When Kaija and Juho finally wrapped up the photoshoot, it was already late afternoon.
"That was a lot of modeling for one day," Kaija mumbled. Her gaze drifted toward the beautiful golden-hour light pouring over the scenery outside the window.
"Sorry that I made you work a lot more than you should have today," Juho’s voice came from the driver’s seat beside hers. "Now that Charles Kosonen has deliberately had the Art Department wipe out all the schedules I had at the KE campus, I don’t exactly have that many chances to run into you anymore."
"Oh, I wasn’t complaining," Kaija said.
In fact, she had thoroughly enjoyed the experience, though it was a little startling when she learned how Juho truly felt about her.
She stole a quiet glance at the handsome young man. Now that he’d opened himself up to her more than he ever had, the space between them suddenly felt smaller in a way she’d never sensed toward him before.
The black sedan headed for Building S.
Just as it passed by Building A, Kaija noticed police cars gathering outside Building B.
"Hm, what’s going on?" she muttered, eyeing the commotion beyond the window warily.
Aside from the police officers, KE security personnel were also assembling outside, along with many other artists. While the artists and KE staff seemed deeply concerned, the police officers’ faces were taut as they stood guard outside the building.
Kaija’s muttering didn’t escape Juho’s keen ears.
"Oh, my dear Kaija," he teased. "Couldn’t you tell what’s going on? You’re the one who asked for this order in the first place, anyway."
At that, Kaija’s gaze snapped toward Juho instantly. The young man’s face was lit with a soft smile, green eyes glinting with mischief as though he were enjoying her reaction.
"They’ve come for Liisi Grant?" Kaija asked.
The answer to her question came immediately when Juho’s smile broke into quiet chuckles.
"Thank God you haven’t forgotten," Juho said. "You had me slightly nervous there. I put quite a lot of effort into getting it done for you."
"I only asked for that two days ago. How... how could you possibly pull it off that fast?"
"Perhaps you should note this down as one of the reasons you should be my girlfriend. When it comes to you and what you want, I’d always put you at the top of my list of priorities."
Kaija’s jaw clenched shut. She quietly noted that she shouldn’t ask that sort of question next time.
The car finally came to a stop at Building S.
"Thank you for helping me with this little revenge plan of mine, Juho," Kaija finally said. "And... thank you for the lunch too. It was lovely."
"No kisses for me?" Juho asked. The playfulness from earlier was still written all over his face.
For a moment, Kaija stared at him without saying anything.
Nervous beneath her steady gaze, the playfulness began crumbling from Juho’s face. "You... you don’t have to if you don’t want to. I was just joking," he said quickly.
Little did Juho know, Kaija was actually weighing his words beneath that long, cold stare.
"Oh, so it was just a joke?" she repeated, disappointment flashing across her face.
Just as she was about to pull the door handle open, Juho’s hand shot out, stopping her before she could.
Kaija blinked, staring at the hand wrapped around her wrist, then at the owner of that hand’s face.
"Eh... what now? Oh... I haven’t said goodbye? Goodbye, Juho."
"No, Kaija... it’s not that," Juho said, frustrated. He was certain he’d just seen disappointment flash across her face.
Sighing, he murmured in defeat, "Forget it. I was just being an idiot." He couldn’t believe he’d just screwed up his chance for a kiss from her.
With disappointment now written all over his face, Juho pulled back, finally realizing he’d grabbed Kaija’s hand in haste.
But just as he was pulling away, her face leaned closer to his, and her lips brushed gently against his cheekbone.
Juho froze, green eyes flying wide open upon feeling the softness lingering on his cheek. At such closeness, her scent filled his nostrils, and her breath brushed warmly against his skin.
"Kaija..." Juho whispered. Her name came out hoarse, his tone deeper than his usual speaking voice.
"This is not for the task I asked you to do, or the lunch," Kaija’s voice was small and soft. "This is to thank you for opening up to me."
A kiss on the cheek, that was what it was. Never in his life had Juho Isota settled for something as soft-core as a kiss on the cheek.
No, a kiss had to be on the lips, with tongue involved, usually. Or at least that was what Juho Isota had learned throughout years of countless sexual encounters.
And yet, in that very moment, Juho could hardly feel his body. How could a touch so subtle, so innocent, feel more intimate than anything he’d ever experienced with any woman?
"Kaija..." he breathed again, hoarser than before.
"Take care, Juho," Kaija said, pushing the door open. Her shoulders trembled upon hearing her name on his lips twice, but she couldn’t bring herself to go any further than that kiss on the cheek just yet.
Left alone in the car, Juho remained stunned to stone.
It took a few more minutes, until someone’s car honked from behind, urging him to stop blocking the entrance, for him to finally snap out of his trance.
Muttering a few curses, he left Building S and parked in a safer spot.
He pulled out his phone and dialed the editor-in-chief of Dazzle magazine, along with a few key figures in the same building.
"Keep your mouth shut about the little incidents at your headquarters today," Juho said into the phone. "Or you know what will come for you, my friend."
Threatening as Juho’s voice might have sounded, his cheeks were still blushing pink like peaches throughout the entire call.
The place where Kaija’s lips had touched his skin still felt like fire, and he needed to calm his pounding heart before he could drive out of this cursed place.