Falling for My Billionaire Best Friend

BASH

When the captain announces that we’re departing soon, I am finally able to breathe, but my heart is still crashing inside me. I can’t believe Trinity left me behind.

Trinity is always impulsive. I just wish she confronted me first before she decided drastically. I thought last night was perfect—beyond imaginable, and I thought, I’ve proven something to her. Clearly, her anger took over her.

It was my fault, I admit it. I shouldn’t have decided it by myself, but I was just thinking about her. It may sound selfish, but I really did it for her own good.

“For fuck sake, Bash! Calm down! It’s not the end of the world, and we can still find her. I’ll find her.” Edmund’s angry tone makes me angrier.

The hanok was completely wrecked. Alex will kick my ass, but I don’t have time to think about his rant right now, and I will deal with it later to fix my mess.

I’ve never been angrier in my entire life than today, even when I found out she was not coming with me to study abroad.

“How? Tell me, Edmund? Does she even want to be found? Does she know anyone in this country?” I yell back out of frustration, and I feel so helpless.

“She went to the airport, Bash. She’s a smart woman to wander around.”

“I know, she is,” I mutter under my breath.

“What really happened between you two, Bash? You never contacted me. So, I thought everything went well,” he asks with a fatherly tone.

I glare at him. “Why would I tell you, you nosy buffer?”

“Because I wanna help, dumbass!”

“Stop! Stop making me angrier than I already am, Edmund!” I yell again, but this former Marine corps never budges and does not even flinch.

“I can see that,” he says coolly with a smirk on his face.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

I didn’t answer again because I know I screwed up. So fucking screwed!

He helps me pack my things up silently. Actually, he does most of it. I can’t even think and see straight.

“Call someone to fix these up.” I finally talk and gesture to the wreck I made earlier.

“Worry about these later, Bash. Just relax, and take it easy.”

My head snaps. “Relax? How can I fucking relax when I don’t know where Trinity is? She doesn’t speak Hangul, and what if she will trust someone, then they’re going to hurt her? For fuck sake, how can I even breathe when I know she’s not safe?” I want to cry out loud. I shake my head and lean my back against the wall. Squeezing my eyes shut, I try to take deep breaths.

There is nothing left sane in me. I stomp out of the hanok towards the black sedan. I look at the place one last time. This should’ve been the best place for us. We made one of our best memories here.

“She took the car, and I’m sure she drove all the way to the airport.”

I nod at Edmund as I carry my things.

“Just a piece of advice, Bash.”

“I don’t need any!” I snap.

He chuckles. Seriously, this man is making me more insane than Trinity did. “Fine, we got chartered jet, but I don’t feel that thing will fly us back safe. They’re older than my grandma.”

Wow! And he can even joke around. Unbelievable.

“Find us anything, Edmund. Contact somebody, even a cargo or a fighter jet. I don’t fucking care!” I say through gritted teeth.

“I think that’s your job, young man. Since you don’t have an assistant, I think you should do it by yourself.” He snorts.

I narrow my eyes at him. He starts the ignition of the car. “You’re unbelievable!”

“And you are unbelievable!” he responds after pulling away from the curb. “Bash, don’t worry, she’s in the airport taking a flight to Boston.”

My head turns quickly to his side. “And you fucking know about it all this time?”

He raises his brow. “Oh, yeah?” Edmund replies, waggling his brows to annoy me.

I should have hired a more serious driver and a bodyguard. I don’t even need one actually, but Dad is Dad. He’s always been paranoid when it comes to our safety. An overprotective father is an understatement.

“I contacted the agency and boom! Her fight departed hours ago, and you might still be snoring when she left.”

I woke up almost midday.

That’s how I slept soundly after our amazing sex last night. We can’t just keep our hands off of each other, and that was one of the best nights I’ve ever had.

My shoulders sag and say in dismay, “She’ll go to her parents.”

“You should learn to respect women’s feelings, Bash.”

“Do you think I don’t respect Trinity?” I ask in disbelief.

“You do respect her, but I doubt if you ever consider her feelings.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said, defending myself.

“Then, don’t decide for them.”

“For them?”

“It’s my job to keep you safe, and I knew many things about you.”

I clench my jaw, and I don’t want to hear any of this. “Whatever! But I’m glad Tri decided to go to Boston,” I say dismissively.

I’ve been calling her mom like every ten minutes. I even sent her a copy of the email I sent to Dad’s office. I talked to her Dad, too, and that man just kept on laughing at me.

“Hey, you’ve been silent.” Edmund nudges my elbow.

“Because I don’t wanna hear your annoying advice.”

“But I know you took them well.”

I shake my head. He places the headset on his ears and starts watching the 90’s movie on the aircraft screen.

***

I tap my fingers on my lap. I feel nervous, and my mind is always with her at the same time. Edmund drives smoothly while listening to the Country song on the radio. What’s with this man and his music? A frustrated singer? I chuckle, and that gets his attention.

“It will take forty-five minutes to get to Mallory’s house. That’s why I need some music.” I guess he figures out why I chuckle.

“I didn’t say anything, Edmund. Just get me the hell out of here, and I want to see Trinity.” Seriously, the airport road is cramming. The honking of vehicles irritates me, and my temples start aching.

“I think there is an accident ahead, Bash. Calm your horses down,” he says, and that confirms when I hear an ambulance siren.

“Seriously? When I’m in a hurry?” I retort. My eyes scan the lines of vehicles around us.

“We’re already in Boston. Safe and sound,” he retorts back.

I groan when my phone vibrates in my jeans pocket. “Mom, w-what?” My eyes widen, and I think my world just stops. She just continues crying, and I can’t understand a word. “Mom, mom, mom, please…” I rub my face with my free hand. “I swear, I didn’t understand anything. Just calm down.” My brows furrow. Why the hell is she crying?

“Son, I-I thought I lose you. We thought we lose you, baby. My baby… Oh, god. Thank god, you’re alive.” I can hear her sobbing and a faint voice of Dad and Lizzy in the background.

“What do you mean you thought you lose me, mom? You’ll not gonna lose me, and please stop crying.” My heart bleeds for her, and I hate seeing or listening to her cry.

“Son, it’s your dad. We thought you flew with the chartered jet, Bash. Haven’t you heard the news yet? When did you land? Or are you still in Seoul? And where is Edmund?” Dad sounds terrified.

“Dad, we flew by commercial flight. Edmund suggested that the chartered jet is older than his grandma. We landed minutes ago safe and sound, and now we’re stuck in traffic at the airport road. What news, dad?” I ask curiously.

“The chartered jet crashed a few minutes after the take-off. According to the initial report of the aviation police, it was caused by engine trouble. Thank God, you’re okay, son. Your mom almost collapsed when she heard the news. Talk to your sister.”

“Fuck.” My hand flew to my head, gripping my hair tighter. I can’t believe what I’ve just heard.

“Hey, baby Bash. You almost killed us here.” I hear Lizzy’s voice, and she sounds crying too.

“Well, bad news because I’m still alive, big sissy,” I respond half-laughing. I hear her laugh too.

“You! Silly, silly boy, please come home, and I wanna hug you. We almost lose you, brother,” she says, sniffing.

“Oh, stop the drama already, and I wanna hug you all too. Tell everyone that I’m alive and let the PR people clear the news. Shit! Shit! Shit! Fuck!” I curse out even my family is listening. “It’s all over the news?” I ask quickly. Panic strikes me like lightning.

“Yes, and your name was on the manifest, and stop swearing, young man!” Dad’s angry voice pierces over the phone.

“My apology. I need to call Trinity. She might have watched the news. Call you later guys, love you!” I hang up and dial her number.

“Fuck! Just fuck!” I groan louder. Edmund turns the local radio on. I hear my name over the local news repeatedly mentioned by the radio announcer.

“Turn off that fucking radio! Why did they lie that I’m dead? Didn’t they check that my name was on the commercial flight, too?” I can hear my heavy breathing and my frantic heartbeat. “Can’t we even fucking move from here?” I grit my teeth stronger.

“Bash, have a little mercy. Think about the family of the injured person in that accident. And we’re lucky that we’re still alive.”

My mouth gapes. I’m such an insensitive jerk sometimes. “I’m sorry. I can’t contact Trinity. Her phone is still closed.” I slump my back to the seat in frustration. Why does my life have to be this way?

“Call her home number, her mom, or her dad and tell them you’re still alive. I know how you feel, man.”

My brow raises. “Oh, you do now?” I ask sarcastically.

“Yeah,” he answers quietly, taking a huge breath. “My family. My wife was six months pregnant. My little girl was still two and a half years at that time when I was deployed. We were ambushed by the bandits. Half of my brothers were dead on the spot. I was wounded too. Do you know how I felt at that time? I wanted to fucking help, but I, myself, couldn’t do anything because I was wounded too, and I couldn’t even help myself. That’s the reason why I always listen to music. Because that horrific day is still haunting me. Music makes me calm a little bit.”

I feel guilty so fucking much. I swallow hard the bitter taste that rises in my throat. “I’m sorry, Edmund. I never thought of that.”

He grips my shoulder. “It’s alright, Bash. Sometimes you’re an ass, but I know you’re not like some rich kids out there. You’re far better than them.”

I nod and am unable to form a word. The vehicles start moving, and the traffic lessens a bit. I feel relieved.

Edmund parks the car in front of  Mallory’s two-story red brick house. A dark blue car parked in front. I think that’s her mom’s. I hop out immediately after Edmund kills the engine. The silence is deafening around the neighborhood, and I don’t hear anything even a single cricket.

It’s fifteen minutes past three in the morning according to the time on my wristwatch. I walk to the front and knock harder. My heart has never been calm even a bit, and all I want is to see, feel, and tell Trinity how lucky I am to be alive.

Please, God, help me.