Eternally Yours

Chapter 6

Soobin came traipsing down the stairs the next morning only to find Kate and Gyu all snuggled into each other. It was a cute sight to see maybe they had made up, but not one at daybreak. He shook Kate's shoulder, jarring Beomgyu from his deep sleep in Kate's lap. He announced, "We do have bedrooms." Gyu sat up sleepily, massaging his temples, "I need aspirin." He went to get up and Kate trekked behind him, "I have some." He followed her to her room and sat down at the foot of the unmade bed with his head lowered  while she rummaged through a bag on the dresser. She turned to him, and shook her head at the sight of him. She tapped his arm to get his attention, "Here. You really shouldn't drink so much whiskey." He raised dark eyes up at her, taking the medicine and the bottle of water she offered. He threw back the pills, and grabbed her by the hand, "Kate, close the door." Startled by the look in his eyes she slowly nodded. He replied, "I just want you to lay with me until I fall asleep." She crossed the room and quietly closed the door. The moment she turned around he was already stretched out on the bed, eyes closed. She couldn't help but to smile. Sweet Cookie. She took the blanket from the chair and covered him up. She combed the hair away from his temple and dropped a kiss there. She whispered, "Why did you drink so much? Sleep it off." She stared at him for the longest time. He was finally in a deep sleep. Kate left her room just as Juunie was walking out of his. He greeted her with a smile, "Morning, my love. Missed not waking up to you." She jumped within her skin and whipped around, "Junnie." He came up to her, caressing her cheek, "I'm about to take a shower. Care to join me?" Junnie. Shower. Wet. She melted right under his touch, "Maybe another time. I'm really famished." He nodded, "All right. I'd say last night really did whip up an appetite. Save me some fruit loops, ok." She turned to go, and he called out her name. When she faced him, he gave her the come here signal with his index finger. She inched towards him. He placed a crooked finger under her chin and leaned down, giving her the sweetest good morning kiss. Her eyes fluttered closed. He smirked, "You are so darn cute. And I'm so lucky." He pecked the tip of her nose, "Just Kate. My sweet Kate." 

Just as Kate entered the doorway to the kitchenette Soobin turned from the coffee pot. It was as though he either heard her walk in or he felt her presence. He motioned to an empty chair at the small table, "Kate. Morning again. Please sit." She stared at him confused.  He was looking super cute in his galaxy pajamas. She eased herself down into a chair. He asked, "What do you need? Coffee?" He lifted his cup. She nodded, raking a hand through her tangled hair, "Yes, please. But I can do it." He set his cup down and opened the cabinet, "Nonsense. In fact, I've been meaning to talk to you." She mouthed behind his back "Talk to me?"  Since when did Soobin want to talk to me, and what about? As he fixed her coffee asking her how much sugar and cream he said, "I've talked to Gyu and Junnie, but I want to hear your side of the story. I'm trying to get a grasp on this love triangle between the three of you." He placed the steaming cup in front of her and filled the chair across from her. She stared at the cup and then her eyes met his. Love triangle?  He said softly, "Talk to me, Kate. It's obviously clear there is some kind of back and forth going on here, and you can't keep playing both of them. Someone's going to get hurt." Kate swallowed the lump in her throat that had suddenly risen, "I'm not playing any games. Cookie is my best friend, and I love him, but there's nothing more there." Soobin chewed on the inside of his cheek and smirked, "Kate, who do you take me for? I may not know you very well, but I know infatuation when I see it, and Gyu is knee deep with you. In fact, he's drowning. And Junnie, I don't know what kind of wool you have pulled over his eyes, but he's truly all about you. You're a commoner. Commoners don't mix with us, but somehow you're different. I like you, but you've seemed to keep the pot stirred between two friends, and it's really causing disruption within our group." She pushed aside her cup, "So this is your idea of a friendly conversation? You serve me coffee, and then degrade me for not being like you. You're saying all this is my fault? Gyu has been my friend since we were in jr. high school. Nothing will ever change that. He has feelings for me, I know. I've always known, but also, I know my heart is not with him, and he knows it. And Junnie, well...I fell hard for him. I'm sorry if you feel that I am such a problem. I didn't ask to come here. I didn't ask for any of this. I was invited." He saw her temper brewing. He chuckled, "You are fiesty. Geez...simmer down, Red." He brought his cup up to his lips. She wanted so badly to reach across the table and knock the cup out of his hands. But then he peered at her over the rim and winked. What the crap? Is he flirting with me now? Nope. This is the nature of TXT. Simple harmless flirting. She'd seen it with Junnie and the way Gyu teased the camera. She reached for her cup, bringing it slowly up to her mouth. Oh it smelled divine. And the liquid hit her lips. Yummm. It tasted better than anything she'd ever had before. She remembered Soobin once worked as a barista. That was his speciality outside of the music business. His family owned the swankiest coffee shop in Daegu. Or so she had heard. Until things changed, and his father was hired for a company that owns BigHit. He changed the subject noticing how engrossed she was with coffee, "How is it, Kate?" She wrapped her hands around the cup, "Oh my god...I don't know what you did differently but this is the best thing that's touched my lips." She bit her bottom lip, bashfully realizing what she had said. Well next to Junnie's  kiss. He grinned at her proudly, "Well, thanks. At least I have a fallback plan if my career doesn't pan out. Glad you're enjoying it. So, back to what we were talking about? What are your intentions?" She took one more delightful swallow and set the cup down, "Soobin, I'm not quite sure I understand what you're saying. I already told you that Gyu is my friend, and only my friend, but I'm in love with Junnie." He threw his head back and laughed, "Love? My dear Kate, you can't love Junnie. Junnie has never allowed anyone that close to him. He's never openly given his heart the chance. He won't allow anyone to love him. I think you need to open the blinders from your eyes. All this is his game. He would never fall in love with a commoner. Don't fall for the fantasy, Kate. He's real, but his heart isn't." Kate looked at a sleepy Soobin in dismay. Her chest hurt. Her heart had just been ripped from her chest and stomped on. How could this person be so cruel? She had just spent the night with Junnie. Shared herself with Junnie. Body and soul. And it was all for a good time. She found herself asking, with tears in her throat, "So you're saying I'm not the first? He's done this before?" He licked his dry lips, "You are naive. And you won't be the last. Whatever Junnie tells you are just words. Meaningless words. He's a heartbreaker. He'll woo you in then toss you away once he's gotten a fill of you. It's who he is. It's his charisma. You're just his flavor a month. Vanilla." He emphasized with a wink. Kate slumped down in the chair, folding her arms over her chest. If all this is true, I'm such a fool. She asked the question that she had been pondering in the back of her mind, "Has Junnie ever slept with anyone?" Soobin had brought his cup of coffee to his lips when she asked and spewed it across the table. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, "What? I don't know the answer to that. Go to the source." She gave him the evil eye, "Guys talk. I'm sure you know. Just tell me." He shook his head, "I wish I could, but I don't know the answer to that. I would venture to say yes, but I'm not certain. Just for your sake don't throw open that floodgate. If you do, you may wind up losing a whole more than what you bargained for." Kate squeezed her thighs tightly together suddenly feeling the burn, the rip, intense pleasure from last night's lovemaking with Junnie. Too late. I've been tainted. By the way Kate squirmed in her seat, Soobin knew all too well that her relationship with Junnie had moved to the next level. He signed heavily, "Oh, Kate. Tell me you didn't. That y'all didn't?" She pressed her lips together not bothering to look at him. She pleaded, "Please. You can't say anything to Gyu." He smirked, "Sweetheart, this is your fire. Just know you'll burn for it. Mark my words." He downed the rest of his coffee and left her sitting alone with her thoughts.