The words bridged fear and reality, sinking in like mud at the pit of his stomach. And here was the funny thing about reality – he knew it but he couldn’t accept it. How could things change so much in the few seconds? How could ink smeared on a piece of paper turn his worries into something so real and tangible? 

Kibum reached for the newspaper, hands shaking. The scowl from his grandma bored into his mind, her wrinkled face more sharp and defined than everything else in the room. Without a word, he studied the picture in the newspaper; it was strange to see himself, pixelated and matte. He tried to talk, but words were stuck in his throat, unwilling to untangle themselves around his vocal cords. 

“It...who..what...” Jonghyun sputtered from beside him. He understood. It must be a frightening thing. This was his reality but not Jonghyun’s – not for the simple boy from Incheon, not for the modest college student who worked part-time at a bar surrounded by the same faces of loyal customers. 

“I’ll take care of it.” 

And he would. 

Jonghyun looked so lost. His eyes unfocused and confused, they broke through the red haze that surrounded him, draining away his cold anger. Suddenly he was tired. 

“I…”

I’m sorry? Would that be enough? No words seemed enough. He should have been more careful. He knew reporters followed him like the plague. For anyone else, the picture of two friends climbing the stairs of some apartment to watch the sunrise on the rooftop would seem innocent enough. But not for him; especially not when his clothes were clearly rumpled, indicating he and Jonghyun had spent the night together. 

“I will arrange a meeting with the press,” His grandma told them, her eyes darted between Jonghyun and himself, “We will take care of this. For the time being, Butler Kim, you are dismissed.”

“No, I want to help," Jonghyun protested. "My sister works for a magazine -” 

“We thank you, but you’ve done enough.”

“Please…”

“Let it go, Jonghyun,” Kibum sighed, his head pounding with possibilities and speeches already brewing like a small storm inside his mind, “I’m sorry. Your check will be in the mail the first thing tomorrow.” 

“Kibum, come on.”

Kibum shook his head. “Please, for me, just let it go. I’ll handle it.”



“Will he cause trouble?” His grandma asked as soon as Jonghyun closed the front door with a decisive slam. 

“Grandma, I think we are the ones causing him trouble,” Kibum returned, leaning back on the couch.

“You will be generous with his check,” She said decisively. “And write him an apology. For now, I want you both to stay away from each other.”

He didn’t answer. Jonghyun was a mere stranger that came to work for him – the request to stay away shouldn’t affect him at all. But it did and Kibum didn’t know why. The words weighted like a stone, dragging him down, suffocating him. 

“Why were you even in Incheon?”

Kibum shrugged, “I just…needed to get away. Between Mrs. Chun’s injury and this…”

Negligence; that was what the news reporters will say, what was the CEO of the Kim’s empire doing with some college kid whilst his tenant was in the hospital because of an injury caused by one of his apartments? He could see the headlines as clearly as if they were printed before him. And what about Jonghyun? Questionable relationship, they will say, because no one in the elite should have any friends living in a broken down place and drove around in a rusty metal box. 

“Kibum,” A gentle hand was placed upon his shoulder. It wasn’t the voice of the Kim’s family; it was the voice of his grandmother, the voice of the woman who raised him when his parents were too busy to notice. “Your dad’s health has been getting better, I am sure he will be happy to shoulder some of the burdens.”

“No, Grandma, I’ll be fine. We cannot risk it. He won’t survive the next heart attack.”

“And this boy…”

“It’s fine. You’re right. We cannot involve him in this, you were right to let him go.”

She studied him for a moment, her eyes much sadder than he remembered. Then she straightened, the air of authority cloaked her person and he was reminded of why she was still the head of the Kim’s household even after his dad (and now him) took over the family’s business. 

“You will be present at the house tomorrow morning,” She told him with finality. “And we will release an official statement.”

Kibum nodded, too tired to do otherwise.

Jonghyun paced his small apartment, legs eating up the floor, listening to the sound of woods giving way. In the back of his mind, he was aware that he’d fall right through one day but he was too occupied to be worried for his life.

“Noona,” He said into the phone, desperation rung loud and clear, “There has got to be something we can do.”

“I don’t know what to tell you,” He heard her through the static. “The press is having a field day! Korea’s elite hanging out with a commoner, and even spending the night? This is top notch story!”

“It’s not like I am someone with s and pigtails, guys sleep over at each other’s places all the time!”

“Guys do,” His sister agreed. “But not guys like Kim Kibum. I am looking at the pictures right now…and, were you guys holding hands?”

Jonghyun thought back, “Yeah, I was dragging him with me to the roof but it doesn’t mean anything. Guys can hold hands.”

“Again, maybe guys do…”

“But not Kim Kibum,” Jonghyun finished. “Oh God. What am I going to do?”

“Nothing. The Kim’s – that is, the other Kim’s – are powerful and they will take care of it. You just lay low. Promise me.”

“Fine.”

“Great, I have another line. I’ll have to call you back later.”

It wasn’t fair. It was upsetting how unfair this whole entire situation was! Why couldn’t Kibum hang out with a friend without making front page news? For the first time, Jonghyun was entirely sure he didn’t want Kibum’s life. All the money and riches in the world wasn't worth this.

“Hyung!” Minho called from across the counter top of the bar, “There is someone who wants to see you. He’s out back.”

Jonghyun put down the mug he had been polishing and threw the rag at Minho’s head, laughing when the younger boy glowered at him. He slowly made his way outside, stopping to talk to some of their regulars before pushing through the front door, enjoying the way the breeze made his face tingled. He rounded the corner and stopped dead in his track when he saw the other man leaning against the wall, greasy smile in place.

“What do you want?” Jonghyun spat out, his body tensed.

“I understand you’ve made friends with some very…interesting people.” The man replied, holding out the newspaper for him to see. “I’ve got a deal for you.” 
 

Kibum pulled up to the gate, pressed his remote and waited for the golden gate to pull back. It gleamed in the morning’s sunlight. He drove through the winding road that led up to his family’s estate, taking in the dewy grass and green leaves that were dancing in the breeze. Soon it’d be too cold and those trees will be bare, branches will greet the sunlight instead of the greens.

He parked near his father’s Benz which made his BMW looked Jonghyun’s crappy car. Kibum pushed back that thought, gathered his suitcase and made his way to the front door. When he used to live here, he used the garage’s door, but it didn’t seem right anymore. He was a guest now.

Kibum rang the doorbell and waited. 

“Sir,” Their butler of ten years blinked as the door opened, “Welcome.”

“Thank you, Mr. Han,” Kibum stepped into their foyer, feeling foolish. Maybe he should have used the garage’s door after all. “Please announce my presence.”

The butler bowed.

Kibum took in the expansive foyer with it polished marble floor and shook his head. Sometimes his family’s estate felt overwhelming, even to him. The foyer had a sky roof overhead, basking the place in light. There was a fireplace to his left and a couch to his right. There were also two massive staircases that curved into the walls and met at the top to form the corridor. Everything was white and pristine. He had always thought the crystal chandelier that hung from the center of the domed ceiling a bit overdone, but it looked pretty in the sunlight, casting rainbows throughout the space.

“Your grandma is ready for you, Sir.”

“Thank you.”

The butler bowed again.

Kibum stood erect, dismissing the man with a wave. It had always made him feel awkward when dealing with the help. He passed by several of the housemaids on his way to the drawing room, all which curtsied and asked him about his health. Kibum took several minutes to address their inquiries before continuing on his way, hearing the trail of their giggles behind him. 

“Grandma,” He approached her with the usual peck on the cheek. Then turned to greet the rest of his family members: his dad was sitting at one of the leather wingchair with his mom perched on the armrest next to him. His grandma was sitting on the Victorian couch next to his aunt and Hana.

“Kibum oppa,” Hana stood up and curtsied at him. Kibum hid a smile.

“To my knowledge,” His aunt spoke up first, “The damage isn’t too bad. There is nothing we cannot undo. Some rumors have surfaced questioning Kibum’s…uality, however, which is the most urgent matter.”

Kibum rolled his eyes, “They concluded this from a simple picture?”

“You and Jonghyun looked good together,” Hana piped up and was immediately hushed by everyone in the room (aside from Kibum).

“I’ve contacted Eun Ae,” His grandma spoke up, breaking the silence caused by his cousin’s statement. “She will be back from Oxford in one week. We will make the official announcement to the press. This will remove any,” She paused, “doubts about Kibum’s uality.”

Kibum’s eyes flickered to her face briefly before going back to study the rug in the middle of the room. Eun Ae. That was a name he hadn’t heard in a while.