Something about the way he said her name, made her breath stutter but she'd be damned to let him know. Her hazel eyes bored into him, trying to understand why he was still here, for a stranger no less.
He held her gaze, seemingly unaffected, but only Jang Woosuk himself knew, that it was taking every fiber in his being to not falter under those fascinating pair of eyes—windows to the soul that haunted his dreams. He hadn't meant to meet her like this, and despite his ability to control a lot of things, today's variable had been out of his grasp.
He was first to break the silence again. "Is there a family member you want to call and tell them you're at the hospital?"
Kyunghee shook her head. Family? The word repeated bitterly in her mind.
He wasn't surprised but didn't press the matter either. He calmly changed the topic. "Do you want something to eat? Like juice and fruits. It'll help with your sugar levels."
"Jang Woosuk-sshi," his name rolled off her tongue smoothly, scratching his heart but he remained poker-faced, "I'd like to get discharged."
His face scrunched up, indicating he wasn't on board with the idea. "I think it's best for you stay here another night. You need to rest."
"Jang Woosuk-sshi, when did you become my doctor? This is not a flu, and I can get rested at home too. Would you mind calling the doctor for me?" She smiled tightly, the gratitude leaving those irises. There was a quiet, suppressed fire in them, as if it was taking everything not to reach out and strangle him.
Woosuk suppressed the urge to smile. He lazily crossed one ankle over the other, smirked and playfully challenged, "And what if I don't feel like it, Ahn Kyunghee-sshi?"
She didn't like the twinkle in his eyes or how effortlessly sexy his every gesture was. All that man had to do was sit and breathe, and he would have a pass at everything in life. It was a blatant lie to say this man did not stir desires in the opposite gender—heck, even the same gender if that was the game being played—but Kyunghee was not an inexperienced little girl anymore.
She assessed him firmly, trying to discern whether he was joking or not.
He didn't budge an inch.
Suppressing a sigh, Kyunghee moved to the edge of the bed as she placed her feet down on the ground and slowly got up from the hospital bed. All this while, his gaze remained fixed on her every movement, brimming with curiosity. Her shadow loomed over him as she slowly bent over until their faces were inches apart, her hazel eyes holding his golden ones in its place.
"Thank you for your kindness up to this point, Jang Woosuk-sshi. I will gladly help myself out." Despite the teasing tune in her voice that mimicked his, he sensed the annoyed sarcasm hiding underneath as a pretentious smile spread across her face, dimples punching deep into her cheeks. She was so close he could feel her breath seductively fanning his warm skin—sweet with a pinch of sass.
The corners of Woosuk's mouth curled into an amused grin. He wasn't a man to back down so easily. He straightened out confidently, and leaned his face even closer to hers, until the tip of their noses were barely touching. Kyunghee was startled by his move, her feet slightly faltering backwards in surprise. Immediately his arm shot out to steady her by holding her waist.
The seconds seemed to have pause. The air around them palpitated with nerves and loaded anticipation.
His voice lowered into a hypnotic timbre as he said, "Kyunghee-sshi, my kindness comes with a price." Reluctantly he let go of her.
Something about his charming smile and mischievous twinkle in his eyes made her stomach weak as she recalled an important figure in her past. Something about him was familiar and yet unknown. How could this man give her such incomprehensible, polar opposite feelings? She could see his eyes trailing down the length of her nose, lingering on her mouth before slowly moving back up. Wherever his eyes went left her with a scorching sensation, even though no physical contact was made.
"How will you repay me for helping you today?"
"Repay?" she gawked.
"I'm a businessman. It'd be bad if I can't cut a good deal." He smiled up at her.
He knew how to expertly make use of his charms and good looks to put someone in a trance, but she also had experience in playing the seductress to get out of trouble.
She didn't know what had gotten into her, but Kyunghee tilted her head flirtatiously, a glimmer in those bedroom eyes, as her long locks naturally fell in the same direction. "Well then, you'd be happy to know I always pay my dues, Woosuk-sshi."
She grabbed her bag on the nightstand and reached inside, pulling out a business card, handing it over to him. Woosuk took the card, which was black and had nothing except the word "Playlights" on it. He stared at the card, wildly entertained, before lifting his head up to give her a questioning look.
"Playlights?" he read the name. "Isn't that a popular nightclub?"
"If you come to the club, I'll make sure to repay your kindness there. I mean," she drawled as she let her index finger run down the straight length of his nose, "I know it's hardly a place for an esteemed man like you but I promise if you come by, I'll make your visit worth it. I'm a dancer there." Her finger stopped and lingered at the top of his nose before dropping down to her side. "Bye now." With that said, Kyunghee made her way toward the exit. Immediately as her back faced him, the flirty and playful demeanor she had on disappeared, replaced by pure frustration. On her way out, she made sure to slam the door extra hard.
Standing on the other side of the room, Kyunghee glanced over at the closed door and blew out an exasperated breath of air. Judging by how he looked, like he was from high society, she was sure rich men like him would think Playlights was below their status. Kyunghee hoped that business card was enough to scare him off. After all, it wasn't the first time she used it to push people away from her. Everyone got a little hesitant to be near her when they learned about her job, as if being a strip pole dancer was something contagious.
She has come across businessman like him before, who were instantly grossed out the moment they realized the kind of work she did, as if they saw themselves morally superior due to their status and wealth. However, it was just a façade to maintain their reputation. Behind closed doors and in the dark, those morally superior men did many things that were immoral and would be condemned if brought to light. They simply didn't want their demons to be discovered.
But that man…Kyunghee touched her cheek with the back of her hand. She was flushed, warm. He made her feel things she hadn't felt in a while; stir up things that she thought had long been dried up. It was a little scary, dangerous even. Shaking her head, she tried to rid of those thoughts, concluding to herself that she was feeling this way because he was just a tiny bit more good-looking than the others. It had to be, and good looks could only get a person so far in life.
Anyway, if he decided he was too good for Playlights then great. But if he decided to drop by and demand his payment, well it wasn't as if she had a choice. She didn't want to owe anyone anything. If she could get him on his way and out of her life forever with a couple of shots and some lap-dances, it wouldn't be too bad a deal for her.
Meanwhile, inside the hospital room, Woosuk toyed with the business card between his fingers. A lopsided grin gradually made its way on his lips.
He commented into the empty space, "This does look a bit boring. I should get these cards updated."
His soliloquy was interrupted by the sound of his phone. The mirth in his depths disappeared as he pulled out the phone and stared at the name on display. Woosuk lazily pressed the phone to his ear.
"What is it?" he answered dully in Japanese, casually flipping the business card back and forth.
His eyes darkened as he listened to the string of Japanese responses on the other line. As the person reported in detail, Woosuk languidly got up from the bedside chair. His expression became colder with each passing second. Woosuk stopped in front of the garbage can on his way out and callously threw the business card in without a second look. With the phone still pressed to his ear, he walked toward the elevator where two grim-faced bodyguards joined his sides soundlessly.
"Trace it and don't stop till you've found something," he commanded into the phone as the elevator doors slid closed. He didn't wait for an answer and hung up the call. Crossing a foot over the other, he leaned back into the elevator wall. Then he reached into his other pocket and pulled out a white smartphone that clearly didn't belong to him.
He touched the screen as the screensaver picture popped up.
It was a picture of Kyunghee all dressed up in a fancy mini-dress, sitting across the table with her hands clasped together and eyes closed, as if she was wishing for something real hard. There was a birthday cake with candles lit right in front of her. On her head, she wore a gold crown that said, "Birthday Boo". There was a wide smile on her face, showing off those sweet dimples.
It was a recent picture.
The birthday cake read, "26 Young."
His thumb lightly caressed her face. This was fate. There was no point in hiding anymore.
'Star light, star bright
I wish I may, I wish I might
That you will come back to me on a bright night'