The Escort S2

Part 28: I don't want you to leave

Kookie and I are in the kitchen when we hear the front door open and close. I know its JJ and feel a twist in my gut. It's been weeks and Kookie and JJ still haven't settled things around what I call the holiday incident. Jimin has been a welcome distraction. Add on talking with Jin and trying to help Chanyeol. Everything has frozen with JJ avoiding Kookie. Next week Jimin starts working with me at The Agency, so this is going to happen now. It has to.

"Hi JJ, can you come into the kitchen please?" I call out. Kookie doesn't object or try to escape. That's quite hopeful.

JJ walks into the kitchen and halts seeing Kookie. "Tae, can we do this tomorrow?" He says sluggishly.

"Well JJ –" I attempt to respond, that is until Kookie shuts me down.

"Hell, no. Sit your ass down," Kookie says gesturing towards the chair across the table from him.

"Not a good way to start things off being aggressive," JJ says slowly taking a seat.

Kookie pins him a look. "You still have much to learn about being a man. Men don't avoid stuff that's uncomfortable. Sometimes shit is tough, but deal with it. Avoidance is for cowards." He huffs. Kookie's going to have calm himself and not talk to JJ like he's one of his frustrating employees.

"Kookie, please," I say. He looks at me and gives a weak nod. He pulls in a long breath and releases it slowly and audibly.

"JJ, I want us to talk." Now that's a respectful voice. "I should not have raised my voice with you. It was aggressive." The room falls into silence, and I encourage him to continue by touching his hand softly. Kookie blows out a long-exasperated breath before he starts.

"Well, Kyle's dad started by asking questions about me and Tae. The questions quickly turned personal and of a sexual nature. I knew they were swingers, which is their business. I couldn't care less. But Kyle's dad crossed the line when he told me he had an eye for my husband."

"Tae's not your husband yet," JJ interjects.

"Is too. We have a minor paperwork technicality." JJ rolls his eyes and I giggle softly at the cuteness of my man.

"He then told me his wife thought I was handsome and liked me. The final insult came when he started to talk about how nice Tae's ass was."

"What? He said that?" JJ gasps.

"So, I gave him the option of leaving or being drowned in the punch bowl. He decided to leave."

"Uh, that's not what Kyle says he said."

"JJ, it's up to you to believe who you choose."

"Kookie, I think –"

"Wait a minute. Please hear me out. I will not agree to his lies, and I certainly won't be having a meal with the man that offended my love so crudely. So, if you want to leave and move in with them, go ahead."

I bite down on my lip as my pulse quickens while waiting for JJ's response.

"Kookie, I –"

"One last thing. I don't want you to go. I'd miss you. I also agree with Tae that there's something going on over there and it may not be safe." I can only watch with a growing smile. A flow of relief moves over me as they listen and talk to each other.

"Kookie, I believe you. I-I was shocked when Kyle confronted me. I couldn't defend you because you told me you didn't know why his dad left when I asked you at the party. I have known you to be violent, but for good reason. I knew he was lying because you and Tae have only been honest with me. Well, except this time. But if there was a threat made to Kyle's Dad, I knew he did something offensive that probably had to do with your, uhm, husband."