Park and Violet (4 page)

      “Three,” they said in unison.

      Violet and Park sprung away from each other immediately, adopting defensive stances and looking at each other warily.

      “What’s so bad about being my friend?” Violet burst out.

      Fuck! She looked so cute whenever she did that stomping thing with her tiny foot. And with Violet standing so close to his bed, he was even more fucked.

      Why the fuck did she seem to look more beautiful each time he saw her? She wore a black camisole top under her white-knitted sweater, with both tucked into a checkered mini and finished off with a pair of preppy-looking loafers. The mere sight of her shapely legs made Park want to groan. And with the bed next to her, it just made him imagine tossing her there and sinking into him, her lovely long legs up in the air as he pounded harder and harder into her.

      Fuck!

      This was not fucking good.

      It had to be because he had been without sex for so long that he was reacting this strongly to Violet.

      “Answer me!” Violet was back to sounding like a banshee.

      Unfortunately, this time the sound didn’t even come close to irritating him. All it did was make him imagine her screaming for another reason and—Park closed his eyes in despair. It was that or give in to the raging urges of his body.

      Park was grimly aware that she wasn’t exactly immune to him either. He had seen the way she couldn’t help looking at his dick every time they met. Banshee or not, Park knew he only needed her to be in his arms a few seconds and he would have her singing like a nightingale instead.

      The thought of it—of Violet moaning his name out loud—made him squeeze his eyes shut harder. Fuck, fuck—oh shit, he was getting even harder just by dropping the F-bomb!

      Violet couldn’t help glaring at the suffering look on Park’s face. Was being friends with her that much of a bother? “Come off it,” she snapped. “Being my friend can’t be that bad!”

      Park grappled inwardly for control before making himself look at Violet. “Trouble,” he bit out. “Friends are just always full of trouble.”

      “B-but friends can be helpful, too,” she protested.

      “I don’t need anyone’s help.”

      “Yes, you do. No man’s an island,” she reminded him.

      He snorted. “Stop with the platitudes. It won’t work.”

      Violet was adamant. “You will be—” She stopped, shook her head, and said in a stubborn voice, “No, wait, from now on you are my friend and that’s that!”

      “No.” He watched Violet do her foot-stomping thing again. It should have made her look like a brat, but all it did was to make him want to fuck her more, especially since she really wasn’t doing it to look cute. The way she was stomping, Park had a feeling she was imagining it was him she was stomping on.

      But enough was enough.

      Park pointed to the door again. “Out.”

      She shook her head at him. “No.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “We’re friends now and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

      “I said—”

      “And now I need you to help me find a job.”

      That totally came out of nowhere and it had Park blinking. This high-maintenance-looking-chick was looking for a job?

      When he still didn’t speak, she said quietly, “I really need one so please help me?”

      Park continued to stare at her.

      Violet inhaled, raised her voice, and said, “Please, please, please, please, please, please...”

      It went on and on until Park thought his ears would burst at the cacophony Violet was creating. His head started to ache, but at least it also successfully drove away the feelings of lust that had played havoc with his body. Opening his eyes, Park saw Violet looking at him hopefully.

      “Please, please, please, please, please—”

      Oh, for the love of—

      “Please, please, please, please, please—”

      “Okay!” he roared, feeling like his head was about to explode. How could someone so small be so fucking loud?

      “You win.”

      Violet immediately stopped and sent him another hopeful smile. “Friends?”

“Do I have a choice?” he snarled.

      She ran to him with a carefree laugh and before Park knew it, she was up on her tiptoes to place a kiss on his cheek.

Fuck.

      Headache out, arousal in.

      Park quickly set Violet away before she could feel his erection. Even though his entire body felt ridiculously alive at the touch of her lips, Park threw her a look of disgust all the same. “Don’t do that again.”

      Violet let out an offended gasp. “It wasn’t that bad!”

      “It was.”

      She let that go, thinking that she could afford to since he had given in to her request anyway. She gave him a rueful smile. “Fine. It was.”

      Violet acting like a spoiled brat, Park could handle, but Violet acting nice and sweet was frightening. “Who are you and what did you do to the banshee I met?”

      Violet laughed. “I guess I deserve that.”

      “Stop that!”

      Violet was bemused. “What?”

      “Stop smiling. It’s creeping me out.”

      Violet did stop smiling at that. “Don’t push it.”

      Park let out a sigh of relief. “There’s the banshee I know.” He checked his watch. “I need to shower. I’ll be ready in half an hour.” Park pushed her out of the room. “Let’s meet outside the hall.” He smirked at her look of shock before shutting the door on her face.

      “Giant asshole,” he heard her mutter outside his room.

      For some reason, even though he was used to having most girls refer to another part of his anatomy as “giant”, Park found himself grinning at Violet’s words instead.

Chapter Four

      Park and Violet left the school campus half an hour later and joined the bustling crowd of Osaka. Violet’s senses were drunk on wonder. Osaka was second only to Tokyo in size, and Violet could easily see why. The city, also known as the gourmet capital of Japan, was simply amazing. Modern architecture stood side by side with traditional cultural spots, the weather and scenery were just as great as she imagined, but best of all was the people—especially the girls on their way to school. They looked too cute for words, so much so she wanted to squeal!

      If only she had studied in a school like theirs, where every girl understood the important business of being cute, maybe her life would have ended…differently.

      They had been walking for about ten minutes already when Violet noticed something. “People are looking at us.”

      “Maybe they’re wondering what a gorgeous guy like me is doing with a girl like you.”

      “It’s the other way around, bozo.”

      They grinned at each other, sharing a rare sense of agreement with both of them pleased at their ease of their repartee just before they exchanged measured glances.

      Violet’s lone accessory was a pink and white lace headband. She had on a white sleeveless thigh-long cotton vest over and its cord tied around a sky-blue round-necked shirt, emphasizing her small waist. She then finished off her outfit with black tights and comfy flats.

      Park had on a green and silver striped shirt, its sleeves pushed up to his elbows, and a pair of tight black jeans.

      Park took the first jab. “You know, for someone who’s out looking for a job, it seems like you’re more dressed for a party.”

      She returned sweetly, “And you know, for someone just helping out a friend to look for a job, you’re dressed remarkably like a gigolo.”

      They grinned at each other again.

      Park suddenly stopped walking, causing Violet to almost bump into him. “Hey!” she cried out, rubbing her slightly dented nose.

      Park pointed to the building to their right. “That’s where I work.”

      “Oh.” Violet was impressed. The words Lake Hotel, together with its
romaji
characters, glinted in gold on top of the building. She estimated it to be about thirty stories high. Almost the entire front was made of glass, allowing people on the streets below to enjoy the reflection of the Osaka skyline.

      “Come on in and let’s see if we can find you a job.”

      Violet suddenly felt oddly hesitant. “But…are you sure?”

      He gave his companion a look of exaggerated shock. “Wait. Don’t tell me. You’re actually not that full of yourself?”

      His words made her laugh and forget her fears for the moment. “You jerk!”

      An hour later, Park was cooling his heels outside his manager’s office when the door opened and Violet came out. Park managed to catch a glimpse of smile on Violet’s face before she was hurling herself in his arms. “I got the job!” she shrieked.

      Unable to help but laugh at her enthusiasm, Park gently pulled away. “I guess my manager took pity on you.”

      “Whatever.” She beamed. “I just can’t believe it, Park! Thank you!” And she reached up to kiss him on the cheek, just as Park bent down to ask her where she was going to treat him.

      Their lips touched, but Park pulled away immediately even though it literally hurt to do so.

      He had let her get under his skin enough to be his friend–the first girl friend he ever had in his life. But it ended there. It had to end there.

      Violet felt her cheeks heating up, mostly because she had wanted that kiss to continue while the look on his face clearly said he didn’t. To get rid of the awkward silence between them, she drawled out, “Well, I was going to treat you but now that I’ve kissed you—”

      Park snorted even as he was privately grateful for Violet’s words. “If anything, you should give me double treats. That kiss was awful.”

      She scowled. “It was not!”

      “Oh yes, it was.”

      “Oh was it?” she asked sweetly.

      He pretended to shudder. “Worst kiss—”

      “Maybe I should try again.”

      Park almost stumbled in his haste to move back just as she tiptoed and lifted her face to his.

      Violet burst into laughter. “I should be insulted, but you…that…this…” She laughed harder. They had gone past the revolving doors now, and still laughing she curled her arm around his, ignoring the way he was trying to yank his arm away from her hold.

      She rolled her eyes. “Oh, stop it. I was just joking. I’m not going after you, ever.”

      Park slowly relaxed. “Just as long as we’re clear.”

      “We are,” she reassured him. “I didn’t come to Japan to find a boyfriend, and honestly, if I were to have a boyfriend, I prefer someone Japanese, thank you very much.”

      “Delighted to hear that,” he returned but he was a bit stung.

      She was a little bit offended at the fervent gratitude in his tone but didn’t let it show. “So, where are you going to treat me?”

      Park choked. “I helped you find a job and I’m the one who’s treating you?”

      She fluttered her lashes up at him. “Pretty, pretty, please?” Park was already wrenching his arm away from her. Violet laughed again. “I was just kidding!”

* * * *

      Park chose a small food stall in the park. It was the only thing Violet could afford for now with her meager budget. But it was a nice treat all the same since both of them could enjoy the sights. Osaka in the afternoon was just as lovely as it was in the morning. There were a lot more kids now, with school classes ending. Violet took simple pleasure just from seeing the kids in their cute uniforms.

      Pretending to be busy eating his ramen, Park’s eyes slid every few moments to Violet. He couldn’t help but be enchanted. She was such a mass of contradictions. She’d look tough one moment then like a vulnerable kid the next. A shrew one moment, an adorable girl the next.

      Violet turned to Park to ask about something she saw and caught him staring at her.

      Park immediately looked away and pretended to be engrossed with the guy selling different shapes of balloons to the kids across them.

      Violet smirked. “You were staring at me.”

      Park feigned confusion as he turned to her. “What?”

      She pointed her chopsticks at him. “You heard me.”

      “No, I didn’t.” His tone was perfectly blasé.

      She wasn’t fooled. “Oh yes, you were.” She reached out to pat his hand. “But it’s okay. I’m used to having that effect on guys.”

      Park frowned. “Really, Violet, I don’t want to alarm you or anything, but you’ve got this psychological problem. I think it’s called having hallucinations? Particularly about how hot you seem to think you are?”