A new kind of fear, unfamiliar and somehow wonderful, builds in my chest and I almost whimper, but manage to keep it in.
“I’m not valuable,” I insist, more for myself than for him. I can’t forget what I am, who I am. It will only lead to heartbreak.
But he doesn’t let it slide. Almost fondly, and yet also not, he purrs -“If you lie to me one more time, you’ll be holding soap in your mouth, young man.”
Chills race down my spine and I get rock hard in my pants, arousal hitting me like a bus on the street. I just fucking got derailed by it, completely thrown because since when am I into that kind of shit?!? But–
“You wouldn’t,” I manage, narrow-eyed and wondering if he actually would - wondering why the idea of him making me do that just to keep me from insulting myself is soooo fucking hot.
He smiles at me, and it’s not at all like the smile he gave me earlier. That one was amused, like it was his version of laughter. This one is hungry and smug and teasing. It’s sexy as fuck.
“Lie to me again, and find out.”
I rub my chin as the plane comes to a rapid stop before it gently taxis toward the loading area. I can still feel his handson me, holding me in place, making me listen. Making me pay attention when he told me I’m… valuable.
Whatever.
My adrenaline can’t make up it’s mind, and suddenly I’m sagging back into the sofa again for maybe the third time since Young-gi held me down and turned me the fuck on. Feeling myself get close to the edge like that jolted me like it always does, and my arousal locked down and soured into sadness and emptiness and anger. Just like when he touched me on the archery field, I couldn’t handle feeling that way.
But he’s still in the plane with me, trapped in this small space, and he won’t stopstaringat me. I can feel it, even though I’m not looking at him. And my body keeps trying to respond to his gaze, my imagination keeps replaying those moments he grabbed my chin and made me fucking listen, and my dick starts to get hard. And then I crash out again. Then it starts over.
It’s…
It’s exhausting. I’m exhausted.
The plane squeaks to a complete stop, and a gentle chime indicates that it’s safe for us to stand up and walk around. I watch through the window as stairs are rolled up to the plane by guys in overalls, and my ears pop as the door hisses open.
Kira stands with a stretch, groaning delicately. “Come on, Tommy. I can’t wait to show you my apartment. And Lexie told me she’ll meet us for brunch tomorrow morning as soon as her family’s plane lands and she can call for a ride. Don’t worry, I’ll smooth things over between you two, she really likes you. She just got startled, that’s all.”
Nodding, I follow her, feeling meek and shellshocked and a little skittish. I flinch as Young-gi looms behind me, and we all descend the stairs in a line. My neck and back tingle like I can feel him breathing.
Kira leads me around the back of the plane, and I tiredly blink at two long, black town cars waiting for us. I’m so mentally and emotionally drained that I don’t understand what that means, until Kira turns to her uncle.
“Thanks, Uncle Young-gi,” she says shyly. “For everything. I’m sorry if I caused trouble for you. Are you staying in the city?”
Wait. Is this goodbye?
Goodbye?!
I spin and stare up at him, feeling like the rug just got ripped out from under me again. He pats her head just like he always does. “For now. Stay in touch, check-in regularly with my personnel. I’ll be in contact with the staff to get regular updates.”
“I will, I promise. I have to go back to class this week, I’ll be too busy to get into any trouble.”
And then their goodbyes are over, and Young-gi is looking at me. And he’s blank, blank as always, blank as ever, a wall of nothing and no hints to his feelings. He holds out a hand for me to shake, man to man I guess.
He’s about to tell me goodbye.
Fuck that shit.
He opens his mouth–
I turn my back on him and his hand, and climb into the car, leaving him talking to thin air. Fuck him. Goddamnfuckhim, and his shit about being valuable. I don’t need him or his bullshit.
Kira scrambles in after me, and I wrap my arm around her without thinking, pulling her to my side.
She squeaks out a surprised laugh as the driver in front of us rolls up the privacy partition and starts to drive away. “Tommy, you’re already playing the part of fiancé? We don’t need to pretend in private.”
I imagine Young-gi standing on the tarmac, watching my car leave and wishing he hadn’t just tried to say goodbye to me. But Iknow that it’s more likely that he’s already in his own car, on his phone, not even thinking about me anymore.
