Samba Noir (i/ii)
Title: Samba Noir
Pairing: Kai/girl!Sehun
Ranting: PG
Word count: +12,000
Summary: Sehuna is daiting Jongin. Then she meets Kai and he promises to paint stars for her.
A/N: This is so long i'm going to cry. Anyway, I'm sorry if any reference about Brazil is wrong. Also, I'd like to thank illegiblesigns for her help, Mary and Ale for nagging me until I finished this and my mama for beta-ing the translation ♥
Sehuna is a twenty-two year old girl, that, like any other korean woman, wants to stand out from the crowd, that's why she dyed her long hair to a pastel lilac shade. After graduating from Advertising she started working at her father's agency and, even if she could technically have any position she wanted there, she chose to start from the bottom like any other person.
Although that's not only a matter of humbleness.
Since the agency is all about advertising, it's essential for them to look good, from the façade of the building to the receptionist. Sehuna's father knows that very well, that's why he let her be the receptionist. The girl, with thin and delicate features, brown eyes framed by long lashes and a pair of well-defined eyebrows, a small mouth with plump and naturally pink lips, has managed to charm more than one client. The most observant ones, thought the two moles near her left earlobe were adorable and some others commented boldly on her medium breasts, which accentuate her narrow waist, or on her not as voluptuous hips that lead the view to long and well-shaped legs.
Sehuna knows that too, and even after hearing questions on how her father could let people talk that way about her, she takes it as part of a publicist's life.
Besides, being a receptionist gives her the chance to meet all the customers and projects the agency is working on, but avoiding the boring meetings. It was precisely like that how she met Jongin, her current boyfriend, with whom she has spent nearly a year of relationship.
Kim Jongin, son of the president of the famous Kim hotels chain, was twenty-two years old when he met Sehuna. The first time they met was nothing out of the ordinary. He was attending a meeting with the team of publicists the agency gave to his project and all he had to do was announce his arrival with the receptionist. He had heard hallway comments about how good looking this girl was, in fact Jongin thought the girl was stealing the good reputation of the agency, but soon realized that no rumor did justice to the girl's beauty.
They were both young. It wasn't unusual at all that Jongin frequented the agency more often Just to see Sehuna. Or that the smiles Sehuna gave him revealed more than mere courtesy to the customer.
The interest that both had in the each other was very evident, Sehuna's dad could tell why. Jongin, with his six feet tall, slim body and slightly darker sink, looked more like one of his models instead of his customer. His always well-groomed straight black hair accentuated the dark brown of his eyes. His plump lips, lightly pinker than his natural skin color, caused a frenzy among the female workers. The long pair of legs with well-defined thighs wrapped in designer slacks cost the agency valuable minutes of work. It seemed that all female staff stopped to admire this man as soon as he set foot inside the building.
Mr. Oh knew it was useless trying to stop his receptionist from falling for the guy, but she was also his daughter and who was he to interfere with the happiness of his little girl? Although he would have to talk with the boy. A lobby wasn't a proper place to woo a lady.
It was a matter of time for them to start dating.
At first the relationship worked out marvelously. Jongin kept visiting Sehuna at her work. Sometimes they went out for dinner at fancy restaurants, some other times they stayed at Jongin's house and she cooked for both of them. On their days off, and if the weather was nice enough, they went to the park just to take a walk. On rainy days they liked to stay at Sehuna's house, between the warmth of their blankets and arms, watching movies until late. When it was possible, they went to cultural events that were often projects in which Sehuna's agency worked, and when they spent days without seeing each other text messages made them feel closer.
The trust between them grew along with the relationship. That was how they ended up tangled in Sehuna's sheets. Her hugging him tightly while he talked about his parents' divorce. Similarly Sehuna cried on her boyfriend's shoulder when she talked about the usual fights with her mother and how much it hurts not to be the daughter she expected.
It wasn't the first time Sehuna experienced this thing called love, but this time it felt really different. Maybe, what her mother called -soulmate- had come into her life.
Or so she thought.
Due to some health issues, Jongin's mother could no longer take care of the hotels, which meant he would have to completely devote himself to the company. That meant less free time. Less time with Sehuna.
That's how the visits to Sehuna's workplace became less frequent, until they stopped. The dates at fancy restaurants changed for speed-dates at cafes near Jongin's office, only if Sehuna had time. Jongin spent less time at his house so the homemade dinners were also forgotten.
On the other hand, Sehuna also had changes in her schedule. Soon she would be promoted to assistant manager and needed time to acclimate to the new working environment, a couple of consultancies were enough for her, but it certainly took away much of the little time she had to see Jongin.
That's how the only thing left for their relationship were the occasional calls, of course, when Jongin had time, the text messages and some dates scheduled in advance. Their busy schedules did not allow them any more.
Sometimes Sehuna wondered if it still was a relationship.
Like this day, while she was waiting for Jongin at the cafe a few blocks away from his office. The one in the corner of the block, with its small tables and comfortable chairs. The weather invited customers to sit at the umbrella tables, located on the sidewalk, just to enjoy the clear sky and feel the warm sunshine on the skin. Since this was one of their scheduled dates Sehuna didn't mind the half hour delay her boyfriend had, she knew he would show up.
With some excuse about work, as always.
"I'm sorry, babe. The meeting lasted longer than expected.", Jongin said while taking a seat in the chair in front of her. Sehuna liked this place. It had a certain air of intimacy that made her feel like their relationship never changed.
It was not necessary to show them the menu. They had visited that place so many times in the last few months that they already knew what to order. So one of the waitresses went over to take their order.
"Can I have a strawberry bubble tea and a sandwich? Please" Sehuna said. "I just want a cappuccino, frappe. Thanks." said Jongin, giving the waitress a kind smile before she left.
Sehuna turned to look at her boyfriend when the girl was gone. "Aren't you going to eat?" she asked. After all, they scheduled at this hour because it was Jongin's lunch break. "No" he said, leaving no room for any kind of reply. She just answered with a quiet "Ok."
They waited in silence until the waitress came back with their order. The girl put the plate and cup of tea in front of Sehuna and turned immediately to put the coffee in front of Jongin, not before smiling with so much hidden intentions. Sehuna noticed but chose to ignore it, like she ignored the fact that Jongin returned the gesture to the girl with one of those smiles. The ones that Sehuna claimed as hers because Jongin gave them when he talked about how nice life was by her side and how the stars seemed simple compared to how beautiful she was. If she ignored everything it was as if the pain was not there. They say ignorance is bliss ... isn't it?
Sehuna waited until the waitress was gone again to talk with Jongin.
"How has your day been?" she asked, trying to sound more cheerful. "Fine" he replied, sipped his drink and after a pause asked "Yours?"
"Fine, I didn't have much work today" Sehuna smiled, trying to keep the conversation going. "Oh, yeah? That's good ... I guess" he said disinterestedly. "Yeah" she answered with a muffled voice. Sometimes, no matter how hard Sehuna tried, it was impossible to talk with Jongin.
For someone who always knew where to go and what to say, Sehuna was a woman filled with insecurities when it came to love. She has always been the type of girl who preferred to stay at home rather than going to parties, not that she was introverted or anything, she just never got interested. Therefore, she didn't have many boyfriends through her teenage years and the few she took the risk with broke her heart the same way "I'm sorry Sehuna, this is not fair for you. I can't love you as much as you love me. It's better if we break up." Her highs chool friends tried to comfort her by saying the current guy was an idiot, that she shouldn't cry because she would find someone better, but deep down she knew the next time would be the same, with her giving all her love and getting nothing in return.
One of her friends at work always nagged her for comparing her current relationship with old lovers. But it was involuntary. Everything felt horribly familiar, but at the same time it was completely different. Sehuna was used to follow the same pattern: dating, she loved more, he felt guilty, they broke up. She never really noticed, but she reacted pretty much the same way every time, like she wasn't surprised. However, with Jongin she didn't know how to react.
In the last months Jongin became a whirlwind and Sehuna was trapped inside. There were days where he was the sweetest man on earth and an amazing lover and many, many others when he was cold and indifferent.
"You said you had something important to say?" Jonging asked casually, playing with the straw of his coffee.
"Oh, yeah! Do you remember my aunt Hyesun? The one who lives in Brazil" she waited until Jongin nodded "Well, she called to say she's getting married in two months and wants me to be there"
"And what does that have to do with me?" asked the man again. She kept ignoring the pain in her chest.
"Well ... I thought we could go together" Sehuna replied uncertainly "I think we could both use a vacation and this seems like a great opportunity. Besides, it's been a while since the last time we made a trip together" She knew it was a difficult request, but still had hope that he would say yes.
They stayed in silence for a couple of minutes until Jongin heaved a sigh.
"Sehuna" he started "You know I have lots of work. Don't you think that if I had the time I would have already taken the vacation you say? I can't take the same liberties as you. I have responsibilities to attend to"
Sehuna frowned. Taking a couple of months to attend her aunt's wedding didn't mean she had no responsibilities. She'd have to do all that work in advance. "Well, I thought you could make an exception" she said crossing her arms as she looked at the passersby.
Sensing the mood of his girlfriend, Jongin moved closer to her over the table. The movement made Sehuna look back at him. He fixed a strand of hair behind her ear and left there his hand while looking into her eyes. Then, slowly grazed his fingertips over her cheek, following a known path to take her chin, tilting her head enough to land a soft kiss on her lips. Surprised, Sehuna closed her eyes and breathed deeply, carried away by the bittersweet taste the other pair of lips had on her mouth.
Sometimes Sehuna hated her boyfriend. Everything about him was like a drug and she was a hopeless addict.
"Don't be like that, beautiful" Jongin whispered against her lips "Being angry doesn't suit you" he kissed her again. "I can't promise anything, but I'll try to make some time to go with you, ok?" he said, moving away to sit again. Resigned, Sehuna nodded. Before she could say anything Jongin's phone rang and after answering he pulled out his wallet from his Jacket and then placed some money on the table. "Sorry babe, gotta go". Kissing the girl's forehead, he got up and left the place to go back to his office. Sehuna stayed there, watching how the man who moments ago was kissing her so tenderly slowly pulled away from her life. She let out a tired sigh, left her share of the bill and left the cafe.
At the end Sehuna had to make the trip with her mom. Which wasn't fun because all they ever did was argue about things she had supposedly done wrong.
After fourteen hours of flight, mother and daughter arrived at the Galeão international airport in Rio de Janeiro where Sehuna's aunt was already waiting for them. They placed the luggage inside the van and made their way to the house in Cosme Velho. The neighborhood located south of the city is quite famous among tourists because there is the tram station Ferro do Corcovado, which leads to the Cristo Redentor.
To Sehuna everything seemed dreamy. Right after graduating from business management, her aunt began working for a corporate wielding various hotel chains. Somehow she got transferred to the brazilian franchise of Kim hotels before it was divided and lost contact with its south korean part. The pay was good enough for the woman to stay and live in the tropical country. Also, she had fallen in love. Nobody in Sehuna's family knew about the guy, but he seemed to be nice.
In the district of Cosme Velho is possible to see the union of the middle class to the upper class. It is known that the government painted many of the poorest households with vibrant colors in an attempt to make it more attractive for tourists. It's narrow and worn streets shelter natives and foreigners, on the other hand, there are modern buildings, especially made for those who can afford them. Sehuna was tired from the trip and her body was longing for a bed, but that didn't stop her from enjoying the scenery offered by this part of Brazil.
When they finally arrived at the house, a white building with blue doors, Sehuna quickly climbed out the car with her luggage, eager to know which would be her room so she could get some sleep.
Already inside, her aunt gave them a brief tour around the place and let Sehuna in her room to unpack her clothes. However, despite how much her mother told her not sleep,
she pushed aside her suitcase and got lost in the comfortable sheets of her new bed. Obviously, sleeping all day ended with a Sehuna wide awake at four in the morning of the next day.
When the rest of the family woke up, they found Sehuna sitting on the couch looking for any TV channel that had some korean subtitles and playing with the air conditioning, the brazilian heat was stronger than Korea's and she was wondering if her antiperspirant was even working. As always, her mother started to nag about not listening to her, but lucky her aunt interfered and nothing more was said.
Her mother was terribly neat, she already had planned every moment of the trip. The initial thing on the list was sightseeing. They spent the first day getting to know the neighborhood, walking along the streets while her aunt and mother chatted pleasantly and she was listening to music on her headphones. Occasionally Sehuna would take photos with her phone and send them to Jongin, until he answered with a simple "I'm busy. TTYL". The rest of the pictures waited to be sent, like Sehuna waited for a call. A call that never was made.
The next day they took the tram that took them to the Cristo Redentor where, like any other tourist, they took pictures and enjoyed the scenery. It was a nice place, enough distraction for Sehuna to forget for a while that Jongin wasn't answering her messages.
"Are you having fun, Sehuna?" her aunt asked as they descended the steps of the monument. She giggled nervously before answering "Of course auntie, why you ask?"
"It's been years since the last time I saw you Sehuna, but it doesn't mean I've forgotten how you are. Your eyes always give you away ... You keep looking at you phone, is there something wrong?" Sehuna stopped short, she never thought it was that easy to look through her.
Although there was no need to lie, she didn't want to ruin the trip with her emotional issues, so she replied "Don't worry auntie. It's just that some people from work keep calling, seems like they can't do anything without me" she smiled convincingly so her aunt wouldn't delve deeper into the subject and continued down the stairs.
"Then" said the woman "What would you like to do tomorrow, dear? I'm sure you're already sick of all this planning my sister did" she laughed. Sehuna looked around and found a flyer on the ground. Naturally, the info was in portuguese, so she picked it up and handed it to her aunt "What does it say?"
The woman read the flyer and said, "Tomorrow is the opening of a new painting exhibition at a local museum. Would you like to go?" After wondering for a moment Sehuna smiled archly "Do you think my mom will get mad if we change her plans?" Her aunt smiled equally saying "Don't worry. I'll take care of her."
The trip from the house to the International Museum of Art Naïf lasted no more than ten minutes, which let them arrive calmly. The museum was known for hosting more than six thousand paintings by national and international artists. The author of this new painting must have been really famous. The place was crowded.
"Is it always so crowded?" Sehuna asked her aunt. She had enough of the brazilian heat and all these people was making it worse. "Honestly, I don't know, honey. I don't have much time to come to these events, but now I see they were right when they said that this painter has many admirers."
"Looks like people here loves art..." Sehuna said. Most of the people around they were men and women probably around her age. The other woman laughed before saying "Maybe is just because they like the painter's attitude. I think he's actually younger than you by two years ... Anyway, no one knows who he is, only the person from the museum who collects his paintings. He's like an urban myth" she laughed again "We only know his name and talent," at that moment Sehuna's mother interrupted their chat.
"Hyesun" the woman called her sister "Come here please, translate this for me" she pointed to a little board next to one of the paintings. While her aunt translated everything for her mom, Sehuna stayed behind. She took pictures of herself with the paintings, maybe Jongin would answer those messages this time.
After a few minutes her phone buzzed with an incoming message, and yes, it was from Jongin. Her chest was filled with hope and her smile was pure bliss ... until she read the content.
"In a meeting. Nice dress" read on the screen of the device before she put it back in her bag. It hasn't been a week since she was in Rio and her boyfriend ignored her more than before. Although, if she was honest with herself, she was used to that kind of treatment. Sehuna knew that such a relationship was not healthy anymore, but there was something in Jongin that didn't let her end the relation. Habit, perhaps, was what she was chained to.
With no much desire to continue in the exhibition, Sehuna followed his mother and aunt through the gallery from afar until someone caught her attention. Not far from their spot there was a lonely painting, standing in front of it was a boy Sehuna could swear was her boyfriend's twin. Same dark eyes, same plump lips, the same strong jawline, the same nose, even the same legs Sehuna loved so much. This boy was just a younger tan blond version of Jongin.
She was so astonished that didn't notice when her mother walked out of the place. Meanwhile, the boy noticed the presence of Sehuna and smiled kindly. That, for some strange reason, made the young girl direct herself to where the boy was standing. When she was there she didn't know what to say, in fact, she didn't have anything to say so she just turned to watch the painting and certainly didn't expect what she saw.
It was an intriguing work. Different hues of blue simulated the vast outer space with tiny drops of white here and there pretending to be stars. A whole constellation trapped in a man's back. If you looked at it carefully that silhouette could belong to the boy standing next to Sehuna. The rest of the canvas was a dry white framing the loneliness that seemed to afflict the figure.
The boy broke the silence.
"Oi" Sehuna knew that was a greeting but she didn't knew how to answer so she just smiled. "Você gosta desta pintura?" the boy asked in a perfect portuguese, something very surprising for the girl, but since she didn't answer, he asked in korean instead "You're not from here, right?"
Startled by the switch of language she said "No ... I'm not from here." He offered a warm smile that made him look more Jongin-like in her eyes.
"Do you like the painting?" he asked again and Sehuna felt lost between how much this boy looked like her boyfriend, how attractive his voice sounded when speaking portuguese and the damn heat trying to suffocate her. However, she answered quickly when the boy's smile turned into a nervous frown. "Yes!.. uh, I mean ... it looks kind of sad, but it's unique. I like it"
Damn boy and his Jongin-like smile, Sehuna thought.
But honestly, which women wouldn't get nervous standing so close to this young man? He was like the son of a caribbean beach. The sun dawned in his eyes, shining over his blond hair, emphasizing the sinuous edges of his white smile, white as the sea foam that comes to the shore. That same sun colored his skin with a bronze color only Brazil can give. "Stop! You have a boyfriend" the voice inside her head screamed. But how could she? She just couldn't ignore all the effort God made when creating this man.
And probably he knew and that's why he cut the sleeves of his shirt, Just to show off his well-shaped arms, or that's what Sehuna wanted to think. Below, he had a pair of thighs also very Jongin-like and she could gladly stare at them through his ripped Jeans.
The mysterious boy seemed happy with the girl's gaze traveling all over his body. "I guess the painting is not the only thing you like" he said with a mischievous grin. His voice startled Sehuna making her look anywhere but his face. If earth could slip and swallow her to stop her embarrassing behavior that would have been the perfect moment.
Being a little more daring, the boy stepped closer to Sehuna, took a lock of her hair and put it behind her ear. "You know?" he asked, taking between his finger one of the thin straps of her dress, lowering his hand until the strap met the rest of the fabric. "This is a pretty dress" he paused to look into her eyes "but it will never be as pretty as you." The same hand holding the strap pinched her cheek and the boy was gone.
Sehuna was stunned, feeling how all the blood in her body ran to her face making it shine like a traffic light. Afer a few moments she turned to look for the boy just to find the curious eyes of people looking at her face. She touched her cheeks and felt them hot. This man was shocking. It would be really fun to tell her friends about him when she was back in Korea.
Since the boy was gone, she decided to look for her mother. It was getting late, she was tired and wanted to get home as soon as possible to take a shower. The heat was so stifling she was beginning to contemplate the idea of carrying an icebag everywhere.
After searching throughout the museum, Sehuna couldn't find her mother or aunt. She tried calling, but her mom's cellphone was out of service and her aunt didn't answer, plus, her battery was dying. Giving up, she left the place and waited beside the front door. If they were looking for her they must look outside too, right? She heaved a sigh and walked down the stairs to the front door, sitting in the last step. With her elbows over her knees and her chin resting over her intertwined fingers, Sehuna waited until someone came to take her home.
The view wasn't much interesting to keep her entertained. Facing her was a small garden, a wall with high stones with a pair of metal doors and an aging grid that defined the total space of the museum. The sidewalk, a street with two lanes and on the other sidewalk was a quaint yellow wall that seemed to be a parking lot.
Nevertheless, the sky was a much more interesting view for the girl. The way the light blue morphed into pink and orange, how the clouds were slowly bathed in red and purple while trying to escape the deep blue that marked the arrival of the night. Suddenly, something made her feel very alone. Weren't these the bits of life that should be shared with your loved one? But if she was honest with herself, did she really love Jongin? Sure, the man had managed to worm his way into her soul and the idea of losing him was terrifying, after all his hands were full of Sehuna's secrets, but ... could you call that love?
How can you say it was love when you feel so alone? He no longer talked with sweet words, he didn't smile, they barely talked to each other, sex became routine and their phone calls were meaningless. When, how and why, Sehuna didn't know, she was only aware that their relationship was slipping through her fingers.
"Sad faces don't look good on gathinas like you" the voice made Sehuna jump. When she turned her face the mysterious boy was right in front of her. She dropped her gaze, sat more straight and smiled a bit. The boy kept looking at her so she coughed to distract his attention. His gaze made her nervous.
"Still waiting for your date?" he asked with a teasing tone. If it had been any other person Sehuna would have made a snarky remark, but this boy was like an uv lamp and she was the hopeless bug attracted by its light.
"No" she said calmly "I'm waiting for my aunt to get us back home"
"Does she work here?" he asked tilting his head to the side. "Uh ... no. Why?" she asked.
"Because there is no one else inside besides the museum workers" It was just then that Sehuna realized her aunt's car was not there. Her face must have shown much distress because before she could say something the boy talked again "Do you know the address? I can give you a ride- he said offering his hand to help her up.
Sehuna pondered the situation for a moment. She knew she shouldn't trust in strangers offering to take her home, much less in a neighborhood from a country she knew nothing about, on the other hand ... she didn't have other options. The place would close eventually and she'd have to stay outside in the dark. Without any other choice she took the boy's hand and got up.
He never dropped hers.
While they walked Sehuna noticed how warm was his skin and the delicacy with which his fingers wrapped around her hand.
"I hope you don't mind" he trailed off when they stopped in front of a motorbike parked by one of the metal doors in the entrance. "Roaming Cosme Velho is easier with one of these" he said patting the seat of his black honda NXR150 bros. Sehuna remembers seeing one when she spent an afternoon at Jongin's house watching motocross racing.
After unchaining the vehicle from the railing, the boy gave his helmet to Sehuna with a smile, rode the bike and waited for her to do the same. She knew riding that bike was a bad idea. That meant a lot more physical contact that she was willing to have with the boy, but it was not like she had a choice anyway.
Ridding a bike was uncomfortable for many reasons. First, her dress kept rolling up her thighs, then was the fact that she'd have to hold the boy. Instead she decided to grab just the sides of his shirt. That made the boy laugh. "Gathina, that's not the way to ride a bike" he said as he took both of her hands and pulled her flush against his back. "Ready?" he asked without waiting for the answer, moving quickly toward the street.
After indicating the address they were at Sehuna's house within minutes. They parked in front of the main door where Sehuna had a little trouble getting off the bike, her legs were still shaking from all the adrenaline. She took off the helmet and catched the boy staring at her again. Hopefully her blush wouldn't show with the dim light of the street.
"Thank you" she said, giving back the helmet shyly. "Is nothing, linda" he said putting on the helmet. Before he could go, Sehuna took him by the arm before releasing him quickly, as if she got scalded.
"Wait ... uh, there must be some way to pay the favor that you just made me." The boy pondered the idea for a minute before giving an answer "Now that you mention it. You could pay with you name"
"My name?" she asked confused.
"Yeah, what's your name?" he grinned. "Uh.. it's Sehuna" she said, sure that that wasn't the right way to pay such a favor. But if that was all he asked for, nothing could be really done.
"Sehuna..." he said quietly. The way he said it. The way this man she just met a few hours ago said her name made her feel a chill running down her spine. No one ever broke through her walls so fast. Perhaps only Jongin, but not even him made her feel so heated and willing just by hearing her name on the other's mouth.
"Well, Sehuna, it's been a pleasure to meet you" the boy smiled.
"No, wait!" she called for the boy "ah, I ... I, I don't know your name. It's not fair if only I introduce myself, right?" she laughed nervously. She wasn't sure why, but she wanted to know his name.
"Gathina" he said with a smirk "Let's make a deal. I tell you my name if you go on a date with me. I pick you up, at 3 pm?" he asked pinching her cheek. Dazed by the sudden invitation Sehuna just nodded. Before she could react properly the boy exclaimed, "It's a date! I'll pick you up tomorrow, tchau!" Sehuna was left there blushing a puzzled.
ii
Pairing: Kai/girl!Sehun
Ranting: PG
Word count: +12,000
Summary: Sehuna is daiting Jongin. Then she meets Kai and he promises to paint stars for her.
A/N: This is so long i'm going to cry. Anyway, I'm sorry if any reference about Brazil is wrong. Also, I'd like to thank illegiblesigns for her help, Mary and Ale for nagging me until I finished this and my mama for beta-ing the translation ♥
Sehuna is a twenty-two year old girl, that, like any other korean woman, wants to stand out from the crowd, that's why she dyed her long hair to a pastel lilac shade. After graduating from Advertising she started working at her father's agency and, even if she could technically have any position she wanted there, she chose to start from the bottom like any other person.
Although that's not only a matter of humbleness.
Since the agency is all about advertising, it's essential for them to look good, from the façade of the building to the receptionist. Sehuna's father knows that very well, that's why he let her be the receptionist. The girl, with thin and delicate features, brown eyes framed by long lashes and a pair of well-defined eyebrows, a small mouth with plump and naturally pink lips, has managed to charm more than one client. The most observant ones, thought the two moles near her left earlobe were adorable and some others commented boldly on her medium breasts, which accentuate her narrow waist, or on her not as voluptuous hips that lead the view to long and well-shaped legs.
Sehuna knows that too, and even after hearing questions on how her father could let people talk that way about her, she takes it as part of a publicist's life.
Besides, being a receptionist gives her the chance to meet all the customers and projects the agency is working on, but avoiding the boring meetings. It was precisely like that how she met Jongin, her current boyfriend, with whom she has spent nearly a year of relationship.
Kim Jongin, son of the president of the famous Kim hotels chain, was twenty-two years old when he met Sehuna. The first time they met was nothing out of the ordinary. He was attending a meeting with the team of publicists the agency gave to his project and all he had to do was announce his arrival with the receptionist. He had heard hallway comments about how good looking this girl was, in fact Jongin thought the girl was stealing the good reputation of the agency, but soon realized that no rumor did justice to the girl's beauty.
They were both young. It wasn't unusual at all that Jongin frequented the agency more often Just to see Sehuna. Or that the smiles Sehuna gave him revealed more than mere courtesy to the customer.
The interest that both had in the each other was very evident, Sehuna's dad could tell why. Jongin, with his six feet tall, slim body and slightly darker sink, looked more like one of his models instead of his customer. His always well-groomed straight black hair accentuated the dark brown of his eyes. His plump lips, lightly pinker than his natural skin color, caused a frenzy among the female workers. The long pair of legs with well-defined thighs wrapped in designer slacks cost the agency valuable minutes of work. It seemed that all female staff stopped to admire this man as soon as he set foot inside the building.
Mr. Oh knew it was useless trying to stop his receptionist from falling for the guy, but she was also his daughter and who was he to interfere with the happiness of his little girl? Although he would have to talk with the boy. A lobby wasn't a proper place to woo a lady.
It was a matter of time for them to start dating.
At first the relationship worked out marvelously. Jongin kept visiting Sehuna at her work. Sometimes they went out for dinner at fancy restaurants, some other times they stayed at Jongin's house and she cooked for both of them. On their days off, and if the weather was nice enough, they went to the park just to take a walk. On rainy days they liked to stay at Sehuna's house, between the warmth of their blankets and arms, watching movies until late. When it was possible, they went to cultural events that were often projects in which Sehuna's agency worked, and when they spent days without seeing each other text messages made them feel closer.
The trust between them grew along with the relationship. That was how they ended up tangled in Sehuna's sheets. Her hugging him tightly while he talked about his parents' divorce. Similarly Sehuna cried on her boyfriend's shoulder when she talked about the usual fights with her mother and how much it hurts not to be the daughter she expected.
It wasn't the first time Sehuna experienced this thing called love, but this time it felt really different. Maybe, what her mother called -soulmate- had come into her life.
Or so she thought.
Due to some health issues, Jongin's mother could no longer take care of the hotels, which meant he would have to completely devote himself to the company. That meant less free time. Less time with Sehuna.
That's how the visits to Sehuna's workplace became less frequent, until they stopped. The dates at fancy restaurants changed for speed-dates at cafes near Jongin's office, only if Sehuna had time. Jongin spent less time at his house so the homemade dinners were also forgotten.
On the other hand, Sehuna also had changes in her schedule. Soon she would be promoted to assistant manager and needed time to acclimate to the new working environment, a couple of consultancies were enough for her, but it certainly took away much of the little time she had to see Jongin.
That's how the only thing left for their relationship were the occasional calls, of course, when Jongin had time, the text messages and some dates scheduled in advance. Their busy schedules did not allow them any more.
Sometimes Sehuna wondered if it still was a relationship.
Like this day, while she was waiting for Jongin at the cafe a few blocks away from his office. The one in the corner of the block, with its small tables and comfortable chairs. The weather invited customers to sit at the umbrella tables, located on the sidewalk, just to enjoy the clear sky and feel the warm sunshine on the skin. Since this was one of their scheduled dates Sehuna didn't mind the half hour delay her boyfriend had, she knew he would show up.
With some excuse about work, as always.
"I'm sorry, babe. The meeting lasted longer than expected.", Jongin said while taking a seat in the chair in front of her. Sehuna liked this place. It had a certain air of intimacy that made her feel like their relationship never changed.
It was not necessary to show them the menu. They had visited that place so many times in the last few months that they already knew what to order. So one of the waitresses went over to take their order.
"Can I have a strawberry bubble tea and a sandwich? Please" Sehuna said. "I just want a cappuccino, frappe. Thanks." said Jongin, giving the waitress a kind smile before she left.
Sehuna turned to look at her boyfriend when the girl was gone. "Aren't you going to eat?" she asked. After all, they scheduled at this hour because it was Jongin's lunch break. "No" he said, leaving no room for any kind of reply. She just answered with a quiet "Ok."
They waited in silence until the waitress came back with their order. The girl put the plate and cup of tea in front of Sehuna and turned immediately to put the coffee in front of Jongin, not before smiling with so much hidden intentions. Sehuna noticed but chose to ignore it, like she ignored the fact that Jongin returned the gesture to the girl with one of those smiles. The ones that Sehuna claimed as hers because Jongin gave them when he talked about how nice life was by her side and how the stars seemed simple compared to how beautiful she was. If she ignored everything it was as if the pain was not there. They say ignorance is bliss ... isn't it?
Sehuna waited until the waitress was gone again to talk with Jongin.
"How has your day been?" she asked, trying to sound more cheerful. "Fine" he replied, sipped his drink and after a pause asked "Yours?"
"Fine, I didn't have much work today" Sehuna smiled, trying to keep the conversation going. "Oh, yeah? That's good ... I guess" he said disinterestedly. "Yeah" she answered with a muffled voice. Sometimes, no matter how hard Sehuna tried, it was impossible to talk with Jongin.
For someone who always knew where to go and what to say, Sehuna was a woman filled with insecurities when it came to love. She has always been the type of girl who preferred to stay at home rather than going to parties, not that she was introverted or anything, she just never got interested. Therefore, she didn't have many boyfriends through her teenage years and the few she took the risk with broke her heart the same way "I'm sorry Sehuna, this is not fair for you. I can't love you as much as you love me. It's better if we break up." Her highs chool friends tried to comfort her by saying the current guy was an idiot, that she shouldn't cry because she would find someone better, but deep down she knew the next time would be the same, with her giving all her love and getting nothing in return.
One of her friends at work always nagged her for comparing her current relationship with old lovers. But it was involuntary. Everything felt horribly familiar, but at the same time it was completely different. Sehuna was used to follow the same pattern: dating, she loved more, he felt guilty, they broke up. She never really noticed, but she reacted pretty much the same way every time, like she wasn't surprised. However, with Jongin she didn't know how to react.
In the last months Jongin became a whirlwind and Sehuna was trapped inside. There were days where he was the sweetest man on earth and an amazing lover and many, many others when he was cold and indifferent.
"You said you had something important to say?" Jonging asked casually, playing with the straw of his coffee.
"Oh, yeah! Do you remember my aunt Hyesun? The one who lives in Brazil" she waited until Jongin nodded "Well, she called to say she's getting married in two months and wants me to be there"
"And what does that have to do with me?" asked the man again. She kept ignoring the pain in her chest.
"Well ... I thought we could go together" Sehuna replied uncertainly "I think we could both use a vacation and this seems like a great opportunity. Besides, it's been a while since the last time we made a trip together" She knew it was a difficult request, but still had hope that he would say yes.
They stayed in silence for a couple of minutes until Jongin heaved a sigh.
"Sehuna" he started "You know I have lots of work. Don't you think that if I had the time I would have already taken the vacation you say? I can't take the same liberties as you. I have responsibilities to attend to"
Sehuna frowned. Taking a couple of months to attend her aunt's wedding didn't mean she had no responsibilities. She'd have to do all that work in advance. "Well, I thought you could make an exception" she said crossing her arms as she looked at the passersby.
Sensing the mood of his girlfriend, Jongin moved closer to her over the table. The movement made Sehuna look back at him. He fixed a strand of hair behind her ear and left there his hand while looking into her eyes. Then, slowly grazed his fingertips over her cheek, following a known path to take her chin, tilting her head enough to land a soft kiss on her lips. Surprised, Sehuna closed her eyes and breathed deeply, carried away by the bittersweet taste the other pair of lips had on her mouth.
Sometimes Sehuna hated her boyfriend. Everything about him was like a drug and she was a hopeless addict.
"Don't be like that, beautiful" Jongin whispered against her lips "Being angry doesn't suit you" he kissed her again. "I can't promise anything, but I'll try to make some time to go with you, ok?" he said, moving away to sit again. Resigned, Sehuna nodded. Before she could say anything Jongin's phone rang and after answering he pulled out his wallet from his Jacket and then placed some money on the table. "Sorry babe, gotta go". Kissing the girl's forehead, he got up and left the place to go back to his office. Sehuna stayed there, watching how the man who moments ago was kissing her so tenderly slowly pulled away from her life. She let out a tired sigh, left her share of the bill and left the cafe.
At the end Sehuna had to make the trip with her mom. Which wasn't fun because all they ever did was argue about things she had supposedly done wrong.
After fourteen hours of flight, mother and daughter arrived at the Galeão international airport in Rio de Janeiro where Sehuna's aunt was already waiting for them. They placed the luggage inside the van and made their way to the house in Cosme Velho. The neighborhood located south of the city is quite famous among tourists because there is the tram station Ferro do Corcovado, which leads to the Cristo Redentor.
To Sehuna everything seemed dreamy. Right after graduating from business management, her aunt began working for a corporate wielding various hotel chains. Somehow she got transferred to the brazilian franchise of Kim hotels before it was divided and lost contact with its south korean part. The pay was good enough for the woman to stay and live in the tropical country. Also, she had fallen in love. Nobody in Sehuna's family knew about the guy, but he seemed to be nice.
In the district of Cosme Velho is possible to see the union of the middle class to the upper class. It is known that the government painted many of the poorest households with vibrant colors in an attempt to make it more attractive for tourists. It's narrow and worn streets shelter natives and foreigners, on the other hand, there are modern buildings, especially made for those who can afford them. Sehuna was tired from the trip and her body was longing for a bed, but that didn't stop her from enjoying the scenery offered by this part of Brazil.
When they finally arrived at the house, a white building with blue doors, Sehuna quickly climbed out the car with her luggage, eager to know which would be her room so she could get some sleep.
Already inside, her aunt gave them a brief tour around the place and let Sehuna in her room to unpack her clothes. However, despite how much her mother told her not sleep,
she pushed aside her suitcase and got lost in the comfortable sheets of her new bed. Obviously, sleeping all day ended with a Sehuna wide awake at four in the morning of the next day.
When the rest of the family woke up, they found Sehuna sitting on the couch looking for any TV channel that had some korean subtitles and playing with the air conditioning, the brazilian heat was stronger than Korea's and she was wondering if her antiperspirant was even working. As always, her mother started to nag about not listening to her, but lucky her aunt interfered and nothing more was said.
Her mother was terribly neat, she already had planned every moment of the trip. The initial thing on the list was sightseeing. They spent the first day getting to know the neighborhood, walking along the streets while her aunt and mother chatted pleasantly and she was listening to music on her headphones. Occasionally Sehuna would take photos with her phone and send them to Jongin, until he answered with a simple "I'm busy. TTYL". The rest of the pictures waited to be sent, like Sehuna waited for a call. A call that never was made.
The next day they took the tram that took them to the Cristo Redentor where, like any other tourist, they took pictures and enjoyed the scenery. It was a nice place, enough distraction for Sehuna to forget for a while that Jongin wasn't answering her messages.
"Are you having fun, Sehuna?" her aunt asked as they descended the steps of the monument. She giggled nervously before answering "Of course auntie, why you ask?"
"It's been years since the last time I saw you Sehuna, but it doesn't mean I've forgotten how you are. Your eyes always give you away ... You keep looking at you phone, is there something wrong?" Sehuna stopped short, she never thought it was that easy to look through her.
Although there was no need to lie, she didn't want to ruin the trip with her emotional issues, so she replied "Don't worry auntie. It's just that some people from work keep calling, seems like they can't do anything without me" she smiled convincingly so her aunt wouldn't delve deeper into the subject and continued down the stairs.
"Then" said the woman "What would you like to do tomorrow, dear? I'm sure you're already sick of all this planning my sister did" she laughed. Sehuna looked around and found a flyer on the ground. Naturally, the info was in portuguese, so she picked it up and handed it to her aunt "What does it say?"
The woman read the flyer and said, "Tomorrow is the opening of a new painting exhibition at a local museum. Would you like to go?" After wondering for a moment Sehuna smiled archly "Do you think my mom will get mad if we change her plans?" Her aunt smiled equally saying "Don't worry. I'll take care of her."
The trip from the house to the International Museum of Art Naïf lasted no more than ten minutes, which let them arrive calmly. The museum was known for hosting more than six thousand paintings by national and international artists. The author of this new painting must have been really famous. The place was crowded.
"Is it always so crowded?" Sehuna asked her aunt. She had enough of the brazilian heat and all these people was making it worse. "Honestly, I don't know, honey. I don't have much time to come to these events, but now I see they were right when they said that this painter has many admirers."
"Looks like people here loves art..." Sehuna said. Most of the people around they were men and women probably around her age. The other woman laughed before saying "Maybe is just because they like the painter's attitude. I think he's actually younger than you by two years ... Anyway, no one knows who he is, only the person from the museum who collects his paintings. He's like an urban myth" she laughed again "We only know his name and talent," at that moment Sehuna's mother interrupted their chat.
"Hyesun" the woman called her sister "Come here please, translate this for me" she pointed to a little board next to one of the paintings. While her aunt translated everything for her mom, Sehuna stayed behind. She took pictures of herself with the paintings, maybe Jongin would answer those messages this time.
After a few minutes her phone buzzed with an incoming message, and yes, it was from Jongin. Her chest was filled with hope and her smile was pure bliss ... until she read the content.
"In a meeting. Nice dress" read on the screen of the device before she put it back in her bag. It hasn't been a week since she was in Rio and her boyfriend ignored her more than before. Although, if she was honest with herself, she was used to that kind of treatment. Sehuna knew that such a relationship was not healthy anymore, but there was something in Jongin that didn't let her end the relation. Habit, perhaps, was what she was chained to.
With no much desire to continue in the exhibition, Sehuna followed his mother and aunt through the gallery from afar until someone caught her attention. Not far from their spot there was a lonely painting, standing in front of it was a boy Sehuna could swear was her boyfriend's twin. Same dark eyes, same plump lips, the same strong jawline, the same nose, even the same legs Sehuna loved so much. This boy was just a younger tan blond version of Jongin.
She was so astonished that didn't notice when her mother walked out of the place. Meanwhile, the boy noticed the presence of Sehuna and smiled kindly. That, for some strange reason, made the young girl direct herself to where the boy was standing. When she was there she didn't know what to say, in fact, she didn't have anything to say so she just turned to watch the painting and certainly didn't expect what she saw.
It was an intriguing work. Different hues of blue simulated the vast outer space with tiny drops of white here and there pretending to be stars. A whole constellation trapped in a man's back. If you looked at it carefully that silhouette could belong to the boy standing next to Sehuna. The rest of the canvas was a dry white framing the loneliness that seemed to afflict the figure.
The boy broke the silence.
"Oi" Sehuna knew that was a greeting but she didn't knew how to answer so she just smiled. "Você gosta desta pintura?" the boy asked in a perfect portuguese, something very surprising for the girl, but since she didn't answer, he asked in korean instead "You're not from here, right?"
Startled by the switch of language she said "No ... I'm not from here." He offered a warm smile that made him look more Jongin-like in her eyes.
"Do you like the painting?" he asked again and Sehuna felt lost between how much this boy looked like her boyfriend, how attractive his voice sounded when speaking portuguese and the damn heat trying to suffocate her. However, she answered quickly when the boy's smile turned into a nervous frown. "Yes!.. uh, I mean ... it looks kind of sad, but it's unique. I like it"
Damn boy and his Jongin-like smile, Sehuna thought.
But honestly, which women wouldn't get nervous standing so close to this young man? He was like the son of a caribbean beach. The sun dawned in his eyes, shining over his blond hair, emphasizing the sinuous edges of his white smile, white as the sea foam that comes to the shore. That same sun colored his skin with a bronze color only Brazil can give. "Stop! You have a boyfriend" the voice inside her head screamed. But how could she? She just couldn't ignore all the effort God made when creating this man.
And probably he knew and that's why he cut the sleeves of his shirt, Just to show off his well-shaped arms, or that's what Sehuna wanted to think. Below, he had a pair of thighs also very Jongin-like and she could gladly stare at them through his ripped Jeans.
The mysterious boy seemed happy with the girl's gaze traveling all over his body. "I guess the painting is not the only thing you like" he said with a mischievous grin. His voice startled Sehuna making her look anywhere but his face. If earth could slip and swallow her to stop her embarrassing behavior that would have been the perfect moment.
Being a little more daring, the boy stepped closer to Sehuna, took a lock of her hair and put it behind her ear. "You know?" he asked, taking between his finger one of the thin straps of her dress, lowering his hand until the strap met the rest of the fabric. "This is a pretty dress" he paused to look into her eyes "but it will never be as pretty as you." The same hand holding the strap pinched her cheek and the boy was gone.
Sehuna was stunned, feeling how all the blood in her body ran to her face making it shine like a traffic light. Afer a few moments she turned to look for the boy just to find the curious eyes of people looking at her face. She touched her cheeks and felt them hot. This man was shocking. It would be really fun to tell her friends about him when she was back in Korea.
Since the boy was gone, she decided to look for her mother. It was getting late, she was tired and wanted to get home as soon as possible to take a shower. The heat was so stifling she was beginning to contemplate the idea of carrying an icebag everywhere.
After searching throughout the museum, Sehuna couldn't find her mother or aunt. She tried calling, but her mom's cellphone was out of service and her aunt didn't answer, plus, her battery was dying. Giving up, she left the place and waited beside the front door. If they were looking for her they must look outside too, right? She heaved a sigh and walked down the stairs to the front door, sitting in the last step. With her elbows over her knees and her chin resting over her intertwined fingers, Sehuna waited until someone came to take her home.
The view wasn't much interesting to keep her entertained. Facing her was a small garden, a wall with high stones with a pair of metal doors and an aging grid that defined the total space of the museum. The sidewalk, a street with two lanes and on the other sidewalk was a quaint yellow wall that seemed to be a parking lot.
Nevertheless, the sky was a much more interesting view for the girl. The way the light blue morphed into pink and orange, how the clouds were slowly bathed in red and purple while trying to escape the deep blue that marked the arrival of the night. Suddenly, something made her feel very alone. Weren't these the bits of life that should be shared with your loved one? But if she was honest with herself, did she really love Jongin? Sure, the man had managed to worm his way into her soul and the idea of losing him was terrifying, after all his hands were full of Sehuna's secrets, but ... could you call that love?
How can you say it was love when you feel so alone? He no longer talked with sweet words, he didn't smile, they barely talked to each other, sex became routine and their phone calls were meaningless. When, how and why, Sehuna didn't know, she was only aware that their relationship was slipping through her fingers.
"Sad faces don't look good on gathinas like you" the voice made Sehuna jump. When she turned her face the mysterious boy was right in front of her. She dropped her gaze, sat more straight and smiled a bit. The boy kept looking at her so she coughed to distract his attention. His gaze made her nervous.
"Still waiting for your date?" he asked with a teasing tone. If it had been any other person Sehuna would have made a snarky remark, but this boy was like an uv lamp and she was the hopeless bug attracted by its light.
"No" she said calmly "I'm waiting for my aunt to get us back home"
"Does she work here?" he asked tilting his head to the side. "Uh ... no. Why?" she asked.
"Because there is no one else inside besides the museum workers" It was just then that Sehuna realized her aunt's car was not there. Her face must have shown much distress because before she could say something the boy talked again "Do you know the address? I can give you a ride- he said offering his hand to help her up.
Sehuna pondered the situation for a moment. She knew she shouldn't trust in strangers offering to take her home, much less in a neighborhood from a country she knew nothing about, on the other hand ... she didn't have other options. The place would close eventually and she'd have to stay outside in the dark. Without any other choice she took the boy's hand and got up.
He never dropped hers.
While they walked Sehuna noticed how warm was his skin and the delicacy with which his fingers wrapped around her hand.
"I hope you don't mind" he trailed off when they stopped in front of a motorbike parked by one of the metal doors in the entrance. "Roaming Cosme Velho is easier with one of these" he said patting the seat of his black honda NXR150 bros. Sehuna remembers seeing one when she spent an afternoon at Jongin's house watching motocross racing.
After unchaining the vehicle from the railing, the boy gave his helmet to Sehuna with a smile, rode the bike and waited for her to do the same. She knew riding that bike was a bad idea. That meant a lot more physical contact that she was willing to have with the boy, but it was not like she had a choice anyway.
Ridding a bike was uncomfortable for many reasons. First, her dress kept rolling up her thighs, then was the fact that she'd have to hold the boy. Instead she decided to grab just the sides of his shirt. That made the boy laugh. "Gathina, that's not the way to ride a bike" he said as he took both of her hands and pulled her flush against his back. "Ready?" he asked without waiting for the answer, moving quickly toward the street.
After indicating the address they were at Sehuna's house within minutes. They parked in front of the main door where Sehuna had a little trouble getting off the bike, her legs were still shaking from all the adrenaline. She took off the helmet and catched the boy staring at her again. Hopefully her blush wouldn't show with the dim light of the street.
"Thank you" she said, giving back the helmet shyly. "Is nothing, linda" he said putting on the helmet. Before he could go, Sehuna took him by the arm before releasing him quickly, as if she got scalded.
"Wait ... uh, there must be some way to pay the favor that you just made me." The boy pondered the idea for a minute before giving an answer "Now that you mention it. You could pay with you name"
"My name?" she asked confused.
"Yeah, what's your name?" he grinned. "Uh.. it's Sehuna" she said, sure that that wasn't the right way to pay such a favor. But if that was all he asked for, nothing could be really done.
"Sehuna..." he said quietly. The way he said it. The way this man she just met a few hours ago said her name made her feel a chill running down her spine. No one ever broke through her walls so fast. Perhaps only Jongin, but not even him made her feel so heated and willing just by hearing her name on the other's mouth.
"Well, Sehuna, it's been a pleasure to meet you" the boy smiled.
"No, wait!" she called for the boy "ah, I ... I, I don't know your name. It's not fair if only I introduce myself, right?" she laughed nervously. She wasn't sure why, but she wanted to know his name.
"Gathina" he said with a smirk "Let's make a deal. I tell you my name if you go on a date with me. I pick you up, at 3 pm?" he asked pinching her cheek. Dazed by the sudden invitation Sehuna just nodded. Before she could react properly the boy exclaimed, "It's a date! I'll pick you up tomorrow, tchau!" Sehuna was left there blushing a puzzled.
ii