Page 143 of A World Apart
“I’m so happy to see you,” I leaned into him, inhaling deeply, just content to be in the circle of his strong arms.
“Me too. I have to fly back tonight.” He leaned his chin on my head as his arms tightened around me.
“Sosoon?” I grumbled.
“Yes. I wanted to ask if you’d come to my hotel tonight. Our flight isn’t until late.” He pulled back enough that he could look at me, his eyes crinkled at the side, a very slight blush on his cheekbones. When would the novelty wear off, I thought. I kind of hoped never.
“Are you asking me to sleep with you, Baek Jihoon?” I replied, scandalised.
“Yes.”
I laughed and ran my hands up his chest, delighting in the feel of his firm muscles, before I looped my arms around his neck, pulling him down for a kiss.
“I would be delighted to,” I murmured against his lips a moment before he claimed my mouth with his.
“What the hell is going on in here?”
I tore my mouth from Jihoon’s and leapt away from him like I’d been burnt.
Celine stood in the open doorway, one hand on her chest like she was having a heart attack. Beside her stood Trevor Kyle, and he was grinning from ear to ear.
“I’m sorry, are we interrupting something?” Trevor Kyle somehow made the question sound like an indictment.
Celine pointed at me, her long, red fingernail that she’d claimed only an hour ago was ‘festive,’ now might as well have been tipped in blood.
“You,” she seethed, “out, now.”
“Ky-” Jihoon reached for me, but I shrugged him off.
“It’s okay, I’ll call you later.” I tried to give him a reassuring smile, but I felt the way it trembled; I was quite sure it wouldn’t reassure anyone.
I had to move past Celine and Trevor Kyle to exit, but while Celine jumped out of my way as though I was contagious, Trevor Kyle didn’t move an inch, forcing me to squeeze past him. Every point of contact filled me with revulsion. Once out the door, I saw Youngsoo heading towards the conference room, his face set in a mask of professional anger, the way his mouth pinched told me he knew what had occurred, which only begged the question, how did anyone at all know?
He glanced at me briefly as he passed, sparing me no expression or word, only heading into that conference room with the purpose I imagined he’d been hired as a manager for. The door closed and I didn’t dare linger.
I headed towards Jeremy’s office with a strange kind of detachment. A sort of certainty that made me almost giddy as the adrenaline pumped through me.
I didn’t bother knocking.
“The shit is about to hit the fan, boss,” I said by way of greeting.
To his credit, Jeremy only looked up at me and frowned. “Tell me.”
Internally shrugging, I said, “Celine and TK just caught me kissing an idol in the conference room.” No point beating around the bush.
Jeremy blinked. Once, twice, a third time before he put his head down on his desk with a thump. “For fuck’s saaaaaaaaaake.”
I laughed, only a slight edge of hysteria to the sound.
“They FIRED you!?” Becka screeched, and I winched.
“Becka chill,” I slid a glass of wine across the countertop to her. I was already on my second one.
“CHILL!?” she screeched again as she snatched the glass of red, taking a gulp I would have choked on, for sure.
Coming up for air, she panted as she said, “How are you so calm? What the fuck are you gonna do? They FIRED you!”
“Technically, I resigned.” I held up my hand to pause Becka’s oncoming barrage. “Drink your wine and I’ll tell you all about it,” I soothed.
