Jerks Like Us Book Three Page 5

  Perhaps they could explore something after the authorities found the people responsible for his attack.

  “Foods’ here. Looks like you ordered enough to feed a small army.” Brody removed the containers from the bag.

  Kao chuckled while running the towel over his hair. “Well, I eat a lot. I assume being a big man you do too.”

  “You’d assume wrong, but I won’t turn down a good meal. This smells delicious.”

  Kao made a face. “What? Don’t tell me you’re one of those health nuts.”

  “No, but I don’t eat a whole lot either. Ever so often I might pig out.”

  “Well, fuck me.” Kao took the seat next to him, placing the wet towel on the back of it. “Doesn’t matter. I’ll eat off it until Sunday if I have to.”

  “Don’t like cooking?” Brody eyed him from the side.

  “I’m not a chef, but I can do the basics. Don’t tell Mom.”

  Brody snorted. “I won’t. Dang, fettuccine and lasagna?”

  Kao shrugged. “What can I say? I developed a love for Italian when SK4 toured Italy. It was one of my favorite places to visit.”

  “Yeah? What was so nice about it?”

  Kao was about to speak, then had a thought. “Let’s eat on the patio. We can enjoy the warmth and watch the waves.”

  “Okay.” Brody picked up a couple of containers as well as the plastic bag.

  “Did they give you plates and plasticware?”

  “Yep. Everythings’ in here.” Brody strolled towards the patio doors.

  After wetting a paper towel. Kao quickly followed.

  Brody stood aside, then Kao unlocked the doors, stepping onto the balcony. He wiped down the table then pitched the towel into a nearby waste basket.

  “Wow, what a view?” Brody set the bag on the table.

  “Right? It’s part of the reason I paid for this.”

  Brody had a seat. He pulled the disposable plates out along with the forks. “So, tell me what’s nice about Italy.”

  “Have you ever been?” Kao sat and helped him dish out the food.

  “Never had the pleasure. I’m kind of a homebody. I’ve only been out of the country twice. Once to Canada and the other to Mexico.”

  “Oh man. The Vatican, Roma, the food and people. It’s one of the most magnificent places in the world. I mean, there’s something beautiful about every spot on the planet, but damn, Italy was just it for me.”

  “Wow, okay. A ringing endorsement. Is that one of the places you’re visiting on tour?”

  “Oh, for sure. I’ve got a huge group of fans there. My album is number one there on like three different charts. Even if it wasn’t, I wouldn’t skip Italy for nothing.”

  “Okay. Out of curiosity, where else?”

  Kao took a bite of his lasagna. “Mhmm. Paris, London, Amsterdam, Sydney, Tokyo, and Seoul for sure because it’s close to where I was born.”

  “Whoa. No wonder this tour lasts so long.” Brody forked some fettuccine into his mouth.

  “Is that an issue for you?”

  “No. I guess starting your solo career, you wanna capture as many fans of your old group and new ones as you possibly can.”

  “Yep. I have to or else I’ll fall into obscurity or go crazy. I considered taking a year off after military service, but I changed my mind. The longer I thought about being alone and not working, the more depressed I got.”

  Brody cocked an eyebrow at Kao. “Really? What could you be depressed about? You’re in the prime of your life, you’ve got money…”

  “And no one to share it with. Plus…” Kao stopped himself. He wondered how much information he should share with this man. Again, he was his bodyguard, not a shrink.

  “Plus?” Brody tilted his head to the side and pursed his lips. He stopped eating to hear what Kao had to say.

  Kao put down his fork and raked his hair with his fingers. “I’m a bit of a mental patient, Brody. A close friend of mine took his life and I haven’t recovered.”

  * * * *

  Brody placed his fork on the plate and leaned back in his chair. He wiped the sides of his mouth. “You wanna talk about it?”

  Kao looked towards the ocean then back at Brody. “Maybe later. I’m already losing my appetite.”

  Brody shrugged and grabbed one of the sodas from the bag. Now Kao’s outbursts kind of made sense to him. He was fighting back because he was in pain. “All right, if you say so, but if you change your mind, I’m here to listen. I know I work for you, but people say I’m a great listener.”

  “Thanks.” Kao straightened in his chair and picked up his utensil again. “Anyway, I need to relax. Might need a shrink too,” he snorted. “Being in South Korea, I couldn’t really seek professional help, but here it’s different.”

  “Yeah, but again, you’re already paying me so use me for a sounding board if you need to.” Brody wanted to smack his forehead. Why was he throwing himself at this guy?

  Kao grinned at Brody and pushed a forkful of noodles in between his lips. “That’s kind of you, but really, my issues might make you wanna drink.”

  “Hey, we all got our own problems, Kao. Some are more complex than others, but there are ways we can get by. Um…” Brody sipped from his bottle. “Other than your friend passing away, anything else bothering you?”

  Kao repositioned himself in the seat and twisted the cap on his beverage. “Not really. The online bullying from sasaengs is severe, but it comes along with the territory.”

  “Sasaengs?” Brody asked, wondering what that meant.

  “Sasaengs are crazy fans. I mean, don’t get me wrong, not all KPOP fans are bad. When they stan you, they can be the most loyal in the world. Plenty of SKIDS, those are fans of my old band SK4, are wonderful. It’s just the antis and sasaengs that are the problem. They pay people to find out your airport information, your phone number and address, steal passport information, take illegal pictures.” Kao huffed out a breath. “They make everything miserable for KPOP stars.”

  Brody shook his head. “Wow, that’s crazy. I mean, in my line of work we see all types, but you’d think someone who claims to care about their favorite star wouldn’t do those things.”

  “Right? But some just don’t care. And then there’s the antis that do want to hurt other stars who are competition for their favorites or in my case, ex band members. They go great lengths to show their dislike.”

  “I see. Well, I hope you let the authorities know about the online bullying and all that.”

  “Yeah, I did. Unfortunately, a couple of them got my phone number and sent me rude text messages, so I had to change it again.”

  Brody stopped eating and eyed Kao from across the table. “Wha? How did they…”

  “Someone paid for it. That’s what these assholes do.” Kao snarled and hardly flinched.

  “And you told the cops that?”

  “Oh yeah. I turned my phone in. I’m going to get Lawrence to buy a number for me so it would be harder for them to find. I’ll also get another Korean number as a decoy, so if they find it, all the messages will go there. It’s annoying, but it is what it is. It’s one of the big reasons I left SK4. I was done with all the sasaeng shit, the constant demands on my life and privacy. Done with people threatening the people I love.”

  “Who did they threaten?”

  “Before my parents left South Korea, them, but my aunts, uncles, and cousins get harassed all the time. I don’t have many friends because once I was selected for SK4, I didn’t keep many. They were either jealous as hell or hated me for being a KPOP star.”

  “Damn.” Brody pushed his food around his plate a moment. “That’s terrible, man. I’ve heard the same types of stories from celebs here, but some of those sasaengs sound worse than the crazies in the Western World.”

  “Well, sasaengs can be any nationality. It comes down to who is willing to go the lengths to get information or pay money for it. It’s sad that people base their shit lives around making someone else�
��s life a living hell. I’ve wanted to put the question out there on the internet for years to find out why, but… even now after being out of KPOP, I can’t bring myself to do it. I still got that chip that if I say something wrong about fans, they’ll hate me. Some of them blur the lines of true fans and rabid ones. They might not be sasaengs, but they’ll just do all kinds of weird things to meet you.” Kao laughed. “Do you know how many times I’ve been chased in the airport when I wasn’t with the others? Or fans meet me in clubs in Itaewon wanting a picture or autograph? Most of the time I begged them just to leave me be, but they’d cry, and I’d give in.” Kao shook his head. “It’s a crazy life Brody. As much as I love music, I want my privacy.”

  “Understood.” Brody took another bite of his food. He felt so bad for this kid. He could tell the conflict of wanting to please people and the desire for a life was tearing him apart.

  Brody had to make that easier for him without pissing him off.

  The question was, how?

  Once Brody left Kao’s house, he drove to his place. With some of the leftover food Kao had in hand, there was no need to order dinner. He’d make this stretch at least a day or two more before he had to decide what to eat.

  Since Brody was still full, he elected to watch some television. The baseball game was boring, so elected to turn on Friends reruns for a laugh. He’d never been a huge fan of the show, but honestly anything was better than thinking of Kao for hours on end.

  When the last episode went off, curiosity got the best of Brody. He turned on YouTube and searched Kao’s old band SK4 to find performances, appearances, anything to feed his addiction.

  At the top of the search was a show with reaction to his departure which showed fans crying and begging him to return.

  After about five minutes, Brody turned that off and went to the next video titled Irresistible Kao. It was some fan video he supposed, which was even more interesting. Just how did his fans view their favorite? Brody wanted to find out.

  The first shots featured Kao dancing in perfect sync with fellow band members, then taking over the spotlight by tearing open his shirt. Unlike now, he had no tattoos. His pecs were pronounced, muscles shining with sweat.

  Hot damn.

  Brody moistened his lips and made himself comfortable. Just for the sheer fact of curiosity he’d be watching this until the end.

  The next shot showed him humping the floor, then turning over doing the same to the air. Then another where he danced close with his bandmate, licking his lips while they practically eye fucked each other.

  “Wow.” Was that a thing over there? Kao had mentioned how he wasn’t out in his home country, so why was he doing that? Brody assumed for attention or shock value. Either way, Brody couldn’t stop the tinge of jealousy rising in his gut.

  Kao made someone hard and it wasn’t him.

  After perusing a few more videos, Brody switched on his Spotify, finding Kao’s new album there and pushing play. He leaned back on the couch and stared at the ceiling while he listened. It wasn’t the rambunctious punk or heavy rock he loved, but it didn’t sound like over manufactured shit.

  From the beginning he was impressed with the man’s range, already noticing that Kao was indeed good enough to be on his own.

  Kao was a true singer who deserved the spotlight all to himself for more reasons than one.

  Chapter Six

  The lunch with Brody ended uneventfully. They finished eating, then once his clothes dried, he ran out of Kao’s place like a bat out of hell. Though it hurt a little, Kao understood. The sparks between them were apparent, but Brody had a job to do first and foremost. Kao was glad that Brody’s priority was his safety, but he wouldn’t have minded some fringe benefits.

  Despite the hasty exit, Kao and Brody would be seeing each other again. Currently, he was on his way to Kao’s condo to ride with him to the next appearance on a local music show that was big with the R&B/HipHop community called, ‘What’s Hoppin?’ Since this was a new music path, he had to grab this audience. His album was sultry soul with a little hip hop mixed in, so the show was perfect to promote his new album.

  For this performance, he added a hint of blue to his already gray locks. He wore black slacks and a sports jacket along with a red shirt. He donned a couple of necklaces, one with the lion charm his mother bought him last Christmas as well as several rings. He wanted to make a good impression on the hosts as well as the viewers who’d be watching this in a few days. Didn’t hurt to give a certain bodyguard a thrill either.

  Kao smiled to himself as he put on his Rolex. He turned from left to right, making sure his look was perfect. Just when he fingered a lock out of his line of vision, his phone vibrated on his hip. He plucked it from his pocket. When he noticed the number, he pressed the button to connect. “Hey Brody.”

  “Hey. How did you know it was me?”

  Kao licked his lips. “I have your ring set to Sexy Mother Fucker by Prince,” he laughed and covered his mouth. “No, no, I’m kidding, even though it would fit. Anyway, yeah I saw your name on the caller identification.”

  “Oh right. Random dumb moment there. Anyway, I’m down here waiting for you. Lawrence and Gaia are meeting us at the studio.”

  “Okay. I’ll be right down.”

  “Kay. See you in a few.”

  “Cool. Bye.” Kao pushed disconnect and put the phone back in his pocket. He snickered to himself, thinking of what he just told Brody. That Prince song was just one of his favorites. He couldn’t wait to blast that from his car stereo once his car was done.

  After splashing on some cologne, Kao left his condo and locked it tight. He walked down the hall to the elevator, then hopped on, pushing the ‘G’ button. Kao tugged on his jacket, eyed himself in the small mirror above the keypad, then stepped off when the bell sounded. He saluted Charles on the way out the double doors, then looked off to the left where a black Mercedes was parked.

  Brody got out the door and waved at him.

  Kao grinned and walked over, eyeing Brody like the piece of meat he wanted to devour.

  Damn.

  Much like the first day they met, Brody was well dressed, but his suit was a dark gray this time, coordinated well with a black tie. He’d combed his hair in a slightly different style, or had he gotten it cut? Kao had no idea, but either way, keeping his eyes and hands off the man would be a feat within itself.

  “Hey there. Your chariot awaits, your highness.”

  Kao chuckled. “Thanks.” He climbed inside and sat on the cool ebony leather seats. When that new car smell reached Kao’s nostrils, he smiled, waving his hands to inhale more. “Ahh. Can’t wait to smell my own.”

  “What was that?” Brody got in, closing the door behind him.

  “Oh, the new car smell. I bought a custom vehicle and should be getting it in a few weeks.”

  “Nice. What kind?”

  Kao crossed his legs and leaned back. “It’s a sports car, something with DeLorean doors and a killer engine. It’s a spacey looking car no one has.”

  “Ahh, I see. An impulse buy, huh?”

  “Had to. All big stars should have fancy cars, right? Isn’t it kind of a prerequisite to live in Los Angeles?”

  Brody snorted. “Maybe, but, eh, I just never saw the need for big houses or cars. I’m more of a simple kinda guy. Water?” Brody bent down and reached between his legs pulling what appeared to be a sliding door back. He grabbed a bottle out.

  “Whoa, nifty. I’ve rode in plenty of limos, but not one with a fridge under the seat. Yeah, thanks.”

  Brody handed it to Kao, then took out another for himself. He closed the door. “Yeah. This is the fanciest thing I’ve ever ridden in. The only times I got in these things was for a wedding or a funeral.”

  Kao gulped a hefty amount down and put the cap back on. “I hear you. I guess I wanted a fancy car just to say I had one. As part of SK4, we couldn’t really have that.”

  “Oh yeah? Why not?”

  “Beca
use they drove us everywhere. If not in the WRL van, it was the company limos. If we wanted to go out driving, we had to rent a car and take a staff member with us.”

  “Dang that blows. No wonder you couldn’t go out anywhere.”

  “Yeah, now you see why I want my damn privacy. I get that you gotta be around, but you’re gonna have to give me some space.” Kao watched Brody’s reaction to see what he’d say.

  “Oh, I’ll give you space, all right. I’ll be in the next room, sleeping on the couch.”

  Kao laughed and swiped his tongue over his lip. He had a comeback to that, but he decided not to torture his bodyguard anymore.

  They liked each other. That was evident, but the man was doing a damn good job of keeping his distance.

  For now.

  * * * *

  Brody was happy as hell when the car arrived at the studio. After listening to Kao flirt while he laid down his ground rules, he was riled up beyond belief. He just kept reminding himself how important his job was and what Arturo would say if he crossed the lines. Bottom line, he was here to be Kao’s protection, not his date.

  Once Brody escorted Kao inside, he talked with the security team, making sure they checked out any suspicious characters. They mentioned Lawrence and Gaia went over things with them beforehand, so they understood.

  “Mr. Brody.”

  At the sound of that greeting, Brody turned around, meeting Lawrence’s gaze.

  “Hey Lawrence. How are you?” He held out his hand.

  Lawrence took hold, shaking it firmly. “Good. Busy finalizing the tour plans. I wanted to ask you, is your passport updated because I’ve asked Arturo to retain you at least until November.”

  Brody cocked an eyebrow, “November? I thought he was going on tour for two months?”

  “It’s closer to three. Because he has other days off, I added a few more shows in the US once we come back from Seoul. It’s more promo with television and radio appearances, thanks to Gaia, as well as some smaller venue performances.”