“I did indeed,” Ki-tae said with a husky chuckle. “Another fact indicating you’re a special person, Jin-woo.”
“Me? I’m nothing special.”
“You don’t realize how special you are,” Ki-tae said. Then he bit his lip, letting it slowly slide from between his teeth, and Jin-woo lost all thought of what he was doing. He shook his head and then glared at Ki-tae.
“Finish your dinner before it gets cold,” he said with a huff.
“Only if I can have you for dessert,” Ki-tae purred, licking his lips.
“Dammit, Ki-tae,” Jin-woo whimpered softly. “You are evil!”
Jin-woo managed to make it through dinner without jumping Ki-tae. He was quite impressed with himself. As he put the last dish away and hung the towel up to dry, he felt Ki-tae press up against him, wrapping his strong arms around his waist and pulling him back against his chest. Jin-woo smiled. Ki-tae just nuzzled his neck, and it was so adorable. He wasn’t looking for sex at that moment. Apparently Ki-tae just wanted to snuggle, and Jin-woo was all for that. Not that he minded sex—he loved sex—but snuggling was one of his favorite things, and he didn’t get to do it often. Yet Jin-woo couldn’t shake the feeling there was something on Ki-tae’s mind.
“What are you thinking about?”
“Every Sunday we go to Abeoji’s house for dinner,” Ki-tae said quietly. “Would you be willing to come with me?”
“You’re inviting me to family dinner?” Jin-woo was a little surprised. While he had gotten friendly, or relatively so, with Cheongul and HanYin, he hadn’t spent much time associating with Soon-joon, crying on him notwithstanding.
“You don’t have to if you don’t want to,” Ki-tae said, releasing his hold. Immediately Jin-woo grabbed his wrists and pulled Ki-tae’s arms back around him.
“Don’t pull away from me,” Jin-woo said quietly. “I’ve never been invited to a family dinner before, and it was a bit surprising. I’d love to go.”
“You would?”
Jin-woo could hear the smile in Ki-tae’s voice and looked up at him, placing a kiss on his lips. “Yes, I would.”
“Perfect,” Ki-tae said before lifting Jin-woo off his feet and carrying him through the apartment to the bedroom. “Now I can focus on dessert.”
“You are a sex fiend,” Jin-woo laughed.
“Am I?” Ki-tae asked, pausing beside the bed. He set Jin-woo down, and that didn’t sit well. “Does it bother you?”
“Yes, I’m going to complain about having lots of sex with a man I’ve been fantasizing about for years.” Jin-woo snorted as he pulled Ki-tae’s shirt out of his pants. “I love how much you want me. It makes me feel… special, desirable.”
“I want you all the time. It’s just….” Ki-tae stopped, and Jin-woo had the feeling there was a lot behind that deliberate act.
He looked up from his self-appointed task of unbuttoning Ki-tae’s shirt to study him. There was something in his eyes, something fearful, almost panicked. Could this be what he was talking about earlier? Was there something about their current discussion that set Ki-tae on edge? Jin-woo wanted to ask, but he wasn’t sure how to word the question. He gave a soft sigh as he brushed Ki-tae’s shirt off his muscled shoulders. God, his arms were amazing, smooth, sleek muscles.
“Ki-tae,” Jin-woo said as he placed a kiss on his sternum. “I get the impression there is something we need to talk about, but for whatever reason, the topic really sets you on edge. I know I overreacted earlier, and the truth is, I really don’t like secrets, but I’ve realized trying to force the issue doesn’t work either. We were both hurting today, and it was my fault for not giving you a chance to explain. This is clearly something that bothers you a lot, and I’m pretty sure it has something to do with what you told me earlier, so I’m going to do my very best to wait until you’re ready to talk about it. I won’t push you away, and I won’t walk away again. I promise you that.”
Ki-tae stopped the movement of his hands, holding them against his chest. He leaned down and touched their foreheads together. A shaky sigh puffed against Jin-woo’s face. “Thank you.”
That was it. No other words passed his lips, but what he had said was enough. Ki-tae wasn’t ready, and Jin-woo was going to wait until he was. It was going to be hard, but Ki-tae was worth it. Surprisingly the whole atmosphere changed, and instead of another round of sex, they merely undressed and climbed into the bed.
It was a measure of how much things affected Ki-tae that he laid his head on Jin-woo’s chest, wrapped his body around him, and after placing a gentle kiss on his skin, slipped into sleep. At that moment, Ki-tae was the one who needed to be held, needed to be comforted, and it made Jin-woo’s heart ache. He gently stroked the silky strands of Ki-tae’s hair, caressing the outer furl of his ear, and held him. Jin-woo was relatively short and often the one being held. It was… nice to be the one doing the holding, the one giving the comfort when it was needed, especially to someone as powerful and confident as Ki-tae. Soon Jin-woo drifted off to sleep, Ki-tae still firmly held in his arms.
Cheongul
HE’D PUT it off for as long as he could. Now it was no longer avoidable. He had to meet Min-su at the office soon, and he wasn’t close to being ready to have her in his apartment. Cheongul sighed and hit the Call button. On the second ring, Ki-tae’s voice came across the line.
“Yeoboseyo?”
“I need your help,” Cheongul said without preamble.
“What? Why? What’s wrong?” Ki-tae’s voice sounded panicked and angry at the same time.
“No, no, nothing’s wrong, per se.” Cheongul sighed. “I… invited Min-su to dinner tonight… at my place, and I have no clue what I’m doing, Ki-tae. I don’t do the dating thing, and I need your help.”
“A date? You asked Min-su dongsaeng on a date?” He could hear the amusement in Ki-tae’s voice, and he wasn’t happy about it.
“Yeah, I did, and I want it…. I want it to be special, Ki-tae, because she’s special.” Cheongul hated to admit that, even to his brother, but if he didn’t explain to Ki-tae why this was so important to him, it would take forever to get the help he needed. “Please, Ki-tae.”
That seemed to get through to Ki-tae, that please. His tone immediately changed.
“I’ll be right there,” he said, and then he hung up.
Twenty minutes later there was a knock on his door. Cheongul opened it to find Ki-tae and HanYin standing there. Ki-tae wrapped his arm around Cheongul’s shoulders and led him into the living room while HanYin headed straight for the kitchen. Cheongul couldn’t help his smile. His brothers were awesome. Most of the time, Cheongul sat at the small island that separated his kitchen from the rest of the apartment. However, he did have a small space where he had placed a table large enough to seat four people when he had company, not something that happened very often.
“Where are your linens?” Ki-tae asked.
“Linens?”
“Tablecloths, napkins… those things,” Ki-tae said with a chuckle.
“Oh, they’re over here.”
He walked to the cabinets to the left of the kitchen area. He pulled out a dark blue tablecloth and matching napkins in a lighter shade. Running his hand through his hair, Cheongul watched Ki-tae set the table, including wineglasses. HanYin was busy at work in the kitchen. The smells were enough to make Cheongul’s mouth water. He came up behind him and snatched a piece of meat. HanYin slapped his hand with the spoon when he reached for another, and Cheongul pouted.
“We’re trying to make a good impression here. If you eat it, then there won’t be anything left for your dinner with Min-su dongsaeng,” he admonished.
“I can’t help it,” Cheongul said, snatching another piece. “You’re an amazing cook.”
“When do you have to meet Min-su dongsaeng?” Ki-tae asked absently as he eyed the table, shifting things here and there. Cheongul stared at it. Where had the flowers come from? And he owned a vase? He looked at Ki-tae, who shrugged and then winked a
t him. Cheongul looked at his watch.
“I have to leave in about forty-five minutes.”
“Go get ready,” Ki-tae said. “We’ll take care of everything here and be gone by the time you get back.”
“You guys… thanks,” Cheongul said.
“You’re our brother,” HanYin said. “Of course we’re going to help you.”
“Min-su dongsaeng is special to you,” Ki-tae said. “That’s all we really need to know. Go on and get ready.”
Cheongul nodded and then went into his room. He sat at the foot of his bed and put his head in his hands. He took several deep breaths. It had been so long since anyone had gotten any sort of real emotional reaction out of him. Yes, there was the pure animalistic lust; that went without saying. Being a Vampire didn’t change his body’s urges. In fact, it tended to sharpen them. After turning, he’d developed an allure that drew people to him, made it easier to hunt and feed. He had always used it to his best advantage, but he had never gotten emotionally involved with any of them… until that one time. Cheongul shook his head. He really didn’t want to think about that, not tonight.
Pushing to his feet, Cheongul walked over to his closet and slid the doors open. He pulled out a pair of black dress slacks, a deep red shirt, a thin tie, and a black blazer. He grabbed his black dress shoes and set everything on the bed.
On his way into the bathroom, he grabbed a towel from the shelf inside the door. Much like the rest of his apartment, Cheongul’s bathroom wasn’t huge. The most prominent feature was the oval bathtub on a raised pedestal of gray marble, a material which covered the floor as well.
Cheongul placed his towel on the vanity and opened the shower door. He turned on the water, holding his hand under the spray to measure the temperature. When there was just enough heat to sting, Cheongul got undressed and stepped under the spray.
He luxuriated in the heat, feeling his muscles relax and the tension leaving his body. As much as he wanted to lollygag in the shower, he had to get things moving. Cheongul chuckled. It was one of his little quirks, taking way too long in the shower or the bath. Of course, there had been times in his life where he had to go for weeks without being clean, so when he got the chance to bathe, he made the most of it. Cheongul preferred baths to showers, and he never scrimped on that portion of his bathroom. The one in his apartment was almost as luxurious as the one at Soon-joon’s house.
A few minutes later, he stood in front of his mirror, turning his head this way and that. Something in the routine helped Cheongul focus and regain his calm. It was odd, really. The little things made a difference. Soon-joon had often told him that, but he hadn’t realized how much of a difference they made to him.
He took the mousse from the shelf and put a dollop in his palm. He worked it between his fingers and then into his hair. When he was finished, he had pushed the right side back while the rest of the longish strands went to the left and fell over his forehead. He put small gold hoops in his ears. He donned his black watch and two understated rings on the ring and pinkie fingers of his right hand. A dash of cologne, and he was all set. Back in the bedroom, Cheongul pulled on his clothes, making sure everything was in perfect order, and then he walked out into his living room. Ki-tae gave him a wolf whistle, and HanYin pretended to swoon. Cheongul punched him in the arm.
“Go get your lady,” Ki-tae said, pushing Cheongul toward the door. He grabbed his keys off the half-circle table just to the left of his entertainment center.
Pausing at the door, he turned to look at his brothers, smiling. “Gomabseumnida.”
“Go,” Ki-tae said with a chuckle while HanYin shooed him out the door.
On his way to the offices, Cheongul stopped and purchased a bouquet of flowers from a street vendor, delicately scented so as not to be too much for her sensitive nose. He pulled into the parking garage, and once the car was parked, he made his way into the building. Cheongul tried to ignore the stares as he walked through the halls. He had arranged to meet Min-su at her desk at six o’clock. She wasn’t there, and for half a second, he thought she’d stood him up until he remembered Cheong-bo had her working in the editing room that day. One of the things he had learned about her was Min-su was very precise. He placed the flowers on her desk and leaned against it, prepared to wait as long as necessary.
Min-su
MIN-SU SIGHED. She raised her hands high above her head and stretched. Then she looked at her watch.
“Oh crap!” she yelled as she jumped up from her chair and rushed out of the studio after shutting everything down. She ran back to her desk and skidded to a stop as she rounded the corner, her breath catching.
Cheongul leaned against her desk, looking as if he’d just stepped from the pages of GQ Korea. God, he was so beautiful. What had she been thinking, accepting a date request from him?
Min-su shook herself mentally. She straightened her spine. She’d survived the attack that killed half her family. Life was too short and too precious to waste on fear. She would not let it rule her.
Min-su walked toward Cheongul. He looked so serious standing there, but when he spotted her, his face lit up, and he smiled. Min-su felt her heartbeat quicken. There was no faking that expression. He was happy to see her.
“Min-su.” His voice was soft, but she could hear it and the pleasure in it.
“I’m sorry I’m late,” she said as approached. “I got caught up in editing. Do you mind waiting a few minutes while I freshen up?”
“Of course I don’t mind. Take your time,” he said as he rose and took her hands in his. That simple touch made her shiver. She felt her cheeks heat and ducked her head.
Nodding once, Min-su grabbed her bag from her desk and headed for the locker rooms. There was no way she was just going to freshen up, and she’d mastered being ready in fifteen minutes including a shower. Honestly she didn’t understand why or how it took people hours to get ready to go out. Perhaps she was just a weird girl, but she didn’t, generally, waste time when she had somewhere to be, and this time was no exception. She took one last look at herself in the mirror, turning this way and that to make sure everything was in place. She tucked her dirty clothes in a plastic bag and then into her backpack. Once she was satisfied she looked as good as she could, Min-su headed back to Cheongul.
“I’m all set,” she said with a bright smile. He walked over to her and offered his arm. Why did that gesture just go right to her heart?
“You look so beautiful,” he said softly.
“Thank you,” she said and felt her cheeks heat again. She blushed way too much around him. “You look amazing.”
“I try.”
Min-su laughed, and from the twinkle in Cheongul’s eye, that was his intention. As they walked to his car, Min-su and Cheongul talked about the video and what she was currently working on. It was nice how he paid attention to what she had to say, not dismissing her, as had happened in the past. Not the most recent past—the people at BLE were very good about actively listening to opinions and suggestions. She hadn’t met a single person who thought their way was the only way to do things or that their idea was the only good idea.
When they reached his car, he held the door for her, and that gave her pause. It wasn’t that she was offended by the gesture, just surprised. She smiled at him and then climbed in.
The ride to his apartment was just as… casual as the walk to the car. When he opened the door for her, Min-su stared up at his building. It was one of those luxury high-rises, lots of chrome and glass on the outside. She preferred the more traditional buildings, but it wasn’t horrible. Some modern buildings were truly atrocious, and she questioned the aesthetics of the architects. Once more he offered her his arm, and they went inside. When they reached his apartment, Cheongul gave her a hesitant smile as he opened the door. He gestured for her to precede him inside.
Min-su had been prepared for an ultramodern apartment with a large amount of chrome accents, much like the outside of the building, enough to blind a person
when the sunlight hit it. What she got was a tastefully decorated home in neutral tones of dove gray, charcoal gray, and black. She had expected his apartment to be large, with almost too much space, but it was… decidedly cozy. Min-su smiled. Cheongul was a simple man, it seemed, with simple tastes.
“You look surprised,” he said as he closed the door behind him.
“I am,” she said honestly. “I thought an idol would have a huge, almost ostentatious penthouse apartment. I’m pleasantly surprised to be wrong. Your place is warm, inviting, and, dare I say, cozy.”
“I don’t need a lot of space. I’m one person,” Cheongul said with a shrug. “I have as much room as I need and no more.”
“I like it. The tones and colors suit you too,” she said as she walked into the small living room.
The wall opposite the door had a line of windows reaching three-quarters of the way up the wall. The top of the curtains was hidden by a box valance. The trayed ceiling provided further lighting, with alcoves running along all four sides while three recessed lighting fixtures shone down on the entertainment center. Beneath the mounted TV was a mirror reflecting the plants, sculptures, and electronics. Min-su smiled when she saw the PlayStation4. It didn’t surprise her that Cheongul was a gamer.
In the middle of the space, he had a square table that reminded Min-su of black marble countertops she had often seen in magazines. Two armchairs sat to the right of the coffee table while the matching couch faced the entertainment center. The outside of all three pieces was a charcoal gray. The rectangular ottoman was a shade lighter and matched the floor-length curtains over the windows. The wrought-iron chandelier with flame-shaped bulbs emitted a soft, romantic light. Min-su smiled. She really liked the room.
“I hope you’re hungry,” Cheongul said, drawing her attention. She turned to see a table set for two and with a small vase of blue flowers resting in the center. They were pretty and sweet, and Min-su felt herself fall a little more. She walked over to the table as Cheongul set two plates down and then lit the two blue tapers. “I have a confession to make.”
Night Kiss Page 31