Chapter 39

Jiyu was pushed into the photobooth like a crumpled rag, her hand slamming against the monitor to steady herself before she could stand up properly. The curtain was ripped shut with a sharp tear. Hunter turned away slowly. Outside, a loud wolf whistle cut through the air, followed by an explosion of cheers. “Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!” someone yelled. The whole area shouted it back in one voice. Jiyu stumbled backward until her back hit the corner. Hunter’s massive presence filled the tiny booth. [You asked me if I was dating Alexander de Lafayette.] He spat out Lex’s full name and glared at her. [Why no answer? Since when did you start hiding from me… And that guy, do you know what your jinx is? The fact that I’ve kissed you tens of times?] He stepped closer until their bodies nearly touched. Jiyu had nowhere left to retreat. Her wide shoulders blocked the view, trapping her against him. She looked up, eyes trembling. [W-what the hell-?] [Answer me, Jiyu Parker. Are you dating him or not!] Hunter leaned in, voice low and threatening, like she had committed a crime. Jiyu was confused. How could she even misunderstand something like this? [No! I didn’t say I was dating him, you idiot!] She snapped. Her voice sounded strange because she was shouting for the first time. Hunter Hamilton had pulled out the tiny spark of temper she kept hidden inside. She stared at him, voice quieter now. [Say something sensible. Why would I date Lex? We’re just… friends.] Hunter gave a cold laugh. [Friends? You let the whole world see you being pulled into a kiss? Jiyu Parker, you really can do that?] His chest felt like it was on fire. Someone had poured gasoline down his throat and tossed a lighter in. His insides burned black with disgust. The violent urge to grab someone by the throat and beat them to death rose up. [Is that so? Then it should be easy. If I can kiss a guy who’s just my friend, why can’t I do the same with you?] […What?] Jiyu’s eyes went wide. She looked shocked. Damn it. Who was he calling stupid? She had watched Lex kiss him with her own eyes. Hunter lifted his chin and spoke coldly. [Kiss or slap. The punishment.] [Why me-?] [Anyone but you.] [……] Jiyu looked visibly shaken. Her big eyes darted, lashes fluttering. Then she bit her trembling lower lip. There were girls she knew in school. She moved in different circles and was familiar with a few, but none of them made her want to kiss. [So, Jiyu Parker… would you like to kiss him?] The harsh question gnawed at her pride. Hunter gritted his teeth. He didn’t want to admit it. Self-loathing was overwhelming. It was infuriating, ridiculous. But his body kept reacting against his will, and he couldn’t fake it. His reason tried to grab his shoulders, but something else—something he couldn’t control—kept pushing him toward her. Hunter remembered the conversation he’d had with his father right before coming to the party. [This is what Dad meant by teenage hormones and urges… I guess.] He watched Jiyu without blinking. A blush crept slowly across her cheeks. It was always strange to watch. His hands itched to touch it. The small space made his chest feel tight. His breathing sounded a little rough. Jiyu lowered her head, only her eyes lifting for a second. When they met his, her ears turned red. She looked away, biting her lip hard. [It’s fine!] Hunter’s heart gave a violent jolt. He had seen Jiyu’s body language hundreds of times since childhood and knew it instantly. [Hah.] He lifted her chin slightly with a short exhale. Their eyes met again. The bright lights of the photobooth turned her large brown irises into round white moons. Jiyu lowered her gaze, hiding her eyes. His gaze slid down the straight elegant bridge of her nose, lingered on her flushed cheeks, then reached her glossy red lips and stopped. He took a deep breath. The sweet strawberry scent of her lips filled his nose. His fingertips, still holding her chin, trembled. He swallowed the saliva pooling in his mouth, then turned his head slightly. Jiyu closed her eyes tight. He lowered his lips and murmured. [If you don’t want to, slap me.] The rough voice scraping from his throat sounded strangely in his own ears. When their lips met, both of them held their breath at the same time. Jiyu Parker’s lips were softer and more pliant than he expected, and slippery. Hunter pressed his lips to hers and blinked several times before slowly pulling back. They both released the breath they had been holding at once. The sweet strawberry scent moved to his lips. He licked his lips with his tongue. A faint sweetness lingered on the tip. Just a little more. He lowered his head again. Jiyu opened her eyes slowly, blinked in a daze, then covered her mouth with the back of her hand right before his lips could reach. [You just… you just did that.] [That was the punishment. This is my jinx. There’s a tournament.] It wasn’t an important one, but… He grabbed her hand and pulled it down. Still holding one hand, he lowered his head again. His breathing was even rougher now. Their lips met once more. A tremble ran through Jiyu’s slightly parted lips from the shallow breaths she took. Hah. I can’t hold back. Hunter leaned his upper body down a little deeper than before. Jiyu tilted her head back, swayed, then gripped the monitor again with her hand. Ting. Ting. The machine made sounds, but they didn’t hear them. Her knees didn’t have strength left. The tiny photobooth felt like it was floating on the sea; her legs wobbled. She felt dizzy, nauseous, trembling all over. His rough kisses on her lips hurt a little. The awkward, wild kiss was as stubborn and wild as his personality. He started with a light lick on her lips like tasting lip gloss, then the kiss slid into her mouth. It turned into a chase where she ran and hid, and he chased her down. Aah. The feeling was weird… Her heart was beating so fast it felt like it would explode any second, like a timer had been set. Every nerve in her body was focused on the inside of her mouth where Hunter was ravaging her. The first kiss was dizzying, dizzy, suffocating. [Your photo is ready!] Whoosh. Clunk. A cheerful machine voice rang out along with the sound of the photo spitting out at the exit. Their heads, pressed together, froze at the same time like they had been dipped in ice water. Jiyu was the first to come back to her senses. She pushed Hunter away slightly. He slowly pulled his lips back and lifted his head. The noise around them returned the moment he took off his noise-canceling headphones. They had only been kissing and playing hide-and-seek, but both of them were panting like they had just finished intense exercise. Hunter’s deep blue eyes had darkened to a color she had never seen before. He half-lowered his eyes and lowered his head again. This time Jiyu covered his lips with her hand. Questions swirled in her hazy head. Why was he always trying to kiss her even though he didn’t like her? [I did the punishment. I did the jinx. What is this for now…?] [……] Hunter couldn’t answer. His mouth was shut. Then the voices outside the photobooth leaked in. [Did they just kiss?] [Yes, yes! Definitely. Should we open it secretly?] The curtain fluttered a little. [Hey, don’t disturb!] The last voice was Lex’s. Hunter’s face twisted in ugly anger, like he had the same thought. Suddenly a strange question popped into Jiyu’s mind. Why was she angry with him for asking if she was dating Lex, and why was he acting like it was weird that she kissed a friend? She tilted her head. [Hey, Hunter? Are you jealous of Lex? Earlier-?] [What nonsense. Why would I be jealous of that guy? Jiyu Parker, are you crazy?] Hunter cut her off with a fierce expression.