Page 30 of Idol Lives
“I’ll tell them I saw you leave,” Tae Hyun finished. “And I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Ren nodded but didn’t respond, so Tae Hyun opened the door to find Yun Seo standing guard as promised.
“Everything alright?”
Tae Hyun nodded, pushing a smile to his lips that he already knew Yun Seo would never believe. “Everything’s fine.”
Yun Seo’s frown meant he was right. “Don’t bullshit me like I’m some blogger, oppa.” She grabbed hold of his sleeve. “Take me to your room and tell me everything.”
Tae Hyun considered protesting. Surely, everyone at the after-party would notice if both idols mysteriously disappeared. Then again, a quick glance at the gathered crowd showed him that no one was paying him even the slightest attention. So, he nodded. “Okay, fine. Let’s go.”
09
Jason scowled at the paparazzi swarming the Brightstar entrance plaza as Seong Hyeon drove them by. The ones camped outside his front gate had been bad enough, their relentless presence a constant reminder of his lack of privacy. They were technically trespassing. The plaza was private property. But Jason didn’t need the hassle of trying to have them removed, so he instructed Seong Hyeon to take them to the underground garage. He’d just use the private elevator instead.
It was Andre’s day off, so Carlos joined Seong Hyeon to escort Jason to the top floor. Despite his rosy brown cheeks and the friendly sparkle in his eye, his buzz cut was enough to say straight off base. He even wore his expensive suit like a military uniform. At one point, Jason would’ve wondered if Carlos was bothered by him being gay. But those days were gone. He’d moved up in the world and could afford to pay security guards enough that it didn’t matter.
Justice, Naomi’s new assistant, a handsome young Black man impeccably dressed in a slim-cut, navy blue suit, greeted Jason with a nod. In the past, Jason might have stopped to flirt with him. But those days were gone, too.
Pushing open the doors to Naomi’s office, the transformationhit him immediately. Gerald Park’s imposing desk still dominated the space. It probably wouldn’t even fit through the door if they tried to move it. But everything else screamed Naomi. Gone were the bland impressionist paintings, replaced with an explosion of wild, stylish prints and paintings that reflected her hip, Boho vibes. Lush greenery softened the stark, modern minimalism, and a new conference table near the windows offered a more welcoming place to meet instead of her desk.
“Good morning, Jason.” Naomi sat in her new lime green, high-backed executive chair, her posture radiating newfound confidence. But a hint of nervousness showed in her eyes as she waited for Jason’s verdict on her changes to his father’s old office.
Jason made a small production of taking in the new decor and grinned. “I love it.”
Naomi laughed with genuine relief. “Thank goodness! I know I’m messing with tradition, but–”
“Hey, we’re both rebels here.” Jason winked, gesturing towards one of the matching chairs facing her desk. “Mind if I join you?”
Naomi’s smile widened. “Please. Coffee?”
Jason eagerly nodded as he crossed to the chair and sank into it. Justice entered a moment later at Naomi’s silent summons. “Yes, Ms. Bell?”
“Two Americanos, please,” Naomi requested.
“Right away, Ms. Bell.”
Jason waited until Justice was gone before continuing. “I like him.”
“Then please don’t fuck him,” Naomi deadpanned.
Jason barked a sharp laugh. “Those days are well behind me,Ms. Bell. What happened to Lily?”
“She’s still with Big Hammer,” Naomi replied. “Frankly, neither of us thought she was Brightstar material.”
“Probably not. Seong Hyeon keeps nagging me about getting an assistant.”
“You really should.” Naomi tilted her head and shrugged. “Are you still running Big Hammer?”
Jason frowned, the question catching him by surprise. He hadn’t given it much thought since before the funeral. “Yeah,” he finally said. “I guess so.”
Naomi grinned. “Then you already have one.”
Jason snorted. Maybe Lily wouldn’t mind returning to being his assistant now that he was more than just a cranky actor. “I’ll call her after this. Anyway,” he continued, hoping to change the subject, “I thought you’d be happy to hear that Tae Hyun’s first Tokyo show was a smash. Two encores! And his music streams in Japan tripled overnight.”
Naomi beamed. “That’s amazing. I’m so happy for him!”
“You basically made that happen, Naomi. You know how much we both appreciate that, right?”
