bed with his legs crossed, showcasing his shiny black shoes. “You wanted to see me?”

His voice almost sounded like a growl in contrast with his casual body language. Bekah felt a little intimidated especially when the whole house was dark and she only had her candles illuminating a fairly small room which starting to feel too crowded with both of them in there. She had to digest his question and remembered her conversation with Chansung earlier. 

“I wanted to tell you that I wouldn’t be able to stay for your party because I have-“

“-a date?” Taec quickly replied, there was some boredom in his tone but Bekah caught him flicking his gaze over her outfit.

Bekah confirmed solemnly “Yes, a date…but it doesn’t matter anymore because I don’t think it’s gonna happen tonight.”

“He took a rain check?”

“Something like that, yeah.” 

Taecyeon grumbled, his shoulder seemed a little less tensed than when he just walked in. “You’ve been going on a lot of dates lately but I always wondered why you never introduce him to me.” He lifted his left hand which was apparently carrying a glass of champagne and drank some of the content.

Bekah stared at him for a while, finding the right thing to say. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Taec.”

“Why not, am I that embarrassing?”

“What?” she almost shrieked. “No, of course not.”

Taecyeon stood up in an unexpected manner, moving toward her hauntingly and slowly like a jaguar approaching its prey. Bekah automatically stepped back, his piercing eyes were enough to make her run if she wasn’t being cornered.

“He still doesn’t know that you live with me, is that why?” Taec snickered.

Bekah nodded, it’s true although wasn’t particularly the only reason. Taec reached behind her back, a clank sound signaled that he had put his tall glass on a surface. Bekah gulped when he then leaned forward and trapped her between the table and his body. His arms locked her sides, didn’t seem to have a plan on releasing her any soon. She dared to look him in the eye but unlike previous times, those eyes staring back at her were icy cold.

“Can I be honest with you?”

Bekah gulped, nodding quickly.

“I’m tired of this so why don’t we end it tonight?” he whispered, clenching his teeth.

“Wh-“ Bekah cleared her throat, “What do you mean?”

“If you want to continue dating, this is clearly not the ideal situation for you. I don’t want to be the reason why you can’t move on with your life. Also it’s quite obvious that none of us enjoy being here anymore,” answered Taec, “-and don’t even try to deny it coz I know you well”, he said right after Bekah opened her mouth to object, “I am so sick of all these rules so I’d say screw it, screw them all. Why don’t we make our own rules tonight, huh? Our own bet.”

Bekah blinked in astonishment. She looked down while thinking it through. Truthfully she agreed with most of the things he said, but the way he offered it was somewhat dubious. “What kind of bet?”

“Let’s see,” he checked his watch “It’s almost nine at the moment. Now, within three hours you may go downstairs to search around and find the right guy to-” He stopped and hid his smirk.

“To what?” 

“Kiss.”

A chill started to creep on her back. “…kiss?”

He nodded. “Exactly at midnight, we both must kiss someone in the opposite sex and you can’t just grab anybody. The person must know something about you that no one knows.”

“Taec….are you drunk?”

“No. I’m dead serious. The loser must leave the house. In or out?” He waited, his soft breathing on her face felt like an autumn breeze blowing over a torrid desert.

“In.” said Bekah, finally. She waggled a little, trying to make space between them.

“Great. And remember, right when the clock strikes 12.” He released her and walked away. Before leaving the room Taec threw the masquerade mask at Bekah who caught it right on time. “Wear it, matches your outfit.” he said nonchalantly. 

There were moments when she felt like she just voluntarily walked into a nicely designed trap and right now is definitely one of them.

As Bekah made her way downstairs after quite some time, she could easily spot Taecyeon sitting on a half-moon sofa with four girls by his sides. He obviously noticed her too because that guy just raised his tall glass at her along with one of his eyebrow, as usual.

Bekah huffed, making up her mind that if she really wanted to have a guy kissing her at the end of the night, what she was wearing would never gonna cut it. Carrying her dignity on the tip of her nose, Bekah lifted her dress like a princess and marched back to her room.

_______

“Hyung, what are you doing?” Chansung leaned over and whispered on Taecyeon’s ear, ignoring the girls who kept pulling his arms, inviting him to sit down and join them. The guys sent Chansung to check if Taecyeon, who’s been basking with women around him, had completely lost his mind.

Taecyeon looked up and smiled really wide. “What’d you think I’m doing?”

“Can…can I talk to you in private?” hasted Chansung. Taec sighed and left his pimp chair, telling the girls he’d come back for them. Chansung dragged him behind the stage and went outside near the pool area.

“Alright, tell me the truth.” Chansung folded his arms.

“What truth?” replied Taecyeon carelessly while waving at some girls who were checking them out from inside the house.

“You told me you are throwing this party for Bekah but she said she had no idea about any of this. Also, according to your plan you’re supposed to win her over but all you’ve done so far is surrounding yourself with women. What is going on, hyung?”

“Trust me, Chansung, I have a plan.”

“I do trust you but can you at least tell me what it is so I don’t look stupid?” Chansung sounded upset.

“I can’t tell you much right now, I’m afraid, but there is one more thing I want you to do,” Taecyeon moved closer with a serious face. Chansung had no other choice but to lean in and listen. “Tonight Bekah will probably make her way and approach you and the other guys. She’s also quite possibly gonna try to seduce you to kiss her when the midnight strikes. So please be aware of that and make sure you don’t give in. Reject her, if it’s easier for you to ignore her, do that instead. You understand?”

“No. What the hell did you just tell me?”

“Ignore her tonight. Don’t even make eye contact. Make her feel unwanted.”

“…. THAT is your plan?” Chansung side-eyed him.

“Part of it. Leave the rest to me, you just play your part. Tell the others too, be strong. Now go back inside, I need to mingle more.”

“Your plan sucks.” Chansung scoffed and slid the door open.

“So does your ability to compromise, but hey, I’m not complaining.” Taecyeon replied and went back to the girls who welcomed him like a King.

_____

Are they all gay or something? Bekah grunted when the guy whom she just smiled at suddenly fled the kitchen bar which has been morphed into a real bar, leaving her sitting all by herself. She fixed her red tight bandage dress to prevent it from riding up when she crossed her legs. It’s been almost two hours since she came downstairs after changing into this dress, which was once called Slutiform by Kahi the first time she saw it hanging in Bekah’s closet, yet her effort seemed to be futile. All men treated her like a ghost, some even openly avoided her like a plague. Not so long ago Chansung ran away when Bekah approached him at one point, saying that he had to go check on the DJ, which was obviously a lie since Bekah saw him hiding behind Taecyeon instead.

On the other hand, everything seems to be working well for her rival. Every time Bekah glanced over, he had someone in his arms and they were never the same people. She was genuinely surprised that he hadn’t kissed anyone yet.

“Are you…that girl, tsk what’s your name, hun?” asked someone who suddenly appeared and sat down next to Bekah. She took off her mask and called the bartender who was cutting lemons near the refrigerator. Her friends showed up behind her and were also looking at Bekah curiously as they ordered their drinks.

Bekah stared at her, thinking that she might have seen her somewhere. “I’m Bekah. Um, sorry but do I know you?” She also removed her mask and held it on her lap.

“No honey, but Taec knows me.” she replied, her lips bloomed an insolent smile but it was clearly set out for her friends. ”So, you’re the one living with him right?”

Bekah nodded.

“You slept with him yet?”

Bekah wish she could pretend she didn’t hear it but that question was asked loud and clear, even the bartender glanced and turned his attention to them. 

It’s none of your business, Bekah badly wanted to answer but she was afraid she’d come off rude. “Of course not.” answered Bekah awkwardly. 

“Why not? He’s hot.” she said, the other girls also showed their agreement.

“Yeah but… it’s complicated.”

“He’s a complicated guy, I know. Dating him is like trying to break a secret code.”

“You’re…dating him?” asked Bekah, her throat suddenly felt dry.

“Dated. We broke up years ago, I got bored. But he’s been looking so fine recently, I think I should try and remind him how much fun we had.” She winked to her friends and unbuttoned her shirt down until the top of her bra was showing. “You guys aren’t together or anything like that, right?”, she turned to Bekah.

”.. no.”

“Awesome! I just wanted to make sure.” She then tapped Bekah by her upper arm and said, “Wish me luck!” 

Bekah could only watch that pretty girl making her way across the dance floor, towards Taecyeon who was hanging out with Chansung and Khun in the corner. His eyes lit up and welcomed the girl with a hug on her waist and a peck on her cheek. That moment Bekah had to look away, she didn’t even know where the jealousy was coming from. She had seen Taecyeon hugging girls million times before and even the thought of him kissing someone tonight for the sake of their bet didn’t bother her too much.

But this time it felt different and she wondered why. 

It’s because they had a past together, you stupid, a voice in her head told her. She sighed and decided to call the bartender and order a drink. He came over but instead of fulfilling her request, the guy leaned over and asked, “Why did you lie?”

“I’m sorry?”

“I’ve seen that look before and it screams jealousy. You shouldn’t have let her get your man.”

“He’s not my man.”

“But you wish he was.”

Bekah wanted to kick herself for being too transparent, even a stranger could read her like a book. She couldn’t say yes or no to his conclusion and ended up heaving pretty loud as a result of her frustration.  

“I’ll tell you what, you need to go out there and get what you want!” The bartender said it enthusiastically, throwing his fist in the air. Bekah couldn’t help but giggle at this random act of hilarity. “Alright, that was maybe a little too much, but you know what I mean? Don’t just sit here all alone and sulk. The night is young, so go! Find yourself a nice guy.”

“Believe me, I’ve been trying.”

“Try harder.”

“I need a drink first.”

“Oh right!” He slapped his forehead “What would you like?”

“Dirty martini, please.” said Bekah, still smiling.

“Coming right up.”

Bekah saluted and really considered what that guy said. What’s the worst can happen if she tells Taec that she likes him? Rejection, is one thing. Humiliation, would most likely follow. But maybe they’re worth it, maybe it’s better than sitting here, wondering about all of these what-ifs. He was so cold to her today and she didn’t fancy that side of him. She’d have him being annoying to her any day, or even his greasy side that she always discredited; it was better than being treated like an enemy. 

Perhaps I’ll just swallow my pride and tell him now, Bekah wondered. Alright, I’ll do it after I have my drink. While waiting, she turned her chair around to see what was happening on the stage. Someone had just walking up and introduced himself as the MC. Bekah could hear his voice, but her view was blocked by all the bodies standing in between.

Her Korean was never been perfect and tonight she was reminded once again. She couldn’t understand what they guy was saying, especially now that all the men in their house seemed to hoot, clap and whistle at the same time. Luckily, the bartender came back with her drink so Bekah took the opportunity and ask him, ”What’s going on up there?” 

“Auction game.”

“Auction? What’s being auctioned?”

“Girls, apparently.” 

11 months ago  12 notes View comments

Chapter 11 She started dating again, Taecyeon grunted in front of a bar stool, nursing his drink. The glass was heavy, its dark amber content cloudy. Sitting with his knees widespread, his head bent low between hunched shoulders, his elbows propped on the greasy surface of the bar. Unlike many famous night clubs in popular streets of Seoul, this tavern is outdated and almost reached the end of its business. The dusty haze and laughter of drunken businessmen, rotating desultorily overhead, barely stirred the thick pall of tobacco smoke. Why would a young, famous idol choose such a place you ask? Well, other than the fact that drinks are dirt cheap, chance of him getting recognized is significantly low. “Lost a lover?” asked the middle-aged bartender carelessly as he continued wiping his glasses. Taecyeon was sure he must have asked the same question to hundreds of customers as a part of his job, not because he cared. “Can’t lose something I’ve never had, eh?” Taec answered abruptly, gulping down the toxic liquid and asked for a refill. The old guy seemed a little hesitant to fulfill his request. “You’re not a cop or anything, are you?” “Would I be drinking if I was?” “Sorry, I had to ask because you are my first customer in years who didn’t come here and ask for a prostitute.” Taecyeon smirked. Don’t be too quick to judge, old man. “Women are dangerous.”, followed Taec after releasing a deep sigh. “They certainly are, especially the pretty ones. You might think you know them, but you have no idea.”, said the bartender, slapping the small hand towel he’s been using to wipe glasses over his left shoulder. “Tell me, what’s she like?” “Nah…I don’t wanna keep ya.” Taec started to slur his words, feeling a little light headed. “Do I look busy, young man?” The bartender opened his arms wide, stressing the empty bar with only Taecyeon sitting. If he was any more sober, he would have never shared anything with a stranger. But he couldn’t talk to his friends without showcasing his feelings and it’s been driving him mad, so perhaps a pair of nonjudgmental ears is what he needed. “Alright, where do I start?” He made a twinkling sound tapping his glass with his fingers, “She had the type of smile that no one can lie to, no one wanted to break her heart, except that one douchebag she’s dated all her life. She picked fight like a general in battlefields, she drew smiley faces on eggs and oranges, always dramatically and with impromptu gesticulations and sound effects. She had this thick notebook she carried everywhere, like it was a part of her soul.” Taecyeon chuckled to himself, “That thing was stuffed with so many extra pages and sketches; it looked like a bride throwing confetti. All the different doors to all her different worlds were in there…but she never allowed me to see them, she said it’s too personal.” He took another pause and sipped liquor that already tasted like water to him. “Honestly, I didn’t know she was this enticing. If I knew I would have never taken the challenge. Fuck, I blame my ego for believing I could conquer her. Maybe I could, but it was no apparent to me that it was my own feeling that betrayed me. I think she trusts me at this point, she cried on me once. She knew the darkest secret of my family but she didn’t think of me less. In fact she stood up for me, it was quite a sight that night. For the first time I wasn’t afraid to open up to someone else. But perhaps I have misjudged her attention, I thought she felt something else too. Apparently it was just how she is, never pass judgment to others. I was not that…special.” “Wow, sounds like she really is something.” “Mmm hmm.” “So what’s the problem now?”, asked the older guy, his brows were lowered. “We had this situation we couldn’t compromise and she’s still broken hearted. I told her she should never weep for one guy who doesn’t deserve her any longer, and off she went. The next thing I knew she was always out meeting someone. I let her slipped away through my finger.” “That happens. Mostly when you think you have it in your pocket, young man. Did she ever tell you the identity of this another guy?” Taec shook his head, his vision started to get blurry. “Nope…but I had a feeling she wanted to keep it a secret, for some reason. I don’t know, she’s been keeping distance as if she was trying to get away from me.” He took another sip without realizing his glass was empty. The bartender who obviously got confused by the story could only shrug, “Then just…tell her.” “Oh no no no no…” Taec wiggled his index finger in front of his face, “I could never. She will crush me. No no no. Hey can I get another one of this?” He raised his glass and lowered his head. “Young man, I don’t think you can handle any more of those. You should go home now.” “I don’t want to. I don’t want to see her….with her new lover.” He mumbled his words, half falling asleep. “Hey, don’t sleep here. I have to close this place in a few minutes! Do you have a ride? Should I call a taxi for you?” “No, just…call herrr.” Taecyeon reached in his pocket and struggled to find his cell. As soon as he found it, he gave it to the bartender. “Call who?” “Be….kah.” He mouthed her name before crashing on the table, unconscious. ************************************* Bekah tapped her fingers on a wooden table and realized she’s been biting her lower lips as a result of the awkward silence that had grown between her and the handsome guy sitting on the other end. She should have never agreed to come, knowing how she felt about this person, but Bekah made a promise and she always tend to keep it. She could feel his eyes were planted onto her and Bekah slowly regretted wearing such a low cut shirt. In any given condition, if she wasn’t who she was, Bekah would have worshipped and kissed his feet just by his looks. His dreamy eyes and perfect hair, his gentlemen gesture and honey-dripping words would melt even the coldest woman on earth. Unfortunately, she kept getting déjà vu and they were not from pleasant memories. “So…what are you up to these days?” asked Nichkhun tilting his head with one hand resting under his chin. “Nothing much. Travelling, painting, filming.” Bekah found her eyes went back to him instead of the pretty lanterns filling up the ceiling of this small café. “Painting? That’s unusual. If you need help with inspiration, I’m just a phone-call away.” Bekah replied him with a gentle chuckle, trying to escape his scrutinizing eyes. “So I heard you’ve spent time with some of my friends, hmm?” Khun spoke again after waiting for Bekah’s reply. His tone became more serious with a minor hint of spite. She stabbed her tiramisu with a fork, buying time before she answered him. “Only Chansung, he came by and I was cooking at that time so he stuck around.” Bekah automatically smiled remembering that day when that big kid shamelessly pronounced that he was hungry and begged Bekah to make an extra plate for him. They sat down and had a long conversation over spaghetti meatballs, discussing books and complaining about their tiring idol lives. She was surprised how intelligent he is, despite his ludicrous exterior, and actually enjoyed his company. Without physical attraction and fear of losing herself she’s always had whenever Taecyeon was around. “Does Taecyeon know?” Khun suddenly asked again after a long pause. “Probably, I don’t know.” Bekah shrugged, feeling unmasked by her own thought. Khun fixed his position, crossing his legs. “You know, I’m on nobody’s side so you don’t have to worry about revealing your game of plan.” Bekah had to steal a glance to make sure he wasn’t just messing around. “I’ll tell you if I have one.” “Come on, you must at least have something you plan to do. You can’t possibly be naive enough to believe he doesn’t.” Khun scoffed. Bekah had her tongue tied. Somewhere deep inside she always wondered the same thing but never actually thought about it enough to admit it. ”I’ll figure something out.” She answered while looking at her own hand folded on her lap. “Are you taking your time because you actually enjoy living with him? He’s my friend but if I were a girl I wouldn’t stand his mess.” “He’s actually not that bad.” “You like him, don’t you?” Another question shut Bekah up, she started feeling interrogated and spied on.  “I don’t mean to be rude, Khun but it’s none of your business.” “Alright.” His face was indecipherable. “But I was expecting you to be smarter than this, knowing how hard you were to him at the beginning. I couldn’t believe you fall so easily.” “I’m sorry to disappoint you, then.” She was quite astonished by how different she imagined Khun to be. Unless this was acting, she found him somewhat intrusive.   “When the time comes, Bekah, I want you to remember this conversation and hopefully what you feel then is gratitude, not regret.” “We’ll see.” replied Bekah with the least amount of emotion she could display. A sudden vibration and ‘You Are My Sunshine’ song was heard coming from her purse and she grumbled when she saw the name of the caller. This wasn’t the first time Taecyeon called her at the weirdest hour and asked the most random question. One time he texted her during a radio show just to ask if an olive colored tie would suit a beige shirt. Another time he called her while she was in Japan, out shopping in Shibuya, just to find out what she’d feel about buying organic pasta. The most recent one, which was three days ago, caused her some trouble because when he called, Bekah was attending a wedding ceremony and she happened to forget to silent her phone. She had to excuse herself and went outside to answer him, only to feel upset by the unbelievably poor level of urgency. “You can eat my instant noodles, Taec. How many times do I have to tell you, feel free to access the kitchen?” “Yeah, but we had one condition and I forgot what that was. Is it noodles or cereal?” “We said, always feel free to access the kitchen unless you’re Hwang Chansung. How did you even get that wrong?” said Bekah, clearly annoyed. “Where are you?” Taecyeon asked, ignoring her compaint. “Out.” “By yourself?” “No.” “Oh. Are you on a date again?” Argh this guy.., Bekah grouched. “Yes. So if you’ll excuse me, I have to hang up now. Bye.” “Are you going to answer that?” Khun’s voice appeared and made Bekah realized she’s been holding a loud, vibrating phone for a while now. “Hello, Taec?” She was ready to hear his absurd question but the person who answered her wasn’t Taec. “Yes this is she. Ok, I’ll be right there.” “Is he alright?” Khun also stood up when he saw Bekah collecting her things in a speed of light. “Yep, just a minor situation. Anyway, I’m sorry I can’t stay much longer, here, hopefully this would cover all my expense.” Bekah took some money from her wallet and gave it to Khun. “It’s ok, tonight’s on me. And I insist.” said Khun with his proud smile as soon as Bekah opened her mouth to reject. She had no time to argue so she just said thank you and left. ************************************* “You’re pretty lucky no one recognized you, Taec. You looked like a homeless person sitting in front of a bar like that.” Bekah scolded the drunk guy she just fetched off the street. Her company driver was nice enough to take her to the area in Seoul she’s never been before. “How did you even find that place, anyway?” “Shhhhh…you’re so loud…my head…hurts… Can I lie down?” Taecyeon grumbled and started moving closer to her. “Wait…” He proceeded to put his head on Bekah’s lap before she could even argue. His dark brown hair brushed against her naked thighs where her skirt ends and she felt tingly whenever he moved around. She fixed his position and found herself running her fingers through his hair. Taecyeon seemed to like it because now he started mumbling words and purring like a kitty cat. “Oh yea…keep doing that, Bek, that feels really nice. Mmm…yess.” The driver must have heard Taecyeon because he eyed them from the rear view mirror. Bekah saw it and slapped Taec for sending such a false message. “Stop moaning!” “Ouch. Why so violent?!” “Taec, you’re really smashed this time. How many drinks you had?” “One.” His fingers signaled five. Bekah rolled her eyes. Once they got home, the driver helped Bekah carrying Taecyeon to his bedroom although the tallest guy insisted he could walk. He left right away after they put Taecyeon in bed. As soon as Bekah turned the room lights off, Taec called out for her. “Where…are you going?” “To my room.” “Stay here.” He weakly tapped the made up side of the bed next to him. Bekah hesitantly looked up to the camera that was hanging in the corridor corner like a daunting evil machine. She started hating those cameras. “But…” Taecyeon must have seen where she was looking because he replied, “Don’t worry, I won’t do anything you don’t want me to do. Just close the door, it won’t see us.’” He patting his bed again, persisting. She found herself closing the gap between them and climbed on the bed. Taec had moved his arm so she could lie down comfortably, both facing up to the ceiling. At first Bekah felt her body becoming stiff next to him but his heavy breathing and the fluffy comforter made her sleepy almost in an instant. “Do that thing again you did with your fingers on my head. It soothed my headache.” said Taec softly. Bekah did what he asked. After massaging for quite some time, she broke the ice, “Taec?” “…Hmm?” His voice sounded abnormally heavy. “If I told you I went on a date with all your band members, would you be jealous?” “Umm…no…” He paused for a while, “Did you?” Bekah smiled viciously. “Maybe.” “All of them?” “Perhaps.” “No wonder you’re never home anymore.” “Why, did you miss me?” Taec didn’t say anything but Bekah saw his head nodded continuously in the corner of her eye. ”I’d rather you date them than guys I don’t know of.” Bekah turned her head but Taecyeon had his eyes closed. She secretly admired the peacefulness she saw there, the bridge of his nose, the sharp and strong eyebrows. Her conscience instructed to lower her eyes and found the gentle lips that once wildly roamed her mouth. She had to look away before the images becoming clearer. “Bek?”  Feeling caught, Bekah turned to her original position, facing the white ceiling. ”Yeah?” “I take it back. You shouldn’t date any of them.” He mumbled his words. She grinned silently. “I shouldn’t or you don’t want me to?” “I don’t want you to.” Slurring, he turned his whole body towards her, still not opening his eyes. “Can I tell you something?” Bekah decided to face up again, it’s easier to tell him the truth if she isn’t directly staring at him. “Mmm…” “Every time I told you I was out on a date, I wasn’t really meeting someone. Well, today I did…but those other days I was actually visiting your aunt’s gallery to look at her paintings, to study them. I love it there, sometimes I just sat for hours and imagined myself being in those beautiful sceneries. I’ve never been to Europe before…is it as amazing as people say?…..Taec?” All she heard was a deep, low set of snore.  “Ok Taecyeon, I used one of your old boxer that was left inside the washing machine to wipe tables because I had mistaken it for a rag. You’re ok with that, right?” She nudged him. “Right?” “…mmm.” Bekah chuckled to herself. “I like you better when you’re drunk, Taec. Good night.” whispered her, obviously taking advantage of the situation for her own benefit. She then puffed a pillow and closed her eyes. “I like you…Bekah.” He mouthed those words that was almost impossible to hear even for himself. ************************************* Is this really happening? Taecyeon sat on the side of his bed, too shocked to see that he was not alone. Bekah, looking as peaceful as a new born child, laying next to him. He had no recollection whatsoever of what happened last night. The last thing he remembered was an old guy yelling at him, and some fractions of Bekah’s comfortable legs under his head. Did I sleep with her? But she still has her clothes on. He checked his pants. Mmm, I don’t think so, I would have remembered. Taecyeon contemplated his next move while smelling his own breath.  Oh god, he thought while quietly making his way to the bathroom to brush his teeth. He walked back to his room and relieved to see Bekah had not moved a strand of hair. He slithered back in and pretended to still be asleep. She must have felt his presence because soon afterward, Taecyeon felt her body rolled towards him and her hands wrapped around his waist. Fuck. What do I do? He gulped and tried to act natural. As much as he wanted to fight the urge to caress her smooth hair that was resting on his chest, he knew it was too tempting for his weak mindset. His fingers slowly glided along her crown, his pinky finger accidentally touched her ear. Her breathing was steady, he closed his eyes and matched her tempo until he found himself almost asleep again. Suddenly he could feel she moved under his arm, her head turned to him and she mumbled a sleepy moan. Taec’s eyes might have been closed but he could feel her watching him asleep. “Unnng..Taec?” He didn’t respond, curious of what she would do next. “Taec, are you still sleeping?” Still not responding. He heard some shuffling caused by her swifting position. Judging by the heavy weight on the pillow, she must have rested her elbow there, watching him. To his surprise, he felt her cold finger on his forehead, tracing down to his nose, brushing his parted lips and went down to his chest. She resisted for a while but continued making her way to his pecks and midsection. At this point Taec badly wanted to open his eyes to see how she looked at him, heck, he would pay to witness that. But he didn’t. She then placed her hand on his abs and her thumb found his belly button. He could have sworn she was doing the same motion in one of his dreams starring Bekah and himself, but he wouldn’t have thought it actually can happen in real life. Her fingers touched him like how children would embrace their first toy, very curious and extremely careful. Bekah kept running her fingers on the dips of his abs, tracing them like a canoe floating around the river, but she was too shy to go any lower than the naked skin above his jeans that now feels too tight. Taec was already aroused just by her feminine scent on his bed, so adding a simple touch here and there, he was starting to lose it. His mind was telling him to make her stop but he was too greedy. The blanket could barely hide anything obvious, especially with her watching him intimately. Soon enough he heard her gasping, undoubtedly by the usual sight in the morning. His, not hers. “Good morning.” said Taec while faking a yawn. He finally opened his eyes to see her face that was already red. “What? Oh…don’t act too surprised. That’s what you get for touching a guy in the morning.” “But…I thought you were asleep.” “Part of me not.” He winked. “It was all your fault, so don’t start acting like a victim.” “I don’t. I was just… embarrassed.” She looked away. “Don’t be. Why did you do that, anyway? …not that I’m complaining.” “I-I-I was…” Bekah stuttered, sat down on the bed and put a pillow between them like a barrier. “Studying.” “What?” “For painting…I was studying you, for painting.” Liar, Taecyeon smirked. “Well you could always ask, no need to do it secretly like that. Although, I quite enjoyed being a pure sexual object.” He mischievously put his arms behind his head, like a boastful king. Bekah groaned her frustration and got out of his bed. “Well, you’d better enjoy it while it last.” “Wait-wait, where are you going?” “Kitchen. I’m hungry.” “Oh, can you bring me an omelette, sausage and milk? You know…breakfast in bed style?” He wiggled his eyebrows. “I’m not gonna cook for you.” Replied Bekah while walking to the door. “Why? You cooked for Chansung.” Bekah turned around, his face was vacant. So he knew. She hates the guilty feeling she has inside, although she knew she shouldn’t have felt that way.  “I just don’t feel like it.” “Bekah, will you stop repulsing me? It’s not fair. One moment you are all over me but then you run away. What do you want, exactly?” She stared at him straight-faced. “I don’t know, Taec.” A weak voice came out in a contrary of her adamant body language. “I really don’t know.” Taecyeon watched her exhaling heavily and giving him this defeated look before disappearing to the corridor. He wished he didn’t push it, asking it out loud only worsened their situation. He was confident she also shared their strong attraction, but just like him, she was afraid to admit it because once either one of them does, the fun will no longer be there. The chasing and pulling in will suddenly become accepting and acknowledging. The mystery will soon be a history. And I guess none of us wants to move on, wondered Taec. If she admits it, she’s afraid she’d lose. She’s afraid of me, and losing to me. She wants me to say it first, to lay out our map and pin down where we’re at. Taecyeon finally understood what Bekah has been doing to him, whether or not it was in her consciousness. She wanted him to succumb into her game, her mind game. The sound of a car leaving the garage confirmed his analysis and so he raised from his bed and reached for his cellphone. “Hello, Chansung?…it’s me. Can you call everyone and tell them I’m gonna throw a party at my house tomorrow night? Mm hmm…oh, and the girls…make sure you invite them too.”  

Chapter 11

She started dating again, Taecyeon grunted in front of a bar stool, nursing his drink. The glass was heavy, its dark amber content cloudy. Sitting with his knees widespread, his head bent low between hunched shoulders, his elbows propped on the greasy surface of the bar. Unlike many famous night clubs in popular streets of Seoul, this tavern is outdated and almost reached the end of its business. The dusty haze and laughter of drunken businessmen, rotating desultorily overhead, barely stirred the thick pall of tobacco smoke. Why would a young, famous idol choose such a place you ask? Well, other than the fact that drinks are dirt cheap, chance of him getting recognized is significantly low.

“Lost a lover?” asked the middle-aged bartender carelessly as he continued wiping his glasses. Taecyeon was sure he must have asked the same question to hundreds of customers as a part of his job, not because he cared.

“Can’t lose something I’ve never had, eh?” Taec answered abruptly, gulping down the toxic liquid and asked for a refill. The old guy seemed a little hesitant to fulfill his request.

“You’re not a cop or anything, are you?”

“Would I be drinking if I was?”

“Sorry, I had to ask because you are my first customer in years who didn’t come here and ask for a prostitute.”

Taecyeon smirked. Don’t be too quick to judge, old man. “Women are dangerous.”, followed Taec after releasing a deep sigh.

“They certainly are, especially the pretty ones. You might think you know them, but you have no idea.”, said the bartender, slapping the small hand towel he’s been using to wipe glasses over his left shoulder. “Tell me, what’s she like?”

“Nah…I don’t wanna keep ya.” Taec started to slur his words, feeling a little light headed.

“Do I look busy, young man?” The bartender opened his arms wide, stressing the empty bar with only Taecyeon sitting.

If he was any more sober, he would have never shared anything with a stranger. But he couldn’t talk to his friends without showcasing his feelings and it’s been driving him mad, so perhaps a pair of nonjudgmental ears is what he needed.

“Alright, where do I start?” He made a twinkling sound tapping his glass with his fingers, “She had the type of smile that no one can lie to, no one wanted to break her heart, except that one douchebag she’s dated all her life. She picked fight like a general in battlefields, she drew smiley faces on eggs and oranges, always dramatically and with impromptu gesticulations and sound effects. She had this thick notebook she carried everywhere, like it was a part of her soul.” Taecyeon chuckled to himself, “That thing was stuffed with so many extra pages and sketches; it looked like a bride throwing confetti. All the different doors to all her different worlds were in there…but she never allowed me to see them, she said it’s too personal.” He took another pause and sipped liquor that already tasted like water to him.

“Honestly, I didn’t know she was this enticing. If I knew I would have never taken the challenge. Fuck, I blame my ego for believing I could conquer her. Maybe I could, but it was no apparent to me that it was my own feeling that betrayed me. I think she trusts me at this point, she cried on me once. She knew the darkest secret of my family but she didn’t think of me less. In fact she stood up for me, it was quite a sight that night. For the first time I wasn’t afraid to open up to someone else. But perhaps I have misjudged her attention, I thought she felt something else too. Apparently it was just how she is, never pass judgment to others. I was not that…special.”

“Wow, sounds like she really is something.”

“Mmm hmm.”

“So what’s the problem now?”, asked the older guy, his brows were lowered.

“We had this situation we couldn’t compromise and she’s still broken hearted. I told her she should never weep for one guy who doesn’t deserve her any longer, and off she went. The next thing I knew she was always out meeting someone. I let her slipped away through my finger.”

“That happens. Mostly when you think you have it in your pocket, young man. Did she ever tell you the identity of this another guy?”

Taec shook his head, his vision started to get blurry. “Nope…but I had a feeling she wanted to keep it a secret, for some reason. I don’t know, she’s been keeping distance as if she was trying to get away from me.” He took another sip without realizing his glass was empty.

The bartender who obviously got confused by the story could only shrug, “Then just…tell her.”

“Oh no no no no…” Taec wiggled his index finger in front of his face, “I could never. She will crush me. No no no. Hey can I get another one of this?” He raised his glass and lowered his head.

“Young man, I don’t think you can handle any more of those. You should go home now.”

“I don’t want to. I don’t want to see her….with her new lover.” He mumbled his words, half falling asleep.

“Hey, don’t sleep here. I have to close this place in a few minutes! Do you have a ride? Should I call a taxi for you?”

“No, just…call herrr.” Taecyeon reached in his pocket and struggled to find his cell. As soon as he found it, he gave it to the bartender.

“Call who?”

“Be….kah.” He mouthed her name before crashing on the table, unconscious.

*************************************


Bekah tapped her fingers on a wooden table and realized she’s been biting her lower lips as a result of the awkward silence that had grown between her and the handsome guy sitting on the other end. She should have never agreed to come, knowing how she felt about this person, but Bekah made a promise and she always tend to keep it.

She could feel his eyes were planted onto her and Bekah slowly regretted wearing such a low cut shirt. In any given condition, if she wasn’t who she was, Bekah would have worshipped and kissed his feet just by his looks. His dreamy eyes and perfect hair, his gentlemen gesture and honey-dripping words would melt even the coldest woman on earth. Unfortunately, she kept getting déjà vu and they were not from pleasant memories.

“So…what are you up to these days?” asked Nichkhun tilting his head with one hand resting under his chin.

“Nothing much. Travelling, painting, filming.” Bekah found her eyes went back to him instead of the pretty lanterns filling up the ceiling of this small café.

“Painting? That’s unusual. If you need help with inspiration, I’m just a phone-call away.”

Bekah replied him with a gentle chuckle, trying to escape his scrutinizing eyes.

“So I heard you’ve spent time with some of my friends, hmm?” Khun spoke again after waiting for Bekah’s reply. His tone became more serious with a minor hint of spite.

She stabbed her tiramisu with a fork, buying time before she answered him. “Only Chansung, he came by and I was cooking at that time so he stuck around.” Bekah automatically smiled remembering that day when that big kid shamelessly pronounced that he was hungry and begged Bekah to make an extra plate for him. They sat down and had a long conversation over spaghetti meatballs, discussing books and complaining about their tiring idol lives. She was surprised how intelligent he is, despite his ludicrous exterior, and actually enjoyed his company. Without physical attraction and fear of losing herself she’s always had whenever Taecyeon was around.

“Does Taecyeon know?” Khun suddenly asked again after a long pause.

“Probably, I don’t know.” Bekah shrugged, feeling unmasked by her own thought.

Khun fixed his position, crossing his legs. “You know, I’m on nobody’s side so you don’t have to worry about revealing your game of plan.”

Bekah had to steal a glance to make sure he wasn’t just messing around. “I’ll tell you if I have one.”

“Come on, you must at least have something you plan to do. You can’t possibly be naive enough to believe he doesn’t.” Khun scoffed.

Bekah had her tongue tied. Somewhere deep inside she always wondered the same thing but never actually thought about it enough to admit it. ”I’ll figure something out.” She answered while looking at her own hand folded on her lap.

“Are you taking your time because you actually enjoy living with him? He’s my friend but if I were a girl I wouldn’t stand his mess.”

“He’s actually not that bad.”

“You like him, don’t you?”

Another question shut Bekah up, she started feeling interrogated and spied on.

 “I don’t mean to be rude, Khun but it’s none of your business.”

“Alright.” His face was indecipherable. “But I was expecting you to be smarter than this, knowing how hard you were to him at the beginning. I couldn’t believe you fall so easily.”

“I’m sorry to disappoint you, then.”

She was quite astonished by how different she imagined Khun to be. Unless this was acting, she found him somewhat intrusive.  

“When the time comes, Bekah, I want you to remember this conversation and hopefully what you feel then is gratitude, not regret.”

“We’ll see.” replied Bekah with the least amount of emotion she could display.

A sudden vibration and ‘You Are My Sunshine’ song was heard coming from her purse and she grumbled when she saw the name of the caller. This wasn’t the first time Taecyeon called her at the weirdest hour and asked the most random question. One time he texted her during a radio show just to ask if an olive colored tie would suit a beige shirt. Another time he called her while she was in Japan, out shopping in Shibuya, just to find out what she’d feel about buying organic pasta. The most recent one, which was three days ago, caused her some trouble because when he called, Bekah was attending a wedding ceremony and she happened to forget to silent her phone. She had to excuse herself and went outside to answer him, only to feel upset by the unbelievably poor level of urgency.

“You can eat my instant noodles, Taec. How many times do I have to tell you, feel free to access the kitchen?”

“Yeah, but we had one condition and I forgot what that was. Is it noodles or cereal?”

“We said, always feel free to access the kitchen unless you’re Hwang Chansung. How did you even get that wrong?” said Bekah, clearly annoyed.

“Where are you?” Taecyeon asked, ignoring her compaint.

“Out.”

“By yourself?”

“No.”

“Oh. Are you on a date again?”

Argh this guy.., Bekah grouched. “Yes. So if you’ll excuse me, I have to hang up now. Bye.”

“Are you going to answer that?” Khun’s voice appeared and made Bekah realized she’s been holding a loud, vibrating phone for a while now.

“Hello, Taec?” She was ready to hear his absurd question but the person who answered her wasn’t Taec. “Yes this is she. Ok, I’ll be right there.”

“Is he alright?” Khun also stood up when he saw Bekah collecting her things in a speed of light.

“Yep, just a minor situation. Anyway, I’m sorry I can’t stay much longer, here, hopefully this would cover all my expense.” Bekah took some money from her wallet and gave it to Khun.

“It’s ok, tonight’s on me. And I insist.” said Khun with his proud smile as soon as Bekah opened her mouth to reject. She had no time to argue so she just said thank you and left.

*************************************


“You’re pretty lucky no one recognized you, Taec. You looked like a homeless person sitting in front of a bar like that.” Bekah scolded the drunk guy she just fetched off the street. Her company driver was nice enough to take her to the area in Seoul she’s never been before. “How did you even find that place, anyway?”

“Shhhhh…you’re so loud…my head…hurts… Can I lie down?” Taecyeon grumbled and started moving closer to her.

“Wait…”

He proceeded to put his head on Bekah’s lap before she could even argue. His dark brown hair brushed against her naked thighs where her skirt ends and she felt tingly whenever he moved around. She fixed his position and found herself running her fingers through his hair. Taecyeon seemed to like it because now he started mumbling words and purring like a kitty cat.

“Oh yea…keep doing that, Bek, that feels really nice. Mmm…yess.”

The driver must have heard Taecyeon because he eyed them from the rear view mirror. Bekah saw it and slapped Taec for sending such a false message. “Stop moaning!”

“Ouch. Why so violent?!”

“Taec, you’re really smashed this time. How many drinks you had?”

“One.” His fingers signaled five. Bekah rolled her eyes.

Once they got home, the driver helped Bekah carrying Taecyeon to his bedroom although the tallest guy insisted he could walk. He left right away after they put Taecyeon in bed. As soon as Bekah turned the room lights off, Taec called out for her. “Where…are you going?”

“To my room.”

“Stay here.” He weakly tapped the made up side of the bed next to him.

Bekah hesitantly looked up to the camera that was hanging in the corridor corner like a daunting evil machine. She started hating those cameras. “But…”

Taecyeon must have seen where she was looking because he replied, “Don’t worry, I won’t do anything you don’t want me to do. Just close the door, it won’t see us.’” He patting his bed again, persisting.

She found herself closing the gap between them and climbed on the bed. Taec had moved his arm so she could lie down comfortably, both facing up to the ceiling. At first Bekah felt her body becoming stiff next to him but his heavy breathing and the fluffy comforter made her sleepy almost in an instant.

“Do that thing again you did with your fingers on my head. It soothed my headache.” said Taec softly.

Bekah did what he asked. After massaging for quite some time, she broke the ice, “Taec?”

“…Hmm?” His voice sounded abnormally heavy.

“If I told you I went on a date with all your band members, would you be jealous?”

“Umm…no…” He paused for a while, “Did you?”

Bekah smiled viciously. “Maybe.”

“All of them?”

“Perhaps.”

“No wonder you’re never home anymore.”

“Why, did you miss me?”

Taec didn’t say anything but Bekah saw his head nodded continuously in the corner of her eye. ”I’d rather you date them than guys I don’t know of.”

Bekah turned her head but Taecyeon had his eyes closed. She secretly admired the peacefulness she saw there, the bridge of his nose, the sharp and strong eyebrows. Her conscience instructed to lower her eyes and found the gentle lips that once wildly roamed her mouth. She had to look away before the images becoming clearer.

“Bek?”

 Feeling caught, Bekah turned to her original position, facing the white ceiling. ”Yeah?”

“I take it back. You shouldn’t date any of them.” He mumbled his words.

She grinned silently. “I shouldn’t or you don’t want me to?”

“I don’t want you to.” Slurring, he turned his whole body towards her, still not opening his eyes.

“Can I tell you something?” Bekah decided to face up again, it’s easier to tell him the truth if she isn’t directly staring at him.

“Mmm…”

“Every time I told you I was out on a date, I wasn’t really meeting someone. Well, today I did…but those other days I was actually visiting your aunt’s gallery to look at her paintings, to study them. I love it there, sometimes I just sat for hours and imagined myself being in those beautiful sceneries. I’ve never been to Europe before…is it as amazing as people say?…..Taec?”

All she heard was a deep, low set of snore. 

“Ok Taecyeon, I used one of your old boxer that was left inside the washing machine to wipe tables because I had mistaken it for a rag. You’re ok with that, right?”

She nudged him. “Right?”

“…mmm.”

Bekah chuckled to herself. “I like you better when you’re drunk, Taec. Good night.” whispered her, obviously taking advantage of the situation for her own benefit. She then puffed a pillow and closed her eyes.

“I like you…Bekah.” He mouthed those words that was almost impossible to hear even for himself.

*************************************


Is this really happening? Taecyeon sat on the side of his bed, too shocked to see that he was not alone. Bekah, looking as peaceful as a new born child, laying next to him. He had no recollection whatsoever of what happened last night. The last thing he remembered was an old guy yelling at him, and some fractions of Bekah’s comfortable legs under his head.

Did I sleep with her? But she still has her clothes on. He checked his pants. Mmm, I don’t think so, I would have remembered. Taecyeon contemplated his next move while smelling his own breath. 

Oh god, he thought while quietly making his way to the bathroom to brush his teeth. He walked back to his room and relieved to see Bekah had not moved a strand of hair. He slithered back in and pretended to still be asleep. She must have felt his presence because soon afterward, Taecyeon felt her body rolled towards him and her hands wrapped around his waist.

Fuck. What do I do? He gulped and tried to act natural. As much as he wanted to fight the urge to caress her smooth hair that was resting on his chest, he knew it was too tempting for his weak mindset. His fingers slowly glided along her crown, his pinky finger accidentally touched her ear. Her breathing was steady, he closed his eyes and matched her tempo until he found himself almost asleep again. Suddenly he could feel she moved under his arm, her head turned to him and she mumbled a sleepy moan.

Taec’s eyes might have been closed but he could feel her watching him asleep.

“Unnng..Taec?”

He didn’t respond, curious of what she would do next.

“Taec, are you still sleeping?”

Still not responding. He heard some shuffling caused by her swifting position. Judging by the heavy weight on the pillow, she must have rested her elbow there, watching him. To his surprise, he felt her cold finger on his forehead, tracing down to his nose, brushing his parted lips and went down to his chest. She resisted for a while but continued making her way to his pecks and midsection.

At this point Taec badly wanted to open his eyes to see how she looked at him, heck, he would pay to witness that. But he didn’t. She then placed her hand on his abs and her thumb found his belly button. He could have sworn she was doing the same motion in one of his dreams starring Bekah and himself, but he wouldn’t have thought it actually can happen in real life. Her fingers touched him like how children would embrace their first toy, very curious and extremely careful. Bekah kept running her fingers on the dips of his abs, tracing them like a canoe floating around the river, but she was too shy to go any lower than the naked skin above his jeans that now feels too tight.

Taec was already aroused just by her feminine scent on his bed, so adding a simple touch here and there, he was starting to lose it. His mind was telling him to make her stop but he was too greedy. The blanket could barely hide anything obvious, especially with her watching him intimately. Soon enough he heard her gasping, undoubtedly by the usual sight in the morning. His, not hers.

“Good morning.” said Taec while faking a yawn. He finally opened his eyes to see her face that was already red. “What? Oh…don’t act too surprised. That’s what you get for touching a guy in the morning.”

“But…I thought you were asleep.”

“Part of me not.” He winked. “It was all your fault, so don’t start acting like a victim.”

“I don’t. I was just… embarrassed.” She looked away.

“Don’t be. Why did you do that, anyway? …not that I’m complaining.”

“I-I-I was…” Bekah stuttered, sat down on the bed and put a pillow between them like a barrier. “Studying.”

“What?”

“For painting…I was studying you, for painting.”

Liar, Taecyeon smirked. “Well you could always ask, no need to do it secretly like that. Although, I quite enjoyed being a pure sexual object.” He mischievously put his arms behind his head, like a boastful king.

Bekah groaned her frustration and got out of his bed. “Well, you’d better enjoy it while it last.”

“Wait-wait, where are you going?”

“Kitchen. I’m hungry.”

“Oh, can you bring me an omelette, sausage and milk? You know…breakfast in bed style?” He wiggled his eyebrows.

“I’m not gonna cook for you.” Replied Bekah while walking to the door.

“Why? You cooked for Chansung.”

Bekah turned around, his face was vacant. So he knew. She hates the guilty feeling she has inside, although she knew she shouldn’t have felt that way. 

“I just don’t feel like it.”

“Bekah, will you stop repulsing me? It’s not fair. One moment you are all over me but then you run away. What do you want, exactly?”

She stared at him straight-faced. “I don’t know, Taec.” A weak voice came out in a contrary of her adamant body language. “I really don’t know.”

Taecyeon watched her exhaling heavily and giving him this defeated look before disappearing to the corridor. He wished he didn’t push it, asking it out loud only worsened their situation. He was confident she also shared their strong attraction, but just like him, she was afraid to admit it because once either one of them does, the fun will no longer be there. The chasing and pulling in will suddenly become accepting and acknowledging. The mystery will soon be a history.

And I guess none of us wants to move on, wondered Taec. If she admits it, she’s afraid she’d lose. She’s afraid of me, and losing to me. She wants me to say it first, to lay out our map and pin down where we’re at. Taecyeon finally understood what Bekah has been doing to him, whether or not it was in her consciousness. She wanted him to succumb into her game, her mind game.

The sound of a car leaving the garage confirmed his analysis and so he raised from his bed and reached for his cellphone.

“Hello, Chansung?…it’s me. Can you call everyone and tell them I’m gonna throw a party at my house tomorrow night? Mm hmm…oh, and the girls…make sure you invite them too.”  

12 months ago  10 notes View comments

Chapter 10 Bekah yawned as her long legs wandered through the small corridors of a familiar TV station. Her big bugsy glasses hid her swollen eyes and covered half of her face, no intention of sharing the mark of her problem with the world especially at such early time in the morning. She squinted and grumbled at a lamp near vending machines that was a tad too bright. She knew she was late. She literally had to drag herself out of the bed this morning and left the house without washing her hair. Her bad mood multiplied when her car was stuck in a traffic for almost half an hour and a reckless motorcycle cut her off at some turn near the studio. She just wanted to sleep in the whole day and disappear beneath her blanket. But no, of course she couldn’t. She was forced to grow up as soon as she committed to join her group. Her personal feelings had to be put aside, perfection was required. The more you look less like a human, the better.  Bekah is fat. Bekah can’t speak Korean. Bekah…who? Every bad experience she’s had suddenly popped up while she was waiting for a red light turning green. It was so much hurtful back then. Today she’s pretty much immune to criticism. Even those nasty words thrown at her in the hate letters couldn’t make her cry anymore. But this morning it felt like her patience had worn out. For the first time she is tired being an idol.  Bekah was too drown in her own little world, she didn’t see someone was going in her direction at one dark corner that is supposed to take her to After School’s dressing room. She bumped into him and felt a warm coffee pouring on the front of her shirt.  “What the f-?!” She cussed and frantically wiped some of them off and took a wrinkle piece of tissue from her pocket. “Watch it, will you?!” “Oh I’m so sorry!”  Great, just what I needed. She was about to explode at him right there and then, so she continued walking without even looking at his face. “Hey, I said I’m sorry!”, he yelled at her back. She waved thoughtlessly and vanished through the door with her band name written on it. “Here she is!!! We almost thought you were never gonna come! Why are you wearing sunnies indoor?” Kahi grabbed her arm as soon as she appeared. “Eww sticky! Did you bathe in coffee or something?” Bekah faked a smile and the older girl knew something was up, but being a long time friend, she also knew when not to ask question. Bekah then made her way to the nearest stool and sat herself down, catching a cringe from the makeup artist who quickly grabbed a concealer palette as soon as the sunglasses was off. Once their filming ended, her friends circled around and demanded a story. Bekah told them about the whole Nick situation. “There is someone else… That’s all he told you? Did he say who?!” snapped Jung Ah. “I’d rather not know.” Bekah muttered. “I just wished he never led me on and showered me with all the sweet talk about our future together and-“ “Wait, you mean like, getting engaged?” Bekah huffed, her fingers thoughtlessly played with her cardigan’s button. “Yeah. He said he was gonna finish his school and ask for my mom’s permission. I told him he was silly tho, I mean…with my contract and me living here, it’s just not possible.” She ironically chuckled, “Heh, at least I don’t have to worry about that now, do I?”  “THAT COW!” said Jung Ah loudly while exchanging glances with Kahi who looked as sympathetic. “Why did you even stay with him for years!?!” “I’ve known him forever. I can’t imagine being with anyone else.” At least she couldn’t until Taec had left the imprint of his lips on hers and ran his fingers on her body. Just thinking about it made Bekah’s head spin. Last night she fell asleep with so much guilt, wondering why he had to kiss her at the very night she was the most vulnerable. I was just confused…nothing more, Bekah consoled herself. “Were you in love?” asked Kahi abruptly. “I was in…” Bekah left her words hanging.  Was I? Honestly it took no psychological insight to finally realize how small Nick really meant to her. He wasn’t even in her thought when she decided to move to Korea to pursue her career. Perhaps she was the one who had wronged him all along and her tears last night were solely a closure to her own past.  “…volved.” Jooyeon, who sat right next to her, reached out and hugged her. “I hate to see you this way. You of all people deserve to be happy, Bekah.” She clung on Bekah’s arm and pouted, “Let’s get you a new man.” Bekah chuckled at the ridiculous suggestion but her friend kept nodding enthusiastically like one of those bobble head dogs she had on her car’s dashboard. “You’re joking, right? I can’t just get myself a new man.” replied Bekah. “Why not?” “No, it’s actually a great idea. Finding a new guy is the best cure of a broken heart.” Jung Ah said it with so much confidence, the rest of the girls started smiling and daunting Bekah with their caring eyes. “Careful tho, rebound is a tricky business.” said Kahi, who surprisingly also seemed supportive. “Now we just have to find the lucky guy to make her forget about Nick.” Bekah gulped, she couldn’t look her friends in the eye and told them that she already kissed another guy a couple hours after being dumped. She knew living with Taec had made her do things she would have never imagined doing and she wasn’t sure if she likes what she’s become. I can’t stay too much longer in that house. I need to get out before I lose myself. But…how? “Or we can just wait until a handsome man falls from heaven and saves her like a knight in shining armor.” convinced Jooyeon, causing laughters including Bekah’s. The manager called them and said the van were ready to take them back to their dorm, Bekah followed the others and headed out. She saw Kahi greeted someone as well as the other girls, Bekah automatically followed and bowed but surprisingly the person stopped right in front of her.  “Am I forgiven?” “I’m sorry?” Bekah looked up to find Jay Park was the owner of the voice. “I spilled coffee on some grumpy girl this morning. It was you, wasn’t it?” He pointed at her stained shirt. She instantly covered it with her cardigan, ignoring the puzzled looks from her friends. Oh crap, I was being rude to him. I WAS RUDE TO JAY PARK. “Yeah…unfortunately. I-I’m sorry about how I reacted earlier. That was so untypical of me.” “Terrible morning?” She rolled her eyes, “The worst.” “Hmm.” Jay nodded as if he understood. Bekah wished he would just forget it and moved along, but apparently this guy did not care that everyone had gone mute to hear their conversation. “Well, I apologize for contributing to your unfortunate morning, is there any way I can make it up to you?” He grinned. “No, it’s okay.” She replied but soon feeling Jooyeon’s elbow nudging her back. “Y-yes. I mean, yes.” Jay seemed surprised but entertained at the same time. “Which one?”, he asked.  “Yes, there is. You could maybe…buy me coffee?” Bekah was pretty sure her voice trembled. “Mmm..coffee for coffee. I like that. It’s like Braveheart.” “What?” “Nothing. Here, type your number in, I’ll contact you.” He handed her his cellphone and when she’s done, he waved and nodded to everyone else who suddenly acted like they were doing something else but eavesdropping. “Bekah, what the hell just happened?” Jung Ah hurried in to interrogate. She answered and slyly smiled at Jooyeon, ”A knight in shining armor fell down from heaven.”  ************************************* “Are you decent?” Taecyeon knocked twice on Bekah’s half-opened door, covering his eyes with his own hand. He secretly peeked from under and caught a glimpse of her standing, looking out the window. Her body language was unreadable.  “Yeah, what’s up?” Bekah turned around and fixed her droopy shirt on her shoulder. She casually smiled at him but Taec caught her eyes blinking a little faster than usual. She is nervous. He surprised himself realizing how detailed he knows about her nowadays with only a couple of months living together. He walked in, this is his first time being in Bekah’s room and as he would have guessed, it smelled just like her; warm and intriguing. His wandering eyes saw a picture frame on a night stand with her and a younger girl in it. They look a like, must be her sister, he wondered. A stack of paper with drawings on them were scattered on the table behind Bekah but before Taec could see clearer, she gathered them in a sudden move and shoved everything in the top drawer. He cleared his throat. “About last night…” “I know what you were going to say.” Bekah interrupted. Surprised, his left eyebrow arched. “You do?” She nodded. ”Part of it was definitely my fault. I was caught in the moment and we both knew it was a mistake. I can assure you it’ll never happen again, don’t worry.” “Did you rehearse that?” asked Taec. A little bit. “No.” lied Bekah. “Right…” He felt a little disappointed although what she said was true. Coming out from her lips, those words did sound harsher than he thought they would. He was up all night thinking of ways to apologize to her while trying not to stab himself in the neck for making such bold moves at the worst time. But he was just following his gut. His cursed, primitive gut.  For all her feisty nature, Taec found her attractive to a disturbing degree. Rebekah Kim could have stepped out of a gentlemen fantasy catalog with her feline eyes and deadly curves. More than that, he knows she has a good heart and despite of the strong, independent exterior, this girl has a feminine side that makes him want to protect her from all the bad things in the world. “Glad we can settle this down. By the way, I have a favor to ask.” replied Taec while watching how Bekah slowly backed away to the further corner of her room like a deer trying to run away from a predator. “So do I. But you go first.” said Bekah. “My aunt invited us for a dinner at her house tonight. Do you think you can make it?” Taecyeon had his fingers crossing behind his back, not because he badly wanted her to agree but merely to save himself from making excuses to his aunt, for the millionth times. “Tonight?”, she repeated. Taecyeon nodded. “I actually already have a plan.” “Please…this is gonna be the last time I ask, I promise.” He joined his palms together and knelt down right beside her bed. Every so often she really wanted to hate him for being so charming. “Fine, I guess I can reschedule.” “Thank you, thank you!!! You’re the best! Be ready at seven, I’ll meet you downstairs.” said Taecyeon with a content smile on his face while making his way to the door. “Oh, and what favor you were about to ask me?”, he turned around before completely gone.  “Please wear something else around the house.” replied Bekah while signaling his white undershirt and distressed Mickey Mouse short. He shrugged, “What’s wrong with these?”  “They’re…strange looking.” Bekah pretended not to see his smooth skin and hard rock abs as he carelessly lifted that cotton fabric. The look on Taec’s face showed that he knew that was not the case and she wish she could wipe that wicked smirk off of his face.  “And by strange you mean distracting, right?” He sounded vicious. “Now tell me in all honesty, did you by any chance feel threaten by me?” “Don’t be ridiculous.” She scoffed. “So you are not afraid if I do this?” He marched across the room with only a few steps and stopped right in front of her. As he expected, she flinched and backed away even more. You are such a terrible liar, Bekah. He wanted to tease her more but up close she looked very tired and he knew they have to get ready if they wanted to make it to that dinner. “Alright, anything you want, Princess. But I only wear these because the house is always chilly. Wait around until summer months, I’ll wear nothing so you can look all you want.”   “Go away Taec,” Bekah scorned and turned around to conceal her red face. “…and please stop calling me that !!!”, she yelled right at the moment Taec closed the door. ************************************* “Finally I see some good choice coming from you, son.” A middle age man shook Bekah’s hand firmly. With his neatly ironed shirt under a sporty blazer and an shiny gold Rolex, it wasn’t hard for Bekah to guess that he is a businessman. A successful one. His merciless firm handshake and a pair of razor-sharp eyes, in which clearly where Taecyeon inherited his from, did intimidate her a little. She looked up and caught a glimpse of Taec’s expression turning cold.  “It’s good to see you, Dad.” He nodded at his old man. ”And you look great, Mom. How are you?” He then proceed to hug a small middle age woman, who unlike her husband, looked anything but intimidating. She even hugged Bekah and caressed her cheek while complementing how pretty she is.  While the family was catching up, Bekah looked around to admire the house Taecyeon’s aunt lives in. The size is immensely too big for one person but the woman obviously acquires a good taste when it comes to art and it definitely shows with her interior selection. The ivory colored marble tiles, sandy birch pillars supporting each corners and its high ceilings made her living room look like Caesar’s chamber. Bekah followed everyone who moved and sat down in front of a long table with romantic floral table runner over its satin cloth that was placed out in the patio, enjoying a night breeze under the starry sky. The weather has been a lot nicer these past couple of days and tonight Bekah could get away with her off shoulder black cocktail dress and black stockings.  She whispered when Taec was dragging a chair out for her to sit. “You didn’t tell me your parents would be here.” Taecyeon ignored her and smiled politely at his aunt who was watching from the other side of the table. They were sitting next to Taec’s distant relative with a teenage son. Taec’s parents and his aunt sat across from them, chatting and stealing glances at Bekah, who became more and more nervous.  “I’m sorry honey, I was just telling them how you admired one of my work on my opening night.” said Taec’s aunt while enjoying her food. ”You have to see how focused she was, she didn’t even move. Taec had to come and fetch her.” “Forgive him, Rebekah. A gentleman should have never left your side. But what do you expect, with the kind of lifestyle these kids nowadays have, hmm?” Suddenly Taec’s dad spoke while cutting his steak. Bekah was a little confused by his remark and saw Taec’s jaw clenched albeit his careless gesture. “Oh, it’s not like that,” she replied. “I’m sure. Now tell me, are you an art major?” “I was, yes, but I didn’t continue my study.” “Why not?” “I came here.” “For what?” “Dad, why are you interrogating her?” Taecyeon suddenly cut in. “It’s ok, Taec.” replied Bekah, automatically smiled at him before answering his dad. “Working. But someday I wouldn’t mind going back to school to get a degree.” “That’s wise. Education is the most important thing, I know that for a fact. I just wish more people would realize it and not making a mistake in their lives.” “David, please…” Taec’s aunt called out her brother with a worried look on her face. Bekah didn’t understand clearly what he meant but she knew he was hinting at something that has grown in that family.  “If there’s anything you would like to say to me, Dad…please, just say it.”  “Can we not talk about this tonight? Please?” His aunt cut in again, waving her steak knife around like a fairy wand. “No, Regina, because in fact, yes I do have something I needed to tell him.” He wiped his mouth with a napkin before addressing his speech. “I’m sick of watching you wasting your time with this mumbo jumbo thing of yours you chose to do. I could not believe you left everything you had for this. All those books I showed you when you were little, all the speech I taught you? Went down the drain. And for what? Fame? Girls? Whatever you call yourself, an idol, I’m not buying it. What do you expect to do in 10 years to come? How are you gonna feed your family?” “Dad, I am not going to be a businessman just because YOU are. It’s never been my dream. I’m sorry if I disappointed you, but this mumbo jumbo paid my bills. I have been on my own ever since, never asked anything from you and mom again. Why can’t you just be happy for me, at least for that?” “How can I be happy if I always hear about you and reputation floating around the media? This image you created, I don’t even know you anymore, Son.” “I don’t think you ever knew me at all, Dad.” Everyone else in that table chose to look at their plates instead of the two hot-headed male arguing. “To be honest, Rebekah, I was quite surprised to see you here. He never brought girls home before. Perhaps it’s because you’re better than those girls on TV he happened to associate with.” The old man spoke again after an awkward silence. “Dad you’re out of line. Come, Bek…let’s go. We don’t need to listen to this.” Taecyeon’s face turned red. He rose from his seat and pulled Bekah’s hand. She also stood up but resisted to leave. “Wait, Taec”, she talked low. “Sir, I’m here because he’s my friend, not because I’m better than anyone. They are hard working people who carry big dreams in their shoes every single day, so I found it’s a little bit unfair for you to judge and generalize them the way you did. I know it’s not my place to say this, but whatever reputation he has, Taecyeon is a really, genuinely, good person. I hope someday you can see that because you are missing out. A lot.” replied Bekah calmly. “Sorry if I offended you, but I don’t think you know what you’re talking about, child.” he insolently replied. “Oh, yes I do. I’m one of those girls on TV he happens to associate with.” said Bekah before turning to his aunt and politely excused herself, “The food was really great, thank you for inviting me.” “I knew I’ve seen her before!” The teenage boy suddenly shrieked from his seat while everyone else had their tongue tied. Neither Taec nor Bekah said anything until they were halfway driving to their house. She waited until his fingers weren’t grabbing the steeling wheel as if his life defended on it. “Are you ok?” “Yeah, I’m fine.”, answered Taec. “I don’t get how your dad can be-“ “An asshole?” said Taec, he glanced and smiled at her. Bekah laughed and corrected him, “No, close-minded. You are the asshole.” Taec chuckled, “He’s always been that way, thinks he knows what’s best for everyone. He got it from my grandpa, if you remember when I told you about my aunt. Runs in the family.” “But you’re not like him.” “Thank God, right?” Bekah laughed. “Hey, I’m sorry that you have to witness that……mess. I had no idea they were gonna be there, I suspected my aunt just wanted me to see them since it’s been a while.” “It’s alright. I do feel somewhat guilty for talking back tho, he’s your parent after all.” “You shouldn’t. No one ever dared talk back at him like that, it’ll do him good, trust me.” Bekah silenced and watched the houses moving fast outside in the dark. Being in the car with Taecyeon and having to resist her urge to look at him has not been easy. Especially now that he suddenly slowed down, reached out to find her hand. “Thank you, for what you said back there.” He clasped his palm with hers and gently rubbed his thumb on her inner wrist. She nervously panted, “Don’t mention it. I was partly defending myself anyway.” Please stop rubbing my hand that way, Taec. “So you really think I’m a good person huh?” His smile was more radiant than usual, luckily Bekah was too nervous to see it. “Good enough, I guess.” “For who? For you?” She laughed and finally found the courage to gaze at him from her seat, “Never.”  Taecyeon turned to see her and was stunned at how ravishing she looked, the way street lamp hit her figure and that hypnotic scent he got a whiff of every time her hair moved in certain way.  “God I want to kiss you so bad right now.” He grunted. Her smile immediately wiped off and she looked away, “I don’t think that’s a good idea. We agreed on this, remember?” “You’re right, I’m sorry.”  Ok Taecyeon, you are such an idiot, his mind scolded him. ”I wasn’t suggesting or anything. I was just…..yeah.” He mouthed some random words that Bekah couldn’t really catch. The rest of the drive went pretty quiet. They reached home and walked side by side. When Bekah was going to walk the stairs Taecyeon stopped her. “Wait, I have a surprise for you.” “A surprise?”  “I know it’s been really hard for you, with the break up and everything, so I figured you could use some distraction.” said Taec while guiding her to a room under the stairway with a closed door. “Is this your polite way of saying that I need to lose weight?” Bekah asked in suspicion.  “What?” He seemed confused. She pointed at the door, “Isn’t this your work-out room?” “Oh…no no, I moved those stuffs already.” “I see. So what’s in there? Oh….don’t tell me you’ve invited Wooyoung to live with us !!!” “Wooyoung? No! Why would I do that?”  “I don’t know…he sort of hates me.” “He doesn’t hate you, what are you talking about? Anyway just go and look already !” He hastened her. Bekah swung the door open and found a big canvas placed in front of the window right where the moonlight hits, along with a full set of oil paints and brushes waiting for her by the table. “Oh Taec.” “You told my aunt you’ve never tried to paint seriously,” Taec shrugged, “-whatever that means. It’s never late to start. Hope I picked the right stuff.”  She walked closer and touched everything. Her eyes reflected her appreciation. “Thank you, but you really need to stop giving me gifts okay? I wouldn’t know how to return it.”  “It’s not a gift.” “No? So what is it?”, she asked while walking towards him.  Taec shook his head. “A trade.” “Trade…for what?” Bekah’s eyebrows scrunched. “Well you can start by letting me be your first model…” So it is a gift, she wondered and smiled inside. ”Who said I would ever want to sketch a nude model?!” said Bekah while jokingly punching his upper arm.  “Jesus Christ, who said it would be nude at all? But sure, I could always compromise my moral standard for your eternal happiness, if that’s what you were planning.” He then let out a big laughter while trying to dodge her serious punches. “That’s not what I meant !!!”, she roared. “Sure it ain’t. Anyway, I’m gonna go to bed. Good night, Bek.” He released himself and patted her head. “Taec?” He turned around at the end of the stairs “Hmm?” “Why are you being so nice to me? You know if you want to crush me and make me get out of this house, this is probably the best time to do it.” “I know, but that’s not how I like to play my game.” He winked at her and continued walking upstairs. 

Chapter 10

Bekah yawned as her long legs wandered through the small corridors of a familiar TV station. Her big bugsy glasses hid her swollen eyes and covered half of her face, no intention of sharing the mark of her problem with the world especially at such early time in the morning.

She squinted and grumbled at a lamp near vending machines that was a tad too bright. She knew she was late. She literally had to drag herself out of the bed this morning and left the house without washing her hair. Her bad mood multiplied when her car was stuck in a traffic for almost half an hour and a reckless motorcycle cut her off at some turn near the studio. She just wanted to sleep in the whole day and disappear beneath her blanket. But no, of course she couldn’t. She was forced to grow up as soon as she committed to join her group. Her personal feelings had to be put aside, perfection was required. The more you look less like a human, the better. 

Bekah is fat.

Bekah can’t speak Korean.

Bekah…who?

Every bad experience she’s had suddenly popped up while she was waiting for a red light turning green. It was so much hurtful back then. Today she’s pretty much immune to criticism. Even those nasty words thrown at her in the hate letters couldn’t make her cry anymore. But this morning it felt like her patience had worn out. For the first time she is tired being an idol. 

Bekah was too drown in her own little world, she didn’t see someone was going in her direction at one dark corner that is supposed to take her to After School’s dressing room. She bumped into him and felt a warm coffee pouring on the front of her shirt. 

“What the f-?!” She cussed and frantically wiped some of them off and took a wrinkle piece of tissue from her pocket. “Watch it, will you?!”

“Oh I’m so sorry!” 

Great, just what I needed.

She was about to explode at him right there and then, so she continued walking without even looking at his face.

“Hey, I said I’m sorry!”, he yelled at her back.

She waved thoughtlessly and vanished through the door with her band name written on it.

“Here she is!!! We almost thought you were never gonna come! Why are you wearing sunnies indoor?” Kahi grabbed her arm as soon as she appeared. “Eww sticky! Did you bathe in coffee or something?”

Bekah faked a smile and the older girl knew something was up, but being a long time friend, she also knew when not to ask question. Bekah then made her way to the nearest stool and sat herself down, catching a cringe from the makeup artist who quickly grabbed a concealer palette as soon as the sunglasses was off. Once their filming ended, her friends circled around and demanded a story. Bekah told them about the whole Nick situation.

“There is someone else… That’s all he told you? Did he say who?!” snapped Jung Ah.

“I’d rather not know.” Bekah muttered. “I just wished he never led me on and showered me with all the sweet talk about our future together and-“

“Wait, you mean like, getting engaged?”

Bekah huffed, her fingers thoughtlessly played with her cardigan’s button. “Yeah. He said he was gonna finish his school and ask for my mom’s permission. I told him he was silly tho, I mean…with my contract and me living here, it’s just not possible.” She ironically chuckled, “Heh, at least I don’t have to worry about that now, do I?” 

“THAT COW!” said Jung Ah loudly while exchanging glances with Kahi who looked as sympathetic. “Why did you even stay with him for years!?!”

“I’ve known him forever. I can’t imagine being with anyone else.”

At least she couldn’t until Taec had left the imprint of his lips on hers and ran his fingers on her body. Just thinking about it made Bekah’s head spin. Last night she fell asleep with so much guilt, wondering why he had to kiss her at the very night she was the most vulnerable.

I was just confused…nothing more, Bekah consoled herself.

“Were you in love?” asked Kahi abruptly.

“I was in…” Bekah left her words hanging. 

Was I? Honestly it took no psychological insight to finally realize how small Nick really meant to her. He wasn’t even in her thought when she decided to move to Korea to pursue her career. Perhaps she was the one who had wronged him all along and her tears last night were solely a closure to her own past. 

“…volved.”

Jooyeon, who sat right next to her, reached out and hugged her. “I hate to see you this way. You of all people deserve to be happy, Bekah.” She clung on Bekah’s arm and pouted, “Let’s get you a new man.”

Bekah chuckled at the ridiculous suggestion but her friend kept nodding enthusiastically like one of those bobble head dogs she had on her car’s dashboard. “You’re joking, right? I can’t just get myself a new man.” replied Bekah.

“Why not?”

“No, it’s actually a great idea. Finding a new guy is the best cure of a broken heart.” Jung Ah said it with so much confidence, the rest of the girls started smiling and daunting Bekah with their caring eyes.

“Careful tho, rebound is a tricky business.” said Kahi, who surprisingly also seemed supportive. “Now we just have to find the lucky guy to make her forget about Nick.”

Bekah gulped, she couldn’t look her friends in the eye and told them that she already kissed another guy a couple hours after being dumped. She knew living with Taec had made her do things she would have never imagined doing and she wasn’t sure if she likes what she’s become. I can’t stay too much longer in that house. I need to get out before I lose myself. But…how?

“Or we can just wait until a handsome man falls from heaven and saves her like a knight in shining armor.” convinced Jooyeon, causing laughters including Bekah’s.

The manager called them and said the van were ready to take them back to their dorm, Bekah followed the others and headed out. She saw Kahi greeted someone as well as the other girls, Bekah automatically followed and bowed but surprisingly the person stopped right in front of her. 

“Am I forgiven?”

“I’m sorry?” Bekah looked up to find Jay Park was the owner of the voice.

“I spilled coffee on some grumpy girl this morning. It was you, wasn’t it?” He pointed at her stained shirt.

She instantly covered it with her cardigan, ignoring the puzzled looks from her friends. Oh crap, I was being rude to him. I WAS RUDE TO JAY PARK. “Yeah…unfortunately. I-I’m sorry about how I reacted earlier. That was so untypical of me.”

“Terrible morning?”

She rolled her eyes, “The worst.”

“Hmm.” Jay nodded as if he understood. Bekah wished he would just forget it and moved along, but apparently this guy did not care that everyone had gone mute to hear their conversation. “Well, I apologize for contributing to your unfortunate morning, is there any way I can make it up to you?” He grinned.

“No, it’s okay.” She replied but soon feeling Jooyeon’s elbow nudging her back. “Y-yes. I mean, yes.”

Jay seemed surprised but entertained at the same time. “Which one?”, he asked. 

“Yes, there is. You could maybe…buy me coffee?” Bekah was pretty sure her voice trembled.

“Mmm..coffee for coffee. I like that. It’s like Braveheart.”

“What?”

“Nothing. Here, type your number in, I’ll contact you.” He handed her his cellphone and when she’s done, he waved and nodded to everyone else who suddenly acted like they were doing something else but eavesdropping.

“Bekah, what the hell just happened?” Jung Ah hurried in to interrogate.

She answered and slyly smiled at Jooyeon, ”A knight in shining armor fell down from heaven.” 

*************************************

“Are you decent?” Taecyeon knocked twice on Bekah’s half-opened door, covering his eyes with his own hand. He secretly peeked from under and caught a glimpse of her standing, looking out the window. Her body language was unreadable. 

“Yeah, what’s up?” Bekah turned around and fixed her droopy shirt on her shoulder. She casually smiled at him but Taec caught her eyes blinking a little faster than usual.

She is nervous. He surprised himself realizing how detailed he knows about her nowadays with only a couple of months living together.

He walked in, this is his first time being in Bekah’s room and as he would have guessed, it smelled just like her; warm and intriguing. His wandering eyes saw a picture frame on a night stand with her and a younger girl in it. They look a like, must be her sister, he wondered. A stack of paper with drawings on them were scattered on the table behind Bekah but before Taec could see clearer, she gathered them in a sudden move and shoved everything in the top drawer.

He cleared his throat. “About last night…”

“I know what you were going to say.” Bekah interrupted.

Surprised, his left eyebrow arched. “You do?”

She nodded. ”Part of it was definitely my fault. I was caught in the moment and we both knew it was a mistake. I can assure you it’ll never happen again, don’t worry.”

“Did you rehearse that?” asked Taec.

A little bit. “No.” lied Bekah.

“Right…”

He felt a little disappointed although what she said was true. Coming out from her lips, those words did sound harsher than he thought they would. He was up all night thinking of ways to apologize to her while trying not to stab himself in the neck for making such bold moves at the worst time. But he was just following his gut. His cursed, primitive gut. 

For all her feisty nature, Taec found her attractive to a disturbing degree. Rebekah Kim could have stepped out of a gentlemen fantasy catalog with her feline eyes and deadly curves. More than that, he knows she has a good heart and despite of the strong, independent exterior, this girl has a feminine side that makes him want to protect her from all the bad things in the world.

“Glad we can settle this down. By the way, I have a favor to ask.” replied Taec while watching how Bekah slowly backed away to the further corner of her room like a deer trying to run away from a predator.

“So do I. But you go first.” said Bekah.

“My aunt invited us for a dinner at her house tonight. Do you think you can make it?” Taecyeon had his fingers crossing behind his back, not because he badly wanted her to agree but merely to save himself from making excuses to his aunt, for the millionth times.

“Tonight?”, she repeated.

Taecyeon nodded.

“I actually already have a plan.”

“Please…this is gonna be the last time I ask, I promise.” He joined his palms together and knelt down right beside her bed. Every so often she really wanted to hate him for being so charming.

“Fine, I guess I can reschedule.”

“Thank you, thank you!!! You’re the best! Be ready at seven, I’ll meet you downstairs.” said Taecyeon with a content smile on his face while making his way to the door. “Oh, and what favor you were about to ask me?”, he turned around before completely gone. 

“Please wear something else around the house.” replied Bekah while signaling his white undershirt and distressed Mickey Mouse short.

He shrugged, “What’s wrong with these?” 

“They’re…strange looking.” Bekah pretended not to see his smooth skin and hard rock abs as he carelessly lifted that cotton fabric. The look on Taec’s face showed that he knew that was not the case and she wish she could wipe that wicked smirk off of his face. 

“And by strange you mean distracting, right?” He sounded vicious. “Now tell me in all honesty, did you by any chance feel threaten by me?”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” She scoffed.

“So you are not afraid if I do this?” He marched across the room with only a few steps and stopped right in front of her. As he expected, she flinched and backed away even more. You are such a terrible liar, Bekah.

He wanted to tease her more but up close she looked very tired and he knew they have to get ready if they wanted to make it to that dinner. “Alright, anything you want, Princess. But I only wear these because the house is always chilly. Wait around until summer months, I’ll wear nothing so you can look all you want.”  

“Go away Taec,” Bekah scorned and turned around to conceal her red face. “…and please stop calling me that !!!”, she yelled right at the moment Taec closed the door.

*************************************

“Finally I see some good choice coming from you, son.” A middle age man shook Bekah’s hand firmly.

With his neatly ironed shirt under a sporty blazer and an shiny gold Rolex, it wasn’t hard for Bekah to guess that he is a businessman. A successful one. His merciless firm handshake and a pair of razor-sharp eyes, in which clearly where Taecyeon inherited his from, did intimidate her a little. She looked up and caught a glimpse of Taec’s expression turning cold. 

“It’s good to see you, Dad.” He nodded at his old man. ”And you look great, Mom. How are you?” He then proceed to hug a small middle age woman, who unlike her husband, looked anything but intimidating. She even hugged Bekah and caressed her cheek while complementing how pretty she is. 

While the family was catching up, Bekah looked around to admire the house Taecyeon’s aunt lives in. The size is immensely too big for one person but the woman obviously acquires a good taste when it comes to art and it definitely shows with her interior selection. The ivory colored marble tiles, sandy birch pillars supporting each corners and its high ceilings made her living room look like Caesar’s chamber. Bekah followed everyone who moved and sat down in front of a long table with romantic floral table runner over its satin cloth that was placed out in the patio, enjoying a night breeze under the starry sky. The weather has been a lot nicer these past couple of days and tonight Bekah could get away with her off shoulder black cocktail dress and black stockings. 

She whispered when Taec was dragging a chair out for her to sit. “You didn’t tell me your parents would be here.”

Taecyeon ignored her and smiled politely at his aunt who was watching from the other side of the table. They were sitting next to Taec’s distant relative with a teenage son. Taec’s parents and his aunt sat across from them, chatting and stealing glances at Bekah, who became more and more nervous. 

“I’m sorry honey, I was just telling them how you admired one of my work on my opening night.” said Taec’s aunt while enjoying her food. ”You have to see how focused she was, she didn’t even move. Taec had to come and fetch her.”

“Forgive him, Rebekah. A gentleman should have never left your side. But what do you expect, with the kind of lifestyle these kids nowadays have, hmm?” Suddenly Taec’s dad spoke while cutting his steak. Bekah was a little confused by his remark and saw Taec’s jaw clenched albeit his careless gesture.

“Oh, it’s not like that,” she replied.

“I’m sure. Now tell me, are you an art major?”

“I was, yes, but I didn’t continue my study.”

“Why not?”

“I came here.”

“For what?”

“Dad, why are you interrogating her?” Taecyeon suddenly cut in.

“It’s ok, Taec.” replied Bekah, automatically smiled at him before answering his dad. “Working. But someday I wouldn’t mind going back to school to get a degree.”

“That’s wise. Education is the most important thing, I know that for a fact. I just wish more people would realize it and not making a mistake in their lives.”

“David, please…” Taec’s aunt called out her brother with a worried look on her face. Bekah didn’t understand clearly what he meant but she knew he was hinting at something that has grown in that family. 

“If there’s anything you would like to say to me, Dad…please, just say it.” 

“Can we not talk about this tonight? Please?” His aunt cut in again, waving her steak knife around like a fairy wand.

“No, Regina, because in fact, yes I do have something I needed to tell him.” He wiped his mouth with a napkin before addressing his speech.

“I’m sick of watching you wasting your time with this mumbo jumbo thing of yours you chose to do. I could not believe you left everything you had for this. All those books I showed you when you were little, all the speech I taught you? Went down the drain. And for what? Fame? Girls? Whatever you call yourself, an idol, I’m not buying it. What do you expect to do in 10 years to come? How are you gonna feed your family?”

“Dad, I am not going to be a businessman just because YOU are. It’s never been my dream. I’m sorry if I disappointed you, but this mumbo jumbo paid my bills. I have been on my own ever since, never asked anything from you and mom again. Why can’t you just be happy for me, at least for that?”

“How can I be happy if I always hear about you and reputation floating around the media? This image you created, I don’t even know you anymore, Son.”

“I don’t think you ever knew me at all, Dad.”

Everyone else in that table chose to look at their plates instead of the two hot-headed male arguing.

“To be honest, Rebekah, I was quite surprised to see you here. He never brought girls home before. Perhaps it’s because you’re better than those girls on TV he happened to associate with.” The old man spoke again after an awkward silence.

“Dad you’re out of line. Come, Bek…let’s go. We don’t need to listen to this.” Taecyeon’s face turned red. He rose from his seat and pulled Bekah’s hand. She also stood up but resisted to leave. “Wait, Taec”, she talked low.

“Sir, I’m here because he’s my friend, not because I’m better than anyone. They are hard working people who carry big dreams in their shoes every single day, so I found it’s a little bit unfair for you to judge and generalize them the way you did. I know it’s not my place to say this, but whatever reputation he has, Taecyeon is a really, genuinely, good person. I hope someday you can see that because you are missing out. A lot.” replied Bekah calmly.

“Sorry if I offended you, but I don’t think you know what you’re talking about, child.” he insolently replied.

“Oh, yes I do. I’m one of those girls on TV he happens to associate with.” said Bekah before turning to his aunt and politely excused herself, “The food was really great, thank you for inviting me.”

“I knew I’ve seen her before!” The teenage boy suddenly shrieked from his seat while everyone else had their tongue tied.

Neither Taec nor Bekah said anything until they were halfway driving to their house. She waited until his fingers weren’t grabbing the steeling wheel as if his life defended on it. “Are you ok?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.”, answered Taec.

“I don’t get how your dad can be-“

“An asshole?” said Taec, he glanced and smiled at her.

Bekah laughed and corrected him, “No, close-minded. You are the asshole.”

Taec chuckled, “He’s always been that way, thinks he knows what’s best for everyone. He got it from my grandpa, if you remember when I told you about my aunt. Runs in the family.”

“But you’re not like him.”

“Thank God, right?”

Bekah laughed.

“Hey, I’m sorry that you have to witness that……mess. I had no idea they were gonna be there, I suspected my aunt just wanted me to see them since it’s been a while.”

“It’s alright. I do feel somewhat guilty for talking back tho, he’s your parent after all.”

“You shouldn’t. No one ever dared talk back at him like that, it’ll do him good, trust me.”

Bekah silenced and watched the houses moving fast outside in the dark. Being in the car with Taecyeon and having to resist her urge to look at him has not been easy. Especially now that he suddenly slowed down, reached out to find her hand.

“Thank you, for what you said back there.” He clasped his palm with hers and gently rubbed his thumb on her inner wrist.

She nervously panted, “Don’t mention it. I was partly defending myself anyway.” Please stop rubbing my hand that way, Taec.

“So you really think I’m a good person huh?” His smile was more radiant than usual, luckily Bekah was too nervous to see it.

“Good enough, I guess.”

“For who? For you?”

She laughed and finally found the courage to gaze at him from her seat, “Never.” 

Taecyeon turned to see her and was stunned at how ravishing she looked, the way street lamp hit her figure and that hypnotic scent he got a whiff of every time her hair moved in certain way. 

“God I want to kiss you so bad right now.” He grunted.

Her smile immediately wiped off and she looked away, “I don’t think that’s a good idea. We agreed on this, remember?”

“You’re right, I’m sorry.”  Ok Taecyeon, you are such an idiot, his mind scolded him. ”I wasn’t suggesting or anything. I was just…..yeah.” He mouthed some random words that Bekah couldn’t really catch. The rest of the drive went pretty quiet. They reached home and walked side by side. When Bekah was going to walk the stairs Taecyeon stopped her.

“Wait, I have a surprise for you.”

“A surprise?” 

“I know it’s been really hard for you, with the break up and everything, so I figured you could use some distraction.” said Taec while guiding her to a room under the stairway with a closed door.

“Is this your polite way of saying that I need to lose weight?” Bekah asked in suspicion. 

“What?” He seemed confused.

She pointed at the door, “Isn’t this your work-out room?”

“Oh…no no, I moved those stuffs already.”

“I see. So what’s in there? Oh….don’t tell me you’ve invited Wooyoung to live with us !!!”

“Wooyoung? No! Why would I do that?” 

“I don’t know…he sort of hates me.”

“He doesn’t hate you, what are you talking about? Anyway just go and look already !” He hastened her.

Bekah swung the door open and found a big canvas placed in front of the window right where the moonlight hits, along with a full set of oil paints and brushes waiting for her by the table. “Oh Taec.”

“You told my aunt you’ve never tried to paint seriously,” Taec shrugged, “-whatever that means. It’s never late to start. Hope I picked the right stuff.” 

She walked closer and touched everything. Her eyes reflected her appreciation. “Thank you, but you really need to stop giving me gifts okay? I wouldn’t know how to return it.” 

“It’s not a gift.”

“No? So what is it?”, she asked while walking towards him. 

Taec shook his head. “A trade.”

“Trade…for what?” Bekah’s eyebrows scrunched.

“Well you can start by letting me be your first model…”

So it is a gift, she wondered and smiled inside. ”Who said I would ever want to sketch a nude model?!” said Bekah while jokingly punching his upper arm. 

“Jesus Christ, who said it would be nude at all? But sure, I could always compromise my moral standard for your eternal happiness, if that’s what you were planning.” He then let out a big laughter while trying to dodge her serious punches.

“That’s not what I meant !!!”, she roared.

“Sure it ain’t. Anyway, I’m gonna go to bed. Good night, Bek.” He released himself and patted her head.

“Taec?”

He turned around at the end of the stairs “Hmm?”

“Why are you being so nice to me? You know if you want to crush me and make me get out of this house, this is probably the best time to do it.”

“I know, but that’s not how I like to play my game.”

He winked at her and continued walking upstairs. 

1 year ago  6 notes View high resolution View comments

Chapter 9 “Video log, first entry, Ok Taecyeon.” Taec stretched his arms out and rested his back against the sofa cushion. He just got a phone call from the producer and asked him to make a confession video since he’s never done one so far. Bekah was still out so he figured this would be the right time to do it without her eavesdropping. “Where do I begin? It’s been a stressful week, you know that feeling when you are so tired, you close your eyes for two seconds, and when you wake up it turns out you have missed the whole day? This is just like it, except I’m sleeping with my eyes opened.” He sighed. “You see…me and Bekah aren’t always in a good term. I don’t know what it is, but something about her brings out the bad side of me. I’m always edgy, frustrated, I even yelled at her the other day…and I’ve never yelled at any girl before. And the worst part is I couldn’t seem to brush off the guilt, no matter how hard I tried. I knew I shouldn’t have felt this bad, since she also played her part. I don’t know man, it’s playing with my head and it’s driving me nuts.” Taecyeon scratched his head, his body seemed more relaxed now. Being able to say it out loud seemed to help releasing his frustration. A faint smile bloomed when he suddenly remembered how Bekah laughed under his arm, begging to be released. Her laughter wiped all his anger off towards her and she didn’t even try. She wanted to humiliate him, yet he left with the biggest grin in his face, probably the only time he actually felt like smiling genuinely for the past two weeks. “This is gonna be hard for me because I do want to win and get out of this house. But at the same time I have to be smart and not work myself out just to survive living with her. I mean, Bekah is a nice girl, please don’t get me wrong, however if I keep thinking about how great she is, how would it work for me?” He restrained himself from being totally honest and said “I actually enjoy her company” because if this tape goes on air, she –or one of her friends– would see it,  such weakness might backfire in the future and he should never allow it to happen. “Anyway, that’s all for now. I’m still uh, sticking with the plan. We’ll see how it goes.” And with his last word, he rose up and turned off the camera. The clock pointed at number 7 and the sky had fallen dark, but still no sight of Bekah. He contemplated calling her to ask if she would be out late but he hesitated as soon as he saw her number in his cell. What if she thinks I’m annoying? With such presumption he decided not to and marched to the bathroom, planning to use Bekah’s bubble bath and have some relaxation of his own, he knows he deserves it.  ***************************************** Bekah couldn’t believe how happy she was when her phone rang. She knew it was from Nick and now she deeply wished she didn’t sound too cheerful at her Hello. She couldn’t really remember how she got home because her mind was somewhere else.  She remembered the house was already dark when she opened the front gate, which made her feel relieved that she wouldn’t have to face Taecyeon with her swollen eyes. She couldn’t face anybody at this state. She dragged herself upstairs and sniffed her stuffy nose along the way. The corridor had such a dim light with only a hallway lamp on at the end of the alley. She was about to enter her bedroom when the door across from her swung open. She turned around and saw Taecyeon at the door staring at her only with a towel on, his hair was dripping wet. She blinked twice t­­o make sure she wasn’t seeing things. Bekah always knew her roommate is a catch, she caught a glimpse whenever his ad was on TV or when her friends talked about him like he was some kind of Adonis. She tried to block all those inappropriate thought but her stupid act that morning made her experience something which unfortunately, was proven right about Taecyeon. She remembered his bulked-up chest straining against the fabric of his shirt under her touch and it made her throat dry. She thought she had no recollection of such memory anymore, but apparently her brain managed to nail that view in the back of her brain and made sure that it would be easily retrieved at the right moment. And right now is the right moment as he was standing a couple of feet from her, completely topless with his shoulders which were about the width of a small bus. She prayed that Taecyeon would be embarrassed and run to his room right away, but the universe was mean to her tonight so he did what she feared he would, “Bek, have you been crying?” asked Taecyeon as he stepped closer to check on her. A sudden fragrant explosion filled up her nose; she was scared to look at him. She only murmured while looking down, which turned out to be a terrible idea because her eyes were presented by his rock-hard abs and a cotton towel gathered around his waist. “Look at me, what’s wrong?” He reached out and lifted her chin to make their eyes meet. She could not escape. There she was being examined while looking like train-wreck with her swollen eyes and her runny nose. His eyebrows scrunched and a worried look started to show on his face. “Bekah? Talk to me, are you ok? Did something happen to you?” She wanted to lie but his eyes and the tone of his voice made her trust him. She took a deep breath before moving her lips, “H-he… he cheated on me.” “Who?”  “My boyfriend.” She weeped.  “Oh, I’m so sorry.” Taecyeon heaved a sigh, pulling Bekah in and hugged her. At first he felt her body tensed up but as soon as he caressed her back, she gave up and cried on his chest. The more she cried the angrier he gets. Something inside his chest made him want to hurt whoever bastard that broke her heart. The feeling felt so foreign to him, it’s more than jealousy, It’s more than protection. He rested his chin on the top of her head, their heights made it seem like they were meant to do so. When Bekah finally calmed down and wiped her tears, she released herself from Taecyeon because she was getting too comfortable. “Sorry I cried on you, I saw you just showered.” She tried to wipe the smudge eyeliner off of Taec’s chest. “Don’t worry. Hey, do you wanna talk about it?” Bekah shook her head, “Somehow I saw this coming, I just didn’t think it would be this soon.” “Whatever it is, you know it’s his loss, right?” said Taec, his eyes were still trying to read Bekah’s expression as if he was scared she might break down and cry again. Bekah chuckled but in his ears it sounded like a scoff. She mumbled I don’t know about that and her eyes looked defeated while she lowered her chin. What happened next was still regretted by both parties to this date, but it was merely Taec’s fault for making the first move. He just couldn’t help watching her losing self-respect because a moron cheated on her. The fire he’s seen in her eyes whenever she picked a fight with him wasn’t there today and for some strange reason, he couldn’t take it. He knew she deserved more than that; she deserves to be happy, and to be alive. He raised her chin up with his finger until their eyes locked. The hazy eyes that spoke thousands words were still watery and her lips parted. He leaned closer, near enough to feel the warmth of his breath on her hair. “Rebekah…” his cold index finger ran across her hot cheek. Bekah tried to force her heart to slow its rapid pace, striving for the same nonchalance Taec obviously felt about his casually endearing touch on her skin. She didn’t succeed. Her pulse still raced, her breaths grew fast and uneven. She couldn’t tear her gaze away from the strong, deeply tanned fingers starkly outlined under the dim hallway light.    Then without asking permission, he leaned over and found her lips. He wasn’t sure how it happened but there were one of those nights that he actually dreamt about doing this to her, and in his dream she already tasted so sweet. But this feels much better, he thought as he tilted his head and kissed the taste out of her mouth. Bekah let out a soft moan which to his ears didn’t sound like a rejection. Her back was against the wall and she placed her hands on his waist, resting on that gap between his bare skin and the towel. He then pulled back and opened his eyes, the woman in front of him seemed surprise by his sudden reaction. She blasted her eyes opened and Taec saw the flame is finally back in there. But she wasn’t angry. She was on fire. For him. Proud of his achievement, he smiled and snuck his right hand behind her head, to kiss her again. This time it was more than gentle, thrusting his tongue against hers wildly as she tangled her fingers in the hair behind his ear. Taec instinctively dropped his hand, reaching for the round curves of her derriere he’d been admiring since they met. Cupping those curves, he savored the softness, squeezing her lightly. She gasped and glared at him with the lustful eyes and swollen lips. He knew she stopped because either he squeezed too hard, or she felt how much he physically wanted her. “Taec- I…I think we should stop.” Bekah’s voice sounded raspy and unsure. As bad as he would love to lift her up, bring her to his room and shut down all the cameras, he knew it was dangerous. She was too fragile to make any decision and he could never forgive himself for taking advantage from her. “You’re right. I’m sorry.” He reluctantly moved back and ran his fingers through his hair, waiting for her to say something. The deafening silence grew between them and they could hear their heavy breathing started returning to normal. “G’night.” She then whispered and turned around, almost running to her room. He stared at the blank door for a minute before he finally returned to his room and sat on the bed, rewinding what just happened and having the mixed emotions running through his every single brain cell. Little did he know, in the other room someone also did the same thing; only in her case, two line of tears formed again on her cheeks that still felt burning from his touch as she started sobbing quietly into the loneliest night. *****************************************

Chapter 9

“Video log, first entry, Ok Taecyeon.” Taec stretched his arms out and rested his back against the sofa cushion. He just got a phone call from the producer and asked him to make a confession video since he’s never done one so far. Bekah was still out so he figured this would be the right time to do it without her eavesdropping.

“Where do I begin? It’s been a stressful week, you know that feeling when you are so tired, you close your eyes for two seconds, and when you wake up it turns out you have missed the whole day? This is just like it, except I’m sleeping with my eyes opened.” He sighed.

“You see…me and Bekah aren’t always in a good term. I don’t know what it is, but something about her brings out the bad side of me. I’m always edgy, frustrated, I even yelled at her the other day…and I’ve never yelled at any girl before. And the worst part is I couldn’t seem to brush off the guilt, no matter how hard I tried. I knew I shouldn’t have felt this bad, since she also played her part. I don’t know man, it’s playing with my head and it’s driving me nuts.” Taecyeon scratched his head, his body seemed more relaxed now. Being able to say it out loud seemed to help releasing his frustration.

A faint smile bloomed when he suddenly remembered how Bekah laughed under his arm, begging to be released. Her laughter wiped all his anger off towards her and she didn’t even try. She wanted to humiliate him, yet he left with the biggest grin in his face, probably the only time he actually felt like smiling genuinely for the past two weeks.

“This is gonna be hard for me because I do want to win and get out of this house. But at the same time I have to be smart and not work myself out just to survive living with her. I mean, Bekah is a nice girl, please don’t get me wrong, however if I keep thinking about how great she is, how would it work for me?” He restrained himself from being totally honest and said “I actually enjoy her company” because if this tape goes on air, she –or one of her friends– would see it,  such weakness might backfire in the future and he should never allow it to happen.

“Anyway, that’s all for now. I’m still uh, sticking with the plan. We’ll see how it goes.” And with his last word, he rose up and turned off the camera.

The clock pointed at number 7 and the sky had fallen dark, but still no sight of Bekah. He contemplated calling her to ask if she would be out late but he hesitated as soon as he saw her number in his cell. What if she thinks I’m annoying? With such presumption he decided not to and marched to the bathroom, planning to use Bekah’s bubble bath and have some relaxation of his own, he knows he deserves it.

 *****************************************

Bekah couldn’t believe how happy she was when her phone rang. She knew it was from Nick and now she deeply wished she didn’t sound too cheerful at her Hello. She couldn’t really remember how she got home because her mind was somewhere else.  She remembered the house was already dark when she opened the front gate, which made her feel relieved that she wouldn’t have to face Taecyeon with her swollen eyes. She couldn’t face anybody at this state.

She dragged herself upstairs and sniffed her stuffy nose along the way. The corridor had such a dim light with only a hallway lamp on at the end of the alley. She was about to enter her bedroom when the door across from her swung open. She turned around and saw Taecyeon at the door staring at her only with a towel on, his hair was dripping wet. She blinked twice t­­o make sure she wasn’t seeing things.

Bekah always knew her roommate is a catch, she caught a glimpse whenever his ad was on TV or when her friends talked about him like he was some kind of Adonis. She tried to block all those inappropriate thought but her stupid act that morning made her experience something which unfortunately, was proven right about Taecyeon. She remembered his bulked-up chest straining against the fabric of his shirt under her touch and it made her throat dry. She thought she had no recollection of such memory anymore, but apparently her brain managed to nail that view in the back of her brain and made sure that it would be easily retrieved at the right moment. And right now is the right moment as he was standing a couple of feet from her, completely topless with his shoulders which were about the width of a small bus.

She prayed that Taecyeon would be embarrassed and run to his room right away, but the universe was mean to her tonight so he did what she feared he would,

“Bek, have you been crying?” asked Taecyeon as he stepped closer to check on her. A sudden fragrant explosion filled up her nose; she was scared to look at him. She only murmured while looking down, which turned out to be a terrible idea because her eyes were presented by his rock-hard abs and a cotton towel gathered around his waist.

“Look at me, what’s wrong?” He reached out and lifted her chin to make their eyes meet. She could not escape. There she was being examined while looking like train-wreck with her swollen eyes and her runny nose. His eyebrows scrunched and a worried look started to show on his face. “Bekah? Talk to me, are you ok? Did something happen to you?”

She wanted to lie but his eyes and the tone of his voice made her trust him. She took a deep breath before moving her lips, “H-he… he cheated on me.”

“Who?”

 “My boyfriend.” She weeped.

 “Oh, I’m so sorry.” Taecyeon heaved a sigh, pulling Bekah in and hugged her. At first he felt her body tensed up but as soon as he caressed her back, she gave up and cried on his chest. The more she cried the angrier he gets. Something inside his chest made him want to hurt whoever bastard that broke her heart. The feeling felt so foreign to him, it’s more than jealousy, It’s more than protection.

He rested his chin on the top of her head, their heights made it seem like they were meant to do so. When Bekah finally calmed down and wiped her tears, she released herself from Taecyeon because she was getting too comfortable. “Sorry I cried on you, I saw you just showered.” She tried to wipe the smudge eyeliner off of Taec’s chest.

“Don’t worry. Hey, do you wanna talk about it?”

Bekah shook her head, “Somehow I saw this coming, I just didn’t think it would be this soon.”

“Whatever it is, you know it’s his loss, right?” said Taec, his eyes were still trying to read Bekah’s expression as if he was scared she might break down and cry again.

Bekah chuckled but in his ears it sounded like a scoff. She mumbled I don’t know about that and her eyes looked defeated while she lowered her chin.

What happened next was still regretted by both parties to this date, but it was merely Taec’s fault for making the first move. He just couldn’t help watching her losing self-respect because a moron cheated on her. The fire he’s seen in her eyes whenever she picked a fight with him wasn’t there today and for some strange reason, he couldn’t take it. He knew she deserved more than that; she deserves to be happy, and to be alive.

He raised her chin up with his finger until their eyes locked. The hazy eyes that spoke thousands words were still watery and her lips parted. He leaned closer, near enough to feel the warmth of his breath on her hair. “Rebekah…” his cold index finger ran across her hot cheek. Bekah tried to force her heart to slow its rapid pace, striving for the same nonchalance Taec obviously felt about his casually endearing touch on her skin.

She didn’t succeed. Her pulse still raced, her breaths grew fast and uneven. She couldn’t tear her gaze away from the strong, deeply tanned fingers starkly outlined under the dim hallway light.   

Then without asking permission, he leaned over and found her lips. He wasn’t sure how it happened but there were one of those nights that he actually dreamt about doing this to her, and in his dream she already tasted so sweet. But this feels much better, he thought as he tilted his head and kissed the taste out of her mouth. Bekah let out a soft moan which to his ears didn’t sound like a rejection. Her back was against the wall and she placed her hands on his waist, resting on that gap between his bare skin and the towel.

He then pulled back and opened his eyes, the woman in front of him seemed surprise by his sudden reaction. She blasted her eyes opened and Taec saw the flame is finally back in there.

But she wasn’t angry. She was on fire.

For him.

Proud of his achievement, he smiled and snuck his right hand behind her head, to kiss her again. This time it was more than gentle, thrusting his tongue against hers wildly as she tangled her fingers in the hair behind his ear. Taec instinctively dropped his hand, reaching for the round curves of her derriere he’d been admiring since they met. Cupping those curves, he savored the softness, squeezing her lightly.

She gasped and glared at him with the lustful eyes and swollen lips. He knew she stopped because either he squeezed too hard, or she felt how much he physically wanted her. “Taec- I…I think we should stop.” Bekah’s voice sounded raspy and unsure.

As bad as he would love to lift her up, bring her to his room and shut down all the cameras, he knew it was dangerous. She was too fragile to make any decision and he could never forgive himself for taking advantage from her. “You’re right. I’m sorry.” He reluctantly moved back and ran his fingers through his hair, waiting for her to say something. The deafening silence grew between them and they could hear their heavy breathing started returning to normal.

“G’night.” She then whispered and turned around, almost running to her room. He stared at the blank door for a minute before he finally returned to his room and sat on the bed, rewinding what just happened and having the mixed emotions running through his every single brain cell. Little did he know, in the other room someone also did the same thing; only in her case, two line of tears formed again on her cheeks that still felt burning from his touch as she started sobbing quietly into the loneliest night.

*****************************************

1 year ago  9 notes View high resolution View comments

Chapter 8 “Bekah? What are you doing here?” “Hi, Taec.” she replied with the least amount of eagerness. The woman between them squeaked out of excitement, “You two know each other?!” “I would say we are more than just knowing, right Bekah darling?” Taec swiftly moved closer to his roommate who had a disapproval look on her face. “I thought you said you were going on a date.” Bekah sneered. “I thought you did too. Where is this date of yours?” he dragged his voice on the last word to annoy her. “I could ask the same thing.” she snarled.  “I’m afraid you’ve met her.” Taec signaled the only person Bekah has been talking to since she got here. Suddenly it all made sense for her; the flowers, the demanding tone over phone, the unwillingness. “Oh kiddo…is this the girl you talked about? The one with huge b-” “NO NO NO, not her, that one was just…..no one special.” Taec quickly shushed his aunt with his alarmed eyes. “So this one is someone special?” she looked at them back and forth, both Taecyeon and Bekah became speechless and ended up just giggling awkwardly. “Y-I mean, uhhh…Bek?” Taecyeon suddenly placed his hand on Bekah’s back and started rubbing it while looking right into her eyes. His touch sent a warm sensation to her freezing bare skin and Bekah couldn’t help but returning his gaze. For the first time ever, she could understand what Taecyeon was asking for without him even saying a word. “Well, we sort of live together.” She smiled and lightly punched his arm, “Right?” “That’s right!” Taec reciprocated and wrapped his arm around her. Bekah wiggled a little bit to make it less tight and unnatural. “My goodness, why didn’t you say so?” , maundered Taec’s aunt “I wouldn’t have asked him to come here with me if I knew he’s seeing you, I had no idea.” “Oh god no, me and Taec? Nah, we don’t -” Bekah suddenly saw Taecyeon mouthed Yes we do and nodded frantically. “- mind going out with other people on Saturday night. In fact, we always bring them over and do stuffs together. The more the merrier. We’re very…opened.” corrected Bekah but realized she had no idea what she was talking about. “You mean, like swingers?” Taec’s aunt seems confused and shocked at the same time. Taec, who just took another sip of wine, coughed and sputtered. “No no, not in that…..department,” Bekah blushed and nervously chuckled, “I mean, since we live together we can’t-“ “My lovely dear Aunt, don’t you have other people to impress? Other unfortunate couple to interrogate? Hmm?” Taecyeon cut Bekah’s explanation to save his own face from further embarrassment and sent his aunt the spoiled smile he’s mastered since he was a kid. “Alright, I get it. It’s none of my business. I shall leave you two alone and mingle with less interesting people.” She grabbed a glass of wine before stalking away.  As soon as the woman’s gone, Bekah nudged his rib to make their bodies less attached with one another. “Ouch! What was that for?” Taecyeon cringed. “You said couple.” “So what? Can’t you at least wait until we get home to hurt me? Geez Bek,” he started rubbing his hurting side, “Are you sure you weren’t born a man?” Bekah ignored his whining and faced him “Is there anything you’d like to tell me?” “Yeah, you’re the worst liar in the world !” replied Taec. “Oh I’m sorry, I forgot to practice the lie I’m supposed to say to cover your ass in any given time.” Bekah grumbled, “What was that all about? Why do you want her to get the impression that we are dating?” Taec sighed, “It’s just…she’s always been trying to set me up with these weird, high maintenance girls if she knew I was single and would not stop until she was convinced that I’m not making things up,” ”- which you are,” continued Bekah. “Yes, but since you’re already here and she seemed to like you, I figured why not. That way next week when she comes down to my mother’s house for Sunday brunch, she would finally stop complaining about how this showbiz world has turned me into some kind of womanizer.” She was about to laugh but then she saw his face and realized that he wasn’t joking. “I’m telling you the truth. Last year I had to borrow Wooyoung’s older sister to be my date because my aunt wouldn’t believe me unless she saw a flesh and blood.” “Fine, I believe you. It’s just…next time, please warn me in advance? As you said, I’m the worst liar in the world.” Taec nodded, his eyes warmed up when Bekah caught him staring at her, it made her blushed so she started talking again, “So….you came here with your aunt? Why didn’t you say so?” “Hey hey, at least I’m here with someone, alright?” He moved aside to a more private corner, Bekah followed him because their voices had invited a couple of fascinated eyes. “How did you know her, by the way? Did she invite you?” “Invite me? Why would she-” All of the sudden everything became clear for Bekah. “Oh no!” she slapped her forehead. “What?” Taec became interested as soon as he saw Bekah’s defeated face. “This is her exhibition, isn’t it?” “Of course.” answered Taec, “Couldn’t you acquire such information while you two were chatting?” Bekah shook her head and bit her lower lips. “Why am I so stupid I shouldn’t have said- argh…” “What’s wrong? What did you say?” “Well she asked me what I thought about this painting, and I just blabbered away,” Bekah exhaled, “And I’m afraid I might have offended her.” “Nah, I doubt it. Especially with this,” Taec pointed at the painting. “Really? Why?” “This is one of her oldest ones, I think she’s had it since I was in high school.  You see, my aunt lived in Europe most of her younger days, rebelling from my strict grandparents who wanted her to go to business school and marry one of their rich friend’s son. She settled in Italy and found her inspiration there, as you can see in all her work.” “So what’s the story with this painting?” asked Bekah. “I was about to go there if you didn’t cut me off.” Taec seemed impatient. “This is one of her earliest work and she’s been saying that she hated it and couldn’t care less about it anymore. She’s been trying to sell it for years but no luck.” Bekah glanced at the price and her jaw dropped to the floor, “Good graciousness, it costs an arm and a leg!!!” “Should have seen the rest…” Taec saw Bekah admiring the painting once again. “You really like it, huh?” “Yeah, it’s my favorite, although…” Bekah opened her mouth and stopped because she was unsure if she should continue. “Although what?” asked Taecyeon.  “I think…she is still holding on to this painting for a reason. I don’t think she hates it, or at least not consciously, and this picture bears a lot more than a painting for her. A past that always reminds her of what she was and who she loved.“ “Did you get that from half an hour talking to her? A whole story of my aunt’s past?” Taec’s tone suddenly changed to icy cold. “N-no, that’s not what I intended, I just assumed- “ “Well maybe you should keep your assumption to yourself next time.” Bekah stepped away a little from Taec, uncomfortable by the situation. She didn’t mean to offend him, or his aunt in this matter, and she knew she had crossed the line judging from Taec’s eyes. “What assumption?” Taec’s aunt suddenly appeared from their side, smiling to both of them. “I saw you two were arguing.” Bekah wished she could have come at a better time because now her cheeks are red and her eyes starts to water. “Nothing,” answered Bekah “We were just talking nonsense.” “Whatever he said must have upset you. What did you do this time?!?” She turned to Taec and scolded him with her judging eyes. “Nothing, Auntie….I can call you auntie, right?” Bekah asked and continued after the woman nodded, “I was just being reminded that I absolutely have no filter in my mouth, once again. I wanted to apologize of what I said earlier. It was so inappropriate for me to just blabber at you like I did. I’m so sorry, I didn’t know you are the artist. These are so beautiful, really.” “Oh, tsk don’t listen to him. I appreciate that you were honest to me, unlike some people.” Taecyeon wanted to object when he saw his aunt was hinting that it was him, but he had nothing to defend himself with. “Thank you and congratulation once again. Now, if you would kindly excuse me…” Bekah politely nodded at her and ignored Taecyeon’s eyes. “Where are you going?” asked Taec. “Home. It’s late, I have practice tomorrow. I’ll see you.” said Bekah before lifting her dress off the floor and made her way through the crowd, heading to the door. “Wait,” It was too late because Bekah already disappeared and the only one who heard his voice was his aunt. “Go! Take her home.” “But…what about you? How are you gonna get home?” asked Taecyeon. “This is my opening night, you silly kid. I’m not going home.” his aunt pushed him away. Taec could see Bekah’s standing outside from the glass door and he got out right when she was opening the Taxi’s door. “Bek, wait!” he yelled. Bekah turned around and he was surprised to see a water trace under her eyes. “I didn’t mean to snap at you like that.” “I deserved it. Good night, Taec.” “No-no, wait…I’ll take you home.” Bekah chuckled “Don’t be silly. My right foot is already inside this cab ok? The meter is already running, so unless you have an intention of making me broke, please let me go home right now.” “But there is no one else I know here…” Taecyeon pleaded. Unfortunately a voice that had annoyed him this whole entire night came back, “Taecyeon!!! There you are, I’ve been looking for you everywhere. I thought you said you were gonna talk to your aunt for a second. C’mon, I wanna show you something!”   Bekah raised her eyebrow and got in the cab, “Looks like there is. I’ll see you home, Taecyeon,” she glanced over the girl “….or not.” and closed the door.  ***************************************** “Wow hyung, you’re a douche.” “Hey, if I wanted your opinion I’d ask for it okay?” Taecyeon lashed out at Chansung who came by his house to return a console game. “But, how could you make her cry? I bet she was already embarrassed by not recognizing your painter aunt. Hey…do you have any food?” Chansung marched to the kitchen and inspected the fridge as if it was his own. “You’re right. But it wasn’t my fault that she’s got a big mouth.” “Speaking of big mouth, look at me!” Chansung managed to speak with half of the banana inside his mouth and he seemed proud of it. “Get your ass here!!! What are you doing there? Rationing for next winter?” Taec sat down on the sofa and scratched his head in distraught. He still couldn’t get the image of teary-eyed Bekah out of his head. He felt terrible, especially after she helped covering up for him in front of his nosy aunt. “Then, apologize to her.” Chansung plopped down on the seat across from Taec, carrying the rest of banana with him. “I did, but she’s still mad. She didn’t even say anything to me when I saw her this morning.” “Do it again! But this time, bring something with you. Girls respond better if you’re not empty handed.” “I don’t know, tho…she doesn’t seem like the type.” “She’s a girl. Believe me, she is the type.” gushed Chansung. “And you know all this, how?” Taecyeon glared at the youngest one. “Oh, hyung. I didn’t spend my high school days dating books, ok? Trust me on this.” Taecyeon hates it when Chansung is right, especially when it comes to his tragic past. If only he didn’t feel like he owed this kid, he would have scolded Chansung for bringing it up. “Fine. I’ll go buy flowers and go see her.” “Can I come?” “Hell no.” “Why not?” Chansung looked pissed. “Because she must be practicing for their comeback and she doesn’t want anyone to see things they’re not supposed to!” Taecyeon got up and headed to his room to get his wallet. “But YOU will !” Chansung insisted. “Oh trust me, I’ve already seen some things I’m not supposed to.” Taecyeon giggled to himself and disappeared to his room. “What do you mean?” yelled Chansung, he also got up to get ready. Taec was keeping a straight face while running down the stairs with his car key and wallet “Nothing…” “Oh gosh, you’re a pervert.” Chansung shook his head with such disgusted look on his face. “Shut up, you. Come on, I’ll drop you off on the way there. And put that snack bar back, do you think I wouldn’t see that?!”  ***************************************** “That’s his aunt???” Jooyeon’s round eyes got even rounder when she heard about Bekah’s encounter the other night. “I thought the painter was a guy, judging from the name.” “So I thought, until she came by and started asking my opinion about her painting. Gosh, I felt so stupid.” Bekah hid her face on the fluffy pillow they had around the practice room. “And what did Taecyeon say?” Joo asked again. She always asked Bekah about Taecyeon to a point where it was almost stalker-ish. “You can ask himself.” Kahi came by with a towel around her neck and pointed at the door. Both Bekah and Jooyeon shrieked for different reasons. “Damnit! What now??” Bekah rose up, hands on her waist. “Oh no, I’m not wearing makeup!!!!” Jooyeon also rose up but within seconds she already disappeared from that room. Taecyeon walked in and Bekah experienced something she’s never seen before; all the girls even their manager suddenly behaved differently. Lizzy and Nana stopped slouching, Uee stopped eating and Jung Ah threw her reading glasses across the room and straightened up her posture. Oh come on, guys…really? Bekah sighed as she learned that all her friends are helpless and slowly approached the grinning Taecyeon. “What do y-“ “Shhhht,” Taecyeon put his finger on her lips “Before you say anything, I have a surprise for you.” He reached out to give her the flower bouquet he was hiding behind his back. “Ta-da!” Bekah rolled her eyes “Taec, this room has a mirror walls. I’ve seen it as soon as you entered. What is it for?” “Ok, not the reaction I was hoping but…I just want to apologize for how I snapped at you last night. We both know that I owed you one, and you’ve had quite a hard week with all this mean press and stuff. I’m really sorry if I made you cry, ok?” “SHE CRIED?” Jung Ah gasped from the corner. Taecyeon was taken back by Jung Ah’s voice but he turned his head to Bekah and continued, “Really, Bek…it was uncalled for and I kept thinking about it.” Taecyeon seemed more nervous now that the girls were staring at him. “Please?” He offered her the bouquet for the second time. Bekah reluctantly grabbed it and buried her nose in the blue petals, taking a long sniff before finally looked up and said, “Fine. I forgave you.” “Cool ! Wait…” Taecyeon’s smile wiped off,  “I forgave you?” “Yep. Oh, I actually have forgiven you since last night.” Bekah used the bouquet to conceal her evil smile that had just gotten bigger. “Then why the hell did you act like you were still pissed this morning? AND JUST NOW?” “To make you say it-” Bekah started giggling “-in front of my friends…” Taecyeon suddenly went at her out of the blue and started poking her sides continuously. Bekah started laughing while trying to get away from his tickling attempt. “You tricky little b-” “SHHH! WE DON’T SAY THAT WORD AROUND HERE!” roared Bekah in between her hysterical laugh under Taec’s unforgivable punishment. “Little Bekah. Tricky little Bekah, that’s what I was trying to say.” He looked around trying to explain, only to find everyone was staring at them like they were insane. Bekah was on the floor laying on her side, laughing and catching her breath, and he was kneeling down next to her with his hands on her waist. He actually didn’t blame her friends for judging them the way they were. Taecyeon cleared his throat “Alright, I guess I should uhh, I should get going. Bye, everyone!” He got on his feet and fixed his t-shirt. “And you….” he threatened Bekah with his finger but he also cracked a smile, “- stay out of trouble!” When Taecyeon finally disappeared, everyone rushed to question Bekah. “WHAT WAS THAT ?” Kahi spoke first. Bekah rolled over and tried to sit down. “What was what?”, playing dumb. “That whole…whatever you call skinship display you’ve shown us. I thought you said you two were fighting!” followed Jung Ah. “Oh…it’s nothing, we were just making up.” “More like MAKING OUT.” Jooyeon showed up out of nowhere. “Who are you again?” Bekah leered at her ex-roommate. “C’mon Bek, we all saw it. Be honest, are you sleeping with him?” asked Uee. “Excuse me !?!” “If you are, you can tell us! Just please make sure our boss doesn’t know about it. You know, with all the rules we have.” “Guys, I’m not sleeping with him, ok?” Bekah kept her voice down, “We’re just trying to be friends. Friends joke around, don’t they?” She stood up, towering everyone else. “Are you kidding? If I had a friend bringing me flowers and touching me the way he did to you, I’d date him.” said Jooyeon with a serious face. “Really? Woah, you’re cheap.” Jung Ah whipped Jooyeon with her towel and everyone started laughing, including Bekah. When it finally died down and they started heading to the shower room, Bekah stayed around longer to inspect the bouquet she received. There was a card hidden between the blue rose petals that says, Truce? (: - Taec P.S. If it makes you feel better, I couldn’t sleep last night thinking about how pretty your dress looked. You should wear it more around the house. Bouquet of flowers with sugary sweet message, pondered Bekah. Other girls would have fallen at his feet by now, but not me. Blue roses aren’t supposed to be romantic, in fact they symbolize something impossible to attain since blue-colored roses don’t really exist in nature. And “how pretty your dress looked”? What a half-ass compliment, Ok Taecyeon. You’re lucky I hate mushy stuffs otherwise I would have sent you home as soon as you said “Ta-da!”. Somehow Bekah smiled thinking how foolish Taecyeon to think that she was still mad about last night. Her hand subconsciously brought the bouquet closer as she was reading Taec’s stupid handwriting once again, and she took another sniff before putting them all back next to her gym shoes.  “Oh no.” said Jung Ah, hiding behind the door. Jooyeon who was also peeking, looked up with a worried face. “What !?!” “I know that look. She might deny it but I think Bekah likes him…”

Chapter 8

“Bekah? What are you doing here?”

“Hi, Taec.” she replied with the least amount of eagerness.

The woman between them squeaked out of excitement, “You two know each other?!”

“I would say we are more than just knowing, right Bekah darling?” Taec swiftly moved closer to his roommate who had a disapproval look on her face.

“I thought you said you were going on a date.” Bekah sneered.

“I thought you did too. Where is this date of yours?” he dragged his voice on the last word to annoy her. “I could ask the same thing.” she snarled.

 “I’m afraid you’ve met her.” Taec signaled the only person Bekah has been talking to since she got here. Suddenly it all made sense for her; the flowers, the demanding tone over phone, the unwillingness.

“Oh kiddo…is this the girl you talked about? The one with huge b-”

“NO NO NO, not her, that one was just…..no one special.” Taec quickly shushed his aunt with his alarmed eyes.

“So this one is someone special?” she looked at them back and forth, both Taecyeon and Bekah became speechless and ended up just giggling awkwardly.

“Y-I mean, uhhh…Bek?” Taecyeon suddenly placed his hand on Bekah’s back and started rubbing it while looking right into her eyes. His touch sent a warm sensation to her freezing bare skin and Bekah couldn’t help but returning his gaze. For the first time ever, she could understand what Taecyeon was asking for without him even saying a word.

“Well, we sort of live together.” She smiled and lightly punched his arm, “Right?”

“That’s right!” Taec reciprocated and wrapped his arm around her. Bekah wiggled a little bit to make it less tight and unnatural.

“My goodness, why didn’t you say so?” , maundered Taec’s aunt “I wouldn’t have asked him to come here with me if I knew he’s seeing you, I had no idea.”

“Oh god no, me and Taec? Nah, we don’t -” Bekah suddenly saw Taecyeon mouthed Yes we do and nodded frantically. “- mind going out with other people on Saturday night. In fact, we always bring them over and do stuffs together. The more the merrier. We’re very…opened.” corrected Bekah but realized she had no idea what she was talking about.

“You mean, like swingers?” Taec’s aunt seems confused and shocked at the same time. Taec, who just took another sip of wine, coughed and sputtered.

“No no, not in that…..department,” Bekah blushed and nervously chuckled, “I mean, since we live together we can’t-“

“My lovely dear Aunt, don’t you have other people to impress? Other unfortunate couple to interrogate? Hmm?” Taecyeon cut Bekah’s explanation to save his own face from further embarrassment and sent his aunt the spoiled smile he’s mastered since he was a kid.

“Alright, I get it. It’s none of my business. I shall leave you two alone and mingle with less interesting people.” She grabbed a glass of wine before stalking away.

 As soon as the woman’s gone, Bekah nudged his rib to make their bodies less attached with one another.

“Ouch! What was that for?” Taecyeon cringed.

“You said couple.”

“So what? Can’t you at least wait until we get home to hurt me? Geez Bek,” he started rubbing his hurting side, “Are you sure you weren’t born a man?”

Bekah ignored his whining and faced him “Is there anything you’d like to tell me?”

“Yeah, you’re the worst liar in the world !” replied Taec.

“Oh I’m sorry, I forgot to practice the lie I’m supposed to say to cover your ass in any given time.” Bekah grumbled, “What was that all about? Why do you want her to get the impression that we are dating?”

Taec sighed, “It’s just…she’s always been trying to set me up with these weird, high maintenance girls if she knew I was single and would not stop until she was convinced that I’m not making things up,”

”- which you are,” continued Bekah.

“Yes, but since you’re already here and she seemed to like you, I figured why not. That way next week when she comes down to my mother’s house for Sunday brunch, she would finally stop complaining about how this showbiz world has turned me into some kind of womanizer.”

She was about to laugh but then she saw his face and realized that he wasn’t joking.

“I’m telling you the truth. Last year I had to borrow Wooyoung’s older sister to be my date because my aunt wouldn’t believe me unless she saw a flesh and blood.”

“Fine, I believe you. It’s just…next time, please warn me in advance? As you said, I’m the worst liar in the world.”

Taec nodded, his eyes warmed up when Bekah caught him staring at her, it made her blushed so she started talking again, “So….you came here with your aunt? Why didn’t you say so?”

“Hey hey, at least I’m here with someone, alright?” He moved aside to a more private corner, Bekah followed him because their voices had invited a couple of fascinated eyes. “How did you know her, by the way? Did she invite you?”

“Invite me? Why would she-” All of the sudden everything became clear for Bekah. “Oh no!” she slapped her forehead.

“What?” Taec became interested as soon as he saw Bekah’s defeated face.

“This is her exhibition, isn’t it?”

“Of course.” answered Taec, “Couldn’t you acquire such information while you two were chatting?”

Bekah shook her head and bit her lower lips. “Why am I so stupid I shouldn’t have said- argh…”

“What’s wrong? What did you say?”

“Well she asked me what I thought about this painting, and I just blabbered away,” Bekah exhaled, “And I’m afraid I might have offended her.”

“Nah, I doubt it. Especially with this,” Taec pointed at the painting.

“Really? Why?”

“This is one of her oldest ones, I think she’s had it since I was in high school.  You see, my aunt lived in Europe most of her younger days, rebelling from my strict grandparents who wanted her to go to business school and marry one of their rich friend’s son. She settled in Italy and found her inspiration there, as you can see in all her work.”

“So what’s the story with this painting?” asked Bekah.

“I was about to go there if you didn’t cut me off.” Taec seemed impatient. “This is one of her earliest work and she’s been saying that she hated it and couldn’t care less about it anymore. She’s been trying to sell it for years but no luck.”

Bekah glanced at the price and her jaw dropped to the floor, “Good graciousness, it costs an arm and a leg!!!”

“Should have seen the rest…” Taec saw Bekah admiring the painting once again. “You really like it, huh?”

“Yeah, it’s my favorite, although…” Bekah opened her mouth and stopped because she was unsure if she should continue.

“Although what?” asked Taecyeon.

 “I think…she is still holding on to this painting for a reason. I don’t think she hates it, or at least not consciously, and this picture bears a lot more than a painting for her. A past that always reminds her of what she was and who she loved.“

“Did you get that from half an hour talking to her? A whole story of my aunt’s past?” Taec’s tone suddenly changed to icy cold.

“N-no, that’s not what I intended, I just assumed- “

“Well maybe you should keep your assumption to yourself next time.”

Bekah stepped away a little from Taec, uncomfortable by the situation. She didn’t mean to offend him, or his aunt in this matter, and she knew she had crossed the line judging from Taec’s eyes.

“What assumption?” Taec’s aunt suddenly appeared from their side, smiling to both of them. “I saw you two were arguing.”

Bekah wished she could have come at a better time because now her cheeks are red and her eyes starts to water.

“Nothing,” answered Bekah “We were just talking nonsense.”

“Whatever he said must have upset you. What did you do this time?!?” She turned to Taec and scolded him with her judging eyes.

“Nothing, Auntie….I can call you auntie, right?” Bekah asked and continued after the woman nodded, “I was just being reminded that I absolutely have no filter in my mouth, once again. I wanted to apologize of what I said earlier. It was so inappropriate for me to just blabber at you like I did. I’m so sorry, I didn’t know you are the artist. These are so beautiful, really.”

“Oh, tsk don’t listen to him. I appreciate that you were honest to me, unlike some people.”

Taecyeon wanted to object when he saw his aunt was hinting that it was him, but he had nothing to defend himself with.

“Thank you and congratulation once again. Now, if you would kindly excuse me…” Bekah politely nodded at her and ignored Taecyeon’s eyes.

“Where are you going?” asked Taec.

“Home. It’s late, I have practice tomorrow. I’ll see you.” said Bekah before lifting her dress off the floor and made her way through the crowd, heading to the door.

“Wait,”

It was too late because Bekah already disappeared and the only one who heard his voice was his aunt. “Go! Take her home.”

“But…what about you? How are you gonna get home?” asked Taecyeon.

“This is my opening night, you silly kid. I’m not going home.” his aunt pushed him away. Taec could see Bekah’s standing outside from the glass door and he got out right when she was opening the Taxi’s door.

“Bek, wait!” he yelled. Bekah turned around and he was surprised to see a water trace under her eyes. “I didn’t mean to snap at you like that.”

“I deserved it. Good night, Taec.”

“No-no, wait…I’ll take you home.”

Bekah chuckled “Don’t be silly. My right foot is already inside this cab ok? The meter is already running, so unless you have an intention of making me broke, please let me go home right now.”

“But there is no one else I know here…” Taecyeon pleaded.

Unfortunately a voice that had annoyed him this whole entire night came back, “Taecyeon!!! There you are, I’ve been looking for you everywhere. I thought you said you were gonna talk to your aunt for a second. C’mon, I wanna show you something!”  

Bekah raised her eyebrow and got in the cab, “Looks like there is. I’ll see you home, Taecyeon,” she glanced over the girl “….or not.” and closed the door.

 *****************************************

“Wow hyung, you’re a douche.”

“Hey, if I wanted your opinion I’d ask for it okay?” Taecyeon lashed out at Chansung who came by his house to return a console game.

“But, how could you make her cry? I bet she was already embarrassed by not recognizing your painter aunt. Hey…do you have any food?” Chansung marched to the kitchen and inspected the fridge as if it was his own.

“You’re right. But it wasn’t my fault that she’s got a big mouth.”

“Speaking of big mouth, look at me!” Chansung managed to speak with half of the banana inside his mouth and he seemed proud of it.

“Get your ass here!!! What are you doing there? Rationing for next winter?” Taec sat down on the sofa and scratched his head in distraught. He still couldn’t get the image of teary-eyed Bekah out of his head. He felt terrible, especially after she helped covering up for him in front of his nosy aunt.

“Then, apologize to her.” Chansung plopped down on the seat across from Taec, carrying the rest of banana with him.

“I did, but she’s still mad. She didn’t even say anything to me when I saw her this morning.”

“Do it again! But this time, bring something with you. Girls respond better if you’re not empty handed.”

“I don’t know, tho…she doesn’t seem like the type.”

“She’s a girl. Believe me, she is the type.” gushed Chansung.

“And you know all this, how?” Taecyeon glared at the youngest one.

“Oh, hyung. I didn’t spend my high school days dating books, ok? Trust me on this.”

Taecyeon hates it when Chansung is right, especially when it comes to his tragic past. If only he didn’t feel like he owed this kid, he would have scolded Chansung for bringing it up. “Fine. I’ll go buy flowers and go see her.”

“Can I come?”

“Hell no.”

“Why not?” Chansung looked pissed.

“Because she must be practicing for their comeback and she doesn’t want anyone to see things they’re not supposed to!” Taecyeon got up and headed to his room to get his wallet.

“But YOU will !” Chansung insisted.

“Oh trust me, I’ve already seen some things I’m not supposed to.” Taecyeon giggled to himself and disappeared to his room.

“What do you mean?” yelled Chansung, he also got up to get ready.

Taec was keeping a straight face while running down the stairs with his car key and wallet “Nothing…”

“Oh gosh, you’re a pervert.” Chansung shook his head with such disgusted look on his face.

“Shut up, you. Come on, I’ll drop you off on the way there. And put that snack bar back, do you think I wouldn’t see that?!”

 *****************************************

“That’s his aunt???” Jooyeon’s round eyes got even rounder when she heard about Bekah’s encounter the other night. “I thought the painter was a guy, judging from the name.”

“So I thought, until she came by and started asking my opinion about her painting. Gosh, I felt so stupid.” Bekah hid her face on the fluffy pillow they had around the practice room.

“And what did Taecyeon say?” Joo asked again. She always asked Bekah about Taecyeon to a point where it was almost stalker-ish.

“You can ask himself.” Kahi came by with a towel around her neck and pointed at the door. Both Bekah and Jooyeon shrieked for different reasons.

“Damnit! What now??” Bekah rose up, hands on her waist.

“Oh no, I’m not wearing makeup!!!!” Jooyeon also rose up but within seconds she already disappeared from that room.

Taecyeon walked in and Bekah experienced something she’s never seen before; all the girls even their manager suddenly behaved differently. Lizzy and Nana stopped slouching, Uee stopped eating and Jung Ah threw her reading glasses across the room and straightened up her posture.

Oh come on, guys…really? Bekah sighed as she learned that all her friends are helpless and slowly approached the grinning Taecyeon. “What do y-“

“Shhhht,” Taecyeon put his finger on her lips “Before you say anything, I have a surprise for you.” He reached out to give her the flower bouquet he was hiding behind his back. “Ta-da!”

Bekah rolled her eyes “Taec, this room has a mirror walls. I’ve seen it as soon as you entered. What is it for?”

“Ok, not the reaction I was hoping but…I just want to apologize for how I snapped at you last night. We both know that I owed you one, and you’ve had quite a hard week with all this mean press and stuff. I’m really sorry if I made you cry, ok?”

“SHE CRIED?” Jung Ah gasped from the corner.

Taecyeon was taken back by Jung Ah’s voice but he turned his head to Bekah and continued, “Really, Bek…it was uncalled for and I kept thinking about it.” Taecyeon seemed more nervous now that the girls were staring at him. “Please?” He offered her the bouquet for the second time.

Bekah reluctantly grabbed it and buried her nose in the blue petals, taking a long sniff before finally looked up and said, “Fine. I forgave you.”

“Cool ! Wait…” Taecyeon’s smile wiped off,  “I forgave you?”

“Yep. Oh, I actually have forgiven you since last night.” Bekah used the bouquet to conceal her evil smile that had just gotten bigger.

“Then why the hell did you act like you were still pissed this morning? AND JUST NOW?”

“To make you say it-” Bekah started giggling “-in front of my friends…”

Taecyeon suddenly went at her out of the blue and started poking her sides continuously. Bekah started laughing while trying to get away from his tickling attempt. “You tricky little b-”

“SHHH! WE DON’T SAY THAT WORD AROUND HERE!” roared Bekah in between her hysterical laugh under Taec’s unforgivable punishment.

“Little Bekah. Tricky little Bekah, that’s what I was trying to say.” He looked around trying to explain, only to find everyone was staring at them like they were insane. Bekah was on the floor laying on her side, laughing and catching her breath, and he was kneeling down next to her with his hands on her waist. He actually didn’t blame her friends for judging them the way they were.

Taecyeon cleared his throat “Alright, I guess I should uhh, I should get going. Bye, everyone!” He got on his feet and fixed his t-shirt. “And you….” he threatened Bekah with his finger but he also cracked a smile, “- stay out of trouble!”

When Taecyeon finally disappeared, everyone rushed to question Bekah.

“WHAT WAS THAT ?” Kahi spoke first.

Bekah rolled over and tried to sit down. “What was what?”, playing dumb.

“That whole…whatever you call skinship display you’ve shown us. I thought you said you two were fighting!” followed Jung Ah.

“Oh…it’s nothing, we were just making up.”

“More like MAKING OUT.” Jooyeon showed up out of nowhere.

“Who are you again?” Bekah leered at her ex-roommate.

“C’mon Bek, we all saw it. Be honest, are you sleeping with him?” asked Uee.

“Excuse me !?!”

“If you are, you can tell us! Just please make sure our boss doesn’t know about it. You know, with all the rules we have.”

“Guys, I’m not sleeping with him, ok?” Bekah kept her voice down, “We’re just trying to be friends. Friends joke around, don’t they?” She stood up, towering everyone else.

“Are you kidding? If I had a friend bringing me flowers and touching me the way he did to you, I’d date him.” said Jooyeon with a serious face.

“Really? Woah, you’re cheap.” Jung Ah whipped Jooyeon with her towel and everyone started laughing, including Bekah. When it finally died down and they started heading to the shower room, Bekah stayed around longer to inspect the bouquet she received. There was a card hidden between the blue rose petals that says,

Truce? (:

- Taec

P.S. If it makes you feel better, I couldn’t sleep last night thinking about how pretty your dress looked. You should wear it more around the house.

Bouquet of flowers with sugary sweet message, pondered Bekah. Other girls would have fallen at his feet by now, but not me. Blue roses aren’t supposed to be romantic, in fact they symbolize something impossible to attain since blue-colored roses don’t really exist in nature. And “how pretty your dress looked”? What a half-ass compliment, Ok Taecyeon. You’re lucky I hate mushy stuffs otherwise I would have sent you home as soon as you said “Ta-da!”.

Somehow Bekah smiled thinking how foolish Taecyeon to think that she was still mad about last night. Her hand subconsciously brought the bouquet closer as she was reading Taec’s stupid handwriting once again, and she took another sniff before putting them all back next to her gym shoes. 

“Oh no.” said Jung Ah, hiding behind the door.

Jooyeon who was also peeking, looked up with a worried face. “What !?!”

“I know that look. She might deny it but I think Bekah likes him…”

1 year ago  6 notes View comments

Chapter 17 The hotel resort’s dance hall where the award ceremony took place was full with famous faces. The award show has ended and they were having a quick break before the next program. Taecyeon had been getting a few little surprises here and there from Bekah throughout the night. She would deliberately glance at him when no one was looking, or lightly squeezed his forearm as she laughed at MC’s jokes. Despite of her awkward Korean, she surprisingly looked really comfortable making light conversation with people who shared the same table with them. He just wished she didn’t ignore him as much.  Something vibrated inside his pocket, luckily he remembered to set his phone on silent mode. Khun mobile -his screen showed. He contemplated for a while before hitting the reject button. It’s been a little weird ever since Bekah mentioned she went out with Khun for a drink, not that she had to tell him everything, but a little note would have been appreciated. Wise to say he was more bothered by Khun who snuck up behind his back since that little incident is still fresh in his memory. His fingers tapped on the clear glass before drinking its remaining liquid as if he had to flush down the bitter taste inside his mouth.  Jay. Where is now and what’s he been up to? He’d be lying if he said his last encounter with that guy wasn’t awkward enough for both of them. There were many words unsaid behind their exchanging stares. Both of them knew, none of them act on it. If only Bekah wasn’t on their way, he’d love to approach his friend once again after all this years to clear the air. But she was there… -and Jay kissed her. Taec sighed heavily. Why would he do such thing? Didn’t he remember how hurt it feels, a betrayal? Taec took another sip of his empty glass without consent. His eyebrows showed more emotion than he intended to, his eyes automatically wandered to the source of familiar noise coming from his side. Bekah just let out her distinctive laughter with her head tilted back, she seemed to be having the time of her life. Unlike many other girls, he appreciates certain areas she doesn’t hold back; things that make her more fun in general. He smiled, unconsciously. Something that Chansung said played again in his head. His friend was joking around but it got Taecyeon thinking about it many times since that night. “Just ask her out already. If worst comes to worst, at least you live your life with no regrets.” Taecyeon rested his elbows on the shiny white damask linen and gazed his eyes upon Bekah who was now walking back towards their table where he had been sitting all by himself. A whiff of white flowers snuggled his olfactory nerves just a moment before she was sitting down.  “Hey.” Bekah greeted and bloomed a smile; and just like that his nervous rate went off the chart. “You look really pretty tonight.” He whispered lightly and quickly wiped his sweaty palm. This is ridiculous, he silently muttered to himself. “Aw thanks. You too, Taec.” She casually brushed her hair back, resulting his eyes went to her shoulders. Taec cleared his throat to distract himself from the tempting beauty sitting beside him nonchalantly. “Oh, that woman over there thought we’re together, isn’t that funny?” said Bekah again. “Not really.” His answer got her full attention. “I’m sorry?” Taecyeon found his phone vibrating again but this time he didn’t even bother to check. “Bekah…can I ask you one thing?” She looked more alert. “Of course.” “Are you…allowed to date?” Bekah’s eye blinked at least twice more while digesting his question. “Umm I think so-“, her curious eyes widened. “-why did you ask?” Taecyeon made sure Bekah, and only Bekah, heard him. “Because I’d really like to date you.” *************************************************** What did he just say? Bekah’s head spun in questions and blinked multiple times. If she was to put one penny in a piggy bank each time Taecyeon caught her off guard, she would have been so filthy rich by now. His intimidating stare were still piercing through undeterred by the shadow hanging over them. Tonight was a major challenging moment for her, purposely seducing a man was definitely out of her character. Luckily once they arrived at the award ceremony, she was a little bit overwhelmed by everything else that she neglected to worry about her role as a temptress. Which is good. Taking Bekah’s mind back to the time being, the orchestra started to hum some melody and within seconds people begun to fill up the dance floor. “Dance with me.” Taecyeon stood up and asked for her hand. She followed him without words and quickly felt the warmth of his body once he pulled her in. Bekah was intrigued by the hint of cockiness she found in the way he dragged her down there. It was a statement more than a request. As if he noticed her disarray, he nuzzled in and held her waist tighter. “Let me ask you properly,” he cleared his throat, “Would you do the honor and go out with me?” Bekah almost believed his voice trembling in her ear but his abiding stance and statuesque posture clued her otherwise. ”You’re seriously asking me out?” Bekah asked back, still dancing side by side without seeing each other’s eyes. She felt his head shook.  “Nope. I’m begging you.”  His answered made her chuckle, she jerked back to laugh with him but the look in his eyes made her doubt if what he just said was supposed to be a joke. Bekah talked herself out of it. “But….what about your company, Taec?” He shrugged careless. “What about it?” Bekah could see a bead of sweat on his forehead. “I really like you, Bekah, and I don’t care what people think. I’m asking you, because that’s all that matters.” said Taec, his eyes were demanding answers and they truthfully did anything but helpful to her.    Taec had planted the seed of her seduction so carefully, so perfectly, that Bekah had been undone before she’d known how to stop herself. The simple challenge of resistance inflamed her. The urge to beat him at his own game, to make him crawl and beg, was irresistible. What her friends said the other night kept playing in her mind, how she should have been stronger and never let Taecyeon had his way. How she should plan a counter blow just to keep his ego in check. But, if she was being honest to herself, was tonight merely a form of revenge? Was her satisfaction seeing Taecyeon’s dumbfounded look born out of reward for her brilliant acting, or solely a form of self approval for her ability bringing a man to his knees? Bekah had absolutely no clue, she must have lost her mind somewhere down the line. “I can get on my knees if you want me to.” Taecyeon’s voice startled her. Bekah looked up and saw him smiling. She would imagine her face must have looked ridiculous from all those thinking.  “No…” She giggled. Taecyeon’s eyes pierced, “N-no what?” “I mean, no, please don’t kneel…” said Bekah while paying attention to those around them. The butterfly in her stomach started to flap its wings uncontrollably, her sane brain was beaten down and locked up in the darkest corner of her heart. She then wrapped her arms around his neck and fixed her stare at the guy who she thinks is the most good looking man in the room tonight. “And yes, I’d date you, Ok Taecyeon.”  Soon enough Bekah felt his tensed shoulder relaxing under her arm, he even breathed a sigh of relief. “However, do you think maybe we should wait before we tell people?” He lightly rubbed his hand on her back, pushing their bodies even closer together. “We can do that, yeah. It’s fun being secretive.”, said Taec.   Bekah couldn’t help but feeling nervous about this decision. What about their show? They can’t live together now that they’re dating……can they?  “Taec?” “Hmm?” He led her around the dance floor with the least amount of effort. With his size, whoever partner Taec has would look fragile compared to him.  “How come you never dated ever since you came to Korea?” Bekah voiced her lingering question since that one night when Jay told her a little bit of information. Taecyeon didn’t seem concern about how she knew such thing. He shrugged. “I haven’t met anyone suitable in a while.” “Suitable?” she frowned. “You know, someone who understands what I do. Someone who wants to make the most of it when we’re together, but doesn’t demand a lot in between times.” It sounds like he dates the way he does everything else; logically, with imperative target. Bekah was suddenly reminded of her previous relationship, the one she let to fall apart under her nose.  “I want to learn how to date,” she said out of the blue. “What do you want?” He chuckled and ran a finger along her jaw. “Do you need to ask? You’re a beautiful, fascinating-” his voice turned husky, “-desirable woman.” Bekah’s legs weakened. She must not budge. “I mean, what precisely would dating you involve?” Her empirical question seemed to amuse him. “Well, we’d go out when we have the time. A lot of schedule-matching too, obviously. I’d like to see you as much as I can, even between schedules. My company car would be useful for that. Oh, and there will be more of this…” He leaned down until their lips were only an inch apart. “Taec-” Bekah yelped. “I don’t think that would be a good idea….with all these people.” Taecyeon realized instantly and moved back. “Apologies. I forgot…” he shyly smiled. Something about his demeanor spellbound her in the most perplexing way. He had been nothing but a gentleman and his confident aura didn’t clash with her stubborn self tonight. It must be his monkey suit, Bekah thought. “You wanna get out of here?” Taecyeon looked around and saw his manager chatting with a couple of other people on the side. “We can run pass him if we’re quick enough. But…” His eyes lowered down to her shoes. Bekah’s eyes glistened from the challenge. “Oh, I can run alright.” “In those?” He glared at her killer heels. “Well, Ok Taecyeon, there are a few things you still don’t know about me,” said Bekah playfully before observing the quickest way to the nearest exit.  Taec smirked as she yanked his hand and ran sneaking behind other people. “Then you’d be pleased to know that I love surprises.”  *************************************************** Running through the golf course in the middle of the night might not be his ideal way to spend this evening, but the full moon shining its soft silver beam on the quiet, empty field and the fragrant aroma coming from hibiscus garden spotted around the hotel had made it extra special for him. They kept running until they reached the small oak forest which fenced the rest of bungalows.  Taec was panting. He’s surprised Bekah could match his running speed wearing her heels and didn’t even look half as weary as he did. “Any idea where we’re going?” asked Bekah after they stopped to catch some breath. “Not really. But at last…we’re alone now, aren’t we?”   She looked around to the high and closed trees ahead of them. “Looks like it.”  He closed the gap between them. “Good. ‘Cause I’ve been dying to do this.” Taecyeon dropped his head for a kiss, Bekah wasn’t prepared for the same spark of electricity that had left her lips tingling a couple months back to multiply tenfold. She grasped his strong arms to steady herself as he pushed her until she felt her back against a tree. He then stopped just a hairbreadth away, so close she could have sworn she still sensed the warmth of his lips. ”That was long overdue, right babe?”  She rested her forehead against his, the tips of their noses just touching. Her fingers dug into him, and he almost thought he could feel them tremble. He then pulled away to search for her face under the minimal light; he was looking for something he couldn’t quite put a name to. Bekah’s cheeks look flushed and warm, Taec wasn’t sure if it was from the running or the kiss. He cupped her face, caressing the high point of her cheekbone, enjoying the warmth of her skin. “Did I tell you how I enjoy your little game today?” Bekah’s tongue peeked out to wet her bottom lip and she smiled innocently, “What game?” Taec held back a grin and set his foot between the grass and surfacing tree roots. “You know what I’m talking about.”  “What makes you think it was a game and not a punishment?” Bekah’s lips quirked up, mocking him. His mouth went dry, “Punishment?” Taec groaned. ”Hmm, yeah I guess I deserved it.” He reached down to her waist and pulled her closer. The shock of sensibility that somewhere deep within her, a blaze of desire had been ignited, tickled her mind. “Let me make it up to you.” His whisper made all the hair behind Bekah’s neck stand up. When he brought her arm up and kissed her palm, her knees weakened.  Surrounded by lush forest and minimal light, Bekah could only see his brown hair as he slid his lips down to the pulse point at her wrist. “You have lovely hands.” he said. Bekah made a small delighted noise in the back of her throat when Taec gathered  her arms up and held her hands above her with one of his. Another hand pressing against her back, pushing her into him. The forest was empty and silent, Bekah swore she could hear the heavy breathing coming out of them. Loud and clear. Apparently Taec decided to take a revenge on the torture she’d put him through tonight. Instead of continuing, he stood still in front of her with nothing but his gazing eyes cherishing her body. That was a lust she saw there, nothing less.   “You’re shaking.” he murmured while nuzzling his nose behind her ear. His warm breath and gentle kisses made her feel like she’s losing her ground. ”I-I’m sorry.” Bekah’s voice came out embarrassingly breathy. Taec looked up. A hint of smile lurked beneath his perfectly curved mouth. “Don’t be.” It wasn’t long until their lips meet again, and this time they both gave in. Her stomach felt tense when he deepened his kisses, little by little. This can’t be a normal protocol for a first date, but Bekah had obviously left her traditional way of thinking when she slipped into that provocative dress in which at the moment is getting a full attention from Taec. His hand had moved up to play with her hair; his eyes looked more dangerous than usual. “Wait Bek,” he suddenly said. “If this is too fast for you, let me know. I don’t want to lead you on if you’re-“ Bekah shut him up with another kiss, which surprised him a little. She moved her arms to signal him, asking to be freed. Once he did, Bekah reached out to his neck and removed his tight bow-tie. “Ahhh that feels so much better,” Taec thanked her and rested his right hand on her behind. She had this sudden urge to feel the warmth of his skin but the tux shirt had one of those little buttons that are impossible. He noticed her frustration and calmly held her hand, “I’ll do it. But perhaps we need to move to somewhere more….private.” “We can go home.” suggested Bekah, still eyeing his fingers that were struggling to undone his first two buttons. “Yeah, but that would defeat the purpose.” Taecyeon winked and gave her the most secretive smile. “Or we can just run a little bit more ‘til we reach those bungalows. You can see them, right?” He pointed East where she could see a line of cabana houses behind the other part of the golf course.  “But we need to book-” Bekah’s sentence was hold off by a shiny object Taecyeon jingled in front of her eyes. “When did you…?” her eyes showed amazement. “You’re not the only one with surprises, Bekah. Come, before anyone sees us.” He took her hand and went towards the referred direction. Before the reached the empty field, Taecyeon playfully grabbed her waist and stole a deep, longing kiss. Million things were playing in his mind; if this is the right decision for them, or whether they move too fast, but overall he knew one thing for sure, that tonight would change everything. While still thinking all those things, his part of the brain that still functions was aware of the faint, familiar sound. “Shit,” he cursed just a moment before the sprinkler systems came on and hit them with water. “Oh no!!!” screamed Bekah. They exchanged glances and started laughing.  “We surely needed some cooling-off,” Taec groaned while brushing his soaked hair back. “, but this is ridiculous.” “Please tell me you didn’t plan this, Taec.” giggled Bekah while trying to wipe her remaining mascaras off. “We have no other way but to cross that field.” He looked around, “You’re right. But I think you might want to take those shoes off this time around. Let’s go.” They both started running in one direcetion and at the same time avoiding the water as quick as they could. Fortunately the room where Taecyeon had somehow booked wasn’t too far from the field. “Here, take the key. I’m gonna remove my shoes real fast and hang them out here before I make a mess.” Taec threw her the small gold object and sat himself down at the edge of the wall that separated their bungalow with the next one. Bekah inserted the key and turned it but it somehow locked itself back. That’s weird, thought Bekah. On the second try she finally got it open and as soon as she walked inside, someone turned around to face her. Bekah jolted back and called out for Taec. She was indeed shocked. He ran in haste, “What’s the matter?” Soon enough he realized there was someone else waiting in that room. The least expected person he would see tonight. “……… HYUNG?”

Chapter 17

The hotel resort’s dance hall where the award ceremony took place was full with famous faces. The award show has ended and they were having a quick break before the next program. Taecyeon had been getting a few little surprises here and there from Bekah throughout the night. She would deliberately glance at him when no one was looking, or lightly squeezed his forearm as she laughed at MC’s jokes. Despite of her awkward Korean, she surprisingly looked really comfortable making light conversation with people who shared the same table with them. He just wished she didn’t ignore him as much. 

Something vibrated inside his pocket, luckily he remembered to set his phone on silent mode. Khun mobile -his screen showed. He contemplated for a while before hitting the reject button. It’s been a little weird ever since Bekah mentioned she went out with Khun for a drink, not that she had to tell him everything, but a little note would have been appreciated. Wise to say he was more bothered by Khun who snuck up behind his back since that little incident is still fresh in his memory. His fingers tapped on the clear glass before drinking its remaining liquid as if he had to flush down the bitter taste inside his mouth. 

Jay.

Where is now and what’s he been up to?

He’d be lying if he said his last encounter with that guy wasn’t awkward enough for both of them. There were many words unsaid behind their exchanging stares. Both of them knew, none of them act on it. If only Bekah wasn’t on their way, he’d love to approach his friend once again after all this years to clear the air.

But she was there… -and Jay kissed her.

Taec sighed heavily.

Why would he do such thing? Didn’t he remember how hurt it feels, a betrayal?

Taec took another sip of his empty glass without consent. His eyebrows showed more emotion than he intended to, his eyes automatically wandered to the source of familiar noise coming from his side. Bekah just let out her distinctive laughter with her head tilted back, she seemed to be having the time of her life. Unlike many other girls, he appreciates certain areas she doesn’t hold back; things that make her more fun in general.

He smiled, unconsciously. Something that Chansung said played again in his head. His friend was joking around but it got Taecyeon thinking about it many times since that night.

“Just ask her out already. If worst comes to worst, at least you live your life with no regrets.”

Taecyeon rested his elbows on the shiny white damask linen and gazed his eyes upon Bekah who was now walking back towards their table where he had been sitting all by himself. A whiff of white flowers snuggled his olfactory nerves just a moment before she was sitting down. 

“Hey.”

Bekah greeted and bloomed a smile; and just like that his nervous rate went off the chart. “You look really pretty tonight.” He whispered lightly and quickly wiped his sweaty palm. This is ridiculous, he silently muttered to himself.

“Aw thanks. You too, Taec.” She casually brushed her hair back, resulting his eyes went to her shoulders. Taec cleared his throat to distract himself from the tempting beauty sitting beside him nonchalantly. “Oh, that woman over there thought we’re together, isn’t that funny?” said Bekah again.

“Not really.”

His answer got her full attention. “I’m sorry?”

Taecyeon found his phone vibrating again but this time he didn’t even bother to check. “Bekah…can I ask you one thing?”

She looked more alert. “Of course.”

“Are you…allowed to date?”

Bekah’s eye blinked at least twice more while digesting his question. “Umm I think so-“, her curious eyes widened. “-why did you ask?”

Taecyeon made sure Bekah, and only Bekah, heard him.

“Because I’d really like to date you.”

***************************************************

What did he just say?

Bekah’s head spun in questions and blinked multiple times. If she was to put one penny in a piggy bank each time Taecyeon caught her off guard, she would have been so filthy rich by now. His intimidating stare were still piercing through undeterred by the shadow hanging over them. Tonight was a major challenging moment for her, purposely seducing a man was definitely out of her character. Luckily once they arrived at the award ceremony, she was a little bit overwhelmed by everything else that she neglected to worry about her role as a temptress. Which is good.

Taking Bekah’s mind back to the time being, the orchestra started to hum some melody and within seconds people begun to fill up the dance floor.

“Dance with me.” Taecyeon stood up and asked for her hand. She followed him without words and quickly felt the warmth of his body once he pulled her in. Bekah was intrigued by the hint of cockiness she found in the way he dragged her down there. It was a statement more than a request. As if he noticed her disarray, he nuzzled in and held her waist tighter. “Let me ask you properly,” he cleared his throat, “Would you do the honor and go out with me?”

Bekah almost believed his voice trembling in her ear but his abiding stance and statuesque posture clued her otherwise. ”You’re seriously asking me out?” Bekah asked back, still dancing side by side without seeing each other’s eyes. She felt his head shook. 

“Nope. I’m begging you.” 

His answered made her chuckle, she jerked back to laugh with him but the look in his eyes made her doubt if what he just said was supposed to be a joke. Bekah talked herself out of it. “But….what about your company, Taec?”

He shrugged careless. “What about it?” Bekah could see a bead of sweat on his forehead. “I really like you, Bekah, and I don’t care what people think. I’m asking you, because that’s all that matters.” said Taec, his eyes were demanding answers and they truthfully did anything but helpful to her.   

Taec had planted the seed of her seduction so carefully, so perfectly, that Bekah had been undone before she’d known how to stop herself. The simple challenge of resistance inflamed her. The urge to beat him at his own game, to make him crawl and beg, was irresistible. What her friends said the other night kept playing in her mind, how she should have been stronger and never let Taecyeon had his way. How she should plan a counter blow just to keep his ego in check.

But, if she was being honest to herself, was tonight merely a form of revenge? Was her satisfaction seeing Taecyeon’s dumbfounded look born out of reward for her brilliant acting, or solely a form of self approval for her ability bringing a man to his knees? Bekah had absolutely no clue, she must have lost her mind somewhere down the line.

“I can get on my knees if you want me to.” Taecyeon’s voice startled her. Bekah looked up and saw him smiling. She would imagine her face must have looked ridiculous from all those thinking. 

“No…” She giggled.

Taecyeon’s eyes pierced, “N-no what?”

“I mean, no, please don’t kneel…” said Bekah while paying attention to those around them. The butterfly in her stomach started to flap its wings uncontrollably, her sane brain was beaten down and locked up in the darkest corner of her heart. She then wrapped her arms around his neck and fixed her stare at the guy who she thinks is the most good looking man in the room tonight.

“And yes, I’d date you, Ok Taecyeon.” 

Soon enough Bekah felt his tensed shoulder relaxing under her arm, he even breathed a sigh of relief. “However, do you think maybe we should wait before we tell people?”

He lightly rubbed his hand on her back, pushing their bodies even closer together. “We can do that, yeah. It’s fun being secretive.”, said Taec.  

Bekah couldn’t help but feeling nervous about this decision. What about their show? They can’t live together now that they’re dating……can they? 

“Taec?”

“Hmm?” He led her around the dance floor with the least amount of effort. With his size, whoever partner Taec has would look fragile compared to him. 

“How come you never dated ever since you came to Korea?” Bekah voiced her lingering question since that one night when Jay told her a little bit of information. Taecyeon didn’t seem concern about how she knew such thing.

He shrugged. “I haven’t met anyone suitable in a while.”

“Suitable?” she frowned.

“You know, someone who understands what I do. Someone who wants to make the most of it when we’re together, but doesn’t demand a lot in between times.”

It sounds like he dates the way he does everything else; logically, with imperative target. Bekah was suddenly reminded of her previous relationship, the one she let to fall apart under her nose. 

“I want to learn how to date,” she said out of the blue. “What do you want?”

He chuckled and ran a finger along her jaw. “Do you need to ask? You’re a beautiful, fascinating-” his voice turned husky, “-desirable woman.”

Bekah’s legs weakened. She must not budge. “I mean, what precisely would dating you involve?”

Her empirical question seemed to amuse him.

“Well, we’d go out when we have the time. A lot of schedule-matching too, obviously. I’d like to see you as much as I can, even between schedules. My company car would be useful for that. Oh, and there will be more of this…” He leaned down until their lips were only an inch apart.

“Taec-” Bekah yelped. “I don’t think that would be a good idea….with all these people.” Taecyeon realized instantly and moved back. “Apologies. I forgot…” he shyly smiled. Something about his demeanor spellbound her in the most perplexing way. He had been nothing but a gentleman and his confident aura didn’t clash with her stubborn self tonight. It must be his monkey suit, Bekah thought.

“You wanna get out of here?” Taecyeon looked around and saw his manager chatting with a couple of other people on the side. “We can run pass him if we’re quick enough. But…” His eyes lowered down to her shoes.

Bekah’s eyes glistened from the challenge. “Oh, I can run alright.”

“In those?” He glared at her killer heels.

“Well, Ok Taecyeon, there are a few things you still don’t know about me,” said Bekah playfully before observing the quickest way to the nearest exit. 

Taec smirked as she yanked his hand and ran sneaking behind other people. “Then you’d be pleased to know that I love surprises.” 

***************************************************

Running through the golf course in the middle of the night might not be his ideal way to spend this evening, but the full moon shining its soft silver beam on the quiet, empty field and the fragrant aroma coming from hibiscus garden spotted around the hotel had made it extra special for him. They kept running until they reached the small oak forest which fenced the rest of bungalows. 

Taec was panting. He’s surprised Bekah could match his running speed wearing her heels and didn’t even look half as weary as he did.

“Any idea where we’re going?” asked Bekah after they stopped to catch some breath.

“Not really. But at last…we’re alone now, aren’t we?”  

She looked around to the high and closed trees ahead of them. “Looks like it.” 

He closed the gap between them. “Good. ‘Cause I’ve been dying to do this.”

Taecyeon dropped his head for a kiss, Bekah wasn’t prepared for the same spark of electricity that had left her lips tingling a couple months back to multiply tenfold. She grasped his strong arms to steady herself as he pushed her until she felt her back against a tree. He then stopped just a hairbreadth away, so close she could have sworn she still sensed the warmth of his lips. ”That was long overdue, right babe?” 

She rested her forehead against his, the tips of their noses just touching. Her fingers dug into him, and he almost thought he could feel them tremble. He then pulled away to search for her face under the minimal light; he was looking for something he couldn’t quite put a name to. Bekah’s cheeks look flushed and warm, Taec wasn’t sure if it was from the running or the kiss. He cupped her face, caressing the high point of her cheekbone, enjoying the warmth of her skin. “Did I tell you how I enjoy your little game today?”

Bekah’s tongue peeked out to wet her bottom lip and she smiled innocently, “What game?”

Taec held back a grin and set his foot between the grass and surfacing tree roots. “You know what I’m talking about.” 

“What makes you think it was a game and not a punishment?” Bekah’s lips quirked up, mocking him.

His mouth went dry, “Punishment?” Taec groaned. ”Hmm, yeah I guess I deserved it.” He reached down to her waist and pulled her closer. The shock of sensibility that somewhere deep within her, a blaze of desire had been ignited, tickled her mind. “Let me make it up to you.” His whisper made all the hair behind Bekah’s neck stand up. When he brought her arm up and kissed her palm, her knees weakened. 

Surrounded by lush forest and minimal light, Bekah could only see his brown hair as he slid his lips down to the pulse point at her wrist. “You have lovely hands.” he said. Bekah made a small delighted noise in the back of her throat when Taec gathered  her arms up and held her hands above her with one of his. Another hand pressing against her back, pushing her into him. The forest was empty and silent, Bekah swore she could hear the heavy breathing coming out of them. Loud and clear. Apparently Taec decided to take a revenge on the torture she’d put him through tonight. Instead of continuing, he stood still in front of her with nothing but his gazing eyes cherishing her body. That was a lust she saw there, nothing less.  

“You’re shaking.” he murmured while nuzzling his nose behind her ear. His warm breath and gentle kisses made her feel like she’s losing her ground. ”I-I’m sorry.” Bekah’s voice came out embarrassingly breathy. Taec looked up. A hint of smile lurked beneath his perfectly curved mouth. “Don’t be.” It wasn’t long until their lips meet again, and this time they both gave in. Her stomach felt tense when he deepened his kisses, little by little. This can’t be a normal protocol for a first date, but Bekah had obviously left her traditional way of thinking when she slipped into that provocative dress in which at the moment is getting a full attention from Taec. His hand had moved up to play with her hair; his eyes looked more dangerous than usual.

“Wait Bek,” he suddenly said. “If this is too fast for you, let me know. I don’t want to lead you on if you’re-“

Bekah shut him up with another kiss, which surprised him a little. She moved her arms to signal him, asking to be freed. Once he did, Bekah reached out to his neck and removed his tight bow-tie. “Ahhh that feels so much better,” Taec thanked her and rested his right hand on her behind. She had this sudden urge to feel the warmth of his skin but the tux shirt had one of those little buttons that are impossible. He noticed her frustration and calmly held her hand, “I’ll do it. But perhaps we need to move to somewhere more….private.”

“We can go home.” suggested Bekah, still eyeing his fingers that were struggling to undone his first two buttons.

“Yeah, but that would defeat the purpose.” Taecyeon winked and gave her the most secretive smile. “Or we can just run a little bit more ‘til we reach those bungalows. You can see them, right?” He pointed East where she could see a line of cabana houses behind the other part of the golf course. 

“But we need to book-” Bekah’s sentence was hold off by a shiny object Taecyeon jingled in front of her eyes. “When did you…?” her eyes showed amazement.

“You’re not the only one with surprises, Bekah. Come, before anyone sees us.” He took her hand and went towards the referred direction. Before the reached the empty field, Taecyeon playfully grabbed her waist and stole a deep, longing kiss. Million things were playing in his mind; if this is the right decision for them, or whether they move too fast, but overall he knew one thing for sure, that tonight would change everything. While still thinking all those things, his part of the brain that still functions was aware of the faint, familiar sound. “Shit,” he cursed just a moment before the sprinkler systems came on and hit them with water.

“Oh no!!!” screamed Bekah. They exchanged glances and started laughing. 

“We surely needed some cooling-off,” Taec groaned while brushing his soaked hair back. “, but this is ridiculous.”

“Please tell me you didn’t plan this, Taec.” giggled Bekah while trying to wipe her remaining mascaras off. “We have no other way but to cross that field.”

He looked around, “You’re right. But I think you might want to take those shoes off this time around. Let’s go.”

They both started running in one direcetion and at the same time avoiding the water as quick as they could. Fortunately the room where Taecyeon had somehow booked wasn’t too far from the field. “Here, take the key. I’m gonna remove my shoes real fast and hang them out here before I make a mess.” Taec threw her the small gold object and sat himself down at the edge of the wall that separated their bungalow with the next one.

Bekah inserted the key and turned it but it somehow locked itself back. That’s weird, thought Bekah. On the second try she finally got it open and as soon as she walked inside, someone turned around to face her. Bekah jolted back and called out for Taec. She was indeed shocked.

He ran in haste, “What’s the matter?” Soon enough he realized there was someone else waiting in that room. The least expected person he would see tonight.

“……… HYUNG?”

Chapter 16 “Well, what’d you expect her to do?” asked Chansung the next day at the gym. Taec had been lifting weight the whole day like a mad man to release some of his frustration. “You must have seen it coming, right? You did it, hyung. Aren’t you supposed to be happy about this?” “Do I look happy?” Taecyeon glared. Chansung shrugged and ignored him. “So what stopped you, then? Are you afraid of what would happen next?” asked Chansung after a long silence. Taecyeon swears Chansung could read his mind like a book, probably the reason why he prefers Chansung over everyone else whenever he needs seek advise; it cuts the work in half. “I’m not afraid, ok? I just don’t think it’s the right thing to do, to……you know,” muttered Taec. “Sleep with her?” Chansung finished Taec’s sentence for him. “… yeah.” Chansung gave a quick nod. “It makes sense. Although actually, I don’t think any other guy would mind sleeping with her, given the circumstances.” “I don’t wanna hear about those other guys, damn it!” growled Taec while dropping dumbbells on the floor. “Wow.” Chansung grinned, putting his hand up above his head like he surrendered. “You’re jealous.” “Shut up. You just got me all riled up about it, nothing else.” Taec picked his dumbbell up and continued to work out. He heaved before continuing, “Imagine living in the same house with someone you’re attracted to yet you can’t do anything about it. I’ll tell you one thing for sure, your monthly bill will skyrocket because you have to take a lot of cold shower. It’s frustrating.” “I could only imagine.” Chansung smiled widely though Taecyeon’s alarming glare wiped his smirk off in an instant. “And by that I meant I sympathize, of course.” Taec sat up and grunted some incoherent words to himself, he reminded Chansung of an old, grumpy guy who is bitter about the world. “I’m done. Hey, man…thanks for listening, alright?”, he then used a small towel wrapped around his neck to catch a drop of sweat on the corner of his eyebrow.  “No problem.” Chansung lightly smacked his friend’s drenched-in-sweat back. “Oh by the way, I think your tuxedo has been dry-cleaned and ready to go. I saw it hanging in our costume rack upstairs.”, followed Chansung just when Taecyeon swung the gym door opened. “Oh cool. I’ll pick it up tomorrow, gotta go and help my aunt tonight. She’s going to move to Italy.”  “Really? When?” “End of this month. Her gallery is closing pretty soon, so I’m gonna stop by for a bit to help her with some stuffs. Catch you later!”. Taecyeon disappeared behind the door, leaving Chansung alone with a couple of young trainees who just walked in. He always knew Taecyeon has a big ego, couldn’t admit he’s more than ‘attracted’ to his roommate. Something had struck him today and made him realize Taecyeon had failed his mission and everything is becoming so muddled to a point where Chansung doesn’t even know how it’s going to end between those two. He only knew it’s not going to be good. Last night when he was walking back to their practice room, he accidentally eavesdrop the conversation between his boss with someone on the phone about Taecyeon and Bekah, and he was surprised to hear Jaebum’s name being mentioned as well. However, he was more curious about the reason lies behind those furious tone his boss used to end his conversation and how he confidently said “It’ll be taken care of.” before he hung up. Chansung was still not sure if he should tell Taecyeon about it, but it seemed like that guy had a lot of things going in his mind at the moment so he thought it could probably wait for a day or two. ******************* “Is this really necessary?” Bekah opened her eyes and found Kahi, Jung Ah, and Jooyeon stood behind her while their makeup artist was working on her. “Absolutely! We need to go on full force to get revenge on that cocky little bas-“ “Be nice, Jung Ah.” Kahi warned her friend who still looked upset about Bekah’s situation. “And yes, Bekah darling, you need to look stunning for tonight. You finally get a chance to appear on an award show as Rebekah Kim, not a part of After School. It’s your time to shine, baby.” Bekah could only hum her agreement and sighed. She should be excited attend one of the prestigious TV entertainment award and to be able to presenting one of the award on stage, but that also means she has to sit next to Taecyeon for a full 2 hours and that idea brought conclusion that she would rather sit at home in her pajama and paint the whole night. Thinking about it now, Bekah still feels so embarrassed about her drunk behaviour, although according to her friends what Taecyeon did was not a rejection; it was resistance. To Bekah they meant the same thing but apparently her friends thought otherwise. “You need to seduce him.” said Jooyeon and Jung Ah almost in unison last night. They then laughed at Bekah’s face which seemed shock, intrigued, and embarrassed all at once. “He needs to realize what he’s missing out, so you have to dangle all that beauty and pizzazz you’ve got right in front of his eyes…and then, just when he’s about to get a taste of you, yank it out of him and watch him suffer!”, Jung Ah’s right hand clenched a fist while the left one was covering it. It looked like she was ready to beat somebody up. “I doubt that’s gonna work, guys. I mean, we both have lived together for so long. We also have seen each other in our best and worst form possible.” “Well, you just have to trust us on this, alright? Now, this afternoon Jooyeon had picked up a lovely dress for you from her favorite boutique. You can try it on after you’re done with your makeup.” said Kahi after sitting down on the sofa nearby. Bekah straightened up her back and eyed on the big shopping bag Jooyeon’s carrying in her hand. “May I see it, Joo?” “Oh sure.” Jooyeon stepped forward closer to her. “I also picked up some lingerie to go with it, Bek. I figured they go hand in hand.” She winked with a big smile on her face. “Where is that thing….. Oh, here it is!”, continued Jooyeon before pulling something out of her bag to show Bekah. “Wow, that’s a lovely color!” mumbled Bekah after seeing something that looks like a mini babydoll nightgown. “It’s so pretty, Joo. Thank you. May I also see the dress?” “That is the dress, Bek.” replied Jooyeon calmly, enjoying how Bekah’s eyes widened after realizing what she just heard. “What?! But…that dress is way too short!” protested Bekah. She kept eyeballing the dress with a concern look. “Oh shush you, the length is perfect. You have the ass and legs to work it and the color matches your eyes really well.” said Jooyeon. The two other ladies nodded in silent agreement. The makeup artist also took a quick glance at the dress and whistled. “Oh honey, no man would say no to that. Straight or not.” he chuckled along. Bekah inhaled deeply, she wanted to trust her friends and took a chance on their suggestion. No one could force her to do anything if she fully against the idea. Consequently, deep inside Bekah must have needed some sort of redemption for herself. One thing she is less confident about, is to believe a revenge could actually make her feel better about herself.  ******************* Taecyeon was running late the day of the award show and arrived at home with quite a sulky mood. He almost forgot to pick up his tuxedo at his management building and even though it would be so much more convenient for him to get ready over there, he didn’t want to be rude to Bekah, letting her go to the award show on her own as they were invited as a team anyway. The weekend traffic made him only have fifteen minutes to take a shower and get ready. “Bekah?” he shouted as he was climbing the stairs. “Sorry I’m late, I left my office pretty early but there was traf——“ His throat suddenly felt dry and his words got lost somewhere when he walked pass by Bekah’s room. The door was left opened and there she was, standing in front of the mirror wearing something that he prayed to be a dress, while struggling to put on an earring. Bekah must have seen him from the reflection, she turned around and presented him with a dangerous view he was not prepared himself to see. “Something wrong?” asked Bekah with her big eyes fixed on him. Wrong? I could think of many more suitable adjectives to describe you but ‘wrong’ is certainly not it, wondered Taecyeon. He’s always seen Bekah around the house wearing her baggy shirts, sometimes having a paint brush” stuck in her hair and running around with absolutely no makeup. He’s pretty much used to her natural beauty, although of course, he clearly admits Bekah is a very beautiful woman. The only time he remembered her dressing up was when he saw her at his aunt’s gallery but Bekah looked more like a goddess back then; more refined and classy. Tonight, the woman who’s still staring at him waiting for his response looks more like a sex kitten. The satiny mini dress hugged her body like a glove, seductive yet leaving something to the imagination. When her long dangling earrings brushed her naked shoulder, Taecyeon quickly regretted his decision the other night which could have given him a pass to get the taste of those smooth skin. “You don’t like my dress, do you?” Her berry lips showed a bit of disappointment when they curved down while her hand stroking the soft and shiny fabric. She had no idea what she did was driving him crazy. “I can change if you want.” “No!”, yelled Taecyeon. “Don’t,” he repeated while his muscles are tensing up. “I mean…don’t change anything. I was just surprised to see you looking like this. Oh man,” He kept rubbing the back of his neck, wondering if she could possibly wear anything else under that tiny little dress. It’s working, Bekah smiled inside. “Jooyeon picked this one for me.” She did a little twirl for him, looking cheerful meanwhile Taec insinuated that he was being tortured. “Remind me to thank her later.” grumbled Taecyeon. “I will….tomorrow.” Bekah turned and smiled at him. “Oh, no…” she gasped lightly, “I knew this thing would give me a hard time.” Bekah innocently rest her leg on the side of the bed and traced her stocking line, which had become visible to his eyes, from her ankle all the way up to her upper thigh before it disappears beneath that damned short skirt. When she simply bent down to straighten it up, a heavy blood flow rushed from his head to his groin. “My god…” he almost broke down out of lust. Bekah immediately looked up,“What?” “Nothing.” “Oh, good. I thought you left something behind.” Yeah, my sanity… cussed Taecyeon in his mind. Bekah put her feet back down once she was pleased with the fix. “What do you think? They’re straight now, yes?” Taecyeon wanted to tell Bekah that he wouldn’t mind skipping tonight’s schedule so he could spend the whole night kissing her warm skin and making love to her, but considering how things went down between them the other night, he would only scare her off with his presumptuousness. He threw his tuxedo set covered with plastic on the nearest chair and proceeded towards her. “Are you, by any chance, trying to seduce me, Rebekah?” His dark and watchful eyes seemed threatening and dangerous; they gave her the shivers. “Why would you say so?” asked Bekah, playing dumb.  Taecyeon slyly smiled. “Let’s say I’ve got the hunch. Are you?” “Well, do you feel seduced?” Bekah smirked and bit her lower lip. Taecyeon felt his head was about to explode in a minute. He then grabbed Bekah’s hand and shamefully placed it in front of his jeans.  “You be the judge, babe.” Taecyeon grunted and silently enjoyed the change of expression on Bekah’s face. Her cheeks had turned bright red, contrasting with her dark sapphire dress, but she didn’t retract her hand at all. “Shall we just stay home tonight, hmm?” Taec whispered to her, close enough to make all the hair on the back of her neck stand up. Bekah couldn’t believe the plan works so effectively but she didn’t plan to end it way too soon. ”That sounds like a good idea but,” she paused and pushed his chest back a little “I can’t think of anything else better for us to do here.” Jooyeon was right, this dress is one hell of a weapon.  “Kissing you would be a good start. I was being a dumbass the other night, forgive me.” groused Taecyeon. He didn’t move at all, his eyes were as deadly as a night hunter. Bekah chuckled and brought Taecyeon’s hand near her face. He blinked a couple of times, trying to figure out what she wanted from him. “We could do that…”, she then landed a light peck on his inner wrist, leaving a lipstick mark while watching Taec’s extremely dumbfounded face, “but we’re presenting an award tonight…so I’m sure you don’t want to disappoint people who are expecting us, right?” Bekah continued caressing his inner forearm which only aroused him even more. “You’re right.” His voice was gravelly. “If I started kissing you, we would arrive very late for the show.” “I think if you started kissing me, we wouldn’t even make it to the show.” said Bekah under her breath. Her smile was commanding.  “Right. In that case, I’d better go and get ready.” Taecyeon muttered and unhappily walked away from her to pick up his suit. He almost caught Bekah grinning to herself when he suddenly turned around. “You stay close to me tonight, alright? That dress brings out the worst in men, even the most decent ones.” “That doesn’t include you, I believe.” replied Bekah. “Oh, you’ll see.” hasted Taec before closing his own door. He had to be careful unzipping his suddenly-becoming-tight jeans, thanks to Bekah’s evil attempt and keep reminding himself while he was under the cold shower, that tonight is going to be a long, painful night.  *******************

Chapter 16

“Well, what’d you expect her to do?” asked Chansung the next day at the gym. Taec had been lifting weight the whole day like a mad man to release some of his frustration. “You must have seen it coming, right? You did it, hyung. Aren’t you supposed to be happy about this?”

“Do I look happy?” Taecyeon glared.

Chansung shrugged and ignored him. “So what stopped you, then? Are you afraid of what would happen next?” asked Chansung after a long silence.

Taecyeon swears Chansung could read his mind like a book, probably the reason why he prefers Chansung over everyone else whenever he needs seek advise; it cuts the work in half. “I’m not afraid, ok? I just don’t think it’s the right thing to do, to……you know,” muttered Taec.

“Sleep with her?” Chansung finished Taec’s sentence for him.

“… yeah.”

Chansung gave a quick nod. “It makes sense. Although actually, I don’t think any other guy would mind sleeping with her, given the circumstances.”

“I don’t wanna hear about those other guys, damn it!” growled Taec while dropping dumbbells on the floor.

“Wow.” Chansung grinned, putting his hand up above his head like he surrendered. “You’re jealous.”

“Shut up. You just got me all riled up about it, nothing else.” Taec picked his dumbbell up and continued to work out. He heaved before continuing, “Imagine living in the same house with someone you’re attracted to yet you can’t do anything about it. I’ll tell you one thing for sure, your monthly bill will skyrocket because you have to take a lot of cold shower. It’s frustrating.”

“I could only imagine.” Chansung smiled widely though Taecyeon’s alarming glare wiped his smirk off in an instant. “And by that I meant I sympathize, of course.”

Taec sat up and grunted some incoherent words to himself, he reminded Chansung of an old, grumpy guy who is bitter about the world. “I’m done. Hey, man…thanks for listening, alright?”, he then used a small towel wrapped around his neck to catch a drop of sweat on the corner of his eyebrow. 

“No problem.” Chansung lightly smacked his friend’s drenched-in-sweat back. “Oh by the way, I think your tuxedo has been dry-cleaned and ready to go. I saw it hanging in our costume rack upstairs.”, followed Chansung just when Taecyeon swung the gym door opened.

“Oh cool. I’ll pick it up tomorrow, gotta go and help my aunt tonight. She’s going to move to Italy.” 

“Really? When?”

“End of this month. Her gallery is closing pretty soon, so I’m gonna stop by for a bit to help her with some stuffs. Catch you later!”. Taecyeon disappeared behind the door, leaving Chansung alone with a couple of young trainees who just walked in. He always knew Taecyeon has a big ego, couldn’t admit he’s more than ‘attracted’ to his roommate. Something had struck him today and made him realize Taecyeon had failed his mission and everything is becoming so muddled to a point where Chansung doesn’t even know how it’s going to end between those two. He only knew it’s not going to be good. Last night when he was walking back to their practice room, he accidentally eavesdrop the conversation between his boss with someone on the phone about Taecyeon and Bekah, and he was surprised to hear Jaebum’s name being mentioned as well. However, he was more curious about the reason lies behind those furious tone his boss used to end his conversation and how he confidently said “It’ll be taken care of.” before he hung up. Chansung was still not sure if he should tell Taecyeon about it, but it seemed like that guy had a lot of things going in his mind at the moment so he thought it could probably wait for a day or two.

*******************

“Is this really necessary?” Bekah opened her eyes and found Kahi, Jung Ah, and Jooyeon stood behind her while their makeup artist was working on her.

“Absolutely! We need to go on full force to get revenge on that cocky little bas-“

“Be nice, Jung Ah.” Kahi warned her friend who still looked upset about Bekah’s situation. “And yes, Bekah darling, you need to look stunning for tonight. You finally get a chance to appear on an award show as Rebekah Kim, not a part of After School. It’s your time to shine, baby.”

Bekah could only hum her agreement and sighed. She should be excited attend one of the prestigious TV entertainment award and to be able to presenting one of the award on stage, but that also means she has to sit next to Taecyeon for a full 2 hours and that idea brought conclusion that she would rather sit at home in her pajama and paint the whole night.

Thinking about it now, Bekah still feels so embarrassed about her drunk behaviour, although according to her friends what Taecyeon did was not a rejection; it was resistance. To Bekah they meant the same thing but apparently her friends thought otherwise.

“You need to seduce him.” said Jooyeon and Jung Ah almost in unison last night. They then laughed at Bekah’s face which seemed shock, intrigued, and embarrassed all at once. “He needs to realize what he’s missing out, so you have to dangle all that beauty and pizzazz you’ve got right in front of his eyes…and then, just when he’s about to get a taste of you, yank it out of him and watch him suffer!”, Jung Ah’s right hand clenched a fist while the left one was covering it. It looked like she was ready to beat somebody up.

“I doubt that’s gonna work, guys. I mean, we both have lived together for so long. We also have seen each other in our best and worst form possible.”

“Well, you just have to trust us on this, alright? Now, this afternoon Jooyeon had picked up a lovely dress for you from her favorite boutique. You can try it on after you’re done with your makeup.” said Kahi after sitting down on the sofa nearby.

Bekah straightened up her back and eyed on the big shopping bag Jooyeon’s carrying in her hand. “May I see it, Joo?”

“Oh sure.” Jooyeon stepped forward closer to her. “I also picked up some lingerie to go with it, Bek. I figured they go hand in hand.” She winked with a big smile on her face. “Where is that thing….. Oh, here it is!”, continued Jooyeon before pulling something out of her bag to show Bekah.

“Wow, that’s a lovely color!” mumbled Bekah after seeing something that looks like a mini babydoll nightgown. “It’s so pretty, Joo. Thank you. May I also see the dress?”

“That is the dress, Bek.” replied Jooyeon calmly, enjoying how Bekah’s eyes widened after realizing what she just heard.

“What?! But…that dress is way too short!” protested Bekah. She kept eyeballing the dress with a concern look.

“Oh shush you, the length is perfect. You have the ass and legs to work it and the color matches your eyes really well.” said Jooyeon. The two other ladies nodded in silent agreement. The makeup artist also took a quick glance at the dress and whistled. “Oh honey, no man would say no to that. Straight or not.” he chuckled along.

Bekah inhaled deeply, she wanted to trust her friends and took a chance on their suggestion. No one could force her to do anything if she fully against the idea. Consequently, deep inside Bekah must have needed some sort of redemption for herself. One thing she is less confident about, is to believe a revenge could actually make her feel better about herself. 

*******************

Taecyeon was running late the day of the award show and arrived at home with quite a sulky mood. He almost forgot to pick up his tuxedo at his management building and even though it would be so much more convenient for him to get ready over there, he didn’t want to be rude to Bekah, letting her go to the award show on her own as they were invited as a team anyway. The weekend traffic made him only have fifteen minutes to take a shower and get ready.

“Bekah?” he shouted as he was climbing the stairs. “Sorry I’m late, I left my office pretty early but there was traf——“

His throat suddenly felt dry and his words got lost somewhere when he walked pass by Bekah’s room. The door was left opened and there she was, standing in front of the mirror wearing something that he prayed to be a dress, while struggling to put on an earring. Bekah must have seen him from the reflection, she turned around and presented him with a dangerous view he was not prepared himself to see.

“Something wrong?” asked Bekah with her big eyes fixed on him. Wrong? I could think of many more suitable adjectives to describe you but ‘wrong’ is certainly not it, wondered Taecyeon. He’s always seen Bekah around the house wearing her baggy shirts, sometimes having a paint brush” stuck in her hair and running around with absolutely no makeup. He’s pretty much used to her natural beauty, although of course, he clearly admits Bekah is a very beautiful woman. The only time he remembered her dressing up was when he saw her at his aunt’s gallery but Bekah looked more like a goddess back then; more refined and classy. Tonight, the woman who’s still staring at him waiting for his response looks more like a sex kitten. The satiny mini dress hugged her body like a glove, seductive yet leaving something to the imagination. When her long dangling earrings brushed her naked shoulder, Taecyeon quickly regretted his decision the other night which could have given him a pass to get the taste of those smooth skin.

“You don’t like my dress, do you?” Her berry lips showed a bit of disappointment when they curved down while her hand stroking the soft and shiny fabric. She had no idea what she did was driving him crazy. “I can change if you want.”

“No!”, yelled Taecyeon. “Don’t,” he repeated while his muscles are tensing up. “I mean…don’t change anything. I was just surprised to see you looking like this. Oh man,” He kept rubbing the back of his neck, wondering if she could possibly wear anything else under that tiny little dress.

It’s working, Bekah smiled inside. “Jooyeon picked this one for me.” She did a little twirl for him, looking cheerful meanwhile Taec insinuated that he was being tortured.

“Remind me to thank her later.” grumbled Taecyeon.

“I will….tomorrow.” Bekah turned and smiled at him. “Oh, no…” she gasped lightly, “I knew this thing would give me a hard time.” Bekah innocently rest her leg on the side of the bed and traced her stocking line, which had become visible to his eyes, from her ankle all the way up to her upper thigh before it disappears beneath that damned short skirt. When she simply bent down to straighten it up, a heavy blood flow rushed from his head to his groin.

“My god…” he almost broke down out of lust.

Bekah immediately looked up,“What?”

“Nothing.”

“Oh, good. I thought you left something behind.”

Yeah, my sanity… cussed Taecyeon in his mind.

Bekah put her feet back down once she was pleased with the fix. “What do you think? They’re straight now, yes?”

Taecyeon wanted to tell Bekah that he wouldn’t mind skipping tonight’s schedule so he could spend the whole night kissing her warm skin and making love to her, but considering how things went down between them the other night, he would only scare her off with his presumptuousness. He threw his tuxedo set covered with plastic on the nearest chair and proceeded towards her. “Are you, by any chance, trying to seduce me, Rebekah?” His dark and watchful eyes seemed threatening and dangerous; they gave her the shivers.

“Why would you say so?” asked Bekah, playing dumb. 

Taecyeon slyly smiled. “Let’s say I’ve got the hunch. Are you?”

“Well, do you feel seduced?” Bekah smirked and bit her lower lip. Taecyeon felt his head was about to explode in a minute. He then grabbed Bekah’s hand and shamefully placed it in front of his jeans. 

“You be the judge, babe.” Taecyeon grunted and silently enjoyed the change of expression on Bekah’s face. Her cheeks had turned bright red, contrasting with her dark sapphire dress, but she didn’t retract her hand at all. “Shall we just stay home tonight, hmm?” Taec whispered to her, close enough to make all the hair on the back of her neck stand up.

Bekah couldn’t believe the plan works so effectively but she didn’t plan to end it way too soon. ”That sounds like a good idea but,” she paused and pushed his chest back a little “I can’t think of anything else better for us to do here.” Jooyeon was right, this dress is one hell of a weapon. 

“Kissing you would be a good start. I was being a dumbass the other night, forgive me.” groused Taecyeon. He didn’t move at all, his eyes were as deadly as a night hunter. Bekah chuckled and brought Taecyeon’s hand near her face. He blinked a couple of times, trying to figure out what she wanted from him.

“We could do that…”, she then landed a light peck on his inner wrist, leaving a lipstick mark while watching Taec’s extremely dumbfounded face, “but we’re presenting an award tonight…so I’m sure you don’t want to disappoint people who are expecting us, right?” Bekah continued caressing his inner forearm which only aroused him even more.

“You’re right.” His voice was gravelly. “If I started kissing you, we would arrive very late for the show.”

“I think if you started kissing me, we wouldn’t even make it to the show.” said Bekah under her breath. Her smile was commanding. 

“Right. In that case, I’d better go and get ready.” Taecyeon muttered and unhappily walked away from her to pick up his suit. He almost caught Bekah grinning to herself when he suddenly turned around. “You stay close to me tonight, alright? That dress brings out the worst in men, even the most decent ones.”

“That doesn’t include you, I believe.” replied Bekah.

“Oh, you’ll see.” hasted Taec before closing his own door. He had to be careful unzipping his suddenly-becoming-tight jeans, thanks to Bekah’s evil attempt and keep reminding himself while he was under the cold shower, that tonight is going to be a long, painful night. 

*******************

Chapter 15 “Slow dancing? That’s all?” asked a dark-haired girl with slim body. She trailed around the room with her tall stilettos making clanking noise. She then stopped right in front of the big canvas where another girl was sitting across from.  “U-huh.” mumbled Bekah after updating her friend with her last encounter on the roof. Bekah’s hair was tied up into a high messy bun and she had paints all over her hands, some even on her face. Her baggy boyfriend shirt hanging loose; she looked like a mess, as most artsy people do.  “Anything else after that?” Jooyeon asked again after unsuccessfully waiting for further explanation from her friend. Bekah shook her head no. “I haven’t even seen him home, their schedules must be crazy this week.” She sounded a little preoccupied; a faint line was formed in the center of her forehead whenever her hand had stopped mid-air to study her own progress. “You two frustrate me, really.” Jooyeon sighed, “At this rate I would have expected a kiss, at the very least.” “Well…actually,” Bekah murmured quite faintly, she stopped coloring a woman’s hair on the canvas. The tone of her voice gave impression that she mistakenly blurbed out her own thought and just realized it. Of course, it was too late. Jooyeon’s big round eyes blasted open in curiosity, “What? Did something else happen?”  Bekah hesitated for a little, “A couple weeks ago we…uhm, kissed.” Her face automatically turned red remembering that night when she met Taecyeon in the hallway after her breakup. Kissed would definitely be an understatement, if her brain still functioned correctly. Jooyeon dragged a chair out of nowhere, sitting next to Bekah with such hopeful face. “And then…?” “And then, nothing.” She chuckled inside, it’s always fun messing with her friend, knowing how easily she’d take a bait. “We both thought it was a mistake, the timing and everything.” “Seriously?” Bekah nodded and her right hand went back to her canvas. “And two nights ago? On the roof?” “Told you, we just danced.” Jooyeon huffed in disappointment. “You guys suck.”  “Whatever.” Bekah chuckled and dodged her friend’s nudge on the rib. They sat side by side for a good couple of minutes, Bekah concentrating on her work and Jooyeon watching. Finally, Bekah turned to her visitor who still hasn’t told why she suddenly came over without notice. ”Joo?” “Yeah?”  “Weren’t you gonna tell me why you are here?” “Oh, right. Well, I just wanted to check up on you.” “Don’t lie.” said Bekah without even looking at Jooyeon. Being friends for years gives her the ability to notice little things as simple as a lying tone.  “Ok, fine. I need your help.” “Sure,” said Bekah after fixing her posture. ”What can I do for you?” “Come with me?” “…where?” “On a date.” Bekah lowered her hand. “Hmm…not sure if you notice this but,” she glanced over, “I like men.” Jooyeon laughed “I’m serious! I have a date and now I’m scared shitless.” “A d-… A DATE!!!” Bekah finally grasped the reality. Jooyeon nodded and they both yelped and grinned like two teenagers. Bekah remembered three years ago, Jooyeon told her she had made a promise to herself that she wouldn’t let any guy to treat her poorly like her previous boyfriend. That, had to be accomplish by not going for the wrong guys, as she had always been. For that reason, her friend had been very picky and as far as Bekah could remember, Jooyeon never dated anyone again ever since. “So this guy…he must be special, huh?” Bekah sent an encouraging smile. “Yeah, he seems alright. But I’m so nervous, Bek..that’s why I need you to be there too.” “Don’t you think it’s weird tho, bringing friends on a date?” “Well, you can sit on another table, of course. I just need an emotional booster, having you around makes me calm. Plus, you can let me know what you think of him afterward, so I don’t make the same mistakes I did.” “So you want me to judge how your date goes?” Bekah glared at her. “Pleeeeease…I beg you. I’ll pay for your meal, hmm? How about that?”   Bekah sighed, she couldn’t say no to her friend although the idea of being a watcher for Jooyeon’s date didn’t really settle well her. “Fine. Just let me know beforehand so I could prepare.”  “Actually…” Jooyeon seemed reluctant, “It’s tonight.” “What!!!” Bekah almost choked. “What time?” “Errr, 8 o’clock.” “Joo, that’s half an hour from now!” Bekah panicked and stood up in an instant. She accidentally knocked down a brush can and it landed successfully on her toes. “Dang it!” “Don’t worry, the restaurant is not far from here. Take your time.” “But…..have you seen me, Joo?” Bekah grabbed her dirty shirt and hysterically showed her face which looked closer to a tribal woman. “I look like a mess.” “Go shower now and get ready, I’ll wait for you here. Besides, I don’t mind being fashionably late…you know, keep him waiting.” Jooyeon winked. “Alright-alright, I’ll be right back!” In no time Bekah already disappeared upstairs and stomped into her room. Jooyeon heard some thumping sounds followed by a couple of muffled cursing. Jooyeon walked towards a stack of canvas leaning against the wall; they were all covered with white cloth. Jooyeon had been watching Bekah paints since they were trainees. Bekah usually paints in series, therefore although her individual drawings are beautiful as they are, people normally wouldn’t get too much out of them. They need to see the bigger picture and read them like puzzle. Since Jooyeon knew it would take a while for Bekah to wash those paints off her face, she decided to reveal and arrange the canvases together to see if she could understand them. Within seconds Jooyeon’s full lips curved up and formed a smile. Rather than surprised, her smile was solaced.  ******************* I should have worn something nicer, wondered Bekah while observing the restaurant. From where she was sitting, she could see how Jooyeon rested her back with her fingers tapping on the tall glass. They were rushing to get out of the house, Bekah didn’t even ask Jooyeon for the guy’s name. Apparently they didn’t need to rush after all because apparently this mystery guy wasn’t even there yet. She saw Jooyeon glanced at her; Bekah calmed her friend with her gesture to wait a little longer. Ten minutes waiting for this guy wasn’t that bad, but they were already 15 minutes late. Being late for 25 minutes on the first date…he better be good looking, or else.. “Have you decided, Ma’am?” A waiter showed up and blocked Bekah’s view. She just realized there was a thick menu book in her hand that she hasn’t even opened yet. She was too nervous for Jooyeon. “Hmm, not quite. May I have a glass of water in the meantime?” The waiter nodded and left. Bekah flipped through the menu and amazed by the price of the food there. Her lips formed a round expression of surprise right before a figure came up and stood next to her table. She thought it was the waiter bringing water but the voice greeted her almost made her jump. “You look out of place.” Bekah knew it was Taecyeon as soon as she saw his toned arm. Her question was why was he there. “Taec?!?” What are you doing here?” asked Bekah in shock. Taecyeon seemed surprised too, judging from his expression.  “What about you, what are you doing here?” he asked her back. “I-uh.. I asked you first.” Bekah didn’t back down. She saw the older couple sitting nearby started stealing glances. A waiter approached her table and noticed Taecyeon standing there. She asked if she could also bring him something to drink too. “I’ll have gin & tonic, on the rocks.” answered Taecyeon with his eyes still planted on Bekah. “Are you okay with just water, Ma’am?”  “Oh yeah, she doesn’t drink.” Taec suddenly cut in before Bekah even blinked. “Make it two. Thank you.” said Bekah firmly, a little annoyed by his presumptuousness. The waiter seemed a little confused but she left without saying anything.  “So are you gonna let me sit there and join you or you’re saving the seat for somebody else?” asked Taecyeon. Bekah sighed and signaled him to sit across from her. Although only wearing a shirt, a sport coat and jeans, Taecyeon looked incredibly handsome and well-dressed. She was, once again, regretting her choice of outfit tonight. “Now that no one else is coming, obviously, may I know why you were sitting alone in this kind of restaurant? Oh…don’t tell me your date taking a rain-check again.” Bekah couldn’t get her mind around this guy sometimes. A couple nights ago he was all nice and civil, romantic even; and now he’s being his usual annoying self. “No. I came here with Jooyeon.” Taec looked around in confusion, “Did she abandon you, then?” “No! She’s over…there.” Bekah pointed somewhere on the other side of the room, behind the big flower arrangements. “A big date night for her, she asked me if I could come along because she’s too nervous.” “You’ve gotta be kidding me.” Taecyeon scoffed and smirked in his seat. “Yea, I know…I hesitated at first but-“ “No no, not that…believe it or not, I’m actually here for the same reason.” said Taec once he noticed she was about to justify herself. “Oh God, this is so funny.” “Wait…you-what?” Bekah was bewildered and it definitely showed. Suddenly she found the urge to check on Jooyeon. Her friend was still sitting by herself but looking more and more impatient. ”Wait, who did you say you’re here with again?” Bekah turned to Taecyeon.  “I didn’t.” Taec shrugged and followed Bekah’s head direction. The waiter came with two drinks but they were busy watching a familiar figure who just entered and smoothly strolled across the room. Bekah’s eyes were wide opened and her jaw dropped.  “Wooyoung? Her date is Wooyoung !?!”  “Yep.” Taecyeon answered before sipping on his drink calmly. He wasn’t sure if Bekah wailed that question at him or at herself. He had a feeling it was the latter. ********************** Thirty minutes had passed and conversation flew along with the food and drinks being served in front of them. Despite of the rocky start, Taecyeon was surprised that they managed to stay until now. Perhaps the reason being was Bekah had loosened up with the help of alcohol.  “So…who was she?” she asked; not even looking into his eyes as she reached for her glass.  “Who was who?” “The girl who gave you such a negative perspective on love.” Taecyeon had brought his rocks glass to his mouth but hadn’t yet sipped. He slowly lowered it. “Is that how you view me? A non-delusional?” She grinned. “I know you limit yourself to some degree.” said Bekah. “Isn’t that what you do too, Bekah?” Taecyeon asked back. He saw her startled a little. “Me? Pshhh how do you know?” She was a little loud. Her cheeks were pinker than usual.  “Did something happen…with your dad?”  Bekah played with the bottom of her glass before looking up and answered him. “Oh you know, he just…left. One day my parents just decided they had fallen out of love, I guess..I don’t know. Can we not talk about this?” She let out a small burp and apologized. Taec was profoundly watching her. ”Sure.”  “No actually, let me continue.” followed Bekah on the contrary of her previous statement. Taecyeon was taken back but he remained calm and paid attention to her. This girl is drunk, he scoffed.  “For me, whose life had been filled with believing her parents were meant for each other, was confusing. I thought everyone in this world live to find his or her one true partner.”  “Do you still talk to him?” asked Taecyeon softly. “Nu-uh. It’s been 10 years. I miss him sometimes, but what can I do? I don’t even know where he is or what he does…” Her eyes glistened. “Anyway, can I get more refill on this?” She looked around raising her glass. “You’re done for the night. Let’s get you home, okay?” Taecyeon pulled her arm and raised his to ask for the bills. “I don’t like going home, it’s lonely.” she rested her head on her palm and pouted. Taecyeon wondered if she was telling the truth, that she felt lonely. “You have me, Bek. I’ll go home with you.”  “But Jooyeon-” Bekah objected again. “I’m sure she’s fine, Wooyoung is not a dangerous being as far as I know. He’ll take care of her, don’t worry.” “I want to pay my share…” She mumbled again, struggling to find her wallet in the purse. “It’s alright, tonight’s on me.” Taec swiftly took his credit card and gave it to the waiter. “What’s wrong with sharing the bills? Nichkhun was just the same tsk.. Male ego.” she sighed. Taecyeon glanced, “Khun? You guys hang out?” Bekah nodded but she paid him no full attention due to the fact that Jooyeon and Wooyoung had just left the restaurant. “They left.” She stood up and started walking towards them but immediately stumbled and had to hold on to a chair.    “Woa woa, slow down! Let me help you.” “That was my bad ankle, Taec. I hurt myself last year.” She grinned at him and apologized.  “Then you should be careful, okay?” Taecyeon followed and braced her shoulder so she could stand straighter.  Bekah didn’t quite remember how she got to the car because she pretty much put all her weight on Taec. All she remembered was the long cab ride and her staring at Taecyeon most of the time. When they got home, Taecyeon brought her to her bedroom and tried to ignore her constant giggling. There was one moment when he tucked her in and she refused to go to bed. ”It’s still 9 o’clock!!! So early…” “Yeah, but you need to rest, Bekah.” “Why?” She sat up. “You’re a little drunk.” “The hell, I’m not.” “That’s what drunk people say.” “Come here, please.” Bekah suddenly uncovered the blanket and tapped on the bed. One elegantly straight brow arched as she stared him down, amber eyes unblinking. There was a stillness about her that was fascinating, reminiscent of a doe as the growling of hounds washes over her and she takes faith of her options before gushing into flight. It made it hard to look away from her. Impossible, really. Taec found himself and yanked his wandering mind away from her. He was tired, and sleeplessness always fostered fantasies and gave luster to otherwise boring things. She couldn’t possibly be as beautiful as she looked at that moment. No woman could.  “I don’t think that’s a good idea.” He stood still at the foot of the bed.  “Why not?” “Just…get some sleep, alright?” “Taec?” she called out. “Kiss me.” Taec was already by the door when he heard her again. He paused for one second before continued walking. If he stayed a moment longer, he’d tumble into bed with her and falling under her spell was the last thing he could afford to do. Besides, it would yet be another decision they might regret later on. He was convinced that once their lips met, he would lose himself once again and obviously Bekah was no where near decent state to make any wise decision for herself. I don’t want to hurt you, Bekah. Not this way… Annoyed with himself, he swore, turned on his feet and slammed the bedroom door.

Chapter 15

“Slow dancing? That’s all?” asked a dark-haired girl with slim body. She trailed around the room with her tall stilettos making clanking noise. She then stopped right in front of the big canvas where another girl was sitting across from. 

“U-huh.” mumbled Bekah after updating her friend with her last encounter on the roof. Bekah’s hair was tied up into a high messy bun and she had paints all over her hands, some even on her face. Her baggy boyfriend shirt hanging loose; she looked like a mess, as most artsy people do. 

“Anything else after that?” Jooyeon asked again after unsuccessfully waiting for further explanation from her friend.

Bekah shook her head no. “I haven’t even seen him home, their schedules must be crazy this week.” She sounded a little preoccupied; a faint line was formed in the center of her forehead whenever her hand had stopped mid-air to study her own progress.

“You two frustrate me, really.” Jooyeon sighed, “At this rate I would have expected a kiss, at the very least.”

“Well…actually,” Bekah murmured quite faintly, she stopped coloring a woman’s hair on the canvas. The tone of her voice gave impression that she mistakenly blurbed out her own thought and just realized it. Of course, it was too late.

Jooyeon’s big round eyes blasted open in curiosity, “What? Did something else happen?” 

Bekah hesitated for a little, “A couple weeks ago we…uhm, kissed.” Her face automatically turned red remembering that night when she met Taecyeon in the hallway after her breakup. Kissed would definitely be an understatement, if her brain still functioned correctly.

Jooyeon dragged a chair out of nowhere, sitting next to Bekah with such hopeful face. “And then…?”

“And then, nothing.” She chuckled inside, it’s always fun messing with her friend, knowing how easily she’d take a bait. “We both thought it was a mistake, the timing and everything.”

“Seriously?”

Bekah nodded and her right hand went back to her canvas.

“And two nights ago? On the roof?”

“Told you, we just danced.”

Jooyeon huffed in disappointment. “You guys suck.” 

“Whatever.” Bekah chuckled and dodged her friend’s nudge on the rib. They sat side by side for a good couple of minutes, Bekah concentrating on her work and Jooyeon watching. Finally, Bekah turned to her visitor who still hasn’t told why she suddenly came over without notice. ”Joo?”

“Yeah?” 

“Weren’t you gonna tell me why you are here?”

“Oh, right. Well, I just wanted to check up on you.”

“Don’t lie.” said Bekah without even looking at Jooyeon. Being friends for years gives her the ability to notice little things as simple as a lying tone. 

“Ok, fine. I need your help.”

“Sure,” said Bekah after fixing her posture. ”What can I do for you?”

“Come with me?”

“…where?”

“On a date.”

Bekah lowered her hand. “Hmm…not sure if you notice this but,” she glanced over, “I like men.”

Jooyeon laughed “I’m serious! I have a date and now I’m scared shitless.”

“A d-… A DATE!!!” Bekah finally grasped the reality. Jooyeon nodded and they both yelped and grinned like two teenagers. Bekah remembered three years ago, Jooyeon told her she had made a promise to herself that she wouldn’t let any guy to treat her poorly like her previous boyfriend. That, had to be accomplish by not going for the wrong guys, as she had always been. For that reason, her friend had been very picky and as far as Bekah could remember, Jooyeon never dated anyone again ever since.

“So this guy…he must be special, huh?” Bekah sent an encouraging smile.

“Yeah, he seems alright. But I’m so nervous, Bek..that’s why I need you to be there too.”

“Don’t you think it’s weird tho, bringing friends on a date?”

“Well, you can sit on another table, of course. I just need an emotional booster, having you around makes me calm. Plus, you can let me know what you think of him afterward, so I don’t make the same mistakes I did.”

“So you want me to judge how your date goes?” Bekah glared at her.

“Pleeeeease…I beg you. I’ll pay for your meal, hmm? How about that?”  

Bekah sighed, she couldn’t say no to her friend although the idea of being a watcher for Jooyeon’s date didn’t really settle well her. “Fine. Just let me know beforehand so I could prepare.” 

“Actually…” Jooyeon seemed reluctant, “It’s tonight.”

“What!!!” Bekah almost choked. “What time?”

“Errr, 8 o’clock.”

“Joo, that’s half an hour from now!” Bekah panicked and stood up in an instant. She accidentally knocked down a brush can and it landed successfully on her toes. “Dang it!”

“Don’t worry, the restaurant is not far from here. Take your time.”

“But…..have you seen me, Joo?” Bekah grabbed her dirty shirt and hysterically showed her face which looked closer to a tribal woman. “I look like a mess.”

“Go shower now and get ready, I’ll wait for you here. Besides, I don’t mind being fashionably late…you know, keep him waiting.” Jooyeon winked.

“Alright-alright, I’ll be right back!” In no time Bekah already disappeared upstairs and stomped into her room. Jooyeon heard some thumping sounds followed by a couple of muffled cursing. Jooyeon walked towards a stack of canvas leaning against the wall; they were all covered with white cloth. Jooyeon had been watching Bekah paints since they were trainees. Bekah usually paints in series, therefore although her individual drawings are beautiful as they are, people normally wouldn’t get too much out of them. They need to see the bigger picture and read them like puzzle. Since Jooyeon knew it would take a while for Bekah to wash those paints off her face, she decided to reveal and arrange the canvases together to see if she could understand them. Within seconds Jooyeon’s full lips curved up and formed a smile. Rather than surprised, her smile was solaced. 

*******************

I should have worn something nicer, wondered Bekah while observing the restaurant. From where she was sitting, she could see how Jooyeon rested her back with her fingers tapping on the tall glass. They were rushing to get out of the house, Bekah didn’t even ask Jooyeon for the guy’s name. Apparently they didn’t need to rush after all because apparently this mystery guy wasn’t even there yet. She saw Jooyeon glanced at her; Bekah calmed her friend with her gesture to wait a little longer. Ten minutes waiting for this guy wasn’t that bad, but they were already 15 minutes late. Being late for 25 minutes on the first date…he better be good looking, or else..

“Have you decided, Ma’am?” A waiter showed up and blocked Bekah’s view. She just realized there was a thick menu book in her hand that she hasn’t even opened yet. She was too nervous for Jooyeon.

“Hmm, not quite. May I have a glass of water in the meantime?”

The waiter nodded and left. Bekah flipped through the menu and amazed by the price of the food there. Her lips formed a round expression of surprise right before a figure came up and stood next to her table. She thought it was the waiter bringing water but the voice greeted her almost made her jump.

“You look out of place.”

Bekah knew it was Taecyeon as soon as she saw his toned arm. Her question was why was he there.

“Taec?!?” What are you doing here?” asked Bekah in shock. Taecyeon seemed surprised too, judging from his expression. 

“What about you, what are you doing here?” he asked her back.

“I-uh.. I asked you first.” Bekah didn’t back down. She saw the older couple sitting nearby started stealing glances. A waiter approached her table and noticed Taecyeon standing there. She asked if she could also bring him something to drink too.

“I’ll have gin & tonic, on the rocks.” answered Taecyeon with his eyes still planted on Bekah.

“Are you okay with just water, Ma’am?” 

“Oh yeah, she doesn’t drink.” Taec suddenly cut in before Bekah even blinked.

“Make it two. Thank you.” said Bekah firmly, a little annoyed by his presumptuousness. The waiter seemed a little confused but she left without saying anything. 

“So are you gonna let me sit there and join you or you’re saving the seat for somebody else?” asked Taecyeon. Bekah sighed and signaled him to sit across from her. Although only wearing a shirt, a sport coat and jeans, Taecyeon looked incredibly handsome and well-dressed. She was, once again, regretting her choice of outfit tonight.

“Now that no one else is coming, obviously, may I know why you were sitting alone in this kind of restaurant? Oh…don’t tell me your date taking a rain-check again.”

Bekah couldn’t get her mind around this guy sometimes. A couple nights ago he was all nice and civil, romantic even; and now he’s being his usual annoying self. “No. I came here with Jooyeon.”

Taec looked around in confusion, “Did she abandon you, then?”

“No! She’s over…there.” Bekah pointed somewhere on the other side of the room, behind the big flower arrangements. “A big date night for her, she asked me if I could come along because she’s too nervous.”

“You’ve gotta be kidding me.” Taecyeon scoffed and smirked in his seat.

“Yea, I know…I hesitated at first but-“

“No no, not that…believe it or not, I’m actually here for the same reason.” said Taec once he noticed she was about to justify herself. “Oh God, this is so funny.”

“Wait…you-what?” Bekah was bewildered and it definitely showed. Suddenly she found the urge to check on Jooyeon. Her friend was still sitting by herself but looking more and more impatient. ”Wait, who did you say you’re here with again?” Bekah turned to Taecyeon. 

“I didn’t.” Taec shrugged and followed Bekah’s head direction. The waiter came with two drinks but they were busy watching a familiar figure who just entered and smoothly strolled across the room. Bekah’s eyes were wide opened and her jaw dropped. 

“Wooyoung? Her date is Wooyoung !?!” 

“Yep.” Taecyeon answered before sipping on his drink calmly. He wasn’t sure if Bekah wailed that question at him or at herself. He had a feeling it was the latter.

**********************

Thirty minutes had passed and conversation flew along with the food and drinks being served in front of them. Despite of the rocky start, Taecyeon was surprised that they managed to stay until now. Perhaps the reason being was Bekah had loosened up with the help of alcohol. 

“So…who was she?” she asked; not even looking into his eyes as she reached for her glass. 

“Who was who?”

“The girl who gave you such a negative perspective on love.”

Taecyeon had brought his rocks glass to his mouth but hadn’t yet sipped. He slowly lowered it. “Is that how you view me? A non-delusional?”

She grinned. “I know you limit yourself to some degree.” said Bekah.

“Isn’t that what you do too, Bekah?” Taecyeon asked back. He saw her startled a little.

“Me? Pshhh how do you know?” She was a little loud. Her cheeks were pinker than usual. 

“Did something happen…with your dad?” 

Bekah played with the bottom of her glass before looking up and answered him. “Oh you know, he just…left. One day my parents just decided they had fallen out of love, I guess..I don’t know. Can we not talk about this?” She let out a small burp and apologized.

Taec was profoundly watching her. ”Sure.” 

“No actually, let me continue.” followed Bekah on the contrary of her previous statement. Taecyeon was taken back but he remained calm and paid attention to her. This girl is drunk, he scoffed. 

“For me, whose life had been filled with believing her parents were meant for each other, was confusing. I thought everyone in this world live to find his or her one true partner.” 

“Do you still talk to him?” asked Taecyeon softly.

“Nu-uh. It’s been 10 years. I miss him sometimes, but what can I do? I don’t even know where he is or what he does…” Her eyes glistened. “Anyway, can I get more refill on this?” She looked around raising her glass.

“You’re done for the night. Let’s get you home, okay?” Taecyeon pulled her arm and raised his to ask for the bills.

“I don’t like going home, it’s lonely.” she rested her head on her palm and pouted. Taecyeon wondered if she was telling the truth, that she felt lonely.

“You have me, Bek. I’ll go home with you.” 

“But Jooyeon-” Bekah objected again.

“I’m sure she’s fine, Wooyoung is not a dangerous being as far as I know. He’ll take care of her, don’t worry.”

“I want to pay my share…” She mumbled again, struggling to find her wallet in the purse.

“It’s alright, tonight’s on me.” Taec swiftly took his credit card and gave it to the waiter.

“What’s wrong with sharing the bills? Nichkhun was just the same tsk.. Male ego.” she sighed.

Taecyeon glanced, “Khun? You guys hang out?”

Bekah nodded but she paid him no full attention due to the fact that Jooyeon and Wooyoung had just left the restaurant. “They left.” She stood up and started walking towards them but immediately stumbled and had to hold on to a chair.   

“Woa woa, slow down! Let me help you.”

“That was my bad ankle, Taec. I hurt myself last year.” She grinned at him and apologized. 

“Then you should be careful, okay?” Taecyeon followed and braced her shoulder so she could stand straighter. 

Bekah didn’t quite remember how she got to the car because she pretty much put all her weight on Taec. All she remembered was the long cab ride and her staring at Taecyeon most of the time. When they got home, Taecyeon brought her to her bedroom and tried to ignore her constant giggling. There was one moment when he tucked her in and she refused to go to bed. ”It’s still 9 o’clock!!! So early…”

“Yeah, but you need to rest, Bekah.”

“Why?” She sat up.

“You’re a little drunk.”

“The hell, I’m not.”

“That’s what drunk people say.”

“Come here, please.” Bekah suddenly uncovered the blanket and tapped on the bed. One elegantly straight brow arched as she stared him down, amber eyes unblinking. There was a stillness about her that was fascinating, reminiscent of a doe as the growling of hounds washes over her and she takes faith of her options before gushing into flight. It made it hard to look away from her. Impossible, really.

Taec found himself and yanked his wandering mind away from her. He was tired, and sleeplessness always fostered fantasies and gave luster to otherwise boring things. She couldn’t possibly be as beautiful as she looked at that moment. No woman could. 

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” He stood still at the foot of the bed. 

“Why not?”

“Just…get some sleep, alright?”

“Taec?” she called out. “Kiss me.”

Taec was already by the door when he heard her again. He paused for one second before continued walking. If he stayed a moment longer, he’d tumble into bed with her and falling under her spell was the last thing he could afford to do. Besides, it would yet be another decision they might regret later on. He was convinced that once their lips met, he would lose himself once again and obviously Bekah was no where near decent state to make any wise decision for herself. I don’t want to hurt you, Bekah. Not this way… Annoyed with himself, he swore, turned on his feet and slammed the bedroom door.

Chapter 14 Bekah didn’t need to lift her chin to fathom a tall figure with long strides crossing the yard alongside swimming pool. In the corner of her eye she knew someone was coming for her. She maintained her posture, hands in lap; a passing breeze tickled her bare back, making her shudder a little. As soon as the figure stopped next to her, she barked, “What do you want !?!” thinking it must have been Taecyeon. But the surprised face looking down at her wasn’t his. “I-…just wanted to ask if you’d like to dance.” said Khun, sounding undaunted.  Bekah felt apologetic for her insolence and she said sorry. When he asked for her hand, Bekah had no other choice but to give it. Khun led her inside, all the way to the dance floor, joining a crowd of moving bodies. He then smiled at her, slowly placed his hands on her waist, bringing her closer to him. Bekah found a gap where the music wasn’t all blasting loud, she leaned in and said, “I’m sorry I yelled at you. I thought you were- you know…”   “Taec? Yeah, I figured.” Khun quickly responded. He brushed a strand of hair on her bare shoulder before whispering on her ear, “Let’s forget about him tonight, mmm? What do you say?” Khun had this tightness on his jaw as he was looking back at her. She wondered what could have caused that. “Sounds good.”, Bekah whispered back. The less I think about Taec, the better anyway. At that point her mind was greatly tangled; less than half an hour ago, a guy kissed her and now she’s dancing with another. When the one you’re always thinking about is somewhere else, a voice in her head told her. The music had veered from upbeat to a slower tempo. Khun pressed his palm against her back, hugging her even tighter. They danced with no words, seeking comfort from each other’s presence, but that’s about it for Bekah. It felt like dancing with her best friend; no butterflies, no electricity. She thought it was the same for him too until he suddenly faced her and added, ”I like you, B.” He was still holding her hand when she moved her lips without sound coming out, like a fish breathing underwater. She was too dazed to say anything, really. After an awkward silence, she finally found her voice, “Oh Nick…umm, Khun. I like you too…but, not as more than a friend.”  “Ah, shit…this is embarrassing.” He nervously chuckled, scratching his head. “No no no, it’s not. I appreciate you’re telling me, but- I just…can’t. I’m sorry.”  Khun sighed quite deeply, “You really fell for him, huh?” “Khun-“ “No, no, I get it. It’s just…tsk, how do I say this?”, he paused for a while, his eyes were wandering across the room as if he was checking for someone, “There is something you need to know, Bekah.” Her forehead scrunched, “What is it?” “It’s all a lie.” said Khun. “A…lie?” Before Khun responded, a taller guy suddenly appeared behind him. Bekah saw him first and Khun was startled by her sudden change of expression. “We need to talk.” said a deep gloomy voice. Taecyeon had taken his jacket off and unbuttoned the two of his shirt buttons. He was clearly talking to Bekah since his eyes were evermore planted to her. Khun was almost invisible to him.  Bekah’s face was red. “If you’re here to tell me that I lost the bet, you-“ “Deal’s off.” Taec replied in an even gloomier tone. She raised one eyebrow as a result of his snappiness, more than the fact that he called off their bet. If anything she should be the one who felt crossed by his cunning scheme. “Then we have nothing to talk about.” mumbled Bekah, showing no interest to carry a further conversation with him. “Bro, she is dancing with me.” Khun turned to face his friend. People around them started stealing glances, wondering about their awkward body languages. Taecyeon seemed to notice too, he moved and intentionally block their view with his towering body. “Fine, do you mind if I cut in then?” he grunted. Khun exhaled, at first it seemed like he was about to object but Taec’s eyes made him decide otherwise. He shrugged and turned around, looking defeated.  “I’m not gonna dance with you.” expressed Bekah with arms folded. “Why not? Are you afraid?” “Afraid ?!?”, she shrieked in disbelief, “I’m not afraid of you, Ok Taecyeon.” “So…?” He impatiently stood around and waited for her answer while angrily glared at a couple of people who seemed to take further interest in their conversation. “I’m done playing games, you lying prick.” She punctuated her words by stabbing the air in front of his nose with her index finger. “Excuse me?” he asked haughtily, wanting to swat that finger away. “Do I look stupid to you?” Bekah put her arms on her waist, provoking him. “No!!! What do you-“  He stopped, realizing his loud voice had gained more interested eyes. He then promptly pulled Bekah’s hand and dragged her along to the second floor. Bekah was complaining as she was forced to follow him across the dance floor but Taec was way too strong for her to actually made impact on him. He opened the bathroom door after checking no one was in there and locked the door behind him just as fast as Bekah’s accusation. “What the hell do you want from me?”, she roared.    Taec returned her angry stare as he sat on the edge of bath tub. “I don’t appreciate you calling me names in front of everybody,” Taec looked up “And you! Don’t act like an innocent victim, Bekah. I really should applaud you for surprising me, didn’t think you’d have a trick up your sleeve, my lovely roommate.” Bekah sensed a sarcasm in the way he pronounce his last words but she chose to disregard it on purpose. “What trick?” “Oh don’t play dumb… It was a nice timing for Jay to show up.” “WHAT?”, her eyes opened wider, “You think I planned that?” Taec didn’t react at once. He seemed a little frustrated, Bekah knew his gesture. “Are you two…together?” asked him after a while, with a less inflamed tone. Bekah wanted Taec to see how ridiculous that question sounded to her, but he was looking down at the carpet between them. “No. We’re just…friends.” “Like YOU-and-ME friends, Bek? Is that why you kissed him too?” “We-” Bekah was confused. She didn’t know he saw the kiss, but if this is where all his anger came from, maybe she should have listened to her intuition more. ”Taec…are you jealous?” “AM I JE-” He suddenly stood up and scoffed. Instead of finishing his sentence, he barged towards her in a quick motion and it jolted her. She automatically stepped back until her shoulder met the cold wood door. She said nothing in return, only glared at him with coldness.  “You should have never brought him here tonight.” continued Taec with his arms stretched against the door, trapping her in between. Those words slithered from his lips like an evil spell. Though the room was dark Bekah could sense his revulsion and it made her very angry, even more than she had already been.  “I can bring whoever I want, whenever I want, and YOU can’t stop ME.”, she emphasized her words.  “This is my house too! I have as much rights as you do to decide who can walk through that front door!” Taec replied in higher tone. “Oh great! Like today when you decided to have a party here without my permission?” she screamed back. “At least I know how to have fun.” said Taec. “What’s that supposed to mean?” Taec turned around towards the shower area in the back corner. He ran his hand through his hair in frustration. “I noticed you’ve been distancing yourself from me recently. You chose to lock yourself in that room instead of facing me.” Taec stopped and exhaled loudly; his head dropped, eyes looking at the ground. “I just wish…argh,”  “You wish what?” asked Bekah curiously. He stole a quick glance. “I wish you could just tell me what you really feel, okay? It’s so frustrating trying to get things out of you. I threw this…this…stupid party just to crack you.” Taec’s eyes went directly at her; they were demanding. “You felt something going on between us too, didn’t you?” He stepped forward, cornering her with his big body. She had no choice but to look at him, wishing she could find the doorknob easily and just run away. “I…Uh-“ “Admit it.” he whispered. The closeness of their bodies induced her heart to race and pace like she just ran a marathon. Her breathing started to feel heavy from the decreasing amount of oxygen they were sharing; her chest moved, trying to gasp for more air. Taec glanced down, not even aware he was doing it. His glance was brief, nothing offensive; almost certainly an impulse considering the urge to check out a woman’s cleavage appeared primal into male genes. His gaze went back to her face, but not quick enough that she would have missed the way his eyes narrowed and his jaw flexed under the dim bathroom light. Bekah was alarmed when those eyes exposed the dark intensity and appreciation for a mere second, all traces of that anger disappearing. It was lust, pure and undisguised. Unconcealed by social norms or proper upbringing that insisted it wasn’t polite to visibly want somebody. She, too, wanted this man; much as she hated to admit it. Wanted him badly enough to consider breaking every rule she’d ever made for herself and that was all the more reason to resist the impulse. “I have to go.” whimpered Bekah, in the weakest tone ever come out from her lips. She turned around to find he way out but Taec stopped her in sudden move. He reached behind her to lock the door. He took the key and moved further away from her. She saw a glimpse of tease in his eyes as he pulled the front of his pants, threatening to drop the key in.  “You’ve gotta be kidding me.” muttered Bekah. He purposely dangled the key even harder. ”Admit it or I’ll drop this. Quick, my fingers suddenly feel so sweaty…”  Bekah rolled her eyes. ”What are you, five? Give me the key!” “Nope. Words first.” She was clearly annoyed. “Never.” “Fine then. Come and get it.” He suavely drop the key inside his drawers. Bekah yelped in shock.  “You’re such an asshole!!! Let me out of here.” She hissed at him. He swallowed down the anger that had been building all evening, eyes fixed on the woman standing in front of him who looked like she was ready to kill any minute. ”Nope, not until you admit it.” he playfully grinned with satisfaction. She wanted to wipe that smirk away so bad.  “What made you so sure, Taec? Have you ever thought maybe your arrogance had clouded your judgment, once again?” “Oh I’m sure, Bekah, because if you didn’t feel anything between us, you would have answered my question by now. Am I right or am I right?” he smirked even wider. Bekah wished to object but she was lost for words. He was waiting for her to say something, his intimidating eyes examined her every move closely. “What we felt was just…lust. Nothing more. We’ve lived here together, for months. It must have been one of those spur-of-the-moment thing.” said Bekah finally. “Don’t give me that crap…you can’t possibly believe that.” “Then what do you want me to say, Taec?”, she abruptly replied, “That-that-I have fallen for you faster, deeper, crazier than I’ve ever let myself to? That I can’t seem to know what’s right and what’s wrong whenever I’m with you? And the more I think about it, the more lost I feel?” said Bekah in a firmer tone, although she still sounded helpless. Her cheeks started to feel warm from the truth that she finally let out for him. He had created a hunger inside her that hadn’t been there even when she was with Nick. It was both thrilling and shameful. She was afraid of his virility, but fascinated by it, too. He epitomized masculinity in its rawest form. The salty taste and smell of his skin, the roughness of his faint beard, the huskiness of his voice, all appealed to her. His size and shape and well-honed muscles were a blood-stirring contrast to her femininity. I guess he was right, I might have been afraid of him. “Is that your true feeling?” he asked, his fingers lifting her chin. Ahhh, feeling… Bekah had never been honest with her feeling, not when Nick broke up with her, not when her dad decided to leave her mom, not when her little sister climbed into her bed and cried every night. To her, feeling almost seems like weakness. Once you disclose it, people know how to get to you, to destroy you. She always felt she needed to guard herself; from the pain, from falling. She was afraid once she gave in, she had nothing else to hold on to. But today, even when she was angry at how he tricked her, she couldn’t lie. She was so afraid to crumble in front of him because the more he looked at her, the more fragile she got. And she was right; now she’s standing before him, blurting her heart out like a frantic teenager.   Taec’s lips suddenly arched in the corner, forming a smile. Why is he smiling? Bekah blinked multiple times while she was watching him turn around. It seemed like he was trying to reach for something. The key. She was relieved that he finally decided to let her go. He turned around and said, “Would you care to come with me?” “Where?” “Upstairs.” She flicked her gaze over him, thinking he must have been joking again. “We are upstairs, Taec.” He let out a heavy sigh, “Trust me this time, please?” Bekah nodded and let him open the door for them. The loud music was still banging loud from the first floor, people chattering filled up their house like a constant background noise that neither bother them nor trigger their curiosity. Taecyeon signaled her to follow him to the very end of the corridor. Bekah never went there because it was always dark and she never felt the need to. He knocked on the wall several times, there was this excitement on his face like a little child on a treasure hunt. Taec said “Ah!” when he knocked on a wall that sounded hollower than the rest. He then pushed this piece of wood inward, like a secret door, revealing a couple of stairs leading up to another door. She followed him with many questions in her head and as soon as Taec swung that door ope, a warm breeze blowing in; it felt rather nice. He stepped outside and made sure it was safe for Bekah to step on.  “Wow…we’re on-“ “The roof, yes.” He sounded proud. She always knew their house had a flat roof but she never explored to find out how to get up here. She didn’t even figure it was possible. The night was still silent, the jet black sky with no cloud was staring back at them. They both sat near the roof edge with their legs dangling down. “How’d you find the way here?”, asked Bekah. “Oh, by accident. I came here sometimes to sit and watch how slow the day feels when you have no one to talk to. It’s a nice change from our…you know, hectic life.” he chuckled. “See that blinking red light?” Taec pointed at a distant red dot that seems like the point of a tower building. Bekah nodded. “That’s where my company office is located. Before joining JYPE, I used to sit in my room, looking out that way. Watching the same light while telling myself that until I sign a contract with them, I would never quit trying. I convinced myself that being an idol is the only thing that can make me happy. Now I look back, I realized that I was so naive. I just wanted to do something different than what my dad had planned. But that light, always got me going. It was almost like a finish line I kept running towards. Now…whenever I watch it blinking, and I feel-” he left his sentence hanging. It made Bekah turned her head to him. “You feel what?” “Ahh…nothing.” “No, please..tell me.” she sent him a supportive smile.  “I feel nothing, Bek. Isn’t it weird? I accomplished it. I got there. I made my dream come true. Now what?” He huffed and resting his palm behind his back, reclining.  “Now you find another dream.” answered Bekah. She looked up to the sky and saw a blinking star. She pointed and said “See that? That’s where I need to go.” Taecyeon laughed, “Ok now you’re just making fun of me.” “I’m not!” She laughed back, “When I was little my dad used to tell me this story. It was rather stupid because for some reason I believed it was true.” “What story?” Taec showed an interest, he sat straight back up and stared deep into her eyes. She had to look away because it made her nervous, as always. “Well…there was this princess who was very beautiful and kind. She wanted to marry this man of her dream but her parents didn’t approve because he was poor. In order to separate them, her parents sent the guy away on a quest, to collect stars. They said the princess wanted a carnival of stars for wedding gift from him.” “Wait..wait, stars?” cut Taec. “I know, it makes no sense…but when I was a kid I didn’t question the sanity of the story, alright?” “Fine, fine…go on then. So the poor dude was set out on a star-collecting quest,” She nudged his rib for making it sound even more ridiculous. “Yes…but she was lied to by her parents. They told her he went away to get her a very special gift for their wedding. It was supposed to be a surprise but they wanted her to know anyway. She believed them and anxiously waiting for him every night. The journey was dangerous, he was never meant to return. But she never stopped waiting for him, always looking up to the sky and watched the stars blink. To her it was a sign from him that he had caught another one, and the more he caught, the sooner he would come back to her.” Taec stared at her as Bekah stopped talking. “That was probably the saddest children story I have ever heard.” Bekah giggled faintly. “Yeah, I know..it’s pretty tragic. But I was so enchanted by it. I always watched the sky from my window, imagining how much hope there was in her eyes whenever she gazed up above, longing for him. I then told my dad I wanted to fly to the last blinking star to find that guy for her and tell him to return to his princess.” “Not trying to bust your bubble but, you know those blinking thing in the sky could actually be-“ “Satellites, I know. I discovered that cold truth later on.” replied Bekah. “Damn, you must have been a very delusional kid then.” Taec shook his head. “Heh, I guess. But as I grew older, I learned a lesson sometimes people you love don’t always tell the truth.” she sighed, “And sometimes, they walk away from you too.” He noticed a sudden change of tone in her voice, “What happened?” Bekah didn’t return his stare, instead she looked down at her legs and smiled quietly. “Long story, we’ll save it for another night.” Taecyeon turned to watching his blinking red dot again, still feeling empty. In the corner of his eyes, he saw Bekah shivered a little in her seat and suddenly felt bad for not considering her outfit. “Are you cold? Do you want to get back inside?”  “I’m fine. I like it out here.” replied her.  They went silent, taking in all the peaceful night and the stories they shared as they sat side by side. “Bek?”, called Taec after a while. “Hmm?” She faced him when he didn’t continue talking. Taecyeon had turned his body to her completely. The wind had whisked his hair to look messier than it usually did. He was staring at her lips before returning to a pair of brown eyes that were watching him. Her eyes had that same ring of fire he saw several months ago, it still feels like yesterday. The curious eyes dancing beneath long lashes. Bekah bit her lower lip, an unconscious defense mechanism she built to cope with the nervous feeling whenever Taecyeon looked at her a certain way. “Taec?” asked her weakly, ignoring the flustered pulse beating its way through her veins. She knew he was going for a kiss. His leaning body and gentle touch around her face confirmed her prediction. Bekah could not think of a better horizon. She always wanted to be kissed on a roof, for her it was very romantic. But am I giving in too easily? Then her phone rang, chirping ‘Somewhere Out There’. Taecyeon jolted back to his senses; a bashful smile bloomed on his face while watching Bekah answering her call. By the time she’d convinced Jooyeon she was not returning to their dorm tonight, Taecyeon had stood up and regarding her inquisitively. “Did your phone just play ‘Somewhere Out There’?” “Uh-huh. It’s a personal ring tone. It’s…optimistic.” “Somewhere out there…” he chuckled, “You’re still living your dream, aren’t you?” Taecyeon slid his hands in pockets, glancing over her. “Well, it just happens to be my favorite song too, so I made it a ring tone.” “I can’t believe your ring tone is- heheh…” “Why, what’s wrong with that?” She sounded a little mad, it made him grin. “Nevermind.” Taecyeon looked amused yet withdrawn. “Come here and play that song again.” “Really?” asked Bekah, half in disbelief. Taecyeon nodded. “For what?” “For us to dance, of course. You owe me one downstairs.” She walked close to him like it was the only reasonable thing to do. She played the song in a loop and placed her phone across from where they were standing. Taecyeon took her hands and wrapped them around his neck. The next thing she knew they were looking at each other’s eyes. It was weird because Bekah couldn’t feel her legs yet their bodies swayed and moved together like in the movie. His eyes were mesmerizing, for once Bekah didn’t feel threatened by them. She wondered how many different way this guy look at her that she needed to discover.  “You still believe this is just a mere lust?” he asked her out of the blue. Bekah gulped and breathed in some air before answering, ”Taec, I honestly don’t know what we’re doing here.” “Huh? We’re dancing.” he clasped her hand with his and hugged her waist closer. “I mean…us. We’re living here together, and the things I said back there…I mean, I don’t know how you feel… You didn’t even make it clear to me if-“ “Shhh,” Taecyeon placed his finger on her lips. “I thought my action was clear enough for you, Bekah. Words can be misleading, don’t you agree? Besides you’ve done too much talking for tonight.” “I’m sorry?” She looked up and uncovered he was just messing with her. He was delighted to see how easily he could give her a hard time. ”We have tomorrow to talk, if you want, but tonight…” he effortlessly made her do a small twirl before pulling her back into his arms, “Tonight we dance.” **************************

Chapter 14

Bekah didn’t need to lift her chin to fathom a tall figure with long strides crossing the yard alongside swimming pool. In the corner of her eye she knew someone was coming for her. She maintained her posture, hands in lap; a passing breeze tickled her bare back, making her shudder a little. As soon as the figure stopped next to her, she barked, “What do you want !?!” thinking it must have been Taecyeon. But the surprised face looking down at her wasn’t his.

“I-…just wanted to ask if you’d like to dance.” said Khun, sounding undaunted. 

Bekah felt apologetic for her insolence and she said sorry. When he asked for her hand, Bekah had no other choice but to give it. Khun led her inside, all the way to the dance floor, joining a crowd of moving bodies. He then smiled at her, slowly placed his hands on her waist, bringing her closer to him.

Bekah found a gap where the music wasn’t all blasting loud, she leaned in and said, “I’m sorry I yelled at you. I thought you were- you know…”  

“Taec? Yeah, I figured.” Khun quickly responded. He brushed a strand of hair on her bare shoulder before whispering on her ear, “Let’s forget about him tonight, mmm? What do you say?”

Khun had this tightness on his jaw as he was looking back at her. She wondered what could have caused that. “Sounds good.”, Bekah whispered back. The less I think about Taec, the better anyway.

At that point her mind was greatly tangled; less than half an hour ago, a guy kissed her and now she’s dancing with another. When the one you’re always thinking about is somewhere else, a voice in her head told her.

The music had veered from upbeat to a slower tempo. Khun pressed his palm against her back, hugging her even tighter. They danced with no words, seeking comfort from each other’s presence, but that’s about it for Bekah. It felt like dancing with her best friend; no butterflies, no electricity. She thought it was the same for him too until he suddenly faced her and added, ”I like you, B.”

He was still holding her hand when she moved her lips without sound coming out, like a fish breathing underwater. She was too dazed to say anything, really. After an awkward silence, she finally found her voice, “Oh Nick…umm, Khun. I like you too…but, not as more than a friend.” 

“Ah, shit…this is embarrassing.” He nervously chuckled, scratching his head.

“No no no, it’s not. I appreciate you’re telling me, but- I just…can’t. I’m sorry.” 

Khun sighed quite deeply, “You really fell for him, huh?”

“Khun-“

“No, no, I get it. It’s just…tsk, how do I say this?”, he paused for a while, his eyes were wandering across the room as if he was checking for someone, “There is something you need to know, Bekah.”

Her forehead scrunched, “What is it?”

“It’s all a lie.” said Khun.

“A…lie?”

Before Khun responded, a taller guy suddenly appeared behind him. Bekah saw him first and Khun was startled by her sudden change of expression.

“We need to talk.” said a deep gloomy voice. Taecyeon had taken his jacket off and unbuttoned the two of his shirt buttons. He was clearly talking to Bekah since his eyes were evermore planted to her. Khun was almost invisible to him. 

Bekah’s face was red. “If you’re here to tell me that I lost the bet, you-“

“Deal’s off.” Taec replied in an even gloomier tone. She raised one eyebrow as a result of his snappiness, more than the fact that he called off their bet. If anything she should be the one who felt crossed by his cunning scheme.

“Then we have nothing to talk about.” mumbled Bekah, showing no interest to carry a further conversation with him.

“Bro, she is dancing with me.” Khun turned to face his friend. People around them started stealing glances, wondering about their awkward body languages. Taecyeon seemed to notice too, he moved and intentionally block their view with his towering body. “Fine, do you mind if I cut in then?” he grunted. Khun exhaled, at first it seemed like he was about to object but Taec’s eyes made him decide otherwise. He shrugged and turned around, looking defeated. 

“I’m not gonna dance with you.” expressed Bekah with arms folded.

“Why not? Are you afraid?”

“Afraid ?!?”, she shrieked in disbelief, “I’m not afraid of you, Ok Taecyeon.”

“So…?” He impatiently stood around and waited for her answer while angrily glared at a couple of people who seemed to take further interest in their conversation.

“I’m done playing games, you lying prick.” She punctuated her words by stabbing the air in front of his nose with her index finger.

“Excuse me?” he asked haughtily, wanting to swat that finger away.

“Do I look stupid to you?” Bekah put her arms on her waist, provoking him.

“No!!! What do you-“ 

He stopped, realizing his loud voice had gained more interested eyes. He then promptly pulled Bekah’s hand and dragged her along to the second floor. Bekah was complaining as she was forced to follow him across the dance floor but Taec was way too strong for her to actually made impact on him. He opened the bathroom door after checking no one was in there and locked the door behind him just as fast as Bekah’s accusation.

“What the hell do you want from me?”, she roared.   

Taec returned her angry stare as he sat on the edge of bath tub. “I don’t appreciate you calling me names in front of everybody,” Taec looked up “And you! Don’t act like an innocent victim, Bekah. I really should applaud you for surprising me, didn’t think you’d have a trick up your sleeve, my lovely roommate.”

Bekah sensed a sarcasm in the way he pronounce his last words but she chose to disregard it on purpose. “What trick?”

“Oh don’t play dumb… It was a nice timing for Jay to show up.”

“WHAT?”, her eyes opened wider, “You think I planned that?”

Taec didn’t react at once. He seemed a little frustrated, Bekah knew his gesture. “Are you two…together?” asked him after a while, with a less inflamed tone. Bekah wanted Taec to see how ridiculous that question sounded to her, but he was looking down at the carpet between them.

“No. We’re just…friends.”

“Like YOU-and-ME friends, Bek? Is that why you kissed him too?”

“We-” Bekah was confused. She didn’t know he saw the kiss, but if this is where all his anger came from, maybe she should have listened to her intuition more. ”Taec…are you jealous?”

“AM I JE-” He suddenly stood up and scoffed. Instead of finishing his sentence, he barged towards her in a quick motion and it jolted her. She automatically stepped back until her shoulder met the cold wood door. She said nothing in return, only glared at him with coldness. 

“You should have never brought him here tonight.” continued Taec with his arms stretched against the door, trapping her in between. Those words slithered from his lips like an evil spell. Though the room was dark Bekah could sense his revulsion and it made her very angry, even more than she had already been. 

“I can bring whoever I want, whenever I want, and YOU can’t stop ME.”, she emphasized her words. 

“This is my house too! I have as much rights as you do to decide who can walk through that front door!” Taec replied in higher tone.

“Oh great! Like today when you decided to have a party here without my permission?” she screamed back.

“At least I know how to have fun.” said Taec.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Taec turned around towards the shower area in the back corner. He ran his hand through his hair in frustration. “I noticed you’ve been distancing yourself from me recently. You chose to lock yourself in that room instead of facing me.” Taec stopped and exhaled loudly; his head dropped, eyes looking at the ground. “I just wish…argh,” 

“You wish what?” asked Bekah curiously.

He stole a quick glance. “I wish you could just tell me what you really feel, okay? It’s so frustrating trying to get things out of you. I threw this…this…stupid party just to crack you.” Taec’s eyes went directly at her; they were demanding. “You felt something going on between us too, didn’t you?”

He stepped forward, cornering her with his big body. She had no choice but to look at him, wishing she could find the doorknob easily and just run away. “I…Uh-“

“Admit it.” he whispered. The closeness of their bodies induced her heart to race and pace like she just ran a marathon. Her breathing started to feel heavy from the decreasing amount of oxygen they were sharing; her chest moved, trying to gasp for more air. Taec glanced down, not even aware he was doing it. His glance was brief, nothing offensive; almost certainly an impulse considering the urge to check out a woman’s cleavage appeared primal into male genes. His gaze went back to her face, but not quick enough that she would have missed the way his eyes narrowed and his jaw flexed under the dim bathroom light. Bekah was alarmed when those eyes exposed the dark intensity and appreciation for a mere second, all traces of that anger disappearing. It was lust, pure and undisguised. Unconcealed by social norms or proper upbringing that insisted it wasn’t polite to visibly want somebody.

She, too, wanted this man; much as she hated to admit it. Wanted him badly enough to consider breaking every rule she’d ever made for herself and that was all the more reason to resist the impulse. “I have to go.” whimpered Bekah, in the weakest tone ever come out from her lips. She turned around to find he way out but Taec stopped her in sudden move. He reached behind her to lock the door. He took the key and moved further away from her. She saw a glimpse of tease in his eyes as he pulled the front of his pants, threatening to drop the key in. 

“You’ve gotta be kidding me.” muttered Bekah.

He purposely dangled the key even harder. ”Admit it or I’ll drop this. Quick, my fingers suddenly feel so sweaty…” 

Bekah rolled her eyes. ”What are you, five? Give me the key!”

“Nope. Words first.”

She was clearly annoyed. “Never.”

“Fine then. Come and get it.” He suavely drop the key inside his drawers. Bekah yelped in shock. 

“You’re such an asshole!!! Let me out of here.” She hissed at him.

He swallowed down the anger that had been building all evening, eyes fixed on the woman standing in front of him who looked like she was ready to kill any minute. ”Nope, not until you admit it.” he playfully grinned with satisfaction. She wanted to wipe that smirk away so bad. 

“What made you so sure, Taec? Have you ever thought maybe your arrogance had clouded your judgment, once again?”

“Oh I’m sure, Bekah, because if you didn’t feel anything between us, you would have answered my question by now. Am I right or am I right?” he smirked even wider.

Bekah wished to object but she was lost for words. He was waiting for her to say something, his intimidating eyes examined her every move closely. “What we felt was just…lust. Nothing more. We’ve lived here together, for months. It must have been one of those spur-of-the-moment thing.” said Bekah finally.

“Don’t give me that crap…you can’t possibly believe that.”

“Then what do you want me to say, Taec?”, she abruptly replied, “That-that-I have fallen for you faster, deeper, crazier than I’ve ever let myself to? That I can’t seem to know what’s right and what’s wrong whenever I’m with you? And the more I think about it, the more lost I feel?” said Bekah in a firmer tone, although she still sounded helpless. Her cheeks started to feel warm from the truth that she finally let out for him. He had created a hunger inside her that hadn’t been there even when she was with Nick. It was both thrilling and shameful. She was afraid of his virility, but fascinated by it, too. He epitomized masculinity in its rawest form. The salty taste and smell of his skin, the roughness of his faint beard, the huskiness of his voice, all appealed to her. His size and shape and well-honed muscles were a blood-stirring contrast to her femininity.

I guess he was right, I might have been afraid of him.

“Is that your true feeling?” he asked, his fingers lifting her chin.

Ahhh, feeling… Bekah had never been honest with her feeling, not when Nick broke up with her, not when her dad decided to leave her mom, not when her little sister climbed into her bed and cried every night. To her, feeling almost seems like weakness. Once you disclose it, people know how to get to you, to destroy you. She always felt she needed to guard herself; from the pain, from falling. She was afraid once she gave in, she had nothing else to hold on to. But today, even when she was angry at how he tricked her, she couldn’t lie. She was so afraid to crumble in front of him because the more he looked at her, the more fragile she got. And she was right; now she’s standing before him, blurting her heart out like a frantic teenager.  

Taec’s lips suddenly arched in the corner, forming a smile. Why is he smiling? Bekah blinked multiple times while she was watching him turn around. It seemed like he was trying to reach for something.

The key.

She was relieved that he finally decided to let her go. He turned around and said, “Would you care to come with me?”

“Where?”

“Upstairs.”

She flicked her gaze over him, thinking he must have been joking again. “We are upstairs, Taec.”

He let out a heavy sigh, “Trust me this time, please?”

Bekah nodded and let him open the door for them. The loud music was still banging loud from the first floor, people chattering filled up their house like a constant background noise that neither bother them nor trigger their curiosity. Taecyeon signaled her to follow him to the very end of the corridor. Bekah never went there because it was always dark and she never felt the need to. He knocked on the wall several times, there was this excitement on his face like a little child on a treasure hunt. Taec said “Ah!” when he knocked on a wall that sounded hollower than the rest. He then pushed this piece of wood inward, like a secret door, revealing a couple of stairs leading up to another door. She followed him with many questions in her head and as soon as Taec swung that door ope, a warm breeze blowing in; it felt rather nice. He stepped outside and made sure it was safe for Bekah to step on. 

“Wow…we’re on-“

“The roof, yes.” He sounded proud.

She always knew their house had a flat roof but she never explored to find out how to get up here. She didn’t even figure it was possible. The night was still silent, the jet black sky with no cloud was staring back at them. They both sat near the roof edge with their legs dangling down. “How’d you find the way here?”, asked Bekah.

“Oh, by accident. I came here sometimes to sit and watch how slow the day feels when you have no one to talk to. It’s a nice change from our…you know, hectic life.” he chuckled. “See that blinking red light?” Taec pointed at a distant red dot that seems like the point of a tower building. Bekah nodded. “That’s where my company office is located. Before joining JYPE, I used to sit in my room, looking out that way. Watching the same light while telling myself that until I sign a contract with them, I would never quit trying. I convinced myself that being an idol is the only thing that can make me happy. Now I look back, I realized that I was so naive. I just wanted to do something different than what my dad had planned. But that light, always got me going. It was almost like a finish line I kept running towards. Now…whenever I watch it blinking, and I feel-” he left his sentence hanging. It made Bekah turned her head to him.

“You feel what?”

“Ahh…nothing.”

“No, please..tell me.” she sent him a supportive smile. 

“I feel nothing, Bek. Isn’t it weird? I accomplished it. I got there. I made my dream come true. Now what?” He huffed and resting his palm behind his back, reclining. 

“Now you find another dream.” answered Bekah. She looked up to the sky and saw a blinking star. She pointed and said “See that? That’s where I need to go.”

Taecyeon laughed, “Ok now you’re just making fun of me.”

“I’m not!” She laughed back, “When I was little my dad used to tell me this story. It was rather stupid because for some reason I believed it was true.”

“What story?” Taec showed an interest, he sat straight back up and stared deep into her eyes. She had to look away because it made her nervous, as always.

“Well…there was this princess who was very beautiful and kind. She wanted to marry this man of her dream but her parents didn’t approve because he was poor. In order to separate them, her parents sent the guy away on a quest, to collect stars. They said the princess wanted a carnival of stars for wedding gift from him.”

“Wait..wait, stars?” cut Taec.

“I know, it makes no sense…but when I was a kid I didn’t question the sanity of the story, alright?”

“Fine, fine…go on then. So the poor dude was set out on a star-collecting quest,”

She nudged his rib for making it sound even more ridiculous. “Yes…but she was lied to by her parents. They told her he went away to get her a very special gift for their wedding. It was supposed to be a surprise but they wanted her to know anyway. She believed them and anxiously waiting for him every night. The journey was dangerous, he was never meant to return. But she never stopped waiting for him, always looking up to the sky and watched the stars blink. To her it was a sign from him that he had caught another one, and the more he caught, the sooner he would come back to her.”

Taec stared at her as Bekah stopped talking. “That was probably the saddest children story I have ever heard.”

Bekah giggled faintly. “Yeah, I know..it’s pretty tragic. But I was so enchanted by it. I always watched the sky from my window, imagining how much hope there was in her eyes whenever she gazed up above, longing for him. I then told my dad I wanted to fly to the last blinking star to find that guy for her and tell him to return to his princess.”

“Not trying to bust your bubble but, you know those blinking thing in the sky could actually be-“

“Satellites, I know. I discovered that cold truth later on.” replied Bekah.

“Damn, you must have been a very delusional kid then.” Taec shook his head.

“Heh, I guess. But as I grew older, I learned a lesson sometimes people you love don’t always tell the truth.” she sighed, “And sometimes, they walk away from you too.”

He noticed a sudden change of tone in her voice, “What happened?”

Bekah didn’t return his stare, instead she looked down at her legs and smiled quietly. “Long story, we’ll save it for another night.”

Taecyeon turned to watching his blinking red dot again, still feeling empty. In the corner of his eyes, he saw Bekah shivered a little in her seat and suddenly felt bad for not considering her outfit. “Are you cold? Do you want to get back inside?” 

“I’m fine. I like it out here.” replied her. 

They went silent, taking in all the peaceful night and the stories they shared as they sat side by side.

“Bek?”, called Taec after a while.

“Hmm?” She faced him when he didn’t continue talking. Taecyeon had turned his body to her completely. The wind had whisked his hair to look messier than it usually did. He was staring at her lips before returning to a pair of brown eyes that were watching him. Her eyes had that same ring of fire he saw several months ago, it still feels like yesterday. The curious eyes dancing beneath long lashes.

Bekah bit her lower lip, an unconscious defense mechanism she built to cope with the nervous feeling whenever Taecyeon looked at her a certain way. “Taec?” asked her weakly, ignoring the flustered pulse beating its way through her veins. She knew he was going for a kiss. His leaning body and gentle touch around her face confirmed her prediction. Bekah could not think of a better horizon. She always wanted to be kissed on a roof, for her it was very romantic. But am I giving in too easily?

Then her phone rang, chirping ‘Somewhere Out There’. Taecyeon jolted back to his senses; a bashful smile bloomed on his face while watching Bekah answering her call. By the time she’d convinced Jooyeon she was not returning to their dorm tonight, Taecyeon had stood up and regarding her inquisitively. “Did your phone just play ‘Somewhere Out There’?”

“Uh-huh. It’s a personal ring tone. It’s…optimistic.”

“Somewhere out there…” he chuckled, “You’re still living your dream, aren’t you?” Taecyeon slid his hands in pockets, glancing over her.

“Well, it just happens to be my favorite song too, so I made it a ring tone.”

“I can’t believe your ring tone is- heheh…”

“Why, what’s wrong with that?” She sounded a little mad, it made him grin.

“Nevermind.” Taecyeon looked amused yet withdrawn. “Come here and play that song again.”

“Really?” asked Bekah, half in disbelief.

Taecyeon nodded.

“For what?”

“For us to dance, of course. You owe me one downstairs.”

She walked close to him like it was the only reasonable thing to do. She played the song in a loop and placed her phone across from where they were standing. Taecyeon took her hands and wrapped them around his neck. The next thing she knew they were looking at each other’s eyes. It was weird because Bekah couldn’t feel her legs yet their bodies swayed and moved together like in the movie. His eyes were mesmerizing, for once Bekah didn’t feel threatened by them. She wondered how many different way this guy look at her that she needed to discover. 

“You still believe this is just a mere lust?” he asked her out of the blue.

Bekah gulped and breathed in some air before answering, ”Taec, I honestly don’t know what we’re doing here.”

“Huh? We’re dancing.” he clasped her hand with his and hugged her waist closer.

“I mean…us. We’re living here together, and the things I said back there…I mean, I don’t know how you feel… You didn’t even make it clear to me if-“

“Shhh,” Taecyeon placed his finger on her lips. “I thought my action was clear enough for you, Bekah. Words can be misleading, don’t you agree? Besides you’ve done too much talking for tonight.”

“I’m sorry?” She looked up and uncovered he was just messing with her.

He was delighted to see how easily he could give her a hard time. ”We have tomorrow to talk, if you want, but tonight…” he effortlessly made her do a small twirl before pulling her back into his arms,

“Tonight we dance.”

**************************

Chapter 13 Bekah couldn’t believe she decided to do this. It must be the alcohol boosting her confidence and slowly, but firmly, shook her ability to deliver good judgment. In one way or another, somewhere deep inside her head, Bekah admitted to herself that her choice was probably made out of desperation. She knew she was running out of time and this might had been her last hope for winning tonight. She tried to stand still, embracing her figure while constantly pulling down her skirt which has started to ride up for the millionth times that night. The nearest man to the stage kept gawking at her long legs, ignoring the gesture of disagreement coming from the girl standing next to him, who Bekah reckoned to be his girlfriend. The spotlight was blinding her eyes, making it almost impossible to see the rest of the audience. Being up on stage shouldn’t have been nerve-wracking for her, considering her profession, however the main reason lies behind her standing up here did somehow make her feel nervous until her palms started to sweat. She looked to her right and saw four other girls, all also wearing masks, had lined up beside her, preparing themselves. The MC kept warming up the audience, the lads started clamoring when suddenly the lights dimmed and the girl standing in the far right stepped forward and began to move according to the song played loudly by the DJ. Suddenly Bekah wished she listened carefully at the condition before foolishly jumping up to the stage. “Uh, sorry, but…do we have to do that?” Bekah whispered closely to the person right next to her and pointed to the first girl who started doing sexy waves. “Dancing? Why yes, of course…we’ll dance for a little bit and then the guys start bidding on how much they would buy us.” The short girl tiptoed so that she could reach Bekah’s ear. Buy us, Bekah had those words swirling in her mind. She didn’t particularly want to put her body out there to be appraised, ogled, or catcalled over by a bunch of bawdy men. She heard the noise the guys were making as they watched the girl dancing provocatively; they all watched hungrily, calling out obscene suggestions as the raucous bidding continued for that girl who was currently taking the center stage. Well, all except one. A tall guy standing about fifteen feet away from the stage. He drew her eyes as she scanned the crowd. That’s Taecyeon, Bekah spluttered. His body language looked almost bored, standing with arms folded on his chest. Even at the darkest room Bekah could detect his sharp eyes under the mask covering the half of his face. She was caught off guard looking when suddenly Taec stared back at her and raised one corner of his mouth. It was a rather cocky smile. She ignored it. At this point, Bekah would rather focus on what she was going to do next and if it was enough for her to land a date by the end of the night. She must not lose, especially after putting herself out there. “You know what scares me the most?” whispered the girl next to Bekah after watching the second contestant finished her dance. “Falling flat on your face?” replied Bekah, trying to break the tension. The girl giggled, “That too, but what if whoever buys us ended up being creepy and requests us to do some weird stuffs?”   “Isn’t there…….rules against that?” Bekah felt horrified particularly after the other girl shrugged at her. “You know my biggest fear? asked Bekah. The girl shook her head. “Not being bid on.” “That’s impossible.” The short girl scoffed and nervously watched the girl before her almost finishing her performance. “Wish me luck.” she whispered. Bekah sent her encouragement with a light tap on the shoulder as her new friend proceeded to the center. The stage is now empty as the previous girls had been bought and currently are spending time with their buyers, chatting on the side of the stage..some already even hit the bar. Bekah closed her eyes for a second and told herself that this too, shall pass. The short girl was braver than how she appeared; Bekah watched how some guys in the audience already raised their hands and shouted some numbers they were willing to pay to win the date with her. Just like how the rule goes, there won’t be no real money involved but the numbers they bid on are divided by 10,000 won and it will be the number of glass of shots the bidder is supposed to drink tonight. It was merely a masculinity display, the men with their ego would take it as a challenge. All and all it was just for fun but what Bekah felt at this moment was far from fun indeed.   ************************** Taecyeon smirked as soon as he spotted Bekah walking across the dance floor, proceeding to the stage. As he expected, she walked voluntarily right into his trap. With the tight situation he put her in, she would have no other choice but to put herself out there, to sell herself, to be seen, to be bought. For a second there he felt sorry for her and started to wonder if he went too far. Threatening his friends and those young trainees to not interact with Bekah was easy, the harder part was to watch the girl suffer from the humiliation he set her up for. But this is how it imagined it to be, soon he would take action and hopefully by then he pushed her hard enough to break her shell, to come clean, to tell what she truly wants from him. For now he’s just going to enjoy every moment, watching how she blushed under his supervision and pretended that their eyes never met. He was satisfied with how tonight went so far, except for Bekah’s dress. It was too short and tight. And extremely distracting. From the moment she walked down the stairs, his eyes were glued to her. He, of course, noticed how uncomfortable she was trying her best sitting on that bar stool without revealing every bit of her perfectly toned thighs. That moment when Chansung fled her side leaving a big disappointment on her face, made him grin. That kid did what he asked, almost as convincing as the girl who was asked to act as his ex-girlfriend in front of Bekah. He had to make a deal with this girl, who obviously wanted something more from him, but he can deal with that later. As for now, he was convinced that her acting was quite impressive, judging from Bekah’s face when that girl marched across the room to be welcomed in his arms. Nothing escaped his watchful eyes, a contented smile bloomed as his plot was beautifully played as the night continued to edge. “Are you sure this is what you want?” Khun’s voice suddenly appeared, nudging him from behind. They both watched how Bekah stood alone on stage while the MC kept asking the audience if no one really wanted to bid for her. Taec was actually surprised that those guys really obeyed him until the end and no one raised any hand. He shifted his attention to Bekah, who just took off her mask. As soon as he saw her, he regretted it. He regretted everything. Her expression was indecipherable; there was sadness in there, but mostly disappointment was written all over. Taecyeon moved forward to see clearer, a chill crept behind his neck when he saw how her eyes glistened under the bright stage light. She looked utterly vulnerable, even more than that night he kissed her tears away in the corridor. In any different scenario, he would find an urge to assault whoever responsible to make her look that way, but in this case he has only himself to be blamed. “Hyung, how much longer do you plan to torture her? Please, raise your hand, or I will.” Chansung’s voice sounded firmer than usual. Taecyeon was startled, feeling a little embarrassed to be told that way by a younger friend. Even before Chansung showed up, Taec already had his left arm half lifted midair. He continued raising his hand higher in one quick motion, but someone went before him. Khun leaned against the pillar with his eyes planted to the stage; he smiled, well pleased with himself for having silenced the entire room. That guy ignored Taec’s alarming glare, concentrating on how all the attention had veered to their standing area. The MC, who looked as relieved as ever, started shouting in heat, “There we go! Finally..Please announce your bid, Sir!” “Fifty-thousand.” Khun shouted first, eyes still on Taecyeon. “Sixty.” Taec responded. “Seventy.” “Ninety.” “Ninety-five.” Suddenly another voice from the other side of the room shouted, silencing the room once again. “Two hundred thousand.” The spotlight quickly found a raising hand, followed by every single head turned to the back side of the room almost out near the front door where the voice came from. Both Khun and Taec who were taller than everyone else had the first look of the person who just outbid them. Even with a mask, that guy was way too familiar for them to not recognize him. His broad shoulder, his relaxed gesture, his blithe tone of voice.  “Sold to the gentleman in the back with TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND! I can’t believe it !!!” The MC shrieked his delight, “What’s your name, Sir?” “Name? Oh, the name’s Jay.”   ***********************      Bekah blinked twice. Her thumb quickly wiped away a drop of tears mixed with sweat under her eyes. She was ready to run away from that stage when someone suddenly decided to bid for her. She wasn’t sure whether or not if it was out of pity, but looking at the bidder it probably was. To her biggest surprise, Taecyeon decided to bid against Khun. It made her angry, mostly because it seemed like he did because Khun challenged him, not because he wanted to. She watched them go back and forth, wearing their ego like a well-tailored armor, until one final offer shut them up. Bekah still couldn’t recover from the shock, first by the number she was bid on; it was the highest of the night; but most of all by the owner of that voice. She squinted to see his face, it was too bright with the amount of spotlight beaming at him, but as soon as he told them his name Bekah realized that when she thought her night couldn’t be more unpredictable, she had just been proven wrong. Very wrong. “This is actually not bad once you get the hang of it.” Jay’s shot glass made a clank noise on the table. “Jay, you don’t have to continue.” Bekah sat silently next to him, painfully watching how her highest bidder chugging down his drinks. “Why not? It’s my prize, besides the bartender is watching me, look! He’s counting too.” He secretly pointed at the guy who was obviously closed enough to hear what he said. Bekah chuckled, still half worried for him since Jay didn’t seem like the type who can drink a lot. “It’s fine, you don’t have to finish all twenty shots, man.” The bartender told Jay. He then turned to Bekah and winked, “See? I knew you’d find someone.” “Is it just me or people are watching us.” Jay who sounded a bit buzzed looked around the room. Bekah followed his head and just realized it herself. “Let’s go outside then. Come, follow me.” She pulled his arm and started walking towards the glass door that would lead them to the pool. She could see Taecyeon and the rest of the guys were following them with their eyes, but she didn’t stop nor look back at them. The clean air welcomed them right when the door was opened, it was quite a beautiful night. The sky was completely black, but clear with stars scattered all across. They found an empty table and chairs under a canopy, almost hidden in the corner. “You never told me you live with Taec.” said Jay as soon as they both sat down. “I planned to, tonight. I’m sorry, I should have mentioned earlier.” Bekah pulled her chair forward, her eyes were apologetic. “Hey, no worries, besides it was me who took a rain check. It’s also my decision to come here.” “Yeah but…” Bekah stopped, she didn’t know what else to say. “Thank you, for saving me in there.” “Saving you? From what?” Jay asked. “From those two.” murmured Bekah, she cursed them inside her head. Jay was scrutinizing her before he spoke again. “Look, I know those guys pretty well and I think I know what’s going on. Not sure if you noticed but it seems like Taecyeon had an agenda tonight.” “What do you mean?” “I arrived just when the girl before you started dancing. No offense to her but if she could score some bids, there is no way in this world that you couldn’t. It’s either those guys in that room are all visually challenged, mentally disturbed, or something else was up. My bet would be on the latter one. And looking at how it went between Khun and Taecyeon, I knew they must have had a part in it, or at least one of them. Tell me, is there anything unusual happened tonight?” “Ah!” Bekah’s eyes suddenly opened even bigger, ”That tricky little jerk!” she huffed, causing him grinning in his seat. Taecyeon was everything but little.   “I take that as a yes.” He stretched his arms out. She silenced, thinking everything over and realized up until now she still didn’t know how he get there. “Hey Jay, so how did you find your way here?” “Your friends. That meeting finished sooner than I thought, so I went over to your dorm to see if you’re still up for some late night dessert or something.” “They told you this address?” Jay nodded. “Did they tell you about Taec?” “Nope. Found out myself when I saw them across the room.” “I’m sorry again.” Bekah whispered weakly. “Stop apologizing, girl, it’s all good. A little awkward, sure, but I can deal with it.” “You’re not allowed to talk about it, aren’t you?” She carefully chose her words. As she predicted, he was quite taken back by her question. He hesitated at first, looking around to make sure no one else was standing close to them. “It’s not that I’m not allowed. I just prefer not to. Still too soon.” “I understand.” They both went quiet for a while until Bekah started speaking again, “We talked about you, you know? Me and my friends.” She surprised herself with her decision to share this information with him. “Really?” Jay perked up, he rested his chin on one hand against the table. “Yeah, we had some theories.” replied Bekah. “Some conspiracies?” he dragged his chair closer. “Something like that,” Bekah cracked up. “Why tell me then, you geniuses, I want to hear your brilliant speculation.” “Are you sure?” Bekah couldn’t help but laugh at his sudden curiosity. “Alright, well there were some crazy ones, can’t really remember exactly what they said but I recall Jooyeon’s. She thought you guys were fighting over a girl or something and it ended bad.” Jay laughed but he shook his head, “Nah, I think we respect each other well enough to not cross that line.” “I see. So that’s not it.” Bekah mumbled. “Hey hey hey, is this a trick? Are you fishing information?” hasted Jay with joking tone. He let their laugh died down and for the first time he found a courage to tell someone about the truth. It was quite confounding how he felt comfortable sharing it with her. Something in her smile, the way she carries herself, made him feel like they are two long time friends who haven’t seen each other for a while. Jay breathed in, “I wanted out. Had it in my mind for quite some time before I finally told them what I wanted. I couldn’t shake the feeling of being restricted to do what I could do. From the very start, I was already oblivious, thinking I could just deal with what’s coming at me later. I was reckless, yes, and after that it was just like an avalanche. I was forgetting Junsu, Taec, Khun, Wooyoung, Junho and Chansung… How much it must have affected them too if not more than how it affected me. They were mad, still are most probably, and I could totally understand their reason. We just wanted something different in the end, and I failed to let them know along the line. I think that’s why they felt betrayed the most, that I couldn’t even tell them the truth.” “Why couldn’t you?” asked Bekah, completely focused on the guy in front of her. “My nature. I don’t like disappointing my friends, although in the end that exactly what I did to them, in most probably a worse degree. But you know, it was a tough decision. If I stayed I wouldn’t have been happy anyway. It was just a matter of time. There were many moments that I felt like I was happy with what I was doing, but-” “…you always wonder if you would be happier doing something else.” added Bekah. “Exactly. How do you know?” Jay seemed surprised. Bekah shrugged but there was something flickered in her eyes that told Jay she meant more than that. He wanted to ask right after the moment had passed. She was already looking away and came back snickering after glancing upwards. “What?” he asked and followed where she was looking. Taecyeon, appeared in the balcony with a girl who was resting her arms around his waist. He didn’t seem to engage at her as much as she was. That guy just sipped his drink calmly and looked around in a thoughtless manner. Luckily the canopy was large enough to cover Jay and Bekah from his sight.  “I wonder who that girl is,“ Jay casually commented. “Isn’t she-wait… that’s not his ex?” questioned Bekah. Jay looked as surprised as her, “Not that I know of. He only had one girlfriend a long time ago and that’s definitely not her.” “Oh wow.” Bekah talked to herself, her cheeks were red. “Are you ok?” asked Jay. “Yeah, I just…realized something. God, I’m so stupid. I should have followed my instinct!” “What happened?” Bekah told how everything went absolutely wrong for her. She also mention about that little bet she and Taecyeon had agreed upon. The condition, the consequences, and the reason why she was up on that stage. “Wait a second, you said midnight?” Jay cut her. Bekah nodded. “It’s already past midnight.” he showed her his watch. “Yeah I know. I don’t care anymore, this is not a fair game, this never was! That asshole, I can’t believe it took me a while to realize how rigged this was.” She was fuming mad. Jay watched her as she spilled her resentment, as much as he likes her he knew she is already far beyond his reach. Taecyeon is a smart guy and he obviously knew what he was doing, and what he was doing to her. She could say all she wants but it was pretty clear that his little game worked out the way he intended to. No one would understand this if they didn’t know Taec. That guy has an ego bigger than his body, all resulted from his desolate past. It was hard for him to trust again, but when he does he can be the loyalest guy someone could ever hope for. Jay had never seen Taec worked this hard for a girl, he normally didn’t care and let them come to him. But Jay had a feeling this time is different. He just hoped Taec realize that the girl in front of him is also like none other. Bekah slowly noticed Jay hadn’t been paying attention to her mumbling and complaints, she stopped talking and bit her lower lips. “I’m sorry…I’m such a horrible companion.” She moved back to her chair. “No no, it’s just…I should probably head out soon.”  “Oh, right.” She followed him, walking near the pool. There were some couples sitting around the edge, their heads turned when Bekah and Jay walked closer. “Jay?” She stopped right next to the glass door and faced him. “Yes?” “Thank you again…for tonight, I mean it.” “My pleasure, I was just paying my debt, remember? For the coffee incident.” “Oh, I already forgot about that, but sure…” she smiled, “So now we’re even?”  Jay wanted to agree but he had something else in his mind. From where he stood he had a clear view of Taecyeon up in second floor veranda, still watching them like an eagle. He knew what he was about to do next would jeopardize his chance to make up with his friends, but heck, he figured some things could wait and eventually reveal themselves when they’re supposed to. He took his eyes back to Bekah who was still waiting for him. With her back facing Taecyeon, she had no clue that the guy still had his eyes on them. Without a word, Jay leaned over, caressed her cheek with the tips of his fingers and covered her lips with his own. She tensed for a moment when his hand cupped the back of her head. He tilted his head, the kiss remained sweet, light, innocent, and it ended almost quickly as it started. When they parted, Jay saw Bekah’s astonished face.  “Now we are.” He smiled shyly. Since Bekah wasn’t moving, he took initiative to break the ice. “Are you coming inside?” He signaled the door. She cleared her throat, still shocked by his sudden kiss, “Umm, I think I’m gonna stay here for a little while.” “Alright, good night, then. I’ll see you soon, hopefully.” He winked before waving goodbye.  “Yeah…see ya.” Bekah seemed a bit confused but she replied to him softly and waved back. She thought she saw something moving on the second floor but when she looked up, no one was there. Little did she know, she just missed the enraged look coming from her room mate before he turned around and went inside. How he watched them kissing with his fist forming on his side. How he felt defeated by his own little game, and wished he could just rewind everything. She missed his yearning when he saw Jay tilting his head, embracing her, flaunting how their lips met. How Jay closed his eyes for her, and how he died from wondering if she also closed hers for Jay.  She missed all of those, and God willing, for her own good.

Chapter 13

Bekah couldn’t believe she decided to do this. It must be the alcohol boosting her confidence and slowly, but firmly, shook her ability to deliver good judgment. In one way or another, somewhere deep inside her head, Bekah admitted to herself that her choice was probably made out of desperation. She knew she was running out of time and this might had been her last hope for winning tonight.

She tried to stand still, embracing her figure while constantly pulling down her skirt which has started to ride up for the millionth times that night. The nearest man to the stage kept gawking at her long legs, ignoring the gesture of disagreement coming from the girl standing next to him, who Bekah reckoned to be his girlfriend. The spotlight was blinding her eyes, making it almost impossible to see the rest of the audience. Being up on stage shouldn’t have been nerve-wracking for her, considering her profession, however the main reason lies behind her standing up here did somehow make her feel nervous until her palms started to sweat.

She looked to her right and saw four other girls, all also wearing masks, had lined up beside her, preparing themselves. The MC kept warming up the audience, the lads started clamoring when suddenly the lights dimmed and the girl standing in the far right stepped forward and began to move according to the song played loudly by the DJ. Suddenly Bekah wished she listened carefully at the condition before foolishly jumping up to the stage.

“Uh, sorry, but…do we have to do that?” Bekah whispered closely to the person right next to her and pointed to the first girl who started doing sexy waves. “Dancing? Why yes, of course…we’ll dance for a little bit and then the guys start bidding on how much they would buy us.” The short girl tiptoed so that she could reach Bekah’s ear.

Buy us, Bekah had those words swirling in her mind. She didn’t particularly want to put her body out there to be appraised, ogled, or catcalled over by a bunch of bawdy men. She heard the noise the guys were making as they watched the girl dancing provocatively; they all watched hungrily, calling out obscene suggestions as the raucous bidding continued for that girl who was currently taking the center stage. Well, all except one. A tall guy standing about fifteen feet away from the stage. He drew her eyes as she scanned the crowd. That’s Taecyeon, Bekah spluttered. His body language looked almost bored, standing with arms folded on his chest. Even at the darkest room Bekah could detect his sharp eyes under the mask covering the half of his face. She was caught off guard looking when suddenly Taec stared back at her and raised one corner of his mouth. It was a rather cocky smile. She ignored it. At this point, Bekah would rather focus on what she was going to do next and if it was enough for her to land a date by the end of the night. She must not lose, especially after putting herself out there.

“You know what scares me the most?” whispered the girl next to Bekah after watching the second contestant finished her dance.

“Falling flat on your face?” replied Bekah, trying to break the tension.

The girl giggled, “That too, but what if whoever buys us ended up being creepy and requests us to do some weird stuffs?”  

“Isn’t there…….rules against that?” Bekah felt horrified particularly after the other girl shrugged at her.

“You know my biggest fear? asked Bekah.

The girl shook her head.

“Not being bid on.”

“That’s impossible.” The short girl scoffed and nervously watched the girl before her almost finishing her performance. “Wish me luck.” she whispered.

Bekah sent her encouragement with a light tap on the shoulder as her new friend proceeded to the center. The stage is now empty as the previous girls had been bought and currently are spending time with their buyers, chatting on the side of the stage..some already even hit the bar. Bekah closed her eyes for a second and told herself that this too, shall pass. The short girl was braver than how she appeared; Bekah watched how some guys in the audience already raised their hands and shouted some numbers they were willing to pay to win the date with her. Just like how the rule goes, there won’t be no real money involved but the numbers they bid on are divided by 10,000 won and it will be the number of glass of shots the bidder is supposed to drink tonight. It was merely a masculinity display, the men with their ego would take it as a challenge. All and all it was just for fun but what Bekah felt at this moment was far from fun indeed.  

**************************

Taecyeon smirked as soon as he spotted Bekah walking across the dance floor, proceeding to the stage. As he expected, she walked voluntarily right into his trap. With the tight situation he put her in, she would have no other choice but to put herself out there, to sell herself, to be seen, to be bought. For a second there he felt sorry for her and started to wonder if he went too far. Threatening his friends and those young trainees to not interact with Bekah was easy, the harder part was to watch the girl suffer from the humiliation he set her up for.

But this is how it imagined it to be, soon he would take action and hopefully by then he pushed her hard enough to break her shell, to come clean, to tell what she truly wants from him.

For now he’s just going to enjoy every moment, watching how she blushed under his supervision and pretended that their eyes never met. He was satisfied with how tonight went so far, except for Bekah’s dress. It was too short and tight. And extremely distracting. From the moment she walked down the stairs, his eyes were glued to her. He, of course, noticed how uncomfortable she was trying her best sitting on that bar stool without revealing every bit of her perfectly toned thighs. That moment when Chansung fled her side leaving a big disappointment on her face, made him grin. That kid did what he asked, almost as convincing as the girl who was asked to act as his ex-girlfriend in front of Bekah. He had to make a deal with this girl, who obviously wanted something more from him, but he can deal with that later. As for now, he was convinced that her acting was quite impressive, judging from Bekah’s face when that girl marched across the room to be welcomed in his arms. Nothing escaped his watchful eyes, a contented smile bloomed as his plot was beautifully played as the night continued to edge.

“Are you sure this is what you want?” Khun’s voice suddenly appeared, nudging him from behind. They both watched how Bekah stood alone on stage while the MC kept asking the audience if no one really wanted to bid for her. Taec was actually surprised that those guys really obeyed him until the end and no one raised any hand. He shifted his attention to Bekah, who just took off her mask. As soon as he saw her, he regretted it.

He regretted everything.

Her expression was indecipherable; there was sadness in there, but mostly disappointment was written all over. Taecyeon moved forward to see clearer, a chill crept behind his neck when he saw how her eyes glistened under the bright stage light. She looked utterly vulnerable, even more than that night he kissed her tears away in the corridor. In any different scenario, he would find an urge to assault whoever responsible to make her look that way, but in this case he has only himself to be blamed.

“Hyung, how much longer do you plan to torture her? Please, raise your hand, or I will.” Chansung’s voice sounded firmer than usual.

Taecyeon was startled, feeling a little embarrassed to be told that way by a younger friend. Even before Chansung showed up, Taec already had his left arm half lifted midair. He continued raising his hand higher in one quick motion, but someone went before him. Khun leaned against the pillar with his eyes planted to the stage; he smiled, well pleased with himself for having silenced the entire room. That guy ignored Taec’s alarming glare, concentrating on how all the attention had veered to their standing area.

The MC, who looked as relieved as ever, started shouting in heat, “There we go! Finally..Please announce your bid, Sir!”

“Fifty-thousand.” Khun shouted first, eyes still on Taecyeon.

“Sixty.” Taec responded.

“Seventy.”

“Ninety.”

“Ninety-five.”

Suddenly another voice from the other side of the room shouted, silencing the room once again. “Two hundred thousand.”

The spotlight quickly found a raising hand, followed by every single head turned to the back side of the room almost out near the front door where the voice came from. Both Khun and Taec who were taller than everyone else had the first look of the person who just outbid them. Even with a mask, that guy was way too familiar for them to not recognize him. His broad shoulder, his relaxed gesture, his blithe tone of voice. 

“Sold to the gentleman in the back with TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND! I can’t believe it !!!” The MC shrieked his delight, “What’s your name, Sir?”

“Name? Oh, the name’s Jay.”  

***********************     

Bekah blinked twice. Her thumb quickly wiped away a drop of tears mixed with sweat under her eyes. She was ready to run away from that stage when someone suddenly decided to bid for her. She wasn’t sure whether or not if it was out of pity, but looking at the bidder it probably was. To her biggest surprise, Taecyeon decided to bid against Khun. It made her angry, mostly because it seemed like he did because Khun challenged him, not because he wanted to. She watched them go back and forth, wearing their ego like a well-tailored armor, until one final offer shut them up. Bekah still couldn’t recover from the shock, first by the number she was bid on; it was the highest of the night; but most of all by the owner of that voice. She squinted to see his face, it was too bright with the amount of spotlight beaming at him, but as soon as he told them his name Bekah realized that when she thought her night couldn’t be more unpredictable, she had just been proven wrong.

Very wrong.

“This is actually not bad once you get the hang of it.” Jay’s shot glass made a clank noise on the table.

“Jay, you don’t have to continue.” Bekah sat silently next to him, painfully watching how her highest bidder chugging down his drinks.

“Why not? It’s my prize, besides the bartender is watching me, look! He’s counting too.” He secretly pointed at the guy who was obviously closed enough to hear what he said.

Bekah chuckled, still half worried for him since Jay didn’t seem like the type who can drink a lot.

“It’s fine, you don’t have to finish all twenty shots, man.” The bartender told Jay. He then turned to Bekah and winked, “See? I knew you’d find someone.”

“Is it just me or people are watching us.” Jay who sounded a bit buzzed looked around the room. Bekah followed his head and just realized it herself.

“Let’s go outside then. Come, follow me.” She pulled his arm and started walking towards the glass door that would lead them to the pool. She could see Taecyeon and the rest of the guys were following them with their eyes, but she didn’t stop nor look back at them.

The clean air welcomed them right when the door was opened, it was quite a beautiful night. The sky was completely black, but clear with stars scattered all across. They found an empty table and chairs under a canopy, almost hidden in the corner. “You never told me you live with Taec.” said Jay as soon as they both sat down.

“I planned to, tonight. I’m sorry, I should have mentioned earlier.” Bekah pulled her chair forward, her eyes were apologetic.

“Hey, no worries, besides it was me who took a rain check. It’s also my decision to come here.”

“Yeah but…” Bekah stopped, she didn’t know what else to say. “Thank you, for saving me in there.”

“Saving you? From what?” Jay asked.

“From those two.” murmured Bekah, she cursed them inside her head.

Jay was scrutinizing her before he spoke again. “Look, I know those guys pretty well and I think I know what’s going on. Not sure if you noticed but it seems like Taecyeon had an agenda tonight.”

“What do you mean?”

“I arrived just when the girl before you started dancing. No offense to her but if she could score some bids, there is no way in this world that you couldn’t. It’s either those guys in that room are all visually challenged, mentally disturbed, or something else was up. My bet would be on the latter one. And looking at how it went between Khun and Taecyeon, I knew they must have had a part in it, or at least one of them. Tell me, is there anything unusual happened tonight?”

“Ah!” Bekah’s eyes suddenly opened even bigger, ”That tricky little jerk!” she huffed, causing him grinning in his seat. Taecyeon was everything but little.  

“I take that as a yes.” He stretched his arms out.

She silenced, thinking everything over and realized up until now she still didn’t know how he get there. “Hey Jay, so how did you find your way here?”

“Your friends. That meeting finished sooner than I thought, so I went over to your dorm to see if you’re still up for some late night dessert or something.”

“They told you this address?”

Jay nodded.

“Did they tell you about Taec?”

“Nope. Found out myself when I saw them across the room.”

“I’m sorry again.” Bekah whispered weakly.

“Stop apologizing, girl, it’s all good. A little awkward, sure, but I can deal with it.”

“You’re not allowed to talk about it, aren’t you?” She carefully chose her words. As she predicted, he was quite taken back by her question. He hesitated at first, looking around to make sure no one else was standing close to them.

“It’s not that I’m not allowed. I just prefer not to. Still too soon.”

“I understand.” They both went quiet for a while until Bekah started speaking again, “We talked about you, you know? Me and my friends.”

She surprised herself with her decision to share this information with him.

“Really?” Jay perked up, he rested his chin on one hand against the table.

“Yeah, we had some theories.” replied Bekah.

“Some conspiracies?” he dragged his chair closer.

“Something like that,” Bekah cracked up.

“Why tell me then, you geniuses, I want to hear your brilliant speculation.”

“Are you sure?” Bekah couldn’t help but laugh at his sudden curiosity. “Alright, well there were some crazy ones, can’t really remember exactly what they said but I recall Jooyeon’s. She thought you guys were fighting over a girl or something and it ended bad.”

Jay laughed but he shook his head, “Nah, I think we respect each other well enough to not cross that line.”

“I see. So that’s not it.” Bekah mumbled.

“Hey hey hey, is this a trick? Are you fishing information?” hasted Jay with joking tone.

He let their laugh died down and for the first time he found a courage to tell someone about the truth. It was quite confounding how he felt comfortable sharing it with her. Something in her smile, the way she carries herself, made him feel like they are two long time friends who haven’t seen each other for a while.

Jay breathed in, “I wanted out. Had it in my mind for quite some time before I finally told them what I wanted. I couldn’t shake the feeling of being restricted to do what I could do. From the very start, I was already oblivious, thinking I could just deal with what’s coming at me later. I was reckless, yes, and after that it was just like an avalanche. I was forgetting Junsu, Taec, Khun, Wooyoung, Junho and Chansung… How much it must have affected them too if not more than how it affected me. They were mad, still are most probably, and I could totally understand their reason. We just wanted something different in the end, and I failed to let them know along the line. I think that’s why they felt betrayed the most, that I couldn’t even tell them the truth.”

“Why couldn’t you?” asked Bekah, completely focused on the guy in front of her.

“My nature. I don’t like disappointing my friends, although in the end that exactly what I did to them, in most probably a worse degree. But you know, it was a tough decision. If I stayed I wouldn’t have been happy anyway. It was just a matter of time. There were many moments that I felt like I was happy with what I was doing, but-”

“…you always wonder if you would be happier doing something else.” added Bekah.

“Exactly. How do you know?” Jay seemed surprised. Bekah shrugged but there was something flickered in her eyes that told Jay she meant more than that. He wanted to ask right after the moment had passed. She was already looking away and came back snickering after glancing upwards. “What?” he asked and followed where she was looking. Taecyeon, appeared in the balcony with a girl who was resting her arms around his waist. He didn’t seem to engage at her as much as she was. That guy just sipped his drink calmly and looked around in a thoughtless manner. Luckily the canopy was large enough to cover Jay and Bekah from his sight. 

“I wonder who that girl is,“ Jay casually commented.

“Isn’t she-wait… that’s not his ex?” questioned Bekah.

Jay looked as surprised as her, “Not that I know of. He only had one girlfriend a long time ago and that’s definitely not her.”

“Oh wow.” Bekah talked to herself, her cheeks were red.

“Are you ok?” asked Jay.

“Yeah, I just…realized something. God, I’m so stupid. I should have followed my instinct!”

“What happened?”

Bekah told how everything went absolutely wrong for her. She also mention about that little bet she and Taecyeon had agreed upon. The condition, the consequences, and the reason why she was up on that stage.

“Wait a second, you said midnight?” Jay cut her. Bekah nodded. “It’s already past midnight.” he showed her his watch.

“Yeah I know. I don’t care anymore, this is not a fair game, this never was! That asshole, I can’t believe it took me a while to realize how rigged this was.” She was fuming mad.

Jay watched her as she spilled her resentment, as much as he likes her he knew she is already far beyond his reach. Taecyeon is a smart guy and he obviously knew what he was doing, and what he was doing to her. She could say all she wants but it was pretty clear that his little game worked out the way he intended to. No one would understand this if they didn’t know Taec. That guy has an ego bigger than his body, all resulted from his desolate past. It was hard for him to trust again, but when he does he can be the loyalest guy someone could ever hope for. Jay had never seen Taec worked this hard for a girl, he normally didn’t care and let them come to him.

But Jay had a feeling this time is different. He just hoped Taec realize that the girl in front of him is also like none other.

Bekah slowly noticed Jay hadn’t been paying attention to her mumbling and complaints, she stopped talking and bit her lower lips. “I’m sorry…I’m such a horrible companion.” She moved back to her chair.

“No no, it’s just…I should probably head out soon.” 

“Oh, right.” She followed him, walking near the pool. There were some couples sitting around the edge, their heads turned when Bekah and Jay walked closer.

“Jay?” She stopped right next to the glass door and faced him.

“Yes?”

“Thank you again…for tonight, I mean it.”

“My pleasure, I was just paying my debt, remember? For the coffee incident.”

“Oh, I already forgot about that, but sure…” she smiled, “So now we’re even?” 

Jay wanted to agree but he had something else in his mind. From where he stood he had a clear view of Taecyeon up in second floor veranda, still watching them like an eagle. He knew what he was about to do next would jeopardize his chance to make up with his friends, but heck, he figured some things could wait and eventually reveal themselves when they’re supposed to. He took his eyes back to Bekah who was still waiting for him. With her back facing Taecyeon, she had no clue that the guy still had his eyes on them. Without a word, Jay leaned over, caressed her cheek with the tips of his fingers and covered her lips with his own. She tensed for a moment when his hand cupped the back of her head. He tilted his head, the kiss remained sweet, light, innocent, and it ended almost quickly as it started. When they parted, Jay saw Bekah’s astonished face. 

“Now we are.” He smiled shyly. Since Bekah wasn’t moving, he took initiative to break the ice. “Are you coming inside?” He signaled the door.

She cleared her throat, still shocked by his sudden kiss, “Umm, I think I’m gonna stay here for a little while.”

“Alright, good night, then. I’ll see you soon, hopefully.” He winked before waving goodbye. 

“Yeah…see ya.” Bekah seemed a bit confused but she replied to him softly and waved back. She thought she saw something moving on the second floor but when she looked up, no one was there.

Little did she know, she just missed the enraged look coming from her room mate before he turned around and went inside. How he watched them kissing with his fist forming on his side. How he felt defeated by his own little game, and wished he could just rewind everything. She missed his yearning when he saw Jay tilting his head, embracing her, flaunting how their lips met. How Jay closed his eyes for her, and how he died from wondering if she also closed hers for Jay. 

She missed all of those, and God willing, for her own good.

Chapter 12 “Can I stay here tonight?” The voice turned every head in the living room, shifting all eyes from the TV to the door. No one expected to see Bekah back at their dorm, at least not that early in the morning. “Why of course, silly. Come in!” Kahi knelt on the sofa, calling Bekah to sit next to her. “Did you finally quit?” asked Jung Ah before putting a big spoon of cereal in her mouth. Bekah groaned and plopped next to Kahi, putting on her ambiguous smile. Kahi knew what that smile means and so far it has never been a good thing. “Are you alright?” “Yeah, I just need to get away from that house for a second.” answered Bekah, while silently thanking Jooyeon for the banana that was handed to her. “What did he do?” asked Kahi. Bekah faced her, “Who- Oh…Taec?” She mulled the question over in her head. As much as she wanted to shout he’s making me lose my mind, she knew it wasn’t fully his to blame. “No, it was just me… I think I’m starting to lose track.” Something has gotten into her this morning when she woke up next to a guy that had been occupying her mind for the last several months. Bekah could never bring herself to admit how much she wanted to be with him. Many nights she laid on her bed, wondering what he was doing in the next room. Shuffling noises woke her up, her brain cells were fried from the thought of him showing up at her door, whispering good night.  But he never did, and it was probably for the best. She was always scared to meet him in the hallway ever since he kissed her there. She was terrified of his masculine scent that worked her up like a spell. His eyes, his kisses, his touch…most of all, she was scared of herself when he was around. This morning when she saw him sleeping peacefully, she had to test him. Soon she regretted that decision because once she felt his warm skin under her touch, she couldn’t stop. He felt so alive. Bekah knew he would let her roam her fingers all over him if she requested, but they both knew the consequences. That’s why she’d rather do it when he wasn’t conscious; at least it was safer on her part.  “Bek?” Kahi nudged her. “Sorry, what?” “Jung Ah just asked again if you quitted.” “Oh, not yet. That’s why I came here, to regain energy, to recharge myself.” “He didn’t hurt you, did he?” Jooyeon asked, her big doe eyes almost came out of sockets. “Gosh no!  I’m fine, guys. As I said, I just need…distraction.” “Why don’t you call Jay to see if he wants to hang out, it’s the weekend.” Everyone seemed to agree with what Jooyeon suggested. After all, that guy had been texting her these days to let her know that he’s back in Korea again. “You think I should?” Bekah hesitated, looking at her friends who immediately nodded in unison. Her hand plucked the cellphone from her pocket and decided to reply his previous “Good night ^ㅠ^” message that had been sitting in her inbox for days. Before long, a notification came in. It was from him. “What did he say?” asked everyone in sync. Bekah read the message and smiled before looking up. “I’ve got a dinner date. He’s free tomorrow night.” The girls clapped in excitement, including Kahi, but the oldest one suddenly remembered something. “Wait…does he know your situation with Taecyeon? Aren’t they still not in good term?” “I’ll find out tomorrow when I see him.” replied Bekah. “So, what are you going to wear? Didn’t you bring all your clothes to that house?” Jooyeon suddenly asked from the kitchen. “Shoot, I did.” Bekah griped with a slap on her forehead, “Well, I guess I’ll just head there to change real fast tomorrow before Jay picks me up.” “He’s gonna pick you up?” “That’s what he said.” “Where?” “Here.” “Oh no! What are we going to wear?” followed Jooyeon in such panic mode which had caused everyone shaking their heads.  ***************************** The sky had gotten dark pretty early albeit the fact that Spring wind already started showing its presence. Bekah, who spent too much time in the saloon with Jooyeon, almost late for her date because that dear friend of hers insisted them to get a full body treatment.  “You need to look dashing for him, ok? Don’t let us down!” she said. Truthfully Bekah did not take this dinner date as serious as all her friends, but Jooyeon could be so overwhelming and sometimes it’s just easier to agree with her. Bekah made a turn to a familiar neighborhood and surprised to see the street where her house was located had been blocked by a Do Not Enter sign. She then chose to park her car one block away and started walking. At the gate she felt the need to check the house number just to make sure she was at the right place. All those cars in the driveway and loud noises coming from inside were just too unusual. Is this Taec’s birthday or something? Bekah wondered as she walked closer to the entrance. Right after she opened the door, a loud blasting techno music filled up her ears. Their living room had been transformed into some kind of nightclub with a small stage placed right before the sliding glass doors that was supposed to lead to the swimming pool. She had to squint to see clearer since the only lamp working that night was the one swirling around above their heads; a disco ball. “Welcome! Here, please choose one.” A girl in skimpy clothes appeared out of nowhere, offering Bekah some sort of masquerade masks in her hand as she was also wearing one. “Oh, um…I don’t think I’ll be needing that. I just want to go upstairs.” explained Bekah while still examining the whole entire room. “You must wear one if you want to enter. In fact, you’re supposed to show me the invitation in order to go in. Sorry, I forgot to ask.” The young girl grinned, she was obviously nervous. “I don’t have the invitation but I live here.” Bekah had to shout to overpower the loud music. “You…what?” “It’s ok, she’s with me.” Suddenly Chansung showed up and pulled Bekah’s arm. The girl apologized and disappeared as quickly as she appeared. Bekah had no other choice but to follow Chansung who was walking toward the laundry room in the back area of the house. He closed the door behind them and turned on the light. Bekah had to blink again multiple times by the sudden change of brightness and her sight finally settled, she could see Chansung was wearing his dress shirt, casual long pants and some fancy shoes. “Cool mask!” joked Bekah. “Thanks, it’s rather silly honestly, but Taecyeon-hyung insisted to have this kind of masquerade ball…party tonight.” replied Chansung, sounding a little unsure. Looking at him, Bekah still wasn’t certain why she was dragged there. She glanced at her watch and knew she really had to rush if she wanted to make it to that dinner. “Chan, I need to go upstairs to change.” “Why? You look good just like that. I’ll give you a mask that would match your training pants.” He leaned against the washing machine, fixing his collar. “No, I’m not staying. I have to meet…someone.” She had a quick pause before deciding not to reveal who she was going to dinner with. “But….” Chansung obviously had gotten confused, “You live here so practically you’re the host. You can’t leave.” “Chansung, I didn’t even know about this party until I got here.” Bekah reminded him, she shifted over and reached out for the door knob. “Wait! W-where are you going?” he panicked and quickly put himself between Bekah and the door. She impatiently clucked her tongue with her hands on the hips, “I understand that Taecyeon must have instructed you to make sure that I stay but I really, really have to go and change.” His big body still barred her from leaving the laundry room. “I will speak with Taecyeon if that’d make your job easier.” She’d taken the silence on his part for agreement. He finally moved aside and let her go. Bekah almost ran upstairs and as soon as the bedroom door was closed, her closet door was opened. Couldn’t bring herself to wear something too formal to a casual dinner, she pulled out her skinny jeans, a fitted shirt and an open blazer. She changed in a flash and decided to put on her leopard print platform shoes in contrast with her subdued clothes’ color. Bekah checked her reflection one last time and she was about to leave the room when her mobile phone suddenly vibrated. She took it out and it was a text message. Hi… So sorry that it’s such short notice but I don’t think I can make it tonight. There’s an urgency and looks like it’s gonna take a while before I could be dismissed. I’m so so so sorry. Jay Bekah stared at the screen and read it twice to understand it fully. Sure she felt a little disappointed inside, she was so ready after all, but a part of her felt somewhat relieved, which was more surprising than her initial reaction. Her shoes were about to come off when Bekah heard knocking on her door. She immediately knew it was her roommate from the way he knocked; two quick ones, small pause and a loud final one. Breathe, Bekah…Breathe, she chanted to herself. “Come in.” shouted Bekah after making sure she was ready. The door swung opened and Bekah saw a tall figure standing. Taecyeon was wearing a plaid shirt under his sporty jacket, his hair was relaxed and rather messy. His aura almost felt suffocating for Bekah. He stepped toward her and the whole room seemed to shrink. She lowered her eyes and saw him carrying a gold mask with pearl sequins dotted along the outer edge. He sat down on her bed with his legs crossed, showcasing his shiny black shoes. “You wanted to see me?” His voice almost sounded like a growl in contrast with his casual body language. Bekah felt a little intimidated especially when the whole house was dark and she only had her candles illuminating a fairly small room which starting to feel too crowded with both of them in there. She had to digest his question and remembered her conversation with Chansung earlier.  “I wanted to tell you that I wouldn’t be able to stay for your party because I have-“ “-a date?” Taec quickly replied, there was some boredom in his tone but Bekah caught him flicking his gaze over her outfit. Bekah confirmed solemnly “Yes, a date…but it doesn’t matter anymore because I don’t think it’s gonna happen tonight.” “He took a rain check?” “Something like that, yeah.”  Taecyeon grumbled, his shoulder seemed a little less tensed than when he just walked in. “You’ve been going on a lot of dates lately but I always wondered why you never introduce him to me.” He lifted his left hand which was apparently carrying a glass of champagne and drank some of the content. Bekah stared at him for a while, finding the right thing to say. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Taec.” “Why not, am I that embarrassing?” “What?” she almost shrieked. “No, of course not.” Taecyeon stood up in an unexpected manner, moving toward her hauntingly and slowly like a jaguar approaching its prey. Bekah automatically stepped back, his piercing eyes were enough to make her run if she wasn’t being cornered. “He still doesn’t know that you live with me, is that why?” Taec snickered. Bekah nodded, it’s true although wasn’t particularly the only reason. Taec reached behind her back, a clank sound signaled that he had put his tall glass on a surface. Bekah gulped when he then leaned forward and trapped her between the table and his body. His arms locked her sides, didn’t seem to have a plan on releasing her any soon. She dared to look him in the eye but unlike previous times, those eyes staring back at her were icy cold. “Can I be honest with you?” Bekah gulped, nodding quickly. “I’m tired of this so why don’t we end it tonight?” he whispered, clenching his teeth. “Wh-“ Bekah cleared her throat, “What do you mean?” “If you want to continue dating, this is clearly not the ideal situation for you. I don’t want to be the reason why you can’t move on with your life. Also it’s quite obvious that none of us enjoy being here anymore,” answered Taec, “-and don’t even try to deny it coz I know you well”, he said right after Bekah opened her mouth to object, “I am so sick of all these rules so I’d say screw it, screw them all. Why don’t we make our own rules tonight, huh? Our own bet.” Bekah blinked in astonishment. She looked down while thinking it through. Truthfully she agreed with most of the things he said, but the way he offered it was somewhat dubious. “What kind of bet?” “Let’s see,” he checked his watch “It’s almost nine at the moment. Now, within three hours you may go downstairs to search around and find the right guy to-” He stopped and hid his smirk. “To what?”  “Kiss.” A chill started to creep on her back. “…kiss?” He nodded. “Exactly at midnight, we both must kiss someone in the opposite sex and you can’t just grab anybody. The person must know something about you that no one knows.” “Taec….are you drunk?” “No. I’m dead serious. The loser must leave the house. In or out?” He waited, his soft breathing on her face felt like an autumn breeze blowing over a torrid desert. “In.” said Bekah, finally. She waggled a little, trying to make space between them. “Great. And remember, right when the clock strikes 12.” He released her and walked away. Before leaving the room Taec threw the masquerade mask at Bekah who caught it right on time. “Wear it, matches your outfit.” he said nonchalantly.  There were moments when she felt like she just voluntarily walked into a nicely designed trap and right now is definitely one of them. As Bekah made her way downstairs after quite some time, she could easily spot Taecyeon sitting on a half-moon sofa with four girls by his sides. He obviously noticed her too because that guy just raised his tall glass at her along with one of his eyebrow, as usual. Bekah huffed, making up her mind that if she really wanted to have a guy kissing her at the end of the night, what she was wearing would never gonna cut it. Carrying her dignity on the tip of her nose, Bekah lifted her dress like a princess and marched back to her room. _______ “Hyung, what are you doing?” Chansung leaned over and whispered on Taecyeon’s ear, ignoring the girls who kept pulling his arms, inviting him to sit down and join them. The guys sent Chansung to check if Taecyeon, who’s been basking with women around him, had completely lost his mind. Taecyeon looked up and smiled really wide. “What’d you think I’m doing?” “Can…can I talk to you in private?” hasted Chansung. Taec sighed and left his pimp chair, telling the girls he’d come back for them. Chansung dragged him behind the stage and went outside near the pool area. “Alright, tell me the truth.” Chansung folded his arms. “What truth?” replied Taecyeon carelessly while waving at some girls who were checking them out from inside the house. “You told me you are throwing this party for Bekah but she said she had no idea about any of this. Also, according to your plan you’re supposed to win her over but all you’ve done so far is surrounding yourself with women. What is going on, hyung?” “Trust me, Chansung, I have a plan.” “I do trust you but can you at least tell me what it is so I don’t look stupid?” Chansung sounded upset. “I can’t tell you much right now, I’m afraid, but there is one more thing I want you to do,” Taecyeon moved closer with a serious face. Chansung had no other choice but to lean in and listen. “Tonight Bekah will probably make her way and approach you and the other guys. She’s also quite possibly gonna try to seduce you to kiss her when the midnight strikes. So please be aware of that and make sure you don’t give in. Reject her, if it’s easier for you to ignore her, do that instead. You understand?” “No. What the hell did you just tell me?” “Ignore her tonight. Don’t even make eye contact. Make her feel unwanted.” “…. THAT is your plan?” Chansung side-eyed him. “Part of it. Leave the rest to me, you just play your part. Tell the others too, be strong. Now go back inside, I need to mingle more.” “Your plan sucks.” Chansung scoffed and slid the door open. “So does your ability to compromise, but hey, I’m not complaining.” Taecyeon replied and went back to the girls who welcomed him like a King. _____ Are they all gay or something? Bekah grunted when the guy whom she just smiled at suddenly fled the kitchen bar which has been morphed into a real bar, leaving her sitting all by herself. She fixed her red tight bandage dress to prevent it from riding up when she crossed her legs. It’s been almost two hours since she came downstairs after changing into this dress, which was once called Slutiform by Kahi the first time she saw it hanging in Bekah’s closet, yet her effort seemed to be futile. All men treated her like a ghost, some even openly avoided her like a plague. Not so long ago Chansung ran away when Bekah approached him at one point, saying that he had to go check on the DJ, which was obviously a lie since Bekah saw him hiding behind Taecyeon instead. On the other hand, everything seems to be working well for her rival. Every time Bekah glanced over, he had someone in his arms and they were never the same people. She was genuinely surprised that he hadn’t kissed anyone yet. “Are you…that girl, tsk what’s your name, hun?” asked someone who suddenly appeared and sat down next to Bekah. She took off her mask and called the bartender who was cutting lemons near the refrigerator. Her friends showed up behind her and were also looking at Bekah curiously as they ordered their drinks. Bekah stared at her, thinking that she might have seen her somewhere. “I’m Bekah. Um, sorry but do I know you?” She also removed her mask and held it on her lap. “No honey, but Taec knows me.” she replied, her lips bloomed an insolent smile but it was clearly set out for her friends. ”So, you’re the one living with him right?” Bekah nodded. “You slept with him yet?” Bekah wish she could pretend she didn’t hear it but that question was asked loud and clear, even the bartender glanced and turned his attention to them.  It’s none of your business, Bekah badly wanted to answer but she was afraid she’d come off rude. “Of course not.” answered Bekah awkwardly.  “Why not? He’s hot.” she said, the other girls also showed their agreement. “Yeah but… it’s complicated.” “He’s a complicated guy, I know. Dating him is like trying to break a secret code.” “You’re…dating him?” asked Bekah, her throat suddenly felt dry. “Dated. We broke up years ago, I got bored. But he’s been looking so fine recently, I think I should try and remind him how much fun we had.” She winked to her friends and unbuttoned her shirt down until the top of her bra was showing. “You guys aren’t together or anything like that, right?”, she turned to Bekah. ”.. no.” “Awesome! I just wanted to make sure.” She then tapped Bekah by her upper arm and said, “Wish me luck!”  Bekah could only watch that pretty girl making her way across the dance floor, towards Taecyeon who was hanging out with Chansung and Khun in the corner. His eyes lit up and welcomed the girl with a hug on her waist and a peck on her cheek. That moment Bekah had to look away, she didn’t even know where the jealousy was coming from. She had seen Taecyeon hugging girls million times before and even the thought of him kissing someone tonight for the sake of their bet didn’t bother her too much. But this time it felt different and she wondered why.  It’s because they had a past together, you stupid, a voice in her head told her. She sighed and decided to call the bartender and order a drink. He came over but instead of fulfilling her request, the guy leaned over and asked, “Why did you lie?” “I’m sorry?” “I’ve seen that look before and it screams jealousy. You shouldn’t have let her get your man.” “He’s not my man.” “But you wish he was.” Bekah wanted to kick herself for being too transparent, even a stranger could read her like a book. She couldn’t say yes or no to his conclusion and ended up heaving pretty loud as a result of her frustration.   “I’ll tell you what, you need to go out there and get what you want!” The bartender said it enthusiastically, throwing his fist in the air. Bekah couldn’t help but giggle at this random act of hilarity. “Alright, that was maybe a little too much, but you know what I mean? Don’t just sit here all alone and sulk. The night is young, so go! Find yourself a nice guy.” “Believe me, I’ve been trying.” “Try harder.” “I need a drink first.” “Oh right!” He slapped his forehead “What would you like?” “Dirty martini, please.” said Bekah, still smiling. “Coming right up.” Bekah saluted and really considered what that guy said. What’s the worst can happen if she tells Taec that she likes him? Rejection, is one thing. Humiliation, would most likely follow. But maybe they’re worth it, maybe it’s better than sitting here, wondering about all of these what-ifs. He was so cold to her today and she didn’t fancy that side of him. She’d have him being annoying to her any day, or even his greasy side that she always discredited; it was better than being treated like an enemy.  Perhaps I’ll just swallow my pride and tell him now, Bekah wondered. Alright, I’ll do it after I have my drink. While waiting, she turned her chair around to see what was happening on the stage. Someone had just walking up and introduced himself as the MC. Bekah could hear his voice, but her view was blocked by all the bodies standing in between. Her Korean was never been perfect and tonight she was reminded once again. She couldn’t understand what they guy was saying, especially now that all the men in their house seemed to hoot, clap and whistle at the same time. Luckily, the bartender came back with her drink so Bekah took the opportunity and ask him, ”What’s going on up there?”  “Auction game.” “Auction? What’s being auctioned?” “Girls, apparently.” 

Chapter 12

“Can I stay here tonight?”

The voice turned every head in the living room, shifting all eyes from the TV to the door. No one expected to see Bekah back at their dorm, at least not that early in the morning. “Why of course, silly. Come in!” Kahi knelt on the sofa, calling Bekah to sit next to her. “Did you finally quit?” asked Jung Ah before putting a big spoon of cereal in her mouth.

Bekah groaned and plopped next to Kahi, putting on her ambiguous smile. Kahi knew what that smile means and so far it has never been a good thing. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah, I just need to get away from that house for a second.” answered Bekah, while silently thanking Jooyeon for the banana that was handed to her.

“What did he do?” asked Kahi.

Bekah faced her, “Who- Oh…Taec?” She mulled the question over in her head. As much as she wanted to shout he’s making me lose my mind, she knew it wasn’t fully his to blame. “No, it was just me… I think I’m starting to lose track.”

Something has gotten into her this morning when she woke up next to a guy that had been occupying her mind for the last several months. Bekah could never bring herself to admit how much she wanted to be with him. Many nights she laid on her bed, wondering what he was doing in the next room. Shuffling noises woke her up, her brain cells were fried from the thought of him showing up at her door, whispering good night.  But he never did, and it was probably for the best. She was always scared to meet him in the hallway ever since he kissed her there. She was terrified of his masculine scent that worked her up like a spell. His eyes, his kisses, his touch…most of all, she was scared of herself when he was around.

This morning when she saw him sleeping peacefully, she had to test him. Soon she regretted that decision because once she felt his warm skin under her touch, she couldn’t stop. He felt so alive. Bekah knew he would let her roam her fingers all over him if she requested, but they both knew the consequences. That’s why she’d rather do it when he wasn’t conscious; at least it was safer on her part. 

“Bek?” Kahi nudged her.

“Sorry, what?”

“Jung Ah just asked again if you quitted.”

“Oh, not yet. That’s why I came here, to regain energy, to recharge myself.”

“He didn’t hurt you, did he?” Jooyeon asked, her big doe eyes almost came out of sockets.

“Gosh no!  I’m fine, guys. As I said, I just need…distraction.”

“Why don’t you call Jay to see if he wants to hang out, it’s the weekend.”

Everyone seemed to agree with what Jooyeon suggested. After all, that guy had been texting her these days to let her know that he’s back in Korea again.

“You think I should?” Bekah hesitated, looking at her friends who immediately nodded in unison. Her hand plucked the cellphone from her pocket and decided to reply his previous “Good night ^ㅠ^” message that had been sitting in her inbox for days.

Before long, a notification came in. It was from him.

“What did he say?” asked everyone in sync. Bekah read the message and smiled before looking up.

“I’ve got a dinner date. He’s free tomorrow night.”

The girls clapped in excitement, including Kahi, but the oldest one suddenly remembered something. “Wait…does he know your situation with Taecyeon? Aren’t they still not in good term?”

“I’ll find out tomorrow when I see him.” replied Bekah.

“So, what are you going to wear? Didn’t you bring all your clothes to that house?” Jooyeon suddenly asked from the kitchen.

“Shoot, I did.” Bekah griped with a slap on her forehead, “Well, I guess I’ll just head there to change real fast tomorrow before Jay picks me up.”

“He’s gonna pick you up?”

“That’s what he said.”

“Where?”

“Here.”

“Oh no! What are we going to wear?” followed Jooyeon in such panic mode which had caused everyone shaking their heads.

 *****************************

The sky had gotten dark pretty early albeit the fact that Spring wind already started showing its presence. Bekah, who spent too much time in the saloon with Jooyeon, almost late for her date because that dear friend of hers insisted them to get a full body treatment. 

“You need to look dashing for him, ok? Don’t let us down!” she said.

Truthfully Bekah did not take this dinner date as serious as all her friends, but Jooyeon could be so overwhelming and sometimes it’s just easier to agree with her.

Bekah made a turn to a familiar neighborhood and surprised to see the street where her house was located had been blocked by a Do Not Enter sign. She then chose to park her car one block away and started walking. At the gate she felt the need to check the house number just to make sure she was at the right place. All those cars in the driveway and loud noises coming from inside were just too unusual.

Is this Taec’s birthday or something? Bekah wondered as she walked closer to the entrance. Right after she opened the door, a loud blasting techno music filled up her ears. Their living room had been transformed into some kind of nightclub with a small stage placed right before the sliding glass doors that was supposed to lead to the swimming pool. She had to squint to see clearer since the only lamp working that night was the one swirling around above their heads; a disco ball.

“Welcome! Here, please choose one.” A girl in skimpy clothes appeared out of nowhere, offering Bekah some sort of masquerade masks in her hand as she was also wearing one.

“Oh, um…I don’t think I’ll be needing that. I just want to go upstairs.” explained Bekah while still examining the whole entire room.

“You must wear one if you want to enter. In fact, you’re supposed to show me the invitation in order to go in. Sorry, I forgot to ask.” The young girl grinned, she was obviously nervous.

“I don’t have the invitation but I live here.” Bekah had to shout to overpower the loud music.

“You…what?”

“It’s ok, she’s with me.” Suddenly Chansung showed up and pulled Bekah’s arm. The girl apologized and disappeared as quickly as she appeared. Bekah had no other choice but to follow Chansung who was walking toward the laundry room in the back area of the house. He closed the door behind them and turned on the light. Bekah had to blink again multiple times by the sudden change of brightness and her sight finally settled, she could see Chansung was wearing his dress shirt, casual long pants and some fancy shoes.

“Cool mask!” joked Bekah.

“Thanks, it’s rather silly honestly, but Taecyeon-hyung insisted to have this kind of masquerade ball…party tonight.” replied Chansung, sounding a little unsure.

Looking at him, Bekah still wasn’t certain why she was dragged there. She glanced at her watch and knew she really had to rush if she wanted to make it to that dinner. “Chan, I need to go upstairs to change.”

“Why? You look good just like that. I’ll give you a mask that would match your training pants.” He leaned against the washing machine, fixing his collar.

“No, I’m not staying. I have to meet…someone.” She had a quick pause before deciding not to reveal who she was going to dinner with.

“But….” Chansung obviously had gotten confused, “You live here so practically you’re the host. You can’t leave.”

“Chansung, I didn’t even know about this party until I got here.” Bekah reminded him, she shifted over and reached out for the door knob.

“Wait! W-where are you going?” he panicked and quickly put himself between Bekah and the door.

She impatiently clucked her tongue with her hands on the hips, “I understand that Taecyeon must have instructed you to make sure that I stay but I really, really have to go and change.”

His big body still barred her from leaving the laundry room.

“I will speak with Taecyeon if that’d make your job easier.”

She’d taken the silence on his part for agreement. He finally moved aside and let her go. Bekah almost ran upstairs and as soon as the bedroom door was closed, her closet door was opened. Couldn’t bring herself to wear something too formal to a casual dinner, she pulled out her skinny jeans, a fitted shirt and an open blazer. She changed in a flash and decided to put on her leopard print platform shoes in contrast with her subdued clothes’ color. Bekah checked her reflection one last time and she was about to leave the room when her mobile phone suddenly vibrated. She took it out and it was a text message.

Hi…

So sorry that it’s such short notice but I don’t think I can make it tonight.

There’s an urgency and looks like it’s gonna take a while before I could be dismissed.

I’m so so so sorry.

Jay

Bekah stared at the screen and read it twice to understand it fully. Sure she felt a little disappointed inside, she was so ready after all, but a part of her felt somewhat relieved, which was more surprising than her initial reaction. Her shoes were about to come off when Bekah heard knocking on her door. She immediately knew it was her roommate from the way he knocked; two quick ones, small pause and a loud final one.

Breathe, Bekah…Breathe, she chanted to herself. “Come in.” shouted Bekah after making sure she was ready.

The door swung opened and Bekah saw a tall figure standing. Taecyeon was wearing a plaid shirt under his sporty jacket, his hair was relaxed and rather messy. His aura almost felt suffocating for Bekah. He stepped toward her and the whole room seemed to shrink. She lowered her eyes and saw him carrying a gold mask with pearl sequins dotted along the outer edge.

He sat down on her bed with his legs crossed, showcasing his shiny black shoes. “You wanted to see me?”

His voice almost sounded like a growl in contrast with his casual body language. Bekah felt a little intimidated especially when the whole house was dark and she only had her candles illuminating a fairly small room which starting to feel too crowded with both of them in there. She had to digest his question and remembered her conversation with Chansung earlier. 

“I wanted to tell you that I wouldn’t be able to stay for your party because I have-“

“-a date?” Taec quickly replied, there was some boredom in his tone but Bekah caught him flicking his gaze over her outfit.

Bekah confirmed solemnly “Yes, a date…but it doesn’t matter anymore because I don’t think it’s gonna happen tonight.”

“He took a rain check?”

“Something like that, yeah.” 

Taecyeon grumbled, his shoulder seemed a little less tensed than when he just walked in. “You’ve been going on a lot of dates lately but I always wondered why you never introduce him to me.” He lifted his left hand which was apparently carrying a glass of champagne and drank some of the content.

Bekah stared at him for a while, finding the right thing to say. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Taec.”

“Why not, am I that embarrassing?”

“What?” she almost shrieked. “No, of course not.”

Taecyeon stood up in an unexpected manner, moving toward her hauntingly and slowly like a jaguar approaching its prey. Bekah automatically stepped back, his piercing eyes were enough to make her run if she wasn’t being cornered.

“He still doesn’t know that you live with me, is that why?” Taec snickered.

Bekah nodded, it’s true although wasn’t particularly the only reason. Taec reached behind her back, a clank sound signaled that he had put his tall glass on a surface. Bekah gulped when he then leaned forward and trapped her between the table and his body. His arms locked her sides, didn’t seem to have a plan on releasing her any soon. She dared to look him in the eye but unlike previous times, those eyes staring back at her were icy cold.

“Can I be honest with you?”

Bekah gulped, nodding quickly.

“I’m tired of this so why don’t we end it tonight?” he whispered, clenching his teeth.

“Wh-“ Bekah cleared her throat, “What do you mean?”

“If you want to continue dating, this is clearly not the ideal situation for you. I don’t want to be the reason why you can’t move on with your life. Also it’s quite obvious that none of us enjoy being here anymore,” answered Taec, “-and don’t even try to deny it coz I know you well”, he said right after Bekah opened her mouth to object, “I am so sick of all these rules so I’d say screw it, screw them all. Why don’t we make our own rules tonight, huh? Our own bet.”

Bekah blinked in astonishment. She looked down while thinking it through. Truthfully she agreed with most of the things he said, but the way he offered it was somewhat dubious. “What kind of bet?”

“Let’s see,” he checked his watch “It’s almost nine at the moment. Now, within three hours you may go downstairs to search around and find the right guy to-” He stopped and hid his smirk.

“To what?” 

“Kiss.”

A chill started to creep on her back. “…kiss?”

He nodded. “Exactly at midnight, we both must kiss someone in the opposite sex and you can’t just grab anybody. The person must know something about you that no one knows.”

“Taec….are you drunk?”

“No. I’m dead serious. The loser must leave the house. In or out?” He waited, his soft breathing on her face felt like an autumn breeze blowing over a torrid desert.

“In.” said Bekah, finally. She waggled a little, trying to make space between them.

“Great. And remember, right when the clock strikes 12.” He released her and walked away. Before leaving the room Taec threw the masquerade mask at Bekah who caught it right on time. “Wear it, matches your outfit.” he said nonchalantly. 

There were moments when she felt like she just voluntarily walked into a nicely designed trap and right now is definitely one of them.

As Bekah made her way downstairs after quite some time, she could easily spot Taecyeon sitting on a half-moon sofa with four girls by his sides. He obviously noticed her too because that guy just raised his tall glass at her along with one of his eyebrow, as usual.

Bekah huffed, making up her mind that if she really wanted to have a guy kissing her at the end of the night, what she was wearing would never gonna cut it. Carrying her dignity on the tip of her nose, Bekah lifted her dress like a princess and marched back to her room.

_______

“Hyung, what are you doing?” Chansung leaned over and whispered on Taecyeon’s ear, ignoring the girls who kept pulling his arms, inviting him to sit down and join them. The guys sent Chansung to check if Taecyeon, who’s been basking with women around him, had completely lost his mind.

Taecyeon looked up and smiled really wide. “What’d you think I’m doing?”

“Can…can I talk to you in private?” hasted Chansung. Taec sighed and left his pimp chair, telling the girls he’d come back for them. Chansung dragged him behind the stage and went outside near the pool area.

“Alright, tell me the truth.” Chansung folded his arms.

“What truth?” replied Taecyeon carelessly while waving at some girls who were checking them out from inside the house.

“You told me you are throwing this party for Bekah but she said she had no idea about any of this. Also, according to your plan you’re supposed to win her over but all you’ve done so far is surrounding yourself with women. What is going on, hyung?”

“Trust me, Chansung, I have a plan.”

“I do trust you but can you at least tell me what it is so I don’t look stupid?” Chansung sounded upset.

“I can’t tell you much right now, I’m afraid, but there is one more thing I want you to do,” Taecyeon moved closer with a serious face. Chansung had no other choice but to lean in and listen. “Tonight Bekah will probably make her way and approach you and the other guys. She’s also quite possibly gonna try to seduce you to kiss her when the midnight strikes. So please be aware of that and make sure you don’t give in. Reject her, if it’s easier for you to ignore her, do that instead. You understand?”

“No. What the hell did you just tell me?”

“Ignore her tonight. Don’t even make eye contact. Make her feel unwanted.”

“…. THAT is your plan?” Chansung side-eyed him.

“Part of it. Leave the rest to me, you just play your part. Tell the others too, be strong. Now go back inside, I need to mingle more.”

“Your plan sucks.” Chansung scoffed and slid the door open.

“So does your ability to compromise, but hey, I’m not complaining.” Taecyeon replied and went back to the girls who welcomed him like a King.

_____

Are they all gay or something? Bekah grunted when the guy whom she just smiled at suddenly fled the kitchen bar which has been morphed into a real bar, leaving her sitting all by herself. She fixed her red tight bandage dress to prevent it from riding up when she crossed her legs. It’s been almost two hours since she came downstairs after changing into this dress, which was once called Slutiform by Kahi the first time she saw it hanging in Bekah’s closet, yet her effort seemed to be futile. All men treated her like a ghost, some even openly avoided her like a plague. Not so long ago Chansung ran away when Bekah approached him at one point, saying that he had to go check on the DJ, which was obviously a lie since Bekah saw him hiding behind Taecyeon instead.

On the other hand, everything seems to be working well for her rival. Every time Bekah glanced over, he had someone in his arms and they were never the same people. She was genuinely surprised that he hadn’t kissed anyone yet.

“Are you…that girl, tsk what’s your name, hun?” asked someone who suddenly appeared and sat down next to Bekah. She took off her mask and called the bartender who was cutting lemons near the refrigerator. Her friends showed up behind her and were also looking at Bekah curiously as they ordered their drinks.

Bekah stared at her, thinking that she might have seen her somewhere. “I’m Bekah. Um, sorry but do I know you?” She also removed her mask and held it on her lap.

“No honey, but Taec knows me.” she replied, her lips bloomed an insolent smile but it was clearly set out for her friends. ”So, you’re the one living with him right?”

Bekah nodded.

“You slept with him yet?”

Bekah wish she could pretend she didn’t hear it but that question was asked loud and clear, even the bartender glanced and turned his attention to them. 

It’s none of your business, Bekah badly wanted to answer but she was afraid she’d come off rude. “Of course not.” answered Bekah awkwardly. 

“Why not? He’s hot.” she said, the other girls also showed their agreement.

“Yeah but… it’s complicated.”

“He’s a complicated guy, I know. Dating him is like trying to break a secret code.”

“You’re…dating him?” asked Bekah, her throat suddenly felt dry.

“Dated. We broke up years ago, I got bored. But he’s been looking so fine recently, I think I should try and remind him how much fun we had.” She winked to her friends and unbuttoned her shirt down until the top of her bra was showing. “You guys aren’t together or anything like that, right?”, she turned to Bekah.

”.. no.”

“Awesome! I just wanted to make sure.” She then tapped Bekah by her upper arm and said, “Wish me luck!” 

Bekah could only watch that pretty girl making her way across the dance floor, towards Taecyeon who was hanging out with Chansung and Khun in the corner. His eyes lit up and welcomed the girl with a hug on her waist and a peck on her cheek. That moment Bekah had to look away, she didn’t even know where the jealousy was coming from. She had seen Taecyeon hugging girls million times before and even the thought of him kissing someone tonight for the sake of their bet didn’t bother her too much.

But this time it felt different and she wondered why. 

It’s because they had a past together, you stupid, a voice in her head told her. She sighed and decided to call the bartender and order a drink. He came over but instead of fulfilling her request, the guy leaned over and asked, “Why did you lie?”

“I’m sorry?”

“I’ve seen that look before and it screams jealousy. You shouldn’t have let her get your man.”

“He’s not my man.”

“But you wish he was.”

Bekah wanted to kick herself for being too transparent, even a stranger could read her like a book. She couldn’t say yes or no to his conclusion and ended up heaving pretty loud as a result of her frustration.  

“I’ll tell you what, you need to go out there and get what you want!” The bartender said it enthusiastically, throwing his fist in the air. Bekah couldn’t help but giggle at this random act of hilarity. “Alright, that was maybe a little too much, but you know what I mean? Don’t just sit here all alone and sulk. The night is young, so go! Find yourself a nice guy.”

“Believe me, I’ve been trying.”

“Try harder.”

“I need a drink first.”

“Oh right!” He slapped his forehead “What would you like?”

“Dirty martini, please.” said Bekah, still smiling.

“Coming right up.”

Bekah saluted and really considered what that guy said. What’s the worst can happen if she tells Taec that she likes him? Rejection, is one thing. Humiliation, would most likely follow. But maybe they’re worth it, maybe it’s better than sitting here, wondering about all of these what-ifs. He was so cold to her today and she didn’t fancy that side of him. She’d have him being annoying to her any day, or even his greasy side that she always discredited; it was better than being treated like an enemy. 

Perhaps I’ll just swallow my pride and tell him now, Bekah wondered. Alright, I’ll do it after I have my drink. While waiting, she turned her chair around to see what was happening on the stage. Someone had just walking up and introduced himself as the MC. Bekah could hear his voice, but her view was blocked by all the bodies standing in between.

Her Korean was never been perfect and tonight she was reminded once again. She couldn’t understand what they guy was saying, especially now that all the men in their house seemed to hoot, clap and whistle at the same time. Luckily, the bartender came back with her drink so Bekah took the opportunity and ask him, ”What’s going on up there?” 

“Auction game.”

“Auction? What’s being auctioned?”

“Girls, apparently.” 

Chapter 11 She started dating again, Taecyeon grunted in front of a bar stool, nursing his drink. The glass was heavy, its dark amber content cloudy. Sitting with his knees widespread, his head bent low between hunched shoulders, his elbows propped on the greasy surface of the bar. Unlike many famous night clubs in popular streets of Seoul, this tavern is outdated and almost reached the end of its business. The dusty haze and laughter of drunken businessmen, rotating desultorily overhead, barely stirred the thick pall of tobacco smoke. Why would a young, famous idol choose such a place you ask? Well, other than the fact that drinks are dirt cheap, chance of him getting recognized is significantly low. “Lost a lover?” asked the middle-aged bartender carelessly as he continued wiping his glasses. Taecyeon was sure he must have asked the same question to hundreds of customers as a part of his job, not because he cared. “Can’t lose something I’ve never had, eh?” Taec answered abruptly, gulping down the toxic liquid and asked for a refill. The old guy seemed a little hesitant to fulfill his request. “You’re not a cop or anything, are you?” “Would I be drinking if I was?” “Sorry, I had to ask because you are my first customer in years who didn’t come here and ask for a prostitute.” Taecyeon smirked. Don’t be too quick to judge, old man. “Women are dangerous.”, followed Taec after releasing a deep sigh. “They certainly are, especially the pretty ones. You might think you know them, but you have no idea.”, said the bartender, slapping the small hand towel he’s been using to wipe glasses over his left shoulder. “Tell me, what’s she like?” “Nah…I don’t wanna keep ya.” Taec started to slur his words, feeling a little light headed. “Do I look busy, young man?” The bartender opened his arms wide, stressing the empty bar with only Taecyeon sitting. If he was any more sober, he would have never shared anything with a stranger. But he couldn’t talk to his friends without showcasing his feelings and it’s been driving him mad, so perhaps a pair of nonjudgmental ears is what he needed. “Alright, where do I start?” He made a twinkling sound tapping his glass with his fingers, “She had the type of smile that no one can lie to, no one wanted to break her heart, except that one douchebag she’s dated all her life. She picked fight like a general in battlefields, she drew smiley faces on eggs and oranges, always dramatically and with impromptu gesticulations and sound effects. She had this thick notebook she carried everywhere, like it was a part of her soul.” Taecyeon chuckled to himself, “That thing was stuffed with so many extra pages and sketches; it looked like a bride throwing confetti. All the different doors to all her different worlds were in there…but she never allowed me to see them, she said it’s too personal.” He took another pause and sipped liquor that already tasted like water to him. “Honestly, I didn’t know she was this enticing. If I knew I would have never taken the challenge. Fuck, I blame my ego for believing I could conquer her. Maybe I could, but it was no apparent to me that it was my own feeling that betrayed me. I think she trusts me at this point, she cried on me once. She knew the darkest secret of my family but she didn’t think of me less. In fact she stood up for me, it was quite a sight that night. For the first time I wasn’t afraid to open up to someone else. But perhaps I have misjudged her attention, I thought she felt something else too. Apparently it was just how she is, never pass judgment to others. I was not that…special.” “Wow, sounds like she really is something.” “Mmm hmm.” “So what’s the problem now?”, asked the older guy, his brows were lowered. “We had this situation we couldn’t compromise and she’s still broken hearted. I told her she should never weep for one guy who doesn’t deserve her any longer, and off she went. The next thing I knew she was always out meeting someone. I let her slipped away through my finger.” “That happens. Mostly when you think you have it in your pocket, young man. Did she ever tell you the identity of this another guy?” Taec shook his head, his vision started to get blurry. “Nope…but I had a feeling she wanted to keep it a secret, for some reason. I don’t know, she’s been keeping distance as if she was trying to get away from me.” He took another sip without realizing his glass was empty. The bartender who obviously got confused by the story could only shrug, “Then just…tell her.” “Oh no no no no…” Taec wiggled his index finger in front of his face, “I could never. She will crush me. No no no. Hey can I get another one of this?” He raised his glass and lowered his head. “Young man, I don’t think you can handle any more of those. You should go home now.” “I don’t want to. I don’t want to see her….with her new lover.” He mumbled his words, half falling asleep. “Hey, don’t sleep here. I have to close this place in a few minutes! Do you have a ride? Should I call a taxi for you?” “No, just…call herrr.” Taecyeon reached in his pocket and struggled to find his cell. As soon as he found it, he gave it to the bartender. “Call who?” “Be….kah.” He mouthed her name before crashing on the table, unconscious. ************************************* Bekah tapped her fingers on a wooden table and realized she’s been biting her lower lips as a result of the awkward silence that had grown between her and the handsome guy sitting on the other end. She should have never agreed to come, knowing how she felt about this person, but Bekah made a promise and she always tend to keep it. She could feel his eyes were planted onto her and Bekah slowly regretted wearing such a low cut shirt. In any given condition, if she wasn’t who she was, Bekah would have worshipped and kissed his feet just by his looks. His dreamy eyes and perfect hair, his gentlemen gesture and honey-dripping words would melt even the coldest woman on earth. Unfortunately, she kept getting déjà vu and they were not from pleasant memories. “So…what are you up to these days?” asked Nichkhun tilting his head with one hand resting under his chin. “Nothing much. Travelling, painting, filming.” Bekah found her eyes went back to him instead of the pretty lanterns filling up the ceiling of this small café. “Painting? That’s unusual. If you need help with inspiration, I’m just a phone-call away.” Bekah replied him with a gentle chuckle, trying to escape his scrutinizing eyes. “So I heard you’ve spent time with some of my friends, hmm?” Khun spoke again after waiting for Bekah’s reply. His tone became more serious with a minor hint of spite. She stabbed her tiramisu with a fork, buying time before she answered him. “Only Chansung, he came by and I was cooking at that time so he stuck around.” Bekah automatically smiled remembering that day when that big kid shamelessly pronounced that he was hungry and begged Bekah to make an extra plate for him. They sat down and had a long conversation over spaghetti meatballs, discussing books and complaining about their tiring idol lives. She was surprised how intelligent he is, despite his ludicrous exterior, and actually enjoyed his company. Without physical attraction and fear of losing herself she’s always had whenever Taecyeon was around. “Does Taecyeon know?” Khun suddenly asked again after a long pause. “Probably, I don’t know.” Bekah shrugged, feeling unmasked by her own thought. Khun fixed his position, crossing his legs. “You know, I’m on nobody’s side so you don’t have to worry about revealing your game of plan.” Bekah had to steal a glance to make sure he wasn’t just messing around. “I’ll tell you if I have one.” “Come on, you must at least have something you plan to do. You can’t possibly be naive enough to believe he doesn’t.” Khun scoffed. Bekah had her tongue tied. Somewhere deep inside she always wondered the same thing but never actually thought about it enough to admit it. ”I’ll figure something out.” She answered while looking at her own hand folded on her lap. “Are you taking your time because you actually enjoy living with him? He’s my friend but if I were a girl I wouldn’t stand his mess.” “He’s actually not that bad.” “You like him, don’t you?” Another question shut Bekah up, she started feeling interrogated and spied on.  “I don’t mean to be rude, Khun but it’s none of your business.” “Alright.” His face was indecipherable. “But I was expecting you to be smarter than this, knowing how hard you were to him at the beginning. I couldn’t believe you fall so easily.” “I’m sorry to disappoint you, then.” She was quite astonished by how different she imagined Khun to be. Unless this was acting, she found him somewhat intrusive.   “When the time comes, Bekah, I want you to remember this conversation and hopefully what you feel then is gratitude, not regret.” “We’ll see.” replied Bekah with the least amount of emotion she could display. A sudden vibration and ‘You Are My Sunshine’ song was heard coming from her purse and she grumbled when she saw the name of the caller. This wasn’t the first time Taecyeon called her at the weirdest hour and asked the most random question. One time he texted her during a radio show just to ask if an olive colored tie would suit a beige shirt. Another time he called her while she was in Japan, out shopping in Shibuya, just to find out what she’d feel about buying organic pasta. The most recent one, which was three days ago, caused her some trouble because when he called, Bekah was attending a wedding ceremony and she happened to forget to silent her phone. She had to excuse herself and went outside to answer him, only to feel upset by the unbelievably poor level of urgency. “You can eat my instant noodles, Taec. How many times do I have to tell you, feel free to access the kitchen?” “Yeah, but we had one condition and I forgot what that was. Is it noodles or cereal?” “We said, always feel free to access the kitchen unless you’re Hwang Chansung. How did you even get that wrong?” said Bekah, clearly annoyed. “Where are you?” Taecyeon asked, ignoring her compaint. “Out.” “By yourself?” “No.” “Oh. Are you on a date again?” Argh this guy.., Bekah grouched. “Yes. So if you’ll excuse me, I have to hang up now. Bye.” “Are you going to answer that?” Khun’s voice appeared and made Bekah realized she’s been holding a loud, vibrating phone for a while now. “Hello, Taec?” She was ready to hear his absurd question but the person who answered her wasn’t Taec. “Yes this is she. Ok, I’ll be right there.” “Is he alright?” Khun also stood up when he saw Bekah collecting her things in a speed of light. “Yep, just a minor situation. Anyway, I’m sorry I can’t stay much longer, here, hopefully this would cover all my expense.” Bekah took some money from her wallet and gave it to Khun. “It’s ok, tonight’s on me. And I insist.” said Khun with his proud smile as soon as Bekah opened her mouth to reject. She had no time to argue so she just said thank you and left. ************************************* “You’re pretty lucky no one recognized you, Taec. You looked like a homeless person sitting in front of a bar like that.” Bekah scolded the drunk guy she just fetched off the street. Her company driver was nice enough to take her to the area in Seoul she’s never been before. “How did you even find that place, anyway?” “Shhhhh…you’re so loud…my head…hurts… Can I lie down?” Taecyeon grumbled and started moving closer to her. “Wait…” He proceeded to put his head on Bekah’s lap before she could even argue. His dark brown hair brushed against her naked thighs where her skirt ends and she felt tingly whenever he moved around. She fixed his position and found herself running her fingers through his hair. Taecyeon seemed to like it because now he started mumbling words and purring like a kitty cat. “Oh yea…keep doing that, Bek, that feels really nice. Mmm…yess.” The driver must have heard Taecyeon because he eyed them from the rear view mirror. Bekah saw it and slapped Taec for sending such a false message. “Stop moaning!” “Ouch. Why so violent?!” “Taec, you’re really smashed this time. How many drinks you had?” “One.” His fingers signaled five. Bekah rolled her eyes. Once they got home, the driver helped Bekah carrying Taecyeon to his bedroom although the tallest guy insisted he could walk. He left right away after they put Taecyeon in bed. As soon as Bekah turned the room lights off, Taec called out for her. “Where…are you going?” “To my room.” “Stay here.” He weakly tapped the made up side of the bed next to him. Bekah hesitantly looked up to the camera that was hanging in the corridor corner like a daunting evil machine. She started hating those cameras. “But…” Taecyeon must have seen where she was looking because he replied, “Don’t worry, I won’t do anything you don’t want me to do. Just close the door, it won’t see us.’” He patting his bed again, persisting. She found herself closing the gap between them and climbed on the bed. Taec had moved his arm so she could lie down comfortably, both facing up to the ceiling. At first Bekah felt her body becoming stiff next to him but his heavy breathing and the fluffy comforter made her sleepy almost in an instant. “Do that thing again you did with your fingers on my head. It soothed my headache.” said Taec softly. Bekah did what he asked. After massaging for quite some time, she broke the ice, “Taec?” “…Hmm?” His voice sounded abnormally heavy. “If I told you I went on a date with all your band members, would you be jealous?” “Umm…no…” He paused for a while, “Did you?” Bekah smiled viciously. “Maybe.” “All of them?” “Perhaps.” “No wonder you’re never home anymore.” “Why, did you miss me?” Taec didn’t say anything but Bekah saw his head nodded continuously in the corner of her eye. ”I’d rather you date them than guys I don’t know of.” Bekah turned her head but Taecyeon had his eyes closed. She secretly admired the peacefulness she saw there, the bridge of his nose, the sharp and strong eyebrows. Her conscience instructed to lower her eyes and found the gentle lips that once wildly roamed her mouth. She had to look away before the images becoming clearer. “Bek?”  Feeling caught, Bekah turned to her original position, facing the white ceiling. ”Yeah?” “I take it back. You shouldn’t date any of them.” He mumbled his words. She grinned silently. “I shouldn’t or you don’t want me to?” “I don’t want you to.” Slurring, he turned his whole body towards her, still not opening his eyes. “Can I tell you something?” Bekah decided to face up again, it’s easier to tell him the truth if she isn’t directly staring at him. “Mmm…” “Every time I told you I was out on a date, I wasn’t really meeting someone. Well, today I did…but those other days I was actually visiting your aunt’s gallery to look at her paintings, to study them. I love it there, sometimes I just sat for hours and imagined myself being in those beautiful sceneries. I’ve never been to Europe before…is it as amazing as people say?…..Taec?” All she heard was a deep, low set of snore.  “Ok Taecyeon, I used one of your old boxer that was left inside the washing machine to wipe tables because I had mistaken it for a rag. You’re ok with that, right?” She nudged him. “Right?” “…mmm.” Bekah chuckled to herself. “I like you better when you’re drunk, Taec. Good night.” whispered her, obviously taking advantage of the situation for her own benefit. She then puffed a pillow and closed her eyes. “I like you…Bekah.” He mouthed those words that was almost impossible to hear even for himself. ************************************* Is this really happening? Taecyeon sat on the side of his bed, too shocked to see that he was not alone. Bekah, looking as peaceful as a new born child, laying next to him. He had no recollection whatsoever of what happened last night. The last thing he remembered was an old guy yelling at him, and some fractions of Bekah’s comfortable legs under his head. Did I sleep with her? But she still has her clothes on. He checked his pants. Mmm, I don’t think so, I would have remembered. Taecyeon contemplated his next move while smelling his own breath.  Oh god, he thought while quietly making his way to the bathroom to brush his teeth. He walked back to his room and relieved to see Bekah had not moved a strand of hair. He slithered back in and pretended to still be asleep. She must have felt his presence because soon afterward, Taecyeon felt her body rolled towards him and her hands wrapped around his waist. Fuck. What do I do? He gulped and tried to act natural. As much as he wanted to fight the urge to caress her smooth hair that was resting on his chest, he knew it was too tempting for his weak mindset. His fingers slowly glided along her crown, his pinky finger accidentally touched her ear. Her breathing was steady, he closed his eyes and matched her tempo until he found himself almost asleep again. Suddenly he could feel she moved under his arm, her head turned to him and she mumbled a sleepy moan. Taec’s eyes might have been closed but he could feel her watching him asleep. “Unnng..Taec?” He didn’t respond, curious of what she would do next. “Taec, are you still sleeping?” Still not responding. He heard some shuffling caused by her swifting position. Judging by the heavy weight on the pillow, she must have rested her elbow there, watching him. To his surprise, he felt her cold finger on his forehead, tracing down to his nose, brushing his parted lips and went down to his chest. She resisted for a while but continued making her way to his pecks and midsection. At this point Taec badly wanted to open his eyes to see how she looked at him, heck, he would pay to witness that. But he didn’t. She then placed her hand on his abs and her thumb found his belly button. He could have sworn she was doing the same motion in one of his dreams starring Bekah and himself, but he wouldn’t have thought it actually can happen in real life. Her fingers touched him like how children would embrace their first toy, very curious and extremely careful. Bekah kept running her fingers on the dips of his abs, tracing them like a canoe floating around the river, but she was too shy to go any lower than the naked skin above his jeans that now feels too tight. Taec was already aroused just by her feminine scent on his bed, so adding a simple touch here and there, he was starting to lose it. His mind was telling him to make her stop but he was too greedy. The blanket could barely hide anything obvious, especially with her watching him intimately. Soon enough he heard her gasping, undoubtedly by the usual sight in the morning. His, not hers. “Good morning.” said Taec while faking a yawn. He finally opened his eyes to see her face that was already red. “What? Oh…don’t act too surprised. That’s what you get for touching a guy in the morning.” “But…I thought you were asleep.” “Part of me not.” He winked. “It was all your fault, so don’t start acting like a victim.” “I don’t. I was just… embarrassed.” She looked away. “Don’t be. Why did you do that, anyway? …not that I’m complaining.” “I-I-I was…” Bekah stuttered, sat down on the bed and put a pillow between them like a barrier. “Studying.” “What?” “For painting…I was studying you, for painting.” Liar, Taecyeon smirked. “Well you could always ask, no need to do it secretly like that. Although, I quite enjoyed being a pure sexual object.” He mischievously put his arms behind his head, like a boastful king. Bekah groaned her frustration and got out of his bed. “Well, you’d better enjoy it while it last.” “Wait-wait, where are you going?” “Kitchen. I’m hungry.” “Oh, can you bring me an omelette, sausage and milk? You know…breakfast in bed style?” He wiggled his eyebrows. “I’m not gonna cook for you.” Replied Bekah while walking to the door. “Why? You cooked for Chansung.” Bekah turned around, his face was vacant. So he knew. She hates the guilty feeling she has inside, although she knew she shouldn’t have felt that way.  “I just don’t feel like it.” “Bekah, will you stop repulsing me? It’s not fair. One moment you are all over me but then you run away. What do you want, exactly?” She stared at him straight-faced. “I don’t know, Taec.” A weak voice came out in a contrary of her adamant body language. “I really don’t know.” Taecyeon watched her exhaling heavily and giving him this defeated look before disappearing to the corridor. He wished he didn’t push it, asking it out loud only worsened their situation. He was confident she also shared their strong attraction, but just like him, she was afraid to admit it because once either one of them does, the fun will no longer be there. The chasing and pulling in will suddenly become accepting and acknowledging. The mystery will soon be a history. And I guess none of us wants to move on, wondered Taec. If she admits it, she’s afraid she’d lose. She’s afraid of me, and losing to me. She wants me to say it first, to lay out our map and pin down where we’re at. Taecyeon finally understood what Bekah has been doing to him, whether or not it was in her consciousness. She wanted him to succumb into her game, her mind game. The sound of a car leaving the garage confirmed his analysis and so he raised from his bed and reached for his cellphone. “Hello, Chansung?…it’s me. Can you call everyone and tell them I’m gonna throw a party at my house tomorrow night? Mm hmm…oh, and the girls…make sure you invite them too.”  

Chapter 11

She started dating again, Taecyeon grunted in front of a bar stool, nursing his drink. The glass was heavy, its dark amber content cloudy. Sitting with his knees widespread, his head bent low between hunched shoulders, his elbows propped on the greasy surface of the bar. Unlike many famous night clubs in popular streets of Seoul, this tavern is outdated and almost reached the end of its business. The dusty haze and laughter of drunken businessmen, rotating desultorily overhead, barely stirred the thick pall of tobacco smoke. Why would a young, famous idol choose such a place you ask? Well, other than the fact that drinks are dirt cheap, chance of him getting recognized is significantly low.

“Lost a lover?” asked the middle-aged bartender carelessly as he continued wiping his glasses. Taecyeon was sure he must have asked the same question to hundreds of customers as a part of his job, not because he cared.

“Can’t lose something I’ve never had, eh?” Taec answered abruptly, gulping down the toxic liquid and asked for a refill. The old guy seemed a little hesitant to fulfill his request.

“You’re not a cop or anything, are you?”

“Would I be drinking if I was?”

“Sorry, I had to ask because you are my first customer in years who didn’t come here and ask for a prostitute.”

Taecyeon smirked. Don’t be too quick to judge, old man. “Women are dangerous.”, followed Taec after releasing a deep sigh.

“They certainly are, especially the pretty ones. You might think you know them, but you have no idea.”, said the bartender, slapping the small hand towel he’s been using to wipe glasses over his left shoulder. “Tell me, what’s she like?”

“Nah…I don’t wanna keep ya.” Taec started to slur his words, feeling a little light headed.

“Do I look busy, young man?” The bartender opened his arms wide, stressing the empty bar with only Taecyeon sitting.

If he was any more sober, he would have never shared anything with a stranger. But he couldn’t talk to his friends without showcasing his feelings and it’s been driving him mad, so perhaps a pair of nonjudgmental ears is what he needed.

“Alright, where do I start?” He made a twinkling sound tapping his glass with his fingers, “She had the type of smile that no one can lie to, no one wanted to break her heart, except that one douchebag she’s dated all her life. She picked fight like a general in battlefields, she drew smiley faces on eggs and oranges, always dramatically and with impromptu gesticulations and sound effects. She had this thick notebook she carried everywhere, like it was a part of her soul.” Taecyeon chuckled to himself, “That thing was stuffed with so many extra pages and sketches; it looked like a bride throwing confetti. All the different doors to all her different worlds were in there…but she never allowed me to see them, she said it’s too personal.” He took another pause and sipped liquor that already tasted like water to him.

“Honestly, I didn’t know she was this enticing. If I knew I would have never taken the challenge. Fuck, I blame my ego for believing I could conquer her. Maybe I could, but it was no apparent to me that it was my own feeling that betrayed me. I think she trusts me at this point, she cried on me once. She knew the darkest secret of my family but she didn’t think of me less. In fact she stood up for me, it was quite a sight that night. For the first time I wasn’t afraid to open up to someone else. But perhaps I have misjudged her attention, I thought she felt something else too. Apparently it was just how she is, never pass judgment to others. I was not that…special.”

“Wow, sounds like she really is something.”

“Mmm hmm.”

“So what’s the problem now?”, asked the older guy, his brows were lowered.

“We had this situation we couldn’t compromise and she’s still broken hearted. I told her she should never weep for one guy who doesn’t deserve her any longer, and off she went. The next thing I knew she was always out meeting someone. I let her slipped away through my finger.”

“That happens. Mostly when you think you have it in your pocket, young man. Did she ever tell you the identity of this another guy?”

Taec shook his head, his vision started to get blurry. “Nope…but I had a feeling she wanted to keep it a secret, for some reason. I don’t know, she’s been keeping distance as if she was trying to get away from me.” He took another sip without realizing his glass was empty.

The bartender who obviously got confused by the story could only shrug, “Then just…tell her.”

“Oh no no no no…” Taec wiggled his index finger in front of his face, “I could never. She will crush me. No no no. Hey can I get another one of this?” He raised his glass and lowered his head.

“Young man, I don’t think you can handle any more of those. You should go home now.”

“I don’t want to. I don’t want to see her….with her new lover.” He mumbled his words, half falling asleep.

“Hey, don’t sleep here. I have to close this place in a few minutes! Do you have a ride? Should I call a taxi for you?”

“No, just…call herrr.” Taecyeon reached in his pocket and struggled to find his cell. As soon as he found it, he gave it to the bartender.

“Call who?”

“Be….kah.” He mouthed her name before crashing on the table, unconscious.

*************************************


Bekah tapped her fingers on a wooden table and realized she’s been biting her lower lips as a result of the awkward silence that had grown between her and the handsome guy sitting on the other end. She should have never agreed to come, knowing how she felt about this person, but Bekah made a promise and she always tend to keep it.

She could feel his eyes were planted onto her and Bekah slowly regretted wearing such a low cut shirt. In any given condition, if she wasn’t who she was, Bekah would have worshipped and kissed his feet just by his looks. His dreamy eyes and perfect hair, his gentlemen gesture and honey-dripping words would melt even the coldest woman on earth. Unfortunately, she kept getting déjà vu and they were not from pleasant memories.

“So…what are you up to these days?” asked Nichkhun tilting his head with one hand resting under his chin.

“Nothing much. Travelling, painting, filming.” Bekah found her eyes went back to him instead of the pretty lanterns filling up the ceiling of this small café.

“Painting? That’s unusual. If you need help with inspiration, I’m just a phone-call away.”

Bekah replied him with a gentle chuckle, trying to escape his scrutinizing eyes.

“So I heard you’ve spent time with some of my friends, hmm?” Khun spoke again after waiting for Bekah’s reply. His tone became more serious with a minor hint of spite.

She stabbed her tiramisu with a fork, buying time before she answered him. “Only Chansung, he came by and I was cooking at that time so he stuck around.” Bekah automatically smiled remembering that day when that big kid shamelessly pronounced that he was hungry and begged Bekah to make an extra plate for him. They sat down and had a long conversation over spaghetti meatballs, discussing books and complaining about their tiring idol lives. She was surprised how intelligent he is, despite his ludicrous exterior, and actually enjoyed his company. Without physical attraction and fear of losing herself she’s always had whenever Taecyeon was around.

“Does Taecyeon know?” Khun suddenly asked again after a long pause.

“Probably, I don’t know.” Bekah shrugged, feeling unmasked by her own thought.

Khun fixed his position, crossing his legs. “You know, I’m on nobody’s side so you don’t have to worry about revealing your game of plan.”

Bekah had to steal a glance to make sure he wasn’t just messing around. “I’ll tell you if I have one.”

“Come on, you must at least have something you plan to do. You can’t possibly be naive enough to believe he doesn’t.” Khun scoffed.

Bekah had her tongue tied. Somewhere deep inside she always wondered the same thing but never actually thought about it enough to admit it. ”I’ll figure something out.” She answered while looking at her own hand folded on her lap.

“Are you taking your time because you actually enjoy living with him? He’s my friend but if I were a girl I wouldn’t stand his mess.”

“He’s actually not that bad.”

“You like him, don’t you?”

Another question shut Bekah up, she started feeling interrogated and spied on.

 “I don’t mean to be rude, Khun but it’s none of your business.”

“Alright.” His face was indecipherable. “But I was expecting you to be smarter than this, knowing how hard you were to him at the beginning. I couldn’t believe you fall so easily.”

“I’m sorry to disappoint you, then.”

She was quite astonished by how different she imagined Khun to be. Unless this was acting, she found him somewhat intrusive.  

“When the time comes, Bekah, I want you to remember this conversation and hopefully what you feel then is gratitude, not regret.”

“We’ll see.” replied Bekah with the least amount of emotion she could display.

A sudden vibration and ‘You Are My Sunshine’ song was heard coming from her purse and she grumbled when she saw the name of the caller. This wasn’t the first time Taecyeon called her at the weirdest hour and asked the most random question. One time he texted her during a radio show just to ask if an olive colored tie would suit a beige shirt. Another time he called her while she was in Japan, out shopping in Shibuya, just to find out what she’d feel about buying organic pasta. The most recent one, which was three days ago, caused her some trouble because when he called, Bekah was attending a wedding ceremony and she happened to forget to silent her phone. She had to excuse herself and went outside to answer him, only to feel upset by the unbelievably poor level of urgency.

“You can eat my instant noodles, Taec. How many times do I have to tell you, feel free to access the kitchen?”

“Yeah, but we had one condition and I forgot what that was. Is it noodles or cereal?”

“We said, always feel free to access the kitchen unless you’re Hwang Chansung. How did you even get that wrong?” said Bekah, clearly annoyed.

“Where are you?” Taecyeon asked, ignoring her compaint.

“Out.”

“By yourself?”

“No.”

“Oh. Are you on a date again?”

Argh this guy.., Bekah grouched. “Yes. So if you’ll excuse me, I have to hang up now. Bye.”

“Are you going to answer that?” Khun’s voice appeared and made Bekah realized she’s been holding a loud, vibrating phone for a while now.

“Hello, Taec?” She was ready to hear his absurd question but the person who answered her wasn’t Taec. “Yes this is she. Ok, I’ll be right there.”

“Is he alright?” Khun also stood up when he saw Bekah collecting her things in a speed of light.

“Yep, just a minor situation. Anyway, I’m sorry I can’t stay much longer, here, hopefully this would cover all my expense.” Bekah took some money from her wallet and gave it to Khun.

“It’s ok, tonight’s on me. And I insist.” said Khun with his proud smile as soon as Bekah opened her mouth to reject. She had no time to argue so she just said thank you and left.

*************************************


“You’re pretty lucky no one recognized you, Taec. You looked like a homeless person sitting in front of a bar like that.” Bekah scolded the drunk guy she just fetched off the street. Her company driver was nice enough to take her to the area in Seoul she’s never been before. “How did you even find that place, anyway?”

“Shhhhh…you’re so loud…my head…hurts… Can I lie down?” Taecyeon grumbled and started moving closer to her.

“Wait…”

He proceeded to put his head on Bekah’s lap before she could even argue. His dark brown hair brushed against her naked thighs where her skirt ends and she felt tingly whenever he moved around. She fixed his position and found herself running her fingers through his hair. Taecyeon seemed to like it because now he started mumbling words and purring like a kitty cat.

“Oh yea…keep doing that, Bek, that feels really nice. Mmm…yess.”

The driver must have heard Taecyeon because he eyed them from the rear view mirror. Bekah saw it and slapped Taec for sending such a false message. “Stop moaning!”

“Ouch. Why so violent?!”

“Taec, you’re really smashed this time. How many drinks you had?”

“One.” His fingers signaled five. Bekah rolled her eyes.

Once they got home, the driver helped Bekah carrying Taecyeon to his bedroom although the tallest guy insisted he could walk. He left right away after they put Taecyeon in bed. As soon as Bekah turned the room lights off, Taec called out for her. “Where…are you going?”

“To my room.”

“Stay here.” He weakly tapped the made up side of the bed next to him.

Bekah hesitantly looked up to the camera that was hanging in the corridor corner like a daunting evil machine. She started hating those cameras. “But…”

Taecyeon must have seen where she was looking because he replied, “Don’t worry, I won’t do anything you don’t want me to do. Just close the door, it won’t see us.’” He patting his bed again, persisting.

She found herself closing the gap between them and climbed on the bed. Taec had moved his arm so she could lie down comfortably, both facing up to the ceiling. At first Bekah felt her body becoming stiff next to him but his heavy breathing and the fluffy comforter made her sleepy almost in an instant.

“Do that thing again you did with your fingers on my head. It soothed my headache.” said Taec softly.

Bekah did what he asked. After massaging for quite some time, she broke the ice, “Taec?”

“…Hmm?” His voice sounded abnormally heavy.

“If I told you I went on a date with all your band members, would you be jealous?”

“Umm…no…” He paused for a while, “Did you?”

Bekah smiled viciously. “Maybe.”

“All of them?”

“Perhaps.”

“No wonder you’re never home anymore.”

“Why, did you miss me?”

Taec didn’t say anything but Bekah saw his head nodded continuously in the corner of her eye. ”I’d rather you date them than guys I don’t know of.”

Bekah turned her head but Taecyeon had his eyes closed. She secretly admired the peacefulness she saw there, the bridge of his nose, the sharp and strong eyebrows. Her conscience instructed to lower her eyes and found the gentle lips that once wildly roamed her mouth. She had to look away before the images becoming clearer.

“Bek?”

 Feeling caught, Bekah turned to her original position, facing the white ceiling. ”Yeah?”

“I take it back. You shouldn’t date any of them.” He mumbled his words.

She grinned silently. “I shouldn’t or you don’t want me to?”

“I don’t want you to.” Slurring, he turned his whole body towards her, still not opening his eyes.

“Can I tell you something?” Bekah decided to face up again, it’s easier to tell him the truth if she isn’t directly staring at him.

“Mmm…”

“Every time I told you I was out on a date, I wasn’t really meeting someone. Well, today I did…but those other days I was actually visiting your aunt’s gallery to look at her paintings, to study them. I love it there, sometimes I just sat for hours and imagined myself being in those beautiful sceneries. I’ve never been to Europe before…is it as amazing as people say?…..Taec?”

All she heard was a deep, low set of snore. 

“Ok Taecyeon, I used one of your old boxer that was left inside the washing machine to wipe tables because I had mistaken it for a rag. You’re ok with that, right?”

She nudged him. “Right?”

“…mmm.”

Bekah chuckled to herself. “I like you better when you’re drunk, Taec. Good night.” whispered her, obviously taking advantage of the situation for her own benefit. She then puffed a pillow and closed her eyes.

“I like you…Bekah.” He mouthed those words that was almost impossible to hear even for himself.

*************************************


Is this really happening? Taecyeon sat on the side of his bed, too shocked to see that he was not alone. Bekah, looking as peaceful as a new born child, laying next to him. He had no recollection whatsoever of what happened last night. The last thing he remembered was an old guy yelling at him, and some fractions of Bekah’s comfortable legs under his head.

Did I sleep with her? But she still has her clothes on. He checked his pants. Mmm, I don’t think so, I would have remembered. Taecyeon contemplated his next move while smelling his own breath. 

Oh god, he thought while quietly making his way to the bathroom to brush his teeth. He walked back to his room and relieved to see Bekah had not moved a strand of hair. He slithered back in and pretended to still be asleep. She must have felt his presence because soon afterward, Taecyeon felt her body rolled towards him and her hands wrapped around his waist.

Fuck. What do I do? He gulped and tried to act natural. As much as he wanted to fight the urge to caress her smooth hair that was resting on his chest, he knew it was too tempting for his weak mindset. His fingers slowly glided along her crown, his pinky finger accidentally touched her ear. Her breathing was steady, he closed his eyes and matched her tempo until he found himself almost asleep again. Suddenly he could feel she moved under his arm, her head turned to him and she mumbled a sleepy moan.

Taec’s eyes might have been closed but he could feel her watching him asleep.

“Unnng..Taec?”

He didn’t respond, curious of what she would do next.

“Taec, are you still sleeping?”

Still not responding. He heard some shuffling caused by her swifting position. Judging by the heavy weight on the pillow, she must have rested her elbow there, watching him. To his surprise, he felt her cold finger on his forehead, tracing down to his nose, brushing his parted lips and went down to his chest. She resisted for a while but continued making her way to his pecks and midsection.

At this point Taec badly wanted to open his eyes to see how she looked at him, heck, he would pay to witness that. But he didn’t. She then placed her hand on his abs and her thumb found his belly button. He could have sworn she was doing the same motion in one of his dreams starring Bekah and himself, but he wouldn’t have thought it actually can happen in real life. Her fingers touched him like how children would embrace their first toy, very curious and extremely careful. Bekah kept running her fingers on the dips of his abs, tracing them like a canoe floating around the river, but she was too shy to go any lower than the naked skin above his jeans that now feels too tight.

Taec was already aroused just by her feminine scent on his bed, so adding a simple touch here and there, he was starting to lose it. His mind was telling him to make her stop but he was too greedy. The blanket could barely hide anything obvious, especially with her watching him intimately. Soon enough he heard her gasping, undoubtedly by the usual sight in the morning. His, not hers.

“Good morning.” said Taec while faking a yawn. He finally opened his eyes to see her face that was already red. “What? Oh…don’t act too surprised. That’s what you get for touching a guy in the morning.”

“But…I thought you were asleep.”

“Part of me not.” He winked. “It was all your fault, so don’t start acting like a victim.”

“I don’t. I was just… embarrassed.” She looked away.

“Don’t be. Why did you do that, anyway? …not that I’m complaining.”

“I-I-I was…” Bekah stuttered, sat down on the bed and put a pillow between them like a barrier. “Studying.”

“What?”

“For painting…I was studying you, for painting.”

Liar, Taecyeon smirked. “Well you could always ask, no need to do it secretly like that. Although, I quite enjoyed being a pure sexual object.” He mischievously put his arms behind his head, like a boastful king.

Bekah groaned her frustration and got out of his bed. “Well, you’d better enjoy it while it last.”

“Wait-wait, where are you going?”

“Kitchen. I’m hungry.”

“Oh, can you bring me an omelette, sausage and milk? You know…breakfast in bed style?” He wiggled his eyebrows.

“I’m not gonna cook for you.” Replied Bekah while walking to the door.

“Why? You cooked for Chansung.”

Bekah turned around, his face was vacant. So he knew. She hates the guilty feeling she has inside, although she knew she shouldn’t have felt that way. 

“I just don’t feel like it.”

“Bekah, will you stop repulsing me? It’s not fair. One moment you are all over me but then you run away. What do you want, exactly?”

She stared at him straight-faced. “I don’t know, Taec.” A weak voice came out in a contrary of her adamant body language. “I really don’t know.”

Taecyeon watched her exhaling heavily and giving him this defeated look before disappearing to the corridor. He wished he didn’t push it, asking it out loud only worsened their situation. He was confident she also shared their strong attraction, but just like him, she was afraid to admit it because once either one of them does, the fun will no longer be there. The chasing and pulling in will suddenly become accepting and acknowledging. The mystery will soon be a history.

And I guess none of us wants to move on, wondered Taec. If she admits it, she’s afraid she’d lose. She’s afraid of me, and losing to me. She wants me to say it first, to lay out our map and pin down where we’re at. Taecyeon finally understood what Bekah has been doing to him, whether or not it was in her consciousness. She wanted him to succumb into her game, her mind game.

The sound of a car leaving the garage confirmed his analysis and so he raised from his bed and reached for his cellphone.

“Hello, Chansung?…it’s me. Can you call everyone and tell them I’m gonna throw a party at my house tomorrow night? Mm hmm…oh, and the girls…make sure you invite them too.”  

Chapter 10 Bekah yawned as her long legs wandered through the small corridors of a familiar TV station. Her big bugsy glasses hid her swollen eyes and covered half of her face, no intention of sharing the mark of her problem with the world especially at such early time in the morning. She squinted and grumbled at a lamp near vending machines that was a tad too bright. She knew she was late. She literally had to drag herself out of the bed this morning and left the house without washing her hair. Her bad mood multiplied when her car was stuck in a traffic for almost half an hour and a reckless motorcycle cut her off at some turn near the studio. She just wanted to sleep in the whole day and disappear beneath her blanket. But no, of course she couldn’t. She was forced to grow up as soon as she committed to join her group. Her personal feelings had to be put aside, perfection was required. The more you look less like a human, the better.  Bekah is fat. Bekah can’t speak Korean. Bekah…who? Every bad experience she’s had suddenly popped up while she was waiting for a red light turning green. It was so much hurtful back then. Today she’s pretty much immune to criticism. Even those nasty words thrown at her in the hate letters couldn’t make her cry anymore. But this morning it felt like her patience had worn out. For the first time she is tired being an idol.  Bekah was too drown in her own little world, she didn’t see someone was going in her direction at one dark corner that is supposed to take her to After School’s dressing room. She bumped into him and felt a warm coffee pouring on the front of her shirt.  “What the f-?!” She cussed and frantically wiped some of them off and took a wrinkle piece of tissue from her pocket. “Watch it, will you?!” “Oh I’m so sorry!”  Great, just what I needed. She was about to explode at him right there and then, so she continued walking without even looking at his face. “Hey, I said I’m sorry!”, he yelled at her back. She waved thoughtlessly and vanished through the door with her band name written on it. “Here she is!!! We almost thought you were never gonna come! Why are you wearing sunnies indoor?” Kahi grabbed her arm as soon as she appeared. “Eww sticky! Did you bathe in coffee or something?” Bekah faked a smile and the older girl knew something was up, but being a long time friend, she also knew when not to ask question. Bekah then made her way to the nearest stool and sat herself down, catching a cringe from the makeup artist who quickly grabbed a concealer palette as soon as the sunglasses was off. Once their filming ended, her friends circled around and demanded a story. Bekah told them about the whole Nick situation. “There is someone else… That’s all he told you? Did he say who?!” snapped Jung Ah. “I’d rather not know.” Bekah muttered. “I just wished he never led me on and showered me with all the sweet talk about our future together and-“ “Wait, you mean like, getting engaged?” Bekah huffed, her fingers thoughtlessly played with her cardigan’s button. “Yeah. He said he was gonna finish his school and ask for my mom’s permission. I told him he was silly tho, I mean…with my contract and me living here, it’s just not possible.” She ironically chuckled, “Heh, at least I don’t have to worry about that now, do I?”  “THAT COW!” said Jung Ah loudly while exchanging glances with Kahi who looked as sympathetic. “Why did you even stay with him for years!?!” “I’ve known him forever. I can’t imagine being with anyone else.” At least she couldn’t until Taec had left the imprint of his lips on hers and ran his fingers on her body. Just thinking about it made Bekah’s head spin. Last night she fell asleep with so much guilt, wondering why he had to kiss her at the very night she was the most vulnerable. I was just confused…nothing more, Bekah consoled herself. “Were you in love?” asked Kahi abruptly. “I was in…” Bekah left her words hanging.  Was I? Honestly it took no psychological insight to finally realize how small Nick really meant to her. He wasn’t even in her thought when she decided to move to Korea to pursue her career. Perhaps she was the one who had wronged him all along and her tears last night were solely a closure to her own past.  “…volved.” Jooyeon, who sat right next to her, reached out and hugged her. “I hate to see you this way. You of all people deserve to be happy, Bekah.” She clung on Bekah’s arm and pouted, “Let’s get you a new man.” Bekah chuckled at the ridiculous suggestion but her friend kept nodding enthusiastically like one of those bobble head dogs she had on her car’s dashboard. “You’re joking, right? I can’t just get myself a new man.” replied Bekah. “Why not?” “No, it’s actually a great idea. Finding a new guy is the best cure of a broken heart.” Jung Ah said it with so much confidence, the rest of the girls started smiling and daunting Bekah with their caring eyes. “Careful tho, rebound is a tricky business.” said Kahi, who surprisingly also seemed supportive. “Now we just have to find the lucky guy to make her forget about Nick.” Bekah gulped, she couldn’t look her friends in the eye and told them that she already kissed another guy a couple hours after being dumped. She knew living with Taec had made her do things she would have never imagined doing and she wasn’t sure if she likes what she’s become. I can’t stay too much longer in that house. I need to get out before I lose myself. But…how? “Or we can just wait until a handsome man falls from heaven and saves her like a knight in shining armor.” convinced Jooyeon, causing laughters including Bekah’s. The manager called them and said the van were ready to take them back to their dorm, Bekah followed the others and headed out. She saw Kahi greeted someone as well as the other girls, Bekah automatically followed and bowed but surprisingly the person stopped right in front of her.  “Am I forgiven?” “I’m sorry?” Bekah looked up to find Jay Park was the owner of the voice. “I spilled coffee on some grumpy girl this morning. It was you, wasn’t it?” He pointed at her stained shirt. She instantly covered it with her cardigan, ignoring the puzzled looks from her friends. Oh crap, I was being rude to him. I WAS RUDE TO JAY PARK. “Yeah…unfortunately. I-I’m sorry about how I reacted earlier. That was so untypical of me.” “Terrible morning?” She rolled her eyes, “The worst.” “Hmm.” Jay nodded as if he understood. Bekah wished he would just forget it and moved along, but apparently this guy did not care that everyone had gone mute to hear their conversation. “Well, I apologize for contributing to your unfortunate morning, is there any way I can make it up to you?” He grinned. “No, it’s okay.” She replied but soon feeling Jooyeon’s elbow nudging her back. “Y-yes. I mean, yes.” Jay seemed surprised but entertained at the same time. “Which one?”, he asked.  “Yes, there is. You could maybe…buy me coffee?” Bekah was pretty sure her voice trembled. “Mmm..coffee for coffee. I like that. It’s like Braveheart.” “What?” “Nothing. Here, type your number in, I’ll contact you.” He handed her his cellphone and when she’s done, he waved and nodded to everyone else who suddenly acted like they were doing something else but eavesdropping. “Bekah, what the hell just happened?” Jung Ah hurried in to interrogate. She answered and slyly smiled at Jooyeon, ”A knight in shining armor fell down from heaven.”  ************************************* “Are you decent?” Taecyeon knocked twice on Bekah’s half-opened door, covering his eyes with his own hand. He secretly peeked from under and caught a glimpse of her standing, looking out the window. Her body language was unreadable.  “Yeah, what’s up?” Bekah turned around and fixed her droopy shirt on her shoulder. She casually smiled at him but Taec caught her eyes blinking a little faster than usual. She is nervous. He surprised himself realizing how detailed he knows about her nowadays with only a couple of months living together. He walked in, this is his first time being in Bekah’s room and as he would have guessed, it smelled just like her; warm and intriguing. His wandering eyes saw a picture frame on a night stand with her and a younger girl in it. They look a like, must be her sister, he wondered. A stack of paper with drawings on them were scattered on the table behind Bekah but before Taec could see clearer, she gathered them in a sudden move and shoved everything in the top drawer. He cleared his throat. “About last night…” “I know what you were going to say.” Bekah interrupted. Surprised, his left eyebrow arched. “You do?” She nodded. ”Part of it was definitely my fault. I was caught in the moment and we both knew it was a mistake. I can assure you it’ll never happen again, don’t worry.” “Did you rehearse that?” asked Taec. A little bit. “No.” lied Bekah. “Right…” He felt a little disappointed although what she said was true. Coming out from her lips, those words did sound harsher than he thought they would. He was up all night thinking of ways to apologize to her while trying not to stab himself in the neck for making such bold moves at the worst time. But he was just following his gut. His cursed, primitive gut.  For all her feisty nature, Taec found her attractive to a disturbing degree. Rebekah Kim could have stepped out of a gentlemen fantasy catalog with her feline eyes and deadly curves. More than that, he knows she has a good heart and despite of the strong, independent exterior, this girl has a feminine side that makes him want to protect her from all the bad things in the world. “Glad we can settle this down. By the way, I have a favor to ask.” replied Taec while watching how Bekah slowly backed away to the further corner of her room like a deer trying to run away from a predator. “So do I. But you go first.” said Bekah. “My aunt invited us for a dinner at her house tonight. Do you think you can make it?” Taecyeon had his fingers crossing behind his back, not because he badly wanted her to agree but merely to save himself from making excuses to his aunt, for the millionth times. “Tonight?”, she repeated. Taecyeon nodded. “I actually already have a plan.” “Please…this is gonna be the last time I ask, I promise.” He joined his palms together and knelt down right beside her bed. Every so often she really wanted to hate him for being so charming. “Fine, I guess I can reschedule.” “Thank you, thank you!!! You’re the best! Be ready at seven, I’ll meet you downstairs.” said Taecyeon with a content smile on his face while making his way to the door. “Oh, and what favor you were about to ask me?”, he turned around before completely gone.  “Please wear something else around the house.” replied Bekah while signaling his white undershirt and distressed Mickey Mouse short. He shrugged, “What’s wrong with these?”  “They’re…strange looking.” Bekah pretended not to see his smooth skin and hard rock abs as he carelessly lifted that cotton fabric. The look on Taec’s face showed that he knew that was not the case and she wish she could wipe that wicked smirk off of his face.  “And by strange you mean distracting, right?” He sounded vicious. “Now tell me in all honesty, did you by any chance feel threaten by me?” “Don’t be ridiculous.” She scoffed. “So you are not afraid if I do this?” He marched across the room with only a few steps and stopped right in front of her. As he expected, she flinched and backed away even more. You are such a terrible liar, Bekah. He wanted to tease her more but up close she looked very tired and he knew they have to get ready if they wanted to make it to that dinner. “Alright, anything you want, Princess. But I only wear these because the house is always chilly. Wait around until summer months, I’ll wear nothing so you can look all you want.”   “Go away Taec,” Bekah scorned and turned around to conceal her red face. “…and please stop calling me that !!!”, she yelled right at the moment Taec closed the door. ************************************* “Finally I see some good choice coming from you, son.” A middle age man shook Bekah’s hand firmly. With his neatly ironed shirt under a sporty blazer and an shiny gold Rolex, it wasn’t hard for Bekah to guess that he is a businessman. A successful one. His merciless firm handshake and a pair of razor-sharp eyes, in which clearly where Taecyeon inherited his from, did intimidate her a little. She looked up and caught a glimpse of Taec’s expression turning cold.  “It’s good to see you, Dad.” He nodded at his old man. ”And you look great, Mom. How are you?” He then proceed to hug a small middle age woman, who unlike her husband, looked anything but intimidating. She even hugged Bekah and caressed her cheek while complementing how pretty she is.  While the family was catching up, Bekah looked around to admire the house Taecyeon’s aunt lives in. The size is immensely too big for one person but the woman obviously acquires a good taste when it comes to art and it definitely shows with her interior selection. The ivory colored marble tiles, sandy birch pillars supporting each corners and its high ceilings made her living room look like Caesar’s chamber. Bekah followed everyone who moved and sat down in front of a long table with romantic floral table runner over its satin cloth that was placed out in the patio, enjoying a night breeze under the starry sky. The weather has been a lot nicer these past couple of days and tonight Bekah could get away with her off shoulder black cocktail dress and black stockings.  She whispered when Taec was dragging a chair out for her to sit. “You didn’t tell me your parents would be here.” Taecyeon ignored her and smiled politely at his aunt who was watching from the other side of the table. They were sitting next to Taec’s distant relative with a teenage son. Taec’s parents and his aunt sat across from them, chatting and stealing glances at Bekah, who became more and more nervous.  “I’m sorry honey, I was just telling them how you admired one of my work on my opening night.” said Taec’s aunt while enjoying her food. ”You have to see how focused she was, she didn’t even move. Taec had to come and fetch her.” “Forgive him, Rebekah. A gentleman should have never left your side. But what do you expect, with the kind of lifestyle these kids nowadays have, hmm?” Suddenly Taec’s dad spoke while cutting his steak. Bekah was a little confused by his remark and saw Taec’s jaw clenched albeit his careless gesture. “Oh, it’s not like that,” she replied. “I’m sure. Now tell me, are you an art major?” “I was, yes, but I didn’t continue my study.” “Why not?” “I came here.” “For what?” “Dad, why are you interrogating her?” Taecyeon suddenly cut in. “It’s ok, Taec.” replied Bekah, automatically smiled at him before answering his dad. “Working. But someday I wouldn’t mind going back to school to get a degree.” “That’s wise. Education is the most important thing, I know that for a fact. I just wish more people would realize it and not making a mistake in their lives.” “David, please…” Taec’s aunt called out her brother with a worried look on her face. Bekah didn’t understand clearly what he meant but she knew he was hinting at something that has grown in that family.  “If there’s anything you would like to say to me, Dad…please, just say it.”  “Can we not talk about this tonight? Please?” His aunt cut in again, waving her steak knife around like a fairy wand. “No, Regina, because in fact, yes I do have something I needed to tell him.” He wiped his mouth with a napkin before addressing his speech. “I’m sick of watching you wasting your time with this mumbo jumbo thing of yours you chose to do. I could not believe you left everything you had for this. All those books I showed you when you were little, all the speech I taught you? Went down the drain. And for what? Fame? Girls? Whatever you call yourself, an idol, I’m not buying it. What do you expect to do in 10 years to come? How are you gonna feed your family?” “Dad, I am not going to be a businessman just because YOU are. It’s never been my dream. I’m sorry if I disappointed you, but this mumbo jumbo paid my bills. I have been on my own ever since, never asked anything from you and mom again. Why can’t you just be happy for me, at least for that?” “How can I be happy if I always hear about you and reputation floating around the media? This image you created, I don’t even know you anymore, Son.” “I don’t think you ever knew me at all, Dad.” Everyone else in that table chose to look at their plates instead of the two hot-headed male arguing. “To be honest, Rebekah, I was quite surprised to see you here. He never brought girls home before. Perhaps it’s because you’re better than those girls on TV he happened to associate with.” The old man spoke again after an awkward silence. “Dad you’re out of line. Come, Bek…let’s go. We don’t need to listen to this.” Taecyeon’s face turned red. He rose from his seat and pulled Bekah’s hand. She also stood up but resisted to leave. “Wait, Taec”, she talked low. “Sir, I’m here because he’s my friend, not because I’m better than anyone. They are hard working people who carry big dreams in their shoes every single day, so I found it’s a little bit unfair for you to judge and generalize them the way you did. I know it’s not my place to say this, but whatever reputation he has, Taecyeon is a really, genuinely, good person. I hope someday you can see that because you are missing out. A lot.” replied Bekah calmly. “Sorry if I offended you, but I don’t think you know what you’re talking about, child.” he insolently replied. “Oh, yes I do. I’m one of those girls on TV he happens to associate with.” said Bekah before turning to his aunt and politely excused herself, “The food was really great, thank you for inviting me.” “I knew I’ve seen her before!” The teenage boy suddenly shrieked from his seat while everyone else had their tongue tied. Neither Taec nor Bekah said anything until they were halfway driving to their house. She waited until his fingers weren’t grabbing the steeling wheel as if his life defended on it. “Are you ok?” “Yeah, I’m fine.”, answered Taec. “I don’t get how your dad can be-“ “An asshole?” said Taec, he glanced and smiled at her. Bekah laughed and corrected him, “No, close-minded. You are the asshole.” Taec chuckled, “He’s always been that way, thinks he knows what’s best for everyone. He got it from my grandpa, if you remember when I told you about my aunt. Runs in the family.” “But you’re not like him.” “Thank God, right?” Bekah laughed. “Hey, I’m sorry that you have to witness that……mess. I had no idea they were gonna be there, I suspected my aunt just wanted me to see them since it’s been a while.” “It’s alright. I do feel somewhat guilty for talking back tho, he’s your parent after all.” “You shouldn’t. No one ever dared talk back at him like that, it’ll do him good, trust me.” Bekah silenced and watched the houses moving fast outside in the dark. Being in the car with Taecyeon and having to resist her urge to look at him has not been easy. Especially now that he suddenly slowed down, reached out to find her hand. “Thank you, for what you said back there.” He clasped his palm with hers and gently rubbed his thumb on her inner wrist. She nervously panted, “Don’t mention it. I was partly defending myself anyway.” Please stop rubbing my hand that way, Taec. “So you really think I’m a good person huh?” His smile was more radiant than usual, luckily Bekah was too nervous to see it. “Good enough, I guess.” “For who? For you?” She laughed and finally found the courage to gaze at him from her seat, “Never.”  Taecyeon turned to see her and was stunned at how ravishing she looked, the way street lamp hit her figure and that hypnotic scent he got a whiff of every time her hair moved in certain way.  “God I want to kiss you so bad right now.” He grunted. Her smile immediately wiped off and she looked away, “I don’t think that’s a good idea. We agreed on this, remember?” “You’re right, I’m sorry.”  Ok Taecyeon, you are such an idiot, his mind scolded him. ”I wasn’t suggesting or anything. I was just…..yeah.” He mouthed some random words that Bekah couldn’t really catch. The rest of the drive went pretty quiet. They reached home and walked side by side. When Bekah was going to walk the stairs Taecyeon stopped her. “Wait, I have a surprise for you.” “A surprise?”  “I know it’s been really hard for you, with the break up and everything, so I figured you could use some distraction.” said Taec while guiding her to a room under the stairway with a closed door. “Is this your polite way of saying that I need to lose weight?” Bekah asked in suspicion.  “What?” He seemed confused. She pointed at the door, “Isn’t this your work-out room?” “Oh…no no, I moved those stuffs already.” “I see. So what’s in there? Oh….don’t tell me you’ve invited Wooyoung to live with us !!!” “Wooyoung? No! Why would I do that?”  “I don’t know…he sort of hates me.” “He doesn’t hate you, what are you talking about? Anyway just go and look already !” He hastened her. Bekah swung the door open and found a big canvas placed in front of the window right where the moonlight hits, along with a full set of oil paints and brushes waiting for her by the table. “Oh Taec.” “You told my aunt you’ve never tried to paint seriously,” Taec shrugged, “-whatever that means. It’s never late to start. Hope I picked the right stuff.”  She walked closer and touched everything. Her eyes reflected her appreciation. “Thank you, but you really need to stop giving me gifts okay? I wouldn’t know how to return it.”  “It’s not a gift.” “No? So what is it?”, she asked while walking towards him.  Taec shook his head. “A trade.” “Trade…for what?” Bekah’s eyebrows scrunched. “Well you can start by letting me be your first model…” So it is a gift, she wondered and smiled inside. ”Who said I would ever want to sketch a nude model?!” said Bekah while jokingly punching his upper arm.  “Jesus Christ, who said it would be nude at all? But sure, I could always compromise my moral standard for your eternal happiness, if that’s what you were planning.” He then let out a big laughter while trying to dodge her serious punches. “That’s not what I meant !!!”, she roared. “Sure it ain’t. Anyway, I’m gonna go to bed. Good night, Bek.” He released himself and patted her head. “Taec?” He turned around at the end of the stairs “Hmm?” “Why are you being so nice to me? You know if you want to crush me and make me get out of this house, this is probably the best time to do it.” “I know, but that’s not how I like to play my game.” He winked at her and continued walking upstairs. 

Chapter 10

Bekah yawned as her long legs wandered through the small corridors of a familiar TV station. Her big bugsy glasses hid her swollen eyes and covered half of her face, no intention of sharing the mark of her problem with the world especially at such early time in the morning.

She squinted and grumbled at a lamp near vending machines that was a tad too bright. She knew she was late. She literally had to drag herself out of the bed this morning and left the house without washing her hair. Her bad mood multiplied when her car was stuck in a traffic for almost half an hour and a reckless motorcycle cut her off at some turn near the studio. She just wanted to sleep in the whole day and disappear beneath her blanket. But no, of course she couldn’t. She was forced to grow up as soon as she committed to join her group. Her personal feelings had to be put aside, perfection was required. The more you look less like a human, the better. 

Bekah is fat.

Bekah can’t speak Korean.

Bekah…who?

Every bad experience she’s had suddenly popped up while she was waiting for a red light turning green. It was so much hurtful back then. Today she’s pretty much immune to criticism. Even those nasty words thrown at her in the hate letters couldn’t make her cry anymore. But this morning it felt like her patience had worn out. For the first time she is tired being an idol. 

Bekah was too drown in her own little world, she didn’t see someone was going in her direction at one dark corner that is supposed to take her to After School’s dressing room. She bumped into him and felt a warm coffee pouring on the front of her shirt. 

“What the f-?!” She cussed and frantically wiped some of them off and took a wrinkle piece of tissue from her pocket. “Watch it, will you?!”

“Oh I’m so sorry!” 

Great, just what I needed.

She was about to explode at him right there and then, so she continued walking without even looking at his face.

“Hey, I said I’m sorry!”, he yelled at her back.

She waved thoughtlessly and vanished through the door with her band name written on it.

“Here she is!!! We almost thought you were never gonna come! Why are you wearing sunnies indoor?” Kahi grabbed her arm as soon as she appeared. “Eww sticky! Did you bathe in coffee or something?”

Bekah faked a smile and the older girl knew something was up, but being a long time friend, she also knew when not to ask question. Bekah then made her way to the nearest stool and sat herself down, catching a cringe from the makeup artist who quickly grabbed a concealer palette as soon as the sunglasses was off. Once their filming ended, her friends circled around and demanded a story. Bekah told them about the whole Nick situation.

“There is someone else… That’s all he told you? Did he say who?!” snapped Jung Ah.

“I’d rather not know.” Bekah muttered. “I just wished he never led me on and showered me with all the sweet talk about our future together and-“

“Wait, you mean like, getting engaged?”

Bekah huffed, her fingers thoughtlessly played with her cardigan’s button. “Yeah. He said he was gonna finish his school and ask for my mom’s permission. I told him he was silly tho, I mean…with my contract and me living here, it’s just not possible.” She ironically chuckled, “Heh, at least I don’t have to worry about that now, do I?” 

“THAT COW!” said Jung Ah loudly while exchanging glances with Kahi who looked as sympathetic. “Why did you even stay with him for years!?!”

“I’ve known him forever. I can’t imagine being with anyone else.”

At least she couldn’t until Taec had left the imprint of his lips on hers and ran his fingers on her body. Just thinking about it made Bekah’s head spin. Last night she fell asleep with so much guilt, wondering why he had to kiss her at the very night she was the most vulnerable.

I was just confused…nothing more, Bekah consoled herself.

“Were you in love?” asked Kahi abruptly.

“I was in…” Bekah left her words hanging. 

Was I? Honestly it took no psychological insight to finally realize how small Nick really meant to her. He wasn’t even in her thought when she decided to move to Korea to pursue her career. Perhaps she was the one who had wronged him all along and her tears last night were solely a closure to her own past. 

“…volved.”

Jooyeon, who sat right next to her, reached out and hugged her. “I hate to see you this way. You of all people deserve to be happy, Bekah.” She clung on Bekah’s arm and pouted, “Let’s get you a new man.”

Bekah chuckled at the ridiculous suggestion but her friend kept nodding enthusiastically like one of those bobble head dogs she had on her car’s dashboard. “You’re joking, right? I can’t just get myself a new man.” replied Bekah.

“Why not?”

“No, it’s actually a great idea. Finding a new guy is the best cure of a broken heart.” Jung Ah said it with so much confidence, the rest of the girls started smiling and daunting Bekah with their caring eyes.

“Careful tho, rebound is a tricky business.” said Kahi, who surprisingly also seemed supportive. “Now we just have to find the lucky guy to make her forget about Nick.”

Bekah gulped, she couldn’t look her friends in the eye and told them that she already kissed another guy a couple hours after being dumped. She knew living with Taec had made her do things she would have never imagined doing and she wasn’t sure if she likes what she’s become. I can’t stay too much longer in that house. I need to get out before I lose myself. But…how?

“Or we can just wait until a handsome man falls from heaven and saves her like a knight in shining armor.” convinced Jooyeon, causing laughters including Bekah’s.

The manager called them and said the van were ready to take them back to their dorm, Bekah followed the others and headed out. She saw Kahi greeted someone as well as the other girls, Bekah automatically followed and bowed but surprisingly the person stopped right in front of her. 

“Am I forgiven?”

“I’m sorry?” Bekah looked up to find Jay Park was the owner of the voice.

“I spilled coffee on some grumpy girl this morning. It was you, wasn’t it?” He pointed at her stained shirt.

She instantly covered it with her cardigan, ignoring the puzzled looks from her friends. Oh crap, I was being rude to him. I WAS RUDE TO JAY PARK. “Yeah…unfortunately. I-I’m sorry about how I reacted earlier. That was so untypical of me.”

“Terrible morning?”

She rolled her eyes, “The worst.”

“Hmm.” Jay nodded as if he understood. Bekah wished he would just forget it and moved along, but apparently this guy did not care that everyone had gone mute to hear their conversation. “Well, I apologize for contributing to your unfortunate morning, is there any way I can make it up to you?” He grinned.

“No, it’s okay.” She replied but soon feeling Jooyeon’s elbow nudging her back. “Y-yes. I mean, yes.”

Jay seemed surprised but entertained at the same time. “Which one?”, he asked. 

“Yes, there is. You could maybe…buy me coffee?” Bekah was pretty sure her voice trembled.

“Mmm..coffee for coffee. I like that. It’s like Braveheart.”

“What?”

“Nothing. Here, type your number in, I’ll contact you.” He handed her his cellphone and when she’s done, he waved and nodded to everyone else who suddenly acted like they were doing something else but eavesdropping.

“Bekah, what the hell just happened?” Jung Ah hurried in to interrogate.

She answered and slyly smiled at Jooyeon, ”A knight in shining armor fell down from heaven.” 

*************************************

“Are you decent?” Taecyeon knocked twice on Bekah’s half-opened door, covering his eyes with his own hand. He secretly peeked from under and caught a glimpse of her standing, looking out the window. Her body language was unreadable. 

“Yeah, what’s up?” Bekah turned around and fixed her droopy shirt on her shoulder. She casually smiled at him but Taec caught her eyes blinking a little faster than usual.

She is nervous. He surprised himself realizing how detailed he knows about her nowadays with only a couple of months living together.

He walked in, this is his first time being in Bekah’s room and as he would have guessed, it smelled just like her; warm and intriguing. His wandering eyes saw a picture frame on a night stand with her and a younger girl in it. They look a like, must be her sister, he wondered. A stack of paper with drawings on them were scattered on the table behind Bekah but before Taec could see clearer, she gathered them in a sudden move and shoved everything in the top drawer.

He cleared his throat. “About last night…”

“I know what you were going to say.” Bekah interrupted.

Surprised, his left eyebrow arched. “You do?”

She nodded. ”Part of it was definitely my fault. I was caught in the moment and we both knew it was a mistake. I can assure you it’ll never happen again, don’t worry.”

“Did you rehearse that?” asked Taec.

A little bit. “No.” lied Bekah.

“Right…”

He felt a little disappointed although what she said was true. Coming out from her lips, those words did sound harsher than he thought they would. He was up all night thinking of ways to apologize to her while trying not to stab himself in the neck for making such bold moves at the worst time. But he was just following his gut. His cursed, primitive gut. 

For all her feisty nature, Taec found her attractive to a disturbing degree. Rebekah Kim could have stepped out of a gentlemen fantasy catalog with her feline eyes and deadly curves. More than that, he knows she has a good heart and despite of the strong, independent exterior, this girl has a feminine side that makes him want to protect her from all the bad things in the world.

“Glad we can settle this down. By the way, I have a favor to ask.” replied Taec while watching how Bekah slowly backed away to the further corner of her room like a deer trying to run away from a predator.

“So do I. But you go first.” said Bekah.

“My aunt invited us for a dinner at her house tonight. Do you think you can make it?” Taecyeon had his fingers crossing behind his back, not because he badly wanted her to agree but merely to save himself from making excuses to his aunt, for the millionth times.

“Tonight?”, she repeated.

Taecyeon nodded.

“I actually already have a plan.”

“Please…this is gonna be the last time I ask, I promise.” He joined his palms together and knelt down right beside her bed. Every so often she really wanted to hate him for being so charming.

“Fine, I guess I can reschedule.”

“Thank you, thank you!!! You’re the best! Be ready at seven, I’ll meet you downstairs.” said Taecyeon with a content smile on his face while making his way to the door. “Oh, and what favor you were about to ask me?”, he turned around before completely gone. 

“Please wear something else around the house.” replied Bekah while signaling his white undershirt and distressed Mickey Mouse short.

He shrugged, “What’s wrong with these?” 

“They’re…strange looking.” Bekah pretended not to see his smooth skin and hard rock abs as he carelessly lifted that cotton fabric. The look on Taec’s face showed that he knew that was not the case and she wish she could wipe that wicked smirk off of his face. 

“And by strange you mean distracting, right?” He sounded vicious. “Now tell me in all honesty, did you by any chance feel threaten by me?”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” She scoffed.

“So you are not afraid if I do this?” He marched across the room with only a few steps and stopped right in front of her. As he expected, she flinched and backed away even more. You are such a terrible liar, Bekah.

He wanted to tease her more but up close she looked very tired and he knew they have to get ready if they wanted to make it to that dinner. “Alright, anything you want, Princess. But I only wear these because the house is always chilly. Wait around until summer months, I’ll wear nothing so you can look all you want.”  

“Go away Taec,” Bekah scorned and turned around to conceal her red face. “…and please stop calling me that !!!”, she yelled right at the moment Taec closed the door.

*************************************

“Finally I see some good choice coming from you, son.” A middle age man shook Bekah’s hand firmly.

With his neatly ironed shirt under a sporty blazer and an shiny gold Rolex, it wasn’t hard for Bekah to guess that he is a businessman. A successful one. His merciless firm handshake and a pair of razor-sharp eyes, in which clearly where Taecyeon inherited his from, did intimidate her a little. She looked up and caught a glimpse of Taec’s expression turning cold. 

“It’s good to see you, Dad.” He nodded at his old man. ”And you look great, Mom. How are you?” He then proceed to hug a small middle age woman, who unlike her husband, looked anything but intimidating. She even hugged Bekah and caressed her cheek while complementing how pretty she is. 

While the family was catching up, Bekah looked around to admire the house Taecyeon’s aunt lives in. The size is immensely too big for one person but the woman obviously acquires a good taste when it comes to art and it definitely shows with her interior selection. The ivory colored marble tiles, sandy birch pillars supporting each corners and its high ceilings made her living room look like Caesar’s chamber. Bekah followed everyone who moved and sat down in front of a long table with romantic floral table runner over its satin cloth that was placed out in the patio, enjoying a night breeze under the starry sky. The weather has been a lot nicer these past couple of days and tonight Bekah could get away with her off shoulder black cocktail dress and black stockings. 

She whispered when Taec was dragging a chair out for her to sit. “You didn’t tell me your parents would be here.”

Taecyeon ignored her and smiled politely at his aunt who was watching from the other side of the table. They were sitting next to Taec’s distant relative with a teenage son. Taec’s parents and his aunt sat across from them, chatting and stealing glances at Bekah, who became more and more nervous. 

“I’m sorry honey, I was just telling them how you admired one of my work on my opening night.” said Taec’s aunt while enjoying her food. ”You have to see how focused she was, she didn’t even move. Taec had to come and fetch her.”

“Forgive him, Rebekah. A gentleman should have never left your side. But what do you expect, with the kind of lifestyle these kids nowadays have, hmm?” Suddenly Taec’s dad spoke while cutting his steak. Bekah was a little confused by his remark and saw Taec’s jaw clenched albeit his careless gesture.

“Oh, it’s not like that,” she replied.

“I’m sure. Now tell me, are you an art major?”

“I was, yes, but I didn’t continue my study.”

“Why not?”

“I came here.”

“For what?”

“Dad, why are you interrogating her?” Taecyeon suddenly cut in.

“It’s ok, Taec.” replied Bekah, automatically smiled at him before answering his dad. “Working. But someday I wouldn’t mind going back to school to get a degree.”

“That’s wise. Education is the most important thing, I know that for a fact. I just wish more people would realize it and not making a mistake in their lives.”

“David, please…” Taec’s aunt called out her brother with a worried look on her face. Bekah didn’t understand clearly what he meant but she knew he was hinting at something that has grown in that family. 

“If there’s anything you would like to say to me, Dad…please, just say it.” 

“Can we not talk about this tonight? Please?” His aunt cut in again, waving her steak knife around like a fairy wand.

“No, Regina, because in fact, yes I do have something I needed to tell him.” He wiped his mouth with a napkin before addressing his speech.

“I’m sick of watching you wasting your time with this mumbo jumbo thing of yours you chose to do. I could not believe you left everything you had for this. All those books I showed you when you were little, all the speech I taught you? Went down the drain. And for what? Fame? Girls? Whatever you call yourself, an idol, I’m not buying it. What do you expect to do in 10 years to come? How are you gonna feed your family?”

“Dad, I am not going to be a businessman just because YOU are. It’s never been my dream. I’m sorry if I disappointed you, but this mumbo jumbo paid my bills. I have been on my own ever since, never asked anything from you and mom again. Why can’t you just be happy for me, at least for that?”

“How can I be happy if I always hear about you and reputation floating around the media? This image you created, I don’t even know you anymore, Son.”

“I don’t think you ever knew me at all, Dad.”

Everyone else in that table chose to look at their plates instead of the two hot-headed male arguing.

“To be honest, Rebekah, I was quite surprised to see you here. He never brought girls home before. Perhaps it’s because you’re better than those girls on TV he happened to associate with.” The old man spoke again after an awkward silence.

“Dad you’re out of line. Come, Bek…let’s go. We don’t need to listen to this.” Taecyeon’s face turned red. He rose from his seat and pulled Bekah’s hand. She also stood up but resisted to leave. “Wait, Taec”, she talked low.

“Sir, I’m here because he’s my friend, not because I’m better than anyone. They are hard working people who carry big dreams in their shoes every single day, so I found it’s a little bit unfair for you to judge and generalize them the way you did. I know it’s not my place to say this, but whatever reputation he has, Taecyeon is a really, genuinely, good person. I hope someday you can see that because you are missing out. A lot.” replied Bekah calmly.

“Sorry if I offended you, but I don’t think you know what you’re talking about, child.” he insolently replied.

“Oh, yes I do. I’m one of those girls on TV he happens to associate with.” said Bekah before turning to his aunt and politely excused herself, “The food was really great, thank you for inviting me.”

“I knew I’ve seen her before!” The teenage boy suddenly shrieked from his seat while everyone else had their tongue tied.

Neither Taec nor Bekah said anything until they were halfway driving to their house. She waited until his fingers weren’t grabbing the steeling wheel as if his life defended on it. “Are you ok?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.”, answered Taec.

“I don’t get how your dad can be-“

“An asshole?” said Taec, he glanced and smiled at her.

Bekah laughed and corrected him, “No, close-minded. You are the asshole.”

Taec chuckled, “He’s always been that way, thinks he knows what’s best for everyone. He got it from my grandpa, if you remember when I told you about my aunt. Runs in the family.”

“But you’re not like him.”

“Thank God, right?”

Bekah laughed.

“Hey, I’m sorry that you have to witness that……mess. I had no idea they were gonna be there, I suspected my aunt just wanted me to see them since it’s been a while.”

“It’s alright. I do feel somewhat guilty for talking back tho, he’s your parent after all.”

“You shouldn’t. No one ever dared talk back at him like that, it’ll do him good, trust me.”

Bekah silenced and watched the houses moving fast outside in the dark. Being in the car with Taecyeon and having to resist her urge to look at him has not been easy. Especially now that he suddenly slowed down, reached out to find her hand.

“Thank you, for what you said back there.” He clasped his palm with hers and gently rubbed his thumb on her inner wrist.

She nervously panted, “Don’t mention it. I was partly defending myself anyway.” Please stop rubbing my hand that way, Taec.

“So you really think I’m a good person huh?” His smile was more radiant than usual, luckily Bekah was too nervous to see it.

“Good enough, I guess.”

“For who? For you?”

She laughed and finally found the courage to gaze at him from her seat, “Never.” 

Taecyeon turned to see her and was stunned at how ravishing she looked, the way street lamp hit her figure and that hypnotic scent he got a whiff of every time her hair moved in certain way. 

“God I want to kiss you so bad right now.” He grunted.

Her smile immediately wiped off and she looked away, “I don’t think that’s a good idea. We agreed on this, remember?”

“You’re right, I’m sorry.”  Ok Taecyeon, you are such an idiot, his mind scolded him. ”I wasn’t suggesting or anything. I was just…..yeah.” He mouthed some random words that Bekah couldn’t really catch. The rest of the drive went pretty quiet. They reached home and walked side by side. When Bekah was going to walk the stairs Taecyeon stopped her.

“Wait, I have a surprise for you.”

“A surprise?” 

“I know it’s been really hard for you, with the break up and everything, so I figured you could use some distraction.” said Taec while guiding her to a room under the stairway with a closed door.

“Is this your polite way of saying that I need to lose weight?” Bekah asked in suspicion. 

“What?” He seemed confused.

She pointed at the door, “Isn’t this your work-out room?”

“Oh…no no, I moved those stuffs already.”

“I see. So what’s in there? Oh….don’t tell me you’ve invited Wooyoung to live with us !!!”

“Wooyoung? No! Why would I do that?” 

“I don’t know…he sort of hates me.”

“He doesn’t hate you, what are you talking about? Anyway just go and look already !” He hastened her.

Bekah swung the door open and found a big canvas placed in front of the window right where the moonlight hits, along with a full set of oil paints and brushes waiting for her by the table. “Oh Taec.”

“You told my aunt you’ve never tried to paint seriously,” Taec shrugged, “-whatever that means. It’s never late to start. Hope I picked the right stuff.” 

She walked closer and touched everything. Her eyes reflected her appreciation. “Thank you, but you really need to stop giving me gifts okay? I wouldn’t know how to return it.” 

“It’s not a gift.”

“No? So what is it?”, she asked while walking towards him. 

Taec shook his head. “A trade.”

“Trade…for what?” Bekah’s eyebrows scrunched.

“Well you can start by letting me be your first model…”

So it is a gift, she wondered and smiled inside. ”Who said I would ever want to sketch a nude model?!” said Bekah while jokingly punching his upper arm. 

“Jesus Christ, who said it would be nude at all? But sure, I could always compromise my moral standard for your eternal happiness, if that’s what you were planning.” He then let out a big laughter while trying to dodge her serious punches.

“That’s not what I meant !!!”, she roared.

“Sure it ain’t. Anyway, I’m gonna go to bed. Good night, Bek.” He released himself and patted her head.

“Taec?”

He turned around at the end of the stairs “Hmm?”

“Why are you being so nice to me? You know if you want to crush me and make me get out of this house, this is probably the best time to do it.”

“I know, but that’s not how I like to play my game.”

He winked at her and continued walking upstairs. 

Chapter 9 “Video log, first entry, Ok Taecyeon.” Taec stretched his arms out and rested his back against the sofa cushion. He just got a phone call from the producer and asked him to make a confession video since he’s never done one so far. Bekah was still out so he figured this would be the right time to do it without her eavesdropping. “Where do I begin? It’s been a stressful week, you know that feeling when you are so tired, you close your eyes for two seconds, and when you wake up it turns out you have missed the whole day? This is just like it, except I’m sleeping with my eyes opened.” He sighed. “You see…me and Bekah aren’t always in a good term. I don’t know what it is, but something about her brings out the bad side of me. I’m always edgy, frustrated, I even yelled at her the other day…and I’ve never yelled at any girl before. And the worst part is I couldn’t seem to brush off the guilt, no matter how hard I tried. I knew I shouldn’t have felt this bad, since she also played her part. I don’t know man, it’s playing with my head and it’s driving me nuts.” Taecyeon scratched his head, his body seemed more relaxed now. Being able to say it out loud seemed to help releasing his frustration. A faint smile bloomed when he suddenly remembered how Bekah laughed under his arm, begging to be released. Her laughter wiped all his anger off towards her and she didn’t even try. She wanted to humiliate him, yet he left with the biggest grin in his face, probably the only time he actually felt like smiling genuinely for the past two weeks. “This is gonna be hard for me because I do want to win and get out of this house. But at the same time I have to be smart and not work myself out just to survive living with her. I mean, Bekah is a nice girl, please don’t get me wrong, however if I keep thinking about how great she is, how would it work for me?” He restrained himself from being totally honest and said “I actually enjoy her company” because if this tape goes on air, she –or one of her friends– would see it,  such weakness might backfire in the future and he should never allow it to happen. “Anyway, that’s all for now. I’m still uh, sticking with the plan. We’ll see how it goes.” And with his last word, he rose up and turned off the camera. The clock pointed at number 7 and the sky had fallen dark, but still no sight of Bekah. He contemplated calling her to ask if she would be out late but he hesitated as soon as he saw her number in his cell. What if she thinks I’m annoying? With such presumption he decided not to and marched to the bathroom, planning to use Bekah’s bubble bath and have some relaxation of his own, he knows he deserves it.  ***************************************** Bekah couldn’t believe how happy she was when her phone rang. She knew it was from Nick and now she deeply wished she didn’t sound too cheerful at her Hello. She couldn’t really remember how she got home because her mind was somewhere else.  She remembered the house was already dark when she opened the front gate, which made her feel relieved that she wouldn’t have to face Taecyeon with her swollen eyes. She couldn’t face anybody at this state. She dragged herself upstairs and sniffed her stuffy nose along the way. The corridor had such a dim light with only a hallway lamp on at the end of the alley. She was about to enter her bedroom when the door across from her swung open. She turned around and saw Taecyeon at the door staring at her only with a towel on, his hair was dripping wet. She blinked twice t­­o make sure she wasn’t seeing things. Bekah always knew her roommate is a catch, she caught a glimpse whenever his ad was on TV or when her friends talked about him like he was some kind of Adonis. She tried to block all those inappropriate thought but her stupid act that morning made her experience something which unfortunately, was proven right about Taecyeon. She remembered his bulked-up chest straining against the fabric of his shirt under her touch and it made her throat dry. She thought she had no recollection of such memory anymore, but apparently her brain managed to nail that view in the back of her brain and made sure that it would be easily retrieved at the right moment. And right now is the right moment as he was standing a couple of feet from her, completely topless with his shoulders which were about the width of a small bus. She prayed that Taecyeon would be embarrassed and run to his room right away, but the universe was mean to her tonight so he did what she feared he would, “Bek, have you been crying?” asked Taecyeon as he stepped closer to check on her. A sudden fragrant explosion filled up her nose; she was scared to look at him. She only murmured while looking down, which turned out to be a terrible idea because her eyes were presented by his rock-hard abs and a cotton towel gathered around his waist. “Look at me, what’s wrong?” He reached out and lifted her chin to make their eyes meet. She could not escape. There she was being examined while looking like train-wreck with her swollen eyes and her runny nose. His eyebrows scrunched and a worried look started to show on his face. “Bekah? Talk to me, are you ok? Did something happen to you?” She wanted to lie but his eyes and the tone of his voice made her trust him. She took a deep breath before moving her lips, “H-he… he cheated on me.” “Who?”  “My boyfriend.” She weeped.  “Oh, I’m so sorry.” Taecyeon heaved a sigh, pulling Bekah in and hugged her. At first he felt her body tensed up but as soon as he caressed her back, she gave up and cried on his chest. The more she cried the angrier he gets. Something inside his chest made him want to hurt whoever bastard that broke her heart. The feeling felt so foreign to him, it’s more than jealousy, It’s more than protection. He rested his chin on the top of her head, their heights made it seem like they were meant to do so. When Bekah finally calmed down and wiped her tears, she released herself from Taecyeon because she was getting too comfortable. “Sorry I cried on you, I saw you just showered.” She tried to wipe the smudge eyeliner off of Taec’s chest. “Don’t worry. Hey, do you wanna talk about it?” Bekah shook her head, “Somehow I saw this coming, I just didn’t think it would be this soon.” “Whatever it is, you know it’s his loss, right?” said Taec, his eyes were still trying to read Bekah’s expression as if he was scared she might break down and cry again. Bekah chuckled but in his ears it sounded like a scoff. She mumbled I don’t know about that and her eyes looked defeated while she lowered her chin. What happened next was still regretted by both parties to this date, but it was merely Taec’s fault for making the first move. He just couldn’t help watching her losing self-respect because a moron cheated on her. The fire he’s seen in her eyes whenever she picked a fight with him wasn’t there today and for some strange reason, he couldn’t take it. He knew she deserved more than that; she deserves to be happy, and to be alive. He raised her chin up with his finger until their eyes locked. The hazy eyes that spoke thousands words were still watery and her lips parted. He leaned closer, near enough to feel the warmth of his breath on her hair. “Rebekah…” his cold index finger ran across her hot cheek. Bekah tried to force her heart to slow its rapid pace, striving for the same nonchalance Taec obviously felt about his casually endearing touch on her skin. She didn’t succeed. Her pulse still raced, her breaths grew fast and uneven. She couldn’t tear her gaze away from the strong, deeply tanned fingers starkly outlined under the dim hallway light.    Then without asking permission, he leaned over and found her lips. He wasn’t sure how it happened but there were one of those nights that he actually dreamt about doing this to her, and in his dream she already tasted so sweet. But this feels much better, he thought as he tilted his head and kissed the taste out of her mouth. Bekah let out a soft moan which to his ears didn’t sound like a rejection. Her back was against the wall and she placed her hands on his waist, resting on that gap between his bare skin and the towel. He then pulled back and opened his eyes, the woman in front of him seemed surprise by his sudden reaction. She blasted her eyes opened and Taec saw the flame is finally back in there. But she wasn’t angry. She was on fire. For him. Proud of his achievement, he smiled and snuck his right hand behind her head, to kiss her again. This time it was more than gentle, thrusting his tongue against hers wildly as she tangled her fingers in the hair behind his ear. Taec instinctively dropped his hand, reaching for the round curves of her derriere he’d been admiring since they met. Cupping those curves, he savored the softness, squeezing her lightly. She gasped and glared at him with the lustful eyes and swollen lips. He knew she stopped because either he squeezed too hard, or she felt how much he physically wanted her. “Taec- I…I think we should stop.” Bekah’s voice sounded raspy and unsure. As bad as he would love to lift her up, bring her to his room and shut down all the cameras, he knew it was dangerous. She was too fragile to make any decision and he could never forgive himself for taking advantage from her. “You’re right. I’m sorry.” He reluctantly moved back and ran his fingers through his hair, waiting for her to say something. The deafening silence grew between them and they could hear their heavy breathing started returning to normal. “G’night.” She then whispered and turned around, almost running to her room. He stared at the blank door for a minute before he finally returned to his room and sat on the bed, rewinding what just happened and having the mixed emotions running through his every single brain cell. Little did he know, in the other room someone also did the same thing; only in her case, two line of tears formed again on her cheeks that still felt burning from his touch as she started sobbing quietly into the loneliest night. *****************************************

Chapter 9

“Video log, first entry, Ok Taecyeon.” Taec stretched his arms out and rested his back against the sofa cushion. He just got a phone call from the producer and asked him to make a confession video since he’s never done one so far. Bekah was still out so he figured this would be the right time to do it without her eavesdropping.

“Where do I begin? It’s been a stressful week, you know that feeling when you are so tired, you close your eyes for two seconds, and when you wake up it turns out you have missed the whole day? This is just like it, except I’m sleeping with my eyes opened.” He sighed.

“You see…me and Bekah aren’t always in a good term. I don’t know what it is, but something about her brings out the bad side of me. I’m always edgy, frustrated, I even yelled at her the other day…and I’ve never yelled at any girl before. And the worst part is I couldn’t seem to brush off the guilt, no matter how hard I tried. I knew I shouldn’t have felt this bad, since she also played her part. I don’t know man, it’s playing with my head and it’s driving me nuts.” Taecyeon scratched his head, his body seemed more relaxed now. Being able to say it out loud seemed to help releasing his frustration.

A faint smile bloomed when he suddenly remembered how Bekah laughed under his arm, begging to be released. Her laughter wiped all his anger off towards her and she didn’t even try. She wanted to humiliate him, yet he left with the biggest grin in his face, probably the only time he actually felt like smiling genuinely for the past two weeks.

“This is gonna be hard for me because I do want to win and get out of this house. But at the same time I have to be smart and not work myself out just to survive living with her. I mean, Bekah is a nice girl, please don’t get me wrong, however if I keep thinking about how great she is, how would it work for me?” He restrained himself from being totally honest and said “I actually enjoy her company” because if this tape goes on air, she –or one of her friends– would see it,  such weakness might backfire in the future and he should never allow it to happen.

“Anyway, that’s all for now. I’m still uh, sticking with the plan. We’ll see how it goes.” And with his last word, he rose up and turned off the camera.

The clock pointed at number 7 and the sky had fallen dark, but still no sight of Bekah. He contemplated calling her to ask if she would be out late but he hesitated as soon as he saw her number in his cell. What if she thinks I’m annoying? With such presumption he decided not to and marched to the bathroom, planning to use Bekah’s bubble bath and have some relaxation of his own, he knows he deserves it.

 *****************************************

Bekah couldn’t believe how happy she was when her phone rang. She knew it was from Nick and now she deeply wished she didn’t sound too cheerful at her Hello. She couldn’t really remember how she got home because her mind was somewhere else.  She remembered the house was already dark when she opened the front gate, which made her feel relieved that she wouldn’t have to face Taecyeon with her swollen eyes. She couldn’t face anybody at this state.

She dragged herself upstairs and sniffed her stuffy nose along the way. The corridor had such a dim light with only a hallway lamp on at the end of the alley. She was about to enter her bedroom when the door across from her swung open. She turned around and saw Taecyeon at the door staring at her only with a towel on, his hair was dripping wet. She blinked twice t­­o make sure she wasn’t seeing things.

Bekah always knew her roommate is a catch, she caught a glimpse whenever his ad was on TV or when her friends talked about him like he was some kind of Adonis. She tried to block all those inappropriate thought but her stupid act that morning made her experience something which unfortunately, was proven right about Taecyeon. She remembered his bulked-up chest straining against the fabric of his shirt under her touch and it made her throat dry. She thought she had no recollection of such memory anymore, but apparently her brain managed to nail that view in the back of her brain and made sure that it would be easily retrieved at the right moment. And right now is the right moment as he was standing a couple of feet from her, completely topless with his shoulders which were about the width of a small bus.

She prayed that Taecyeon would be embarrassed and run to his room right away, but the universe was mean to her tonight so he did what she feared he would,

“Bek, have you been crying?” asked Taecyeon as he stepped closer to check on her. A sudden fragrant explosion filled up her nose; she was scared to look at him. She only murmured while looking down, which turned out to be a terrible idea because her eyes were presented by his rock-hard abs and a cotton towel gathered around his waist.

“Look at me, what’s wrong?” He reached out and lifted her chin to make their eyes meet. She could not escape. There she was being examined while looking like train-wreck with her swollen eyes and her runny nose. His eyebrows scrunched and a worried look started to show on his face. “Bekah? Talk to me, are you ok? Did something happen to you?”

She wanted to lie but his eyes and the tone of his voice made her trust him. She took a deep breath before moving her lips, “H-he… he cheated on me.”

“Who?”

 “My boyfriend.” She weeped.

 “Oh, I’m so sorry.” Taecyeon heaved a sigh, pulling Bekah in and hugged her. At first he felt her body tensed up but as soon as he caressed her back, she gave up and cried on his chest. The more she cried the angrier he gets. Something inside his chest made him want to hurt whoever bastard that broke her heart. The feeling felt so foreign to him, it’s more than jealousy, It’s more than protection.

He rested his chin on the top of her head, their heights made it seem like they were meant to do so. When Bekah finally calmed down and wiped her tears, she released herself from Taecyeon because she was getting too comfortable. “Sorry I cried on you, I saw you just showered.” She tried to wipe the smudge eyeliner off of Taec’s chest.

“Don’t worry. Hey, do you wanna talk about it?”

Bekah shook her head, “Somehow I saw this coming, I just didn’t think it would be this soon.”

“Whatever it is, you know it’s his loss, right?” said Taec, his eyes were still trying to read Bekah’s expression as if he was scared she might break down and cry again.

Bekah chuckled but in his ears it sounded like a scoff. She mumbled I don’t know about that and her eyes looked defeated while she lowered her chin.

What happened next was still regretted by both parties to this date, but it was merely Taec’s fault for making the first move. He just couldn’t help watching her losing self-respect because a moron cheated on her. The fire he’s seen in her eyes whenever she picked a fight with him wasn’t there today and for some strange reason, he couldn’t take it. He knew she deserved more than that; she deserves to be happy, and to be alive.

He raised her chin up with his finger until their eyes locked. The hazy eyes that spoke thousands words were still watery and her lips parted. He leaned closer, near enough to feel the warmth of his breath on her hair. “Rebekah…” his cold index finger ran across her hot cheek. Bekah tried to force her heart to slow its rapid pace, striving for the same nonchalance Taec obviously felt about his casually endearing touch on her skin.

She didn’t succeed. Her pulse still raced, her breaths grew fast and uneven. She couldn’t tear her gaze away from the strong, deeply tanned fingers starkly outlined under the dim hallway light.   

Then without asking permission, he leaned over and found her lips. He wasn’t sure how it happened but there were one of those nights that he actually dreamt about doing this to her, and in his dream she already tasted so sweet. But this feels much better, he thought as he tilted his head and kissed the taste out of her mouth. Bekah let out a soft moan which to his ears didn’t sound like a rejection. Her back was against the wall and she placed her hands on his waist, resting on that gap between his bare skin and the towel.

He then pulled back and opened his eyes, the woman in front of him seemed surprise by his sudden reaction. She blasted her eyes opened and Taec saw the flame is finally back in there.

But she wasn’t angry. She was on fire.

For him.

Proud of his achievement, he smiled and snuck his right hand behind her head, to kiss her again. This time it was more than gentle, thrusting his tongue against hers wildly as she tangled her fingers in the hair behind his ear. Taec instinctively dropped his hand, reaching for the round curves of her derriere he’d been admiring since they met. Cupping those curves, he savored the softness, squeezing her lightly.

She gasped and glared at him with the lustful eyes and swollen lips. He knew she stopped because either he squeezed too hard, or she felt how much he physically wanted her. “Taec- I…I think we should stop.” Bekah’s voice sounded raspy and unsure.

As bad as he would love to lift her up, bring her to his room and shut down all the cameras, he knew it was dangerous. She was too fragile to make any decision and he could never forgive himself for taking advantage from her. “You’re right. I’m sorry.” He reluctantly moved back and ran his fingers through his hair, waiting for her to say something. The deafening silence grew between them and they could hear their heavy breathing started returning to normal.

“G’night.” She then whispered and turned around, almost running to her room. He stared at the blank door for a minute before he finally returned to his room and sat on the bed, rewinding what just happened and having the mixed emotions running through his every single brain cell. Little did he know, in the other room someone also did the same thing; only in her case, two line of tears formed again on her cheeks that still felt burning from his touch as she started sobbing quietly into the loneliest night.

*****************************************

Chapter 8 “Bekah? What are you doing here?” “Hi, Taec.” she replied with the least amount of eagerness. The woman between them squeaked out of excitement, “You two know each other?!” “I would say we are more than just knowing, right Bekah darling?” Taec swiftly moved closer to his roommate who had a disapproval look on her face. “I thought you said you were going on a date.” Bekah sneered. “I thought you did too. Where is this date of yours?” he dragged his voice on the last word to annoy her. “I could ask the same thing.” she snarled.  “I’m afraid you’ve met her.” Taec signaled the only person Bekah has been talking to since she got here. Suddenly it all made sense for her; the flowers, the demanding tone over phone, the unwillingness. “Oh kiddo…is this the girl you talked about? The one with huge b-” “NO NO NO, not her, that one was just…..no one special.” Taec quickly shushed his aunt with his alarmed eyes. “So this one is someone special?” she looked at them back and forth, both Taecyeon and Bekah became speechless and ended up just giggling awkwardly. “Y-I mean, uhhh…Bek?” Taecyeon suddenly placed his hand on Bekah’s back and started rubbing it while looking right into her eyes. His touch sent a warm sensation to her freezing bare skin and Bekah couldn’t help but returning his gaze. For the first time ever, she could understand what Taecyeon was asking for without him even saying a word. “Well, we sort of live together.” She smiled and lightly punched his arm, “Right?” “That’s right!” Taec reciprocated and wrapped his arm around her. Bekah wiggled a little bit to make it less tight and unnatural. “My goodness, why didn’t you say so?” , maundered Taec’s aunt “I wouldn’t have asked him to come here with me if I knew he’s seeing you, I had no idea.” “Oh god no, me and Taec? Nah, we don’t -” Bekah suddenly saw Taecyeon mouthed Yes we do and nodded frantically. “- mind going out with other people on Saturday night. In fact, we always bring them over and do stuffs together. The more the merrier. We’re very…opened.” corrected Bekah but realized she had no idea what she was talking about. “You mean, like swingers?” Taec’s aunt seems confused and shocked at the same time. Taec, who just took another sip of wine, coughed and sputtered. “No no, not in that…..department,” Bekah blushed and nervously chuckled, “I mean, since we live together we can’t-“ “My lovely dear Aunt, don’t you have other people to impress? Other unfortunate couple to interrogate? Hmm?” Taecyeon cut Bekah’s explanation to save his own face from further embarrassment and sent his aunt the spoiled smile he’s mastered since he was a kid. “Alright, I get it. It’s none of my business. I shall leave you two alone and mingle with less interesting people.” She grabbed a glass of wine before stalking away.  As soon as the woman’s gone, Bekah nudged his rib to make their bodies less attached with one another. “Ouch! What was that for?” Taecyeon cringed. “You said couple.” “So what? Can’t you at least wait until we get home to hurt me? Geez Bek,” he started rubbing his hurting side, “Are you sure you weren’t born a man?” Bekah ignored his whining and faced him “Is there anything you’d like to tell me?” “Yeah, you’re the worst liar in the world !” replied Taec. “Oh I’m sorry, I forgot to practice the lie I’m supposed to say to cover your ass in any given time.” Bekah grumbled, “What was that all about? Why do you want her to get the impression that we are dating?” Taec sighed, “It’s just…she’s always been trying to set me up with these weird, high maintenance girls if she knew I was single and would not stop until she was convinced that I’m not making things up,” ”- which you are,” continued Bekah. “Yes, but since you’re already here and she seemed to like you, I figured why not. That way next week when she comes down to my mother’s house for Sunday brunch, she would finally stop complaining about how this showbiz world has turned me into some kind of womanizer.” She was about to laugh but then she saw his face and realized that he wasn’t joking. “I’m telling you the truth. Last year I had to borrow Wooyoung’s older sister to be my date because my aunt wouldn’t believe me unless she saw a flesh and blood.” “Fine, I believe you. It’s just…next time, please warn me in advance? As you said, I’m the worst liar in the world.” Taec nodded, his eyes warmed up when Bekah caught him staring at her, it made her blushed so she started talking again, “So….you came here with your aunt? Why didn’t you say so?” “Hey hey, at least I’m here with someone, alright?” He moved aside to a more private corner, Bekah followed him because their voices had invited a couple of fascinated eyes. “How did you know her, by the way? Did she invite you?” “Invite me? Why would she-” All of the sudden everything became clear for Bekah. “Oh no!” she slapped her forehead. “What?” Taec became interested as soon as he saw Bekah’s defeated face. “This is her exhibition, isn’t it?” “Of course.” answered Taec, “Couldn’t you acquire such information while you two were chatting?” Bekah shook her head and bit her lower lips. “Why am I so stupid I shouldn’t have said- argh…” “What’s wrong? What did you say?” “Well she asked me what I thought about this painting, and I just blabbered away,” Bekah exhaled, “And I’m afraid I might have offended her.” “Nah, I doubt it. Especially with this,” Taec pointed at the painting. “Really? Why?” “This is one of her oldest ones, I think she’s had it since I was in high school.  You see, my aunt lived in Europe most of her younger days, rebelling from my strict grandparents who wanted her to go to business school and marry one of their rich friend’s son. She settled in Italy and found her inspiration there, as you can see in all her work.” “So what’s the story with this painting?” asked Bekah. “I was about to go there if you didn’t cut me off.” Taec seemed impatient. “This is one of her earliest work and she’s been saying that she hated it and couldn’t care less about it anymore. She’s been trying to sell it for years but no luck.” Bekah glanced at the price and her jaw dropped to the floor, “Good graciousness, it costs an arm and a leg!!!” “Should have seen the rest…” Taec saw Bekah admiring the painting once again. “You really like it, huh?” “Yeah, it’s my favorite, although…” Bekah opened her mouth and stopped because she was unsure if she should continue. “Although what?” asked Taecyeon.  “I think…she is still holding on to this painting for a reason. I don’t think she hates it, or at least not consciously, and this picture bears a lot more than a painting for her. A past that always reminds her of what she was and who she loved.“ “Did you get that from half an hour talking to her? A whole story of my aunt’s past?” Taec’s tone suddenly changed to icy cold. “N-no, that’s not what I intended, I just assumed- “ “Well maybe you should keep your assumption to yourself next time.” Bekah stepped away a little from Taec, uncomfortable by the situation. She didn’t mean to offend him, or his aunt in this matter, and she knew she had crossed the line judging from Taec’s eyes. “What assumption?” Taec’s aunt suddenly appeared from their side, smiling to both of them. “I saw you two were arguing.” Bekah wished she could have come at a better time because now her cheeks are red and her eyes starts to water. “Nothing,” answered Bekah “We were just talking nonsense.” “Whatever he said must have upset you. What did you do this time?!?” She turned to Taec and scolded him with her judging eyes. “Nothing, Auntie….I can call you auntie, right?” Bekah asked and continued after the woman nodded, “I was just being reminded that I absolutely have no filter in my mouth, once again. I wanted to apologize of what I said earlier. It was so inappropriate for me to just blabber at you like I did. I’m so sorry, I didn’t know you are the artist. These are so beautiful, really.” “Oh, tsk don’t listen to him. I appreciate that you were honest to me, unlike some people.” Taecyeon wanted to object when he saw his aunt was hinting that it was him, but he had nothing to defend himself with. “Thank you and congratulation once again. Now, if you would kindly excuse me…” Bekah politely nodded at her and ignored Taecyeon’s eyes. “Where are you going?” asked Taec. “Home. It’s late, I have practice tomorrow. I’ll see you.” said Bekah before lifting her dress off the floor and made her way through the crowd, heading to the door. “Wait,” It was too late because Bekah already disappeared and the only one who heard his voice was his aunt. “Go! Take her home.” “But…what about you? How are you gonna get home?” asked Taecyeon. “This is my opening night, you silly kid. I’m not going home.” his aunt pushed him away. Taec could see Bekah’s standing outside from the glass door and he got out right when she was opening the Taxi’s door. “Bek, wait!” he yelled. Bekah turned around and he was surprised to see a water trace under her eyes. “I didn’t mean to snap at you like that.” “I deserved it. Good night, Taec.” “No-no, wait…I’ll take you home.” Bekah chuckled “Don’t be silly. My right foot is already inside this cab ok? The meter is already running, so unless you have an intention of making me broke, please let me go home right now.” “But there is no one else I know here…” Taecyeon pleaded. Unfortunately a voice that had annoyed him this whole entire night came back, “Taecyeon!!! There you are, I’ve been looking for you everywhere. I thought you said you were gonna talk to your aunt for a second. C’mon, I wanna show you something!”   Bekah raised her eyebrow and got in the cab, “Looks like there is. I’ll see you home, Taecyeon,” she glanced over the girl “….or not.” and closed the door.  ***************************************** “Wow hyung, you’re a douche.” “Hey, if I wanted your opinion I’d ask for it okay?” Taecyeon lashed out at Chansung who came by his house to return a console game. “But, how could you make her cry? I bet she was already embarrassed by not recognizing your painter aunt. Hey…do you have any food?” Chansung marched to the kitchen and inspected the fridge as if it was his own. “You’re right. But it wasn’t my fault that she’s got a big mouth.” “Speaking of big mouth, look at me!” Chansung managed to speak with half of the banana inside his mouth and he seemed proud of it. “Get your ass here!!! What are you doing there? Rationing for next winter?” Taec sat down on the sofa and scratched his head in distraught. He still couldn’t get the image of teary-eyed Bekah out of his head. He felt terrible, especially after she helped covering up for him in front of his nosy aunt. “Then, apologize to her.” Chansung plopped down on the seat across from Taec, carrying the rest of banana with him. “I did, but she’s still mad. She didn’t even say anything to me when I saw her this morning.” “Do it again! But this time, bring something with you. Girls respond better if you’re not empty handed.” “I don’t know, tho…she doesn’t seem like the type.” “She’s a girl. Believe me, she is the type.” gushed Chansung. “And you know all this, how?” Taecyeon glared at the youngest one. “Oh, hyung. I didn’t spend my high school days dating books, ok? Trust me on this.” Taecyeon hates it when Chansung is right, especially when it comes to his tragic past. If only he didn’t feel like he owed this kid, he would have scolded Chansung for bringing it up. “Fine. I’ll go buy flowers and go see her.” “Can I come?” “Hell no.” “Why not?” Chansung looked pissed. “Because she must be practicing for their comeback and she doesn’t want anyone to see things they’re not supposed to!” Taecyeon got up and headed to his room to get his wallet. “But YOU will !” Chansung insisted. “Oh trust me, I’ve already seen some things I’m not supposed to.” Taecyeon giggled to himself and disappeared to his room. “What do you mean?” yelled Chansung, he also got up to get ready. Taec was keeping a straight face while running down the stairs with his car key and wallet “Nothing…” “Oh gosh, you’re a pervert.” Chansung shook his head with such disgusted look on his face. “Shut up, you. Come on, I’ll drop you off on the way there. And put that snack bar back, do you think I wouldn’t see that?!”  ***************************************** “That’s his aunt???” Jooyeon’s round eyes got even rounder when she heard about Bekah’s encounter the other night. “I thought the painter was a guy, judging from the name.” “So I thought, until she came by and started asking my opinion about her painting. Gosh, I felt so stupid.” Bekah hid her face on the fluffy pillow they had around the practice room. “And what did Taecyeon say?” Joo asked again. She always asked Bekah about Taecyeon to a point where it was almost stalker-ish. “You can ask himself.” Kahi came by with a towel around her neck and pointed at the door. Both Bekah and Jooyeon shrieked for different reasons. “Damnit! What now??” Bekah rose up, hands on her waist. “Oh no, I’m not wearing makeup!!!!” Jooyeon also rose up but within seconds she already disappeared from that room. Taecyeon walked in and Bekah experienced something she’s never seen before; all the girls even their manager suddenly behaved differently. Lizzy and Nana stopped slouching, Uee stopped eating and Jung Ah threw her reading glasses across the room and straightened up her posture. Oh come on, guys…really? Bekah sighed as she learned that all her friends are helpless and slowly approached the grinning Taecyeon. “What do y-“ “Shhhht,” Taecyeon put his finger on her lips “Before you say anything, I have a surprise for you.” He reached out to give her the flower bouquet he was hiding behind his back. “Ta-da!” Bekah rolled her eyes “Taec, this room has a mirror walls. I’ve seen it as soon as you entered. What is it for?” “Ok, not the reaction I was hoping but…I just want to apologize for how I snapped at you last night. We both know that I owed you one, and you’ve had quite a hard week with all this mean press and stuff. I’m really sorry if I made you cry, ok?” “SHE CRIED?” Jung Ah gasped from the corner. Taecyeon was taken back by Jung Ah’s voice but he turned his head to Bekah and continued, “Really, Bek…it was uncalled for and I kept thinking about it.” Taecyeon seemed more nervous now that the girls were staring at him. “Please?” He offered her the bouquet for the second time. Bekah reluctantly grabbed it and buried her nose in the blue petals, taking a long sniff before finally looked up and said, “Fine. I forgave you.” “Cool ! Wait…” Taecyeon’s smile wiped off,  “I forgave you?” “Yep. Oh, I actually have forgiven you since last night.” Bekah used the bouquet to conceal her evil smile that had just gotten bigger. “Then why the hell did you act like you were still pissed this morning? AND JUST NOW?” “To make you say it-” Bekah started giggling “-in front of my friends…” Taecyeon suddenly went at her out of the blue and started poking her sides continuously. Bekah started laughing while trying to get away from his tickling attempt. “You tricky little b-” “SHHH! WE DON’T SAY THAT WORD AROUND HERE!” roared Bekah in between her hysterical laugh under Taec’s unforgivable punishment. “Little Bekah. Tricky little Bekah, that’s what I was trying to say.” He looked around trying to explain, only to find everyone was staring at them like they were insane. Bekah was on the floor laying on her side, laughing and catching her breath, and he was kneeling down next to her with his hands on her waist. He actually didn’t blame her friends for judging them the way they were. Taecyeon cleared his throat “Alright, I guess I should uhh, I should get going. Bye, everyone!” He got on his feet and fixed his t-shirt. “And you….” he threatened Bekah with his finger but he also cracked a smile, “- stay out of trouble!” When Taecyeon finally disappeared, everyone rushed to question Bekah. “WHAT WAS THAT ?” Kahi spoke first. Bekah rolled over and tried to sit down. “What was what?”, playing dumb. “That whole…whatever you call skinship display you’ve shown us. I thought you said you two were fighting!” followed Jung Ah. “Oh…it’s nothing, we were just making up.” “More like MAKING OUT.” Jooyeon showed up out of nowhere. “Who are you again?” Bekah leered at her ex-roommate. “C’mon Bek, we all saw it. Be honest, are you sleeping with him?” asked Uee. “Excuse me !?!” “If you are, you can tell us! Just please make sure our boss doesn’t know about it. You know, with all the rules we have.” “Guys, I’m not sleeping with him, ok?” Bekah kept her voice down, “We’re just trying to be friends. Friends joke around, don’t they?” She stood up, towering everyone else. “Are you kidding? If I had a friend bringing me flowers and touching me the way he did to you, I’d date him.” said Jooyeon with a serious face. “Really? Woah, you’re cheap.” Jung Ah whipped Jooyeon with her towel and everyone started laughing, including Bekah. When it finally died down and they started heading to the shower room, Bekah stayed around longer to inspect the bouquet she received. There was a card hidden between the blue rose petals that says, Truce? (: - Taec P.S. If it makes you feel better, I couldn’t sleep last night thinking about how pretty your dress looked. You should wear it more around the house. Bouquet of flowers with sugary sweet message, pondered Bekah. Other girls would have fallen at his feet by now, but not me. Blue roses aren’t supposed to be romantic, in fact they symbolize something impossible to attain since blue-colored roses don’t really exist in nature. And “how pretty your dress looked”? What a half-ass compliment, Ok Taecyeon. You’re lucky I hate mushy stuffs otherwise I would have sent you home as soon as you said “Ta-da!”. Somehow Bekah smiled thinking how foolish Taecyeon to think that she was still mad about last night. Her hand subconsciously brought the bouquet closer as she was reading Taec’s stupid handwriting once again, and she took another sniff before putting them all back next to her gym shoes.  “Oh no.” said Jung Ah, hiding behind the door. Jooyeon who was also peeking, looked up with a worried face. “What !?!” “I know that look. She might deny it but I think Bekah likes him…”

Chapter 8

“Bekah? What are you doing here?”

“Hi, Taec.” she replied with the least amount of eagerness.

The woman between them squeaked out of excitement, “You two know each other?!”

“I would say we are more than just knowing, right Bekah darling?” Taec swiftly moved closer to his roommate who had a disapproval look on her face.

“I thought you said you were going on a date.” Bekah sneered.

“I thought you did too. Where is this date of yours?” he dragged his voice on the last word to annoy her. “I could ask the same thing.” she snarled.

 “I’m afraid you’ve met her.” Taec signaled the only person Bekah has been talking to since she got here. Suddenly it all made sense for her; the flowers, the demanding tone over phone, the unwillingness.

“Oh kiddo…is this the girl you talked about? The one with huge b-”

“NO NO NO, not her, that one was just…..no one special.” Taec quickly shushed his aunt with his alarmed eyes.

“So this one is someone special?” she looked at them back and forth, both Taecyeon and Bekah became speechless and ended up just giggling awkwardly.

“Y-I mean, uhhh…Bek?” Taecyeon suddenly placed his hand on Bekah’s back and started rubbing it while looking right into her eyes. His touch sent a warm sensation to her freezing bare skin and Bekah couldn’t help but returning his gaze. For the first time ever, she could understand what Taecyeon was asking for without him even saying a word.

“Well, we sort of live together.” She smiled and lightly punched his arm, “Right?”

“That’s right!” Taec reciprocated and wrapped his arm around her. Bekah wiggled a little bit to make it less tight and unnatural.

“My goodness, why didn’t you say so?” , maundered Taec’s aunt “I wouldn’t have asked him to come here with me if I knew he’s seeing you, I had no idea.”

“Oh god no, me and Taec? Nah, we don’t -” Bekah suddenly saw Taecyeon mouthed Yes we do and nodded frantically. “- mind going out with other people on Saturday night. In fact, we always bring them over and do stuffs together. The more the merrier. We’re very…opened.” corrected Bekah but realized she had no idea what she was talking about.

“You mean, like swingers?” Taec’s aunt seems confused and shocked at the same time. Taec, who just took another sip of wine, coughed and sputtered.

“No no, not in that…..department,” Bekah blushed and nervously chuckled, “I mean, since we live together we can’t-“

“My lovely dear Aunt, don’t you have other people to impress? Other unfortunate couple to interrogate? Hmm?” Taecyeon cut Bekah’s explanation to save his own face from further embarrassment and sent his aunt the spoiled smile he’s mastered since he was a kid.

“Alright, I get it. It’s none of my business. I shall leave you two alone and mingle with less interesting people.” She grabbed a glass of wine before stalking away.

 As soon as the woman’s gone, Bekah nudged his rib to make their bodies less attached with one another.

“Ouch! What was that for?” Taecyeon cringed.

“You said couple.”

“So what? Can’t you at least wait until we get home to hurt me? Geez Bek,” he started rubbing his hurting side, “Are you sure you weren’t born a man?”

Bekah ignored his whining and faced him “Is there anything you’d like to tell me?”

“Yeah, you’re the worst liar in the world !” replied Taec.

“Oh I’m sorry, I forgot to practice the lie I’m supposed to say to cover your ass in any given time.” Bekah grumbled, “What was that all about? Why do you want her to get the impression that we are dating?”

Taec sighed, “It’s just…she’s always been trying to set me up with these weird, high maintenance girls if she knew I was single and would not stop until she was convinced that I’m not making things up,”

”- which you are,” continued Bekah.

“Yes, but since you’re already here and she seemed to like you, I figured why not. That way next week when she comes down to my mother’s house for Sunday brunch, she would finally stop complaining about how this showbiz world has turned me into some kind of womanizer.”

She was about to laugh but then she saw his face and realized that he wasn’t joking.

“I’m telling you the truth. Last year I had to borrow Wooyoung’s older sister to be my date because my aunt wouldn’t believe me unless she saw a flesh and blood.”

“Fine, I believe you. It’s just…next time, please warn me in advance? As you said, I’m the worst liar in the world.”

Taec nodded, his eyes warmed up when Bekah caught him staring at her, it made her blushed so she started talking again, “So….you came here with your aunt? Why didn’t you say so?”

“Hey hey, at least I’m here with someone, alright?” He moved aside to a more private corner, Bekah followed him because their voices had invited a couple of fascinated eyes. “How did you know her, by the way? Did she invite you?”

“Invite me? Why would she-” All of the sudden everything became clear for Bekah. “Oh no!” she slapped her forehead.

“What?” Taec became interested as soon as he saw Bekah’s defeated face.

“This is her exhibition, isn’t it?”

“Of course.” answered Taec, “Couldn’t you acquire such information while you two were chatting?”

Bekah shook her head and bit her lower lips. “Why am I so stupid I shouldn’t have said- argh…”

“What’s wrong? What did you say?”

“Well she asked me what I thought about this painting, and I just blabbered away,” Bekah exhaled, “And I’m afraid I might have offended her.”

“Nah, I doubt it. Especially with this,” Taec pointed at the painting.

“Really? Why?”

“This is one of her oldest ones, I think she’s had it since I was in high school.  You see, my aunt lived in Europe most of her younger days, rebelling from my strict grandparents who wanted her to go to business school and marry one of their rich friend’s son. She settled in Italy and found her inspiration there, as you can see in all her work.”

“So what’s the story with this painting?” asked Bekah.

“I was about to go there if you didn’t cut me off.” Taec seemed impatient. “This is one of her earliest work and she’s been saying that she hated it and couldn’t care less about it anymore. She’s been trying to sell it for years but no luck.”

Bekah glanced at the price and her jaw dropped to the floor, “Good graciousness, it costs an arm and a leg!!!”

“Should have seen the rest…” Taec saw Bekah admiring the painting once again. “You really like it, huh?”

“Yeah, it’s my favorite, although…” Bekah opened her mouth and stopped because she was unsure if she should continue.

“Although what?” asked Taecyeon.

 “I think…she is still holding on to this painting for a reason. I don’t think she hates it, or at least not consciously, and this picture bears a lot more than a painting for her. A past that always reminds her of what she was and who she loved.“

“Did you get that from half an hour talking to her? A whole story of my aunt’s past?” Taec’s tone suddenly changed to icy cold.

“N-no, that’s not what I intended, I just assumed- “

“Well maybe you should keep your assumption to yourself next time.”

Bekah stepped away a little from Taec, uncomfortable by the situation. She didn’t mean to offend him, or his aunt in this matter, and she knew she had crossed the line judging from Taec’s eyes.

“What assumption?” Taec’s aunt suddenly appeared from their side, smiling to both of them. “I saw you two were arguing.”

Bekah wished she could have come at a better time because now her cheeks are red and her eyes starts to water.

“Nothing,” answered Bekah “We were just talking nonsense.”

“Whatever he said must have upset you. What did you do this time?!?” She turned to Taec and scolded him with her judging eyes.

“Nothing, Auntie….I can call you auntie, right?” Bekah asked and continued after the woman nodded, “I was just being reminded that I absolutely have no filter in my mouth, once again. I wanted to apologize of what I said earlier. It was so inappropriate for me to just blabber at you like I did. I’m so sorry, I didn’t know you are the artist. These are so beautiful, really.”

“Oh, tsk don’t listen to him. I appreciate that you were honest to me, unlike some people.”

Taecyeon wanted to object when he saw his aunt was hinting that it was him, but he had nothing to defend himself with.

“Thank you and congratulation once again. Now, if you would kindly excuse me…” Bekah politely nodded at her and ignored Taecyeon’s eyes.

“Where are you going?” asked Taec.

“Home. It’s late, I have practice tomorrow. I’ll see you.” said Bekah before lifting her dress off the floor and made her way through the crowd, heading to the door.

“Wait,”

It was too late because Bekah already disappeared and the only one who heard his voice was his aunt. “Go! Take her home.”

“But…what about you? How are you gonna get home?” asked Taecyeon.

“This is my opening night, you silly kid. I’m not going home.” his aunt pushed him away. Taec could see Bekah’s standing outside from the glass door and he got out right when she was opening the Taxi’s door.

“Bek, wait!” he yelled. Bekah turned around and he was surprised to see a water trace under her eyes. “I didn’t mean to snap at you like that.”

“I deserved it. Good night, Taec.”

“No-no, wait…I’ll take you home.”

Bekah chuckled “Don’t be silly. My right foot is already inside this cab ok? The meter is already running, so unless you have an intention of making me broke, please let me go home right now.”

“But there is no one else I know here…” Taecyeon pleaded.

Unfortunately a voice that had annoyed him this whole entire night came back, “Taecyeon!!! There you are, I’ve been looking for you everywhere. I thought you said you were gonna talk to your aunt for a second. C’mon, I wanna show you something!”  

Bekah raised her eyebrow and got in the cab, “Looks like there is. I’ll see you home, Taecyeon,” she glanced over the girl “….or not.” and closed the door.

 *****************************************

“Wow hyung, you’re a douche.”

“Hey, if I wanted your opinion I’d ask for it okay?” Taecyeon lashed out at Chansung who came by his house to return a console game.

“But, how could you make her cry? I bet she was already embarrassed by not recognizing your painter aunt. Hey…do you have any food?” Chansung marched to the kitchen and inspected the fridge as if it was his own.

“You’re right. But it wasn’t my fault that she’s got a big mouth.”

“Speaking of big mouth, look at me!” Chansung managed to speak with half of the banana inside his mouth and he seemed proud of it.

“Get your ass here!!! What are you doing there? Rationing for next winter?” Taec sat down on the sofa and scratched his head in distraught. He still couldn’t get the image of teary-eyed Bekah out of his head. He felt terrible, especially after she helped covering up for him in front of his nosy aunt.

“Then, apologize to her.” Chansung plopped down on the seat across from Taec, carrying the rest of banana with him.

“I did, but she’s still mad. She didn’t even say anything to me when I saw her this morning.”

“Do it again! But this time, bring something with you. Girls respond better if you’re not empty handed.”

“I don’t know, tho…she doesn’t seem like the type.”

“She’s a girl. Believe me, she is the type.” gushed Chansung.

“And you know all this, how?” Taecyeon glared at the youngest one.

“Oh, hyung. I didn’t spend my high school days dating books, ok? Trust me on this.”

Taecyeon hates it when Chansung is right, especially when it comes to his tragic past. If only he didn’t feel like he owed this kid, he would have scolded Chansung for bringing it up. “Fine. I’ll go buy flowers and go see her.”

“Can I come?”

“Hell no.”

“Why not?” Chansung looked pissed.

“Because she must be practicing for their comeback and she doesn’t want anyone to see things they’re not supposed to!” Taecyeon got up and headed to his room to get his wallet.

“But YOU will !” Chansung insisted.

“Oh trust me, I’ve already seen some things I’m not supposed to.” Taecyeon giggled to himself and disappeared to his room.

“What do you mean?” yelled Chansung, he also got up to get ready.

Taec was keeping a straight face while running down the stairs with his car key and wallet “Nothing…”

“Oh gosh, you’re a pervert.” Chansung shook his head with such disgusted look on his face.

“Shut up, you. Come on, I’ll drop you off on the way there. And put that snack bar back, do you think I wouldn’t see that?!”

 *****************************************

“That’s his aunt???” Jooyeon’s round eyes got even rounder when she heard about Bekah’s encounter the other night. “I thought the painter was a guy, judging from the name.”

“So I thought, until she came by and started asking my opinion about her painting. Gosh, I felt so stupid.” Bekah hid her face on the fluffy pillow they had around the practice room.

“And what did Taecyeon say?” Joo asked again. She always asked Bekah about Taecyeon to a point where it was almost stalker-ish.

“You can ask himself.” Kahi came by with a towel around her neck and pointed at the door. Both Bekah and Jooyeon shrieked for different reasons.

“Damnit! What now??” Bekah rose up, hands on her waist.

“Oh no, I’m not wearing makeup!!!!” Jooyeon also rose up but within seconds she already disappeared from that room.

Taecyeon walked in and Bekah experienced something she’s never seen before; all the girls even their manager suddenly behaved differently. Lizzy and Nana stopped slouching, Uee stopped eating and Jung Ah threw her reading glasses across the room and straightened up her posture.

Oh come on, guys…really? Bekah sighed as she learned that all her friends are helpless and slowly approached the grinning Taecyeon. “What do y-“

“Shhhht,” Taecyeon put his finger on her lips “Before you say anything, I have a surprise for you.” He reached out to give her the flower bouquet he was hiding behind his back. “Ta-da!”

Bekah rolled her eyes “Taec, this room has a mirror walls. I’ve seen it as soon as you entered. What is it for?”

“Ok, not the reaction I was hoping but…I just want to apologize for how I snapped at you last night. We both know that I owed you one, and you’ve had quite a hard week with all this mean press and stuff. I’m really sorry if I made you cry, ok?”

“SHE CRIED?” Jung Ah gasped from the corner.

Taecyeon was taken back by Jung Ah’s voice but he turned his head to Bekah and continued, “Really, Bek…it was uncalled for and I kept thinking about it.” Taecyeon seemed more nervous now that the girls were staring at him. “Please?” He offered her the bouquet for the second time.

Bekah reluctantly grabbed it and buried her nose in the blue petals, taking a long sniff before finally looked up and said, “Fine. I forgave you.”

“Cool ! Wait…” Taecyeon’s smile wiped off,  “I forgave you?”

“Yep. Oh, I actually have forgiven you since last night.” Bekah used the bouquet to conceal her evil smile that had just gotten bigger.

“Then why the hell did you act like you were still pissed this morning? AND JUST NOW?”

“To make you say it-” Bekah started giggling “-in front of my friends…”

Taecyeon suddenly went at her out of the blue and started poking her sides continuously. Bekah started laughing while trying to get away from his tickling attempt. “You tricky little b-”

“SHHH! WE DON’T SAY THAT WORD AROUND HERE!” roared Bekah in between her hysterical laugh under Taec’s unforgivable punishment.

“Little Bekah. Tricky little Bekah, that’s what I was trying to say.” He looked around trying to explain, only to find everyone was staring at them like they were insane. Bekah was on the floor laying on her side, laughing and catching her breath, and he was kneeling down next to her with his hands on her waist. He actually didn’t blame her friends for judging them the way they were.

Taecyeon cleared his throat “Alright, I guess I should uhh, I should get going. Bye, everyone!” He got on his feet and fixed his t-shirt. “And you….” he threatened Bekah with his finger but he also cracked a smile, “- stay out of trouble!”

When Taecyeon finally disappeared, everyone rushed to question Bekah.

“WHAT WAS THAT ?” Kahi spoke first.

Bekah rolled over and tried to sit down. “What was what?”, playing dumb.

“That whole…whatever you call skinship display you’ve shown us. I thought you said you two were fighting!” followed Jung Ah.

“Oh…it’s nothing, we were just making up.”

“More like MAKING OUT.” Jooyeon showed up out of nowhere.

“Who are you again?” Bekah leered at her ex-roommate.

“C’mon Bek, we all saw it. Be honest, are you sleeping with him?” asked Uee.

“Excuse me !?!”

“If you are, you can tell us! Just please make sure our boss doesn’t know about it. You know, with all the rules we have.”

“Guys, I’m not sleeping with him, ok?” Bekah kept her voice down, “We’re just trying to be friends. Friends joke around, don’t they?” She stood up, towering everyone else.

“Are you kidding? If I had a friend bringing me flowers and touching me the way he did to you, I’d date him.” said Jooyeon with a serious face.

“Really? Woah, you’re cheap.” Jung Ah whipped Jooyeon with her towel and everyone started laughing, including Bekah. When it finally died down and they started heading to the shower room, Bekah stayed around longer to inspect the bouquet she received. There was a card hidden between the blue rose petals that says,

Truce? (:

- Taec

P.S. If it makes you feel better, I couldn’t sleep last night thinking about how pretty your dress looked. You should wear it more around the house.

Bouquet of flowers with sugary sweet message, pondered Bekah. Other girls would have fallen at his feet by now, but not me. Blue roses aren’t supposed to be romantic, in fact they symbolize something impossible to attain since blue-colored roses don’t really exist in nature. And “how pretty your dress looked”? What a half-ass compliment, Ok Taecyeon. You’re lucky I hate mushy stuffs otherwise I would have sent you home as soon as you said “Ta-da!”.

Somehow Bekah smiled thinking how foolish Taecyeon to think that she was still mad about last night. Her hand subconsciously brought the bouquet closer as she was reading Taec’s stupid handwriting once again, and she took another sniff before putting them all back next to her gym shoes. 

“Oh no.” said Jung Ah, hiding behind the door.

Jooyeon who was also peeking, looked up with a worried face. “What !?!”

“I know that look. She might deny it but I think Bekah likes him…”

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