Boyfriend for Hire [minsung]

Chapter 20

LEE KNOW POV

Han and I walked hand in hand down the stairs. Everyone else was already there. Seungmin rolled his eyes at our tardiness, and we all piled into the limo that would be taking us to the party.

I noticed Seungmin and Jeongin didn't sit together, and I tried to ignore the fact that he was wearing the necklace I'd given him for our first anniversary. It was a silver loop meant to represent our infinite love...cheesy but he'd loved it at the time. Now, it dangled from his neck for the first time since we'd broken up.

I wondered if Jeongin knew what it meant or if he was ignorant of the meaning behind it and the way that Seungmin kept staring at me while licking his lips. His eyes angrily focused in on the way my hand rested on Han's leg.

I smirked at his annoyance. He'd done it to himself by not just making a choice. It was nice to see him jealous after all of this time.

I moved my arm behind Han's shoulder. He looked up at me cutely with a surprised smile, and I grinned back before turning to see Seungmin rolling his eyes.

It was very amusing, but when I noticed Han's pout I realized I was hurting him. Every effort I made to piss off or win back Seungmin made Han feel like he was being used. And even though I'd hired Han to help me with this, I'd grown attached to him in a lot of ways. I didn't want to push him away... especially when I didn't know who I wanted yet. The others thought I was with Han, so I told myself I'd be with Han...at least for the remainder of the trip.

I kissed his forehead, and his cheeks turned pink.

"How are you feeling?" I asked him in a quiet voice.

"Good," he answered. He cuddled into my shoulder, and I kissed the top of his head. I loved how small he was. Seungmin was about the same height as me, so I never felt protective over him the way I did Han. It felt good to feel needed.

The limo rolled to a stop, and we all got out.

I held my hand out to help Han out of the car who looked a little embarrassed at the special treatment but allowed it. Seungmin glared, and I knew I'd have to talk to him at some point tonight about what he was doing wearing the necklace.

"Welcome!" the host greeted us. He was some dickhead named Chad that Seungmin had befriended at a beach volleyball game. He thought too much of himself and too little about others.

"The party is out back and feel free to peruse the charcuterie. There's wine and an open bar, too. Oh, and Seungmin, you'll have to introduce me to your new friends," he winked at Han specifically which pissed me off. Could he not see that I was holding his hand? I squeezed it tightly, suddenly feeling possessive, and we all headed to the backyard.

It was beautiful. Crisp white linens hung above us lit by string lights. There was a wooden dance floor, too, with a large white lantern hanging in the center. White and cream floral arrangements added life to every corner, and candles flickered on the long grazing table adorned with cheeses, chocolates, and other delicacies that Chan and Changbin were already picking at while their dates retrieved glasses of wine.

"Wow!" Han gasped, his eyes wide at the display of wealth.

I couldn't help but watch as he took it all in. He looked so in awe of the party and the decor. He tried a piece of cheese, and his face lit up excitedly. The host noticed and came to talk to him about where he'd had it imported from.

I excused myself to get us a couple of glasses of wine, already bored at the conversation. I headed to the bar and wasn't surprised when Seungmin followed.

"Like my necklace?" he asked, toying it between his fingers with a smug grin.

"Does Jeongin know what it means?" I cocked an eyebrow at him.

Seungmin and I both glanced to where he was in the corner talking to Changbin.

"Doesn't matter. We broke up."

I couldn't hold back my shock at the news, and my jaw dripped open. Seungmin had made a decision after all...

"I want you back, Lee Know. I shouldn't have ever left. Things were good between us." Seungmin's hand sat atop mine on the bar. The barkeep handed us each a glass of wine, assuming I'd been getting one for him.

"You two are cute together," he complimented.

"We're not together," I told him.

At the same time, Seungmin gushed a very pleased, "Thank you."

I took my hand out from under his. "I don't know yet, Seungmin. I like Han a lot."

"More than me?" Seungmin placed his hand on my chest.

My heart raced, and I knew he could feel it pounding against his palm. I had the urge to kiss him, but I knew that wouldn't be very smart.

"I need more time," I pleaded. My chest ached at the idea of making this decision now.

"You have until midnight. I'll be waiting for you at the Pilgrim Tower."

"Seungmin..." I went to argue. That was in less than an hour. It was far too soon.

"If you don't show, I'll assume you've chosen the wrong guy." He scowled in Han's direction, downed the wine I'd ordered, and walked into the crowd.

I turned back and asked for another glass of red before returning to save Han from the cheese connoisseur. To his credit, Han looked genuinely interested.

"Try this," Chad murmured. Han opened his mouth, and Chad placed a small ball of cheese on his tongue.

I felt aggressively envious as I handed Han his wine glass and possessively placed a hand on the small of his back.

"It's tangy and indulgent, isn't it?" the host asked, ignoring my presence.

"It's amazing," Han replied. "Where's it from?"

"Denmark," the host replied. "I visit every so often as I have a townhome there. Maybe you'll join me sometime. Actually, I brought back a grandfather clock with me after my last visit, would you like to see?

Chad motioned for Han to follow him into the house, but I couldn't take his shameless flirting anymore.

"Sorry, he's allergic to Danish woodwork," I informed him and took Han's hand, dragging him away.

"Lee Know? Lee Know, what's wrong?" Han fretted at my strange behavior. I stopped once we were under the lantern in the center of the dance floor.

"Nothing. I just wanted to dance with my boyfriend," I lied as I started to rock us back and forth while sipping my wine.

"He was just being nice," Han explained, not believing me.

I rolled my eyes. "Sure, he was."

"You don't have to be jealous," Han whispered.

"I wasn't..." I began, but he cut me off.

"I only want you." Han's pretty eyes looked at me pleadingly, and I leaned down to give him the kiss that I had been craving since watching the host try to steal him from me.

But it all happened so fast. Han's knees buckled, and the red wine he'd been holding fell, staining  his white clothes and spilling out onto the wooden floor around him. I rushed to catch him from falling, but I didn't reach his head in time, and it crashed to the ground with a loud thud.

He began seizing on the floor, and I dropped to my knees desperately shouting for someone to call 9-1-1. I was unable to do anything else but watch on helplessly. I held his hand and hoped he could hear me as I tried to give him comforting words.

"You're okay Han. Help is on the way, baby."

Tears welled in my eyes as I watched his body contort in a million different directions.

"Please be okay," I begged the gods above with every ounce of hope I had.

In the distance, I heard Chad's grandfather clock chime as the sirens of the ambulance grew nearer.