"Dressing Zico"

It was the last thing in the world that I wanted to do. It was also the only thing I could do.
I had been sitting there against the wall for an hour waiting, willing, and wanting Zico to come back. I kept replaying that kiss over and over in my mind an every time I did, my lips would tingle and I could feel his tongue pressed against mine. When he didn’t come back, I knew there was no way I could face him tomorrow. I got up, my legs still shaky, and began to pack.

I’ve always been nervous in airports. I’m not afraid to fly, it’s just the bustle and business of so many people moving in so many directions that makes me anxious. This must be what Zico’s life is like all the time.
I bought my ticket home to the States. I had two hours to wait so I also bought a latte and a magazine and I sat in the corner not drinking my latte and not reading the magazine. I wonder what Zico will think when he finds out I’m gone?
I touched my lips again and thought about Zico. His eyes, those lips, his body crushing mine against the wall. How could I not have seen it? He acted jealous of Jong from the start and I missed it. I knew why. It was because what girl in her right mind would think she could have Zico? Especially an average looking, chubby clothing designer from the United States! Zico was bigger than life and there was no way he would ever be tamed by someone as ordinary as me.
I heard the call to board the plane and I almost felt like crying. I went through the boarding process and found my seat. As I sat there taking my last looks at Korea through the window, my heart began to hurt. Come on Elizabeth! It could never be. He’s not interested in you. Not really. He just doesn’t like to lose.
The plane began to move and I sat there, staring out of the window with tears clouding my eyes. One of them slipped down my face leaving a warm trail and tickling the corner of my mouth. I licked it away.
The plane slowed down and came to a stop. I wiped away my tears and looked out of the window to see what was going on. The pilot made the announcement that there would be a slight delay. I watched as a security car drove toward the plane followed by a truck with stairs.
What the heck is going on now? It would be just my luck to get on a plane that was being hijacked. I saw two men in uniforms stop to talk to the pilot. He pointed to the back and they began moving down the aisle toward my section of the plane. They stopped at my seat and said my name.
I looked around and all eyes were on me. I heard someone whisper, “That’s her. I’m sure it is.”
“Um, yes, that’s me.”
“Could you come with us please? There has been a threat made against your life and we need to take you into protective custody.”
I didn’t get up. “Are you sure you have the right person?”
“Yes ma'am. Please come now.”
I still didn’t get up. “Couldn’t I just make the trip and go into custody in the United States?”
“No ma’am. The safety of this plane and it’s passengers are being compromised with your presence as long as there is a threat to your life.” I heard gasps. I was so confused but I stood and went with them. I didn’t know anyone in Korea except for Zico and Jong. I guess it could be a fan of the show I was on. I did have a couple of fans who sounded like they could be stalkers.
I followed the policemen down a hallway and to a tiny room where they left me alone. After a few minutes a woman came in carrying a magazine. It was the same one I had bought and not read. She introduced herself as Detective Lee and sat on the other side of the table. She opened the magazine to a story about Zico. When I saw the pictures, I almost fell off of the chair. They were all behind the scenes photos of the magazine photo shoot where Zico had hit Craig. There were frame-by-frame pictures of the fight and then a big picture of Zico holding me. The caption read in bold print, “ALL FOR LOVE?”
I read the story which was complete fiction. It said that Zico and I had been cuddled up together throughout the entire photo shoot and that when Craig came onto me, Zico became a wild animal and attacked him. At the bottom in big red print it said, “No one Boils the Blood of the Dragon!”
Oh my God! Really? I should have read my magazine!
“Since the magazine came out yesterday, there have been sixteen threats made against your life. Four of those have been deemed credible so you can’t fly right now. It isn’t safe,” explained Detective Lee.
I thought back to that camera woman that had been taking pictures of the whole thing but with so much going on at the time, I didn’t think anything of it. I’ll also bet that Craig had something to do with this in retaliation for getting his ass kicked. Well at least the article made him look like a totally wimpy wussbag!
Before she left, Detective Lee said that someone would be in to take me to a protective location. When I asked how long I would have to stay in Korea, she said, “Until the threats had been neutralized.” Why do they have to talk like that? Why can’t they just say, “We don’t know ma’am. You can leave when we catch those crazy idiots. Until then, you have to suffer as our prisoner.”
I waited for another hour before someone came in to get me. They led me to a waiting limousine which I thought was odd. The man opened the door and I looked at him bewildered. “Are you sure this is the right car?”
He nodded. I climbed in. I had never been in a limo before and I was surprised by the space on the inside It’s like the Tardis! I thought. I stuck my head out of the door and asked the man, “Are you sure? Isn’t this a little excessive for one girl?”
He nodded and indicated that he was going to close the door. Okay then. I’ll take it! Maybe protective custody wouldn’t be so bad.
I jumped a little when the door opened again. Having a threat against you tended to make a person jumpy. When I realized who was getting into the limo with me, time seemed to slow down and I saw things in slow motion. And when that white hair was finally completely in the car and the man it was attached to got situated, he turned to me and asked, “Where in the hell did you think you were going?”

He looked hungover. It may have been the dark sunglasses or the blank, pale look on his face but there was something definitely wrong with him.
“I was going home,” I mumbled. “Why are you here, Zico?
“Trust me, I don’t want to be.” He slowly leaned his head back.
“Did you see the magazine article?” I asked.
“Yep.”
“So, are you in protective custody too?”
“Hell no! They want to kill you, not me. They just want me.” He smiled.
Arrogant ass!
“Then why are you here?”
He lifted his head. “I told you before, when you work for me, you are my responsibility.”
“Well, you will be happy to know that you are now relieved of that responsibility. I quit. So you can go.”
He took off the sunglasses and laid them in the seat and rubbed his eyes. They were completely bloodshot. Laying his head back against the seat again he said, “You go.”
“Excuse me?”
“This is my car. If you want don’t want my protection then you can go. See how much help you get from those idiots!”
I didn’t know how to respond to that. “I thought I was under police protection.”
“Mine’s better,” he said without raising his head.
“How are you going to protect me?” I asked.
He looked over at me and said, “Are you kidding me? What in the hell do you think I’ve been doing this entire time? The whole time you’ve been here, I’ve done nothing but look out for you!” He opened a mini-fridge and took out a bottle of Soju. With his eyes closed, he opened it and downed the entire bottle. He reached for another. “All I have time for anymore is looking out for my naive little country bumpkin who can’t tell the difference between a pig and pearl!” He drank half of the second bottle.
My emotions were jumbled. I wanted to feel good that he had been looking out for me but I felt bad that he saw me as a helpless idiot. So I just got mad. I decided to leave.
Without a word, I got up the best I could and tried to get around Zico but as always, he was so spread out, it was like he was everywhere. Even in this spacious limo, he took up all of the room. I reached for the door when he said, “No you don’t!” He grabbed me and tried to make me sit back down.
“Stop it Zico! I’m leaving,” I said, trying to peel his hand from my wrist.
“The hell if you are!” He let go of my wrist and put his arm around my waist. I almost fell backward so I pushed forward at the same time Zico pulled. I ended up falling into his lap. I squirmed. He tightened his grip. He also tapped the front barrier and I felt the limo start to move.
I tried to reach around and hit Zico but I couldn’t reach him. I could feel him laughing before I could hear him. That made me furious!
“Let GO Zico! I QUIT! You can’t make me stay here!” I yelled.
“WATCH ME!”
He wrapped his arms around me like a seatbelt and I began to kick and wiggle.
“Please. Keep doing that!” He said.
“PERVERT!” I yelled and fought harder.
He began to laugh out loud. Now I didn’t want to get away. I just wanted to hurt him. I wanted to hit or pinch or bite him. He was so infuriating! Just then, the car hit a hole in the road and pitched us both into the floor. I tried to crawl away but Zico turned me over and straddled me. He looked down at me and now he wasn’t laughing. We were both breathing hard and I became super aware of all of the parts of his body that were touching me. He slowly leaned toward me and put his mouth on mine. I could taste the Soju as his tongue slowly traced my lips before entering my mouth. I was no longer fighting him because I hadn’t realized how much I wanted this until it was happening. My mind went blank. Just like the way Zico always took up all of the space, he also took over a person when he wanted to. There was nothing but Zico. His hands trailed up my sides until he had raised my arms over my head. He held my wrists there with one hand as he deepened the kiss and the other hand found it’s way to my breast.
He started to pull my bra away when his hand brushed my nipple and it hardened at his touch. That’s when he stopped. He pulled away and looked down at me. “I can’t. I’m not doing this.”
My mind was still fuzzy with passion and I couldn’t comprehend what he was saying. I watched as he got up and finished off the second bottle of Soju. I also got back into the seat and rearranged my clothes. “What just happened? Why did you stop?”
He got a third bottle from the fridge. Opening the bottle and watching his hands instead of looking at me he said, “Because I’m not like Jong.” He took a drink. “And I’m too drunk right now. But mostly because I’m not like Jong.” He held the bottle between his legs and laid his head back against the seat again.

The car came to a stop and we got out. Zico swayed on his feet. He really was drunk. I watched as he handed a keycard to one of his staff and talked to them for a moment. Without even looking at me he got back into the car and the lady he had talked to asked me to follow her. She took me to a room on the floor just below the top floor which was of course where Zico stayed. All of my things were already there and put away. How did he manage that? How did they get this stuff here from the airport and unpack it before we got here? Then I realized that it had never made it onto the plane. They had it when I checked it and had plenty of time to bring it here.
I was so tired. I didn’t want to do anything but sleep. For a hundred years. I found my pajamas and fell into bed. I went to sleep quickly and Zico took up as much space in my dreams as he did in my life.

Zico was slowly invading my whole life! I could hear “Blood of the Dragon” playing when I woke up and I didn’t even like that song! I rubbed my eyes. I woke up more and I could still hear it. It was coming from the nightstand. I reached over and opened the drawer and there it was. The blingy phone! I answered it and all I heard was, “Get dressed.”
I sat there looking at the shiny gold phone not believing the gall of that man. All of a sudden it began to ring again.
“WHAT?” I answered.
“Wear workout clothes. You have five minutes.” Click.
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!” I shook my hair and flung my arms and rolled on the bed and beat the blankets as hard as I could. When I had worked out my anger issues, I got up and got dressed. I was just putting my hair up in a ponytail when he came strutting in the room like he owned it. And me! “Let’s go!” he said.
“I have thirty seconds,” I said as I slowly got my shoes and put them on. Zico stood there, hands on hips, looking up at the ceiling and biting his lip.
“Where are we going?” I asked.
“Master Pao’s.”
“Huh?” What the…?
“Self defense classes. Let’s go,” he said as he walked toward the door.
“You sure are a grump today,” I said as I caught up.
He gave me a look and I shut up.
As we left the room and walked to the elevator, a man started following us. He had been standing outside my door. I kept glancing back at him and then at Zico but no one was saying anything. I know Zico had to have seen him. The man was built like a tank. He was as short as I was but he had so many bulging muscles that the jacket he wore looked like it was going to split open at every seam. I also noticed he was wearing a gun on his side. Not that he would need one. He looked like he could spit bullets! When I looked at him, he just looked straight ahead. He rode with us in the elevator and kept following us to the car.
On the sidewalk, as we waited for the car, I stood on tiptoe and whispered to Zico, “There is a man following us.”
“Yes. There is.”
“And?” I asked.
Zico smiled and the car pulled up. He didn’t answer and just opened the door. As I got into the car I said under my breath, “I hate you so much.”
“I know,” Was all he said before slamming the door.
The big man got into the back seat.
As soon as Zico was behind the wheel, I whispered, “Is this Master Pao?”
Zico burst out laughing. “No and you don’t have to whisper. Marco doesn’t speak English. Well, not a lot.”
“Can you please stop being such an ass and tell me what is going on?” I said loudly.
Zico squeezed his eyes shut. “Please don’t be so loud. I have a huge freaking headache.”
“You are giving me a huge freaking headache Zico. Who is Marco?” I said in a lower tone.
“He’s your bodyguard. You’re life has been threatened. Remember?” Zico put the car in gear and shot out of the parking lot.
Crap! I forgot about riding with Zico.
“You mean he’s going to follow me around?”
“Everywhere. And don’t argue. I don’t need any crap from you today,” said Zico.
“Fine. I’ll talk to Marco then,” I said.
“I told you, he doesn’t speak English. He isn’t here to talk. He’s here to make sure you are safe from the crazies. He needs to concentrate and pay attention.”
“Well, the only crazy around right now is you!” I turned around to look at Marco. He didn’t look at me.
“Hello Marco. I’m Elizabeth,” I said. He didn’t turn his head, just his eyes for a second and then went back to looking straight ahead.
“Why won’t he look at me Zico?” I asked while still staring at Marco.
“I told him not to,” said Zico matter-of-factly.
“What? Why? If he’s going to follow me around, we have to have some kind of relationship.”
“No you don’t.” Zico turned a curve and I watched as Marco tried to stay upright in the seat. It was a struggle.
I waited till we were on a straight stretch and as quick as I could I said, “Marco!”
He turned his head and said, “Huh?” Then, realizing he had messed up, he went back to looking straight ahead.
I couldn’t help but laugh a little. Zico turned another corner and since I had ruffled him, Marco fell over sideways in the seat. I really laughed at that. He righted himself and smiled in spite of himself. The smile was small but I saw a glint of gold from between his lips. It’s like I’m in a gangster movie. I thought.
“Stop that and turn around,” said Zico.
I did. I didn’t want to push Zico too far.

We turned onto a dirt road and Zico slowed down. We followed it for a long time and I could see Marco bouncing around in the seat out of the corner of my eye. It took all I had not to die laughing. We finally stopped outside of a cute little cottage. There was a building farther on that was long and looked like it was made of sticks.
Marco was out of the car before both of us and he held my door closed. I heard Zico say something to him in Korean and he stepped away and helped me out of the car. We followed Zico to the cottage and he opened the door and went in without knocking. Does he do this everywhere?
“Master Pao!” he yelled.
The tiniest man I’ve ever seen came through a doorway and ran over to Zico. He bowed and Zico bowed back.
“Master Pao, this is the woman I told you about. She needs to learn to protect herself.” Zico pulled me up beside him.
The little man came up to my chin. He bowed. Zico pushed my back and I bowed too. He turned and waved for us to follow him. We went through a back door and headed for the stick building. The inside of the building was not what I expected. It was nice. It had shiny wooden floors with mats everywhere and strange looking weapons on the walls.
Master Pao took my hand and pulled me to the center of the room. Zico followed but the little man put both hands against him and pushed him back to the wall. “Not you,” he said.
He came back and walked around me, looking me up and down. He jumped at me and I jumped back. “You are a mouse. I will make you a Lioness!” I saw Zico roll his eyes up and shake his head. Master Pao continued, “I once taught an Amazon woman to fight and now she is the Amazon Queen because she has killed so many men.” He closed his eyes and nodded his head.
All of a sudden, he turned to Zico and said, “You! Come here.” Zico did as he was told.
The little man led me to the wall and said, “Watch. I will prove my skill.” He ran with tiny steps back over to Zico. “Now, Jiho, attack me! No pull!”
I almost freaked when I watched as Zico began to throw full strength punches at the tiny little man. If one punch had hit him, he would have shattered! I was sure of it. Luckily, not one punch hit its target. Actually, Master Pao put Zico on his ass in three seconds flat. I had to clap for that.
Getting up, Zico rubbed his shoulder and then his head.
“You are out of shape, Jiho. Next time I won’t go easy on you so you better practice.”
They walked back over to me and I jumped a little when Master Pao reached out and squeezed my thigh. He pushed a finger into my chubby tummy and then squeezed my biceps. He reached up and grabbed my head on both sides and said, “Open your eyes child.” I did. I was scared not to.
“I will teach you Krav Maga. That is what you need.”
“Why that one, Master Pao?” asked Zico.
“So that she can bust your balls, Jiho. Now don’t question me.”
I bit my bottom lip to keep from laughing.
“Yes sir.”
He walked over and took a metal bar from the wall. He brought it over and held it out to me. When I took it, I almost dropped it. It was extremely heavy. This time, Zico laughed. He had known what was coming.
“You lift this one hundred times everyday. Fifty in the morning and fifty at night. Arms and legs. Jiho will show you. Next week, you will be stronger.” Zico reached out to take the bar but Master Pao smacked his hand. “No! She carries it.” He closed his eyes and nodded his head. “Now you go.”
He ushered us out and ran with tiny steps back toward his little cottage.
Marco followed us back to the car and reached for my door handle at the same time as Zico.
“I’ve got it!” Zico said in English jerking the door open. Then he said something in Korean and Marco got in the back seat.
“You really are in a bad mood,” I said.
“Just get in,” he said. I could tell he was almost at the end of his patience so I did as I was told and kept my mouth shut.
When he got in, he rubbed his eyes and then his temples. He put on his sunglasses and started the car and the rest of the ride was quiet.

Instead of going back to the hotel, we stopped at Vita’s little restaurant bar. As soon as we entered the dark room, the little woman giggled and ran over to us, throwing her arms around Zico’s waist. “Jiho! Is it Christmas? Both Woo’s in one day? It must be!”
“Hi Vita,” Zico kissed the top of the little woman’s head and squeezed her to him. “Is Taewoon already here?”
“Are you kidding? He’s already eating. He’s at your table.” She stepped back and then peeked around Zico. “Jiho! You didn’t say your girlfriend was here. Come over here girly and give Vita a hug.”
She hugged me as Zico said, “She’s not my girlfriend, Vita. She works for me.”
“Whatever you say, Jiho.” She winked at me. I wanted to pat her head but I didn’t. “Now, I’ll get your food. You all go and sit down. You know the way.” We started for Zico’s table when Vita jumped back a little and yelled, “What in the hullabaloo is this, Jiho?”
“That’s Marco, Vita. He’s here to protect Elizabeth. Just ignore him.”
“Ignore him? How can you ignore a mountain in the middle of your shop? And Jiho! Why aren’t you protecting her? I didn’t pay for all of those lessons for nothing!”
“I do, Vita. I just have to work so much and I want to make sure she’s protected all of the time.” Zico looked defeated.
“I see. Go see your brother and I’ll bring your food. I’ll bring him two plates!” she jerked her thumb toward Marco.
Zico looked after her as she skirted the tables and then he yelled, “Steaks?”
“Chicken!”
“Damn,” he said and took my hand. We went to his table and a man was sitting there eating. He looked incredibly like Zico.
“Lil’ Brother!” he said as he stood up and bumped shoulders with Zico.
“You’re in my spot,” said Zico as we sat down.
“Kiss my ass,” said his brother and bit into a chicken leg.
“This is Elizabeth, my stylist,” said Zico.
“Hello,” I said.
He swallowed and said, “Hey, nice to meet you. I’m Jiho’s brother, Taewoon.” Then to Zico he asked, “Who’s the muscle? Her boyfriend?”
“Sort of. He’s her bodyguard.”
“Oh, okay.” Taewoon raised his eyebrows. He leaned over and quietly asked Zico “Why did you bring your stylist? Huh? What’s that story?” He wiggled his eyebrows.
“I’ll tell you later,” Zico said quietly.
Vita came out with two plates and served us. She leaned over the table and looked closely at Zico. “Boy, what’s wrong with you? Have you been in your cups again?”
“Yes Vita.”
She shook her head and said, “Tsk, tsk, tsk. Old Vita will be right back with the cure. After I feed this big bullmoose.” She gave Marco three sharp whacks to the back. He looked surprised.
After she had everything on the table and had given Zico his hangover “cure”, which looked like a green milkshake, she started back to the kitchen, only to stop halfway and grab her chest. “Ouch,” she said.
Both Woo brothers were up and at her side helping her to sit down in the blink of an eye.
“I’m okay. I’m okay. I’m just getting a little old is all. I run down faster these days,” said Vita as she looked up at Zico.
“I think we should take you to the hospital,” he said bending down to her level.
“Nope! I don’t need a hospital. I need someone to wash all those dishes for me.” She smiled.
“You look pale Vita. Please let us take you to get checked. Just a check,” said Taewoon. I could see panic on his face.
“I love you boys. You take such good care of old Vita but I really am okay. I didn’t sleep good last night and I’m tired. That’s all. You go and enjoy that chicken and let me get back to work.” She stood up and whacked both boys butts before she went back into the kitchen.
They gave each other a look of exasperation as they came back to the table and sat down. Zico drank his “cure” and didn’t touch his food. Taewoon finished his plate and ate half of Zico’s. Everything was a bit solemn as the boys talked about work and their mom and other things. I ate and listened. If you closed your eyes, they sounded almost identical. Especially when they laughed.
I noticed Marco didn’t eat so I said, “Marco, you had better eat or you’ll hurt Vita’s feelings. Or she’ll whip you!”
He looked over at Zico who said one word in Korean which I assumed was his permission. Marco dug in. I patted his hand and he looked up at me for a second before picking up a chicken leg and putting the whole thing in his mouth. The bone came out clean and I just sat there watching him in amazement. The boys didn’t seem to notice or care.
After about an hour, the boys went into the kitchen to do the dishes without being asked. Vita hadn’t been back out and I think they were worried.
I was bored so I decided to play with Marco.
“Marco,” I said.
Nothing.
“Marco, look at me.”
Nothing.
I reached over and grabbed his hand. His instinct was to pull it away but he stopped himself and looked around nervously. “It’s okay Marco. Do you understand anything I say?”
He looked around and then whispered, “A little.”
“Great! Now listen. I need to know you are always there. Even when I can’t see you.”
“I will be,” he said.
“I know but I will need to know for sure so when I yell Marco, you have to yell back to me, Polo. Do you understand?”
“Polo?” he asked.
“That’s right!” I squeezed his hand and smiled.
He tried not to smile but he broke down and did it anyway. That’s when I saw his gold front tooth.
Perfect, I thought.
I played around with Marco for a little while until the boys came back. We got ready to leave and before we got through the front door, Vita came running out. “You little monsters! Don’t you leave without giving love to old Vita!”
She threw herself into Taewoon’s arms and he hugged her tight. She held up her arms and he picked her up. She kissed his cheek and he kissed hers and put her back down. Then she wrapped her tiny little arms around Zico’s waist and he put his around her. He kissed the top of her head. She looked up and put her hands on his head and rubbed his cheeks with her thumbs.
“I love you, Little Woo!”
“I love you so much, Vita.”
She came over to me and hugged me too, then she whispered in my ear, “Please take care of my Little Woo. Especially his heart. He doesn’t show it but his heart is gentle. He also won’t tell you yet but he’s stricken with you. That boy has never brought anyone in here that he wasn’t partying with and he has NEVER brought a woman. Trust me. He’s stricken.”
I smiled down at her and said, “I promise.” I kissed her cheek.
We left.

On the way back, Zico seemed to be feeling somewhat better. Maybe there’s something to Vita’s cure.
“You know, you just walked into Master Pao’s house like you do my room. You need to quit that. It’s not fair,” I said.
“Not fair? I’m your boss.”
“So! That has nothing to do with anything. I’m just saying it isn’t fair that you can invade my privacy anytime you want.”
“Tough! Get over it!”
I gave up.
And even though I had Marco, Zico insisted on walking me to my room. He even opened my door. I think that was a jab at me for our conversation in the car. I spent the rest of the night working on clothes for a show. Every now and then I would yell, “MARCO!” and I would hear, “POLO!”
I got ready for bed and I didn’t think it would be comforting having someone watching over me all night but it was. Before I fell completely asleep, I yelled “MARCO!” one last time and I heard, “POLO!” and I smiled.

The next morning, when I woke up, I found a folded piece of paper on my nightstand. I opened it and found a key taped to the middle All it said was, “Now it’s fair!” I couldn’t help but feel giddy. I hurried and put some clothes on and rushed outside. Marco had to hurry to keep up with me. In the elevator, I put the key in the lock and when I turned it, the elevator automatically started moving up. The doors opened and I almost hit the floor. The elevator opened right into the suite. It was amazing. Everything was plush and expensive and so Zico! I took everything in and when I saw the door that had to be Zico’s bedroom, I headed straight for it. It was my turn to invade HIS privacy for a change!
I was disappointed when I opened the door and saw only messy sheets and squished up pillows. Then I heard a voice behind me say, “Don’t you know it’s dangerous to come into a man’s bedroom uninvited?” I turned and he was an inch away from me, wet, and only wearing a towel. Marco started to come in and Zico slammed the door in his face.
“That’s rude,” I said. Zico had started walking toward me and I started backing up.
“I’m rude,” he said. He reached out and grabbed a strand of my hair, pulling it gently.
“Zico,” I started to say.
“Yes?” he said.
I was up against the bed now with no where to go. “Um… I can go now. You need to finish getting ready. Right?”
“Nope. I have time. I have plenty of time.” He put his face very close to me and I could feel his breath on my cheek and in my hair. He smelled like toothpaste and shaving cream. I closed my eyes and breathed him in.
He whispered in my ear, “Now is it fair?”
He began to laugh so I put my hand against his chest and pushed him away. “You always win don’t you?”
“Of course.” He dropped his towel and I squealed and turned around fast.
“Zico!”
“What? You’re in my room now little girl. If you want to get naked when I come into yours, be my guest.”
I looked around for something to throw at him.
“I ordered some breakfast. I got Marco some too,” he said as he finished getting dressed.
“You knew I’d come up here this morning didn’t you?” I asked
I jumped a little when he said into my ear, “What woman in their right mind wouldn’t?”
“You are an arrogant jerk, Woo Zico!” I said turning back around.
“You like it,” he said and kissed my cheek. Then he opened the door and went out. I followed, still looking for something to throw at him that wouldn’t necessarily kill him.
His intercom started buzzing and when he answered, it was Taewoon.
“Come on up!” he said and hit a button. “That’s weird. He never comes here.”
As soon as Zico opened the door for him, I could see by the look on Taewoon’s face that something was wrong. Very wrong.
“What’s up?” asked Zico moving so Taewoon could come in.
“Let’s go out there,” said Taewoon pointing at the balcony.
Zico gave him a strange look but said, “Okay.” He led the way. Taewoon shut the glass doors.
I sat on the couch and watched as the first thing Taewoon did was pull Zico into a tight hug. Zico pushed him away and I couldn’t hear what they were saying but I didn’t need to. Tears filled my eyes. Taewoon grabbed Zico’s hands and said something and my heart broke as I watched Zico’s face crumple and he fell to his knees, his hands still in Taewoon’s. The look on his face shattered my heart into a million pieces. Then I heard him scream, “VITA!”

Notes