Chapter 28: What Are YOU Doing Here? (Party Part I)

I made Zen wait in the living room while I got dressed.

"Babe? You almost done in there?" Zen called from behind the closed door. "I saw the size of that shopping bag… A dress that tiny shouldn't be that big a deal to put on…"

"Yeah," I said. "Almost there…" I'd already shimmied into my new short strapless iridescent blue dress, and was just adding the finishing touches to my make up. Then I ran my fingers through my long chestnut brown hair, breaking up the loose curls so they hung in a wave down my bare back. The final touch was the strappy heels I'd purchased just yesterday. They were a glittery shimmery blue that complimented my dress and midnight blue manicure/pedicure.

With the outfit complete, I practiced sauntering in the heels, exaggerating the roll of my hips, on the way to the mirror for one last once over before revealing myself to my waiting boyfriend. This was the moment I had been waiting for...

"Nice one, MC," I whispered to my reflection as I surveyed the results of my efforts. I was usually a Cherry Chapstick kind of girl, but I was digging the full-on smokey eye and thick lashes. I looked downright glamorous, if I do say so myself.

Ambling over to the door of the bedroom, I paused, keeping my hand on the door knob for an extra moment to take a breath. Here goes nothing, I thought.

My heart was beating wildly in my chest with anxious anticipation as I threw open the door and positioned myself in the doorway with what I hoped was dramatic effect.

"Ready to go, my lovely Zen?" I said, batting my lashes.

Zen looked up from where he was sitting on the couch scrolling through his phone, likely coordinating with others in the RFA chat room about the party. When he saw me his red eyes got heavy and smokey as he sucked in an involuntary breath.

"Damn, Princess," he said, his voice husky and low. I relished his gaze as it fastened on my chest, pausing appreciatively on my tattoo, and then traveling downward, taking in the curve of my hips, my bare thighs, the shapely affect my high heels had on the calves of my legs...

"You look…" Zen started. His words seemed to get caught in his throat and he swallowed. "Amazing."

Then, just as I predicted his lusty look morphed into a more questioning expression. "Hmm," he said, tilting his lovely head to one side. "Maybe too amazing…?"

I threw up my hands and rolled my eyes. "Babe!" I said, still smiling because this was kind of exactly the response I was looking for.

Zen stood up and crossed the room to wrap his long arms around me. When he reached me, he cupped my bum and pulled me in close. I felt his face in my hair. "Aw man," he said, breathing me in. "You smell so good…"

I leaned my head back as I felt his hot breath and lips on my neck, and then let out a small moan in response to the sucking sensation I felt there.

"There," Zen said, pulling back satisfied. Using his long fingers, he moved my hair out of the way to survey his work. "Now everyone will know you're mine."

"Zen!" I said, playfully swatting him on the arm. "No need to get so possessive..."

"No?" he said, squeezing my ass with one hand. Then Zen's eyes lit up for an instant. "Oh, I almost forgot…" he said.

As he strode over to the small desk in the hallway, I noticed that Zen was looking pretty fine and dashing himself in a white suit and silver-colored cravat that matched his hair. The suit fit him perfectly, tailored to accent the many assets of his perfect body. I watched, happily distracted, as Zen opened a drawer and pulled out a long, thin velvet box.

"What's that?" I said, my eyes widened in surprise and my stomach did a double flip flop in giddy anticipation. What? Did Zen get me a gift? When?

He pulled me toward the couch and we sat down. "Open it," he said, his red eyes shining.

I opened the delicate emerald green velvet box, which looked a little worn on the edges. Inside was a simple silver chain with an ornate vintage looking pendant about the size of a teardrop.

"God," I gasped. "It's beautiful…"

Zen's smile grew wider, ear to ear. "It belonged to my mother," Zen said. He reached over to lift the necklace out of the box. I lifted my hair up out of the way so he could fasten it around my neck, planting a kiss on the spot where the clasp touched my skin.

"Beautiful," he said.

I got up to walk to the mirror in the hallway and touched the pendant which hung perfectly just below the well at the base of my neck. It was simple and classy all at the same time, just the kind of gift you'd expect to get from Zen.

"Oh, Zen," I said, feeling tears spring to my eyes. "I love it."

I knew that Zen's relationship with his family was strained at best, so I wondered how he'd gotten a hold of this amazing piece. If it belonged to his mother, that meant…

"I talked to my mom on the phone last week," Zen said, as if reading my mind. "I told her all about you, and then I got this in the mail and…surprise!" he smiled. "So I guess it's as much of a present from her as it is from me…"

I turned around and threw my arms around his neck. "Oh Zen," I said. "I'm so proud of you." I knew that contacting his mom couldn't have been easy for him. Growing up, both his parents, and his brother had been extremely protective. They didn't approve of acting as a profession and tried to dissuade him at every turn. Zen had to finally leave home when he was still just a teenager in order to pursue the passion he loved.

Zen touched my cheek. "Oh Princess," he breathed. "You're more than just beautiful, you're my salvation." He bent his head to kiss me and I went a little weak in the knees as his soft lips enveloped mine and his tongue began to push and explore my mouth. I kissed him back with equal fervor, and soon he was backing me against the desk in the hall. Keeping his mouth locked on mine, he grabbed me by the back of the thighs and then picked me up so I was sitting on the edge of the desktop. Spreading my legs, he stepped between them. "God," he said, nuzzling his face in my neck. "You smell so good." Soon I felt his warm hands creeping up my bare thighs…

Things were just starting to get good when his phone began to buzz. Reluctantly, I pushed Zen back gently by the shoulders. "Babe," I said, remembering there were other places we had to be today. "You should probably get that… It's probably one of the other members…"

Zen groaned as he backed away to answer his phone. I couldn't help but notice the enormous bulge in his pants. God, that boy was insatiable… How many times had we already done it today?

"Hello?" Zen said into the phone, and then waited as the other person spoke. "Yeah, yeah, Saeyoung, get over yourself… We're ready."

Zen hung up the phone and then turned to me. "Saeyoung and Lexi Ann are on their way...They're coming around with the car now," he said, smiling sheepishly and adjusting himself in his pants.

I felt my cheeks grow hot. Yeah, on second thought, it probably wasn't the best time to get down. I turned to look at myself in the mirror. My lipstick was hopelessly smudged, my hair mussed and wild. Quickly I clicked off to the bathroom to reassemble myself, passing Zen along the way. Glancing up at his gorgeous face, I smiled and touched his cheek near his lips, where my lipstick was smeared in huge dusty rose streak.

"Honey," I said. "You might want to check that pretty face of yours..."

He looked over my shoulder in the mirror. "Damn…" he said, as he licked a couple of fingers and started wiping the spot vigorously.

Luckily, by the time Saeyoung called again to let us know the car was downstairs, we were ready. When the black car pulled up, Zen opened the door and I slid into the backseat next to Lexi Ann. She was wearing a short burgundy colored dress with a swishy a-line skirt, fishnet stockings and chunky black Mary Jane heels. I reached over to touch her knee and kiss her on the cheek.

"You look divine," I said.

Saeyoung, who was sitting in the front seat, turned around. His eyes popped when he saw me. "Holy smokes, MC!" he said, half grinning with his tongue hanging out in a way I'm sure he knew would push Zen's buttons. "Anyone got a fire extinguisher? Because you're smokin' hot!"

Zen banged the back of the front seat with the palm of his hand. "Hey!" Zen said, his red eyes looking cross. "Put your tongue back in your mouth, smart ass… That's my girl you're looking at…"

Completely unfazed and, in fact, taking it a step further, Saeyoung turned to me and winked. "Yeah, me and every other guy…"

"...And girl…" Lexi Ann said, joining in. She put a hand on my shoulder. "You do look gorgeous, MC," she said, smiling. "Like above and beyond… really."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Zen said, shaking his gorgeous head. "She's hot, she's sexy... Don't I know it, man!" He put a hand on my bare knee and squeezed. "But you're going to stay right by my side, though, all night, right, Princess?"

I leaned over to kiss his handsome cheek. "Babe, like I said, no need to be so possessive," I said, and then I leaned closer to whisper in his ear. "But yes, I'm yours, always…"

In response, Zen grabbed my hand, intertwined our fingers and raised them to his lips. He gave me a look, a kind of sly sultry I-love-you look I know he saved only for me. "This one is brand-patented MC-only," he told me the first time his red eyes looked at me in that way. "I promise I won't ever use it on stage or in a show… Not even if I'm ever cast on Broadway…" God, I loved how he loved me, and I so loved him back. Was there ever a luckier girl? I think not. I squeezed his hand.

I felt Lexi Ann's hand touch my knee. "I should warn you two," she said, looking serious. "Echo Girl is going to be at the party…"

Zen was so startled he nearly jumped out of his seat, hitting his head on the top of the car. "What?!" he said, his voice laced with anger. "What the fuck…"

"Jaehee probably didn't have time to tell you," Lexi Ann said. "It all happened last minute."

"More like she didn't want to tell me…" Zen grumbled.

Lexi Ann reached over and squeezed Zen's knee. "I'm sorry, Zen," she said. "I did everything I could, but you know, it makes sense. C&R International is backing More Than Friends, and she did do that cat commercial and everything… She went to the Chairman behind everyone's back… By the time it got back to Jumin, even he couldn't say no."

"Damn…" Zen said, rubbing his forehead in frustration with one hand.

"I don't expect there will be trouble… She's bringing a plus-one…" Lexi Ann said, using a look-on-the-bright-side kind of tone.

"Kyungju is always trouble," Zen said, sounding both definitive and defeated.

"Echo Girl has a date?" I said, perking up. Maybe if she had another guy she'd finally lay off mine.

"It seems that way…" Lexi Ann said.

"I wonder who?" I said.

"I don't know," Lexi Ann said. "She didn't say."

"Interesting…" I heard Saeyoung murmur from the front seat.

The RFA party was being held at the Design Plaza in the Dongdaemun district. Driver Kim alerted us when we arrived. "Did Assistant Kang mention there would be a red carpet?" He said. "I will drop you off out front."

"Yes, that's fine, Mr. Kim," Lexi Ann said.

I felt my heart beat wildly in my chest. A red carpet? I guess I had known this, but it hadn't really registered before. Zen must've caught the look on my face because he squeezed my hand.

"You'll be fine, Princess," he said, smiling and letting his gaze drop. His red eyes came to rest squarely on the bodice of my dress, where my tattoo was prominently displayed on the curve of my left breast.

"Here we are," Driver Kim said, pulling right up to entrance where two gold posts and the edge of the red carpet awaited. Saeyoung popped out of the car first and opened the door for Zen. The sounds and squeals of excited teenage fans started the moment his long frame unfolded from the vehicle.

"Zen! Zen! Oh my god, it's him!" They cried seemingly in unison. Their ecstatic screams were coupled with a barrage of camera flashes.

Zen seemed a bit oblivious to all the fanfare. He had turned and was holding a hand out to me, waiting to help lift me out of the car. "You coming, Princess?" he said, smiling.

The smile on his face was sweet enough to make any fear or apprehension I had dissolve. I reached up and let him pull me out of the car. The moment I appeared, the chatter of the crowd changed. Along with the shouts and cheers for Zen, I started to hear some references to me.

"There she is… It's MC!"

"Hey, MC… Over here!"

"MC, you suck...Go home!"

The crowd bellowed and roared with both positive sounding cheers, as well as jeers and boos. Lexi Ann, who was standing next to me, nudged me on the shoulder. "Looks like both sides are adequately represented…" she said with a good degree of snark.

I glanced over in the direction of the crowd of fans and saw that some of them held signs. The signs included a mixture of "Team MC" and "Team Echo Girl", as well as some pretty choice slogans like "MC = Too Plain Jane", "Zen, Get Your Head OUT of Your ASS!" and my favorite "Echo Girl Makes Me Want To Hurl"... Zen nudged my elbow and smiled at me when he saw that one. I squeezed his arm and smirked back.

I have to admit I was less bothered by all this fanfare than I would have expected. Maybe it was the undeniable affection Zen was showing me right now… Maybe it was the fact that he wasn't bothered by it at all himself… Or maybe I was just finally getting used to it?

The shouts of the fans disappeared once we made it inside the venue. The Design Plaza was a large modern contemporary building. We walked into the main event area, a large open-spaced room with two or maybe three story floor-to-ceiling windows, all slanted at weird angles.

"Wow," Saeyoung said, pinching my arm. "It's like a spaceship! Wanna go to the moon?" I laughed at his reference to those first days in the RFA chat room, and ignored Zen's questioning sideways glance.

"Oh look," I said. "There's Yoosung!"

Yoosung was over in the corner flanked by cameramen and grips with lights on both sides. Yoosung was looking slick. He was wearing an emerald green sharkskin suit and gold lamé tie. His hair was slicked back again, this time with more gel than I thought was reasonable. Shane, the "life coach" from Queer Eye for a Guy was standing next to him in a trendy blue check suit, his curly hair coiffed with his signature heavy swish Elvis-style bang in front. Shane appeared to be holding what looked like Yoosung's video game controller.

"Let's go see," I said, pulling Zen in the direction of Yoosung. We pushed through the crowd, bypassing some people I recognized from the last two parties, including that annoying woman from the Cultured Citizens Association, who tried to grab me as we walked by.

"MC! Darling!" she sang. "Have you seen Jumin? We are…"

I gave her hand a squeeze. "Oh! It's so nice to see you, Madame…" I said, offering a tight smile. "I haven't seen Jumin yet, but I'll tell him you're looking for him when I see him… Now, if you'll excuse me…"

As we got closer to Yoosung, I could hear Shane's voice. Turns out he was indeed holding Yoosung's video game controller, and for good reason.

"Yoosung," Shane was saying. "This is a big day for you, a day that is both celebratory and symbolic…"

"Symbolic?" Yoosung said, a confused look on his face.

"Yes, symbolic," Shane assured, smacking him on the back. "Symbolic because it stands as an important rite of passage in your life…" He paused for dramatic effect. "This event is a gateway… a transformatory moment that marks you leaving behind your life as a boy and becoming a man."

There was a lot of applause and I could tell Yoosung was trying to look pleased and like he understood what was going on, but he actually seemed kind of confused.

"Oh, poor Yoosung," I said to Zen.

"Yeah," Zen said. "You think he's ready for this?"

"Does he have a choice?" I said.

Shane was now handing Yoosung his video game controller. "In order to properly commemorate this moment, both for you psychologically and for the benefit of your friends and loved ones, I want you to smash this controller."

The color drained from Yoosung's face. He looked clearly distressed. "Smash it?" he said. "Like with a hammer?"

Shane smiled. He had the most gorgeous white teeth. "Yes, like with a hammer…" Shane motioned to one of the production assistants standing nearby who happened to be holding a sledgehammer. The production assistant strode over and handed the hammer to Yoosung.

"OK," Shane said. "Stand back, everybody…"

Shane placed the controller on a tall wooden block, a makeshift table, about waist high. When Yoosung didn't step forward, Shane nudged him.

"Go on," he said. "Don't be afraid. Be a true guild master and bust that controller, that thing that literally controls your life, your future, into a million pieces!"

The crowd roared with applause. "Do it, Yoosung!" Someone shouted. "Yeah, smash that bitch!" cried another.

Yoosung looked clearly hesitant. His eyes were darting around the crowd, as if he were looking for someone to tell him what to do… or maybe even save him from this terrible situation. I, for one, knew what that video controller meant to him, and maybe he wasn't yet ready to give it up.

"Damn," Zen said, echoing my thoughts. "I don't know if he can do it."

Then I saw her, and I knew she must the person Yoosung was scanning for in the crowd. It was the bubbly blond from the other night, the girl Yoosung had been talking to in the bar. I nudged Zen.

"Check it out," I said. "It's her…"

Zen craned to look where I was pointing. "Oh yeah…"

Yoosung saw her at about the same moment. I could tell because he got the cutest, most impish smile on his face.

"What a virgin!" Zen said when he saw the smile. I swatted him, hard.

"Like you can talk!" I said. "There's nothing wrong with virgins...Don't be mean!"

I watched as the girl pushed herself to the front of the crowd and gave Yoosung a cute three fingered wave. As soon as this happened, Yoosung turned to the production assistant and said, "Yo, give me that hammer…" Ten seconds later, Yoosung's home video game controller was flying around the room in obliterated pieces.

"You're right," Yoosung said to Shane with total confidence. "I'm a man in control of my life… who needs a controller?"

The whole room went wild with applause as Yoosung took another swack at the mess of plastic that used to be his lifeline. I'm not completely sure, but Yoosung's bubbly blond was probably clapping the loudest.

"Wow," I said to Zen. "I guess he likes her."

"Damn," he said, smiling and shaking his head. "Look what love can do."

"Speaking of love…" I said. Zen followed my eyes across the room, where Jumin was standing, glass of wine in his hand, eagerly talking to a woman. "I wonder if that's Mi-Sun?"

The woman was petite, a full head shorter than Jumin, with slick black hair fashioned into a neat updo. She was wearing a classic black shift dress, well-made, perhaps personally tailored.

"Come on," I said, pulling Zen along. "Let's go say 'hi'..."

As we got closer, I could hear their conversation.

"This is a Tuscan blend, containing both the Sangiovese grape and Cabernet Sauvignon varietals," Jumin was saying in probably one of the most excited tones I've ever heard him speak. Mi-Sun was swishing her glass of wine and sticking her nose into the rim.

"I'm getting an earthy aroma," she said. "Also, it's very viscous…"

"Yes," Jumin said, looking pleased. "This wine definitely has legs…"

"Hi," I said, sticking out my hand. "You must be Mi-Sun. I'm MC."

"Oh MC," Mi-Sun said, reaching out to squeeze my fingers. "It's a pleasure." She turned to look up at Zen. "And you must be the famous Zen…"

"Semi-famous…" Jumin interjected. I saw Zen's eyebrows wrinkle with annoyance.

"Yeah, whatever, jerk," Zen mumbled under his breath. Then he reached out and took Mi-Sun by the hand. "Pleasure to meet you, Mi-Sun," he said, bowing his gorgeous silver-haired head and bringing her hand to his lips. God, he could be so charming.

"Would you like a glass of wine?" Mi-Sun asked. "My darling Jumin was just sharing this exceptional Italian blend…"

"Oh, no thank you," Zen said.

"Zen is not a fan of wine," Jumin said. "It is beneath him."

Mi-Sun laughed, a sweet, bell-like sound, and touched Jumin's arm. "Oh darling," she said. "You are a riot..."

Zen shot me a look that said can-you-believe-these-two? I squeezed his hand and smiled. "He just prefers beer, is all," I said to Mi-Sun.

At that moment, there was a commotion at the entrance of the room and we all turned around to look. I recognized the voice before I saw her and my heart sank with dread - Echo Girl had arrived.

"Oh, hello my sweetie darlings!" she called out while making grand sweeping motions with her arms. "Never fear, the party is here!"

"What a fucking drama queen," Zen said, half under his breath.

As the crowd parted, she became visible. Her blonde hair was piled in curls on top of her head and she was wearing a hot pink gown with a plunging neckline, obviously to showcase her natural D-cup sized breasts. I couldn't help but notice that the dress was punctuated with a large ornate and sparkling gemstone brooch.

"God, is that real?" I said in amazement.

"She'll be the first to tell you that it is..." Lexi Ann said, suddenly appearing at my elbow. "She'll also be happy to tell you that the dress was made for her personally by Vera Wang."

I was about to roll my eyes when I saw him. I had to blink a couple of times because I couldn't quite believe my eyes. Following close behind Echo Girl was a man I recognized. There was no mistaking that moppy brown head or that lackadaisical gait. My mouth fell open with both confusion and surprise. Kwang-jo. My mind was still trying to process the difficult information that he was here in the first place when fate served up a double whammy. I watched, almost as if in slow motion, as Echo Girl paused to look over her shoulder, reach back and grab his hand… What, were they together? Kwang-jo was her date?

Zen must have been watching my face unfold to this sequence of horrors because he had followed my gaze. "God," he said, disbelieving. "Is that…?"

"It's Kwang-jo," I said in a voice so low and filled with dread it was barely audible.

"What?" Lexi Ann said.

"That's her ex," Zen said with fire in his voice. "That dude from the paper…"

Saeyoung had appeared next to Lexi Ann and was nodding along. "Kwang-jo?" he said. "The DJ?"

"Oh, so now you know who he is, do you?" Zen said, a note of sarcasm in his voice.

Saeyoung wiggled his eyebrows up and down. "Of course I do," he replied. "I'm a brilliant hacker."

Zen sighed and rolled his eyes. I clutched my stomach. Suddenly I didn't feel so good. What the fuck was he doing here? And with Echo Girl?

"This explains so much," Lexi Ann said. "Echo Girl must have been fucking behind all of this, like the whole time..."

Zen's face suddenly changed from angry to determined. I watched as he straightened up and balled his hands into fists.

"Well, damn," he said, his red eyes locked in on Kwang-jo. "I guess I better go introduce myself…"

Author's note: Uh-oh! What's going to happen next? Look out, Kwang-jo... This was getting long, so stay tuned for Party Part II. Thanks (always) for reading, reviewing, commenting, etc. :-) :-) :-)