Page 50 of When Worlds Collide
Jihoon turned back to face me, immediately reaching for my hands. His face was pinched in an expression that was equally irritated and sheepish.
“I’m sorry, Kaiya,” he repeated. “I did not know they would come. Aish, those brats…” he shot a murderous glare over my shoulder and I giggled. I pulled my hand free of his to slap over my mouth as I continued to explode in uncontrollable bouts of mirth and disbelief. This was definitely the funniest fever dream I’d ever had.
Jihoon frowned as he watched me, like he wanted to laugh with me, but couldn’t remember how.
“Are you okay, jagiya?” his mouth pulled up in that lopsided grin that made me melt.
I took a couple of deep breaths, trying to steady myself enough to answer, the surreality of this moment sinking in enough to give me pause.
“Ace and Lee are in the living room,” I said through lips still trying desperately to grin.
He looked over my shoulder again before refocusing on me. “Yes.”
“Half of GVibes is here.”
His lips curved. “Technically, it’s 60%. There are five of us, funny girl.”
“Math is a social construct when I’ve got 60% of the most famous idol group hanging out in an apartment we’re borrowing from a K-Drama actor.” I reached for him, twining my fingers in his shirt and grounding myself in him.
He made a thoughtful sound before saying, “I don’t think we’re ‘the’ most famous group. Maybe third most famous.”
I lightly smacked him. “Can you not? I’m freaking out.”
“Why? They’re just my other members.” His eyebrows furrowed as he focused on me.
“They’re crazy famous-”
I couldn’t finish my sentence because suddenly, Jihoon’s hand was on the back of my neck, cupping me gently, his thumb stroking down my skin, and it was as if my entire nervous system was suddenly centred right there.
“Jagiya,” he slowly leaned into me until his breath ghosted over my lips. "I'm crazy famous, and you are mine, not theirs. If you want to get giddy over someone, get giddy over me.” He pressed the lightest of kisses to my lips before pulling back, removing his hand to slide it down into my palm, and gently squeezing my fingers as I took a deep breath, even as my cheeks heated. I looked up at him feeling suddenly anything but giddy; or maybe just a different kind.
“Keep looking at me like that, baby, and I will happily kick them out.” His voice promised sincerity, his already dark eyes seeming to grow shadows as he looked down at me. I opened my mouth – to say what, I’d never know, as just then –
“Jihoon-hyung!”
Jihoon rolled his eyes. “Can I introduce you? They probably won’t leave until I do.” This energy change was enough to give me whiplash; he was now looking at me sheepishly, like this was somehow his fault.
“It’s just weird,” I admitted. “I’m used to you. To me, they’re still famous people I don’t know.” I shrugged. “But yeah, ofcourse. I’d… love to meet them.” The nervous energy I still felt, like downing too many energy drinks in too short a time, was illogical, given my relationship with Jihoon, but I’d stopped seeing his celebrity status a long time ago – almost immediately, really.
I didn’t know Lee Sungmin, or Kim Seokmin, and I’d kind of forgotten that I was probably going to meet them all at some point. There was a part of me that had disassociated Jihoon from GVibes, from his ‘celebrity’, because the persona he had on stage was not the persona he had when standing in front of me.
He shrugged. “They’re just like me.” He looked thoughtful for a moment, cocking his head to the side. “Hmm, more annoying than me.”
A bark of laughter worked its way out of me, surprise and amusement that eased the knot of tension that had rolled down my spine.
“Okay, lets go meet your members.” I took a breath, and allowed Jihoon to pull me towards the living room, where indeterminable things were clattering.
“At least Minjae and Woojin had better manners not to come without an invitation,” he grumbled.
We turned the corner, and for a moment, all my brain could focus on was the Christmas tree. The evergreen was standing proudly upright, in a bright red pot, while two members of GVibes were crouched down, rummaging through a plastic tub on the floor.
“Yah!” Jihoon called, getting their attention, their oh-so-familiar, but completely new-to-me faces turning to look in our direction with expressions so innocent, so wide-eyed, I almost laughed. Jihoon said something to them, jabbing a finger in their direction. When they nodded, shooting curious looks in mydirection from where I was still stood mostly behind Jihoon, I quietly asked him what he’d said.
“I told them if they upset you, or were disrespectful, I’d beat them.”
Oh, was that all? I felt slightly faint.
“So, um, what’s going on?” I gestured to the tree, looking at the young men who were now standing and facing us. Lee wiped his hands on the back of his jeans before walking towards us like you might approach a scared animal, his steps hesitant. He stopped a few feet before Jihoon, who had pulled me slightly forward.
