Chapter 39: Chapter 39

Ye Jun

Mom turned from the counter, smiling that mom-smile that never quite reached her eyes when she looked at me. “Oh Ye-jun, you’re up early for a weekend. You look… comfortable.” She eyed the shorts but didn’t say anything else, just went back to packing her bag. Dad was scrolling his phone, chuckling. “We’re heading out with the Kims in about twenty minutes, lunch and that new action movie, you boys have the house to yourselves so be nice to each other, okay? Si-woo, that dress design you showed us last night, genius stuff, your boss is gonna love it.” Si-woo grunted something that sounded like thanks, still staring at his screen, fingers tight on the mouse. I felt that familiar twist in my gut, the one that said see, even now they’re only talking about him, but I pushed it down and kept humming, reaching across the table for the sugar right next to his arm so my chest brushed his shoulder, light, accidental, totally on purpose.

He stiffened. Just a little. Good.

I poured the coffee, took a sip, then pulled out my phone and started texting nobody, but loud enough for everyone to hear me tapping. “Oh man, this guy from class is blowing up my phone already,” I said, laughing a little too hard at the blank screen. “Says he’s free tonight, wants to grab drinks, catch up. Been way too long since somebody actually paid attention to me, you know?” I glanced at Si-woo while I said it, watched his jaw do that clench thing. Mom was busy looking for her keys, didn’t even register. Dad just nodded vaguely. “Have fun, kid, but not too much fun.” I leaned over again to grab a spoon from the drawer behind Si-woo, hip bumping his side this time, my tank slipping further off my shoulder so the skin pressed warm against his arm for half a second. He exhaled sharp through his nose but kept typing.

“Ye-jun, seriously,” he muttered under his breath, low enough the parents didn’t catch it, “put some clothes on, you’re not at a club.”

I turned around slowly , mug in hand, sweetest smile I could fake plastered on my face even though my heart was already hammering like it wanted out of my chest. “Why? Afraid someone else might like the view? Don’t worry, I’m saving the best for people who actually want it.” I winked, just quick, and his eyes finally flicked up to mine, dark and pissed and something else I couldn’t name. Mom called from the hallway, “We’re leaving in five, love you boys!” and Dad grabbed his jacket, gave us both a quick wave. “Behave,” he said, and then they were out the door, car keys jingling, voices fading down the driveway, and just like that it was only us.

The second the door clicked shut the air in the kitchen got thick. I didn’t stop though. I set my mug down harder than necessary, started humming again, louder, and walked past him to the fridge, brushing my arm along his back on purpose this time, feeling the heat through his t-shirt. “Want some coffee?” I asked, all innocent, opening the fridge and bending a little so the shorts rode up even more. He didn’t answer. I grabbed the milk anyway, came back and leaned right into his space to reach the sugar again, chest pressing against his shoulder blade longer this time, close enough I could smell his stupid expensive shampoo. “Oops, sorry,” I said, not sorry at all, voice dripping sugar. My phone buzzed in my hand actually buzzed this time, some spam notification but I answered like it was the cutest guy alive. “Heyyy, yeah I’m free later, totally, been dying for someone to actually talk to me instead of treating me like furniture.” I laughed loud, fake-bright, watching his knuckles go white on the edge of the table.

“Ye-jun,” he said, voice low and warning, still not looking up but his whole body was tense now, like a spring about to snap.

“What?” I tilted my head, all wide-eyed, stepping closer so my thigh nudged his knee under the table. “I’m just making plans. You know, since apparently last night was a one-time thing and now I’m invisible again. Gotta keep my options open, right?” I scrolled on my phone, reading nothing, giggling at nothing. “This guy says I looked hot at that party last week, wants to see me tonight, maybe go somewhere private. Sounds fun. Been too long since somebody made me feel wanted, you know?”

He slammed the laptop shut. Not hard, but enough to make me jump a little inside. “You think this is funny?”

I shrugged, tank slipping further, and reached past him one more time for a napkin, hip bumping his arm, chest grazing his bicep. “I think it’s hilarious actually. You drug me, fuck me till I can’t think straight, then sit here like I’m some annoying roommate. But sure, tell me more about how I should put clothes on.” I was grinning now, the kind that hurt my cheeks, because part of me wanted to punch him and part of me wanted him to grab me right there and the rest of me was just trying not to shake.

Si-woo stood up so fast his chair scraped loud against the floor. I turned to walk away, phone still in my hand, pretending I was done, but he caught my wrist, yanked me back hard so I stumbled right into him, chest to chest, his other hand coming up like he was gonna…god I don’t even know. His face was inches from mine, eyes burning, breath hot against my mouth.

“You think parading around like this is cute?” he growled, voice rough and low and shaking with everything he wasn’t saying. “Keep pushing and I’ll bend you over this counter right now.”

My heart slammed so hard against my ribs I thought it might crack them. Victory shot through me like fireworks, hot and sharp, because yes, look at him cracking, look at him losing it over a pair of shorts and some fake texts, but right under that was this cold fear twisting in my stomach because his grip was too tight and his eyes were too dark and I knew exactly what he could do to me if he wanted. He let go abruptly, like I burned him, shoved past me so hard my shoulder hit the fridge, and stormed out of the kitchen without another word, footsteps heavy up the stairs.

I stood there frozen, wrist throbbing where he’d grabbed it, chest heaving, and my heart was racing so fast I could hear it in my ears half triumph, half terror, the kind that made me want to laugh and cry at the same time because fuck, it was working, he was snapping, but god what the hell had I just started.

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