buried in the moonlit sky

( click here for the spotify link )

God, he really hated being stuck in this stupid car with this absolute stick in the mud. The least they could’ve done is at least pick someone less annoying to watch his every move. He took a beat too long to consider that, scowling heavily. “... I'll be fine. How much worse could it possibly get?” Jae wasn’t like the rest of this immediate family; the last thing he would ever allow would be to show that any of this could affect him. If he showed weakness, than he truly was done for. He huffed out a laugh, dry and callous. “Sure. Let’s hope they didn’t pick you out just because you’re pretty. If you’re going to keep getting in my way, I expect you to at least be competent enough to keep up. I don’t need you slowing me down.”

“Keep telling yourself that. I’m sure it will stop being true if you just believe hard enough.” The traffic isn’t particularly favorable to cars, but he’d driven to work under the assumption it would be one space he could have to himself. Jae grips the wheel tightly and takes the turns quicker than he should. “What do you know? A small scare is exactly what it sounds like. Someone in the family just wants to freak me out enough that I reconsider taking over in the future. It's not serious.” He scoffs, taking a quick glance at Narumi to glare at him. “Do you even know what you're doing?”

He sure was quick, Jae would give him that. He worked his jaw, holding back an immediate answer while he reconciled with the fact that he was definitely not getting into his car alone. Another roll of his eyes and he swiftly hopped into his car, peeling out of the garage without checking that Narumi was ready. He let out a dry chuckle once they were properly moving. “Is that what you think you're doing? Protecting me?” He spared his bodyguard a wry look. “You’re a glorified babysitter. One small scare isn’t worth whatever they’re shelling out to Twinks-R-Us just to get you to breathe down my neck while I work. You should be miserable. What, they couldn’t give you a real job wherever you came from?”

The sound of politely measured steps following him did nothing to slow Jae’s stride, but it did deepen his scowl. This was getting old fast. “And I am telling you that's unnecessary. I can make it there just fine on my own.” He’d been in such a mood this morning, he’d driven himself, so there was no reason he could find for any more interference on his personal space. With every step that continued to have his bodyguard tagging along silently, however, the more irritable he got. He huffed moodily as he pulled up to his car. “I hope someone at home poisons me or something and puts us both out of our misery.”

Jae’s eyes narrowed as he gave Narumi a look of disbelief. “Watch your tone,” he warned darkly. Either this man had no sense of self-preservation, or he thought Jae was an idiot in his care that required no respect. Whichever it was, Jae couldn’t let it get to him. Taking a beat to glare, he took a deep breath and collected himself. “Of course,” he snapped, “See that it doesn’t happen again.” He spun on his heel, back on track toward the exit, and picked up his pace. He’d had enough of this. “You’re dismissed for the night. I’ll just finish up at home.” God knows he already wasted precious time feigning a break. He had deadlines.

“Why the fuck not,” he drawled, more out of pettiness than any real curiosity. The answer Jae got in return was about what he expected and although he had no witness for the heavy eye roll he gave in return, it felt justified. He bristled at that last bit, however, and stopped short so he could whirl around and glare at his bodyguard. “Oh, good, you’re hilarious,” he spat out, hand on a cocked hip. He dug one pointed finger into the center of Narumi’s chest. “Whoever gave you this job didn’t teach you about talking back, huh? I will end you. Don’t test me.”

The propensity his parents exhibited for dramatics was nothing new to him. But this latest pearl-clutching and hysteria about personal safety pushed the limits of what Jae was willing to put up with. It’s not like his life was actually in any danger. He was convinced it was a single attempt meant only to scare him. He didn’t need a babysitter. It was hard enough to focus on work while someone watched his every move on a normal day. Now they wanted to pay someone to do it everywhere he went? “No,” he lied curtly, walking past his new bodyguard toward the exit without sparing him another glance. If he was worth anything, he’d follow. “I’m getting dinner. But I’m done for the day.” He was not. “So you can go ahead and head back without me. It’s not like I need you to hand feed me.”