Ki-tae wrapped his strong arms around him, and Jin-woo leaned into his embrace with a sigh. “This is all my fault.”
“Nonsense.” Ki-tae snorted. “You are not responsible for someone else’s mental state.”
“Perhaps not, but I’m the reason for all of this.”
“Her obsession is the reason for all of this,” Ki-tae said.
“It’s still so surreal… and creepy,” Jin-woo said as he looked up at Ki-tae. “There’s a term for it, you know, much like ‘sasaeng’ for obsessed idol fans. She is what is called a ‘yandere.’ Well, sort of because yandere is a term from manga and anime. Granted, it’s referring to fictional characters, but since they basically do what Mei is doing, I think it fits. It scares me, the lengths she’s gone to already. I can’t help but worry about what she’s going to do next. She’s already tried to kill you three times, and before she left, she threatened Min-su-ya and Jong-in-a. She wants to take everyone I love from me.”
“I won’t let that happen,” Ki-tae promised. “She has no idea what she’s taken on with her attack.”
“She is insane, Ki-tae. It isn’t going to matter what you are. She wants you dead.”
“I’ve lived almost three hundred years, Jin-woo, and I’ve encountered people who wanted to kill me before. Now that I’ve found you, there is no way in hell I’m going to let anyone take you from me or me from you.”
“Do you think it’s a good idea? This press conference ChenBao-nim and Soon-joon-nim want to hold?”
“I think so,” Ki-tae said as he pulled Jin-woo into his lap and held him close. “It has always been company policy to face these types of things head-on.”
“Bam Kiseu has never been under this kind of scrutiny before. While the fans love it when you guys do the Pocky thing, they’ve never indulged in rumors about your orientation,” Jin-woo said. “I hoped—a lot—but it was never really in question before.”
“Are you glad you were right?”
“Very much so.” Jin-woo smiled. “Things here are better than other places in the world, but still not great. A lot of the fans may not stick around, hating the idea that you and I are together, or that HanYin and Jong-in are together.”
“Then they’re not the type of fans I want,” Ki-tae said. “I love the people who listen to our music, who get it, and who are moved by it. I like knowing our music can help people through tough times, but I’m not living my life for them. I’m not letting other people dictate who I will and will not love.”
“I was blessed that day.”
“No, it is you who are truly a gift to me,” Ki-tae said as he leaned down and then claimed Jin-woo’s mouth in a slow, sensual kiss. Jin-woo whimpered softly, pushing his fingers into Ki-tae’s hair. After a few moments, he pulled back, just a little, to breathe. “I love you, Jin-woo.”
“I love you too, Ki-tae.”
“Dammit, you two!” Min-su said with a sniffle, accepting the tissue Cheongul handed her. “Why do you have to be so damned adorable and sweet and romantic? Now I’m crying! Oh, I want to smack you both! I hate to cry!”
“You have your own, so go away,” Jin-woo said, winking at Cheongul’s raised eyebrow.
“Yes, but you two are like watching a drama while he is like being in an epic tale,” Min-su said.
“I don’t know if I’m being insulted or complimented,” Cheongul muttered.
“Be complimented. There is nothing she enjoys more than epic tales.” Jin-woo laughed.
The time came for everyone to go about their day. Hyun-jo had been on the phone since after breakfast, making the arrangements for the press conference, getting updates from the media teams. Qīngróu had flitted in and out, carrying reports and messages between the house and the office. Shin-bai remained with them yet still communicated with the security teams, keeping Hyun-jo informed as things came in. It amazed Jin-woo to see them like this. While he had seen them working before, there was always this air of casualness about them. They weren’t as intimidating as they were right now. All pretenses were gone.
Jin-woo’s phone rang, startling him from his thoughts. Without looking at it, he answered.
“Yeoboseyo?”
“Cheong Jin-woo dongsaeng?” He didn’t recognize the voice, and a shiver of dread went up his spine.
“Yes.”
“I am Lee Tae-hwa, secretary to the Jeonjin University Board,” she said, her tone cool and just this side of polite. “They request that you come to the campus immediately.”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t do that right now,” Jin-woo said, trying to keep the tremor from his voice. “I will be happy to arrange a meeting for a later time, but I cannot shirk my responsibilities to BL Entertainment.”
“Dongsaeng, this meeting directly concerns your academic career. Which do you feel is more important?” she asked.
“My position at BL Entertainment also directly concerns my academic career,” Jin-woo said, throwing her words back. “What kind of precedent would I be setting if I left my internship with little to no notice? I will confer with my on-site mentor and arrange for some time to attend the meeting, but it is not possible today. As I’m sure you’re aware, a tragic event took place at the Bam Kiseu concert last night. If you would provide me with a phone number, I will contact you when I am available.”
“I will speak with the board, dongsaeng,” she said. “You may reach me at this number. I suggest you make these arrangements as soon as possible.”
“I will take that under advisement,” he said before disconnecting the phone call. He let out a sigh. That’s when he felt it. Looking up, Jin-woo noticed everyone was staring at him. Well, everyone except Min-su and Jong-in. “What?”
Cheongul and HanYin walked up to stand next to Ki-tae. They threw their arms around his shoulders, still looking at Jin-woo. Then they turned to Ki-tae and said, “Keep him.”
“It seems behind that sweet face is a backbone of steel.” ChenBao smiled.
“You have no idea.” Min-su snorted.
“We knew something like this was going to happen. However, I question the timing,” Soon-joon said. “It should have taken at least a day or two before the university responded.”
“More than likely the photos and videos were sent to the board directly at the same time as or shortly after the initial upload,” Hyun-jo said. “This meeting was arranged within the last few hours.”
“Regardless, I’m not going to let them shove me around like the schoolyard bully,” Jin-woo said.
“Hyun-jo, you will accompany Jin-woo-ya and Jong-in-a to the university. Take our best men. Make sure nothing happens to them,” Soon-joon said. “Shin-bai hubae will go with them as well. Ensure the best possible outcome.”
“I will do my best,” Hyun-jo said with a bow.
“The boys and I will head to the offices and confer with the media teams, see where things are at and what the majority opinion is,” Soon-joon said. “We also need to keep in mind Mei is still a threat. We don’t know who her next target will be.”
“She’ll go after Ki-tae,” Jin-woo said quietly. “Once she knows he wasn’t killed by the truss, she’ll go after him again.”
“What makes you say that?” ChenBao said.
“Min-su-ya and Jong-in-a were like an afterthought to her. It was as if she didn’t see them until Ki-tae was out of the way. She didn’t even want to hear his name, she hates him that much. Once it’s made clear he survived, I think she’ll lose what little sanity she has left. She sees him as an obstacle to me, the biggest obstacle, but not irremovable.”
Cheongul snorted before putting Ki-tae in a headlock. “Clearly she has no idea how stubborn this little baka can be!”
“Leave off,” Ki-tae grumbled, slipping out of the hold and smacking Cheongul in the head. “I’m not that bad.”
“Yes, you are,” HanYin said. “He once didn’t speak to me for a solid month because I didn’t make the steamed dumplings I’d promised. A whole month.”
Befor
e Ki-tae could respond, Jong-in came into the room. The devastation on his face had HanYin by his side before anyone could draw breath to ask what was wrong.
“Jong-in-a?” Jin-woo said softly. “What happened?”
“I….” He started to speak, but it was clearly difficult for him. The tears flowed down his cheeks. “My little sister… she called…. She wanted to warn me. I’m…. They’re forbidden to talk to me or of me. I’m never allowed to see them again. She said Stepfather was furious. He… he saw footage of the concert.”
HanYin pulled Jong-in into his arms. Jin-woo was across the room, hugging them both in seconds. “We’re not going to let this go. They’re your family.”
“She said Eomeoni has been crying all morning, that he railed at her, saying it was her fault I was this way, that she should have known and drowned me at birth so I wouldn’t be an embarrassment to him.”
“Pardon my language, but…. No, don’t pardon it,” Min-su said. “That man is an asshole.”
“This will not stand,” Hyun-jo said, drawing all eyes to him. Energy flared in the room, whipping his long white hair back and forth almost as fast as his tails were moving. “He will not be allowed to take your family from you. I will not allow it.”
“Easy, Saiai,” Soon-joon said as he pulled Hyun-jo to him. “We will—”
“No,” Hyun-jo said. “I will handle this with Jong-in-a.”
“We can’t do anything,” Jong-in said.
“Do not underestimate me, Sukoshi kitto,” Hyun-jo said. “We will take care of the university first, your family situation second. It will be all right.”
Later, when they were climbing into the cars to leave, a bicycle courier pulled in and handed Soon-joon a package. Without looking at the contents, he handed it to Hyun-jo with a smile and a kiss. Then he got into the car with Ki-tae and the others. Hyun-jo joined them, a smirk on his face as he looked at the package before opening it and sliding several envelopes into his briefcase.
“I’m pretty sure if I asked what’s in the envelopes, you’d tell me I’ll find out soon enough,” Jin-woo said, his arm around Jong-in’s shoulders.
“You would be correct.”
“I don’t know who is more close-lipped, you or Jong-in-a.” Jin-woo chuckled.
“I have had more practice, but it is a Kitsune trait. We do not reveal our tricks until the time is right.”
“I am not looking forward to this,” Jin-woo said. “I’m not even sure why they’re holding this meeting. It’s not as if I’m an authority figure or anything.”
“It is the idea that the university would allow such a student to attend. While under Article Thirty-one of the Human Rights Committee Law, such discrimination isn’t permitted, there is very little in the way of legal reinforcement of that article, or really any protections,” Hyun-jo said. “There is a chance they may expel you both. However, it is more likely they will either ask you to quietly transfer or withdraw.”
“They’re going to have to kick me out,” Jong-in said quietly. “I worked too hard for this.”
“You and me both,” Jin-woo said.
Hyun-jo said, “Progress comes from people taking a stand against such bigotry.”
All too soon, it seemed, they arrived at Jeonjin University. Several men and two women met them at the front doors to the main building. The older woman, probably late forties, early fifties in age and dressed in a severe black pantsuit, stepped forward.
“Cheong Jin-woo dongsaeng, Bak Jong-in dongsaeng, I am Lee Tae-hwa. You will follow me, please,” she said. As they all stepped forward, she stopped. “Only Cheong Jin-woo dongsaeng and Bak Jong-in dongsaeng may attend this meeting.”
“Oh, I don’t think so.” Hyun-jo smiled pleasantly. “Huijang-nim has assigned me as advocate for both Cheong Jin-woo dongsaeng and Bak Jong-in dongsaeng. I am here to act in their best interests, as well as those of BL Entertainment.”
“I do not see how this affects your company,” she said.
“You are not required to see. Your role is to escort us to the meeting, as per your employer’s instructions. If you insist on preventing not only myself but their security team as well, we will simply depart. Then your employer can explain your reasoning to Huijang-nim. I’m sure it will be an interesting conversation.” Hyun-jo smiled.
Jin-woo had to turn away before he burst out laughing. Miss Lee’s eyes got so wide he thought they were going to pop right out of her head. Apparently ChenBao had quite the reputation. How had he never heard of it? Jong-in elbowed him, and the small smile on his friend’s face told him Jong-in was enjoying this as much as he was. Hyun-jo’s tone was perfectly even and pleasant. Even his eyes didn’t hint at the anger he’d displayed not a few hours ago.
Miss Lee turned on her heel and led the way into the building. Hyun-jo looked at them and winked before following her. Jin-woo and Jong-in looked at each other and let out their laugh but quietly.
Thirty minutes later, Jin-woo understood why Soon-joon sent Hyun-jo when he wanted something done quickly, efficiently, and to the best possible outcome. He was terrifying in his ability to control the direction of the meeting and the people in it. He and Jong-in barely had to say anything, which was a good thing because Jin-woo’s nervousness was making his throat dry. As much as he wouldn’t back down before this kind of treatment, he was still worried it wouldn’t go their way.
“We simply cannot allow such a disruption to the education of our students,” the chairman insisted.
“Yet you actively seek the disruption to the education of two of your students?” Hyun-jo said. “Does that not strike you as the least bit hypocritical? The issue in question has no bearing on anyone save the individuals involved. Should there be a disruption, it would not be a result of Jin-woo dongsaeng’s or Jong-in dongsaeng’s actions. They have been attending your university for the last three years, and there has never been an issue. Your… concern is disproportionate to the precedent set by both men.”
“Still….”
Hyun-jo sighed. “I had hoped it would not come to this. However, it seems you will leave me with no choice.”
Shin-bai stepped forward and took the envelopes. He handed one to each member of the board, and the last two he placed before Jin-woo and Jong-in.
“What is this?” the chairman demanded.
Hyun-jo simply smiled.
They tore into the envelopes. As they read, their eyes grew wider and wider. Some of them gaped, opening and closing their mouths like fish on land.
“Both men refuse to transfer or withdraw. Therefore you will be forced to expel them should you wish to engage in such discriminatory practices. Upon their expulsion, BL Entertainment and its subsidiaries, many of them sponsors of your university, will cease all funding and support of Jeonjin University. Any and all grants, endowments, scholarships, and future contributions will be terminated. All fund-raising activities will end. Our company will not have dealings with individuals and or entities which engage in actions that are discriminatory, in direct conflict with our company’s mission statement. We will not support bigotry. We will not do business with an educational entity that displays disregard for their students. We will not associate with a university or business that actively seeks to persecute an individual for their sexual orientation, that places its reputation above its role of nurturing and educating the future of Korea. Furthermore, Huijang-nim is considering filing suit against Jeonjin University for discrimination based on sexual orientation. However, she is not an unreasonable woman. You have forty-eight hours to make your decision. Good day to you.”
“Wait,” the chairman said. “What about their envelopes?”
Jin-woo opened his. As he read it, he almost fell over.
“These are formal employment contracts with BL Entertainment. Jin-woo dongsaeng and Jong-in dongsaeng have displayed exemplary skill, natural talent, and a willingness to work hard. They have been model employees, much as they have been model students, with a curious nature and an easy
personality. They have made many friends at BL Entertainment. They are part of our family now, and we do not abandon our family,” Hyun-jo said. “Good day to you, gentlemen.”
He walked out of the room. Jin-woo and Jong-in could only follow, completely flummoxed, and Shin-bai followed with a smile on his face.
“Welcome to the family,” he said quietly.
Jin-woo couldn’t even formulate the words to show his appreciation. Of all the possible outcomes, he had never considered this. He didn’t know why, but he hadn’t. It had been his dream to work for BLE, but he thought the fulfillment of that dream was further off. He wasn’t sure how he should react. Honestly, as he climbed into the car, Jin-woo realized there was only one question he really needed to ask.
“When do these contracts become effective?”
“Optimally upon your graduation. However, given the current situation, if they choose to court ChenBao-nim’s wrath, upon your expulsion,” Hyun-jo said.
“Who drafted this?” Jong-in asked softly.
“ChenBao-nim.”
“But,” Jong-in said, “she hardly knows us. We haven’t been with the company long enough.”
“She’s a Dragon.” Jin-woo snorted. “I’m pretty sure she sees more than most people in less time.”
“Again you would be correct,” Hyun-jo said. “ChenBao-nim is thousands of years old. She has had many years to fine-tune her abilities.”
“That document, though, it seems so harsh,” Jong-in said.
“You will find ChenBao-nim can be merciless when she feels the situation calls for it,” Hyun-jo said. “She will do whatever she feels necessary to protect her family, and she has no problem getting her fangs bloody in the process.”
“Remind me never to make her angry,” Jin-woo said.
“Same here,” Jong-in said, and then he gave a small smile. “Yet it’s hard to reconcile that image of her with the lady in the panda PJs from this morning.”
Night Kiss Page 51