[M] ELEVEN (1/1)

___________________________________________________________25 CONTROVERSIAL QUOTES  FROM THE STYLE EMPRESSOn her perpetually red lips:“Red is a color that reveals and hides at the same time.When a woman wears red, she’s eitherfeeling bold and sexy or plotting someone’s doom,but you’ll never know from her Mona Lisa smile.It keeps people guessing.Every woman should wear red lipstick all the time.”Sandara Park__________________________________________________   THE COMPETITION IS CALLED WATER TRIATHLON. It involves six teams composed of professional athletes. Each team has three members. They will race to the finish line on a relay of three activities— Water Skiing, Wakeboarding and Barefoot Skiing.  I still can’t believe Jaejoong has been a world champion once in all three separate events!  No wonder he’s so fit.  In this particular competition, Jaejoong is the Barefoot Skier. I saw him practice with his team yesterday along a secluded part of the beach and I was at the edge of my seat as I watched him glide over the water effortlessly while being dragged by a motorboat at more than 100 mph.  He has given me a crash course on his favorite water sports, too. Barefoot Skiing requires a much higher speed than the others for the skier’s feet to skim the water surface without sinking.  The only comfort I could get is the knowledge that he’s on the water and couldn’t possibly get hurt that much if accidents happen. But one of the boys assisting Jaejoong’s team informed me that athletes could break their necks or backs if they land on the water in the wrong position at high speed.  Today’s event is huge as this is the championship race between the three remaining teams, Jaejoong’s team who’s representing the island and the teams from UK and Australia.  So, this is the event that Insung's covering today. I haven’t seen him yet. He’s probably busy shooting somewhere. I was meaning to talk to him and apologize for disappearing like a fugitive but Jaejoong occupied all of my time since Wednesday. He didn’t allow me to return to my hotel. He brought me to his villa which I was able to tour in detail yesterday.  It was another visual treat for me. The villa is bigger than I first thought, sprawling into the forest. He designed this too and it’s no less breathtaking. Jaejoong has a knack for blending man-made structures with nature. I’m beginning to think he did some of the unique buildings I’ve seen on the strip. His style is very distinct.   The villa displays all of his small sculptures from his childhood and teens, in clay, marble and bronze.  He told me he has a studio and foundry somewhere in the island where his staff works on enlarging his sculptures into giant bronze statues. I’m fascinated and couldn’t wait to visit his work place and learn how he does things.  If he didn’t need to practice yesterday, he wouldn’t have left my side. Well, he really didn’t leave my side as he brought me wherever he went.  I’ve been noticing how people treat him since we left Punto Fiamma. I now see a distinct deference accorded to him by the island staff everywhere we go.  I have several theories what could be the reason behind it but I don’t want to dwell on it. So, he’s Hee Ae’s son and possibly a royal’s progeny, too, but it’s not something people around here talk about openly. And the island’s rule still stands. If you recognize people and they recognize you, you can hang out together but generally pretend you don’tknow each other.  Today, hundreds of people have flocked to the beach, excited to witness the competition. Huge, colorful tents were erected for lounging as the sun is pouring ultra-violet rays without any clouds to filter them. I see the major sponsors’ names emblazoned in giant tarps.  No wonder cocktails and all kinds of beverages are flowing everywhere for free.  A DJ named Skrillex is playing some cool music on a makeshift stage. It’s making me sway and grind my hips a little. I catch myself and behave.  Jeez, when was the last time I’ve danced to music?  Honestly…I can’t remember. Maybe never?  The vibe is so festive. So young.  I feel young.  God, I do.  Jaejoong makes me feel all giggly and giddy I want to slap myself at times. Wake up, wake up! This is just a time warp into a rom-com, one of those eye-rolling flicks I secretly watch in my home theater behind closed doors, a guilty pleasure of mine along with romance books. Thank God I don’t have to buy books in paperbacks nowadays. I hide them in my tablet within a password not even the CIA can crack.  Everything feels surreal, but I’m awake and he’s real and I’m sitting in his tent with his team and his people and he’s introduced me to everyone as his girlfriend.  I was blindsided. I couldn’t react. And I could do nothing when he touches me affectionately in front of his friends. His friends who don’t look at me like I’m a female version of Earl Bradley. Okay, I’m being overly facetious. Old habits, you know.  But I’m learning the meaning of what he said now. Appreciate surprises. He surprises me a lot. Surprises that make me feel good about myself, make me see myself from a different angle.  “Hey.” He suddenly appears behind me and embraces me.  I turn into his arms, no longer mindful of the people around us. My relative anonymity on this island has given me a semblance of freedom and I’m lapping it up like it’s a limited visitation right.  “You liking it so far?”  “I’m loving it.”  He pushes his aviator glasses to rest on top of his head and bends his neck to kiss me. I close my eyes.  Maybe being a cougar is not such a bad idea after all, if and only if the cub is as hot as the one eating my lips like it’s Chocopologie truffle melting in his mouth.  “Be careful,” I whisper.  He grins. “Afraid to lose your Bubba Dada?”  I feel my throat constrict at the thought of losing him.  Oh boy. Bad sign.  No, good sign.  "You want me to remove my panties and wrap it around your arm for good luck?” I say cheekily.  He chuckles. “Now that you want to remove your panties, what about we go behind the tent for a quickie?”  I giggle, slapping his arm. “Silly.”  “We’ll be really quiet, but judging from that racket Skrill is doing over there, nobody will hear you even if you scream when you come.”  I slap his butt, feeling all hot and bothered now. “Stop.”  “Dara?”  I freeze at the sound of that voice.  I jump from Jaejoong's arms and turn around.  "Insung!”  My cheeks feel like freshly made pancakes. I must be blushing like a teenager. This is not the way I wanted Insung to see me again, smooching with a hot young stud in public.  “I thought it was you…” Insung says tentatively,  his eyes traveling between me and Jaejoong, who snaked a territorial arm around my waist, anchoring me to his side. I want to push him away but it’s too late now.  “Hey,” I say belatedly. “How have you been?”  “I should ask you that. I went to your hotel last Wednesday but you’ve checked out.”  “Uhm…”  Jaejoong extends his hand towards Insung. “Hi, I’m Jaejoong, Dara’s boyfriend.”  Insung’s jaw drops. I can’t blame him. Jaejoong sure knows how to be subtle.  Insung’s eyes seek mine for confirmation. I see the hurt in them.  Oh shit.  I just smile. Or maybe I’m wincing. I don’t know. Talk about being put on the spot.  I’m not prepared for this.   Insung belatedly remembers his manners and take Jaejoong’s  hand. They shake hands briefly.  “Jo Insung.”  “You’re a journalist?” Jaejoong asks, pertaining to Insung’s camera dangling from his neck.  “I’m a photographer commissioned by Sports Illustrated.”  “I see. Welcome to Louÿs Island, man. So, you know Dara?”  “Yeah. We know each other from way back.”  I feel Jaejoong's fingers sink deeper onto my side. Oh God, talk about awkward.  Major! I want to run away and hide. I can definitely feel the tension between them and I’m not really the type men fight over.  “Were you looking for someone in particular here?” Jaejoong asks.  “Yeah. I want to meet the Louÿs Island team, and maybe take a picture of them before the race?”  Jaejoong looks to his side and bellows. "Changmin! Hyun Joong!”  His team mates glance at us. Jaejoong beckons for them to join us. They both jog towards the tent.  Jaejoong introduces his team mates to Insung. “Changmin for Wakeboarding, Hyunjoong for Waterskiing, yours truly for Barefoot.”  Insung’s jaw drops again but quickly snaps it back.  “He wants to take our picture,” Jaejoong says.  “Sure, man,” Changmin happily says. Hyunjoong nods with a smile.  “Uhm...” I try to ply Jaejoong’s hand from my waist. He doesn’t let go. I look up at him. “No pictures,” I say seriously.  He lets me go.  Insunh takes their picture while I stand a few meters from them.  A man approaches the tent. “Time to kick ass, boys!” he announces.  Jaejoong comes to me again and kisses me, right in front of Insung.  “Watch me. Only me. Don’t even blink.” He winks and leaves the tent with his team.  I wait for Insung to say something but he remains silent.  He clears his throat. “I’d better work, too,” he says.  “Insung…”  “Hey, you don’t need to explain,” he tells me with a kind smile.  “I’m sorry,” I say nonetheless.  “Please, don’t apologize. I enjoyed my time with you. I’ll always do. I guessI won’t be seeing you for the remainder of my stay. I’ll just see you around then?”  I nod and smile at him, a little sad that I hurt him some, but happy that he now knows and won’t hope for anything between us anymore.  “He seems really cool.”  I smile wider, feeling proud. “He is.”  ————//————   I can’t remember a time when my heart overflows with pride because I’m part of a person’s life.  But I’m glad for today, this beautiful, beautiful day that I’m part of this young man’s life.  I didn’t know this sport even existed all this time or how it’s even possible. I’ve been living a one-dimensional life.  He doesn’t walk on water but he skims the surface like the wind.  Jaejoong’s team won the triathlon championship but the highlight of the day isn’t that. It’s Jaejoong, a former world champion in Barefooting doing freestyle exhibition.  He commands the water like he was born in it.  Now I know why he loves the island so much. He does what he does best here.  He makes it look so easy and I know for a fact based on my personal experiences that any skill that looks easy and effortless is in fact very difficult to execute.  I can only imagine how many years he has spent perfecting his form—on his two feet, on one foot, facing away from the boat, on his butt, on his hands, on his knees, doing zigzags or slalom as they call it,