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LOZ 89
Nausea surged. He felt as if he would throw up everything in his stomach if he stayed lying here for even one more minute.
[Move.]
Hunter pushed her aside and sat up. A thirst hit him, as if he had been dropped into a desert without a single drop of water. A terrible headache washed over him, feeling as if needles were poking his eyeballs and a hammer was pounding his skull. Still, this was better than completely losing control of his body like before.
[Hunter, look at me.]
Sienna pulled on his arm. He turned back with a furrowed brow. Sienna, wearing lingerie that barely counted as clothing, brushed back her hair and smiled seductively.
Does she not know that drugging someone without their consent and doing things like this is a crime?
A wave of disgusting repulsion surged within him. If she had been a man, he would have broken her nose.
Hunter stepped off the bed.
[W-where are you going, Hunter?]
A flustered voice followed behind his back.
He lifted the front of his jacket and sniffed.
“Fuck. I feel like throwing up.”
Muttering in Korean, Hunter stripped off the jacket and tossed it into the trash can next to the desk. Then, without looking back, he walked out of the suite.
That night was one of those days he wanted to erase from his life entirely.
[Hunter Hamilton. Did you sleep with Sienna Reed?]
Jiyu's question pierced Hunter's ears sharply.
[Are you crazy? Why the hell would I sleep with her?]
It was absurd. Just the thought of Sienna Reed getting close to him triggered a physical rejection response.
'Does she think I'm like that?'
Hunter still hadn't overcome the fact that Jiyu's first kiss had been with Rex. So why on earth would he do that?
[Ah. I see. I just thought...]
Jiyu laughed awkwardly. Her dimples flickered, appearing and disappearing.
[Jiyu Hamilton, do you even have the right to ask me something like that?]
Her eyes widened in surprise.
[You're the one who had your first kiss with Alexander Fucking Lafayette. Spring Fling. Don't you remember?]
[What do you—!]
[You think I didn't see the two of you hugging and kissing in front of the photo booth? Fuck. I even got a 'Kiss or Slap' penalty because of that; how could I forget?]
[No!]
Jiyu's mouth hung open for a moment before she shook her head violently in denial.
[Absolutely not, Hunter! Rex did pull me into a hug back then, but he said he was just joking around to provoke you. You know what Rex is like. That's all. We didn't kiss. Kissing Rex? Be reasonable!]
Seeing Jiyu deny it so desperately, Hunter tilted his head and recalled the memory. Now that he thought about it, he realized he had only seen their backs and hadn't actually seen them kiss.
If it was Rex, he was exactly the kind of guy who would do that just to get a rise out of him.
[...You really didn't?]
He checked one more time.
[Absolutely. I swear. I didn't.]
Jiyu emphasized it again.
[Ah.]
The corner of his mouth twitched and curled up slightly.
Then, that means Jiyu Hamilton's first kiss will be with me.
[But Hunter...?]
Staring at him with clear, shining eyes, Jiyu called him cautiously.
[What.]
He felt like he would answer anything she asked.
Fuck. If she asked for a million dollars right now, he felt like he'd sign a check immediately and tell her to keep it without ever needing to pay it back. He'd probably throw in the Triple H building too.
[My last name is Parker.]
He stared at her blankly. Where did this random comment come from?
[I know that.]
[Earlier... you called me Jiyu Hamilton.]
[What? When did I—]
Hunter paused. He blinked rapidly.
Damn. Why does he keep making mistakes?
Jiyu giggled. Deep dimples formed in her flushed cheeks.
[Hunter, are you drunk by any chance?]
[...The sun is setting.]
At his words, she immediately turned her gaze toward the sea. Then, she let out a small gasp of admiration.
[Wow... Hunter, look at the sky!]
Just before being swallowed by the Mediterranean Sea, the blazing sun made one last struggle, dyeing the surroundings in deep red. A pale moon rose brightly in the purple sky.
The sunset cast a reddish glow over Jiyu's face. Her brown hair shimmered gold, and the sinking sun seemed to embed itself within her pupils.
'There is something important I need to say...'
Sitting at the edge of Cap d'Ail as the twilight fell, watching Jiyu fully enjoy the sunset made his heart feel warm with satisfaction. Perhaps that was why everything else didn't seem to matter.
He shrugged and rested his chin on his hand.
'There's plenty of time. It won't be too late to tell her tomorrow.'
Just then, gazing at the sunset, she beamed with a happy smile.
[It's so beautiful...]
[Yeah.]
Hunter stared at Jiyu without even blinking. By the time he turned his gaze to glance at the sea, the sun had already set.
[Hunter, can we walk a bit before going back? I think I need to sober up.]
Jiyu asked, pressing her cheeks with the back of her hand.
Having drunk three glasses of champagne during dinner, the intoxication had fully set in. She felt that walking in the night breeze would help her clear her head.
Hunter nodded readily.
[Let's go.]
He gestured with his chin toward the path running along the edge of the cliff. A waist-high stone railing wound its way along the southern tip of Cap d'Ail.
On this clear night, the moon hung low in the sky, surrounded by a noisy scatter of tiny stars. The black, undulating sea reflected the soft moonlight.
The two walked side by side along the narrow path.
Occasionally, a cool breeze blew, cooling their flushed cheeks. Thanks to the sound of waves crashing against the cliff in an irregular rhythm, the silence was not awkward.
[Oh! The tennis courts were here...]
A tennis court, surrounded by high steel fences and nets, was situated right atop the cliff.
[Wow... it's amazing. I feel like playing tennis here would be like playing on top of the ocean.]
She murmured, peering inside the net.
[Want to go in?]
[Is that allowed?]
He shrugged.
[Why not?]
Then, he swung open a door located in one corner.
[Go in.]
As Jiyu stepped into the darkened tennis court, Hunter followed. Entering a small restroom building installed right next to the door, he flipped a switch. The lamps, towering like utility poles at the corners, lit up one by one.
[Whoa...]
Jiyu walked into the tennis court, now as bright as broad daylight, and looked around.
It was a magnificent view. A sheer cliff on one side, and the sea on the other.
Before she knew it, Hunter had come to stand beside her.
[Hunter, what does it feel like to play tennis here?]
[Why ask? Try it yourself.]
[...Now?]
Having stopped her tennis lessons after Alan's death, Jiyu hadn't been able to join the Aster School varsity team. And since then, she hadn't had the chance to hold a racket for over two years.
Hunter went back into the restroom and emerged pushing a ball cart full of tennis balls, holding two rackets in one hand.
Startled, Jiyu took the racket Hunter offered. The precisely taped grip felt both strange and familiar.
Though she had watched Hunter play tennis for a long time, she had never actually played with him.
Holding a tennis racket while wearing a fluttering long dress and sandals felt a bit ridiculous. In contrast, Hunter looked perfectly natural holding a racket even in formal attire.
He took off his jacket, draped it over the ball cart, unfastened his wrist cuffs, and rolled up his sleeves to his elbows. His nicely tanned forearms were revealed.
[Stand on the baseline. Get your stance low.]
Hunter instructed.
As she walked toward the baseline, her heart suddenly began to race. Now that she was actually standing before the line, she felt strangely shy. It had been over two years since she last played. She wasn't confident she could return the ball properly.
[Um, thinking about it, I don't think I can. I haven't played in over two years, and—]
Before Jiyu could even finish her sentence, Hunter took a ball from the cart and tossed it up. Instinctively reaching out, she returned the ball with a forehand.
Following the trajectory of the ball with his eyes, he snatched the ball as it brushed past his head. Then, without giving her a moment's respite, he tossed the ball back again.
This time, she returned the ball flying toward her left with a backhand. The ball skimmed the net and bounced off the deuce court.
[Not bad. Actually, it's bad. But it's not that bad.]
Hunter chuckled, teasing her.
[If you keep teasing me, I'm not doing this.]
Jiyu grumbled, her tension easing slightly.
He grinned and held up his palm.
[I won't tease you anymore. I swear. Let's make a bet, Jiyu Parker. How about a 7-point tiebreak? If you score even one point, I'll grant you a wish. You decide my handicap.]
[A bet? Between you and me? How does that even make sense?]
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