Every Rose Has its Thorn

Chapter 7

Every Rose Has its Thorn

Something More:

Victoria awoke with Jiyong fast asleep next to her. She knew she had to ask him about taking a week off for the favor she wanted from him. She highly doubted he would say yes, but it was worth a try. It probably wasn't the best idea to ask right now since they both were waking to major hangovers.

"Ji? Ji." Victoria reached over and started lightly nudging his shoulder. He only groaned which made her shake his shoulder a little rougher, "Ji, wake up."

"No." He mumbled through his dry lips.

"Wake up." She nudged him more which only made him groan louder. "I have something I need to ask you. It's a little favor."

"Not right now, I'm hungover." He kept his eyes closed and faced away from her while laying on his stomach.

"I'm hungover too, so just listen." Victoria insisted. "My mother's birthday is next week. It's the day before Easter in the U.S. and I promised I would be there. So I'll be in Phoenix for the entire week."

"And you're telling me this now because?" Jiyong put his face into the pillow.

"I'm getting to that. The reason I'm telling you is because," Victoria hesitated, "I want you to come with me."

Jiyong shot his face out from the pillow in an instant and looked at her. "Say what?"

"I want you to come with me." She repeated.

"Tori baby, deep down there's a chance that I might want to, but you have to understand the long list of reasons as to why I can't." He whined which made her roll her eyes.

"I know, I know. But we can work it out."

"No, we can't. Let me explain." Jiyong sat up and looked into her eyes. "I have recordings, dance practices, composing, meetings, live stages, tours, and above all else, I can't risk being seen going there or being there. And if I'm seen with you outside of work, people will start talking and we'll have to end what we have together. I don't want to risk any scandals."

"You're risking a scandal every time you're with me." Victoria retorted. "And, I may have already said I was bringing you."

Jiyong's eyes widened at her words. "You did not."

"Relax, my family has no idea who you are so it's okay. They knew I was a fan of some korean group, and they can't even remember your name. They don't care anyway." Victoria tried relaxing him. He rolled his eyes.

"Ri! Why did you do that?" Jiyong whined as he collapsed his face into his pillow.

"I don't know! My entire family always asks me 'why don't you have a boyfriend yet Vic? Do you have a boyfriend yet? Any cute Korean guys? Do you have a boyfriend now? How about now? Now? How about now? Now? Now?' I couldn't take it anymore so I just said your name by accident." Victoria explained. "The point is that they gave me no choice but to bring you there with me to prove that you're real."

"And when is this?"

"Next week. And you just have to pretend you're my boyfriend." She didn't want to reduce to begging but it was becoming her only option. "They can't know that we're you know, friends with benefits. I wasn't that kind of person when I left."

"I'll tell you what." Jiyong finally took his face out of the pillow and rested his head into his hand which was propped up by his elbow. "I'll go and do as you ask. If-"

"If what?"

"If you let me flirt with Mi-Kyung for at least fifteen minutes."

"Not happening." She immediately refused even though she knew she wasn't going to win.