Black Diamond

8. Chapter 8

The morning after was always bittersweet.

Taeyong stared at his reflection in the mirror and pushed out a breath. He knew he was going to be bruised the moment Diamond had pressed against his skin, but he certainly wasn’t expecting the dark marks marring the smooth skin of his neck, collarbone, and shoulder.

He bit his nails anxiously, trying to think of a way to hide the passion marks. None of his makeup would cover something this extensive.

“Hey Ty, can you take a look at thi-! DAMN!”

Taeyong spun on his heel just as Johnny entered their shared room, attempting to cover his neck with his hand, but it was too late -- Johnny could see everything. The older member joined his bandmate in front of the full length mirror, cursing again in English.

“Taeyong-ah, what the hell happened to you?” Johnny gently poked the bruise on Taeyong’s collarbone, making the younger man wince slightly. Johnny lifted his eyebrow curiously as Taeyong laughed sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.

“I got in trouble last night,” Taeyong replied, his smile growing as heat rushed to his cheeks. Diamond hadn’t been gentle with him at all, and he didn’t regret it for a second.

Johnny chuckled, patting Taeyong’s unblemished shoulder, “Diamond-noona attacked you, huh? I’m jealous.”

Taeyong sighed, “I have to figure out how to cover this up. I don’t have any products that will make this go away, and I need to go outside later...”

Johnny chewed his lip thoughtfully, moving away from the mirror to take a seat on his bed, “I don’t either. Let’s ask Doyoung-ah. He probably has an idea.”

Taeyong nodded, taking out his cell phone to call Doyoung. Johnny fell back on his bed and stretched lazily while the phone rang. Doyoung picked up after two rings.

“Doyoung-ah, can you come to my room?” Taeyong asked. Doyoung agreed to come over quicky and hung up the phone.

“Your shirt should cover up at least two of the marks, but that one on your neck...” Johnny tapped his chin thoughtfully, wondering if makeup really would be the best solution.

Hopefully, Doyoung had a solution. A knock sounded at the bedroom door, and both Doyoung and Jaehyun walked in the room together.

Doyoung strode into the room with a concerned look on his face, “Taeyong-hyung, it’s really unusual for you to call me-... Oh my God! What happened to you?!”

Johnny burst into a fit of laughter, “Taeyong got in a fight with a vacuum,” He joked.

“It looks like he got into a fight with a certain noona…” Jaehyun guessed, following Doyoung over to the mirror with Taeyong. The two members poked and prodded the angry marks against Taeyong’s skin, making their leader wince slightly.

“How are you going to hide something like this?” Doyoung asked, looking over Taeyong’s neck and shoulder.

“That’s why we called you,” Johnny explained, moving to stand behind the others at the mirror.

“Can you do anything about it?” Taeyong asked hopefully, and Doyoung nodded.

“Of course I can! I’ll be right back.” Doyoung rushed off without any further explanation while Jaehyun tsked playfully.

“Taeyong-hyung, I don't know what kind of things you and Diamond-noona are into, but you'll have to tell her to be more gentle. If someone accidently see this, people will start asking questions.”

“And it'll be the scandal of the century if NCT 127’s Leader gets caught with a hostess.” Johnny added, nodding his head in agreement.

Taeyong pouted, “I know. But… It’s hard to tell her to stop…”

Doyoung returned to the room to find Jaehyun and Johnny chuckling lowly. He looked at the others in confusion, handing a bandaid to Taeyong, “First, cover it with this. Then, we’ll use this,” Doyoung explained, holding up a mini scarf, “To hide the bandage. Even if the scarf slides off, you’ll still be covered.”

Taeyong stood still as Doyoung tied the scarf around his neck, while Jaehyun and Johnny watched on.

“And what are you going to do for the photo shoot next week?” Jaehyun asked, watching Doyoung arrange the light fabric neatly around their leader’s neck.

Taeyong waved his hand reassuringly, “These should be gone by then.”

“If not, we just have to get some great makeup.” Jaehyun mused, moving away from the mirror to a seat on the edge of Johnny’s bed.

“I’ll look up a good concealer, just in case,” Doyoung mused, stepping back to take a look at his handy work. “You should be safe until the marks go away. But Taeyong-hyung… If she’s going to do this, at least tell her to put them in places where you can hide it well.”

Johnny gasped in surprise, “Of all the things I expected our Doyoung-Mom to say, it definitely wasn’t that.”

Doyoung shrugged, “Let’s be honest -- Taeyong-hyung isn’t going to stop seeing her any time soon.”

Taeyong gave Doyoung a curious smile, “How do you know?”

“Taeyong-hyung, we all know how you are. You even bought her something when we went to LA.”

Taeyong turned to Johnny with a frown, “You told?!”

Johnny raised his hands up in defense, shaking his head, “It wasn’t me.”

“Taeyong-hyung, no one told. I saw the gift bag in your suitcase,” Doyoung replied smartly, nodding at the memory, “But to make her a part of your retail therapy means she’s left more than a physical mark.”

“Well that was surprisingly beautiful,” Jaehyun commented playfully.

Doyoung patted his chest proudly, “I can be beautiful when I want to.” He replied, cheekily.

“So what’d you buy her anyway, Taeyong-hyung?” Jaehyun asked, turning back towards Taeyong. He didn’t answer, but his entire face became flushed in mere seconds.

Johnny burst into a fit of laughter at Taeyong’s expression. He had snuck out with Taeyong to make the gift purchase, so he knew exactly what was in the mysterious gift bag. “Take his silence as your answer and just guess.”

“Oohhhhhh, was it something y?” Jaehyun asked, wiggling his eyebrows.

“Ah, he’s gonna explode if we’re not careful,” Doyoung teased, when Taeyong lowered his head to hide the blush rapidly spreading across his face.

“It was just… a gift.” He answered in embarrassment, feeling his heart race at the thought of the Queen of Diamonds wearing his present from America. He had given her the bag before he left the House of Cards the night before, with Diamond promising to fulfill his wish another day. He wasn’t sure when that day would be, but he knew that Diamond was true to her word, as she always was.

Three pairs of eyes turned to look at him incredulously. There was no way Taeyong had bought her something that was “just” a gift. Jaehyun opened his mouth to ask Johnny for more details, but Taeyong’s texting notification went off instead.

“We should just ask Diamond-noona directly.” Doyoung mused, though at this point, Taeyong was ignoring him. He read the text message twice before he dropped his phone to the floor with a thud, blinking in surprise.

My Taeyong, let’s have a sleepover.

With Kamella

Kamella was sure she was going to pass out. There was no way she could breathe properly. She had gone out with Sung Joon to his VVIP event, and he was in perfect form, making her laugh and smile the entire time.

“Oppa, I can’t believe you did that! Damn, I wish I was there to see Mi Na’s face,” Kamella cried, laughing so hard that a few tears sprang to her eyes.

“I should have taken pictures, honestly. She was so mad that I asked her to clean my car. She was stomping and fuming the entire time.”

“That’s what her petty gets,” Kamella snarked, taking another sip of champagne. She bowed her head as a couple came over to greet the actor on her arm, then turned back to continue their conversation, “Did she complain to Dealer about you?”

“No, but he complained to me about you. He seems to think I’m your Ace.” Sung Joon explained calmly, hoping Kamella would understand the hint.

Kamella bit her lip worriedly, looking out over the crowded room. She had tried to keep Sung Joon out of her mess as much as possible, since she knew that Dealer had some type of business relationship with Sung Joon’s father.

“...What did you tell him?”

Sung Joon took one look at Kamella’s concerned expression, and reached for her champagne glass. He downed the contents of the glass in one go, then placed it down on a standing table behind her, “Let’s step outside for a second.”

Kamella nodded slowly, letting Sung Joon lead her away from the party. They reached a large balcony where couples had broken off to whisper to each other as the sun set in the sky.

Sung Joon gently sat Kamella down at the very far edge of the balcony, away from the other groups.

He took her hand softly, his voice steady and sincere, “When Dealer called me this morning, I told him I was your Ace.” Kamella opened to protest, but Sung Joon shook his head, effectively cutting her off, “Listen to me. I want to protect you. I can protect you, if you just let me.”

“Oppa, this is dangerous. You know how Dealer gets; he’ll start getting jealous if-”

“He can go to hell,” Sung Joon stated resolutely, and Kamella knew from just one look at his face that he was dead serious, “His obsession with you is so bizarre. He doesn’t love you enough to make you his woman, but he treats you better than he treated his own daughter. It’s unhealthy! I know how you used to feel about him, and I know that’s why you stay, but Kamella-”

“That’s not why I stay. That was… a long time ago. I haven’t felt that way about him for a while,” Kamella replied, a lump forming in as she thought about that time all those years ago.

She was young and dumb -- stupid enough to dream that one day, she would be the person that could make Dealer change his ways. She felt like scum, being in love with her best friend’s father, but after Yeo Na’s death, she realized that what she felt wasn’t love in the first place.

Kamella continued, pushing past her emotions, “Him, Liv, and the others… As much as I hate to say it, the staff of our club really are my only family. I never knew my parents, or had siblings, so when I finally found both, I was too scared to let them go. I’m still…”

“You don’t have to let go of Olivia, or me. We can be your new family,” Sung Joon took her other hand, leaning forward in his chair, “We’ll be family members that love you and keep you safe. Unlike him,” Sung Joon ground out, his dark eyes flashing in irritation.

“We?” Kamella questioned, lifting an eyebrow.

Sung Joon nodded, “Mel, you know how I feel about you. I’ll do whatever I can to keep you safe.”

“Oppa, if you’re not careful, I could take that the wrong way,” Kamella replied with a sardonic smile.

“I meant it in any and every way possible, so take it however you want,” Sung Joon replied with a charming smile, and Kamella paused, her heart skipping a beat. Even after all this time, her body still reacted to him sometimes.

“Oppa, don’t joke around,” She warned, narrowing her eyes suspiciously.

“Did it sound like a joke to you, Kammie-yah?” Sung Joon’s tone was playful, but the look in his eyes was everything but. Kamella pushed out a breath.

“Even if it wasn’t, I’ll take it that way.”

Sung Joon released her hands, leaning back in his seat with a sigh, “Regardless, I did tell Dealer that I’m your Ace now. That should keep that kid safe, and also give us time.”

“He’s not a kid, first of all,” Kamella replied, rolling her eyes, “And your lie is supposed to give us time for what?”

“Mel, you’re not taking me seriously,” Sung Joon shook his head, “I meant what I said. This can’t continue. Dealer doesn’t need you anymore, and you don’t need him. He just… wants to keep you. As if you’re some beautiful doll on display.”

Kamella nodded, “But what happens to Olivia and the others? If I leave, who will protect them?”

“Well, Liv is definitely coming with you. The others… they’re adults. They can handle themselves.”

That didn’t sit well with Kamella. The people who worked under her were good people, and they worked hard, “Oppa, I can’t leave them.”

It was Sung Joon’s turn to narrow his eyes. He frowned, staring at Kamella intensely, “Them… or him?”

“This has nothing to do with Dealer,” Kamella stressed, but Sung Joon wasn’t buying it.

He crossed his arms and regarded her cooly, “You say that, but I don’t believe you, Kammie-yah.”

Kamella matched his expression, crossing her arms too, “Are you actually getting an attitude with me? You’re the one asking me to abandon the only family I have. If I asked you to just run away from your parents and relatives for me, right this second, with no plan at all, would you do it?”

Sung Joon finally broke his stare, looking away from her, a resounding “YES” on the tip of his tongue. He wouldn’t say the one word that his heart was screaming at her right now -- Kamella wasn’t ready to hear it. He felt her eyes on him while he took a moment to calm down, but her phone vibrated just then, and took her focus away.

Kamella looked down at her phone to see Olivia calling her. She picked up quickly, speaking in a low voice, “Hey. Yeah, I can do that for you.”

Sung Joon turned to watch her, wondering if he should ask for Olivia’s help in convincing Kamella to leave the club. He knew that both women would have to quit the night life eventually, but what was wrong with them making it happen sooner?

“Love you too. Have a good trip.” Kamella replied, hanging up her phone. She noticed Sung Joon had turned back towards her again as she placed her phone back in her clutch bag with a sigh, “Oppa, let’s not argue about this anymore. Liv just called to tell me she left something at the club, so I need to go grab it for her, and take it home.”

Sung Joon nodded, “I’ll forgive you since you asked me so nicely. Let me take you to the club and back home.”

Kamella scoffed, “I didn’t ask, erted Oppa. But if that makes you feel better, it’s fine.”

Sung Joon chuckled standing from his chair. He reached out for Kamella’s hand, and she took it, letting him help her up from her seat, “We should be able to sneak out easily. I think I’ve shown my face enough to please my parents.”

“Oh, could we stop for ice cream on the way home? I’m craving something sweet,” Kamella mused, picking up her clutch bag from the table and leading the way back to the party.

Sung Joon ran his fingers through his hair, following Kamella inside. He watched the way her hips swayed while she walked in front of him in the tight, floor length evening gown she wore. The champagne colored dress had a slit in the front that was sky high, showing a good amount of Kamella’s smooth, sepia thigh. Heads turned whenever she walked into the room, and Kamella was so used to stares that she had become completely oblivious to them.

“I’m craving sweets too,” Sung Joon murmured, looking over her form again, causing Kamella to pause in her steps and turn around.

“Did you say something?” Kamella asked, looking over her shoulder curiously.

Sung Joon shook his head and caught up to her, taking her hand and placing it on his arm, “Let’s go get some snacks.”

Kamella nodded enthusiastically, and the two of them left them left the party. After a few stops and detours, Sung Joon finally dropped Kamella off at home. He offered to take her all the way to her front door, but Kamella declined. Sung Joon decided not to push his limits any further.

“Since I’m your Ace now, I’ll make sure to stop by the club more often,” Sung Joon told her, by way of warning.

Kamella looked down at her phone distractedly, “Ok, that’s fine.”

“Kammie-yah,” Sung Joon reached across the arm rest to tilt Kamella’s chin upwards, making sure he had her full attention, “Please consider what I’ve said tonight.”

Kamella frowned, taking his hand and moving it away from her face, “I’ll consider it, if you’ll stop doing that.”

"Stop what?” Sung Joon’s faint smirk was enough to tell Kamella that he knew exactly what he was doing.

“You know what. Oppa, I love you, but I’m not going to play with you tonight.” Kamella’s brown eyes were fierce as she stood her ground. Sung Joon knew better than to start this up with her.

Sung Joon’s smile grew, and her heart betrayed her for just a second, “You will never be a game to me.”

Yep, it was time to bail, and quickly. Kamella opened the car door and climbed out, putting some space between them, “Go home, erted Oppa. Save those lines for one of your dramas.” She retorted, closing the car door.

Sung Joon rolled down the window to continue their conversation and chuckled, “I’ll see you soon, Kammie-yah. Don’t get into trouble while I’m gone.”

Kamella gave Sung Joon a mock salute, giggling, “Good night, Oppa!”

Sung Joon returned her salute with a wave of his own, and Kamella stepped away from the car. She waved goodbye as he pulled away from the curb in front of her building, and then she pulled her phone out of her bag, turning back to read Taeyong’s text message.

I’m here.

Her silly smile was growing with each step she took towards her building. It was 11 pm already, and she couldn’t wait to get out of the heels she wore to the party. When her elevator finally reached her floor, she had to tell herself to walk normally. It made no sense to be this excited to see him -- especially when she had to tell him the truth about her past and her job. Maybe that was why she was nervous and excited.

They always said that the truth would set you free.

She rounded the corner to find him leaning against the wall, playing his Nintendo DS. It was cute, seeing him standing there in the most casual clothes she had ever seen him wear. She, on the other hand, was in full formal attire. They looked so mismatched, standing there in the hallway together.

“Taeyong-ah,” She called softly, causing the younger man to look up from his game. His eyes widened when he took in her appearance, and for a moment, he just drank her in.

“Wow,” He uttered, examining her from head-to-toe. The evening gown hugged every bit of her curvy frame, and it looked like it had been molded to her skin.

“Thank you.” Kamella replied sweetly, moving past Taeyong to open her front door. Her pleasant cinnamon fragrance wafted by him as she held her front door open, “Did you wait long?”

“No,” He replied, following Kamella into her home. He slid his shoes off by the front door, and took his time examining her space. “Where’s Susie-noona?”

“She has a job in Jeju, so she’ll be out of town for the next few days.” Kamella explained, already removing her earrings. She had straightened her own mahogany hair for the party she attended with Sung Joon, so thankfully, she didn’t have to worry about unbraiding her hair. Kamella stepped into the bathroom, while Taeyong wandered into the living room.

“Noona, did you eat already?”

“I had a few snacks on the way home, so I’m not hungry. Feel free to find something in the fridge if you want. I can’t cook, so I have no idea what Susie put in there.”

Taeyong chuckled, taking a seat on the couch and pulling out his phone, “I’ll order something.”

Kamella appeared from the bathroom, her face free of makeup. Taeyong thought she was just as beautiful as before, “Suit yourself. I’m going to go change.”

Taeyong nodded, watching as she disappeared around a corner and into what he guessed was her bedroom. In a few minutes, she called his name again from behind the closed door. Taeyong completed his delivery order and headed towards Kamella’s bedroom.

“What’s wrong, Noona?” He asked gently from the other side of the door.

Kamella giggled and opened the door wide, still in her dress, “My arms are too short; I can’t reach the zipper.”

Taeyong swallowed nervously when Kamella turned her back to him. He wasn’t sure if she knew what she was asking him to do. Then again, she had never been a shy woman.

“Is it caught on something?” Kamella asked, when she didn’t hear any movement from behind her. Taeyong cleared his throat and stepped into her bedroom, closing the distance between them and reaching for the zipper.

“N-No, it isn’t.”

“Ahhhhhhh, you’re nervous,” Kamella guessed, and Taeyong nodded, then chided himself when he remembered that she couldn’t see him. “Taeyong-ah, it’s just a zipper.”

“I know,” He replied evenly, finally sliding the zipper downwards. Slowly, more and more of her back was exposed to him. The zipper ended at her lower back, and even though he should have averted his eyes, he couldn’t look away from the sliver of visible skin.

“Oh, can you unhook my necklace for me too? It’s a little complicated for me with my nails,” Kamella was biting her lip to hold in a laugh. She knew she was teasing him, but she couldn’t help herself. A giggle slipped past her lips, and Taeyong could feel himself relax a little, a faint smile spreading across his features.

“Noona, what am I going to do with you? How would you get this off without me here?” Taeyong replied slyly, his fingers sliding across her skin at the nape of her neck as he unlatched the necklace. He held the jewelry for her as she turned around, holding her dress against her body with one hand.

“I’m sure you’d come help me out of my dress whenever I ask,” Kamella finished the bold statement with a wink, and Taeyong blushed, handing the necklace over.

“I-I’m going to check on my order,” He replied, backing out of the room slowly. Kamella gave him a cute wave until he closed the door, heading back into the living room. Taeyong took a seat on the couch, feeling his heartbeat pound in his chest. Everything felt so new and different now that they were outside of the club. Diamond felt warmer, somehow.

He listened for her footsteps while she moved around in her bedroom, wondering what she was up to. She came out of her bedroom and went into the bathroom, and he heard the shower turn on. He kept himself busy with a cell phone game while he waited. Finally, she emerged from the bathroom, standing at the foot of the couch -- and wearing his gift.

The PJ set was actually pretty simple, comprised of a black camisole tank top and matching shorts with lace detailing. But the way the entire ensemble fit her frame, Taeyong both praised and reprimanded himself. There was no way he would actually be able to go to sleep with her dressed that way.

“Taeyong-ah, I might have to keep you,” Kamella joked, taking a seat beside him on the couch in her living room. “I love these PJs. They’re so comfortable.”

“Since we were talking about your bed, I thought you might like them…” Taeyong replied sheepishly, doing his best not to put his foot in his mouth again. He flushed in embarrassment as he recalled their conversation that night.

“Oh, I remember. You were curious about my bed before, but how about now?”

Taeyong sobered up then, thinking back to the last time they saw each other. He had wished for her to tell him the truth, and compared to that, her bed wasn't that important, “Noona, I’m still waiting on your answer about those other things.”

Kamella sighed, tucking her legs underneath her, “I know. God, I wish I had a drink right now.”

“Do you want me to-?” Taeyong began to ask, but she shook her head.

“No. If I don’t speak now, I’ll keep hiding and you might get in more trouble. It’s better to say this now.”

Taeyong nodded, turning to face her fully, listening to her words intently.

“The oppa from the club was my first client, and my first friend in Seoul. I met him when I moved to Seoul with Susie and Yeo Na-unnie. His Dad hired me to be his teacher.”

“Teacher?”

Kamella nodded, a nostalgic smile turning up the corners of her lips, “When his father hired me, Sung Joon-oppa had never had a girlfriend before. He had never kissed a girl or held her hand, and his Dad wanted to make sure that he knew those things before he started putting in requests with a matchmaker.”

“So you taught him?”

“I taught him how to be the best boyfriend. I taught him how to kiss and how to comfort your lover. I taught him how to pay attention to a woman’s body language and how to listen well. We were very involved with each other for a while. Once he graduate from college, his father decided he had learned enough and my ‘teaching job’ ended. But since I was his first girlfriend, he kept in touch with me, and now we’re still friends. He comes to visit me at the House, from time to time.”

“...Did you love him?”

Kamella grew silent as she considered Taeyong’s question. Her heart at the time was a jumbled mess, so it was hard to tell, “In a way, I can say that I loved him. He was there for me whenever I was hurting or having a hard time. He helped me through many things.”

Taeyong nodded, relating to Kamella’s oppa in a way. She came off as really strong, at first, but he could see her vulnerability peeking through sometimes. It made him want to protect her, so he was sure that man, Sung Joon, felt the same way.

“Is he your Ace too? Like me?”

She shook her head vehemently, “He’s an Ace, but he’s not mine. He was my client, but as I said before, you’re the only person to ever hold my Black Ace card. He was given an Ace because his father paid handsomely for it.”

“Does he love you?” The question surprised them both, but Kamella took a steadying breath and answered his question.

“He does, but not in the way you think. I was his first everything, Taeyong-ah, so it makes sense. It’s the type of love that you grow out of, but you never regret. Maybe things would have been different if Unnie hadn’t died, but after her death -- it was hard for us to continue on the path we were walking.”

Taeyong felt a mix of emotions at the revelation. On the one hand, he was sure that she had never intended to have that sort of relationship with her client, but at the same time, he could see how hard it was to avoid getting his feelings involved with the woman in front of him. Hell, he was already so mixed up with her himself.

Kamella watched Taeyong curiously, watching the wheels turn in his head. So far, he was taking her past pretty well, but she wondered if he was just saving his real opinions for later.

“The woman he was bullying last night was the Queen of Hearts, Choi Mi Na. She hates me, and the feeling is mutual. She used to be close with Yeo Na-unnie before she ran away to the States to escape her father. They were high school friends,” Kamella explained. “When we all showed up at the House of Cards together, and she was left out, Mi Na made it her personal goal to cause me trouble. A part of me feels bad for her, but last night, she crossed the line. She’s been getting worse and worse lately.”

“Do you think it has something to do with Sung Joon-ssi?”

Kamella laughed softly, “Oh no. If anything, she hates him. She hate Susie too. But she’s the Queen of Hearts, and she’ll do anything to keep that title. Even if that means taking requests from clients she can’t stand. She purely accepted his request last night for money, and nothing else. Like she told us last night, everyone in the House knows that Sung Joon-oppa goes there for me.”

“Noona, you sound so familiar with him,” The words came out in a grumpier tone than Taeyong intended, but the message was loud and clear.

“I am familiar with him; there’s nothing we can do to change that,” Kamella replied with a giggle, “Are you jealous?”

“No,” Taeyong didn’t realize it, but he was definitely pouting. Kamella thought it was cute.

She scooted closer to him, reaching for his hand, “It’s okay to be jealous, Taeyong-ah, but try to understand his position too.”

“I know,” Taeyong grumbled. She was so mature about the situation, while he was struggling to ignore the envious knot in his stomach. There was so much about her that he didn’t know.

“Anyway, because I don’t trust Mi Na, I wanted you to avoid her. I told you to always tell me when you were coming to the club because it would give me time to make sure you wouldn’t run into her.”

The words she didn’t say was that the particular schedule also helped her keep Taeyong away from the Dealer. Currently, the two knew nothing about each other and she was going to keep it that way. Now that Sung Joon had decided to pretend to be her Ace, that would make things a lot easier for her to manage.

Taeyong fixed a steady gaze on her, reaching for her shoulder with his free hand, “Noona, let's meet outside of the club from now on.”

“Can you manage that? It’s fine for me, but won’t that be difficult?”

Taeyong shook his head, “I’ll do whatever I need to help you. If that means not going to the club, I'll just see you somewhere else.”

Kamella contemplated his suggestion. Truthfully, seeing him outside of the club would solve a lot of her issues. She wouldn’t have to worry about him running into Dealer or Mi Na ever again. It couldn’t hurt to have two safety measures in place.

She gave Taeyong a single nod at his idea, “Ok, let’s meet in other places then. I’ll even continue to give you one wish per visit.”

Taeyong smirked, “Do I really need to keep making wishes if you’ve already promised me everything?”

“Oooohhh, you’re getting a little smoother lately,” Kamella quipped, making them both laugh. “Of course you have to make a wish. It’s a part of our contract.”

The doorbell interrupted their playful teasing and Taeyong stood up, heading to the front door to get his order. He wasn’t sure what type of food Diamond liked, but he had ordered gimbap with some extra side dishes.

“Noona, I ordered extra; have some too,” Taeyong told her, spreading the food out on the coffee table. The two of them ate their late night meal while Kamella told Taeyong about the party she had gone to earlier, and complained about how long it took to straighten her hair.

“I’m going to have Wonder Woman arms in no time,” she joked, flexing her arm for him. Taeyong chuckled, finishing off the final bites of his food. He noticed she had finished eating too.

Together, they cleared the coffee table and cleaned up their mess, Taeyong making sure to wipe the table down before separating the trash.

Kamella just watched him in amusement, “You’re really cleanly, aren’t you? Is it soothing?”

Taeyong nodded, “If it’s messy, I have trouble sleeping.”

"You should stay at my house and always clean for me,” Kamella said nonchalantly, but the words made Taeyong smile.

"Ok,” He agreed easily, and Kamella laughed, moving into the kitchen to pull him away from the cleaning materials.

“No more cleaning! It’s almost 1 am; we need to go to bed.” Kamella ordered, playfully pushing him towards her bedroom. It didn’t take a lot of effort, but he let her direct his steps until they were in her bedroom one again.

Her room was painted in a soft yellow, and she had accented the entire room with gray and cream furniture. There was a yellow bench at the end of her gray full sized bed that matched the walls, where a collection of stuffed animals perched.

“Noona, where did all these animals come from?” Taeyong asked, picking up a cheerful bunny rabbit with a pink nose.

“A lot of these babies were gifts from my grandmother when I was a kid, so I keep them close,” Kamella was pulling back the comforter to climb in her bed. When she turned to find Taeyong, he was still standing at the edge of her bed, chewing his bottom lip thoughtfully.

“Taeyong-ah, come here. I won’t bite… much,” She gave him a wicked smile, and Taeyong nodded, carefully moving to the other side of her bed. His heartbeat was pounding out of control.

Just as he leaned forward to climb in, Kamella reached for him, pulling him down in the bed right beside her. She covered him with her comforter, and reached forward to cup her hand against his cheek, her brown eyes softening, “You never told me your wish while you were in LA. Since we’re meeting outside of the club now, I’ll grant you one wish for tonight’s visit.”

“Noona…” Taeyong was getting lost in her gaze. He remembered what he had planned to ask her while he was out of the country, but now, another wish was echoing in his mind, loud and clear.

“Go ahead, Taeyong-ah,” She encouraged, waiting for his answer.

He placed his hand over her’s, facing her head on, not daring to look away, “You promised me everything, so you have to be the first. Be my first everything too, Diamond-noona.”

For the second time tonight, Kamella felt breathless. Taeyong knew just what to say to get her riled up. Kamella her lips, her gaze flickering to his beautiful mouth, “You really have no idea what you’re asking for.”

On the contrary, he knew exactly what he was asking her for. Instead of giving her a reply, he pressed a soft kiss to her full lips, sealing his request on . She only had two options at this point, and for the first time since they began, Taeyong wasn’t sure if she’d actually say yes.

End Chapter 8