Ji-an
By the time we pulled up to the hotel, exhaustion had settled deep in my bones. I wasn't alone—Min-ji and Hye-won were so out of it they were snoring, and despite myself, I laughed. It was so un-idol-like. Not that I could blame them. Even Jisoo, who hadn't been attacked, was fast asleep.
Logan parked the car smoothly, but when he cut the engine, no one moved.
I sighed, rubbing my eyes, turning in my seat and nudging Hye-won. "We're here."
She groaned in response.
Min-ji buried her face deeper into the car seat, mumbling something incoherent.
Only Jisoo stirred, immediately getting out of the car.
I glanced at Logan, expecting him to say something sharp and commanding, but he just stared ahead, jaw tight, fingers still gripping the steering wheel.
He was still in work mode.
Still scanning.
Still thinking like the soldier he was.
"Logan," I said, my voice softer than I expected.
His head turned slightly. "Yeah?"
"We should go inside."
For a second, he didn't move. Then he exhaled, unclipped his seatbelt, and stepped out of the car.
I pushed open my own door, stretching stiff muscles as I stood.
Then I heard a low, irritated grunt. I turned just in time to see Logan pulling open the back door, taking in the scene inside.
Min-ji hadn't moved.
Hye-won had—barely. She sat up a little, blinking blearily at Logan. "Five more minutes," she murmured before flopping back down.
Logan sighed through his nose. "That's not happening."
Min-ji let out a soft, dramatic snore.
He pinched the bridge of his nose and tried to give a little nudge.
I crossed my arms. "You can just shake them awake."
"Tried that," he said flatly.
I frowned. "You barely touched her."
Logan wasn't a man who tried. He did.
And apparently, in this moment, what he did was scoop Min-ji up into his arms cradling her close to his chest. She snuggled in instinctively. .
My eyebrows shot up.
So did my irritation.
"Seriously?" I muttered.
"What?"
"You're carrying her?"
"We can't leave her in the car now can we?." He shifted her in his arms, completely unbothered. "You want to carry her instead?"
I gritted my teeth.
It wasn't that I wanted to carry Min-ji and of course we needed to hurry. And I know I shouldn't be irritated. But Logan was handling her like she was some delicate, breakable thing, and it bothered me.
Logan gave me an amused smile and Min-ji an affectionate glance.
I glared. He hadn't looked at me like that. He was treating her like a freaking princess. He hadn't treated me like a princess.
What's up with that?
I exhaled sharply. "Fine. But you're not carrying Hye-won too."
"Why would I carry Hye-won?" he said dryly.
Jisoo didn't say anything—just laughed.
Hye-won was already dragging herself out of the car, rubbing her eyes. "No fair! Why does only Min-ji get princess carried?"
Min-ji, meanwhile, had fully relaxed against Logan's chest, breathing evenly.
I rolled my eyes. "She's going to be so embarrassed when she wakes up."
Logan smirked slightly. "What a silly thing to be embarrassed about. You can tell her I thought she was adorable."
I could feel the steam coming out of my ears. It took all my willpower not to throw my phone at him.
We headed inside, avoiding the main entrance, taking the service elevator straight up to our floor.
The moment the doors closed, I finally let myself breathe.
It was over.
We were safe.
For now.
Hye-won collapsed onto an oversized recliner. Logan set Min-ji down carefully on the couch, pulling one of the hotel blankets over her.
She didn't even stir.
Jisoo and I both sat in chairs next to the couch.
For a second, none of us moved.
Then Hye-won sat up suddenly. "Unnie, can I stay here? I don't want to sleep alone."
I frowned. "What?"
"I don't want to be by myself." She looked at me, then at Jisoo, then Min-ji. "What if they're not done? What if someone else tries something?"
I hesitated.
Because she had a point.
Min-ji shifted slightly in her sleep, murmuring something under her breath.
Then, without even opening her eyes, she mumbled, "We should all stay together."
Hye-won nodded immediately. "Agreed."
Jisoo didn't say anything and simply nodded.
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Fine. You both can stay here."
Hye-won smiled in relief, already kicking off her shoes.
Then I turned to Logan.
"You should go," I said.
He didn't move.
Didn't blink.
Just stood there, arms crossed, watching me.
"Not happening," he said.
I narrowed my eyes. "You don't have to babysit us."
"No," he agreed. "But I do have to make sure you're safe. Until you leave this hotel, you're my responsibility."
I exhaled, frustration curling in my chest. "Logan—"
"Just let him stay," Hye-won muttered, already half-asleep. "I feel safer with him here."
I turned back to her. "You would?"
But she wasn't listening anymore.
Min-ji made a sleepy noise of agreement.
I sighed.
Logan just raised an eyebrow, like he knew he had won.
I scowled.
"Fine," I muttered, flopping onto the bed. "But you better not hover."
His lips twitched, like he was holding back a smirk.
"I'll try my best."
Somehow, I didn't believe him.
***
The hotel suite had finally gone quiet.
Min-ji was curled up on the couch, completely passed out under a thick blanket. Hye-won and Jisoo had claimed the bed in the second room, their whispered conversations fading into soft, even breaths as exhaustion overtook them.
That just left me and Logan.
I sat at the edge of the couch, legs tucked under me, my fingers absently running over the fabric of my sleeve. Across the room, Logan was leaning back in one of the dining chairs near the window, arms crossed, posture deceptively relaxed. He had dressed down some. Taken off his tactical vest, his shirt was pretty torn up, there were knife marks and rips in the fabric from the fight.
Seeing it made me realize how dangerous the situation had been.
Logan was breathing deeply, steady and alert. His eyes were still scanning the room, flickering to the doors, the windows, the shadows in the corners. Like he was still waiting. Still expecting something to go wrong.
I turned my head toward him. "Why did you pretend you didn't know me?"
Logan didn't react right away. Just let out a slow breath, like he'd been expecting the question.
"You should sleep."
I ignored that.
"Logan."
He exhaled, dragging a hand down his jaw. "Seriously? That's what you want to talk about?"
"Yes."
His mouth twitched slightly.
Then he met my eyes. "I wasn't pretending."
I scowled. "That's bullshit."
He let out a short laugh. "You are freaking adorable."
I glared. "You knew damn well who I was—am. Why did you pretend you didn't? We met at the airport in Hong Kong. We talked for almost an hour. "
Logan tilted his head slightly. "Did we?"
I opened my mouth.
Then hesitated.
Because… technically, no.
At the airport, he had done all the talking. I had listened.
I had let him ramble about whatever thoughts came into his head. I had played the amused, quiet stranger, laughing at his musings, nodding along, never offering anything in return.
Mainly because he didn't think I spoke English.
And then I left.
He hadn't seen me since.
For almost a year, we had not met. We hadn't talked. At Least as Logan and Ji-an. But I couldn't exactly say that now could I.
I clenched my jaw stubbornly. I knew it was ridiculous. He didn't have any reason to "know" me. It still pissed me off. He should know it's me. Should know that I am Jess and that we are friends. Idiot.
"You still remembered me."
Logan exhaled through his nose. "I remember meeting a pretty girl at an airport. I remember talking to someone who I thought couldn't talk back. I remember saying a bunch of things that many might find embarrassing. I later found out she was famous just before she walked off never to be seen again. Ok that is a bit of a stretch, because I see you everywhere, all the time, but you get my point."
His eyes flickered, searching mine.
"You," he said, voice quieter now, "are Ji-an of Nova—a global superstar. A woman with millions of fans. A face on billboards, in magazines, on flashing screens. We spoke briefly on a random day, in a random city on a random trip. So why, exactly, would I assume you'd remember me?"
I opened my mouth.
Then I closed it.
Because I didn't have an answer.
Not one I could say.
Not the truth.
I couldn't tell him that I had never forgotten him.
That I had searched for him online.
That I had spent the last ten months talking to him as someone else.
That I had befriended his sister and joined the groups he liked.
That I had built him up in my head as something different. Something more.
My stomach twisted.
I hated that he was making sense.
I hated that I suddenly felt stupid for expecting anything else.
Logan watched me carefully.
He was waiting.
I knew I should say something.
But I couldn't.
Logan smiled a very smirky smile. "The truth is I know of you. The whole bloody world knows of you. But I am a normal guy, an American, not into your brand of music and I made an ass out of myself during the one interaction we had. Your exit wasn't exactly forgettable. Of course I knew/know who you are now. But that doesn't mean that I know you. And I certainly don't think it was appropriate to act familiar. "
I looked away, exhaling sharply. "You're annoying."
Logan smirked. "And you're blushing."
I shot him a glare. "You think you're so clever."
"Pretty much."
"It's annoying."
"You said that. I wonder why you constantly seem upset with me."
I tried not to meet his eye.
He just sat there, watching me with that unreadable expression, like he was still trying to figure me out.
Ugh. He was so freaking smug; it almost made me mad that he was trying to figure me out.
Almost.