Page 73 of Forge the Blade

“Alice and Ash are with Richard for the moment. Andres is helping me today,” Ellisandre said. “He’s been vetted, and he understands Korean.”

Jun looked good. Too good. He was taller than before. Taller than Rei was now. Of course he would be. He’d had eleven more years to finish growing. And even under the double layer of sweaters he was wearing, he’d filled out. It was one thing to see it on a screen, another to be standing in the same room with the changes.

“Helpful,” Jun said. He gave Rei a long look. Rei held himself perfectly still. There was nothing Jun could see that would identify him. Not even his eyes were showing. And it was cold enough no one would question if he kept bundled up and masked. Masking for health reasons was way more acceptable in South Korea than the United States. Jun wouldn’t find it odd.

Jun shook his head. “We need all the help we can get, but we can’t pay. I’m sorry, but this is a volunteer gig only.” He looked straight at Rei.

Rei nodded.

“Verbal response, please,” Jun said, authority slipping into his tone. “I’m sorry, but we’ve gotten burned a few times now.”

“Andres had a speech problem,” Ellisandre said. “Sometimes he can talk, sometimes he can’t. He’s not here for pay. He’s under my protection for the moment. Until he can testify.”

Understanding seeped into Jun’s eyes. “Understood. There’re cameras everywhere, so make sure he keeps his face covered. Apologies.” He nodded at Rei and gave Ellisandre another inscrutable look.

Rei blinked behind his glasses. His skin was tingling and he wasn’t getting enough oxygen.

“Makeup, now,” Ellisandre said.

Why had he agreed to do this again? This was stupid. They were going to discover him. Rei followed Ellisandre blindly up the narrow stairs, Ellisandre stabilizing him with one hand and the railing providing additional support. They entered a large room where there was a workbench and some overturned crates.

Ellisandre switched on a table light attached to an extension cord. “Let’s get started.”

Started meant setting up workstations for all the makeup and going over the example sheets that Ellisandre had printed out for each member of 5N. Makeup was something that Rei knew well. He’d learned it during his training as an idol, and he’d doubly learned it as a slave. He’d even done makeup on Jun and the others before. Except for Su-jin.

Su-jin came in the door first, followed by Geun. Rei dropped his eyes and held still, waiting for someone to take the lead. Ellisandre pointed Geun to the overturned crate in front of them and gestured for Su-jin to sit by Rei.

“This is Andres,” Ellisandre said, using clips to hold back the edges of Geun’s hair. “Andres, Su-jin.”

“Heya!” Su-jin said. He smiled up at Rei.

Rei’s hands froze. Su-jin was beautiful. Like a doll brought to life. His chin was heart shaped. His eyes were expressive and large. He had a kind of innocent look that appeared fragile but was anything but. He gave a tiny bow with his head and addressed Rei in Korean. “Jun says you understand Korean. I’m glad. My English isn’t that good yet.”

Rei nodded. The only thing keeping him from passing out were all the years of training, of never giving in when he was out of his mind with fear. Rei cleared his throat and gestured for Su-jin to turn so the light would hit his face. At least Ellisandre had paired him up with the one member of 5N he hadn’t personally known.

Su-jin had freckles. Rei checked the reference sheet. They were going with a mostly natural look for the first round of filming, then they’d change it up with the next set. Rei laid a base on Su-jin’s skin, darkened his brows, highlighted his lips, applied contour in nudes and natural skin tones, then blended. At each point he abstained from a full face that covered Su-jin’s freckles and natural appearance.

He was actually touching Su-jin. No. He couldn’t think about that. This was a mission. He was completing a mission. He took Su-jin’s chin in his hand, turning the other man’s face this way and that so he could check his shading. This was just a mission. And he could disappear into missions.

“Close your eyes.” He hadn’t realized he’d spoken until he had. Su-jin obediently lowered his lids.

But then Su-jin started talking. “What happened to your finger?”

“Fire,” Rei whispered. He focused on the nude powder palette in his hand.

“I’m sorry,” Su-jin said. “I thought maybe it was a birth mark or something.”

When the look was finished, Rei stepped back and looked to Ellisandre. Ellisandre looked up, “Question?”

Rei shook his head and motioned at Su-jin. Su-jin grinned and held his palms up to his face. “Finished.”

Ellisandre raised both eyebrows. “That’s . . . professionally fast. Okay. Su-jin, send Yoihei up. Andres can get him done too, and tell Jun we’ll be ready ahead of schedule.”

Rei’s heart thudded in his chest. He knew Yoihei. Su-jin wouldn’t recognize him, but Yoihei might. Except Yoihei would never expect him. Wasn’t looking for him.

All those times he’d closed his eyes and wished to see his brothers just one more time—Rei let air into his lungs—that day was today. Even if everything exploded after this, his dream of seeing them free and alive and happy was happening. He was getting one more day, even if they didn’t know.

Rei blinked back tears and straightened up his workstation. When Yoihei stepped into his space, he wasn’t even shaking. Much. Rei had to look up to him now. Yoihei was even taller than Jun, the same height as Geun, actually, making them the giants in the group. Su-jin was a good bit shorter than both of them. Rei looked between Yoihei and the stool and flipped the crate onto its long side, making the seat lower.