Page 8 of Idol Lives
“I’m sorry. I know it’s stressful. But you know I’m just a phone call away if you–” Jason was cut short by his buzzing phone. His lips tightened, annoyance briefly flashing across his face. He silenced the call without a word before slipping the phone back into his pocket. He’d already gotten so many calls that morning–mainly from Naomi. It felt like every five minutes, another fire demanded his attention. “Sorry. Anyway, if you need me, just call, and I’ll–”
Jason’s phone buzzed again.
Tae Hyun’s sigh was heavy with resignation. “Just take the call. It’s probably Naomi again.” He turned away, the hug forgotten, and began refolding a shirt with sharp, mechanical movements.
Jason scowled. Plucking the phone from his pocket, he answered without bothering to check the caller ID. “What?”
“Oh, sorry.” Naomi didn’t sound sorry at all. “Did I catch you at a bad time?”
“Yes.”
Naomi dramatically sighed. “Jason, this is important. The press is hounding me, and I’ve got bankers up my ass. I need you to–”
“No,” Jason cut in with a whip-crack denial. “I just needone fucking day, Naomi. All that shit can wait for one more fucking day.”
“Jason–”
“I’m serious.” Finally at the end of his patience, Jason’s words were razor-sharp.
“We haven’t even signed the contract yet.” Naomi sounded more unsure than Jason was used to. “I can’t–”
Jason scoffed. “Are you really about to tell me what you can’t do, Ms. Bell?”
Naomi briefly went silent. “Okay, fine. Call me once you’ve dropped Tae Hyun at the airport. I’ll leave you be until then.”
Jason didn’t even say goodbye, disconnecting with an irritated huff. His jaw clenched as he shoved the phone back into his pocket.
“Everything okay?” Tae Hyun asked, his back still turned.
“No. Yeah. I don’t fucking know.” Jason slumped on the bed, pushing aside a pile of clothes with another huff. He ran a hand through his hair, spiraling with helpless frustration. “How the fuck am I supposed to run a billion-dollar business?” He sighed as the crushing weight of unwanted responsibility pressed on his shoulders. “Maybe I’ll just come with you after all.”
Tae Hyun turned, his expression softened by the concern in his eyes. “See, that’s why I wanted to postpone the tour.”
“You’re right. Let’s do it!” Jason sat up, letting a surge of desperate hope override his reason. “We’ll postpone the tour and just take off somewhere nobody can find us and let all this shit sort itself out. We could go back to Thailand.”
Tae Hyun’s frown deepened. “Jason, we can’t–”
“You’re right, you’re right. That’s too obvious. They’d totally find us there.” Jason deflated, anxiously seeking an alternative. “Maybe Mexico? I think I own a house there now.”
“I meant, we can’t postpone the tour.” Tae Hyun gently squeezed Jason’s hand, settling beside him. “You were right when you said that yesterday. Too many people are relying on it. I’m just being childish about going back to Tokyo. I’ll be fine.”
Jason absolutely wanted to let everything go right then–to escape the pressure of it all. The old Jason definitely would have, drowning his worries at some dive bar in a haze of alcohol and bad choices. But the old Jason didn’t have Tae Hyun and everything they meant to each other. “You will be. I’m still not sure about me.”
“You’ll be fine, too. You’ve got Naomi.”
Jason nodded, ignoring the sharp pang of guilt at how he’d just spoken to her. Then again, asking for one last day to spend with the man he loved was hardly asking for the moon. “And you’ve got Mina.”
Tae Hyun’s smile at the mention of his tour manager brought a welcome burst of relief. Hiring Mina had been one of Jason’s smartest decisions in years. She was Korean-American like him, which let her bridge the gap between both cultures. And her knowledge of the industry was top-notch. But what had really sold him was the way she listened and the sharp look in her eyes when she spotted a problem others missed. Mina just got it. No judgments, no attempts to micromanage. Just a quiet confidence that made Jason believe that things wouldn’t crumble around him as soon as Tae Hyun walked out the door. Not entirely, anyway.
Jason returned Tae Hyun’s smile, squeezing his hand as his heart ached with a fresh burst of affection. He reached for Tae Hyun’s cheek with his free hand, offering a gentle caress. “You really think we can do this?”
Tae Hyun’s ears turned pink as he nodded. “We’ve been through worse.”
Jason moved his hand to Tae Hyun’s chin, balancing it on his finger while he brushed it with his thumb. “Have I told you how much I love you?”
Tae Hyun’s ears went utterly red as his cheeks darkened to match. “You could always tell me again, just to be sure.”
Jason wryly smiled before he dipped his head, seeking Tae Hyun’s lips. The connection was a live wire sparking along Jason’s spine. No matter how many times they kissed, it was always a revelation. Tae Hyun gasped as his hand tangled in Jason’s hair, his fingers clenching. Jason savored the press of Tae Hyun’s tongue against his and the intoxicating scent that was uniquely his–a musky sweetness designed especially for him. Jason’s hand drifted to Tae Hyun’s thigh, promising more than just a kiss. But the harsh reality was that there was no time for more. They’d already used precious minutes Tae Hyun needed to pack with their mutual tantrums. With a frustrated groan, he tore himself away.
