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I’m here because I was jealous, and I wanted to be with you.
But I can’t tell him that.
“Everything’s fine,” he breathes, “as long as you’re okay.”
I realize I’m clinging to him. I let go and step back. He frowns slightly.
“How did you find me?” I ask.
“A few fans saw you come down this way.” He pauses. “They directed the tabloid reporters in a different direction.”
“I’m so irresponsible,” I groan. “There’s going to be a huge scandal because of me.”
“Maybe,” he says.
I glare at him. “What are you doing with Woo Hyemi?”
“Hyemi?” he says. My heart pangs at his casual use of her name. “I was at Joah. She was there with her father, picking up some of her stuff. She looked upset, so I invited her out with Jaewoo and me.”
It’s close to what I thought might have happened.
“We should head back,” he says. “Come on. Jaewoo should be waiting for us over this way.” He holds out his hand, and I take it. Slowly, we make our way toward the main boulevard, emerging onto a well-lit street. Jaewoo and Hyemi wait outside his car that’s parked by the curb.
“Eonni!” Hyemi says, spotting me. Nathaniel lets go of my hand as she rushes over.
“I have your phone,” she says. “I found it on the ground.” She holds it out to me.
“Thank you, Hyemi-yah,” I say. The screen has a crack, but otherwise it still works.
“That was so scary!”
“What happened?” I ask.
“We noticed something going on outside,” Jaewoo says, walking over. “When we came out, a girl explained what had happened, that you were here, and that the tabloid reporters had chased you. A few of the girl’s friends had followed you to make sure you were safe. Nathaniel...”
He trails off, his gaze focusing on Nathaniel beside me. He doesn’t have to explain this next part. Nathaniel had gone after me.
“We should get out of here,” Nathaniel says. “Those tabloid reporters might still be lurking around.”
Jaewoo nods, heading to the driver’s side of the car.
Nathaniel passes by me to open the front passenger door.
“Eonni, you should sit in the front this time,” Hyemi says, having apparently ridden in the front on the way here. Before I can answer, she rounds the car to the other side.
Nathaniel hasn’t moved from holding open the door. As I slip into the car, I have a brief memory of a similar moment in New York City, when Nathaniel had called over a taxi for me.
As I adjust my skirt, Nathaniel sucks in a breath. “Sori, you’re bleeding.”
I’d forgotten about the scrape from my fall. It hardly hurts anymore.
Nathaniel pushes back the door the widest it will go, then leans forward to open the glove compartment, removing the first-aid kit.
Crouching on the ground, he gently shifts my skirt away from my knee. A blush creeps up my neck. Self-consciously, I glance at Jaewoo, but he’s looking down at his phone. As for Hyemi, I can’t see her unless I turn around in my seat.
Then I’m brought back to myself, wincing as Nathaniel presses an alcohol swab to the wound. His eyes flicker up to meet mine.
For a brief moment, he holds my gaze, letting me see how unhappy he is. Then he drops his eyes, applying Bacitracin to the wound and pressing a Band-Aid securely over it.
