Chasing Butterflies

Girl of Convinience

"Kyun! Are you in there? Please open the door," her forehead hit the dark wooden door with a small thump. She had nowhere else to go.

"Woah!" The door pulled open abruptly and Izzy would have fallen flat on her face if she hadn't been caught by a set of arms.

"You okay there Izzy?" Youngkyun chuckled as he pulled her upright and led her into his apartment.

"Honestly? No. I'm not okay," his smile dropped as those words left her mouth.

"What's wrong?" He wrapped an arm around Izzy as she collapsed down on the couch.

"They knew. This whole time they knew," Youngkyun stayed silent as tears began to pour from Izzy's eyes. "My parents know that I've been leaving the house. They know that I've been seeing someone."

"Izzy, just breathe and tell me what happened."

She heaved a breath, the air felt like fire in her lungs. "My father caught me when I was sneaking back in this morning. He went off and told me how he knew all along how I've been leaving the house at night. He told me that I was going to stop going out and start acting like the perfect daughter that I'm supposed to be." Her face contorted in anger and frustration. "I can't live like that anymore Youngkyun! I ran away, for good this time," she looked up at him, tears in her eyes. "I'm not going back there."

Youngkyun was quiet. Going off what Izzy had told him about her parents in the past, they weren't winning any 'parent of the year' awards. But he never expected her to cut herself out of that life, not that he could blame her.

"So what are you going to do now?"

"I don't know," Izzy sobbed, burying her face in his bare chest. "I don't know."

Youngkyun sighed. When he met Izzy four months ago he thought she would just be a one night stand. But she had weaseled her way into his life and he felt something for her. It wasn't love by any damn account, he doesn't do love. And he would never tell her, but he still had girls on the side. They were mostly prostitutes and were usually just part of his winnings from whatever type of poker he decided to host that night.

Normally his games bid money. But there was a certain group of well-off, hoary men that decided money was too boring of a bid. Instead they bid their houses, their boats, their cars, and occasionally a paid-for night with a prostitute of their choice. Those poker games were always his favorite to host, and he couldn't help but bid in every once in a while.

Youngkyun leaned his head on the back of the couch and shut his eyes, thinking about Izzy's situation as she cried into his shoulder. His eyes snapped open as an idea sprung up in his head. Oh hell, this was insane. But then again, having her in his apartment day and night could definitely pay off. After all, what's better than having a girl conveniently in your apartment?

"Izzy?" A croak came from his shoulder, telling him that she was listening. "What if you move in with me?"

The sobbing seized. Izzy lifted her head from his shoulder and stared at him with puffy eyes. "Are you serious?"

"Why not? You don't have anywhere else to go and you're here every night anyways," he reasoned. "Unless you don't want to."

Izzy's rum-colored eyes were rimmed with red, tears still dripping down her cheeks. For thirty seconds she said nothing, did nothing, she was frozen in shock.

Then Izzy launched herself at Youngkyun, clinging to him as tightly as she could. "That would be amazing."

"No problem. Now why don't you go take a shower and I'll order us some food," he gripped her waist and pushed her to a standing position.

"Okay," the small smile never left her face as Izzy leaned down to press a quick kiss to his lips and then hurried towards the bathroom. The bathroom door was about to shut as she stuck her head back out, "Thanks Kyun."

***

Youngkyun leaned back against the headboard as his eyes followed Izzy around the room. He should be heading out now but he couldn't help but stop and watch her walk around his room in nothing but her underwear. It was a habit of hers— he had figured out over the week since she'd moved in— to walk around in her underwear after her nightly shower. He bought her an array of lingerie the second he had caught on to this habit of hers, one set of which she wore now. Youngkyun should be halfway to the hotel by now but he couldn't help but stop to watch her in that black lingerie as she brushed her hair.

Izzy stood in front of the small bedroom mirror, brushing through her hair and humming quietly. Youngkyun was going out tonight but she really didn't feel like going anywhere, so she decided to stay in the apartment. Izzy stopped humming when she heard the shutter of a camera behind her.

"What are you doing?" She laughed as she faced Kyun where he reclined on the bed, phone held in the air as he snapped another picture of her.

"What?" He questioned in a teasing tone. "Am I not allowed to take pictures of my girlfriend?" Izzy rolled her eyes and walked closer to the bed where he lay.

"Hm, I suppose you can," Izzy's ringing laughs rang out through the room as he pulled her down on top of him, one hand on her waist, the other twirling a strand of her silky brown hair. "Do you have to go out tonight?" She pouted, hoping to change his mind.

"Oh don't do that to me," he groaned. "I'll be back before you know it, trust me, but I really should go now," he leaned up and placed a sloppy kiss on her pouting lips.

"Okay fine," Izzy rolled off of him. "I'll see you soon." She smiled up at Kyun as he got off the bed and shot a smirk at her.

"See you soon, babe." And just like that he was out the door.

Youngkyun made his way through the West side and into the center of the city. The Central city was where all the stuck-up, pearl-wearing, three-piece-suit-buying, too-rich-for-their-own-good, big-wigs hung out. He ambled up the steps of Dongdae Central Hotel, the doormen immediately pulled the double doors part to allow him inside.

"Mr. Lee, hello," the hotel manager scrambled over to him, nearly tripping over his own feet. "Your party is in the lounge, shall I take you there?" The anxious quiver of the man's voice pissed Youngkyun off and he did nothing to hide it.

"Get me my room key," he seethed, "I need to change." The jeans and t-shirt he was wearing would not cut it in, and he didn't keep any suits in the apartment as it might tip Izzy off. His permanent room in the hotel was a good place to store his suits for when he held a game, not to mention it was convenient for when he won one of the girls that had been placed as a bet.

The manager, whose name he never bothered to learn, scampered over to the front desk and immediately came rushing back to Youngkyun, who grabbed the key and strode to the elevators without another word. He rode up to the fiftieth floor and stepped down the familiar hallway, opening up room 538. He let the door slam behind him as he went about pulling on a navy blue suit and black leather loafers. Youngkyun gave himself a once-over in the mirror and headed to the door, he was already late for the game, but it's not as if they could start without him.

The elevator whirred to a stop and Youngkyun stepped back out into the lobby, walking swiftly towards the ballroom. The slam of the double doors caused the dozen or so suit-clad old men in the room to startle in their seats.

"Sorry I'm late," he shot the room a Cheshire Cat grin, "Glad to see you haven't started without me." He took his usual seat at the head of the table and glanced around at the men staring back at him. "I've got something interesting to bet tonight."

Youngkyun smirked, pulled his phone out of his blazer pocket, and tossed it into the middle of the table. Men with graying hair and suits reeking of cigars leaned in to feast their beady eyes on the picture that commanded their full attention, a picture of a smiling girl with soft brown hair and rum-colored eyes, wearing a set of black lingerie.

"Tonight, I am giving you all the chance to win a night with my girl."