Page 27 of Damian & Jun, Episodes 13-16

“Where are we going to find a human-sized birdcage?”

“I don’t know, but I know who to ask.” Jun grinned. He pulled out his phone and called Émeric. Someone, somewhere, in their kinky world, had to have one.

And they only had so much time to shoot this next video. Once the architects had their plans finished and everyone had signed off, the church would change, forever.

Perhaps their third video should be shot in the tunnels underneath.

Either way, architects would be all over the inside of the sanctuary soon. If they wanted to shoot a wedding scene with the old set up, they had to do it right after their teaser comeback for the album dropped.

Damian

“Bryce.” Damian clutched his college friend’s hands standing amidst the concrete paneling of an upscale Seoul hotel lobby. Lunch time bustle moved outside the glass doors along the sidewalk. Damian’s Korean-based bodyguards hung back, blending into the decor.

Bryce, his hairline still receding as it had been doing since he was twenty-five, gripped Damian’s hand back with American firmness. As they turned to walk side-by-side towards the restaurant, he extended his arm, patting Damian on the back. “Damian, my friend, it’s been too long. I hope you don’t mind, I reserved us a table.”

They were seated immediately. A server appeared almost at once. Damian ordered the set lunch in Korean, not bothering with the menu. Bryce did the same.

“If you ever tire of the State Department,” Damian said, “I’d be happy to put you through a couple more years of law school.”

“If I do, you’ll be the first to call. My wife doesn’t want to live in the Midwest, though.”

“Who said you’d have to live there?” Damian raised his eyebrows. “I want to open an office here.”

A bit of curious interest entered Bryce’s face. “Good to know. So, what did you want to see me about that we couldn’t handle over the phone?”

Damian slid a list of three names across the table. “I need to meet these people, privately. No connections, no paper trail, at least not for now.”

Bryce read the list and slid it back. “You could call them, but you don’t want to be connected.”

Damian nodded. He took the list back. “Can you help?”

“Well, one of those people is currently in Canada. Do you need to meet with them all at once?”

“I’ll take whatever I can get.”

“What is this, skull and dagger stuff?”

Damian shook his head and shrugged. “It’s legal, I can tell you that much.”

“You know I can’t use my position to get…”

“It’s not business. No one is making money. It’s a courtesy. I’m doing this on the behalf of…not business.”

“Oh.” Bryce sat back. “Damian, brother, do I need to worry about you? First December, now this?”

“You don’t need to worry about me.” Damian turned as the waiter returned with two set lunches. They shuffled things around on the table until they were both settled and the server had departed.

“Oh, really?” Bryce prompted, digging into his pickled radishes.

Damian smiled mysteriously. “Let’s just say domestic life suits me.”

“So why are you here?”

“Well, so does work.” Damian grabbed pork with his chopsticks. “Have to keep my boy in the manner he deserves, don’t I?”

Bryce laughed, shaking his head, staring at Damian. “You’ve gone over. You’ve joined me on the side of whipped and happy.”

Damian held back a chuckle. If only Bryce knew. “I’ve never been happier, man.”