In Love With My Rival

Jaewook POV 3

It’s been three days since David’s party, and Farah has been radio silent. I expected her to deny what happened, but I never thought she’d vanish. I can leave her alone, seeing as how she seems bent on pretending not to be interested. It's really not a big deal, but there is no fun in that.

‘Have you buried yourself in a rabbit hole or are you finally exercising some self-control?’ I text her for the fifth time.

She sees my message an hour later but doesn’t reply. The annoyed hiss that escapes me catches me off guard. I wonder if I should just tell her I’ll be leaving tonight without waiting for her to respond. She will definitely respond if I do. But it might give her the wrong idea.

‘I’m leaving for Seoul tonight. How would you feel if my plane crashed and the last thing you said to me was “there won’t be a next time”?’ I message her again, minutes before leaving for the airport. This time, she checks it immediately.

‘Have a safe flight.’

I scoff. Wow, she's colder than I thought.

‘Try not to dream about me so much 😎.’ I think it's fair not to tell her I'll be coming back in a few weeks.

‘🤣 dream on.’

……..

The next few weeks are hectic. Table reads, set visits, and meetings leave hardly any time for me to think about anything else. And yet, Farah keeps prancing around my mind every time I catch a little break from work. Her dismissive replies, paired with the memories of her touch, start agonizing me.

It's probably because of her disappearing act. And maybe, just maybe, because she is a really good kisser. What I do know is that I'll be seeing her again once I go back. And I will be going back no matter what my manager says.

……..

3 weeks later

I knew attending this workshop would be worth it. Not because it's innovative or unique. It's as close to being basic as possible. It's because Farah is one of the instructors.

I didn't know she'd be here. A friend of mine suggested it, calling it a ‘good place to network’. He wasn’t wrong.

She has been ignoring me for two days, and I'm pretending to be amused by it, mixing with other participants as if I don't care, when honestly, it’s making me nervous. In reality, I want to catch her alone in another elevator and ask her why she is so flustered. And maybe feel her lips on me again.

We do interact a few times in groups, and each time she pretends she doesn't know me while I smirk. It clearly got under her skin because on the third day, she catches me in a corner of a crowded room and tells me to ‘stop acting familiar’.

‘I’m not acting familiar. I'm acting like an acquaintance. We are that much, aren't we?’

‘No, we're not. Keep your distance,’ she hisses and turns away.

‘Why are you so angry? It was just a kiss.’ She blisters but walks away without saying anything, annoying me more.

Dinner is mostly uneventful until I accidentally brush my fingers against her shoulder while reaching out for a spoon. She glares at me but stays silent. Again.

‘You’ve really been working on your willpower, haven't you?’ I try to provoke her again. ‘You should record this as an achievement somewhere.’

‘Get lost,’ she mumbles.

‘Come on. Say it, or you'll combust.’ I needle her further, but she purses her lips as if forcing her mouth to stay shut.

Irritated, I leave for my room soon after dinner, ditching the bonfire. I’m taking my jacket off when I hear a loud knock. I almost slip in my hurry to open the door. There she is, looking like Ember Lumen. Farah pushes me aside and storms in before I can think of something clever to say.

‘What is your problem? Can't you keep your hands to yourself?’ she snaps.

‘I have been keeping them to myself,’ I retort. ‘It’s you who's acting weird. You don't like the fact that you kissed me? Fine. Just pretend it didn't happen. Don't be so jumpy about it, you look guilty.’

Her forehead crumples with frustration. I have hit a mark.

‘I thought you were gone. Why are you here?’

‘We had unfinished business,’ I tease, my smirk back in place. Her fists clench like she'll throw something at me. Probably herself, going by the way she's breathing. It's a stunning sight. I step forward but she doesn't move; not when I lean towards her, not when I reach for her hand. Instead, she pulls me forward like she did in the elevator.

We collide like magnets. I pull her closer every time she sighs and moans as I explore her mouth. She tastes like mint. Her hands blaze through my hair and I can feel her nails dig into my skin as I pin her against the wall. I pause after an eternity and lead her hand to the collar of my shirt, breathing erratically. She starts undoing my buttons, dragging me to bed.

We fall into it, branding each other with wet kisses, helping each other discard our clothes. She smells flowery, unlike herself, which is all defiance even as she pulls me closer. I try not to stare but she is so beautiful. Her moan when I run a thumb against her almost undoes me.

‘My hand might drown,’ I tease her when she glares at me for pulling my hand away.

‘As if you’re any better,’ she breathes, her hand stroking me. I’m really not. I keep gasping like a dragon, making the most undignified sounds every time she traces me with her hands and mouth. It's like a fever dream. She's warm and soft, unlike her words. I want to savor her slowly but every time I try to hold back, she scratches me, straining my already snapping self-control. I respond with my teeth every time she teases me, and laughs every time I punish her.

‘Open up,’ I almost beg as I enter her. For once, she listens, digging her heels in my back.

‘Oh, you feel like an oven,’ I shiver and she laughs, bumping my shoulder.

‘You absolute asshole…’ she is saying something else but I stop her with a kiss. My self-esteem at this point is pretty much dead because I tell her she’s better than my dreams, driving into her. It’s slow at first, but I can’t help but gather pace because she’s moaning about wanting me too. I’m not even sure what I'm saying anymore but it probably doesn’t matter because she holds on tighter every time I take her name.

‘I’m about to come,’ she whines. ‘Faster.’

‘Take my name, or I won't let you,’ I say, slowing down just to make her think I mean it. I am bluffing, I can't stop at this point. She groans and digs her nails in my shoulders instead, making my toes curl.

‘You are driving me crazy,’ I growl, pressing my forehead against her, relentless now. I can feel her tighten around me, murmuring a hazy chain of ‘yes, yes, yes’. We both come undone together.

I keep holding her till my breathing stabilizes, still whispering nonsense in her ear and finally pull my head back to look at her when she doesn’t respond. She is staring at me with disbelief. Ah, regret already.

‘I have to go,’ she starts getting up, but I hold on to her hand.

‘Think about it in the morning. For now, let's just go to sleep,’ I urge, untangling her hair with my fingers. It's an impossible task. She takes a deep breath, covers herself with a sheet and turns away but leans in when I wrap my arm around her.