fic: Love to Hate You :: chapter five
Park Bom can't deal with this. This being something akin to incest, them being in YG Family and all. Although, heck, the president had a twisted sense of marketing. Or maybe being virtually married to Choi Seunghyun aka Tee-oh-pee is a higher power's idea of a cosmic joke. Either way, she's not amused.
CHAPTER FIVE
"God it's cold," Bom hisses through chattering teeth the next week as she waits for Seunghyun to get his bum to the damn park where they're supposed to meet. "Are you sure I can't wait inside somewhere?" she asks the PDs assembled before her. "Because I know TOP. He's always late. Later than me," she amends begrudgingly at the PD-in-charge's pointed look. "I don't know," she continues, hoping to keep her bloodstream kicking, "it's not like he has to put on makeup. Or get his hair done. Although truth be told, sometimes he does fret about his hair more than I do. Oh, come on, can't I get a cup of coffee at least? I'm sure there's a café somewhere around here. I'll even get you some."
"Don't fall for that one," Seunghyun's voice calls from not far behind. "She'll steal your money and then claim she gave it to the charity box because she was hit with a sudden sense of goodwill and but those poor starving kids!" Finally he turns to her, quite deadpan. "How's my wife this fine... cold... day..." A sudden shiver racks him. "Seriously, who thought this place was a good idea?"
"Yah!" Bom shrieks, making him wince. "You deserved it that time. You stole my breakfast!" she cries indignantly. "It was payback!"
"Just one toast. There were eggs, too."
"You stole my toast!" she accuses as vehemently as if he'd done it this morning.
"There was a whole loaf left!"
"Dara's bread," Bom counters darkly. "You took the only good bread left! Thief!"
Seunghyun sighs. "I told you then, I didn't mean to."
"Ha! Ha. Sure. Thief." Bom's shudders return full-force as a gale penetrates through her coat. "God it's cold. Where's that mission letter when we actually want it?"
"Someone's grumpy today," Seunghyun snorts lightly.
"I hate you," Bom explains.
Thick brows lift in amused surprise. "Really," he chuckles, smiling like he was in a good mood. Bom withered inside. "What did I do this time?" he asks, sitting down on a snow-covered bench before her.
"You exist," Bom grumbles, rubbing her arms to keep warm. "Men have no idea what pain is, okay. It's terrible and it happens every month and each time I want to die. The only silver lining right now is that I don't have to perform on stage today and paste on a smile like Oooh, life is bright and shiny and there's nothing wrong with me but a lot of blood that makes it look as if I've been gutted. No, no, I'm totally A-okay!" Finally plopping down next to him, she glances up at him miserably. "I'm really grumpy today, Tabi."
To his credit, he isn't looking ready to bolt or scream OUT, OUT, I'M OUT!. On the other hand, he's looking a bit flabbergasted. Or hit on the head. Or both. "Wow," he chokes out. "It's that bad?"
Bom sighs, watching the plumes of condensation flutter in the wind. "You have no idea. It just started this morning so it's about to get worse. Being out here in the cold just isn't helping." She looks over at the nearest PD and snaps, "Where's that mission card?"
Next to her, Seunghyun suddenly stands, walking towards the PD-in-charge. She watches as he speaks with the man intently, appearing to argue hotly. The man gesticulates, Seunghyun shakes his head, then the PD grudgingly makes a call as Seunghyun looks pack pensively at her. Finally the PD unhappily ends the call, sending Seunghyun back with a despondent scowl.
"What's going on?" Bom asks when he joins her.
"They've cancelled today's shoot," he tells her, to which Bom's jaw drops. "I told him you weren't feeling well - I had to actually say the word menstruation to get him moving. But it's done!" he ends with a satisfied smile.
"Seunghyun?"
"Hmm?"
"I love you."
He grins. "Don't you hate me though?"
"I would kiss you right now if we were in America," she assures him, to which he blinks in confusion. "Thank you so much. Oooh, electric pad, here I come!"
#
"It's really... I don't need to be looked after, Seunghyun, I swear," Bom explains for the umpteenth time since they set out from the frozen park land to the YG dorm. Now they have arrived at the BoMinzy dorm and Seunghyun is a rather encroaching present when, honestly, she can perfectly survive an ovarian attack on her own, thank you very much. "I just need an electric pad, a cup of tea and a novel and I'm set."
But he just keeps on trucking as she unlocks her front door. "Look, Bom, I've got an older sister who used to faint and/or crawl on her hands and knees every month, okay. I've been there. Indirectly," he argues at the front door.
"Ha!" She tries to close the door in his face - the nerve he has to pretend he knows what it's like! - but he slaps a hand out to hold it open.
"I'm serious, Bom. Let me just take care of you, okay? I've cared for Hyeyoon more times than I can remember." Then, when he can see she's hesitating, he adds, "I swear I have no ulterior motives."
Caught in a conundrum, Bom weighs the pros and cons. Pro: maybe he'll know something she doesn't. She doubts it - after all, who's the woman here? But on the other hand, it's nice to have understanding company that can take your mind off the pain. Cons: uh... she'd be alone with him in there. Also, can a guy really know more than her? Psssh...
That takes care of nothing. Eyeing him suspiciously, she pops a quiz at him. "How long does a cycle last?"
Without batting an eye he replies. "Normally 21 to 28 days but it varies for everyo - every girl."
Bom smirks. "Nice save there."
He shrugs unabashedly. "Some women get really sensitive about the subject."
With a sniff Bom pulls the door a tad more open to let him in. "And with reason," she remarks. "Make yourself at home; I'll go hunt for the electric pad. I think Minzy stole it last week."
As Bom moved in the direction of the maknae's room, she sees Seunghyun divest himself of his coat from the corner of her eye. He's chuckling to himself. "Don't you ever share anything, noona?"
"Yes, water" she parries back dryly from the maknae's closet, kneeling gingerly to search the bottom. "Shit," she hisses to herself as a wave of blinding dizziness suddenly hits her and makes her lose her already precarious balance.
Only to be righted by Seunghyun. But she can't appreciate the gesture. The pain has her blanching, nearly fainting. "Breathe, Bom, just breathe," Seunghyun's crooning voice encourages her, and though it hurts to even move a muscle in the midst of it all, she takes in a deep breath, releasing the air slowly through her lips. Gentle palms massage her belly slowly... slow circles that begin to unknot the muscles clasped tightly.
Gradually the pain recedes, replaced by an encompassing well-being that lulls her, makes her aware of every touch. And yearn for it to last forever. "This feels good," she murmurs contentedly against him.
"Do you think you can stand?"
Bom purses her lips at the closet in front of her. "I'd rather stay like this. But..." With his help she drags herself to her feet, pausing a moment when dizziness washes over her again and makes her waver.
When he's sure that she can stand on her own, Seunghyun quickly crouches to pick up the hot pad Bom had been reaching for, then stands again, watching her still-white features warily. "You need to rest. Go to bed - I'll warm you some broth," he announces, heading for the door.
Choking on a weak chortle, Bom tsk'ed at him. "Now I know you only came here to see me in my pajamas."
Stopping in his tracks, Seunghyun slowly turns back. "Don't tell me you still have those Hello Kitty ones..." he parries back incredulously. "The kitty with the glittery whiskers?"
Stumped, Bom pauses. He actually remembers what she was wearing that first night? "Actually... yeah..."
A small smile tugs at his lips as his eyes soften. "Wear it," he demands before heading out to the kitchen. There, she can hear him bustle about, presumably looking for the cooking wares he needs and a packet of broth, she deduces from the sound of the lower cupboards being rolled out.
And Bom stands there still, a little discombobulated to say the least. "You're not the boss of me!" she shoots at him loudly. Belatedly. Then she moans in pain when a pang renders her mindless with pain. "Ow, damn you, Seunghyun."
The bustle in the kitchen pauses as Seunghyun asks out loud, "Are you okay?"
"I hate you," she informs him tightly.
"Nice. Go to bed. I'm too busy to keep you from harming yourself right now."
"Not like I have control!" she replies, dragging herself outside to the next room. "I still hate you, by the way. Even though you're nice."
"Noted," he replies dismissively, just as something comes to a boil in the kitchen. She smells meat. Mmhmmm...
#
"Thank you so much for everything," Bom says, smiling, as she burrows deeper into her pillow, enjoying the comforting heat of the pad on her midsection. "The soup was delicious. The wine was a nice touch. I feel... much better."
Seunghyun, sitting up against her headboard, swirls the remainder of his wine in his glass, appearing to study the colour and texture closely. He shrugs. "It was nothing. It's not like I can... take away the pain, you know?"
Bom glances up at him. "No, but most men would have run for the hills at the utterance of the word period."
He shrugs again. "Like I said, my sister had it bad. My mom would send me to the pharmacy in the middle of the night for painkillers, tampons or energy supplements... whatever would help. Other times it was Seunghyunie, go and get me the best veal for your sister! For iron, you know." He takes a sip of his glass. "So you might say I'm immune to the taboo. I've heard it all." He smiles. "Dad literally went red in the face whenever they'd go on about blood flow or tampons at the dinner table, but I just grew up with all that. It's all right."
"How's your sister now?"
"Pain's pretty much gone," Seunghyun answers, taking another sip.
Bom detects a little something off in the way he said it. Lifting up on her elbows, she ignores the pang her effort causes. "Why, what happened? Is she okay? I thought I saw her at your Big Show recently."
Chuckling at her alarm, he pats her head. "Relax. She had kids, that's why."
"Oh." Right. Bom remembers him playing with a pair of tiny tots - twins, by the looks of them.
He continues. "It's something like it changed her physiology or something. I'm not quite sure. I just know she announced proudly that she was cured - her words - after the show. So I'm guessing pregnancy or giving birth or something can improve your periods afterward." He glances down at her for the first time. "So... get pregnant, I suppose."
"Er." Bom lets herself drop back onto her pillow, studiously smooths her blanket and... and... whuh... "Um," she stutters, "speaking of the Big Show... I heard Jiyong recording the other day around 2AM after your rehearsal. What's going on?"
"Ji's getting hives again," he replies drily.
Bom glances up again when she feels the bed shift. He's finished his wine, putting the glass on her night table next to The Secret Garden. She's been sadly derelict in reading English stuff lately. "He never called me back about that feature he wanted me to do on your next album. Did you trash it?" she asks curiously.
Seunghyun grabs the book, settling back on her pillow, and she can see him translating the back blurb in his head, concentration furrowing his brow. "No," he answers distractedly, "just working a different angle now." Bom nods. Good. She likes working with them.
"It's not at all like the drama," she suddenly comments, gesturing at the book he's still deciphering. "I can lend it to you when I'm done if you want."
Flustered, he shakes his head with a wince. "This isn't my level," he replies, weighing the book.
"Nonsense," Bom counters. "I had to analyse Shakespeare when I moved to the States. I had no idea who the guy was and I couldn't understand English very well, much less Old English. This is an abridged version. Easier. Take it," she urges.
Seunghyun seems in the grips of thinking it over, hesitating, then puts it back down decisively on her night table. "We'll see."
Bom gazes up at him, shrugging as if to say Fine. "You're definitely improving, though, you know."
He chuckles. "My Japanese tutor would beg to differ."
Thus reminded of her own problems, Bom groans. "Oh, God, mine too. Sajangnim was talking about 2NE1 debuting in Japan later this year after the earthquake thing blows over, and I just kept thinking It's a siiiiign! Stop this madness! I'm terrible!"
"Welcome to my world," Seunghyun adds.
For a moment they are both silent, Bom lying on her bed, nestled in her Hello Kitty pajamas, warm blankets and even warmer hot pad on top of her, and Seunghyun sitting up next to her with his hands clasped about his knees with a faraway look upon his face. Gazing up at his profile, Bom can't help but note the sharp and soft angles of his face and the fine sweep of his hair. She thinks she must look a fright in contrast, with her hair gathered pell-mell in a loose scrunchied bun and Kitty going peekaboo from beneath her blankets. Nevertheless, she feels... perfect. The pain's relatively at bay, he's seen her in much more frazzled states, and she'd do anything to stretch this moment forever.
Beneath the blankets, she rolls her ring around her finger pensively.
"This is nice," she comments out loud.
"Mm."
"You're a good guy, you know that? I'm sorry I'm such a bitch sometimes."
Seunghyun slides his head sideways. "Nah, you're just a grouchy ahjumma," he teases, chortling when he's smacked.
"Take that back, you babo."
Hands up in defense, Seunghyun's laughing as he tries to bat away her resounding smacks. "Yah! That hurts!"
The sole answer is a low growl and more smacks. So, eventually, he fights back, trying to grab the offending hands flying every which way. This has him landing on top of her, her hands pinned neatly above her head.
And her contorting in pain.
"Oh God. I'm so sorry. Are you okay?" he asks, withstanding the agony of her hands squeezing his into dust. Eventually he can free himself. Pulling down her blanket, he presses down gently on her belly, making slow circles with his thumbs that have her breathing more deeply with each revolution.
Finally her crisped features relax once more, and she opens her eyes. "This month's worse than ever before."
"I'm sorry."
She shakes her head. "It's not your fault," she chortles softly. As he moves to get off her she holds him back, clasping his thighs. "Stay."
"I'm not too heavy?"
She shakes her head once more, settling back into her pillow.
"You need painkillers," he suggests, brushing away a stray lock.
"Had alcohol," she replies with a sigh. "Have to wait a while. I don't like painkillers anyway. They make me sleepy."
She hears his amused snort. "You already are sleepy."
"Sleepier," she corrects.
"Do you always have to be on top?"
She quirks a brow at him, him who's sitting on top of her right now. "Look who's talking," she deadpans with a grin. "On top, everybody on top... Digital bounce, uh huh -"
Flustered, he purses his lips. "Shut up."
"Or what," she giggles. "Come on, that song's kind of raunchy if you think about it. Digital X!"
"I did not write that song."
"Liar. You so wrote the on top bit."
"I didn't!"
She stares up at him mischievously. "Go. Jit. Mal... yaaaaargh!"
Staring up at her from beneath, Seunghyun scowls. "You gonna follow up on that train of thought?" he asks with his Tee-Oh-Pee voice. Except... different. Dangerous. Deep, low, and his eyes pin her and know everything about her.
She can't look. "No," she whispers, staring at a point just over his shoulder.
Bom glances up when he strokes a lock of her fallen hair away, sighing. "Sorry."
She bites her lip. "Me too. I'm a terrible nag."
He smiles. "I've noticed."
For a moment, Bom says nothing, studying his face for the umpteenth time, then decides to throw caution to the wind - when doesn't she ever? "We'll have to kiss at some point, you know that?"
She watches his easy smile falter and his eyes slide down to his hands resting upon her pajama-clad thighs. There's an overall tension about him that she can't interpret.
"Talk to me."
"Yeah," he finally answers, tightly. "I know." Suddenly he moves his hands, and just as she intuits that he's going to try to sit up she interjects, "And? What do you think about it?"
He glances up at her, frowning. "What are you getting at?" he asks defensively.
She shakes her head, a bit at a loss herself. "I dunno... will you?" she asks quietly, picking at a loosening thread in her blanket.
"It's early days yet," he replies tightly, then attempts to push her off. Can't. "Bom, let me up."
"What's going on?"
"It's getting late. I should probably head to the studio, see what Ji's up to."
But Bom stops him mid-rise, and is suddenly stuck face-to-face with him, much closer than ever before. "Wait," she implores him. "What just happened? We were talking fine and then..." She trails off, not quite knowing how to end that one.
Seunghyun stares back at her, something indescribable passing through his face as he scans hers. Then he sighs. "Just... let me up. Please."
For a moment Bom calls herself all kinds of names in her mind for screwing up royally when today had been so lovely, and then she unstraddles him, watching as he smooths his clothes and heads toward the door without a word.
At the jamb, however, he pauses, sighs again, and turns around. There, he leans on the jamb and meets her eyes. He doesn't say a word for a few seconds, just stands there taking her in, all swaddled by her messed up blankets and her wild bun and her cutesy Hello Kitty jammies, and he makes her feel... completely... She has no idea what. Just... her heart hammers and she knows nothing else. And then he drops his head. "Yeah, I think I will," he finally admits before pushing away.
A few moments later she hears the front door open and close behind him, and the electronic system locks.
Slowly Bom crawls under her blankets again, though not for the warmth it provides.
CHAPTER FIVE
"God it's cold," Bom hisses through chattering teeth the next week as she waits for Seunghyun to get his bum to the damn park where they're supposed to meet. "Are you sure I can't wait inside somewhere?" she asks the PDs assembled before her. "Because I know TOP. He's always late. Later than me," she amends begrudgingly at the PD-in-charge's pointed look. "I don't know," she continues, hoping to keep her bloodstream kicking, "it's not like he has to put on makeup. Or get his hair done. Although truth be told, sometimes he does fret about his hair more than I do. Oh, come on, can't I get a cup of coffee at least? I'm sure there's a café somewhere around here. I'll even get you some."
"Don't fall for that one," Seunghyun's voice calls from not far behind. "She'll steal your money and then claim she gave it to the charity box because she was hit with a sudden sense of goodwill and but those poor starving kids!" Finally he turns to her, quite deadpan. "How's my wife this fine... cold... day..." A sudden shiver racks him. "Seriously, who thought this place was a good idea?"
"Yah!" Bom shrieks, making him wince. "You deserved it that time. You stole my breakfast!" she cries indignantly. "It was payback!"
"Just one toast. There were eggs, too."
"You stole my toast!" she accuses as vehemently as if he'd done it this morning.
"There was a whole loaf left!"
"Dara's bread," Bom counters darkly. "You took the only good bread left! Thief!"
Seunghyun sighs. "I told you then, I didn't mean to."
"Ha! Ha. Sure. Thief." Bom's shudders return full-force as a gale penetrates through her coat. "God it's cold. Where's that mission letter when we actually want it?"
"Someone's grumpy today," Seunghyun snorts lightly.
"I hate you," Bom explains.
Thick brows lift in amused surprise. "Really," he chuckles, smiling like he was in a good mood. Bom withered inside. "What did I do this time?" he asks, sitting down on a snow-covered bench before her.
"You exist," Bom grumbles, rubbing her arms to keep warm. "Men have no idea what pain is, okay. It's terrible and it happens every month and each time I want to die. The only silver lining right now is that I don't have to perform on stage today and paste on a smile like Oooh, life is bright and shiny and there's nothing wrong with me but a lot of blood that makes it look as if I've been gutted. No, no, I'm totally A-okay!" Finally plopping down next to him, she glances up at him miserably. "I'm really grumpy today, Tabi."
To his credit, he isn't looking ready to bolt or scream OUT, OUT, I'M OUT!. On the other hand, he's looking a bit flabbergasted. Or hit on the head. Or both. "Wow," he chokes out. "It's that bad?"
Bom sighs, watching the plumes of condensation flutter in the wind. "You have no idea. It just started this morning so it's about to get worse. Being out here in the cold just isn't helping." She looks over at the nearest PD and snaps, "Where's that mission card?"
Next to her, Seunghyun suddenly stands, walking towards the PD-in-charge. She watches as he speaks with the man intently, appearing to argue hotly. The man gesticulates, Seunghyun shakes his head, then the PD grudgingly makes a call as Seunghyun looks pack pensively at her. Finally the PD unhappily ends the call, sending Seunghyun back with a despondent scowl.
"What's going on?" Bom asks when he joins her.
"They've cancelled today's shoot," he tells her, to which Bom's jaw drops. "I told him you weren't feeling well - I had to actually say the word menstruation to get him moving. But it's done!" he ends with a satisfied smile.
"Seunghyun?"
"Hmm?"
"I love you."
He grins. "Don't you hate me though?"
"I would kiss you right now if we were in America," she assures him, to which he blinks in confusion. "Thank you so much. Oooh, electric pad, here I come!"
#
"It's really... I don't need to be looked after, Seunghyun, I swear," Bom explains for the umpteenth time since they set out from the frozen park land to the YG dorm. Now they have arrived at the BoMinzy dorm and Seunghyun is a rather encroaching present when, honestly, she can perfectly survive an ovarian attack on her own, thank you very much. "I just need an electric pad, a cup of tea and a novel and I'm set."
But he just keeps on trucking as she unlocks her front door. "Look, Bom, I've got an older sister who used to faint and/or crawl on her hands and knees every month, okay. I've been there. Indirectly," he argues at the front door.
"Ha!" She tries to close the door in his face - the nerve he has to pretend he knows what it's like! - but he slaps a hand out to hold it open.
"I'm serious, Bom. Let me just take care of you, okay? I've cared for Hyeyoon more times than I can remember." Then, when he can see she's hesitating, he adds, "I swear I have no ulterior motives."
Caught in a conundrum, Bom weighs the pros and cons. Pro: maybe he'll know something she doesn't. She doubts it - after all, who's the woman here? But on the other hand, it's nice to have understanding company that can take your mind off the pain. Cons: uh... she'd be alone with him in there. Also, can a guy really know more than her? Psssh...
That takes care of nothing. Eyeing him suspiciously, she pops a quiz at him. "How long does a cycle last?"
Without batting an eye he replies. "Normally 21 to 28 days but it varies for everyo - every girl."
Bom smirks. "Nice save there."
He shrugs unabashedly. "Some women get really sensitive about the subject."
With a sniff Bom pulls the door a tad more open to let him in. "And with reason," she remarks. "Make yourself at home; I'll go hunt for the electric pad. I think Minzy stole it last week."
As Bom moved in the direction of the maknae's room, she sees Seunghyun divest himself of his coat from the corner of her eye. He's chuckling to himself. "Don't you ever share anything, noona?"
"Yes, water" she parries back dryly from the maknae's closet, kneeling gingerly to search the bottom. "Shit," she hisses to herself as a wave of blinding dizziness suddenly hits her and makes her lose her already precarious balance.
Only to be righted by Seunghyun. But she can't appreciate the gesture. The pain has her blanching, nearly fainting. "Breathe, Bom, just breathe," Seunghyun's crooning voice encourages her, and though it hurts to even move a muscle in the midst of it all, she takes in a deep breath, releasing the air slowly through her lips. Gentle palms massage her belly slowly... slow circles that begin to unknot the muscles clasped tightly.
Gradually the pain recedes, replaced by an encompassing well-being that lulls her, makes her aware of every touch. And yearn for it to last forever. "This feels good," she murmurs contentedly against him.
"Do you think you can stand?"
Bom purses her lips at the closet in front of her. "I'd rather stay like this. But..." With his help she drags herself to her feet, pausing a moment when dizziness washes over her again and makes her waver.
When he's sure that she can stand on her own, Seunghyun quickly crouches to pick up the hot pad Bom had been reaching for, then stands again, watching her still-white features warily. "You need to rest. Go to bed - I'll warm you some broth," he announces, heading for the door.
Choking on a weak chortle, Bom tsk'ed at him. "Now I know you only came here to see me in my pajamas."
Stopping in his tracks, Seunghyun slowly turns back. "Don't tell me you still have those Hello Kitty ones..." he parries back incredulously. "The kitty with the glittery whiskers?"
Stumped, Bom pauses. He actually remembers what she was wearing that first night? "Actually... yeah..."
A small smile tugs at his lips as his eyes soften. "Wear it," he demands before heading out to the kitchen. There, she can hear him bustle about, presumably looking for the cooking wares he needs and a packet of broth, she deduces from the sound of the lower cupboards being rolled out.
And Bom stands there still, a little discombobulated to say the least. "You're not the boss of me!" she shoots at him loudly. Belatedly. Then she moans in pain when a pang renders her mindless with pain. "Ow, damn you, Seunghyun."
The bustle in the kitchen pauses as Seunghyun asks out loud, "Are you okay?"
"I hate you," she informs him tightly.
"Nice. Go to bed. I'm too busy to keep you from harming yourself right now."
"Not like I have control!" she replies, dragging herself outside to the next room. "I still hate you, by the way. Even though you're nice."
"Noted," he replies dismissively, just as something comes to a boil in the kitchen. She smells meat. Mmhmmm...
#
"Thank you so much for everything," Bom says, smiling, as she burrows deeper into her pillow, enjoying the comforting heat of the pad on her midsection. "The soup was delicious. The wine was a nice touch. I feel... much better."
Seunghyun, sitting up against her headboard, swirls the remainder of his wine in his glass, appearing to study the colour and texture closely. He shrugs. "It was nothing. It's not like I can... take away the pain, you know?"
Bom glances up at him. "No, but most men would have run for the hills at the utterance of the word period."
He shrugs again. "Like I said, my sister had it bad. My mom would send me to the pharmacy in the middle of the night for painkillers, tampons or energy supplements... whatever would help. Other times it was Seunghyunie, go and get me the best veal for your sister! For iron, you know." He takes a sip of his glass. "So you might say I'm immune to the taboo. I've heard it all." He smiles. "Dad literally went red in the face whenever they'd go on about blood flow or tampons at the dinner table, but I just grew up with all that. It's all right."
"How's your sister now?"
"Pain's pretty much gone," Seunghyun answers, taking another sip.
Bom detects a little something off in the way he said it. Lifting up on her elbows, she ignores the pang her effort causes. "Why, what happened? Is she okay? I thought I saw her at your Big Show recently."
Chuckling at her alarm, he pats her head. "Relax. She had kids, that's why."
"Oh." Right. Bom remembers him playing with a pair of tiny tots - twins, by the looks of them.
He continues. "It's something like it changed her physiology or something. I'm not quite sure. I just know she announced proudly that she was cured - her words - after the show. So I'm guessing pregnancy or giving birth or something can improve your periods afterward." He glances down at her for the first time. "So... get pregnant, I suppose."
"Er." Bom lets herself drop back onto her pillow, studiously smooths her blanket and... and... whuh... "Um," she stutters, "speaking of the Big Show... I heard Jiyong recording the other day around 2AM after your rehearsal. What's going on?"
"Ji's getting hives again," he replies drily.
Bom glances up again when she feels the bed shift. He's finished his wine, putting the glass on her night table next to The Secret Garden. She's been sadly derelict in reading English stuff lately. "He never called me back about that feature he wanted me to do on your next album. Did you trash it?" she asks curiously.
Seunghyun grabs the book, settling back on her pillow, and she can see him translating the back blurb in his head, concentration furrowing his brow. "No," he answers distractedly, "just working a different angle now." Bom nods. Good. She likes working with them.
"It's not at all like the drama," she suddenly comments, gesturing at the book he's still deciphering. "I can lend it to you when I'm done if you want."
Flustered, he shakes his head with a wince. "This isn't my level," he replies, weighing the book.
"Nonsense," Bom counters. "I had to analyse Shakespeare when I moved to the States. I had no idea who the guy was and I couldn't understand English very well, much less Old English. This is an abridged version. Easier. Take it," she urges.
Seunghyun seems in the grips of thinking it over, hesitating, then puts it back down decisively on her night table. "We'll see."
Bom gazes up at him, shrugging as if to say Fine. "You're definitely improving, though, you know."
He chuckles. "My Japanese tutor would beg to differ."
Thus reminded of her own problems, Bom groans. "Oh, God, mine too. Sajangnim was talking about 2NE1 debuting in Japan later this year after the earthquake thing blows over, and I just kept thinking It's a siiiiign! Stop this madness! I'm terrible!"
"Welcome to my world," Seunghyun adds.
For a moment they are both silent, Bom lying on her bed, nestled in her Hello Kitty pajamas, warm blankets and even warmer hot pad on top of her, and Seunghyun sitting up next to her with his hands clasped about his knees with a faraway look upon his face. Gazing up at his profile, Bom can't help but note the sharp and soft angles of his face and the fine sweep of his hair. She thinks she must look a fright in contrast, with her hair gathered pell-mell in a loose scrunchied bun and Kitty going peekaboo from beneath her blankets. Nevertheless, she feels... perfect. The pain's relatively at bay, he's seen her in much more frazzled states, and she'd do anything to stretch this moment forever.
Beneath the blankets, she rolls her ring around her finger pensively.
"This is nice," she comments out loud.
"Mm."
"You're a good guy, you know that? I'm sorry I'm such a bitch sometimes."
Seunghyun slides his head sideways. "Nah, you're just a grouchy ahjumma," he teases, chortling when he's smacked.
"Take that back, you babo."
Hands up in defense, Seunghyun's laughing as he tries to bat away her resounding smacks. "Yah! That hurts!"
The sole answer is a low growl and more smacks. So, eventually, he fights back, trying to grab the offending hands flying every which way. This has him landing on top of her, her hands pinned neatly above her head.
And her contorting in pain.
"Oh God. I'm so sorry. Are you okay?" he asks, withstanding the agony of her hands squeezing his into dust. Eventually he can free himself. Pulling down her blanket, he presses down gently on her belly, making slow circles with his thumbs that have her breathing more deeply with each revolution.
Finally her crisped features relax once more, and she opens her eyes. "This month's worse than ever before."
"I'm sorry."
She shakes her head. "It's not your fault," she chortles softly. As he moves to get off her she holds him back, clasping his thighs. "Stay."
"I'm not too heavy?"
She shakes her head once more, settling back into her pillow.
"You need painkillers," he suggests, brushing away a stray lock.
"Had alcohol," she replies with a sigh. "Have to wait a while. I don't like painkillers anyway. They make me sleepy."
She hears his amused snort. "You already are sleepy."
"Sleepier," she corrects.
"Do you always have to be on top?"
She quirks a brow at him, him who's sitting on top of her right now. "Look who's talking," she deadpans with a grin. "On top, everybody on top... Digital bounce, uh huh -"
Flustered, he purses his lips. "Shut up."
"Or what," she giggles. "Come on, that song's kind of raunchy if you think about it. Digital X!"
"I did not write that song."
"Liar. You so wrote the on top bit."
"I didn't!"
She stares up at him mischievously. "Go. Jit. Mal... yaaaaargh!"
Staring up at her from beneath, Seunghyun scowls. "You gonna follow up on that train of thought?" he asks with his Tee-Oh-Pee voice. Except... different. Dangerous. Deep, low, and his eyes pin her and know everything about her.
She can't look. "No," she whispers, staring at a point just over his shoulder.
Bom glances up when he strokes a lock of her fallen hair away, sighing. "Sorry."
She bites her lip. "Me too. I'm a terrible nag."
He smiles. "I've noticed."
For a moment, Bom says nothing, studying his face for the umpteenth time, then decides to throw caution to the wind - when doesn't she ever? "We'll have to kiss at some point, you know that?"
She watches his easy smile falter and his eyes slide down to his hands resting upon her pajama-clad thighs. There's an overall tension about him that she can't interpret.
"Talk to me."
"Yeah," he finally answers, tightly. "I know." Suddenly he moves his hands, and just as she intuits that he's going to try to sit up she interjects, "And? What do you think about it?"
He glances up at her, frowning. "What are you getting at?" he asks defensively.
She shakes her head, a bit at a loss herself. "I dunno... will you?" she asks quietly, picking at a loosening thread in her blanket.
"It's early days yet," he replies tightly, then attempts to push her off. Can't. "Bom, let me up."
"What's going on?"
"It's getting late. I should probably head to the studio, see what Ji's up to."
But Bom stops him mid-rise, and is suddenly stuck face-to-face with him, much closer than ever before. "Wait," she implores him. "What just happened? We were talking fine and then..." She trails off, not quite knowing how to end that one.
Seunghyun stares back at her, something indescribable passing through his face as he scans hers. Then he sighs. "Just... let me up. Please."
For a moment Bom calls herself all kinds of names in her mind for screwing up royally when today had been so lovely, and then she unstraddles him, watching as he smooths his clothes and heads toward the door without a word.
At the jamb, however, he pauses, sighs again, and turns around. There, he leans on the jamb and meets her eyes. He doesn't say a word for a few seconds, just stands there taking her in, all swaddled by her messed up blankets and her wild bun and her cutesy Hello Kitty jammies, and he makes her feel... completely... She has no idea what. Just... her heart hammers and she knows nothing else. And then he drops his head. "Yeah, I think I will," he finally admits before pushing away.
A few moments later she hears the front door open and close behind him, and the electronic system locks.
Slowly Bom crawls under her blankets again, though not for the warmth it provides.