Page 73 of Damian & Jun: Episodes 5-8
“What do you want, boss?” Cedric turned to him.
Damian shook his head. “You choose. My head’s full.”
“And you?” Cedric looked to Jun.
Jun looked between Cedric and Damian and closed his menu. “You choose.”
Cedric shook his head. “Well, this is a first. Someone’s going to have to give me a Michelin Star. I’ve gone up in the world.”
Everyone was in a bit of a food coma for the rest of the drive north, even Artemis who got to eat bits of everyone’s meat patties and a bunch of cat treats. Jun left his hat off and moved into the middle seat, leaning against Damian. Damian slipped his hand around Jun’s thigh and kept their legs pressed together. Sometimes the best thing in the world was a long quiet drive in the dark. You could hear yourself think, but you could also just let yourself drift. Artemis curled up on their collective lap space and went to sleep.
The Estate looked like it always did, a soft, muted landscape of sleeping deciduous trees and shadowy evergreens. Zia had never been there before. She let out a little gasp as the last bend in the private drive unfurled under the car and the main house appeared at the top of the rise in front of them. Directly at the end were three vehicle bays with their doors closed. Then there was a little walkway to a side door and into the house proper. It was built like a lodge out in the Pacific Northwest, all round lumber, soaring glass, and slanted roofs. Damian let out a little shiver, looking forward to the fireplaces inside. Most of them were electric, for ecological reasons, but a few were for wood as well in case there was ever a need to rely on less connective technology.
Cedric turned around in his seat. “Well, boss, we’re here. Want Zia and I to take in the luggage, or should we just drop you off?”
“If you could carry the big bag in the trunk and Jun’s bag just to the door?” Damian answered.
Jun had an armful of Artemis, so he couldn’t carry anything else.
“Sure thing, boss. And if you need anything later, we’ll be just down the road, catching up with the boys.”
The boys being the security detail staying with the Estate. It was only two guys at the moment, but as long as Jun was here, it would be three. A canine team was going to join them tomorrow morning and stay as long as Jun was present.
Jun stopped and looked around once they were inside. The side entrance wasn’t grand even if it was the one they used most often. It was a foyer with room for coats and dirty shoes and a small bathroom tucked into the side. Two steps into a hallway led up to the rest of the house.
They’d barely gotten their coats off when footsteps started. Sui-jin appeared on the stairs. He was wearing adult pj’s with a hood that had a duck’s bill and carrying a bowl half full of an ice cream sundae.
“Gigi says to come to the kitchen. They got here before you!”
He paused, looking between Damian and Jun. “You all right?”
Jun nodded. He held out his one free arm; Su-jin rushed down the stairs to crash into him, barely moving the ice cream out of the way.
“Proud of you,” he said into Jun’s shoulder. He didn’t even seem to realize he was also hugging a cat. Damian rescued Artemis and unclipped her harness, making sure her tracking device was firmly attached in case she got outside. He let her go. Her litter box was perpetually out and clean, and she knew her food would be available to her in the kitchen eventually.
Jun used his now free arms to hug Su-jin properly. “I’m glad you’re here.”
Su-jin stepped back, giving Jun a smile, then waved his spoon. “Ice cream will help. We have cherries. Hurry. Gigi’s threatening to eat all the double chocolate by herself!”
“Where did he get those pj’s?” Damian murmured as Su-jin dashed away, a little white tail bobbing behind him.
“It was a joke, years ago. Geun found them for him. And now he comfort-wears them. I think he got teased so much for them at first, being the maknae and all, that he doubled down, and now we all expect it. Bak hated them.”
Damian chuckled. “I bet he did. If they ever completely wear out, I’m sure we can find him more.”
“No, Su-jin has informed Geun that he is the supplier of pj’s.” Jun’s eyes lit with amusement. “I think Geun is planning something because there’s already a hole in the side and Su-jin keeps reminding him.”
“He’s the right maknae for all of you.”
Jun nodded. “He’s perfect. Like a needy baby that shape-shifts into a sex idol or a voracious wildcat. Don’t be fooled, he’s actually way more mature than Jaewoong or Geun.”
“Because of his family?”
Jun nodded. “He didn’t get to be young till he joined us. Where do we put our bags?”
Damian led him deeper into the house and pointed to a staircase. “Let’s leave them here. It’s a long walk from the kitchen to the room.”
The kitchen was down a staircase. Damian led the way. The door to the kitchen was open, and Mi Hi, Gigi, Yohei, Geun, Jaewoong, and Su-jin were all inside. Everyone was in various styles of loungewear or sleepwear. Gigi wore pink sweats. Mi Hi had on what was probably another pair of Gigi’s sweats in burgundy. Geun was shirtless in a pair of basketball shorts. Jaewoong was in blue and green flannel pj’s, and Yohei was in what looked like one of Richard’s old robes that had been left for guests. It was black and soft. He was currently wiping ice cream off the thin triangle of bare chest showing through while Gigi snickered at him.
