The first meeting

[whrrenah]

The commotion at school was insane. Worse than insane! Wren had no idea what was going on at first but the crowd of people who gathered in the cafeteria, screaming someone's name warned her that she did not want to be there. As she walked by, she slowed down, looking in the same direction as everyone else, spotting the set up stage and a single man under a light, strumming a guitar and crooning. Oh. That's what all the commotion was about.

"And now, for our grand finale, the one person who can answer all of Mr Wik's trivia questions will win a band tee with his signature on it!"

Wren rolled her eyes, mentally going "and the crowd goes wild!" in her head while the crowd actually went wild. Along with a couple of her friends. "Wren! Wren, don't you know who that is?"

Turning to the girl who went by Tweet, she responded in a flat tone. "Another boy hell bent on stealing the hearts of thousands so he can pay the bills?"

"Oh my god, Wren! It's WiK! Don't be a spoil sport! He's soooooo cute! You have to look at him! Tell me he's not cute!"

"He's perfectly fine--for being a feelings moocher."

Tweet shook her head. "You don't get it, do you? He used to go to school here."

Wren turned her eyes to her friend. "And? Everyone goes to school in some fashion. There's nothing special about that. But you want to know what is special? Letting all these people believe that they have a chance with him. Hell, even encourages it because that's how he makes money. Sell the belief that you can be with him, and everyone is climbing hand over fist to buy the next new album. Or his Merch, or whatever guitar he says is good. He's an actor and he's playing to the crowd. So if you want to enjoy the fantasy, enjoy it. But don't buy into it, okay? You're smarter than that."

She went on to class, not even taking a second look.


*****

Having been convinced to go out to karaoke (as Tweet sadly, didn't win the shirt), Wren chose the blue halter-top maxi. It was hot out with no sign of relief yet in nighttime Bangkok. Cute and lightweight, she decided to pull her hair up off her neck and frame her face with a few ringlets. Ready for a night on the town, she joined her friends in one of the bar booths, filled with drink and food, they all took turns on the mic, making a bit of a game out of it. When it was Wren's turn, she decided to go with the Disney-themed songs and started her rendition of "Kiss the girl."

It just so happened that she caught sight of said pompous boy in the hall, strolling around the rooms. And there was some eye contact. Deciding to play it up since her friends hadn't noticed yet, she decided to sing to him and tease him as well. "My oh my! Look like the boy too shy
Ain't gonna kiss the girl."

Comments

[whrrenah]

The conversation was starting to move so quickly she was missing the words now. Wren sat there, hands in her lap, waiting for the loud voices to die down.

"And when were you going to be available to ask, next year?" Kinn cocked his head, focused on Kim now as well. "Because your fans blew up the media channels before you even thought I should be informed. And at least one of them got a good look at your tenderized face." He glanced at Wren. "Regardless of what I think she can or cannot do, there's a mark on her and now it's tied to you."

"She has a name," Wren muttered sullenly, that being the only part she could easily recognize. The rest of it was muddled into hits. Physical strikes or hitman style, she didn't know. But she did get the jist that these two never really got along and tried to keep out of it.

Kinn zeroed in on her again, staring intently. Wren matched it up with a stare of her own, jutting her chin out. "I know your name. It's not important."

Wren's eyes narrowed at him as he turned to speak to Kim. "So you need to either clean this up or I will clean it up for you. It's too much a scandal."

[meanmugging]

In Kim's defense he never exchanged names with Wren. " You can call me for any other stupid shit around this place but you couldn't for that?" he snipped back. " I have told you all that my life is my business. So what if it blew up on media you think shit you guys do hasn't in one form or another?" it all came down to him trying to pull away from the family, there was still that choker collar on him and the tighter it was pulled the more he fought it.

Kim turned to look to Wren " Could you not? Please. Not right now." still trying to protect her, and he wasn't even sure why he was. Just that he would die on this hill he was on right now.

He looked to Kinn. " I said you need to leave her alone. Like you said her name isn't even important enough. She's just a lady who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. If there is such a scandal, it's me you guys should take it up with. I acted on my own volition. It has nothing to do with her."

He walked over leaning down picking up Wren's back pack and handing it to her before taking her by the wrist and walking for the door.

[whrrenah]

All of it was confusing along with the vague phrases she half picked up. Then the next thing she knew was that her bag was thrust into her hands and she was being almost dragged out of the room. Behind them, she heard Kinn's bellow.

"You may have fooled everyone with that moniker, Kimhan, but you still wear your family name on your hand. Don't forget it."

She didn't know what all of that was about but it definitely seemed bigger than a simple sibling spat. Wren was quiet as she was led to wherever Kim was taking her, much more compliant with him than with the guards. With him, she didn't twist her wrist out of his grasp this time. And in fact, she didn't know when to speak, or even what to say. All she wanted right now was a quiet place to try and figure out what the hell just happened. And why.

[meanmugging]

Kim just cut his eyes over his shoulder toward Kinn. As much as he wanted to bark back at him, he was right. Fuck him for that too.

He was brisk as he walked her through the hotel and to the doors to the drive way, snatching his car keys out of the hands of a valet that was there. His car was still in the circle and he opened the passenger door for her. " Come on, I'll get you out of here." his voice was gentle as he spoke that time he pressed the button on the key chain to start the car waiting for her to get inside.

He was a little on the same page as she was, just wanting some place quiet and away from all the shit that had just broke loose.

[whrrenah]

There was no resistance in her today as she put her bag on the floor and got in, her feet on either side of it. The car was... holy shit it was nice and she perked up slightly, trying to catch what brand it was. Fuck. Maseratti.

"My dad has a fleet of Fiats," she responded, but that was all she said when she put on the seat belt. After that she was quiet, questions whirling in her head but not brave enough to ask any of them. The family interaction was weird and she couldn't place the reason why it had all her danger hairs on end, either. The caution was lessened now that they were out of the hotel. Not completely gone, but gone enough that she could relax.

[meanmugging]

He got in and shifted the car to drive. Getting her away from the hotel was a priority.

" I have a Fiat at my place in Italy." he commented back " They are nice cars." and there was that nervous reaction of his stomach growling. He glanced to her.

" I am hungry, do you want to eat hot pot with me?" He knew places around that were not affiliated in any way with the family.

[whrrenah]

She perked up, turning to look at him now. The mottled bruises didn't detract from his attractiveness and she mentally chastized herself on that thought. "Only if you let me pay," she said carefully, gauging his reaction. "It's only right since you paid for my cab fare."

But at the mention of a place in Italy, with a Fiat had her going off in that direction too. "What kind? Spyder or Lancia? Arbarth or stock?" It was a toe in the door so she was happy to take it. And she didn't mind the offer of food, either.

[meanmugging]

He turned the corner before looking to her. " No, and I am only saying that because you are going to need a new apartment." he said. " Unless you don't mind paparazzi making you late for everything ever for the next year or so. If asshole could find out where you live you can be certain they have too."

He was quiet a moment still having not loosened up much but he answered " That one is a cherry red classic Spyder 124, slim white wall tires with white leather interior." he could have stopped there but went on. " I also have a gray Pulse SUV they're pretty popular there so it blends in well."

[whrrenah]

"A new apartment?" She... hadn't thought of that. But he was right, she supposed. It was a little complicated getting to school lately. But the problem was that was the best apartment she could afford and still go to school. If she went for another apartment, that would mean getting a job. "I wonder if I can hold it off for another three months." She was supposed to graduate this year, after all.

Upon listening to the two vehicles, she shook her head. "Pulses aren't imported in the US. We have the dinky 500s and then what my father has managed to scrounge up with vintage cars and the new sports cars they sent out. But the spyder sounds like a dream."

[meanmugging]

He turned the car and parked it in a small parking lot where a small hot pot restaurant was. " Look..." he rested his hand on the steering wheel. " Since this is a little my fault that this is happening to you, I'll be your land lord. I have an apartment in the city, just two bus stops away from the college. You can pay me what you can. No one knows it's mine and it has security so you don't have to worry at night." he brought his hand up rubbing the back of his neck.

" Good thing I don't drive it in the US." he said looking to her with a little smirk. " I really like it, even the 500's can be nice around the town cars. Low key."

[whrrenah]

Her eyes kept widening as he offered a place to live. "That's too much to ask," she said, not really knowing what to say. "WiK, that is beyond generous. And I don't want to take advantage of that." She knew full well that if anyone else had been offered a place to live with a sliding scale rent, they'd take it in a heartbeat--as well as cozying up to the celebrity for some extra perks. But she didn't outright say no, either.

"I can see the appeal. Where your day to day is nothing but spotlights and screaming fans, something quiet and hiding in plain sight would be a luxury." She couldn't fault him for wanting that, either. People took anonymity for granted all too often. And then a thought struck her.

"However... if I do take the apartment... I'd still be buying the hot pot, then, right?" Who could fault her for that logic?

[meanmugging]

" I didn't offer because you asked." he said plainly. " It's Bangkok, I am sure you have been here long enough to know that places to live here that aren't a hostile are hard enough to come by. None the less the choice is still yours." he looked to her " I am not WiK right now, I am just Kim. So, you can call me that."


" It's a nice break away from it all for a while." He liked the stage lights and the fans, they gave him energy that was better than any drug known to man. He also liked his quiet though, valued privacy and having a life that wasn't part of the newest issue of whatever magazine had paid the highest price for the story.

He sighed dramatically, " Oh, I guess you could afford it if you were taking the apartment. It is already furnished and all."

[whrrenah]

You'll have to forgive her with her mind reeling a bit about this revelation. From near assault to mugging prevention to a new place to live? And possibly a new friend? She shivered for a moment as she felt a breeze brush by her even though there was no unusual air on in the car. "Wren. My name's Wren." She opened her door, ready to exit when she heard his sigh. Smirking, she looked over her shoulder at him.

"Then I guess I'm buying!" She grabbed her cross-over purse out of her bag so she could pay. She was already trying to figure out what she could sell, and give the current landlord her notice (no, she wasn't planning to stay there the full thirty days, either. Once out of the car, she gave a little bounce, extremely pleased that this was turning out okay. When Kim exited the vehicle, she stood demurely, bowing her head with a nose touching wai. "Thank you. Not for the apartment--well, yes, for that but more importantly, gratitude for taking a chance. I hope we can be friends." That might backfire considering he would be her landlord, but she could hope.

[meanmugging]

" Wren, like the bird. No wonder you were singing like one." he said almost absently, not even aware that could have been taken as a flirt. Kim here can be a little thick with women.

As she gave her answer to the apartment he gave a little chuckle which came as a puff of air from his nose and smirked. He looked after her as she got out of the car before getting out himself. " it's okay." he said looking across the car at her. It would be nice if he could actually have friends and things like that, but....as his brother said he still wore his name. " Trust me, Wren, you don't want to be my friend." he said turning and heading for the door.

[whrrenah]

"Almost like a bird. I think nightingales are prettier then little wrens." Unless he gave clear signals that he was flirting with a purpose, she wasn't going to think too heavily into his words. "With the reaction I got that one night, maybe less a bird and more a siren?"

She walked by his side, not expecting an arm or anything that would indicate that this was more than just an outing for food. "I think I should be the judge of that, shouldn't I? But you're partly right. I don't know enough about you to determine if I want to be your friend or not. And vice versa."

She was going to figure this man out. He was a mystery and Wren had a feeling that most people didn't want to take the time to know who Kim really was. Upon entering the little food place, she had a warm smile on her face, taking a deep breath to breathe in the aroma of the food. "Never been here before. How spicy is it?"

[meanmugging]

" Hn, I said a bird I didn't say it was pretty." he was teasing which was clear by the little half grin on his face.

He was polite enough to hold the door open for her allowing her to go inside first. WiK was a flirty person, his whole thing was to flirt with the audience with out going over board. And that is what he did singing and making eye contact just enough. Kim however, was awkward, didn't really know how to flirt for real. Not that he really did with people anyway.

People were captivated by the persona he had built, they didn't give a crap about Kim. It was WiK they loved.

He looked to her for a moment when she spoke about not knowing enough about one another. " You're right, but you should know I am nothing like my stage persona. I am not that free with my actions and with other people."

He looked up at the menu " It depends on what you put in it. It's customizable if your weak American tongue can't handle heat." he said teasing her again.

[whrrenah]

She looked back at him with a baleful expression, then an eye narrow. She meant pretty singer and for a moment she wondered if she had gotten the working mixed up but then decided he was just being difficult. That difficulty rewarded him with an eyeroll and smirk before heading into the shop.

That was the thing with Wren. She knew everyone had masks and personas out there depending on the people one was dealing with. She cared little for the public faces that provided fan service. Learning about the person underneath all that facade was her goal.

"Good. So you don't normally walk up and steal a kiss from anyone you see. That's good to know." She didn't rise to the bait of the spice and requested the hottest, spiciest hot pot she could see on the menu.

The clerk eyed her and spoke in rough English. "That might be too much for you. Pick less hot."

Wren paused, slid her gaze over to Kim and continued in fluent Thai. "Is it going to be too hot for you?" Because if not, she wanted it. And since she was paying, the guy better give her what she wanted.

[meanmugging]

She had it right, he was just being a brat. Which as she would come to learn as time goes by Kim does very well. he did grin a bit bigger because really she looked so cute giving him a grumpy face like that.

He chuckled. " No, I don't but I felt like you were poking my pride a bit. And well... WiK is a prideful creature. Plus, you were cute singing in that nice dress you had on." and he left it at that.

He looked to her like he grw an extra head. " I am Thai, no such thing as too hot. We are given Ghost peppers as babies you know." he said with the clear indication that any heat she could take, he could too. At this rate they would both be farting fire balls later.

[whrrenah]

Oh, cute and a nice dress? She blinked at him briefly, not really knowing what to say as she felt her face heat up. And as her face heated up, she dropped her head so that her hair fell in front of her face to hide it. "Well, thank you. You looked quite spiffy yourself." Spiffy didn't translate well, so that was English. And her words were quiet, meant for Kim only.

"Ghost peppers as a baby?" With that, she rolled her eyes. "Amateurs." But to the cook, she gave him a steady gaze. "Yes, that's exactly what we want. If I didn't want it, I wouldn't have said so. How much and when will it be ready?"

Once she had her answer and could pay, they were seated together in a booth. "Guarantee my father's cooking would put this hot pot to shame. He makes the best chili in the US."

[meanmugging]

Kim lofted an eye brow and gave her a look at the word spiffy, which he wasn't entirely sure the definition of it but assumed it was a positive thing. She was turning red in the face, was she feeling sick maybe?

Just as quickly as it came she was back on the horse about the spicy food. Maybe she wasn't sick, it was probably just the excitement of the day. He leaned over saying to the chef in clear Thai " She has a strong tongue."

" Ha. i guess you will be the judge." he said as he sat in the booth. his dad never cooked for them, always had the kitchen staff do it. For a moment he had to wonder what that was like to have a normal family life.

[whrrenah]

Wren knew how to carry a conversation and held no reservations on talking about home, what spices they used (hell spices. She didn't reiterate they were from actual HELL, though.) Home town, what was the same and what was different here. How she missed snow. It was providing a piece of normalcy-- not that she would ever consider her life 'normal.' Who went to school around the world to pick up languages, anyway?

When the hot pot finally arrived, the majority of her shyness around his compliment about her dress was gone. Now it was time to dig in. One the first bite of spicy food, her eyes lit up and she had to place her hand before her mouth as she chewed. It wasn't until after she swallowed that she spoke. "Oh, this is close. Not quite it but close."

This actually had turned out okay. There was food involved, she was slowly bringing Kim up to par with a normal conversation (and that was a bit of a challenge since most of the people she spoke to in school were so vapid there was never any substance. Her upcoming graduation ceremonies (Linguistics, Kim. Multiple languages) but her plans for the future were up in the air. After graduating, she wasn't sure what she wanted to do.

[meanmugging]

Kim was content to let her talk and to just listen, he wasn't much of a talker anyway. It was okay to him as well, there wasn't much he could add that wouldn't just complicate things further. His life wasn't something one talked about very openly.

" The French Alps were nice in the snow, but far too cold for me." it was something, and yeah shocker that the Thai man doesn't like cold.

Once the hot pot arrived Kim had no issues with the spice at all, not even flinching. Another shocker, the Thai guy can eat spice like no ones business.

" Do you plan to stay here after you graduate?" Yes he was impressed with her majors and had added that he was a music major which should ne no shocker at all considering.

[whrrenah]

Wren stopped in mid speech at his mention of the Alps "You've been where it's cold? And you still have all your fingers and toes?" She could be a brat, too! "Never been to France. Is it as romantic as everyone else gushes that it is?"

The food was good! Her only initial surprise as to how close it was to Dad's chili but that was it. She dug in as smoothly as Kim did. "I don't know, honestly. Nothing has come out and grabbed me to say I should lay down roots here. And it's easy to fall in love with this place if you can ignore the mosquitos trying to abduct you. I feel a little like a dandilion, seeds ready to go and all that's needed is a puff of wind for them to blow away. But what about you? Career's successful, you could go to one of your other places, like the one with the fancy red car." See, she knew how to talk about his life without doing so. "Go enjoy there, tour, not be so caught up in what your blood does." Wren gestured slightly with her hand on the last bit. She still didn't know what was up with his family other than there were tensions and it seemed like Kim was the son of some hotel tycoon? One of the brothers might be acting the spokesperson for that?

[meanmugging]

He nodded his head. " Been all over actually. For one reason or another. can't say I am a fan of the cold at all." he shook his head. Nope not one bit of this subtropic man liked the cold at all. he gave a soft huff through his nose.

" Anywhere has the ability to cast a spell on you if you are making the right memories there. For France, anyone not French they more or less like your money and that is about it. It was hard to find the romantic allure for me. Paris has some lovely lights at night, I can see where people would say that it is a very romantic place." he said before taking a larger bite than needed of the noodles and meat.

" I don't often do much related to my family or the things they do. I have my reasons. I tour as much as I can right now. I haven't found that place to root myself to just yet. Maybe my seeds are waiting for that puff of wind too." whatever she thought. It was for sure better than the reality of what it was. Fucking bloodline.

[whrrenah]

Everyone had their own journeys. He was closed lipped about his family and she didn't bother pressing. If this was how his brother treated him and made assumptions, Kim really had his own reasons. "So what's the farthest place you've been in? Touring."