Page 52 of When Worlds Collide (Between Worlds #2)
Eventually, they broke formation and bowed to the assembled audience, but namely the performance execs sitting in the front – the only people sitting.
The room was loud with cheers and applause and they waved appreciatively before blending back into the crowd on the other side of the room where the other performers were sitting or standing.
“I thought they were the last?” I muttered to Hana, who cocked her head to hear me better in the room now buzzing with the combined mutterings of many other people.
“Nah, we’ve got one more.”
“But who-”
My words cut off, and it became apparent who. PrettyYOUngthings had filed out of the crowd to take up positions in the middle of the room.
Picking out Lee Hyejin was easy, since she was right in the centre.
They all looked fashionably put together in edgy styles that complimented their long legs and narrow waists.
Like everyone else, I went through bouts where I hated the reflection in the mirror; I was too short, too soft, my cheeks too round.
Usually I was able to push it down. But right then, looking on as PYT launched into a high-energy, boppy number that was sure to net them accolades, I felt… inadequate.
Looking at her, the way she moved, the overall perfection of her visual, it made perfect sense to me why gossip blogs kept linking her with Jihoon. On the surface, anyway. I had to remind myself that according to him, they barely knew each other.
My eyes drifted over to where I now knew GVibes was standing, in amongst the other groups and trainees. An acidic thought went through me I could no more control than the cloud controls when the rain falls. Did he ever watch her the way I’d watched him?
I tried to push it down. Deep down. It was like trying to stuff an over-packed suitcase closed, but I managed it. Eventually.
I watched in silence as they finished their number to cheers just as loud as they had been for GVibes, and I tried to remember we were all here for the same reason: to help these groups succeed.
Showcase over, we all filed out into the substantially cooler corridor. We were the last to leave, being right at the back. The corridor was deserted by the time we pushed open the doors. I took a deep breath, feeling like I fully expanded my lungs for the first time in hours.
“I’m going to the loo, be right back.” Hana said, tapping me on the arm.
“Yeah, okay.” I waved her off as I leaned against the wall.
I’d just closed my eyes when-
“Did we bore you that much, sweetheart?”
My eyes flew open. Min Taeyang was standing in front of me, smirking.
“No-no, of course not. It’s just hot. I’m… hot.” I finished lamely, wishing I could smack myself in the face without it looking weird.
Taeyang chuckled, and shoved his hands into his pockets. He was leaning entirely too close to me, considering we were in a public corridor.
“Someone thinks awfully highly of themselves.”
Was he… was he checking me out? Holy shit, I’m pretty sure this was flirting. Why was Min Taeyang of Sol8 flirting with me?
My cheeks burned. “No! I-sorry, what?”
He laughed, glancing away for a moment before saying, “See you around, Ky.” Winking, he walked away while I was frozen to the spot.
“Now it’s Taeyang as well? My, my.”
I jumped at Hana’s voice, so close to my ear she was practically leaning over me. I hadn’t even noticed her approaching. Damn, why was everyone getting the jump on me today?
“What?” I said distractedly, turning to look at her just as her face relaxed.
“Nothing,” she said lightly as she waved a hand through the air.
“Come on, let’s go eat.”
I nodded and pushed off the wall, following her back down the corridor.
We’d just reached the stairwell when my phone vibrated with a notification, and I pulled it out.
Joon
Did you watch?
Sent 13:43
Me
I watched from the back
Joon
Did you like it?
Sent 13:45
Me
I want to see it again later
Joon
I don’t think the apt is big enough
Sent 13:47
Me
I don’t need the whole routine
Joon
***
Sent 13:48
Me
You can demonstrate those body rolls to me in bed.
Joon
Fuuuuuccck….
Sent 13:50
Me
That’s the idea.
Joon
I cannot get hard at work, jagiya…
Sent 13:53
I laughed, and put my phone back in my pocket.
Hana cocked her head at me. “Boyfriend?”
I rolled my eyes at her. “Still trying to get me to confess to having a secret boyfriend?”
She returned my grin, reminding me again of a piranha. “Oh, I’ll get it out of you. Eventually.”
“That’s it,” I sighed, leaning my head back to rest on Jihoon’s knee. He sat behind me on the sofa, while I was on the floor between his legs. “My visa application is formally submitted.”
It had been thirty days of continuous employment with ENT, which was the minimum time necessary to request my employer file for my working visa.
Jihoon rubbed my shoulders, which always seemed to ache these days. I’d actually gained some muscle definition from all the manual labour, and running around I did. I closed my eyes, giving myself over to the sensation of his warm hands working the knots from my shoulders.
One very unexpected, but delightful side effect of how hard the guys worked was that not only did they get regular physiotherapy and sports massages, but they’d also learned how to give massages, just in case they ever needed to.
I’d learned from Seokmin that Woojin often got bad cramps in his calves, and apparently Jihoon was the best at getting them out.
I didn’t need a massage to tell me how good Jihoon was with his hands; I knew that from many, many personal experiences.
“What’s that smile for?” Jihoon murmured, leaning over me to press a soft kiss to my forehead.
“Just thinking,” I said on the back of a groan as his skilled hands worked knots from my tired shoulders.
“Hmm,” his voice rumbled in the way that I liked, “looks like dirty thoughts.”
I didn’t deny it.
“You’ve worked hard. You deserve a treat.”
And with no other warning, he scooped me up as easily as if I were a doll, carrying me away from the sofa and towards the bedroom.
“Jihoon,” I giggled, clasping my arms tightly around his neck, “my Visa application-”
“Will take time to process,” he pressed a kiss to my jaw. “Let me distract you while we wait.”
I laughed as he kicked the door to the bedroom shut behind us, but didn’t protest again.
By the next morning, I’d received an email from the office of Director Kang to confirm my Visa application had been processed, and to await the decision from the immigration office. I read the email twice, fluttering excitement filling me with something that felt suspiciously like hope.