Chapter 158
Frozen for a moment by Mitchell’s words, I hurriedly opened my mouth.
“W-what do you mean, misconception?”
Mitchell just raised an eyebrow without answering. His gaze, fixed intently on me, was full of distrust. The corner of his mouth turned up crookedly, revealing his twisted mood unfiltered.
“It’s not a misconception. I can’t do without you.”
I stroked his bare upper body. Unlike before, his taut muscles were tense. Feeling Mitchell’s emotions made me uncomfortable.
As I wrapped my arm around his waist and examined Mitchell, I sat between his spread legs. I sat sideways with both legs on the sofa and put my ear to Mitchell’s chest.
Mitchell let out a hollow laugh but thankfully didn’t push me away. He spread his legs wider so I could sit comfortably.
“But has your Korean really improved that much? How did you understand all that?”
“…”
“Right. That’s not what’s important right now.”
I quickly changed the subject. Mitchell’s narrowed eyes finally returned to normal.
When I fidgeted, unable to bear the brief silence that followed, Mitchell held me tighter, thinking I was trying to get up. I thought I heard him say “Don’t go” so quietly it was barely audible. He held me so tightly in his arms that I could hardly breathe. When I squirmed and showed signs of discomfort, he finally let go.
Mitchell, I’m not the type to run away and leave you.
“You said you had things to think about. That’s why you wanted separate rooms?”
When I didn’t speak, Mitchell brought it up first.
“Can I ask what those things are?”
Mitchell kissed me, waiting for my lips to part. I liked Mitchell’s way of knocking, so I caressed his lips. The feeling on my fingertips was always thrilling.
“Ah, thoughts… Did I really say that? I drank… too much.”
What thoughts? There’s nothing like that. I had no thoughts that needed to be done away from Mitchell. Actually, I do have a lot of worries because of my late first love, but those weren’t thoughts I needed to be away from Mitchell for. I just talked nonsense yesterday because I was drunk.
“It seems like you’re not obsessed with me anymore.”
I quickly raised my head at Mitchell’s words. He looked at me pitifully with a face like a wounded puppy.
Until now, all I’ve heard from people were insults calling me an obsessive psycho and criticism saying they were sick of me. So I didn’t describe my actions as obsession either. Although it was a case of self-deception, I still clung to others in my own way.
But Mitchell is feeling hurt that I’m not obsessing over him. What a pitiful puppy.
“That can’t be. But… Mitchell, why aren’t you touching me? Let’s talk while touching first.”
When he held me tightly like this, he always used to fiddle with various parts of my body. It wasn’t that he was frantically groping me in excitement, but it was a place that should naturally be touched out of habit. Especially when we were alone, it had to be that way, so why not now?
“…What.”
Seeing his twitching eyebrows, avoiding gaze, and arms subtly losing strength, I understood. This guy is currently protesting against me. It’s like revenge for me suggesting we live separately.
The way he was trying not to show that he was upset looked unbearably cute. This big guy kept making my heart flutter.
One of the reasons I couldn’t help but fall for him was because he showed unexpected sides like this. When he showed his vulnerabilities.
Mitchell is always perfect and confident. The fact that I was the cause of him showing vulnerability drove me crazy. It felt like I had conquered him.
Thinking about it, it seems like he deliberately allowed himself to be conquered. It felt like he opened the door wide open just for me.
“If you won’t do it, I’ll touch you.”
I caressed him the way Mitchell used to knead me. When I grabbed his center, as Mitchell often did, Mitchell rubbed his forehead hard against my shoulder. So hard it almost hurt. His expression of joy was quite intense.
“I know everything about you, but Mitchell, it seems like you still don’t know me well.”
It was more of a complaint asking him to get to know me better in the future, rather than feeling hurt.
“You think I don’t know you?”
“Yeah.”
“Have you considered that maybe you’re the one hiding things?”
“…”
I quietly shut my mouth. The truth is, I had hidden quite a few things from Mitchell out of fear that he might leave me. My feelings, my nasty temper, and things I never wanted to say until the end. Mitchell was right, I had hidden things.
I couldn’t argue back. My intention to outsmart Mitchell was wrong from the start.
“I’m sorry, Mitchell.”
I honestly apologized first. Frustrated by the situation where I couldn’t clearly resolve my relationship with Mitchell, I seemed to have unconsciously made strange drunken remarks. Drinking and suddenly announcing a separation, I should be groveling and begging for forgiveness.
Actually, I could guess why my drunk self had said such things. It seemed I wanted Mitchell to hold onto me when I asked to be let go.
So I revealed my hidden feelings under the influence of alcohol, hoping that Mitchell would give me assurance about my feelings that I couldn’t even properly confess.
I was also upset about him talking alone with Malik.
“I guess I talked nonsense because I wanted your attention while drunk. I’m going to stick to you for life.”
There was no need for long explanations. It wasn’t difficult to show my persistent feelings.
“So come upstairs. You should be with me.”
Wanting to undo yesterday’s mistake as soon as possible, I made a gesture of pulling his arm. As I furrowed my brows and shook his arm, Mitchell brushed up my bangs.
“You want my attention? For life?”
Mitchell said as if it was obvious. I quickly nodded.
“Then there’s something you need to teach me first.”
“What is it?”
“I can’t find any reason for that person you say you like.”
My reflection was clearly visible in his green eyes. My heart churned as if it would vomit at his gaze that seemed to know everything. My half-confession had been conveyed to Mitchell! As I swallowed dryly, feeling very tense, Mitchell leisurely said while rubbing my reddened cheeks.
“Ah… never mind. I guess that person should find the reason themselves?”
“Uh, I guess… so?”
I’m a coward, so I can’t confess first. So when I answered hesitantly, Mitchell smiled beautifully. For a moment, I forgot the situation and was completely captivated by Mitchell’s smile.
“When you find the reason.”
Holding my gaze firmly with his handsome face, Mitchell warned me.
“Be prepared then.”
***
Junman, who had arrived in New York, clenched his fist. Although it took a long time, thanks to Raul, he was able to set foot in New York without a phone or a penny.
After learning Jeff’s true identity, Junman had followed him to New York. At first, he had simply asked for directions to New York, but Raul suddenly offered to go with him.
He said it was where he used to live and that he had been planning to go to New York anyway.
It seemed like such an amazing coincidence. He laughed cheerfully, thinking his luck was indeed good.
With Raul’s help, he came to Jeff’s hotel. He looked for Jeff in the lobby, but the employees pretended not to hear Junman’s request.
It was natural for them to kick out an unknown Asian with shabby clothes and injuries all over his face who suddenly came looking for the owner.
Even with Raul interpreting, the conversation wasn’t going smoothly. Junman finally raised his voice towards the employee who kept refusing.
“Bring your boss quickly. Your boss! Your boss! Should I expose everything here? Huh!”
Eventually, even burly security guards gathered. Although they had already contacted Jeff, the excited Junman had no patience.
Raul didn’t try to stop Junman and interpreted his words from the side. He seemed even more excited, shouting loudly.
“This is about the assault incident involving Mr. Jeff, the owner of Saint Hotel! It’s a serious matter that can’t be overlooked! Please contact him quickly!”
Junman thought causing a disturbance at the hotel was also a form of revenge, so he didn’t stop and became even more unruly. He broke a vase placed in the lobby while unleashed, and his voice grew louder and louder.
Finally, just as the hotel security was about to use force to subdue Junman.
“Wait. Just a moment.”
A clean-cut man walked to the center of the commotion. The security and lobby staff froze at the man’s sudden appearance. Junman also blinked his big eyes in surprise at the familiar face. The man might not know Junman, but Junman knew the man.
“What’s your relationship with Geon-woo Bae?”
Or not, does the man know him too? When he heard Geon-woo’s name, Junman nodded first.
“Geon-woo? Geon-woo… My, my brother.”
The man then smiled brightly and offered a handshake.
“I’m a friend of Geon-woo. Nice to meet you.”
The man who suddenly appeared was none other than Malik.
