Rising Stars

XX - The First Step

This is the chapter where the story earns its M rating. For those of you adverse to reading sex scenes, there is an important plot bit near the end of the scene. 

"In another life..."

- Son Jaemin

December 25th, 2020

Christmas was always a strange time for Eunkyung and I. Ever since we lost our parents, it's only ever been the two of us. We'd grown used to it being like that. It was like an unspoken rule that my sister and I shared. Holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas were for the two of us, and just us.

But, this Christmas, we were spending it with the Crownguard family. After talking extensively with Lux for the last month, everyone seemed fairly eager to meet up again, and with Christmas around the corner, it made sense that it was chosen as the next time to celebrate.

Eunkyung and I, for the second time in a month, stood at the front door of the Crownguard estate. Only this time, we carried with us numerous bags. Most were presents, marked by the colorful and holiday-inspired print on the bags, and some were home-cooked meals by yours truly. I felt bad that the Crownguards provided all of the food for Thanksgiving, so the least I could do was give them a taste of what home-cooked Korean food tasted like.

As delicious as the Korean food was for Thanksgiving, it didn't hit quite the same as Dad's recipes did.

Instead of Lux opening the door as she usually did, it was her tall, broad-shouldered older brother: Garen Crownguard. Even at my height, he still stood at least a head taller than me. And wider by a good fifty pounds of pure muscle too. His deep brown hair was slicked upward, emphasizing the ice blue in his eyes. He wore a well-fitted grey suit, and smiled at me and Eunkyung. He stepped to the side and kept the door open. "Come inside."

"Whoever does your decorating deserves an award," I said to Garen as I stared at the impressive height of the Christmas tree that dominated the center of the dining hall. Beneath it were numerous presents, and a circular dining table was positioned near the base of the tree. Atop the table was a soft-looking gold-lined cloth, and silver plates, bowls, and utensils rested on the cloth itself.

"Mother plans it and designs it, and Father hires people to build it."

"Props to your parents then, I suppose." I placed the bags containing the presents along with the others.

"Thanks," Lux interjected as she walked in through the open patio doors.

I felt my mouth dry as I drank in the sight of her.

She wore a short and tight silk red dress that seemed to cling to her every curve. Her french-braided blonde hair seemed to almost shimmer in the light of the chandelier, and her gold eyeshadow and dark eyeliner emphasized the brightness of her eyes.

"Good to see you in person again, Jae," Lux said with a nod in my direction. "You too, Eunkyung." She approached the two of us, then glanced at the bags that Eunkyung held in her hands. "Is that food?"

My sister nodded. "It is."

"Home-cooked?"

"Always."

She let out a sigh of relief. "Thank God. I was really missing Jae's cooking this last few weeks, especially after the Korean at Thanksgiving."

"I thought it was alright," Garen said.

"Take it from someone who spent the last year in Korea, Garen," Lux began. "That was nothing close to what actual Korean food tastes like."