Page 69 of A World Apart (Between Worlds #1)

“Babes, I get that that was probably a big, dramatic moment for you. But you’ve forgotten who’s sitting next to you right now. I know you, and I’ve known for a long time that this was not going to be where you ended up. Well, careerwise, anyway.”

I gaped at her. “But you’ve been pressing me to really lean into LA, into Pisces…”

Becka rolled her eyes at me. “Well yeah, because you had a year-long contract, how hard is it to suck it up for a year, make the connections, get the experience and live in frickin’ LA?

Babes, if you’d been less of a whiney baby deer, we could have done this ages ago and planned on how to get you into an industry you actually wanted.

I knew you didn’t love being behind the music; even back at Uni.

You always talked about the music itself, never the process of putting it all together.

You wouldn’t shut up about the artistry of it all coming together.

You never did that about doing it yourself.

You hated practical work. I never knew another student who’d rather write the dissertation than do the practical. ”

I laughed, even as my chin wobbled.

“Why the fuck didn’t you tell me that, months ago! ”

“Well, hell babes,” Becka grabbed my face in her hands, “I thought you’d figure it out, eventually. I didn’t know it would take a sexual harassment allegation and a breach of contract to get you there!”

We laughed for a while, until the mirth subsided and we fell into silence, each of us letting the enormity of the afternoon sink in, before Becka quietly spoke. “What will you do now?”

I sighed, a big gust I pulled all the way up from my stomach and tried to exhale out the demons of the day on it. “I guess, I go home.

“Oh fuck, Kaiya.” Becka’s voice broke and she put down her wine glass to cover her eyes as her shoulders began to shake, crying in earnest.

I hurried round the counter to wrap my arms around her shoulders, rubbing her arms, trying to impart comfort I wasn’t sure I even had for myself.

“Sshh… it’s okay,” I murmured, “it’s going to be okay. This changes nothing for you and me, you know that right?”

“I don’t want you to go,” she wailed.

I had to swallow thickly before I spoke. “Me either, but it is what it is. This is just the way it was meant to pan out, you know?”

Becka had nothing to say to that. We each held each other, Becka crying, me trying not to, both of us just feeling our way through this, until eventually Becka’s cries turned into soft snuffles.

We’d been silent a while before a knock came at the door. I looked at Becka, and she looked at me.

“I’m not expecting anyone,” she shrugged, “but I bet Jose let someone in again.”

“We really need to tell him to stop doing that,” I said darkly, walking towards the door to look through the peephole.

“Oh!”

“Who is it?” Becka called from behind me. I didn’t answer before I threw the door open.

“Jihoon,” I breathed, walking into him. His strong arms encircled me, and I took the first full breath in what felt like hours.

“Are you alright?” He pressed a kiss to the top of my head and I shook my head, all my bravado having fled the moment I saw him outside our door.

“No, but I will be.” My voice was muffled against his chest .

He moved us back into the apartment, closing the door behind him. I reluctantly let go of him, but kept hold of his hand and led him into the living area.

“Hello, Becka.” He greeted her politely.

“Sup, idol.” She lifted her wine glass to him in salute. I rolled my eyes.

“I’ll give you two a minute,” Becka said, sliding off the stool and heading to her bedroom, closing the door behind her. I leaned against the kitchen counter, rubbing the hand not currently entwined with Jihoon’s down my face.

“What happened?” He didn’t need to elaborate on what he meant.

I repeated the same thing I told Becka. A tic started in his jaw and his eyes narrowed when I told him about my ‘resignation.’

“Surely, they can’t make you leave. It may have been unprofessional, but-”

“It’s literally against the terms of my contract,” I sighed, interrupting him before he could get a full head of steam on.

At his confused expression, I went on; “my contract states relationships with clients of the studio – you ?” I gestured at him, “are strictly prohibited and cause for immediate termination, if not legal action. Luckily, they’re happy to keep it out of court. ”

“That’s not fair!” His raised voice took me by surprise.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen him mad before.

Well, except for when I’d told him about TK.

Wow, Pisces was really pissing him off, these days.

I decided right then to tell him another time about what had happened in the meeting, about TK and the recording.

I shrugged, kicking my toe against the floor. “It’s to prevent people taking jobs there who only want to hook up with celebrities.”

When he’d been able to look me in the eye, Liam, the COO had explained that even if my relationship with Jihoon was genuine, the contract was watertight to protect Pisces. My job had been forfeited the moment we’d exchanged numbers. Not that I would have changed the events, had I known the outcome.

“I already signed a non-disclosure agreement when I started working there. They were very clear they would sue if I talked about any of this.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose, thinking about my next words.

“They said if it ever came out that we were… you know, a ‘couple,’ the only thing I’d be able to say is that we met during the time I was employed there, but not that we began dating at the same time you were recording, which I guess would be true an yway, not that we can ever go public.

” I chuckled, but the sound was forced and weirdly high-pitched.

Jihoon’s face crumpled as he took a slight step backwards, almost as if I’d physically pushed him.

“Jihoon…” I reached for him like I could snatch the words back out of the air as they lay between us.

Jihoon shook his head, whether to brush aside my concern, or to shake off the words, I couldn’t tell. My hand dropped to my side just as he said, “What will you do now?”

I blew out a breath, then turned around and grabbed my half-full glass of wine. I took a sip as I considered my response. Honestly, I hadn’t laid any firm plans, it had only been a few hours ago that I’d had a job ? a reason to stay here. Now…

“I have 60 days to either find a new job, or… or I go back to the UK.”

“Come with me.”

“Where?” I frowned. “Back to your hotel? Now? Lemme grab a bag first-” I pushed off the counter and took maybe a couple steps before Jihoon grabbed my wrist. He looked down at me, the intensity in his eyes almost like a physical touch. A tic feathered along his jaw.

“Come with me to Korea.”