Page 18 of Damian & Jun: Episodes 5-8
“It’s not worth the effort,” Damian said. “He wants me angry.”
Fine, but only because Damian was asking.
“Let’s go.” Jun grabbed Damian’s hand. “I think I know why you left this place.” He waved toward the SUV. It rolled forward, and Jun pulled open the door. Cedric was staying on alert.
“I’m not running away,” Damian said through clenched teeth.
“No, you’re taking me out of here before I rearrange another old man’s face. I think the legal limit is one a week.”
Cedric choked out a laugh. “He has you there, boss.”
Damian groaned, letting the door shut. “Fine. Then let’s go shopping. I need something to get this out of my head.”
Jun leaned over the seat rest and pressed his lips against Damian’s jaw. “I can do that.”
“Where’s a partition when you need it?” Cedric complained. “Feel up your man when I’m not contractually obligated to watch.”
Damian burst out laughing.
Jun sank back into his seat but grabbed Damian’s hand. He squeezed it. “Guess neither of us is good enough for where we come from.”
Damian squeezed his hand back. “I’m pretty sure the hundreds of thousands of your fans disagree.”
Jun forced himself to smile a little, but his thoughts were faraway. “I think this is in the Christian bible. One time I went to church with Bak and the pastor was preaching on it, that a prophet is respected everywhere but his hometown.”
“Crabs in a barrel,” Damian whispered.
It made no sense, but Damian looked too pensive and sad for Jun to bother him. But he had a phone now.
He pulled it out and typed the phrase into his search engine. A video and essay later, he had to agree; it was a phrase that fit some people he’d met in his life. Thankfully, not all. Not his brothers in 5N, not Gigi. Not Damian.
Damian
Damian jumped out of the SUV as soon as Cedric gave the all-clear signal. It was time to get Jun wearing something more exciting than color-block sweaters. They had driven north to the Magnificent Mile, the most upscale shopping district in the city. The SUV would stay on standby in a nearby garage with their driver, but the area was completely walkable. If not for the security implications, Damian would have sent the SUV home, but one could never discount the usefulness of a mobile enclosed space when dealing with reporters or threats.
Who knew how far Bak would go? Damian hadn’t just gotten Jun fully into his life and into his bed just to lose him again.
Jun craned his head back, looking up at the towers and billboards surrounding them. Curiosity was a good look on him.
Damian reached for his hand. “I’ve waited for this for years.”
“This?” Jun raised an eyebrow.
Damian squeezed Jun’s fingers. “Being out in public with you. Going shopping. Normal life.”
Jun’s eyes brightened. He leaned inward, his weight pressing against Damian’s chest. “I wish I could say the same.”
“I dreamed for both of us. You were busy surviving.” Damian touched the dark marks on Jun’s face.
“Seeing you at all was the dream.”
Damian wrapped Jun’s hand in both of his. “I have a place to show you.”
He led Jun into the indoor shopping tower and directly to the elevators. They could come back and look at some of the clothing shops. This was one mission that had to be completed first.
The toy shop was everything Damian remembered—displays packed with action figures, Lego sets, dolls, and stuffed animals.
Jun gave Damian a look. “I thought we were shopping.”
