New Beginnings: Stories from Beauville

Chapter 6-2

Club Lux is in a busy part of town. It’s packed, and the girls were right. There are tons of foreigners. The guy at the door takes our money and lets us in. I guess their definition of ladies’ night differs from ours. The music is loud, and the drinks are flowing. Music assaults my ears with a familiar beat and even though this club is more upscale than our hometown bar, I feel at ease. Everyone gathers around bar top tables or crowds the bar. I notice there is a VIP section that’s just as busy.

“Where can we sit?”

“We will have to stand by the bar. This place stays busy,” Suzy explains.

“All right.” I walk over to the bar, and there’s a guy behind the counter who smiles widely.

“What are you drinking?” he says in perfect English.

“Give me a Grey Goose and cranberry juice, if you’ve got it.”

The bartender gives a nod and leaves to make my drink.

Someone bumps my elbow. “Excuse me.”

“No problem.”

“Oh, you’re American,” the man says next to me. He has a British accent. I don’t really take him in, except that I can hear his voice. The person standing beside me hasn’t come into focus. I’m not in the mood to take in appearances or even act interested.

“Yes, and you’re English.”

He nods his head, and I take the time to notice his drunk blue eyes. He’s young and, obviously, it’s his first time out drinking.

“Can I get you a drink?”

The bartender shows at that moment with my order. “Already got mine.” He smiles and steps closer. And the smell of alcohol burns my nostrils. He’s way over his limit.

“How about a dance?”

As if he could even keep up. He’s so out of it, I’m surprised he hasn’t fallen over.

“I’ll decline.”

The smile on his face disappears and his eyes harden. “Whatever.”

Like I even care.

“You haven’t been here five minutes and already a man wants to buy you drinks,” Suzy yells over the music.

“No, sweetheart, he was trying to buy what’s between these thighs.” I point down to my crotch and wink. “That ship has sailed. Not up for any of the motion in the ocean.”

“Omo,” Su-ra says, covering her mouth. “You like girls?” she says it in a loud whisper. The bartender standing next to us hears her words, and now he’s staring with interest.

“Does it matter?” I say.

“Um, no.” Suzy shakes her head.

These girls are too sheltered or are close-minded. I know they have television and social media. How could you not know? Or maybe they wanted me to think I shocked them to see if they could get more information from me. Before they ask any more questions, I suggest we go out onto the dance floor. “I’m ready to dance.”

50 Cents’ “In Da Club” is ending and Sean Paul’s “Get Busy” starts pulsing through the speakers. The DJ tells everyone to get on the floor and dance. The four of us begin dancing and I can’t help the smile that spreads across my face as I clap my hands to the beat and move. If Chanty were here, she’d be a hot-a*s mess. I shake my head as an image of my sister appears. She’s the huge dancer in the family, not me. Wild and crazy, she loves to party.

Someone grabs my hips and starts moving with me. I’m not startled. I am at a club after all. Their hands guide my hips as I clap, and I close my eyes and let the music take over. It isn’t until the song bleeds into another song that I realize the atmosphere has changed.

“We have a native island girl tonight. This is for you, beautiful.”

I open my eyes and catch sight of the DJ and he nods in my direction. The dance floor has somewhat cleared to allow for a mini circle. Two girls and a guy come up to me and I can tell they’re from the States.

“Hey,” I breathe out loudly.

The guy nods, and the two girls smile. Hip man disappears but is still behind me. I turn around and almost lose my s**t. It’s Tyrel. We went to school together and of all the places to run into a familiar face, this is the last place I’d have expected.

“OMG, TY!” I scream and hug him excitedly.

“Hey there, Danvers, I knew it was you the moment I saw you walk in. I had the DJ play our songs.”

I laugh and toss my head back and let Ty spin me around in a tight hug. When he releases me, he introduces me to his girlfriend, Erika, her brother, James, and his girlfriend, Suni.

“Are we dancing or what?” Tyrel asks.

“Heck, yeah.” I turn back to Mi-su and her friends and make the introductions. We keep dancing, all of us in our little group, and for the first time in a long time, I feel good. We dance to multiple songs back and forth until I can’t dance anymore. I step away from the group for a moment to fan myself. Tyrel looks over Erika’s shoulder and notices that I’ve left the group. He whispers something into her ear and waves his hands to catch my attention as he walks over toward me.

“It’s so good to see you. We have a table in the VIP section, Indy. You and your friends are welcome to join.” He points to a table in the corner and there’s another guy sitting there texting on his phone. He’s Korean. Our group walks over to the table and Ty makes the introductions.

“India, this is Minho, but we call him Min. He’s my manager.”

“Manager?”

“Yeah, I’m here on a modeling contract, both James and me.”

“Oh, wow.”

“Really? You guys are models?” Su-ra asks wide-eyed.

This girl truly suffers from fan syndrome. But Ericka and Suni have caught on and claim their territory by grabbing their men’s arms.

At least they’re smart.

“Nice to meet you, Min,” I say.

Min looks up and smiles. “Likewise. Can I order you ladies a drink?”

“No, she won’t be taking any drinks from you.”

The voice is not unfamiliar. It’s Hae-in. I look up and I’m struck speechless. His hair is in disarray and he’s wearing a white shirt and ripped jeans. The gold watch on his wrist is bright. More important is his hand is on the back of my shoulder and in a tight grip. His jaw tenses and his eyes are cold.

“Wook Hae-in ishi Oh my God!” Suzy and Su-ra squeal at the same time.

Hae-in ignores them as he focuses on Minho.

“I didn’t realize you came to places like this,” Minho says casually.

“I don’t. I’m here for her.” Hae-in’s head turns in my direction. “India.”

Dumbfounded. It’s like I can’t comprehend the English language. What I do cling to is the feeling of his lips pressed against mine. Phantom kisses. I need to get a grip and quick.

“She just got here and is here with her friends. Stay and drink with us,” Minho suggests.

The girls at the table are all dazzled and nodding their heads rapidly. Even Tyrel seems impressed. Just how big of a star is he here? But I understand this scene all too well. Minho and Hae-in are not friends. They aren’t even associates. The vibe that Hae-in is giving off is one of rage and the intent to do bodily harm if he was able. To avoid a scene, I scoot closer to Hae-in, and his grip loosens. His hand moves from my shoulder to take my hand and drag me out of the club.

The moment the cold air hits me, I come to my senses. “You can let go of my hand,” I tell Hae-in. “I get you don’t like the dude inside, but I’m not a puppy or one of your groupies. You can’t just drag people around. I don’t function like that. I was going to go with you, but I didn’t even have time to say goodbye or even have Mi-su follow. I didn’t show up here alone, you know.”

Hae-in says nothing, and he doesn’t let go of my hand. His chest is moving up and down, and the cloud of icy breath is the only thing between us. Tyrel exits the club and calls out to me. “India! India! Hey, hold up.”

“What’s up, Ty?”

“Just want to make sure you’re all right.” He’s eyeing Hae-in as if he’s an insect. Both men are in a stare-down.

“I’m good. My friend worries is all.”

Tyrel looks at Hae-in again and grunts, “I know you.”

Hae-in bows. “Yeah, you’re Tyrel Banks. Minho’s new puppet. Be careful. That guy is not safe.”

“You heard wrong,” Tyrel responds rudely.

Hae-in turns his back on Tyrel and instead of letting him drag me, I stand my ground, halting him. He looks at our connected hands and up at me before saying, “Let’s go.”

“Hold on a sec.” I smile up at Tyrel. “Ty, let Mi-su and the girls know I’m leaving with Hae-in. Tell her if she could grab my things, I’ll pick them up from her tomorrow morning. Make sure she gets home okay. And be wary of the other two.”

“Mi-su is your friend?” Hae-in asks me with a serious look.

“Yes.”

Hae-in pulls out his phone and says something in Korean. The only word I understand is Mi-su.

“I have someone coming for her, and your things. They will make sure she gets home safely.”

“You have it like that?” I ask.

Of course, he does.

“Have what?”

I look at the man in front of me and wonder what it is about him that has me curious and almost shook.

“You can make a phone call and magically someone answers to do your bidding?”

Hae-in’s face tilts a bit before his eyes widen like a light bulb went off in his mind and he understands what language I’m speaking. I keep forgetting we are from two different worlds.

“If you mean does someone answer when I call, and do things for me, yes. He’s my assistant. It’s his job, and his job pays him well.”

What is it about this dude? I wonder again. He’s good looking. I’ll give him that. He wears the hell out of his clothes. Tailor-made and expensive, I can tell. Why does he feel the need to be responsible for me, and why am I listening? I’m not dumb, nor am I ignorant. If the guy inside is bad news, I’d have figured it out on my own.

I should have put up a fight.

Resisted or something.

I’m not some damsel in need of a rescue.

What gives, Danvers?

“India, I can take you home,” Tyrel offers.

“It’s all good, Ty. I can handle myself.”

Tyrel looks me over before glaring at Hae-in. He reaches into his jacket and pulls out a business card and hands it to me. “That’s my card. Call me. We can go out for coffee sometime.”

I take the card and offer up a smile. “I’d love to catch up, Ty. Thanks. I don’t know how much longer I’ll be in Korea, but I’ll try my best to meet up. If not, I have your info now, and we can always chat.”

Hae-in doesn’t wait for Tyrel to respond. He has my hand again and is dragging me down the busy street. People move out of his way. Other’s point and stare. A group of college age girls encircle us, screaming excitedly while jumping up and down. We’re not able to move and the crowd continues to grow.

“Is this what life is like for you, bruh? If so, it’s a bit much.” This crowd is ridiculous. Hae-in gives me a tight smile and lets go of my hand. He then turns to the crowd and bows. I have no idea what he’s saying, but the crowd calms a bit. Hae-in leans toward me and says, “Sorry, I should take you home, but my manager will be unhappy if I ignore my fans, and they keep the lights on.” He shrugs and offers me a smirk. Smart-a*s. Of course, he should say hello to his fans. I’m not a total i***t. “Can you give me a few minutes, please?”

Like I can go anywhere. I’m not familiar with this place at all. “Yeah.” I see a coffee shop across the street. “I’ll be in the coffee shop.”

“Okay, I’ll come to you.”

I make my way across the street to the coffee shop and take a seat. I have a clear shot of Hae-in and I’m able to see how he works with his fans. His smile is infectious, and I can tell he’s sincere. He even hugs the girls and the guys. That’s not something you see every day. He takes forty-five minutes before the crowd dissipates and Hae-in runs across the street and enters the coffee shop. He bows to the clerk behind the counter before coming to sit across from me.

“Sorry about that.” He gives a slight bow of his head.

“Not a problem. Your fans were happy. This acting gig of yours is a pretty big deal here.” It had to be that. He must be like the Jason Mamoa of movies or something very close to it. He is tall, with a slight build to his physique. I can tell he works out, but he doesn’t overdo it.

Hae-in smiles. “I wanted to be in a band, but it didn’t work out when I was a trainee. Luckily, I was scouted by a modeling agency, and I’ve acted in a few dramas. My last drama was a huge success. People recognize me more now.”

“What kind of band?” I ask, curious to know what kind of music he was into.

“K-pop.”

I must have a look on my face that says I have no idea what he’s talking about. Hae-in’s eyes widen. “You’ve not heard of K-pop?”

“Nah, I live in the States, remember?”

“K-pop has a huge following in the States as well. It’s Korean pop.”

“You mean like hip-hop? Or like Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake-type music?”

Hae-in smiles. “Yes, something exactly like that. But a mixture of everything.”

“I’ll have to check it out. What dramas have you starred in? Anything I would have seen?”

“Do you watch Korean dramas?”

“No, but I’m not opposed to trying something new.”

Hae-in laughs. “I’ll have my manager send some to your hotel room. This way you have to watch.”

“Sure.” There was nothing wrong with that.

“Do you want coffee?”

It’s late. I’m tired. “No thanks. I know we have quite the drive back and the twins will worry.”

“You mean your bodyguards?”

“Yeah, but they aren’t my bodyguards. They’re close friends.”

“Ah, when you say close, you mean they’re like your family?”

They are family.

“We’re much closer than that. They are the fathers of my recently deceased babies.”

OH MY GOD!

Did I really say that?

Why?

Why the hell would I say that!

Hae-in clears his throat. “I may have misunderstood you.” His voice drops to a whisper, “Did you say fathers as in both were the father of your deceased twins? Was it one of them couldn’t father a child, so the other did?”

Huh? Now I’m confused.

“No, I dated both men at the same time. The three of us were together, and I ended up getting pregnant. But we lost the babies because of complications.”

Hae-in takes in everything I say and sits and stares at me. He clears his throat a few times and adjusts in his chair.

“I’m not going to judge.”

“You already did, whether you believe it. You’re uncomfortable now.”

Hae-in winces. “Yes, and no.” He clears his throat again. “I’ve seen plenty of American movies and television shows. I’m not as conservative as some, nor am I prejudiced, but I’ll admit I’m saddened and shocked by your explanation.”

“Why?”

“First, I’m deeply sorrowful about your loss. Little ones shouldn’t suffer, ever. I know they’re watching over you and want their mom to be happy.”

“Thank you for saying that.”

“I’m truly sorry for your loss. I’m also equally shocked you were with two men at the same time. That’s not anything I thought to encounter or hear about out loud.” Hae-in is uncomfortable. I can feel the tension between us as he tries to come to terms with what I told him.

“You’ve never fantasized about being with two girls?”

Hae-in smirks. “What man hasn’t?”

“Exactly. Why would a woman not have the same thoughts?”

“Good point.”

“Good point,” I repeat. “Two men, all to myself, was not good. It was amazing to have both their attention.”

Hae-in sits forward and whispers, “Does it really take two men to please you?”

“Why are we having this conversation, Hae-in?”

“My original plan was to take you home to get you away from that bastard Minho.”

“And what does that have to do with me being with two men? Is it because Minho is that type of guy and in your world that’s bad?”

Hae-in sucks his teeth. “Yes, he’s also a predator of the worst kind. But that you had relations with two men at the same time is not something I regularly encounter. But again, excuse my ignorance on the matter. I only wanted to ensure your safety.”

“I’m more than capable of taking care of myself.”

“I get that, but sometimes it’s good to have backup.”

I smile. “And let me guess, Hae-in comes in with the save.”

“Correct. But also, because you’re in a country you’re not familiar with, and I want you to only have happy memories of your time here in South Korea. I saw you shopping and I’m glad I followed you.”

“Why did you follow me?”

“I wanted to ask if you wanted to date.”

Talk about way out in left field. Dude tossed me through multiple rings of fire as I tried to dodge a school of angry white sharks. Good thing I said no to coffee because I almost choked to death. “You did not say you want to date me.” I shake my head slowly, still stuck on stupid.

“I thought I was clear.”

“Oh no,” I half chuckle. “You were not clear, or you have a hearing problem. I did say my babies died, right? You heard that part. It’s not like it happened years ago, I’m still trying to get my life in order.”

Hae-in nods and crosses his legs. “Maybe I should be the one to rephrase. If it’s too soon to date, what if we spend time together?”

This guy is something else.

It is way too soon to be asking me to date. The nerve. He has a boatload of confidence. I’ll give him that. I still can’t believe what I’m hearing. “I’m not up for a f**k buddy either,” I say, crossing my arms.

“I’m no Korean f**k boy.”

Why did him saying the word f**k do something to my insides? It must be the accent. He clears his throat, and his dark gaze locks in on my eyes. He refuses to look away, and neither do I. “I would like to get to know you, India.”

I uncross my arms and sit back in my chair. I look down at my phone and notice I have several missed calls. Reaching for my phone, I hold up a hand to halt this ludicrous conversation. “One moment, I need to make a call.”

Finn answers on the first ring. “India Danvers, do you know how f*****g late it is?”

“Finnegan Gaines, did you forget I’m a grown-a*s woman, and the last time I checked you are not my man and even if you were, I’m still my own woman.”

Finn sighs deeply. “Sweetheart, you’re in another country. You don’t speak the language.”

“Yet, I’m getting on just fine. I’m here with a friend at a late-night coffee shop in Hongdae.”

“We know you’re with Kim Mi-su.”

“No, she’s on her way home. I’m with Hae-in.”

“Who the f**k is that?”

“A friend who dropped me off at the hotel the other day. He’s good people.”

I’m staring at Hae-in as I talk to Finn. His grin is telling. He’s satisfied with my response to Finn.

“What do you mean he’s good people?” Finn’s voice morphs from understanding ex to irate jealous lover. “Put his a*s on the phone.”

“No, Finn. I’ll be back at the hotel in the morning.” I disconnect the call. I’m not putting up with him and all his caveman antics. I’m not in any danger, and although Hae-in’s a man, I’m no slouch when it comes to defending myself. The twins saw to that when we were dating, and I grew up around boys who loved to roughhouse their girl cousins. Hae-in doesn’t say a word. I speak first. “What? I thought you wanted to be friends.”

“I do. But I don’t want to cause any problems between you and your male friends.”

“It’s not a problem. They are hurting just like I am.”

“I understand. But why did you come here with them if you are not together anymore?”

That is a valid question.

“To get away from my house. I didn’t want to be there, and the babies weren’t. There’s too much sadness back home, and right now it’s not a place I want to be. Trust me, if you’d seen me a few weeks ago, you’d not be interested in dating me at all.”

“I doubt that.”

Persistent. I nod my head in agreement with my inner thought.

“What?” Hae-in asks. “Why are you nodding your head?”

“Oh, just thinking.”

“About?”

“That you’re persistent.”

My comment makes him smirk. “If I wasn’t, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

“Right. Well, to answer your question, yes, we can be friends. We can get to know each other, don’t know how long I’ll be here, but I gotta say right up front, no unexpected kisses.”

“What if they are expected?” He’s laughing at me now.

“Those too. Again, I don’t know how long I’m going to be here, so when I leave, we won’t be able to get to know each other, as you say.”

“I have some free time due to me, no more dramas to film, and no modeling. While you’re here, we can spend time together. I’d love to show you around South Korea. We can go wherever you want.”

That doesn’t sound like a bad idea.

“I can get on board with that. I’ll have to look into it further.”

Hae-in nods.

My cell rings and the caller ID shows its Lola.

“Hey, who are you f*****g now?”

Lo is loud and not only can Hae-in hear her, so can everyone else in the shop.

“Calm down, Lo, I’m fine.”

“Finn said you fainted and now you’re out with some guy? Your vag needs d**k that bad, sis? You’re supposed to be healing, not boning.”

Who the hell says bone anymore? Geesh.

“Shut your mouth before I reach through this damn phone and choke you out. You’re embarrassing me.”

“Who you telling to shut up? Girl, I got two years on you.” Lola huffs out a breath before she yells out, “Bear, get me a passport. Indy needs her a*s whooped.”

“Bye, Lola.” I end the call and shake my head. “Family drama,” I explain to Hae-in.

“Everyone has their share of family issues,” Hae-in says, signaling for a server. He says something in Korean and then focuses back on me. “How about I take you to a pleasant hotel here, and then we can head back to your hotel in the morning?”

I’m not a fan of staying out overnight, but I already told Finn I’d be back at the hotel in Jinhae-gu later in the morning. “Hotel sounds good, but I can pay for my room.”

Hae-in shakes his head. “I don’t mind. It’s my fault we’re out here late.”

“I do mind, Hae-in.” I stand and look around for a bathroom. “Where is the washroom?”

“It’s outside, round the back.”

“I’ll find it, thanks.”

Hae-in stands. “I’ll walk you, it’s not like you’ll see one for male or female, it’s one washroom and it’s late.”

“Lead the way.”