C16 Chapter 15

“Yes?”

The word rang into Jin’s ears, causing his eyes to snap towards the man whose face was only a hand away to reach. With the help of the flashy lighting of the room, complementing the man’s skin, he can fully see the tiny hairs on his perfectly sculpted face. He cannot help himself but ogle at him every time he lays his eyes on him. No matter how many times he has stolen glances at the man’s masculine beauty, it was pretty different up close.

So Hiro is his name?

When Hiro caught him shamelessly staring at him, Jin immediately looked away, “I…uhh—don’t you need to get going?” he’s sure the Woos needed him more beside them than he does.

Hiro stared at Jin like he was the most valuable piece he had acquired lately, like a thief fixated on the jewel one desired to have, “Go where?” what does he know about him to spout such a thing?

“Work,” said Jin, worried the man might have a deduction to his salary. Such a kind person should not waste his time on him. Especially when he heard bodyguards are in need by wealthy families nowadays as their wages are higher than most employed workers on any local company.

That explains why the sharp suit the man’s wearing and his overall set-up look tonight is pure luxury.

He might be clueless when it comes to exquisite possessions, but he can tell dirt from gold. One look, he can be mistaken as a man with title and wealth. Well, it does seem inappropriately too classy for a mere bodyguard, but after personally meeting the current successor of one of the chaebol families, everyone worshiped. He now understands why there are high-end qualifications to meet.

“Work where?” Hiro ran his fingers on the edge of his tie, all the way down to the tip, whilst holding back his smile after seeing the confused expression on Jin’s face.

How considerate can this little man be?

Eyes blinking, Jin leans away, looking at the person in front of him in disbelief, “You don’t work for the Woos?”

Hiro’s left brow arched, looking back at Jin’s puzzled and embarrassed face, “Unfortunately, no,” nor does he want to listen to any of the nosy men in his house. Beat it, his father or grandfather. He could not care less.

Did he perhaps mistake him as an errand boy? Never in his life had he met someone so daring and clueless to come at him.

Jin’s whole face fell. He can feel his jaw hanging all the way down to the cold floor. As much as he wanted to bury his face on the ground or hide somewhere where the man can’t see him, he was too stunned in his seat for him to move a muscle.

From his arched brow, like an upset tyrant turned into a sullen king with a frown, Hiro levels their heads, staring at Jin’s lifeless face, alarmed of his silence, "Your complexion is pale." He looked like he's about to pass out at any moment.

A doctor. He needs a doctor.

Hiro sighs at the unresponsive fellow in front of him, “There's no way your mother wouldn't want to have a physician check on you."

Snapping back to his thoughts, Jin quickly shakes his head at his statement, his bangs swaying side to side, "As future brothers..." he shuts his eyes closed. He does not want to know what kind of look the man is wearing after saying his excuse. He does not even know the man’s thoughts about both of their parents’ alliance to marriage.

"H-Hyung..." He clenches his hands on top of his thighs, "Do me a favor." He's desperate.

He can endure anything in the world but be in one place with a person in the medical field.

"I can help you with anything in return."

For heaven's sake, he’s dying in shame here. Heavens have mercy on him. Let this man accept his offer. "I'm a university student myself," a hard-working one, "I can---"

What made Jin pause wasn't the fact that he's too ashamed of himself to continue further, but the phone handed to him out of nowhere, its apple logo staring back at him a few inches away from his face.

Eh?

The glass on its back looked more expensive than the sum of his outfit tonight as it reflects against the chandeliers from above, looking all glossy and new without any phone case.

He looks up. His pent-up embarrassment has been brushed away and replaced by confusion and curiosity, "This is?"

Are they not understanding each other's side? Does he not fully understand Korean well?

Hiro moved the phone in his hand up and down, his wrist contracting, "My phone," he replied plainly, urging him to take it.

Jin wants to run his palms over his face. Yeah, it's his phone. He can see that. But what does he want him to do with it?

Here, he thought the man was intimidating and arrogant, but what he’s seeing right now is one confused human being as if his soul and consciousness had worked on a different universe and left his body in this state, imbecile.

"And what about it?"

Hiro squint his eyes. He does not want to be kept waiting as his patience is thinner than the thread, "Keep it for me."

Jin's eyes bulge, his eyeballs almost popping out. What? Why would he? "For what? I mean...don't you ever need it for something?" He does not understand what this guy is thinking inside his head. After a few seconds of not seeing him moving in his place, he has no choice but to slowly lift his hand and accept the phone from the man's hand.

Jin's fingers shivered upon touching the phone’s blank screen with his cold fingers. He was terrified after seeing his fingerprints marking its clear screen.

Is this man not familiar with a screen protector or phone case?

"If you keep it with you always, maybe it'll change my mind on not telling your mother about this." Hiro walked over to the opposite end of the couch and sat there like an entitled king, confident and brooding with confidence and poise, his body and head facing Jin.

Is he serious?! Jin bites his tongue beneath his sealed lips. Well, if he thinks about it thoroughly, it’s indeed a good deal, but at some point, he does not get what all this is for, and just as what he's so worried about, the phone in his hand buzzes, causing him to jump on his seat and panicked. He rushes to look over Hiro who's calm despite the storm.

What’s he doing? “Your phone…” Jin breathes, “It’s ringing!”

He can see that well, “It indeed is,” Hiro touches his lips with his middle and forefinger, looking at Jin’s now flustered expression. It amuses him, somehow, "You want me to answer it?" asked Hiro.

Jin's brows furrows, "I-I don't know. It’s your phone. It may be urgent." Why is this man is so frustrating to talk with?

Hiro simply shrugs his shoulders back at Jin, pretending as if he heard nothing as the ringtone continues to riffle in the room.

It's just that looking at the person in front of him, changing from one facial expression to another without hesitation, was intriguing and refreshing for him to look at. Like a movie play, he could watch all day to freshen up his head.

Jin inhales. Is he purposely stressing him out? Cause if he is, it's working perfectly well. His toes curled under his shoes and socks, “Answer it…if you want to.” Bullshit, if this man wanted to, he could have snatched his phone from his hand immediately the very moment it rang.

He couldn’t even imagine himself entrusting his phone to a random stranger.

He then heard a simple ‘okay’ from him before Hiro scoots closer towards him to press and swipe his phone screen to accept the call.

Hiro pulled Jin’s hand lightly and leaned his head down to level his ears on the phone’s speaker.

So close.

“Not now,” said Hiro to the caller.

Jin’s shoulders jerks when Hiro’s eyes meet his and again his chest was enveloped with an unknown sensation, "I'm busy," muttered Hiro.

That was all Jin heard, before the phone was placed back in his hand as the man moves away from him, back to the place where he sat a while ago.

...

This man---