Page 22 of Damian & Jun: Episodes 5-8
They met up with Richard and Émeric at Damian’s favorite Korean restaurant, situated on the eighth floor of a beautiful old tower with a view of the Loop. Like Damian and Jun, both dominants had dressed down for a casual night with family or as casual as Richard and Émeric let themselves be in the city, which meant they had given up their customary suits in favor of slacks and button-down shirts in blue and maroon, respectively. Richard wore a black waistcoat, and Émeric had added a light knit sweater.
Damian had made the reservations. The proprietor met him at the front, all smiles. One of the waiters came and showed them to a table in the back.
“No Collin?” Jun asked as he slipped out of shoes and stepped up on the bamboo floor surrounding the traditional low table.
Richard shook his head. “Alice and Ash asked him to come over tonight. I think they’re baking cookies for tomorrow.”
Jun sat, giving Damian a questioning look.
“If we’re in town, we usually have a New Year’s Eve party with Richard’s sister,” Damian translated.
“Ah.” Jun nodded. For a moment, he looked pensive, but then covered it up. “I should call the guys tomorrow.”
“You can call them tonight after dinner,” Damian suggested.
Jun nodded, the lines in his face smoothing out a little. The sudden ache of concern in Damian’s chest eased.
The waitress came back a few moments later with her pad to take their order. Damian started to rattle off their order, then paused. Jun also spoke Korean and would have opinions. He hadn’t thought of that.
“Are you good with this?”
Jun waved Damian off. “Order, please.”
The waitress stared at Jun, blushed crimson, and turned back to Damian. Her hand shook so hard as she wrote it was an even guess if anyone was going to be able to read it.
Jun went back to speaking with Émeric, asking about his work, clearly trying to give her space to collect herself.
Damian shared a look with Richard. There was something so right about seeing Jun interact with Émeric. For so long, Damian had been the third in the party, Richard’s pup and right-hand man, also with him and Émeric, but no one there just for him. That sense of singleness had only grown when Collin had joined Richard and then Richard and Émeric romantically. This felt balanced.
And heavy. So much more responsibility. Terrifying but good.
Richard gave Damian a smile and a nod. “How was the trip back to the neighborhood?”
“We ran into Doyle but made it through.”
“He’s not giving up, then.”
Damian snorted. “Did you think he would? Miss Jozie saw us. We had a good talk, and she gave me a lead on a woman who’s working to improve things. Would it be too much to ask Collin to come look at the place?”
Richard raised his eyebrows. “Thinking of doing something with the property?”
“Jun wants to shoot a music video there. He had a point.” Damian pressed his lips together. “It’s time. I can’t let the investment just sit for another year. Either I should do something with it or I should sell it.”
Richard nodded in approval.
“Not a church, though.” Damian's shoulders tensed just at the thought.
“Collin was reading about the concept of multiuse properties and twenty-four seven utility this morning. We were talking about train stations, but the concept can be transferred.”
Damian tilted his head to the side. “What’s an overnight use other than residencies and bars? Hm… Unless I turned it into a dungeon.”
Richard’s face split into a grin, and he looked away, stifling a chuckle.
“Not that I’m serious…”
“Franklin had a chapel replica in his house.”
“Oh.” Damian rolled the idea around in his mind. It had a certain vindictive poetry to it.
