Heart and Seoul (The Seoul Series Book 1)

by Erin Kinsella

  “Yeah. Let me make sure UpBeat actually goes home with his coat.” Tessa slipped away to fetch the garment off the chair next to hers and beelined towards the idol with it outstretched in her hands. “Thank you again. I’m sorry to be such a bother.”

  He took the coat and popped a brilliant smile that made her heart thump. “You’re never a bother, Tessa-ssi.”

  Get a grip, Tessa. He’s just being nice.

  Her heartbeat disagreed. It was the first time she’d seen his smile in person.

  “Take care of yourself.” He bowed his head and wandered over to the other members.

  “Uh-oh,” Kelly said as Tessa returned to her.

  “What?” Tessa squeaked.

  “Don’t get overexcited.”

  “Well that’s the pot giving the kettle instructions neither of them knows how to follow. I’m trying not to.” Jittery, Tessa zipped up her coat a little too vigorously and clocked herself in the face when it got stuck part-way.

  Kelly laughed and finished zipping it up for her. “I can’t decide if spending more time with him would cure you of your crush or make it infinitely worse.”

  “He’s too much.”

  “What did he do?” Kelly re-looped their arms as they made the short trip to the nearest subway station.

  “He just…exists? God, it’s so stupid. I have no idea what to do or think around him. He’s not even doing anything in particular, but whenever I see him I get this feeling in my chest. Crushes are awful.”

  Kelly laced their hands together. “I’d help, but I have no idea what advice to offer. If he were a dick, it would taint what the music means to you, but him being nice when in actual proximity has to be confusing. I don’t envy you one bit. Keep reminding yourself that he’s a regular person no matter how talented and pretty he is.”

  “You’re not helping.” Tessa side-eyed her friend.

  “I said I didn’t know how, so I’m rolling with this in an amusing fashion.”

  “Let’s roll with it a little closer to home. I’m starving again, and I want to curl up on the couch for a while.”

  “But you can’t couch. We’re meeting one of your dates tonight.”

  “Oh God, why?”

  Kelly pulled Tessa onto the train that would take them back to Itaewon. “Because you love me.”

  Min Joo had changed out of his work clothes and was waiting quietly in a grey cashmere sweater and dark jeans.

  “We’re not going too far,” Kelly said as the three of them left the apartment building.

  It was cool outside, but not intolerable with some extra layers added.

  “So, what info do I need about this guy?”

  “He’s very smart and super nice. I’ve basically adopted him as a little brother.”

  “Does Benji know he has a Korean replacement?”

  Kelly laughed. “I can have and love more than one brother. Benji likes Pyong Ho. They’ve met over video call a couple times.”

  Min Joo checked his buzzing phone a block from the restaurant.

  “Pyong Ho’s arrived.”

  “Min Joo, why did I let you two talk me into this?”

  He steadfastly looked away, and Kelly snickered, sidling up to her husband.

  “You’re just meeting one of our friends. Try not to focus on the romantic potential too hard if it freaks you out. Oh, also remember no touchies on the first date or you’re going to give him some serious signals.”

  The BBQ house wafted the most delicious scents into the air.

  Min Joo waved when they got inside the restaurant. Pyong Ho had an undercut with the swept top dyed blond, and thick-rimmed glasses that suited the strong planes of his face.

  “Tess, this is Choi Pyong Ho,” Kelly introduced with a smile.

  He stood to greet them, and Tessa realized he was significantly shorter than her. Not that most people weren’t, but she’d never had a guy agree to a date with her knowing she was the taller one in the equation. She didn’t personally mind as long as they weren’t being a butthole about it.

  He grinned at her and pulled out the seat next to him.

  Tessa sank into her chair. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad?

  Kelly guided a lot of the conversation at the start, and it turned out Pyong Ho had read Tessa’s book.

  “I’m always curious how foreigners approach our history,” he said. “I focus more on Goryeo than Joseon, but they’re both fascinating.”

  “You’re a historian?” Tessa asked.

  “Almost.” Pyong Ho nodded. “I’m still studying. I did my two years of military service as soon as I was able so I could focus on my education without interruption. I’ll go for my Master’s degree as well, but I’m hoping to get some practical experience at the National Archives when I’ve graduated.”

  “That’s great!” Tessa sipped at her peach-flavoured soju. “I love history.”

  “I gathered as much by the subject matter of your book,” Pyong Ho teased. “Where did you get the idea for it?”

  “I was reading a book about women who disguised themselves to join the military and other ventures. I wondered what it would be like if someone did that to follow the trade routes and see the world.”

  Kelly ordered another bottle of soju for the table. They were small and didn’t last long when split between four people, but even so Tessa grimaced. She’d set a hard limit for herself of only two drinks, and she could already feel the pleasant hum of the alcohol in her blood.

  They chatted about school, travel, history, and current events, moving fluidly between Korean and English. Pyong Ho kept up easy conversation regardless of where the topic strayed. Meat sizzled on the grill between them, and they stuffed themselves full. Tessa had relaxed considerably by the end of the evening, but then she was also tipsy. She was too warm and every emotion simmered right under the surface with nothing to temper them.

  “My sister is actually a fan of your book.” Pyong Ho pulled out his phone to show Tessa an image. “She sent me this when she found out we were meeting.”

  It was a painted piece of her main character in the streets of old Busan. Tessa teared up, hugging the phone to her chest.

  “Oh my God! Your sister is the sweetest person in existence. I can’t believe she made this! It’s so beautiful. This must have taken her forever!” Tessa sniffled. “Can you send it to me?”

  “Of course!” Pyong Ho took back his phone and opened up KakaoTalk. “Put in your number.”

  Kelly unsuccessfully hid her grin behind her glass as Tessa punched her number into the phone.

  “Another round?”

  Pyong Ho looked a little queasy at the suggestion, but he nodded. “If you’d like, Noona.”

  “None for me,” Tessa pleaded. She draped over Pyong Ho, staring at the painting on her phone screen. His whole body froze for a fraction of a second before he leaned into her. “It’s so cute that you call her Noona. She doesn’t let me call her Eonni.”

  “That’s because I’m only six months older. I can’t be your eonni, but I can be his noona.” Kelly nudged her friend with her foot. “Tess, you’re kind of all over Pyong Ho.”

  “My head feels funny,” Tessa complained, resting her cheek against his head.

  “When was the last time you drank?” Kelly nudged a glass of water toward her.

  “Um, your wedding? No wait, at the work dinner. There was so much soju. I forgot.”

  “Sheesh. Okay, well we should get you home. Get off Pyong Ho, please. You can’t be touchy with new people here.”

  “He’s not new people. He’s old people. To you.”

  “Okay, we’re leaving. Pyong Ho, let me know when you’re home safe.” Kelly looped an arm around Tessa’s waist and hoisted her up. “I forgot you’re such a lightweight.”

  “It’s not my fault. Soju is sneaky.”

  Tessa happily hugged her date goodbye. Min Joo paid for the dinners and saw Pyong Ho off while Kelly walked Tessa outside.

  “Girl, he’s going to t
hink you want to marry him after that.” Kelly laughed half the walk home.

  Tessa was equally giggly as the soju pumped through her system.

  “Did you have fun?” Kelly asked.

  “I did! I didn’t think I would, but he’s nice.”

  “I told you.”

  When they got home, Kelly put her on the couch and set a trash container nearby.

  “Sleep it off, and I’ll check on you in the morning.”

  Tessa conked out, and woke hours later in a haze to a dozen messages on her phone. Most were from Pyong Ho, but there was one from UpBeat that tripped her heart.

  UpBeat:

  Call me.

  Chapter 6

  Tessa

  UpBeat answered on the first ring. “Hello?”

  Tessa made a soft sound of contentment when she heard his voice. “Hey, it’s Tessa.”

  “Have you read the news?” he asked.

  “Mm, no? I just woke up.”

  “EchoPop wants a meeting with you. As soon as possible.”

  “Okay. Yeah, um, yeah, sorry, I’m a bit hungover,” she mumbled. “I need to shower first. Where do I go?”

  “I’ll text you the address.”

  “Cool.” Tessa hung up in a haze and contemplated going right back to sleep.

  Kelly wandered in, dressed in her cozy flannels. “Good morning, sunshine. I wasn’t expecting you awake yet.”

  “My phone was too buzzy to sleep. I have to go to a meeting. Who has meetings so early? I’m supposed to be on vacation and sleeping in.” She struggled to her feet. “Need shower.”

  Kelly forced a glass of water on her before she was allowed to disappear into the bathroom. The shower helped a little, but she’d forgotten her clothes. She poked her head out the door and saw Kelly fixing breakfast with Min Joo at her side.

  “Look away, Min Joo!” Tessa dashed over to her suitcase and grabbed an outfit. She emerged a few moments later in purple jeans and a snug black top. “I kind of feel better, but my head hates me.”

  “Grab some painkillers. They’re in the corner cupboard.” Kelly scrolled through her phone while stirring an egg scramble. “Holy shit.”

  “What?” Min Joo peeked over her shoulder.

  “Are Hale Tessa and UpBeat of 24/7 dating?” Kelly read. “With numerous pictures on multiple occasions, we finally have a name for the face. Hale Tessa is the author of best-selling novel, Ships in the Night. News has surfaced that Hale is in Seoul to view the filming of a drama based on her book. The cast will be led by Baek Eun Gi of 24/7 fame and newcomer Brooks Lily. The drama is being produced by Elite Studios.”

  Tessa paled and swayed on the couch. “How did they get my name?”

  “Tessa-ssi, is the meeting today about this?” Min Joo asked.

  “I don’t know. He said something about the news, but I was barely awake.” She put a hand to her head, and nausea churned her gut. “Fuck my life. Am I in trouble? Is he in trouble? What do I do?”

  “First, breathe. Second, eat.” Kelly loaded up the plates, and they all sat at the table together.

  Min Joo set his hand atop Tessa’s wrist. “The meeting is probably to discuss how to deal with it. They can hardly get mad at you when you’ve done nothing wrong.”

  He had always reminded her a bit of her Appa, in that they both had a soothing presence that never failed to make her feel safe.

  The knots in her stomach loosened a little.

  “If they get irate you can pretend you’re a dumb foreigner who doesn’t understand the culture,” Kelly suggested.

  “Well, that’s not wrong.”

  “Eat,” Kelly ordered as Tessa pushed her food around on her plate. “You can worry later.”

  “Tessa-ssi, if you’d like, I can walk you to the nearest subway. I have to leave for work in a few minutes.”

  “That would be great, thank you.”

  He nodded. “Give me the address for the company, and we’ll figure out your route, or we can catch you a taxi.” He rinsed his dishes and set them in their tiny dishwasher while Tessa shoveled her breakfast into her mouth.

  Min Joo kissed his wife. “I love you.”

  “I love you too, Joo.”

  Tessa gathered up her things and waved to Kelly as she followed Min Joo out the door. They rode the elevator in comfortable silence and stepped off into a lobby crowded with people.

  One of them caught sight of her as they emerged. “That’s her!”

  The group turned as one and rushed forward, shoving microphones into her face, grabbing her arms, twisting her towards different cameras.

  “Hale Tessa-ssi! What’s your relationship with UpBeat?”

  “How long have you been involved?”

  “Hale Tessa-ssi!”

  The voices jumbled together, yelling her name, shouting questions. Min Joo shifted, moving in front of her, arms snapping out to block them.

  “Back. Up,” he growled, and the reporters froze, shifting away uneasily. Min Joo acted quickly, hitting the elevator button and backing Tessa inside. “I won’t let them follow you.”

  Tessa punched the button for Kelly’s floor and rode it upwards. She plugged in the door code and slipped inside. Her whole body was shaking when Kelly approached.

  “Hey, what’s wrong? What happened?”

  “Reporters.”

  “Fuck.” Kelly turned the deadbolt. “How did they find out you’re here? God, we need better building security.”

  Tessa pressed her forehead against the door.

  “Hey, it’s okay.” Kelly led Tessa to the couch and pulled out her phone, tapping away at the screen. “I’ll let UpBeat know. Let me check in with Joo first.”

  Kelly sighed, sinking onto the couch.

  “Joo says he’s called into work and will keep an eye on the crowd for a while. Pyong Ho should survive teaching his morning classes.”

  In the time it took Kelly to get Tessa a glass of water UpBeat had replied to say that the company was sending a private vehicle for her.

  “We need to sit tight for a while.” Kelly plucked Tessa’s frantically buzzing phone out of the purse Tessa had abandoned by the door. “Are you going to answer Pyong Ho?”

  Tessa took her phone from Kelly.

  She sipped her water and scanned the messages. Most were simple well-wishes, asking after how she was feeling, whether she’d eaten breakfast that morning, and a plethora of other innocuous questions and commentary that she had learned from Kelly to expect when dating a Korean. It was the questions that came in most recently that had her chewing her lip.

  Pyong Ho:

  Are you safe?

  Min Joo-hyung told me he’s missing class because of reporters?

  Please let me know if you need anything.

  I saw the article. Is it true?

  Tessa put the phone face down on the couch.

  “I have no idea what to say about all…” she gestured towards the door, “…that. Do I have to respond right now?”

  “Well, no,” Kelly said. “Only if you liked him enough to see again. Timeliness is important with this.”

  “I don’t have the brain power to respond and deal with all those stupid people downstairs.”

  “I’m putting a pin in the stupid downstairs people for a minute since they’re locked out and you’re kind of leaving my baby bro hanging here. The messages can be a lot. I was overwhelmed with Joo at first too, but you get used to it when you’re dating here,” Kelly assured. “Pyong Ho likes you and is showing it. Even if you don’t want to start things up with him, since I agree this is not a great time for it, you have to tell him.”

  Tessa’s hands shook when she picked up her phone, and her eyes blurred with tears. “Can you talk to him for me?”

  “Tess, if you don’t like him, just say so.” Kelly wrapped an arm around Tessa’s waist.

  “It’s not that. Pyong Ho is cute and very nice, but I’m too overwhelmed to think about anything with all this chaos going on.”

  �
��Tell him you’re not able to talk right now and will be available to message later.”

  Tessa rubbed her eyes and tapped out a quick message.

  Tessa:

  I’m so sorry, I can’t talk right now. Things are crazy, but I’m safe. Thank you for checking in :)

  Two guards came with the vehicle to pick up Tessa, and Kelly let them in when they knocked on the door.

  “Good luck at the meeting. I’ll keep an eye on the hoard and see what I can do about getting them out of here before you get back,” Kelly said.

  The guards reminded Tessa of secret service agents. They weren’t at all inconspicuous, but at least they looked intimidating. Nestled between the two men, Tessa pushed through the throng of reporters. She covered her face with her hands and ducked to avoid the reaching microphones.

  By the time they got to the car she was beyond frazzled. She sat sandwiched by the guards, while a driver took them to EchoPop Entertainment. They were tailed by more than a few vehicles, but upon arrival she was hustled inside and the doors were locked behind them.

  UpBeat was waiting in the lobby and waved her over. “Are you okay?”

  “I’ve been better.” A blush flooded her cheeks despite her building anxiety.

  She squeezed her hands together to stop the shaking. He nodded and guided her towards the elevator. Hovering on the edge of tears, she leaned against the reflective walls. He was staring at her, his eyes warm and concerned. She bit her wobbling bottom lip.

  He reached out, hand stopping part way to her, before he let it fall between them. “I’m sorry about this.”

  “It’s not your fault.” She cringed at the squeak in her voice.

  “I should have been more careful.” He puffed out a sigh and settled next to her. “I’m not certain what their plan is in this meeting, but I want you to know that you’ve got an ally going in with you, okay?”

  Tessa sucked in a breath. “Okay.”

  They rode up to the top floor where a sleek woman in a tailored suit greeted them in crisp Korean, fresh off the elevator.

  “Baek Eun Gi-ssi, Hale Tessa-ssi. I am Kim Gyeong Suk.”