Page 27 of GR8VITY

His lips do that one-sided smirk thing again. "Anywhere my members are."

I'm pretty sure my heart just melted in my chest. It's clear that there's a familiar bond between Dav En and Kyung. I wasn't sure if it was going to extend to the rest of them, but apparently, it does.

Seong Su directs my attention to him when he asks, "Why do you go to the same spot every night?"

"Honestly," I start, "I've been missing my omma a lot lately, and that place reminds me of her. Plus, it's a good walk to and from my apartment. Keeps me in shape and helps tire me out for sleep."

"Would you rather vacation in the woods or at the beach?" I ask, taking a sip of the water Kyung had set down in front of me.

Seong Su thinks about it for a few seconds before he decides, "Definitely the woods. It's more secluded, and sometimes quiet is nice."

"What do you do for work?" Jae-un asks from the other end of the table.

I'm taking bites between questions, so I finish chewing before answering him. "So, I got a huge inheritance from my real parents once I turned eighteen. I helped my omma with her medical bills and started college. After everything, I decided that I only live once and am working on my degree while I travel all the places me and my omma had talked about. And, a few we didn't. Who is your hero?"

Without hesitation, he nods toward the head of our table. "Our leader."

My heart melts even more as I watch Seong Su's smile lift even as his head drops.

"Is your mom still alive?" Yoon Ji asks from the other end of the table.

I catch the winces of everyone around us as I glance his direction, and Kyung reaches out to take my hand. Jae-un murmurs something under his breath that I can't hear that's obviously meant only for Yoon Ji. The man's head drops in shame as he apologizes to me.

"Yoon Ji," I state his name, waiting until he raises his eyes to look at me. The embarrassment that's in his expression just about breaks my heart. "Please don't be sorry for asking questions. It's the only way we get answers for anything, yeah?"

His lips pull up into a soft smile even as he refuses to look at anyone but me.

"My omma passed away four years ago," I answer. "It's a sensitive subject, but I don't mind talking about her. It's a way of keeping her alive right here."

The last I say, touching the middle of my chest. With a small wink, I add, "If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?"

His shoulders relax even further as Kyung squeezes my hand. I get a feeling that it's as much for comfort as it is for doing the right thing with his member. As a person who works with children almost daily, I'm used to the no filter thing between mouth and brain. Plus, I'm not one who offends easily, so that helps, too.

Yoon Ji doesn't even think about his answer before he says, "Somewhere there are real penguins."

This makes me smile. "Have you ever seen a real one up close before?"

"No." He sighs wistfully. "One day, maybe."

"They're super cute," I tell him, watching his eyes light up with another question.

Too bad Yeon Hu beats him to it. "How long have you been traveling?"

My gaze finds his as he speaks, and I have to try really hard to keep color from rushing to my cheeks at the deep, soft sound of his voice.

"Ever since a couple months after my omma left me," I confess. "I lost my puppy, Clover after my omma. There was nothing left for me there anymore. I came here first, because we'd always talked about it. I moved on to Thailand where I found one of my favorite places ever. Still, I missed Seoul so much that I had to come back, and I've been here ever since."

There's more than sympathy in his expression that I normally receive, empathy or compassion even. It makes me want to hit him with a serious question in return. "Who do you think would win a fight, Darth Vader or Gandalf?"

The table breaks into hysteric laughs, but Yeon Hu sits back in his chair as he looks at me with one side of his lips pulling up into a half smile while he seems to consider his answer. Once everyone is quiet again, he finally replies, "Gandalf, for sure."

I mock his pose, crossing my arms over my chest, though. "You seem so sure. Why?"

The rest of the table watches between the two of us in our battle of gazes and knowing smiles. I can even feel Kyung's eyes on the side of my face. It doesn't deter me from finding out Yeon Hu's explanation.

After a few seconds, I earn a full smile from Yeon Hu, morphing an already gorgeous man into an even more beautiful one. "The good guy always wins."

I can't stop my grin even if I wanted to try. Color floods his cheeks, but he doesn't back down or break eye contact first.