But, much as Yoongi loved his stepmother, he ignored her advice. Especially after his father came to see him.
“Do you have any idea how much you embarrassed me on Friday night? That man is my business partner, and you manhandled his daughter in front of him!”
Yoongi’s eyes grew wide. “Manhandled? I did no such thing! What are you talking about?”
“You grabbed her by the wrist.”
“What does it matter to you? You’ll just find another girl to force on me,” Yoongi scoffed.
His father eyed him. “It does matter. I really need to make this partnership work.” He sighed deeply.
Yoongi studied his normally arrogant appa. “What’s going on?” The man looked completely dejected.
“I’m in a bit of a financial strait. I need the infusion of cash he was bringing to the table. But after the way you treated his daughter, I’m not sure he’ll do business with me anymore. He asked me to give him a couple of weeks to consider my proposal. Before, we were on course to work together.”
“If you were trying to impress her appa, why did you insult her over her job?”
“I was just surprised, that’s all. I was sincerely shocked that he would let her work there. He dotes on that girl. I can’t figure out how to get back into his good graces. Unless you can fix things between you and his daughter.”
Yoongi scoffed again. “That’s never happening. That girl hates me.”
His father’s eyes speared his. “Why?”
“She thinks I’m someone I’m not. And I have no idea how to convince her elsewise. I’m sorry, Appa, but if your plans rest on my slim shoulders, I’m going to disappoint you.”
“Just…be prepared to forgo college in the fall then.”
Alarmed, Yoongi glanced up at him. “It’s that bad?”
His appa nodded. “We’re about to go into foreclosure.”
“What?” Yoongi’s voice sharpened. “The house?”
“I had to take a business loan out against all my property. His money was going to help me pay that loan back. Without it, we’re sunk. Eunji will have to earn a scholarship too. We will most likely have to move back into an apartment.” He grinned at his son. “Maybe we can move in with you.”
Yoongi just stared at him. “Surely, you’re overstating the case.”
His appa shook his head. “Truthfully, we’ll have to let your apartment go too. We’ll all have to share a cheap flat until I can find some investors. I’m sure eventually I’ll get back on my feet. But without any investors in the wings, such things usually take time.”
Yoongi just stared at his appa. His normally fierce father looked defeated. He removed his glasses and rubbed his temples. “I have a business call I need to make. I’ll see you…around, son.”
He was being dismissed. Again. Just like always.
—
Yoongi headed back to his apartment. He stepped into the elevator and crossed it to lean against the wall. He closed his eyes and pressed his fingers to his temple. His appa had given him a headache. Again.
Yoongi was contemplating drinking a glass of wine. Would it make the headache worse or alleviate it?
His eyes were still closed, so he missed the girl that stepped onto the elevator after him. But she saw him immediately. She tried to back out. But it was too late. The third person in the elevator had already shut the doors.
“What floor?” she asked.
Nari glanced at her. “Fourteen,” she murmured.
His eyes flew open and instantly pierced hers. They stood staring at one another for a long time. The other girl got off on the eleventh floor. Nari slipped to the left to let her off as the doors opened. Yoongi didn’t move.
He was still staring at her. The doors shut. Nari looked up at them before sliding a sideways glance his way. She lunged for the button.
“Leave it,” he intoned gruffly.
Her eyes met his again. The elevator shifted and began moving upward. A few moments later, it stopped on the fourteenth floor. She turned away from him and practically ran out of the elevator and across the hall. She was just sliding her key into the lock when she felt a presence hovering behind her again.
She closed her eyes. “Yoongi, please. Just go.”
“No.”
She began to tremble. She hadn’t eaten well now for two weeks. She could feel her body rebelling even now. She leaned forward and placed her forehead against her door as a wave of dizziness overwhelmed her. She was afraid to turn the knob. She was terrified of inviting him in.
“What do you want?” she whispered.
“For starters, I want to get you off those tired feet. Then, I want to rub them.”
His words did strange things to her. Against her will. She reached for her courage. And her strength.
“Goodbye, Yoongi.” She opened the door, leapt inside, and swung it…into his foot.
“Please let me in. I promise I won’t attack you. But…we need to talk. I want to explain everything.”
Her heart was beating out a rapid tattoo. She was scared. Was Yoongi really dangerous? If she let him in, would he hurt her? Would she end up being forever angry with herself for allowing the man who had then assaulted her into her rooms?
His words cut off her fearful musings.
“Look. I need to make this right. My appa told me today just how bad things are for my family. He needs your appa to work with him.”
She leaned her forehead against the edge of the door. “Ahhh. It always comes back to money, doesn’t it?” Her eyes speared his. “Tell me. Does any man ever put love before money?”
He frowned.
He did.
He decided to stand up for himself.
“I do. I bought you those shoes. I parted from my money because I love your feet enough to take care of them.”
Then he knelt down in front of her.
As he began to untie her old shoelaces, she gasped, “What are you doing?”
“Doing what you refuse to do. Taking care of your poor feet.”
He had already untied both of her shoelaces.
“Sit down out here in the hallway. I’m not going to jump on you in such a public place. Besides there’s a camera right there. You’re safe enough.” He gestured up into the corner of her hallway.
She stepped into the hallway and closed her door behind her. Then she leaned against the wall and sank down until she was sitting on her bottom. Yoongi sat down next to her. He reached for her foot and pulled it up into his lap. Then he removed her shoe. And his gentle fingers went after all those points of tension in her foot.
She arched her back in pain a few times as she tensed. Her feet were so sore. But as the tension finally began to dissipate, she leaned her head back, closed her eyes, and groaned a few times. What was Yoongi doing to her foot? It felt so amazing.
He worked on that foot for several minutes. He watched her as she began to relax. After a while, he moved on to her other foot. His fingers worked more of their magic. Her feet actually began to feel quite lovely. They were even buzzing. From his touch? Or the improved blood flow? She felt herself drifting on an endless sea of peace.
After a few more minutes, Yoongi noticed a shift in her breathing. He lifted the corners of his lips as tenderness rippled across his face. She’d fallen asleep. Her injured feet in his hands. Tenderly, he caressed them as his eyes devoured her beautiful face.
She was even more ravishing asleep. She looked so vulnerable. All her masks, all her bravado, had slipped away, and he saw the real Nari. The solitary girl who was battling the same loneliness that had been invading his life for several years now.
And that’s when he realized that he already loved her. He wanted to reach out and pull her into his arms. And protect her forever. He wanted to shield her from all the other guys with roaming hands. He wanted the right to run his sword through them in her defense.
He wanted to brush away all her tears and kiss away all her worries. He wanted to pull her into his arms and shower her face in kisses. And coax melodies from her lips. And cajole secrets from her heart.
He longed for her to let him into her life. Into her heart. He desired for her to trust him. But…for some reason, she didn’t. What could he do about that? How could he convince her to give him a chance?
He set her feet down on the ground. He picked up her old shoes. He was so tempted to throw them away so that she’d be forced to wear the good ones he had bought her. But knowing her, she’d just walk to work barefoot. Just to spite him.
Besides, he couldn’t manipulate her. He couldn’t force her to choose his way. He couldn’t leave her without any choices. He had to let her be who she wanted to be. Even if it meant she wouldn’t allow him to bless her. Even if it meant that she walked away from him.
He opened the door to her apartment. He snagged her purse and walked into her apartment. He set her shoes in their box and her purse on a counter. Then he returned to the hallway. He bent and slid his arms under her. Awkwardly, he picked her up. Then he carried her over the threshold into her apartment. He used his foot to swing the door shut. He leaned towards it and somehow managed to lock it while he held her still. He swung around and realized the layout of her apartment was identical to his.
Perfect.
He knew exactly where her bedroom was then. He carried her into it and bent to lay her down on her bed. She had left the covers pulled back. So now he drew them over her. Up under her chin.
His eyes caressed her beautiful face. And he gave in to a sweet impulse. He bent his head, and his lips brushed her forehead. With so much tenderness that she would have wept if she’d been awake.
It was so tempting to shift his lips down four inches. But…no matter what she thought of him, he would never take such advantage of her. He sighed and stood straight up. Then he headed for the kitchen. To see what she’d hidden in her fridge and pantry. He would make them both some dinner. When she awoke, they could eat together. Maybe she’d let him explain…everything.
