•Nicole Jung (KARA)

****

Bom was tempted to throw her phone across the street, but only the knowledge that she’d have to replace it kept her from giving in to the urge. What else could possibly go wrong today?

She’d found the perfect place for her bakery and catering business. It was in a nice area. The terms were satisfactory. It had already been outfitted with the necessary facilities. All she’d need was a little remodeling to the front to accommodate eat-in customers and she’d be set.

After so long doing word-of-mouth events, she was ready for a more solid step. One that would give her a steady income versus never knowing when she’d land her next gig. Her meager savings had kept her in her current apartment, but if she didn’t start bringing in a regular income, it would be gone in a year.

She was certain she could qualify for a small-business loan, but in order to get the necessary funds, she needed a signed lease.

Which she had, at least until her realtor had called her to inform her that there was a problem.

Suddenly her dreams of cute cupcakes, yummy little pastries, intricately decorated bonbons and delicious-smelling breads evaporated.

She blew out her breath in a cold fog and mounted the steps to her apartment. She fumbled with the lock just as her phone went off, which only renewed her desire to toss it into oncoming traffic.

She managed to push inside to where it was a great deal warmer, and after kicking the door shut with her foot, she glanced down at her phone. It wasn’t a number she recognized, but given that she’d handed her number out to potential clients, she couldn’t afford not to answer the phone.

With a sigh, she punched the receive button and put it to her ear. “Park Bom.”

She was in the midst of trying to shrug out of her coat when she heard Jiyong’s voice over the line.

“Bom, it’s Jiyong.”

She paused and then chuckled, leaving her coat dangling from the arm that was bent to her ear. “Well, hello, Jiyong. What a surprise. I distinctly remember you saying you wouldn’t call. To what do I owe this honor?”

“One of the condoms broke,” he said tersely.

She quickly switched the phone to her other hand so she could shake away the coat.

She left it there in the doorway and walked toward her living room, sure she hadn’t heard him correctly.

“Say that again,” she said shakily.

She sank onto the couch, clutching the phone tightly to her ear.

There was an indistinguishable sigh and then he said, “The we used in the shower. It broke. I didn’t discover it until after you’d left. Since we were in the shower, there would have been no…evidence…at the time. I didn’t notice.”

Her heart lodged solidly in and she closed her eyes. No, she wouldn’t have noticed, either.

He’d been insatiable, but then so had she.

The very last thing she’d considered at the time was whether the had performed as expected.

Obviously if it would have happened at any other point, they would have known. But in a shower?

“Bom, are you there?”

The strident demand shook her from her thoughts.

“I’m here,” she said faintly.

“There are things we have to discuss.”

She frowned. “Why are you only just now calling me? When did you discover this?”

There was a pause. “I found it yesterday after you left.”

“And you’re only just now telling me?” she shrieked.

“This would have been good to know yesterday when there was something I could have done.”

Even as she was furious at him, she wasn’t sure what she would have done. A morning-after pill? It would have been a bit late for that, but what did she know about such things? She could have at least done some research and made an informed decision.

“Calm down, Bom.”

The condescension in his tone just pissed her off even more.

“Don’t tell me to calm down,” she seethed. “You aren’t the one who has to live with the consequences of that broken