Park and Violet (26 page)

“You know you do.”

She pouted.

He rolled his eyes. “Fine, you look beautiful.”

She beamed and curled her arm around his. They were dining in one of the restaurants within the hotel. It was a fancy place, with even fancier prices, but Park had assured her he could afford it because of the employee discount.

Everyone was looking at them, a fact Violet loved since she knew it was because they looked exceptionally well together, with his fair coloring and her dark looks. The fact that both of them also loved to dress well, more so than most people their age, made them even more gawk-worthy, and Violet loved every minute of it.

“Stop smiling like you’re Yoon Eun Hye,” he hissed, unnerved at the way Violet kept beaming back at those who were staring at them like they were celebrities they couldn’t place.

Her smile vanished. Was it so wrong to be happy that she was on a date with him and she was proud to be standing next to Park? Maybe this was something that didn’t mean to him at all, but for her it meant hope. Even if it was stupid to always hope at the smallest chance of getting Park to fall in love with her, Violet couldn’t stop herself from hoping.

“It’s my lips so I’m going to smile as much as I want!” When he kept on scowling, she glared at him, demanding, “Why did you even bother asking me out if you’re just going to get mad at me for the silliest things?”

It was a really good question, Park admitted to himself grudgingly and especially when one considered the fact that tonight was the night he was about to state the biggest lie in the world.

Tonight he was going to tell Violet he loved her.

Maybe if he did then this awful feeling in his chest would stop.

He opened his mouth to speak, but whatever he had to say was lost to the rumbles of commotion coming from the back entrance of the hotel.

“What’s that?” Violet asked nervously.

He frowned even though a part of him was relieved that he didn’t yet have to say the lie. “I’m not sure…” He heard a snatch of Korean and remembered about the VIP guests the other employees were talking about. “I think there are Korean superstars about to book in…”

A devoted showbiz fangirl, Violet excitedly jumped up and down and craned her neck. “Who? Who?”

He laughed. “Hold on…they’ll come in soon enough.”

“But what if we’re asked to leave?”

“We’re employed here, Violet,” Park replied dryly. “We’re safe.”

The doors swung open and men in suits went in first, obviously guarding four guys in the middle.

Violet gasped. “Oh my God. It can’t be!”

He gazed at her strangely. “What?”

“They’re---” She let out a squeal. “They’re X Unli! Don’t you know them, don’t you know them? They’re like as popular as those guys in Boys Over Flowers!” Violet was ready to swoon. “You have got to introduce me, Park. Please, please, please?”

He laughed, finding Violet’s tendency to repeat herself in her excitement extremely cute. “Calm down. I will, I promise.”

“Now, please, please, please?”

He pulled her by the hand and approached the group. He spoke in Korean, introducing himself, and the bodyguards parted to let him move forward. Again, he spoke and told the celebrities that his friend was a great fan of theirs.

He introduced them one by one, leaving the best for last, the band’s lead singer Kim. The other guy was tall and lean-bodied, perhaps as young as Violet, with dimples that somehow made him look more like the hot guy from the wrong side of the fence rather than the nice boy next door.

A prickling sensation started under his skin, telling Park without words that those dimples meant trouble. The kind that could take Violet away.

He started to turn around, intent on getting Violet out before she could have more than an eyeful of the guy behind him but he was too late.

Violet darted under his arm.

When Park turned, Violet was smiling widely at the entire band. She was also visibly starstruck, her voice gushing as she said, “Hi. I’m your #1 fan. I know everyone says that but I still have to say it. I mean it, really.”

Park refrained from rolling his eyes because while she did mean it, she didn’t mention how she happened to be the #1 fan of about every showbiz personality in Asia.

Kim surprised him – and Violet – by speaking also in English. “I’m honored.”

She and Park exchanged glances.

Honored.

In an instant, he understood how Violet felt the time she had heard another girl confessing to him.
Honored.
Fuck honored! Why can’t the jerk in front him just say thank you like any normal guy would?

Violet seemed even more dazzled. “Oh, wow, you speak English. You’re so smart!”

Park wanted to choke. Wasn’t she laying it on a little too thick there?

Kim laughed. “Not really. I just grew up in a bilingual home.”

Violet waved her hand airily. “No, trust me. Anyone multilingual is smart. I’m multilingual, ergo I’m smart. We’re all smart!” Violet beamed again.

“We’re smart,” Kim repeated, smiling and he was so obviously charmed by Violet that the other boys in X-Unli were laughing and teasing him for falling so quickly. Thank God Violet didn’t understand a word of Korean or she’d be blushing. There’d be hell then since Park knew how irresistible a blushing Violet looked.

Kim took all the teasing in stride, his attention completely focused on Violet. “Are you staying here also?”

“We work here.” Park decided it was time to speak. Just the way the other guy kept staring at Violet like a lamb he wanted to feast on was enough to have Park feel violent. No fucking way was that going to happen. 

Kim blinked, as if only realizing Park was still there. “Oh. Yeah. You’re Violet’s friend. Park, right?”

Park grabbed Violet’s hand, not missing the way Kim’s eyes narrowed at the gesture. He started, “We don’t want to disturb you---”

“You’re not,” Kim said immediately, firmly, his eyes now back on Violet.

When the two smiled at each other simultaneously, Park wanted to puke. If this was fucking serendipity at work, he was going to fucking prove someone diabolical enough could go tell the fates to fuck themselves. Violet was his and not even this celebrity with his fucking dimples could change that.

Kim was asking Violet, “Do you want to watch our concert, Violet?”

Violet blinked. “It’s sold out…”

“Not---” Kim flashed another smile, one that made Park grit his teeth because Violet looked like she was ready to faint again. “---if I have something to do about it.” He motioned to someone from the back and a second later, two VIP seats were in his hand.

He gave it to Violet, and Park didn’t miss the way Kim took the opportunity to caress Violet’s skin. Park gritted his teeth again.

“I’ll see you at our concert then? You promise?”

“Oh, yes.” Violet was still looking dazzled.

“I look forward to seeing you again.” Kim bowed and the others followed. Park did, too, as dictated by their tradition. But inside, he was already cursing Kim in four languages.

Violet continued to stare at their retreating backs.

“Oh my God, I just talked to Kim. Kim. Kim!” This time, her tendency to be redundant wasn’t so cute. In fact, it was downright irritating.

Park released Violet’s hand, went behind her, and exerted pressure at the back of her knee.

“What the---Park!” she gasped as she almost lost her balance. The old Violet would have been spitting mad but this one only blinked, sighed then sighed again. “That was so totally surreal, you know?”

He grunted.

“Oh, Park. You have to help me choose a dress for the concert! I want to look real good.”

He shrugged. Somehow he couldn’t make himself speak.

“Please, Park? We have to look good tomorrow! I mean, Kim talked to us! He gave us tickets! Kim!”

Nice of her to say ‘us’ when it was clear to everyone Kim was interested solely in her.

Park felt sick. At the rate things were going, Violet could be falling out of love for him sooner than ever.

Chapter Nineteen

Park jogged up to Violet’s room early the next day, energized even after tossing and turning the whole night. He couldn’t get Violet’s face out of his mind. He had a very bad feeling about Kim and he was determined not to let the girly-faced superstar (Ha! Superstar! What a joke!) take Violet away.

No way. Over his dead----

Park muttered a curse when he saw the note pinned on the door.

Unbelievable! Violet had never woken up this early on her own.

Park,

I went to work early so I can leave work early, too! Have to start making myself pretty for the concert. See you. Muah!

Viole
t

“Yo, Park?” Crayon called his attention hours later at work. “Is it just me or does Violet seem to be---” Crayon searched for a word. “Well, maybe it was because she was named after a flower or something but she looks literally
blooming
.”

He and the other guys had gone on a break at work, standing outside the hotel so that the other guy could light a cigarette. With their backs to the street, they were able to watch what was going on inside and how Violet was charming the socks off everybody. The manager was already rubbing his hands in glee as he stood next to the cash registrar, where a longer line than usual had formed.

Park only grunted in response, unable to trust himself not to say something he would regret. He still couldn’t get over the fact that Violet had actually made use of her goddamn alarm clock for once – and for a fucking Korean celebrity who was all dimples and nothing.

Akito rolled his eyes. “Pretending to be humble, huh? Fine, I’ll say it clearly. What did you do to make stars in her---”

Violet poked her head out. “Hey boys, if you’re all done, the manager wants you guys back in!” She threw them a kiss then went back in, without even giving Park a longer or second glance.

His friends’ jaws dropped.

Jun-Yee slowly shook his head. “It really isn’t you.”

Park didn’t say anything.

Jun-Yee started to laugh. “Who the hell beat you in Violet’s heart?”

“No one,” Park growled, this time unable to help himself.

“You wish.” Jun-Yee patted him on the back. “You fucking wish. Be afraid, man. Be very afraid. You used to be the only one who could make Violet look like that but not anymore. You better do something or you might be forgotten completely.”

“Not a chance,” Park said even though his stomach went queasy at the thought.

* * * *

“I can’t believe it!” Gladys kept on gushing as she stared at Violet’s ticket in amazement.

“I
knoooooow
, right?” Violet sighed dreamily, something she had been doing the whole night. “It was just so unbelievable.”

Midori frowned. “How did Park take this?”

Violet blinked. “He knows how I am with Asian boy bands.”

“But – the way you described how things happened, I don’t think Kim looks at you as an ordinary fan.”

Her eyes widened. “You really think so?” She started fanning herself. The thought of one of her celebrity crushes crushing back on her made her head spin.

“What did Park say?” Gladys asked insistently.

“Well, the usual – he just grunted and grunted.”

Midori’s eyebrows shot up. “He wasn’t jealous?”

“If he was, like he’d ever admit to it.” Violet shrugged again. “Besides, this is so totally different. I mean, come on. Kim? Taking notice of me? I’m sure Park totally understands that this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Just like Kim could be that once in a lifetime opportunity for her to finally fall out of love. Even if she had to be a groupie for that to happen, Violet felt like she was still going to take the chance anyway. Kim leaving her after a short affair would certainly be less painful than the knowledge that she was waiting for nothing with Park.

* * * *

Two-fifty in the morning and he still couldn’t sleep. Park sat up with a groan, conceding defeat. He just couldn’t stop thinking about Violet and what happened last night between her and that fucking Mr. Hotshot-with-Dimples. He gritted his teeth, furious just at the memory of how the two actually stared at each other like they were---

Park felt himself whitening. They couldn’t be in love, could they? Could Violet fall out of love for him that fast? Sure, she was the most fickle person in the world, but she couldn’t be that fickle…could she?

But why should he care?

He wasn’t in love with her. He liked her, cared for her, but in love with her? Of course not. He didn’t do love. It was an overrated emotion. They were better off as friends. Maybe he should just let her go. Maybe he should just let Violet have her affair or whatever it was she had with that girly-faced celebrity go on until it died a natural death. And then after she would go running back to Park’s arms and tell him that she should never have left him.