Just Business And Pleasure - A Jumin Han Fanfic

Chapter Two

Jumin POV

Jumin stood, pulling her out of this man's hold and into his side. His arm wrapped around her back, and his hand went to her cheek, holding her against him. Nari was with him, and no one would get in the way of that. The stranger's arm fell to his side and he glanced at Jumin, his eyes flicking between all the security guards. Jumin glanced at his chief of security. Words weren't needed. Jumin lowered his gaze to Nari against his chest, she gripped his jacket. He kissed the top of her head, and led Nari back to her seat, but she remained unfocused.

"Do you want us to go?"

She glanced up at him. "No, it's fine, I just--it just threw me for a moment."

Her hand shook, and rather than say anything, he reached out and covered her hand with his own. She smiled a little and held his hand back. This was the most affectionate five minutes they'd ever had. He blamed it on the wine.

"You know, I was actually looking forward to this dinner." There was a bitterness to her smile. "This takes me out of how messed up my life is right now, and makes me feel almost normal, if you ignore the cameras waiting outside."

He felt the same, not that he would ever admit it, not even to himself, it was a fleeting relief which should be buried.

"This whole mess with this guy has just completely thrown me."

Jumin caught her gaze.

"He actually looks like me." She ran her free hand through her hair and then leaned back again, taking her wine. "It's been one hell of a day."

His chief security officer returned without a word. Good.

"Then what will make it better?"

"An uneventful dinner."

"He's already been removed from the premises, and until further notice you will be taking my top security team with you."

She remained quiet for a moment, and Jumin thought she might object. Nari liked to live a normal life, she never took security with her. Anywhere. He wouldn't give her an option. Instead, she rubbed her thumb over his hand. "Thank you."

"It's my..." He was going to say it was his duty. He was her fiancé, it wouldn't look good on him if anything happened to her, but that wasn't why he was doing it. "Pleasure."

"So tell me, other than my problems becoming your problems, how has your week been?"

Jumin was sure she didn't really want to know, but he talked anyway. He talked about the meetings he had, the business deals he'd made, the lunch with his father, a separate lunch with V, and he even found himself complaining about their comments on the messenger. He referred to them as his friends. Maybe he should slow down on the wine. Nari made all the right noises, and asked all the right questions enough so that if Jumin didn't know their situation he might be fooled into believing she cared.

"If you're having problems with your translator, I could always help."

Nari was multilingual, it wasn't news to him, but the way she offered, so casually, as if it wouldn't put her out, that he didn't know how to respond. Maybe she really did care.

"You're busy."

"And so are you. You don't have the time to waste finding someone competent."

Working with Nari. The thought lingered. He'd always known she'd be a brilliant asset. It was why he'd always been so wary of her. She was far too intelligent for her own good. Then why was he hesitating?

Because Nari was a distraction to him, one that he could only control in small doses.

"If it becomes a problem, I'll call you."

She nodded and linked her fingers through his. When had they started holding hands again?

"That man, who was he?"

She called over a waiter to fill her wine glass and clear their plates. The restaurant had emptied around them, only waiting staff and his bodyguards remained, although he was sure there was still paparazzi outside. Had he really been talking to her for that long?

"You didn't read the letter?"

Jumin shook his head no. "Did you want me to?"

"I don't know." She looked down. "My mother said my father died after I was born, which is what happened, but Duri has always insisted that his father was out of the picture long before I was born. There's no reason for me not to believe Mum, but for most of my life, all I can remember is Duri and Mum arguing about her pushing his father out of his life. Why would she entertain those arguments if he was lying to me?"

"So you have different fathers?"

"That's what Duri says." She took another sip of wine. "And this man apparently."

"What did the letter say?"

"That my mother never told him about me. That's he's been trying to get in touch with me for years and she's been keeping him away. That he just wanted me to know that he loves me. It almost sounds like it's straight from Duri's mouth, like a repeat of what happened between him and his dad."

"What do you believe?"

"I don't know. " She sighed. "He actually looked like me, like really looked like me. But what would she gain from lying?"

"And how do you feel about it all?"

"Like I haven't had enough wine." She smiled and set down her empty glass. "Or maybe I've had too much."

It was true, between the two of them they'd managed to get through several bottles. Then again, he could easily get through that on his own.

She sighed again, stealing his attention. "I should go, it's getting late and I'm sure we both have an early morning."

But she didn't move. And neither did he.

"Mr. Han, the car is ready."

Jumin sighed and stood, holding out his arm for Nari. The team which he surrounded himself with had been with him for years now. He trusted that he paid them enough to remain loyal, but sometimes, they were too good at their jobs. She stood, linking her arm through his, and he walked her to his car.

"Kim will take you home." He pointed out which security would go with her too, and told her to call him if anything happened, any time of day, he'd be available for her.

"Thank you, Jumin." She reached up and kissed his cheek, as she always did, and turned to get in the car, or at least she tried, but Jumin found himself grabbing her hand and pulling her back to him as he pressed his lips against hers.