Page 10 of Fallen Starboy

Chapter

Six

JUN

This was an ever-loving nightmare.

In Korea, my old label knew better than to schedule me before lunch. Yet here we were at six in the morning, on set for a photoshoot to announce my joining a new label.

kNight Records wanted to get things moving quickly. It wasn't an option to have a late start.

From the evil glint in her eyes when she banged on my bedroom door before fucking sunrise, I assumed she was enjoying herself, knowing damn well I didn't do mornings.

You don't have a choice. This is from the higher-ups.

And I'd just fucking bet she had nothing to do with it. Not even a single word she uttered in their ear had anything to do with their decision.

Sure.

If this was the best she could do for revenge against me, then let her.

I could suffer through one or two mornings of hell.

I'd do it with a smile on my face if it pissed her off more.

If she thought she could chase me off by doing the worst job ever as an assistant, then she had another thing coming.

And I wasn't about to tell the label that I could speak perfect English. They never asked, so that was on them.

It was no skin off my back or money out of my pocket to give the woman I didn't think I'd ever have to look at again a fraction of the karma she should get.

I didn't feel ashamed in the least that my actions were petty or childish. A better man might've just let things go and let her do her job.

I'd rather watch her squirm.

I'd been back in Korea, raising a daughter while balancing tours, studio time, interviews, guest appearances, and everything else that came with idol life.

And she'd been here, playing proverbial leapfrog with her career.

She headed her own department, for fuck's sake.

That took a hell of a lot of dedication . . . or a lot of time on your knees.

I viciously wondered if she'd put that mouth to use to further her career once she came back home.

And in my next breath, I hated myself for that thought.

She'd never been that kind of person before. I doubted a change in location would have warped her so much.

"Mr. Kim? We're ready for you now."

I glanced up from my phone, which was conveniently dead, a heavy sigh settling in my lungs. "Right. I'll be right there."

Yejin was sitting near the backdrop, her eyes glued to the photographer and his magical cameras that made her daddy look so good.

From the moment I started bringing her on set for shoots and filming music videos, she'd been enamored with the videographers and photographers and how they managed to make things come to life with a single click of a button.

Well, okay, so I knew there was a lot more to it, but she was enamored, and if it kept her entertained, I'd let her have her fantasies.

The photographer, a woman with kind, wide-set eyes and a generous smile, had taken to Yejin instantly and spent the time between photos and poses showing my daughter what she did and how she did it.

She had an eager assistant now, though too short to actually man the camera, and between Yejin's giggles and the photographer's praise, I managed to make it through the shoot pretty quickly.

So quickly, in fact, that I had a free hour and a half between this and my next appointment—with a stylist.

New location, new agency, new look, new me. At least, that was the idea. In theory, it was solid. In practice, I didn't know what to expect.

I just hoped things panned out fast, for Yejin's sake.

"Daddy?" she asked me as we headed to the waiting area where Arista paced back and forth with her trusty tablet in hand, "can we go eat?"

"I think we have time for that." My eyes followed my temporary assistant, watching her skirt swish around her legs as she moved, remembering the times she'd worn a skirt around the old group as she flitted from station to station, filling role after role as needed.

Her steps had been more unsure back then, filled with the eagerness of youth and inexperience.

Now, her stride was purposeful, the walk of a woman who knew what she wanted and was determined to get it.

Her eyes lifted from the tablet for a second, and she spotted me and Yejin almost instantly, her expression going blank as she pointedly held my gaze. "You're already done?"

She acted surprised, but I doubted a lick of it was genuine.

I shrugged. "Yep. Photographer says she's got everything she needs, and she'll send the photos over to the company later tonight.

" I tucked Yejin behind my leg subconsciously, wishing I could avoid dragging her around to listen to business day in and day out.

"So we have time to grab some breakfast."

I didn't want to ask her to take us, but I didn't have a car yet. That was on tomorrow's schedule—driver, car, and security. Today was photos, stylist, and a few interviews, none of which I was looking forward to.

The only thing that could make this day worse was if something went off the rails.

And then, Arista's phone rang, and she stared down at it with a frown that only deepened as she answered it.

"This is Arista." Her discontent at the caller only grew, lines forming on her forehead as she started pacing again, this time in a tight, controlled circle in front of us.

Everything else was forgotten as she argued with the person on the other end of the phone.

"No, we agreed on noon. Unfortunately, I can't reschedule that far out.

It's urgent that we —" Her eyes shot to me, before she started dragging her finger across her tablet angrily. "Let me take a look at the schedule."

I knelt beside Yejin and handed her my phone. "Why don't you go on over to the couch and watch some videos while you wait for Daddy to finish?"

Like the good girl she was, she obliged, her feet kicking back and forth as she giggled and rocked to the theme song of her favorite show.

Arista turned to me and sighed. "Your noon appointment with the news outlet the company approved has been pushed up. They're not giving me much to work with, and the stylist can only bump you forward on his schedule, not back. Which means?—"

"Which means I have to go now, don't I?" The subtle droop in her shoulders told me all I needed to know. "Fuck."

"It's your call, but that means?—"

"It's fine." My eyes drifted to Yejin, still sitting on the couch. "She's used to her schedule being bounced around."

Her gaze softened as she watched our daughter sit and watch cartoons for all the world like she'd been born into stardom.

In fact, it had taken all my efforts over the years to keep the entertainment industry's filthy claws out of her innocent life.

They saw me, a successful idol, and immediately pushed for her to join the life early.

I didn't want this life for her unless she wanted it.

And I hoped she never would.

My heart sank as she lit up when I knelt at her side, all smiles and sparkle and excitement for things that would, once again, take a backseat to my life with her.

Being an idol was all I knew. Raising a child took money. And as long as I walked this road, she'd never want for anything.

"Okay, Yejin. Breakfast has been canceled. We're eating on the run to Daddy's next appointment."

Like always, there was no outburst, no disappointment, no sass in her tone as she agreed and slid off the couch, handing my phone back to me with a giggle. "Okay, Daddy."

She took my hand in hers, and not for the first time, I wondered who was leading who: me or her?

We arrived at the stylist's appointment with minutes to spare. Unfortunately, there was no kid-friendly space for Yejin to wait. Frantic, desperate, and frustrated beyond belief, I scrambled as he tapped his toes, trying to figure out a solution.

Pujin was balls-deep in interviewing new candidates for our security detail, so he couldn't come pick her up.

And as of yet, I didn't have a nanny to turn her over to.

With nobody to trust, and no other choice, I turned around and prepared to deliver the bad news to my little assistant that the whole day's schedule had to be reconfigured.

And then it hit me.

There was one other adult here I could trust her with.

Okay, so maybe trust was too strong of a word. But even though I wanted to hate her, wanted to punish her, I had no other choice right now than to grovel and hope she agreed.

"Arista."

She looked up from her tablet and held up a finger. Quickly switching off her Bluetooth headset, she marched over to me with a curious expression on her face.

"What is it?" she asked, staring between me and the stylist behind me. "Is there an issue?"

The stylist tossed a finger in Yejin's direction, his voice not even muted in the least as the disgust bled through his tone. "I don't work with children. It can't stay here while we outfit and adjust Mr. Kim."

"You're telling me you have no sitting room?" Her hands moved to her hips, the tablet still clutched tightly in her grip. "That's ridiculous, Rico."

Rico, the temperamental asshole currently referring to my daughter as an it, pursed his lips in annoyance. "It messes with the vibe. And a lot of what we do here isn't appropriate for a child."

Arista sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Give me five minutes with my client, Rico. I'll figure something out." She dragged me off to the side, Yejin trailing close behind.

When we were out of earshot of the asshole whose hands were about to turn me into a masterpiece, she cleared her throat and sighed.

"He's the best stylist in our city, Jun. And you want him behind your new debut, I can promise you that." She glanced down at Yejin, a soft smile cracking the stoic, bossy veneer she put on for the rest of the world. "What about your security man?"

"Busy with interviews," I muttered.

"The security we brought today? They could watch her in the car?—"

"Absolutely not. I don't know them," I pointed out, hating that I was about to open my mouth and say the words I swore I'd never say.

She cut me off before I could get them out. "Jun, we have to get you in his chair, and fast. You have a full schedule all day?—"

"Watch her for me?" I blurted out, my lips curling in a sneer. "I'd ask literally anyone else, but I don't know these people."

Her eyes flashed in surprise, fixating on our daughter, the one she'd left behind in her quest for a new life. "You said to stay away from her?—"

I put a hand on the back of her neck, dragging her close enough that we couldn't be overheard.

"Plans change. It's a one-off. And if you'd done your job, we wouldn't be in this situation.

" I released her with a whispered swear and knelt next to Yejin again, taking her hand in mine.

"Yejin, baby, I'm going to go with Mr. Rico to get ready for the interview today.

And my assistant is going to take you for some breakfast. Isn't that right?

" I glanced up at her with malice in my glare, daring her to challenge me.

She wouldn't. I knew her too well.

She'd never been able to tell me no, even when we were fighting.

She swallowed audibly and sagged in defeat. "Sure is!" Her gaze turned to rainbows and fucking unicorns as she turned those lying eyes on Yejin, sweetness dripping from her lips like honey. "What's your favorite breakfast food?"

"I like pancakes!" Yejin shouted enthusiastically, putting her hand in Arista's outstretched one like she'd known the woman her whole life. "Can we get ones with strawberries and syrup on them?"

"Sure," Arista said smoothly, handing me a business card. "Your daddy can call us when he's done here, and we'll come back and pick him up. What do you say to that?"

I'd never been far from her, even when I was on tour. And now I was handing her off to a woman I swore she'd never meet—a woman who I never wanted in our lives again. Was this the kind of sacrifice I had to make to give her a better future?

It was only temporary; we'd have an interview with a sitter or three soon, and I'd find someone trustworthy to watch Yejin while I got the preliminaries out of the way.

Once things settled, it'd be back to normal, just me and her, except for the odd occasion.

I just had to get through this transition phase first.

Everything would settle down soon.