Chapter 6
“Isn’t there anywhere you want to go?”
“Huh?”
Mitchell dropped his phone on the blanket. His hand, which had entered my shorts, caressed my thigh. I twisted my waist, ticklish, and leaned my back against the bed’s headboard. I also put down my phone.
“Ah, our company vacation?”
“Yeah, everyone has different opinions, so it’s hard to choose.”
Mitchell had been looking at his phone to choose a vacation spot. David had told him to decide on a place before returning to America. Mitchell’s agency, ‘Cwroth’, was preparing for its 6th anniversary vacation trip, but they hadn’t been able to decide on a location for weeks.
The trip was planned to include both the agency’s employees and their affiliated celebrities. It wasn’t easy to find a place that considered everyone’s desired locations and the celebrities’ schedules.
So Mitchell thought about canceling the vacation plans and giving out hefty anniversary bonuses instead, but the affiliated celebrities and employees objected. It seemed they preferred a long overseas vacation.
“I don’t mind. Anywhere is good as long as I’m with you.”
I said, scratching my shoulder. Even though we constantly confirm our affection and spend every moment together, I still felt shy in front of Mitchell.
Mitchell would get angry if I said this, but I still feel awkward about liking a man. That awkwardness has turned into shyness. My heart still hasn’t fully adapted.
Of course, positively!
It was a positive maladjustment.
Because I hadn’t gotten used to Mitchell, I felt like I was on a first date every day. It had been like that since Mitchell confessed his love to me. Mitchell doesn’t know.
How my heart races when I look at you, you’ll never know.
“Geon-woo.”
The hand that was touching my thigh stopped. He pulled me to lie down next to him and wrapped his arm around the back of my neck. Our lips met softly and then parted as our eyes met.
“You’re pretty.”
Huh?
“You’re pretty.”
Chuckling at the sudden remark, I tried to slightly change the words.
“Pretty is good, but could you say handsome or cool instead? I’m handsome as well as pretty, right?”
I puffed out my chest and patted it. My chest muscles had developed a lot since I got into working out recently. It was because I had been working out intensively in preparation for coming to Korea.
“How is it?”
Mitchell, who was touching my chest, frowned.
“Why don’t you take off your clothes? Why are you still dressed at this hour?”
If we were to list the things Mitchell hates the most, my clothes would definitely be at the top. Mitchell was the type who would only realize, “Oops, I was wrong,” if I walked down the street naked once. Until then, he would seriously hate my clothes.
Still, I obediently took off my T-shirt and shorts. If this were home, I would have taken off my briefs too, but I held back since we were in a hotel.
Only then did Mitchell caress my chest. He grabbed and kneaded it, then gave a brief assessment.
“It’s improved a lot, hasn’t it?”
I was quite confident about my chest pump. I pushed out my chest so Mitchell could touch it comfortably. Mitchell tasted it as he pleased, pulling at the hardened muscle as if it were soft. The conversation stopped, and I ended up having Mitchell suck on my upper and lower body all night long.
I was so sore that I couldn’t even wear clothes, so the next day I couldn’t go out and spent the day in Mitchell’s arms.
I suspect it might have been Mitchell’s scheme. Of course, I participated in the scheme knowing full well what was happening.
***
We had a busy schedule, doing press conferences and appearing on Korean variety shows and talk shows.
The questions we consistently received were still about my relationship with Mitchell. I had received the same questions in America, and it seemed Korea was curious about similar things.
Actually, I’ve been receiving what you might call threats from Mitchell lately. It sounds scary when I say threats, but of course, it’s not the bad kind. It just makes me turn my head involuntarily when I hear it.
“You’re not ready to love me.”
His posture was worse than mine for talking about readiness. Mitchell grumbled, half-lying on the sofa.
His tie was crooked, and he wasn’t even wearing his suit jacket, just holding it in his hand. He was exuding an aura of disapproval towards me with sharp eyes.
“I do love you. I love you so much. But I don’t want to tell others about our relationship. I want to live more comfortably in this world. The moment we announce that we’re in love, people will go crazy, right? They’ll say we have to share every detail of our private lives with the public. It’s already uncomfortable, and you want to add more discomfort to that? I don’t like it, Mitchell. This is a different issue from loving you.”
“Who said we should announce it? I’m just saying we should joke a little when asked about our relationship.”
“Are people stupid? If we say that, they’ll all understand.”
The level of Mitchell’s jokes could be considered top-tier.
“They won’t understand.”
“We often see each other at night… You think they won’t understand this?”
“Haha, how nice is that?”
Mitchell laughed so hard his head tilted back. He seemed to find it amusing just thinking about it, chuckling to himself and rubbing his chin.
Mitchell kept wanting to announce our relationship to the world.
The reason was, of course, me.
He said it was because I was heterosexual. As my popularity grew, so did my female fanbase, and it all started from his anxiety that I might meet a woman of my type among them. Mitchell wanted to give a preventive shot somehow.
It was nonsense that he was trying to protect me from all the women in the world who could become his rivals.
Do all those women love me? Even if they did love me, it’s not like I would love them back.
Mitchell didn’t know me at all.
“Have you ever seen me switch people? As long as you don’t leave me, I’ll be by your side until I die! It’s me. Bae Geon-woo!”
“You believe that. But I can’t trust other people. Do you think other guys will leave you alone? Once this movie becomes a hit, you’ll be known worldwide in an instant. Everyone will get to know you, and how could they not love you? You’re Bae Geon-woo. How lovable you are.”
“…You can’t say things like that… Thanks, though.”
“If you’re thankful, let’s just say it.”
He smiled with a sly face. It seemed he was trying to get my approval by feeding me compliments and catching me in a moment of weakness, but I’m not that easy, Mitchell.
“I’m grateful, but no.”
“Hah… Don’t you think everyone will just take it as a joke?”
“Let’s say the female fans will. They might not approach me if they know we have that kind of relationship. But what about gay people? They all become your rivals. It’s the same either way.”
“Ah, that’s no big deal.”
Mitchell, who had been almost buried in the sofa, sat up. His downcast eyes were plastered with arrogance. He put on his jacket, straightened his collar, and approached me.
“Is there a better man than me?”
He was confident that no other man could be his rival.
“Even those bastards who try to eye you would know that, right?”
Mitchell said it was obvious, without a shred of doubt. Then he brought his face close and kissed my ear with a smacking sound.
“S-still…”
“Let’s go for now. It’s time.”
We had finished the movie’s press conference in the morning, and now we were about to start a famous talk show.
Unlike other broadcasts, the talk show was live. It was a popular show because it aired impromptu scenes without editing and the MC had a good way with words. All the big names appeared on it.
Being live, punctuality was essential. We hadn’t reached a compromise with Mitchell, but it wasn’t an issue that needed to be resolved right away.
I hurried to move. I squeezed Mitchell’s butt hard as he opened the door and went out, brushing past him first.
It’s not easy to control Mitchell, whose obsession is growing in scale, but honestly, I liked how he constantly craved me. So, in my own way, I was complimenting him.
Even though I heard him clicking his tongue behind me, I absolutely didn’t look back. I should have seen Mitchell’s expression then. I should have checked what kind of face he was making towards me.
There was nothing in this world that could restrain Mitchell.
Not even me.
***
“…After hearing what you’ve said, I’m already looking forward to the release of ‘Mirror Match’. Now, let’s talk about something other than the movie. It’s known that you two are very close. Do you often meet even after the movie filming has ended?”
I immediately looked at Mitchell upon hearing the MC’s question. He would be listening to the interpreted question through his earpiece. Mitchell nodded and then continued to answer.
“Yes. We live close by, so we see each other often. Our schedules are quite free now that the movie filming is over.”
“Mitchell is a good cook. I often go over to his place to get fed.”
I added to Mitchell’s words. The MC’s eyes sparkled even though we hadn’t said anything extraordinary. I tried to act as nonchalant as possible. I deliberately listed the dishes Mitchell had cooked for me and acted even more confidently. I went for a frontal breakthrough as if we had nothing to hide.
The atmosphere was good, and laughter erupted at the skilled MC’s humor.
I knew Mitchell was good with words, but I realized anew today how well he could speak while matching the other person’s mood. He listed the good points of Korea from A to Z, making Korean fans’ hearts flutter. Even I, listening from beside him, was captivated.
“If you answer a simple quiz correctly, we’ll give you a gift we’ve prepared. Geon-woo and Mitchell, it’s a quiz about each other. You’ll check each other’s answers. Shall we try?”
“Yes.”
“Sounds good.”
“First, I’ll ask Geon-woo a question. Don’t think too deeply and answer within 5 seconds. Okay, what’s an object Mitchell dislikes?”
As soon as I heard the question, something came to mind.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
