Absinthe

Smoke continued to billow out of the engine, so I rushed to unlatch my seatbelt.

"Shouldn't we hurry out of this thing? It looks like it's about to explode!"

"Relax," Jiwoo said with a laugh. "That shit only happens in the movies."

Nevertheless, both of us got out of the pickup truck and went in front of it. The smoke showed no signs of stopping anytime soon.

"Do you know how to fix cars?" I asked Jiwoo.

"Nope," he said. "I learned how to drive, but I never had a car to tinker with. You?"

"I learned how to drive in Korea where all car services are just a phone call away. Most insurance companies promise to get to where your vehicle breaks down within 30 minutes."

Instead of reacting, Jiwoo used the crook of his arm to cover his nose and mouth and braved the smoke to open the hood. As he did so, more smoke came out, and he ran back to me, coughing.

"Genius move," I joked. "Let me try my phone. I'm sure we can call Nico to ask someone from the hotel to rescue us."

I opened the rear door of the pickup and retrieved the device from my bag.

"Shit," I said, loud enough for Jiwoo to hear me. "No signal."

"I figured," he remarked.

Once I was standing beside him again, I saw that most of the smoke had subsided. The engine was burnt.

"Must have overheated," I said. "What do we do now?"

"We can walk?" Jiwoo suggested, but it sounded more like a question than a statement.

"We're halfway to the resort, which means we're also halfway to the root crop farm. And there are no lights. I don't think walking's a good idea."

"Why? You scared of what lurks in the dark?" he asked, snickering. "I can hold your hand."

It then dawned on me: Was this one of Jiwoo's tricks to get me to spend time with him? I eyed him sharply, and he stopped chuckling.

"What's wrong?"

"I swear to God, Jiwoo, if this is one of your moves to get me to do that HHWW thing, I'm going to kill you."

"HHWW?" he asked innocently, but I had a feeling he was faking it.

"Holding Hands While Walking!" I said, annoyed.

"Are you seriously angry?" Jiwoo's grin could not get any wider. "Look, if I were to come up with a scheme to seduce you, it's not going to be like this. I've never thought about subjecting you to the discomforts of the mountains. You're too posh for that."

I frowned at his assumption. "You don't know anything about me."

"I agree," he said. "So why don't we make the most of this situation and get to know each other better?" He took my hand and dragged me closer to the car.

"What's your game plan?" I asked. "Sitting all cramped up inside?"

flashed his most despicable smile ever. "Nope. Something much better than that." He grabbed his duffel bag from the backseat and pulled me by the hand to the back of the pickup. Then, he unlocked the door and placed his bag on it. He proceeded

be a

here all by yourself." He chuckled again

a look of annoyance and reluctantly removed my shoes to join him. He helped me lie down, a pillow propped against the back of my

on. "That must mean you chose me instead." He climbed on top of me and leveled his eyes

averting my

"Gladly."

to be honest, but there was no way I was having

you?" I asked in the most serious tone

I disliked the situation because he stopped fooling around and

out a sigh. "We really barely know

could see Orion's Belt glimmering just a few inches from the bright moon,

born poor, like Faye," I

talking about the one I've met, or do you have another

turned sideways so I was looking at Jiwoo. His face was just as handsome in profile as it was when viewed from the front.

me too, and my insides melted.

with mine to seal our deal of secrecy. "Faye's not

"Yeah?" he asked, curious.

"Her real name's Diwata."

laughing. It was so infectious that I started laughing hard, too. I know I shouldn't be making fun of my best friend's name, but Jiwoo's

get the words out because I couldn't stop giggling. "She hated it so much! She would come to school, hunt down our teachers, and beg them to change

before he finally asked, "How'd

or fae,

get it

I could see the stars and the moon. "Her parents are nurses

she get that rich?" Jiwoo was still lying on

"She married Henry Gonzales."

"Intentionally?"

met Henry when we were

He sat upright and coaxed me to put my head on his lap.

of absurd wealth, like Crazy Rich Asians level. And Unli-Liver is only his father's family's contribution to their riches—his mother and her relatives are even more

said. "Faye looks classy and elegant all the time. I can't picture her any

you this, but it's been a struggle for her. Henry's family never acknowledged her. To them, she's a gold-digging bitch who snagged their family's beloved heir. That's why she constantly has to prove to them that she can make as much

achieved that, hasn't

"Faye has always been the smartest one in

"Really? Not you?"

the same interest in studies as he did. I was the boy who often got

"And Faye?"

say, but she's smart about everything. I loaned her nearly all the money I'd earned during my first few years of work, and she used it to grow a small business empire. Of course, it's nothing compared to the Gonzales', but it has

nodding. He then stroked my hair

you?" he asked, meeting my eyes. "Enough about Faye. Tell

and dad were teachers," I replied. "Private Catholic school teachers. That's the sole reason

gave me a puzzled

Janus. But there was no way our family could have afforded it if my parents hadn't been employed there. My dad's the eldest among eight, and my grandparents were farmers. Dad had to support his siblings, too. Mom, on the other hand, was an orphan, the youngest

tuition fees were waived.