Page 7 of Idol Lives
“Yes.” Tae Hyun already knew what he wanted to suggest and what the response would be. Still, he had to try. “About that. I think we should postpone the tour.”
“What?” Jason’s whine betrayed his surprised confusion. “No fucking way. Why would you even want to do that?”
“It’s like you said,” Tae Hyun carefully replied. He pressed closer, seeking strength and offering reassurance. “You’ve got so many thingsto–”
“Absolutely not,” Jason replied, firm and final. “You’ve worked way too hard on this tour. A lot of people have. And a lot of people are depending on it. On you. Not the least of which are your fans.”
Tae Hyun sighed. “I don’t want to leave you to handle things all by yourself. Not after everything you did for me.”
Jason softly exhaled. “I appreciate that.” He pressed an impossibly tender kiss to Tae Hyun’s forehead. “But it’s the last thing I want. Besides, I won’t be alone. I’ve got Naomi and Seong Woo.”
Tae Hyun heard Jason’s words but remained unconvinced. “Are you sure?”
“Positive. And it shouldn’t take more than a few days to get everything handled–a week at most. Then I can join you on the road.”
Despite Jason’s confidence, Tae Hyun’s unease lingered. But Jason was right. The tour was more than just him. It was hard to admit, but the timing wasn’t his to control. And he didn’t actually want to postpone it. He just wanted to be there for Jason more. A strange mix of disappointment and relief tempered his worry.
“Okay,” Tae Hyun finally conceded. “But the moment you can, you’re joining me.”
“Count on it.”
03
Jason leaned against the doorway and sipped his coffee, nonchalantly watching Tae Hyun frantically toss another shirt onto the growing pile beside him. Thick fingers of bright, mid-morning sunshine reached through the gaps in the blinds, illuminating the clutter he’d piled on their bed.
“It has to be here,” Tae Hyun muttered with a frustrated huff. He spun on his heel, scanning the room with eyes that darted from the closet door to the open suitcase at the foot of the bed.
“Tae Hyun.” Jason’s soothing calm nearly withered in the face of Tae Hyun’s spiraling anxiety. “What’s the emergency?”
“My bracelet!” Tae Hyun threw his hands up in exasperation. “The one with the blue charm? Where is it?”
Jason scratched the back of his head, his confusion creasing his forehead. “I don’t remember that one.”
“You don’t remember it?” Tae Hyun’s frustration erupted. “Yun Seo gave it to me before my first Seoul show. I can’t perform without it!”
Jason fought the smile threatening to emerge, not wanting Tae Hyun to completely lose it. “Come on, Tae Hyun. You don’t really need it to be amazing, do you?”
“That’s not the point,” Tae Hyun growled as he dug anothershirt from his suitcase. He was supposed to be packing, Jason didn’t say, not unpacking. “It’s still–” He trailed off, the silence thick with frantic emotion. “–important.”
Jason pushed off the doorframe and crossed the room, putting his hand on Tae Hyun’s shoulder. “Okay, okay. How about I look for it while you finish packing?”
Tae Hyun frowned. “What if you can’t find it?”
“If it’s in here, I’ll find it,” Jason patiently assured him. “And I’ll send it to you as soon as I do.”
Tae Hyun dramatically scoffed and tore another shirt from his suitcase. “See? You’re not even taking this seriously.”
“You’re taking this seriously enough for the both of us,” Jason replied, nearing the limits of his patience. “It’s just a bracelet.”
“It’s not about the fucking bracelet!” Tae Hyun huffed and tossed his shirt on the pile. “It’s because we’ll be on opposite sides of the world tomorrow.”
Of course. Tae Hyun had been sensitive about spending time apart ever since KBR’s kidnapping attempt. But Jason understood that well enough after his vow to never let Tae Hyun out of his sight again. And, like most of the vows he’d made, he was about to break it.
Jason lovingly wrapped his arms around Tae Hyun, ignoring the stiffening in his shoulders. “It’s only temporary. And you’ll be surrounded by security everywhere you go. No one will ever get near you who’s not allowed.”
Tae Hyun’s rigid stance melted a bit as he leaned back into Jason’s grasp. “I know. It’s just that–” He paused for a shaky breath. “This is my first time back in Tokyo since Chang Min. And it’ll be harder to deal with that if you’re not there.”
They’d already talked about the issue when they’d securedthe venue. Tokyo was where Tae Hyun discovered that his former lover and group member had been cheating on him. That discovery blew Tae Hyun’s life apart and spelled the end for his K-pop supergroupXTC. But that had been years ago, and Tae Hyun had since claimed he was ready to put it all behind him and return to Tokyo. They still made sure to put him in another hotel to minimize any unhappy reminders. But the show was at the same venue, the Guardian Skylight Arena in Shibuya.
