Page 60 of Idol Lives
Jason wearily sighed, letting his head fall to Tae Hyun’s shoulder. “I know,” he replied, muffled by the fabric of Tae Hyun’s shirt. “I know I should. I want to be there for her. ButI also want to be here with you.”
Tae Hyun reached for Jason’s head, gently combing his fingers through his hair. “I know, hyung. But it’s Naomi. You’ve known her longer–”
“Don’t.” Jason’s growl echoed in the small space. “There’s no comparison. I love the hell out of her. But, when it comes to you–” He sighed, leaving the rest unsaid.
But Tae Hyun understood. It was the same reason why he’d offered to postpone the tour. Nothing was more important to him than Jason. He lifted Jason’s chin from his shoulder to look into his deep, brown eyes. “I love you, too, hyung. More than anything. Now, let me get changed so we can go back to the hotel. You can make your arrangements and–”
“It’s already done.” Jason sighed. “Of course, I knew I needed to go back. So I talked to the flight crew during your show. The plane’s being prepped. It should be ready in a few hours.”
Tae Hyun nodded as he slipped his t-shirt over his head. But disappointment pierced through his resolve. Jason had barely arrived, and he was already leaving. “Okay.” He forced himself to smile. “That gives us enough time to get you packed.”
Jason groaned. “But I just got here,” he complained, echoing Tae Hyun’s thoughts. “It’s not fair. And I haven’t even dealt with all this tabloid shit yet. That’s the whole reason I came out here.”
Tae Hyun stepped into his boots before grabbing his bag and shoving everything in it that he wanted to have on hand. It was their last Taipei show, so the crew would pack up the rest to be sent ahead to Manila. “But being here has helped so much, hyung.” He grabbed his lotions, serums, and makeup kit, dumping them into the bag. “Just you being at my shows and showing your support proves the rumors are bullshit.”
Jason stepped behind Tae Hyun, his strong arms enveloping him in a warm embrace. “This whole situation is bullshit. Sometimes, it feels like the whole world is working against us.”
Tae Hyun leaned back against Jason, offering whatever comfort he could with his touch. The tension in Jason’s body was impossible to ignore. “But it’s always been like that. And, now, we have each other.” He turned inside Jason’s arms to face him. “We don’t have to deal with all that alone anymore.”
Jason tentatively smiled. “No, we don’t.” He offered Tae Hyun a tender kiss, lingering for a moment as their lips parted. “Let’s get back to the hotel. We’ve got packing to do.”
Carlos and Seong Hyeon were waiting outside the dressing room when Jason and Tae Hyun emerged. They escorted the pair to the SUV waiting in the loading dock for the drive back to the hotel. Seong Hyeon already knew what had happened to Naomi, of course. He confirmed the details of Jason’s flight on the drive. They had two hours before he needed to head to the airport. Tae Hyun also needed to pack, but he wasn’t leaving for Manila until the next morning.
Tae Hyun stared at Taipei’s brightly lit nighttime streets on the short drive back to the Xinyi Grand. His heart ached at the thought of saying goodbye so soon, the familiar fear of separation tightening his chest. He’d only just gotten used to having Jason around after getting used to being apart. It wasn’t fair. But life wasn’t fair. And Naomi was important to Jason, which made her important to him, too. He needed to focus on making the most of the time they had left.
Once they were back in the penthouse, Jason went right to their bedroom and dragged his suitcases from the closet. He’d hardly unpacked, only pulling out a few outfits and histoiletries for their short Taipei visit. He stuffed his clothes into one of the suitcases, then returned to the closet to grab Tae Hyun’s.
“I was gonna do that in the morning,” Tae Hyun confessed. “I thought we could enjoy a quiet night together.” He sighed. “Before all this happened.”
Jason grimly nodded but left the suitcase where it was. “That sounds like more fun.” His chuckle was a bit hollow. “I hate watching you pack.”
Tae Hyun snorted as he approached Jason. “Just because I know how to properly fold clothes instead of stuffing them in however they fit.” He grabbed Jason’s hands. “Since we’ve got some time–” His gaze shifted towards the bed. “–is there anything you want to do?”
Jason’s eyes followed Tae Hyun’s gaze. He nodded, understanding the subtext. “Sure, if that’s what you want,” he unenthusiastically replied.
Tae Hyun quietly huffed. That was hardly an eager response to his attempt at seduction. “But it’s not what you want.”
Jason sighed. “You know I’d never tell you no. But I can’t stop thinking about Naomi. It’s kind of a mood killer.”
“Yeah.” Tae Hyun nodded, squeezing Jason’s hands to reassure him. “You’re right. And we don’t need to have sex. Just spending this time with you is more than enough.” He stepped back, gently tugging on Jason to follow. “Let’s go enjoy the view one more time.”
Tae Hyun led Jason downstairs, stopping at the bar to see a bottle of champagne chilling with a note from Mina congratulating Tae Hyun on another successful tour stop. Jason popped the cork with a satisfying hiss, the sound echoing across the cavernous sitting room. He filled a pair offlutes, the golden liquid gently bubbling as he handed one to Tae Hyun.
“To us,” Jason said, raising his glass.
“To us,” Tae Hyun echoed, their glasses softly clinking.
They walked out onto the balcony, the lights of Taipei sparkling beneath the vast night sky. A cool breeze brushed against Tae Hyun, pulling the heat from his skin. He shivered as he leaned against the railing, gazing out at a skyline that stretched toward the shadowy outline of the Nangang Mountains in the distance. It reminded him of Seoul.
Jason put an arm around Tae Hyun as he stepped up beside him. “This almost reminds me of home,” he said, echoing Tae Hyun’s thoughts yet again.
“I never thought I’d say this,” Tae Hyun admitted, “but I miss Los Angeles.”
Jason sipped his champagne, a wry smile on his lips. “Really? I never thought I’d hear you say that.”
“There’s something about it,” Tae Hyun continued. “It’s deceptively laid back at first. But it has an addictive energy.” He smiled. “And the weather’s always perfect.”
“I miss it, too,” Jason confessed, gently squeezing Tae Hyun. “Especially now that I share it with you. Seeing it through your eyes is like experiencing it for the first time.”
