2—Electric Kiss

He looked at himself in the mirror and couldn't help but sport a smirk. Adjusting the maroon leather jacket that fit his body perfectly, he felt a kind of excitement stirring at the pit of his stomach.

"What Chen wants, Chen gets," he muttered.

When he arrived at the bar, he didn't even bother keeping a low profile. He drove his own car, a Bentley Continental, in a highly public place for the first time. Usually, he would get on the company van at any cost to avoid all the publicity. He tossed his keys to the valet and got into the bar easily because of a VIP pass he's had for the past two years.

When he got there, a few friends greeted him. With his seat backed up on the wall, Chen had a vantage point on almost the entire bar if not for the crowd of drunken, sweaty people on the dance floor. He scanned his eyes around occasionally while he drank glass after glass of whatever liquid was in front of him.

I know you're here.

Slightly frustrated, he stood up and walked to the direction of the toilet. The red lights in the hallway made sure that Chen felt the amount of drinks he had that night. The floor moved under his feet and the ceiling was spinning. He let out a chuckle as he pressed his right palm on the side of his head.

"I'm not drunk," he said a little too loudly and earned some weird looks from the few people in that place.

He continued to walk but instead of the toilet, he went straight out of the exit doors. The cold wind hit his alcohol-warmed skin and for a moment it felt good. He closed his eyes but as he did, he felt something strange.

"Yah. Come out."

Tipsy, he scanned the whole back lot, half expecting to see a shadow in the alley. Maybe behind the dumpster? Or in those little gaps on the wall that are large enough to fit a person? He walked a bit more but to his disappointment find nothing except for the silent rumble in his stomach that started to creep its way up his chest, to his throat and out of his mouth.

A few days later, the manager laid five printed photos of Chen on the table with a disapproving look. He didn't even sit down. Chen took one of the pictures in which he was held by a friend while getting out of his car looking drunk. And then his eyes were averted on the slightly blurry watermark on the top right corner of the photograph.

It's her.

"Why are you smiling?! Do you think this is funny??"

"Yeah. These pictures are funny. Look at this one. I look like a duck." He laughed sarcastically, enjoying his manager's anger.

"Kim Jongdae. Some fans are petitioning for your resignation from the group because of this drinking issue. Can't you see the gravity of this?!" The manager slammed his hands on the table.

"So... Did you... find the one who took these photos?"

"SERIOUSLY?!!"

"What? I'm just curious," Chen touched his lower lip and felt the excitement stirring inside of him.

More than curious, he was interested. He's seen her once... sitting just a few tables from him... silently taking pictures... witnessing his life through her lenses but never saw her since. What he wouldn't do to meet her.

**

The moment he got out of his car, she was already there sitting at a fast food restaurant across the bar. She got a message that he'll be there and there he was. It was almost as if she summoned him there.

With the connection she had with almost all bars around Seoul, it was easy to get in the bar and follow him. At a safe distance, she sat at a table and ordered something non-alcoholic. She was there to do her job after all and drinking was definitely not allowed while on duty.

It was then that she noticed his strange behavior. Instead of going into the middle of the dance floor like he always did, he just sat there and drank one drink after another. Was he thinking about something? It was pitiful to watch.

And boring.

So she decided to let it go after taking a few shots of him. She went out through the exit door and just as she was about to turn the corner, she heard the back door open. By reflex, she hid behind the wall and peeked slightly at the man that stumbled out into the alley.

"Yah. Come out."

Her heartbeat fast as she watched him search the alley for something. It was then that a smile crept up her glossed lips. She took out the camera from her leather bag and snapped a photo.

"Okay Chennie, I'll stay with you for tonight."

Now, it's been almost a week since that night. She carefully laid down her camera on the table, her computer as well as the mp3 player on the shelf. Her shoulders felt stiff from hours of slouching, crouching and all other ninja moves she has come to perfect just to take the impeccable still photos.

While she sat in her office chair, her blue eyes bore upon her computer screen, scanning with a sense of satisfaction. Her email was flooded and her website is bombarded by comments from angry fans. Surely, her latest shots created mayhem.

"Now your fans are really mad, Chen. What to do?" She chuckled lightly, basking in the chaos she has caused.

She's my black pearl...

Chen's voice filled her whole apartment for a few seconds as the familiar song started in her iPod. She pursed her lips and bit them almost painfully while she threw her head back. She closed her eyes and imagined Chen's eyes... looking at her in a curious sort of way.

"You're mine Chen."

Slowly, she undid the buttons of her blouse. Feeling the unusual slow-fast-slow beat of the song, she stood up and walked in tune to her shower. She left a trail of clothes behind her until she reached the glass doors . It is surrounded by opaque glass, the type where you can see the silhouette of anyone inside.

Is it reality or an illusion... I'm fascinated.

She her shower, feeling the desire sweeping all over her. The cold water seemed to burn as soon as it landed on her skin.

"Chen..." It was the only word coming out of her lips while she imagined him with her.

I'm chasing after your shadow in time...

"Did you really think you would catch me that night?" She smiled as she enjoyed the feeling of cold wrap around her body, "Did you really think I am that easy to catch?"

The song in the background transitioned dramatically to the chorus.

"I am like the lightning, Chen. Electric. You can never catch me."

She let out a soft giggle as she tilted her head up to face the shower. For the longest time, she enjoyed cold showers no matter what the weather was. Right then, it was Autumn and to the "normal" ones, the cold water would freeze them. But for her, the piercing feeling of ice soothed her in a drug-like manner. Just like Chen and the deadly yet satisfying charm he has.

"Well you can catch me. But it will burn and—"

That's when the music stopped.

She froze and listened through the sound of the shower. She turned to the glass, squinting for anything that moves.

"Who's there?!" She shouted after catching something like a silhouette.

Silence.

She's my black pearl...

The song started once again, making the hairs on her back stand up. Someone's there with her. She slowly slid the door open and quietly cursed about forgetting to get a towel. Her legs shook a bit as she walked out, looking around the darkness of her apartment. She never turns on the lights except for the one in the bathroom and her desk lamp at night out of habit. But at that moment it was just the bathroom and her computer monitor.

"Who's here?" Her voice trembled.

"Me." The darkness spoke back.

She immediately snatched her jacket on the chair and covered herself. Her eyes scanned all over frantically trying to find where he was. And then...

"Chen?"

"You really have good eyes for me, huh?"

He walked towards her from the far end of the room, looking intently into her eyes. Surely, he has found her. The corner of his lips pulled up to a smile as he came to a stop just a few steps from her.

"Why don't you snap a picture of me now..." Chen challenged, glancing at her camera on the desk. "...Zoe?"

. He knows my name.

"How did you—"

"Or would like something more controversial?" Chen undid the third button of his shirt.

Zoe stepped back and hugged the jacket closer to her skin. Even through the darkness, she could see his gaunt face... and she felt scared for the first time in a long time.

"What? Isn't this what you want? To get a piece of me?" Chen's sarcasm sealed with a smirk did something strange to her.

"What, you're gonna sleep with me? You think I'd do that for free?" The fast beat of her heart was changed to a strange excitement.

Chen ran his thumb on his lower lip and took in the smoothness of her legs, highlighted subtly by her computer monitor. He wanted her more than anything in his world. His world was made of plastic and what he wouldn't give to grab hold of anything behind the blinding lights.

"Why don't we settle things in your interesting shower?" He motioned to the glass door in her shower.

She was taken aback at how things escalated but she was more than happy to be at that exact moment. She has fantasized about him more than once with those photographs only she can take.

And Chen... Chen wanted to find her because she has even without touching him. Zoe witnessed his real life... through her lenses... made him feel excited and want more.

"Don't talk Chen. Just do."

It was almost like a dream. A dream that she didn't want to wake up from. Chen. Her entire life is about him. He is her dream, her drug, her desire.

The feel of his warm lips on hers were in contrast with the freezing shower she's always had. They were both like fire, scorching her. But Chen's kiss was reaching further inside her that no other thing has done. The warmth of his body, his tender touch, and the gentle yet firm look in his eyes were all too much.

Chen. Chen was the lightning after all. He has that power to tear her down to the core.

"You don't even know me," she whispered to him in bed.

"I don't need to," he smiled at her and unconsciously melted her right there.

"Is this your punishment for me?" Zoe asked.

"A punishment is supposed to make you stop what you are doing," Chen raised an eyebrow at her, "Will you?"

"I earn money, because of you. I earn a lot when I drag your name into the mud."

She was too honest but it didn't bother him at all. Fame is just fame. That's pretty much all it is.

"Then I'll double what you earn."

"It doesn't work that way, popstar."

"Just say it, sasaeng."

"I'm not a--"

"Then just be mine," Chen closed his eyes, too tired to argue more with her.

  "Silly."  

His schedule has been tight and the fact that he just landed from a schedule in China started to catch up with him. The moment he got the information about Zoe, he went straight there and the other details should remain a secret from anyone.

After sometime, Chen fell asleep. Zoe was tired too but she stayed awake and just watched him motionless beside her like how he has always been in her life... a still photo. Chen basically did everything in his power to find her. And spent a night with her. For what? Does he, perhaps, like her? After all she has done to him, putting his entire career on the line more than once, he still went out of his way to find her and what? Tame her? Own her? Love her? Zoe raised her finger to touch him but stopped halfway.

What am I doing?

She got off the bed and wore her robe. A subtle sound made her look at her computer screen.

Subject: New photos please!

Zoe chuckled and turned off her monitor. She looked out the window and listened to the morning noise outside. Chen turned in bed and she looked at him, his lower body covered with her blanket while his torso stood out on the white sheets.

She walked back to her table and touched the rim of her lens. Slowly, she lifted the camera up to her blue eyes.

"I can't be yours, Chen," she whispered, "You are mine."

She's my black pearl...

--

a/n: Thank you for reading this second story:) Did you enjoy it? Please don't forget to leave a comment and vote! Again, for requests, you may leave a comment in the Wattpad Version of this book. See ya~