Page 31 of Fallen Starboy

“So you want me to what, exactly, Jun?”

I’d been fielding calls the last two days from the people I reached out to. Of the three who got back to me, only one sounded remotely interested in uprooting himself and his entire life to move here for the short term.

Kaito Kubayashi was an old friend from my trainee days, one I leaned on in some of my darker moments when I was afraid to trust anyone else. When he arrived on Korean shores, he was like me—a loner without family or friends.

We bonded over our shared love of American pizza and soju. And girls. Oh man, did he love girls.

I might’ve had the womanizer moniker, but this motherfucker actually lived up to it.

He went through girls like I went through pants.

But he had a good heart and a kind, warm soul.

He’d give you the shirt off his back if you needed it.

He rescued fucking stray cats. He read to underprivileged children on the weekends.

And he was one of the only people outside of my old bandmates that knew about my daughter before I was outed to the media.

“I want you to sign with my new label and fill in for me while I’m recovering from a fucking bullet wound.”

The other end of the line went silent. “You’re kidding me, bro. Like legit kidding me, right? You left SeoulSOUL and got shot for your efforts. And you want me to bail on my current label and take the chance that I might be next?”

I sighed, watching Yejin and Ari bond on the nearby couch in the waiting room as the doctors discussed my discharge. “Listen. What happened to me was a rarity. And I wasn’t even the target, bud. My girl was. I just took the bullet because that’s what you do when you love someone.”

“It’s what idiots do,” he retorted with a snort, and I could practically see the eye roll in my head that always accompanied them.

“Listen, I promised my brother I’d come to Khula City to meet him.

But you’re asking me to make my stay a permanent one, and I’m not so sure I’m down for that.

” Just then, there was a scuffle on the other end of the line, accompanied by some hushed arguing and a muffled shout of indignation.

I waited patiently for Kai to return to the phone, and when he did, his whole demeanor had changed.

“You know what, Kim Seo-Jun? I think I will take you up on that offer. Something’s come up, and an extended vacation out of the country might not be such a bad idea.”

“Kai, are you in trouble?” I couldn’t hide the grin in my voice. “Shocker. Did you knock someone up?”

“You’d know all about that, wouldn’t you, Jun?”

My brow quirked, but I said nothing. Not much could rattle Kai. If he wanted to get out of the country, it was serious.

I cleared my throat when I was sure I could keep from laughing at him. “So, how soon can you be here?”

“How soon can you get me on a flight?”

I chuckled despite the residual pain in my shoulder. “Pack your bags, Kaito Kobayashi. I’ll see you in Nocturna Beach first thing tomorrow.”