This is the fourth story in the Undone series.
This is Jung Hoseok's time to shine.
He is taking control of a new project at Stellar Design, and he has decided it's time to take control of his love life as well. He is weary of being alone, and he...
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Before they had a chance to sort it out, several of the group approached, discussing the next projects for the gallery.
“Hoseok, I want to ask your opinion about the apartment,” Sky said, “ may I have a few moments.”
Hobi nodded at Izzy, some silent agreement passing between them and stepped away.
Lyra gave her a quick hug and asked about her evening. She noticed Izzy’s distraction with the conversation taking place just to their left. Dae and Taehyung had joined and were offering opinions.
“The loft owns an apartment near here. It is part of the artist package with the gallery residency. They usually run shows for 3 weeks, then the artist does a lecture series or classes the 4th week,” Lyra explained. “The most recent show is completed and Sky wants to try some children’s programming for this fall. They are trying to decide if they should rent the apartment for these 2 months or leave it empty.”
“Is Hobi's place in the same complex?” Izzy asked, suddenly curious about his home.
“Hoseok? Oh no," Lyra explained," But he does live in the same neighborhood. Actually, his place, the apartment and this loft are not far apart at all. Hobi's place….”
“What is this? Why are you talking about Hobi's place?” she was interrupted by a warm chuckle and a pair of muscular arms encircling her waist. “You know I will be jealous!!
Lyra smiled and snuggled closer into the man, his dark head pressing to hers and his eyes sparking with mischief.
“I was just telling her Hobi….” She tried to finish.
“Did you call me?” the man in question rejoined the group with the others.
Izzy laughed at the exasperation on Lyra's face. She waited for everyone to get quiet and responded.
“I was only trying to say Hobi has a wonderful house not far from here,” she finished.
“He has some of Lyra's best art and furniture pieces,” JK added with obvious pride.
The others added comments as Izzy watched Hobi beam at the praise for his home.
“It is a work in progress, I would love for you to see it,” he said, before fully realizing what he had done.
Dae held her breath as she watched Izzy process the invitation. Her heart recognized when Izzy gave in and decided to take one more step into the life Hobi had built here.
By chance or design, the others began to receive notice their cars were there and the flurry of goodbyes began.
Hobi took the chance to grab Jimin by the sleeve and hold him by his side.
“I would love to show you my home! I am sure you will recognize some of the things from Boston still,” he said.
Then rushing on he said, “Jimin and I are going out for drinks. May we see you to your hotel on the way?”
If Jimin was surprised that he was suddenly going drinking after a detour to a downtown hotel, he never let on.
Izzy looked at Hobi in appreciation. His quick thinking was always an asset. He had just saved them the awkward discussion about how the night would end and added the bonus of a plausible, platonic reason the see each other outside of work.
Olivia was right. One day she would make herself crazy by running all the scenarios and possible meanings in circles in her mind. This, for tonight, was more than enough.
“ That sounds perfect,” she told Hobi and watched as he excused himself to get her things leaving her in a very pleasant conversation with Jimin about tonight’s bourbon selection.
The ride to the hotel was filled with a lively discussion of the street fashion Jimin had seen on his most recent trip. Hobi could tell Izzy was already sketching ideas in her mind. They were all surprised when they arrived at the hotel.
“ Oh…” slipped quietly from Izzy. She was suddenly reluctant to see the evening end. Before she could get nervous, the car eased to a stop and Hobi stepped out to hold the door for her.
Jimin made her promise they would all have lunch before she left town and before she had prepared herself Hobi stood in the open door, hand extended to help her out of the car.
She took his hand, the jolt that ran through her so familiar it made her ache with memories.
Hobi watched as she unfolded from the car, coming to stand so close to him. Her hand still tightly clasped his, her head just beneath his chin.
He drew her away from the car, resisting every urge to say something just to hear her laugh, or tilt her face to his with her sweet smile and shinning eyes. That would simply be too much temptation.
Izzy told herself to step away, that there was no need to inhale his clean scent or steal the warmth from his hard chest. She had to stop thinking that if she just stood on her tip toes….
They were both saved from their struggles by voices calling Izzy's name. Some of her friends and teammates were outside smoking one last smoke before they called it a night.
She waved at them and quickly looked back to Hobi. He had already put the car between them.
“ Good night then, “ he said, “I hope…..well…..call or text me if you'd like to see the neighborhood tomorrow.”
He sighed. Could he make it any more awkward, he thought to himself.
“Ok,” she responded as one of the girls grabbed her arm and dragged her away, their questions about Jimin already filling the air.
“Classy, and so very put together,” Izzy mocked herself as she watched the car pull away.
She spent a few minutes answering the steady stream of questions about the two gorgeous men who had brought her home. And tolerated a bit of teasing that she had failed to snag either of them for the night.
Shrugging at their teasing, she made her escape into the elevator and slumped against the wall as it pulled her toward her room and a sanctuary to collect her thoughts and emotions.
She fished her room key out of her purse and keyed up her phone, hearing the steady ping as the notifications loaded.
She kicked off her shoes at the door and threw the phone on the bed as she stripped and washed for bed. She missed the phone calls as she finished pulling on her old tee shirt and shorts.
She stood staring at herself in the mirror. She fisted her hands in the oversize shirt with the logo from the last dorm they had lived in.
She buried her face in the in the hem to see if some trace of him, of them, still lingered there. A tear slipped down her face as she found no physical traces. All she had were memories.
But she blinked. His presence, his scent still lingered in the air around her. It was not some old trigger or her imagination She could still smell, could still feel him, flesh and bone, real after all this time, standing just at the tips of her fingers.
She hugged her arms tightly around herself and headed to bed, her mind already drifting between dreams and reality.
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Aghhhh.....making progress! Hold on- we are about to discover some reasons why they are so guarded with each other! Are you still with me?
