Chapter 18: Confession

All three of my current teammates turn to stare at me. Especially host, whom seems surprised at my threatening demeanor.

" Just a week. Got it." I hang up once done dealing with one of the ungrateful mercenaries that owed Oliver their life.

I turn to Riley, " What?" I raise an eyebrow at her sparkly eyes that stared at me.

" Awesomely savage!" This 19 year old kid complements me with two thumbs up.

I just ignore her and turn to the two men siting in front. " I got us a safe place we can stay at for now." I hand the phone to host after I entered the location on the gps.

" Alright, let's head there. Then we can plan our next step." Nick says to us. He then mutters to my host, the only person he thought was normal rather than the crazy kid and the savage behind him. "Wake me up when we get there."

After a quick 25 minute drive we arrived at the temporary base. It was an apartment, in the middle class part of town. It was the story above a bar. It had three bedrooms, master and two guest rooms, two bathrooms, a living room, and a kitchen.

I swaggered into the master room pulling along my host with me.

Before leaving I throw a typical "make yourselves comfortable" at Nick and Riley.

I want to wash up and settle in for the night. The problems can wait until tomorrow.

" Hey! Why'd you pull me in with you? And Nick keeps noticing when you act weird, so stop."

Guess we can solve one problem before turning in for the night.

" I don't want to stop." I turn to host.

" What?" He frowns.

" I said I don't want to stop." I repeat myself.

" No, I heard you. I meant, what do you mean by that?" He pulls his hand out of my grip.

" Host." I step towards him. I reach to touch his jaw, but he slaps my hand away.

" Don't touch me like that. Don't look at me like that." He grits out as tears gather in his eyes.

" Kim MinJoon, do you still like me?" I tilt my head in curiosity.

" Hah! How selfish could you get?!" He laughs in frustration. He grabs my collar to pull me down.

It seems he has the habit of grabbing my collar when angry.

" 5 years. I spent 5 years trying to get over you. And I succeeded." I frown at that. But his next words take my heart on a roller coaster. " But the second I saw you again... all my effort crumbled." He starts crying...

" Don't cry." I whisper as I wipe his tears. But host ignored me as he continued to let out his grievances.

" At the gallery, you looked like an ice statue who wouldn't melt even from the sun shining on you. Your face looked so cold and harsh as you looked at strangers and the paintings around you. But when you saw me... it was like that stone cold heart melted as you gave me such a sweet smile." He looks up meet my eyes. He sadly smiles, " I fell for you all over again at that moment."

He lets go of my shirt and steps back. " Do you know what's the worst part of this all?" He doesn't wait for me to answer. " It's not that I fell for you again, not that you've lied to me multiple times. Or stalked me. It's that you keep stringing me along." He pokes at my chest in accusation. " You lie and say don't want me. You get touchy and jealous, giving me hope. And you keep running away, from me and from what you feel."

" You're right. Every single thing you said is correct. But I still think that we shouldn't be together."

" You're still running away." He bites his lip, about to make it bleed. My thumb saves his poor lower lip, giving it a few rubs.

" I'm not." I smile helplessly at this child.

" You are." He accuses me again, staring at me with glistening hazel eyes.

I place my hands on his cheeks and tug him closer to me. He places his hands on my chest as he pouts. 23 yet still so adorable. I use my thumbs to once again wipe the tears that keep falling.

" MinJoon, Minjoon-ah." I add an affectionate term at the end of his name following the Korean language.

" Wh- what?" He stutters at the unsuspected attack.

" I love you." I smiled gently. " But me loving you is different than you loving me."