Vicious Spirits - Kat Cho Page 0,122

do something bullheaded or selfish.” He pressed a kiss to her temple beside the corner of her eye. Somin’s heart leapt, racing so fast she thought it would burst from her chest.

“I love your lips. I love when they’re telling me when I’m wrong. When they’re telling me that you care. When they’re yelling at me.” He pressed a featherlight kiss to her lips.

“Don’t you dare say you want to possess everything I have,” Somin said, her hands squeezing his with warning.

“Never,” Junu said with a smile that lit up his handsome face so it dazzled her like the sun. “I love everything you possess. I love it because you possess it. Because I love you.”

Now Somin couldn’t hold back her smile anymore. “You definitely have a way with words,” she said. “I don’t get it. It should sound corny and horrible, but somehow you make it sound so good.”

Junu leaned forward so they were eye to eye and all she could see was the warm brown of his irises. “I’ll teach you how.”

“You better,” Somin said as their lips crushed together. She felt herself being lifted from her chair and deposited in his lap.

“You didn’t say it back,” Junu said against her lips.

“What?” Somin asked, but she couldn’t help smiling.

His mouth trailed from hers, kissed her cheek, her jaw, the sensitive lobe of her ear. Then he whispered, “Are you really going to make me ask?”

“Yes,” Somin said, though it came out as more of a breathy sigh than a command.

“Do you love me, Lee Somin?”

She turned so they were face-to-face again. Their noses touching. “I do. I love you, Jin Junu. God help us both.”

EPILOGUE

SOMIN SQUINTED AGAINST the sun as she stepped outside and students spilled from the school.

Junu had declared that it was a crime for them all to stay inside on such a beautiful day. And gathered everyone to bring them out for dinner before they had to come back to school to study well into the night. Such was the life of a high school senior in South Korea.

“I don’t know if I should leave,” Changwan said, glancing around nervously at the other students. Most of them were first- or second-years. Almost every third-year was still cooped up inside.

“If you’re hungry, then you can’t concentrate. It’s basic science,” Junu said, throwing an arm around Changwan’s shoulders.

Somin rolled her eyes. “I hate to admit he’s right,” she said.

Changwan and Jihoon stared at her. “Wow, I never thought I’d see the day,” Jihoon said.

“What? You’re surprised she agrees with me?” Junu threw his other arm around Somin, and she tried to hide her smile. “You know, I am a pretty smart guy. Somin recognizes that.”

“I never said I thought you were smart,” Somin said. “I said that you said one right thing out of a million wrong things I’ve heard you say. That’s not really a great percentage.”

“It’s pretty much a failing grade,” Miyoung piped up with a smile.

Junu shook his head. “I have no allies. I’m outnumbered.”

“I’m your ally, Hyeong,” Changwan said, forgetting his previous trepidation about leaving campus.

“You’re all I have, Changwan-ah.” Junu sighed.

Somin’s stomach chose that moment to growl. “Come on, I’m starved. And you promised food.” She grabbed Junu’s hand and jogged down the school stairs. She didn’t stop until they were outside the school gates.

“Trying to get some alone time with me?” Junu asked, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. Somin just laughed.

“No. It’s like I said, I’m hungry.”

“Sure,” Junu said, stepping toward her again. She stepped back only to collide with the security wall. “Be honest,” Junu said, leaning closer. And Somin’s lips parted in anticipation. Then he whispered, “Tell me what you and Hyuk talked about.”

“Ya!” Somin said, smacking him on the head.

He laughed as he backed up, rubbing a hand on his head just as the others rounded the corner.

“I see you still haven’t learned your lesson when it comes to teasing Somin,” Miyoung said, but there was a knowing glint in her eyes.

She looped her arms through both Jihoon’s and Changwan’s and started leading them up the street.

“What about Junu and Somin?” Changwan asked, craning his neck around.

“They’ll catch up,” Miyoung said, tugging them along.

Junu turned back to Somin with a smile. “You really won’t tell me?”

“It’s private,” Somin said. “The mortal world might depend on it.”

“Oh really?” Junu asked, a playful grin spreading across his face. “I bet I can get it out of you.”

“You’ll have to be really convincing,” she said, looping her arms around his neck.

“What do