⬆️ Featured soundtrack.
The car ride was quiet as they drove to the St. Regis Hotel. Laura kept her eyes fixed on the window, too nervous to look at Ji Hoon.
"Ah, this car is seriously cool. It's a good thing you gave Felix the day off; otherwise I wouldn't have been able to drive it." Ji Hoon said to make conversation. He was driving an Aston Martin Rapid S, the car Laura had picked out earlier that afternoon. She had wanted to buy a new car anyway, being driven around by a chauffeur was too tedious rather excessive in the attention grabbing sector. But when her stepfather heard about it, he insisted she go to a showroom of his choice and pick a car out.
"Everything in here costs six figures..." Ji Hoon muttered as they browsed through the cars.
"That's my stepfather for you." Laura said wearily. "I'll try to pick the most ordinary looking car."
"Wait, since the category is so good, might as well get the car with the best specs." Ji Hoon suggested.
"But I don't know anything about cars."
"Then leave it to me." Ji Hoon said with a wink.
"Ah welcome, welcome, Miss Talavera. I hope you like the selection of cars I picked out for you. Feel free to touch them." the showroom manager guzzled as he came near. Ji Hoon instinctively stepped in front of Laura with a subtle motion, shielding her with his body.
"Thank you Mr. – Alonzo." Laura said, reading his name tag. "We'll just browse for a while." She turned to Ji Hoon.
"Any ideas?" she asked. Ji Hoon guided her in front of him while studying the cars.
V12 has better acceleration than a V8... a torque of three thousand minimum is necessary... needs a minimum of two hundred mph... four doors is safer though, comfort in mind... Ji Hoon calculated in his mind. He stopped in front of a black sedan.
"This looks decent." He said. Laura raised an eyebrow. Was he really picking a car that simply looked good?
"Yes yes, the Aston Martin Rapid S. good choice. Top in comfort, good for speed and very smooth for a couple going on long journeys or dates." Mr. Alonzo said, rubbing his hands. Laura coughed.
"Then it's perfect for us." Ji Hoon said with a smile. Laura turned to whisper to him as Mr. Alonzo moved away to bring the paperwork.
"Any reason you want me to play along?" she asked.
"The less people know I'm your bodyguard the better." He said. He volunteered no more on the subject so she kept quiet, nodding silently as Mr. Alonzo praised them as a lovely couple.
"You're the one who suggested it..." Laura muttered in the car later that night.
"It was a good investment. If we ever need a quick getaway, this thing can make it." Ji Hoon said. Laura turned to him sharply, her thoughts refocusing.
"Is that why you picked it?" she asked on a graver note. "In case I'm in danger?"
"With Armormax bulletproof glass, this car is perfect." Ji Hoon continued. Laura sighed. She had liked the sleek black car for how it looked at first; now she just felt like another part of her life was getting wrapped around her safety.
"We're here." Ji Hoon said, stopping in the valet parking area. "You're sure you're okay with this?" Laura knew he was talking about them pretending to be a couple. She raised her head and took a deep breath.
"If you are." she said. She squeezed her purse to relieve her nervousness as she nodded.
The party hall was exquisitely decked in gold and midnight blue with metallic colored balloons and glittering drapes lit by spotlights. Laura got an inkling why her stepfather sent the blue dress – she would have been a perfect match with the decoration. She shrugged glad she didn't wear it.
"Are you cold?" Ji Hoon asked, feeling her shudder.
"No, I'm fine." She replied. "I should probably find my stepfather –"
"Miss Laura." Andrew appeared in front of them. He looked at her dress.
"You didn't wear the blue dress? Not that you don't look lovely but..." Andrew trailed off muttering something inaudible.
"Andrew, I'm glad you're here. I was just looking for my stepfather." Laura said. Andrew looked apologetic.
"I'm sorry Miss Laura, he couldn't attend. He's rather busy at the moment because of the renovation project and he's still not up to a social gathering since he collapsed a few weeks ago." He said. "But he sends his regards and hopes you will enjoy the party. He made sure it was thoroughly secure and even banned photography since it's a private event."
"Okay." Laura said her shoulders slumping.
"I only dropped by to give my regards, I must return to Mr. Talavera. Many happy returns, Miss Laura." Andrew said and bowed out. Laura immediately turned away to the buffet table, Ji Hoon trailing behind her.
"I'm sorry." Ji Hoon said softly over the music. Laura spoke without turning to him.
"Pathetic, aren't I? Anyone would think so. I'm at a party full of people I barely know, my mom's in Australia and my stepfather didn't even bother to show up at the party he threw for me." she squeezed the table cloth.
"What's so great about being an heiress? I can't even be around the people I love, my family, friends..." She said dejectedly. Ji Hoon reached out for her hand.
"I know I might not be any of those, but I'm here for you. If you need a friend, you have me. I promise." He said. She looked up at him with a teary-eyed smile.
"Thank you, Ji Hoon." She said.
"And I don't think you're pathetic. I think you're brave and strong. Not to mention beautiful." Ji Hoon said, matching her smile. Laura patted his arm.
"You sure know how to flatter someone." She said.
"I mean it." Ji Hoon said with intense eyes. Laura was captivated by them for a moment before turning back to the food for a distraction.
"I'm so hungry. I need some meat canapés real bad." She said scanning through the hors d'oeuvres. Ji Hoon quickly assembled a plateful for her.
"For the lady." He said with a flourish. She laughed.
"Why thank you kind sir." She said. She let him put one in her mouth and savored the taste.
"Oh that's good meat." She said. Ji Hoon smiled to himself. Another thing we have in common – being gogi lovers, he thought.
"There's cake too. Wanna sneak a taste in before the main cutting ceremony?" Ji Hoon asked, indicating the large white and gold cake with the gilt covered numbers 'twenty two' on top.
"Think anyone will notice?" Laura said with a mischievous sparkle in her eyes.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't the birthday girl herself." Luke Wetmore's creamy voice interrupted them. Laura turned to him and paled. Ji Hoon shook his head.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. The security in this place is so weak; they even let dogs in." he said with a look of disgust at Luke. Luke clenched his fingers in his coat pockets.
"I see you're still carrying a dead weight for a fiancé, Laura." He said glaring at Ji Hoon. Ji Hoon merely laughed instead of getting offended.
"Ah, I've been promoted to fiancé. Fantastic. Up until a minute ago, I was just the boyfriend living with her. Now we're unofficially serious." He said with cavalier superiority. Luke nearly choked in frustration.
"What are you doing here? I thought my father was investigating you." Laura said with a hard stare.
"You don't think a reputable wealthy family like mine had anything to do with your accident, do you? The police let us off when they found no evidence to support the fact." Luke said.
"But my father would never –"
"Didn't you know? My father's working closely with your father on the new project. He persuaded him in two minutes that I'm the right guy for you. So as soon as you explain why you're keeping a dead weight for a boyfriend and dump him, I'll be waiting." Luke said with a devious smirk. Laura gritted her teeth.
"I don't have to explain anything to you. Come on Ji Hoon." She said pulling him away. She looked for a private spot where Luke wouldn't find her. Ji Hoon seemed to sense her thoughts and took control.
"Follow me." he said, leading her out of the hall. They went round the back of the hotel where the swimming pool was. Laura calmed down at the still sight of the blue lit up waters.
"Better?" Ji Hoon asked. She nodded.
"I needed to get away before I strangled him." she said. Ji Hoon snorted in laughter trying to imagine that.
"I would've done that for you if you asked. But it is your birthday and that would've made an unpleasant memory. Instead, how about a dance?" he asked, holding out his hand. Laura looked at his hand and then his eyes before slipping her hand into his. They swayed slowly in the shimmering blue light of the pool, the music drifting from the hall sufficient to keep beat.
"This is nice." Laura said, leaning in closer. He pulled her close, his arm gently taut around her waist.
"Let me know if I'm hurting you." he said. Laura looked into his eyes.
"You're not hurting me." she said softly. Truthfully, she had been anxious about being asked to dance by someone at the party because of her still healing ribs. But in Ji Hoon's arms, she felt safe, comfortable.
"You really are beautiful, Laura. I can see why rich bachelors are lining up to meet you." Ji Hoon said, forgetting himself for a moment.
"I don't want to meet any of them." Laura said without lifting her head from his chest.
"How will you find someone to love if you don't?" Ji Hoon asked, a lump forming in his throat. He wondered why he cared to ask her such a question. It wasn't his place nor was it like him. Still, it was a curiosity he had to satisfy.
"I'm sure he'll come to me... when I need him most." She said with soft glowing eyes on him. Ji Hoon gazed into her face for a long moment, an unreadable expression on his face. Inside the music faded to a stop and the murmur of chatter became louder.
"We should get back, right? I can't be missing from my own party." Laura said, slipping out of his grasp. They walked back in silence. The sound of chatter reached their ears.
"Did you see them together?"
"It's unbelievable. She's actually dating some asian guy."
"But you gotta admit – he's pretty hot."
"Smokin' handsome in that tux. But Wetmore's worth millions!"
"Exactly! I can't believe she dumped Wetmore for him!"
"Do you think it's real though? I heard she was desperate to get out of an engagement with Luke."
"What are you saying?"
"She might have hired him to stand in as a fake boyfriend." Laura paled as she heard the sharp gossip drift from the party hall. She looked at Ji Hoon.
"I think we should go." She said, her hands shaking. Ji Hoon steadied them with his firm grasp.
"And let them speculate even more? No. I can't allow that." Ji Hoon said with rigid inflexibility.
"But I can't face them now. Those people –"
"I'm supposed to protect you Laura. Not just physically. I'm not gonna stand by and watch this. Not when I can fix it." he paused. "I just need one thing from you."
"What?"
"Do you trust me?" Ji Hoon's sincere expression made her waver.
"Yes, with my life." She said.
"Then trust me now even if you don't understand, even if you might not like it." Ji Hoon said. She nodded. He led her through the throng straight to the dance floor.
"Trust me." he whispered to her as he started to dance with her. They were the only couple on the floor and everyone caught sight of them and began to watch, still murmuring among themselves.
"It's them..."
"She does look good with him though..." Laura heard them and whispered to Ji Hoon.
"Everybody's staring."
"That's exactly what I was going for." Ji Hoon said.
"Why?" Laura asked. Ji Hoon studied her eyes for a moment.
"Trust me, Laura." He said. He stopped swaying but he didn't let go of her. His right hand came up behind her neck and tilted her head. He leaned in closing his eyes, his lips slowly touching hers as one would touch a flower's petals. Laura's eyes widened open, startled. Ji Hoon opened his mouth wider, his tongue touching the part between her lips. Involuntarily, she opened her mouth, letting him deepen the kiss. Her eyes closed and she forgot where she was. She forgot the crowd. She forgot the music. All she knew was that she was being kissed in a way she'd never been kissed before, with such tender gentleness and control. Their lips fused in one taste and she couldn't distinguish the taste of hers from his. She felt a hot and cold electric shock run through her body and instead of shunning it, she reveled in the feeling.
She had never been kissed like this. A couple of pecks in high school from a few boys who crushed on her were all she experienced. They had moved away and she never kept in contact with them. She remembered being kissed of course. But that was nowhere as potent as this. Like a star exploded in the sky above her raining stardust.
The feeling returned to her body and she felt Ji Hoon's hands cupping her neck with urgent need. The sounds of the crowd whooping and whistling rose in her ears. She opened her eyes and felt Ji Hoon withdraw his lips from her. He rested his forehead on hers breathing heavily through his mouth. His hands refused to let her head turn left or right, making her focus on him.
"Laura..." he whispered. His voice was different; it wasn't like he'd called her before, with formal respect. Her name now held emotion and secret depths she had never heard from his lips.