Chapter 4 (1/2)

The cigarette smoke rose into the crisp air, puffs of smoke accompany his harsh coughs as Aron cleared his throat. His smile grew as he sat on the edge of the rooftop with a few others, dressed simlarily with various shades of dyed hair and bold clothing. Their attention diverted to the scene across the street, of a man bellowing at his subdorinates for their incompetence.

“Minhyun’s having a hard time, isn’t he?” Aron snickered loudly at the show. “Shows him right!” He spat victoriously.

“Amazing that his men still haven’t found him, that model disappeared off the face of the earth.”

“Maybe he already has.”

Aron shrugged as he reached for another cigarette, chortling loudly as Minhyun kicked the foot of his car. “That model’s probably at some beach resort, attending parties and surrounding himself with beautiful women. That’s what I would do.”

Aron mused over that idea in jealousy as he exhaled the smoke, “Ah, what a life.”

-

Scars, over time, heal until all that’s left is a thin transparent line, often times it’s hard enough to tell unless one’s up close.

That morning, Ren realized Baekho was covered in them. Ren only knew this because when he woke up, his head was resting on the other’s torso.

Damn it.

Ren exhaled as he peered around the room.

He found himself performing the usual, now a habit as he woke to every morning since the first time. He was sleeping right beside Baekho, again. Although usually a light sleeper, Ren could tell that Baekho was sleeping rather deeply. Thankfully.

Ren peered silently at Baekho’s sleeping expression, observing as he lingered awake.

It felt like a trap, his peaceful presence luring him into a sense of security. After three years of making it clear to Baekho too. He’s always made it a firm point to keep the line drawn between them. It’s not as if Baekho’s been shy with his feelings, straightforward as any.

The tired Ren glanced at the clock, it was only four in the morning and he huffed as he settled back into the pillow, staring at the ceiling for a long while when he glanced Baekho’s way. Gradually, the time hits him, and the model shifts until he’s comfortable, subconsciously laying by Baekho’s shoulder.

It’s crossed his mind, more times than once. That that line was dimming.

Before he could give it another thought, Ren falls rightly to sleep.

-

A while later just before the sun struck, Baekho woke up, he’s able to sit up on his own and resist the subtle aches in his arm. He’s careful though, as not to stir the figure right by him when he paused and faced the other.

Ren was warmer than usual.

-

“– ...Today in other news, charges were brought today by the district attorney’s office–”

Baekho heard bags being ripped and sharply looked up as Longfei started to eat.

“I agreed to us working together in my office, but it doesn’t mean you can also make a mess in mine.”

“It isn’t a mess, I know exactly where everything is.” Longfei contradicted highly.

Baekho became more doubtful as Longfei returned his attention to the screen. “And you’re watching the news?”

“My friend, you never know who will bring you inspiration, and if you want that Spring collection, you’ll let me do as I please.”

Baekho dismissively continued with the work when the doors opened, and his assistant arrived.

“Sir, are these the files you wanted me to send over?”

“Yes, and spare no expense, they need to reach her by tomorrow.”

Longfei hastily stood up and looked over the files before she took them away, “You’ve finished?” He said excitedly as he looked over the designs, “I thought you were pushing it when you said it’d debut by summer, but you really do keep your word.”

Longfei pulled nearly all the files out of her grip to give each one a better look, “Then all of these are being sent for mass manufacturing?” He received no reply when to his surprise, a single photo was tugged out of his grip.

Baekho safely tucked the file into his briefcase, “Except this one.”

The assistant bowed as she took the files. Longfei observed as Baekho also began to reach for his briefcase and coat, setting to leave.

“You’ve been leaving rather on time lately.”

“Is that so shocking?” Baekho asked rather calmly, unfazed to his suspicions.

“It is, I’ve never known my partner to leave early even if he could have.” Longfei then smiled coyly, “A special woman in your life?”

Baekho merely walked out of the room, signaling he had other business to tend to. He always managed to evade any attempts to prod at his private life. Longfei briefly looked about the large and organized office, there wasn’t even a hint of a personal touch to it.

“–Lee Tae Won, an alleged member of STG, has been taken into police custody today. He was discovered–...”

Longfei blinked and applauded at the news, “Good for the police!”

-

“Why him?”

Jonghyun stepped into the room when he heard muttered cursing, he looked ahead as Ren occupied himself with the news. Jonghyun didn’t bother to announce himself and tossed the bag on the couch, finally signaling to Ren of his arrival.

Ren hastily greeted him. “Sorry, I heard ‘STG’ and ‘arrest’ and had my hopes up.” Ren heard nothing and turned around to see Jonghyun’s apathetic expression.

Despite that, Ren had a deep inkling that Jonghyun was looking down on him.

“Do you underestimate Baekho that much?”

Ren blinked, “No… I’m just impatient. Baekho told me before that I just had to wait it out, that soon enough, I won’t be a priority anymore.”

Nowadays, Ren had come to better accept the circumstances, in more ease as he realized a comforting thought.

That after all, aside from Baekho, Jonghyun was the only other one who knew Ren was hiding in that apartment.

“He’s exactly right,” Jonghyun agreed, “A group of their sort can’t afford to waste manpower for long.”

Ren felt his hopes rekindle, “Is that so?”

“He will have to, if he’s smart.”

“Is he?”

There was a long pause, and Ren felt those same hopes sour.

Dispirited, he reached for the tossed bag and opened it to check its contents, only to pull out a small medication bottle.

“Baekho said you were sick, are you not?”

Ren parted his lips, “Somewhat.” The symptoms were minor at best, it wasn’t anything threatening. He doubted Jonghyun would care to hear his reason, however, and thanked him.

Ren went to the kitchen and poured himself a glass as he pulled out the medication and read the instructions. “How did you get this? I thought it wasn't allowed to be sold here anymore.”

Jonghyun remained poker-faced as an understanding dawned on Ren, who tried to subside his uneasy feeling as he went back to the living room with cup on hand.

“Thank you nonetheless— Oh, that’s a lot of blood.” Ren quickly averted his gaze from the screen as a private telecast showcased photographs from some of the past jopok cases.

“You shouldn’t take these seriously,” Jonghyun uttered, watching the footage with unnerving ease just before he set to leave, “who would use a 9 millimeter nowadays?”

“...How was that suppose to comfort me?”

Instead, Ren decides it’s simply just to shift that bit of knowledge aside, putting his scattered mind to better use as he cleaned the loft entirely. It takes up most of the day, he finds that he’s successfully distracted as he reaches for the load of laundry and takes it to the bedroom.

As he placed it on the bed, he caught sight of the time.

Baekho had told him he’d be late because of some gathering, but he was a little late. Ren just shrugged it off, knowing how those parties tend to go. In the midst of organizing the piles, he buries his phone beneath, unaware of the emitting green light.

Ren then overheard the door opening from the bedroom, folding the first piece of laundry when he set it down, turning to greet Baekho–

“Did you rearrange?”

Ren’s hand froze on the doorknob. It was a woman’s voice.

“What are you looking for?”

“The wine, obviously.”

Baekho directed her to the shelf at the opposite end within the kitchen, he didn’t give any direction, from the sounds of it, she appeared overly familiar with where everything was.

Ren briefly stepped forwards the more obscure side from the room and carefully sat on the bed. Yet in the mirror that happened to give him a better angle, Ren could see a shapely figure wrapped in red.

“I forgot how nice of a place this was, I suppose it’s no wonder you’re always insistent on heading home. Why are the curtains drawn?”

“I prefer them that way.”

“Really? But you have such a nice view of the city.”

Ren wasn’t sure how much more pathetic he could get, hiding in that bedroom, and with no means of leaving with that woman there. He couldn’t even close the door completely or leave the television on to drown the noise, any of the two would surely catch her attention.

Ren then glanced at his cell and sees a green light flash, he quickly checks it:

“Bringing a friend over until her ride appears.” -Baekho

He overhears her voice from the living room and just tosses his cell aside. He finds out he can be even more pathetic, and continues silently folding the laundry.

-

Baekho bidded her farewell as she left, and he glanced back at his bedroom whose door was just an inch propped open.

He stepped in and caught Ren just finishing moving his clothing basket, “I’ve brought food.”

“Thank you.”

His tone was a little too polite, almost to a crisp point, and Baekho raised his brow as he stuffed in his hands in his pockets. Baekho then nodded, accepting the blame, “I’m sorry you had to stay cooped up in here, I left a message.”

“I don’t mind, nothing much can be done about it.” Ren said as he stepped past Baekho and out of the room, with a puzzled man in tow. “But if there’s a chance you really need that bedroom, just tell me beforehand. I’m sure I can hide in a closet in someone else’s house.”

Baekho tilted his head as Ren walked past him. There was something about Baekho’s silence and long stare that could make him intimidating, but Ren was too bothered to even notice that.

“You know… against anyone else’s accusations, I would have been really not happy, but when I know it’s out of jealousy, it’s rather endearing.”

“Whe–”

SNAP!

THUD!

The lights shut off completely along with any hint of electricity, and the moment it had, Ren had stumbled over the table. He cursed as the laundry fell over the desk in disarray, he heard rummaging behind him and turned, squinting just as the light accidentally flashed him.

Baekho apologized as he moved the flashlight, “It doesn’t look as if it took the city, just the complex.” He checked outside the windows, “I’m not sure how long the lights will take to come back.”

The light from his flashlight then fizzled momentarily to Ren’s amusement. “Hopefully soon enough.”

It didn’t.

And with the electricity off, they were both limited with what to do. “Eat, before the food gets cold,” Baekho encouraged although he didn’t touch the food either. Baekho had no access to his laptop or other electronics, but Ren could see him checking his work. He offers the little bit of light to Ren, leaving his flashlight on the table, as Baekho checked the papers using the straying moonlight.

After a while, Ren couldn’t take more of seeing him that way, and takes the flashlight to him.

“You’re going to hurt your eyes,” Ren chided.

Baekho thanked him but glanced at the leftovers, “Are you not going to eat more?”

Ren arched an eyebrow at the number of dishes, he ate enough to suffice although it looked like it didn’t make a dent. “Just how much do you think I can eat?”

Baekho looked him over, “...You could stand to eat a bit more.”

“I can’t afford to lose my contracts.”

“You could always try for ours.”

Ren just ignored that bit as he briefly looked at the pile in Baekho’s hands, “you’ve been working a lot more lately. Has it been that busy?”

“This is all to prepare for the trip to Malaysia, we have to make sure everything’s settled.”

“Malaysia? Where are you heading to?”

Baekho blinked as Ren’s eyes rounded, his eagerness was rather apparent. And when Baekho names the city, Ren smiles instantly. “You’ve been there before?” Baekho asked.

“Sometimes for work, but I went back when I was at college. Ah, their lotus paste mooncakes.” Ren said dreamily as he walked towards the couch. He settled on the floor before the table, now fixing the toppled clothing.

Baekho remained still until he lowered his work to the drafting table. “I would have liked to have seen you as a student.”

Ren looked as Baekho occupied the empty space by him, and to his surprise, helped him along.

“Even if you had gone to my school, you wouldn’t have. I skipped most of my classes to do work, my parents weren’t as pleased though so I promised to finish school before venturing into it full time. They kept wanting me to wait, but a model’s career is only so long, I didn’t want to miss the chance.”

Ren grew quiet as Baekho understood the reason why. “You miss working, don’t you?”

“Mm… yes,” Ren faintly smiled, “it may not change the world, but it’s what makes me happy. And I realized I preferred to be happy in the long term more than anything.”

Baekho ruffled his hair, and Ren merely fixed his bangs. “Do you like your job?” Ren asked.

“I do.”

“That’s good, but I think you like it a little too much.”