Taec’s POV

We rode the elevator to the floor where the studio is. We have to wait for the crew that will accommodate us and they are inside. Spacious, filled with lights, just like the studios we’ve been in when we were in Seoul. We were told that today will be a free day.

‘Good thing, I haven’t had any sleep since God knows when.’

“A friend of the major producer for the concert will be with us” we were told during briefing. “She’s a huge fan” I remember them say, their indirect way of reminding us to be on our best behavior in dealing with her. I scoffed at the idea; I am here to perform not to babysit a spoiled girl.

I am actually surprised to see that our ‘huge fan’ is sleeping on the corner when we entered the room. ‘No screaming? er just snoring?’

A tall guy woke her as he slapped her legs. ‘That was rude man’ I can only utter to myself. The tall guy continued to about making an embarrassment out of her self.

She shoots up standing all of sudden and bowed while greeting us with her stuttering Korean. She was either drowsed or too excited that she lost balance when she bowed. I grabbed her hand and helped her up. ‘The temperature is hot but her hands freezing cold’ she must be nervous.

I felt my palm with my fingers, that girl’s hand is pretty soft. ‘Yah! Ok taecyeon! Stupid thoughts so early in the morning’ ‘You are here for work and not to feel up some random girl’s hand’

All of a sudden a series of hand shakes began. Time for the greetings with big shot people it seems. ‘No chance to hold her hand now’ my mind scowled at me.

She started to ask us questions about our flight, bland questions, nothing intrusive or personal. She is not used to gatherings like this I guess. ‘Not a spoiled girl after all’

“Sorry for the long wait, I got stuck in traffic.” My thoughts about the girl in front us was interrupted by the husky voice. The voice then greeted us in perfect Korean, apologizing for the delay. He was introduced as the big shot producer who made this trip possible. Later would I know, all this fuss was made for the same girl I was thinking of.

“Ahhh” she was caught up in a hug by the big guy. They then exchanged phrases that were not recognized by my ears.

She had a different expression, the one girls wear when you slip a giant diamond on their finger. He must be special then. I felt an unfamiliar twinge in my heart ‘Yah! Stop the stupid thoughts or your curiosity will lead you to doom. Soon’

‘I seriously have to stop talking to myself.’ We made our way down to the lobby where there is a trail of cars waiting for us. I was walking far behind the others when I heard her gasped. The little girl was hanging on to a post. I wanted to laugh at the sight but even before I could, my arms shoot forward to help her.

“meimei” I called her name. Only to be ashamed that it was a term of endearment that does not belong to me.

I see her muttering to herself, she must be cursing her legs now; she lost balance twice in a row.

I managed to ask her if she’s fine but a different person replied on her behalf. Before I can say anything she was whisked into the car.

She was sandwiched between us. I was on her left while the big guy was on her right. She looked so small and fragile.

She offered dried mangoes that made a disappearing act before her eyes. Her laughter sounded like wind chimes.

I looked at her droopy eyes; she rubbed them and yawned to sleep.

‘How can she be so small?’ I am probably a foot taller than her. Almost everything about her is small, small face, small eyes, and small nose, her limbs are comparably short but it was proportioned to her height. Her features made her look cute. She isn’t your glamorous Barbie doll; she is a teddy bear, and make that bear a cute and cuddly one.

If she was fairer then one would assume she is Chinese but her golden brown color says she isn’t. I took notice of her clothes, a signature ‘I am hottest’ white shirt, black skinny jeans, black flats; looks like the term dress to impress isn’t a part of her vocabulary the way comfort is. Some would say she looks plain, an ordinary high school kid you’d see on the road ‘Ah! I don’t even know how old she is’ She looks like she barely hit 16. Those were my last thoughts before dream land over powered me.

9:30 am. She was already awake and looking out the window. Wooyoung and Junsu must have given her a hilarious sight. We walked out of the van and were led to the house.

The ocean looks inviting, so as the mansion that is in front of it. The Dino guy must be seriously rich.

We sat around the table where a beautiful girl led us to. ‘Must be a model’ I thought. The guys were exchanging knowing glances as we sat. I have seen too many of their kind but ‘Boys will be boys I guess.’ Two more empty seats on our table and one was filled as my teddy bear found her way to us.

‘My teddy bear? Are you crazy?’ ‘First you scoffed as you thought she was a spoiled brat you had to baby sit then you found out she isn’t, then your curiosity took the best of you and thought she was cute but a klutz, it didn’t end there as you compared her to a teddy bear and now you call her yours?’ my mind is caught up in a battle with itself.

‘Get your act straight or get more sleep before you call her your queen’ I resigned from the battle and surrendered to the feast in front of me. This amount of food can feed a pack of hungry lions. Now I know why Filipinos are held in high esteem for their hospitality.

I continued munching and heard her offer Junho some help as he was struggling to devour a plate of shrimps. Junho agreed and she carefully peeled them and placed them back on his plate. ‘yah lee junho! You can peel off shrimps in your sleep and you act like you can’t’ He was wearing his innocent smile when he thanked her.

My petty rants were interrupted by a comment that was fairly rude from the sounds of it. ‘The jerk from earlier’ I made a tsk sound so low it was unintelligible and just as I did due to my disgust, the little girl replied with a bitter repartee that made the monkey leave. I looked at her from the corner of my eyes without lifting my head up. Her eyes seem to be different, and her seething rage made them appear like snake slit eyes, black with fury.

She composed herself with a deep breathe and I almost choked as her expression changed from angry viper to goo goo eyed teddy bear. Intrigued as I was, I felt confused and afraid that she may not be as fragile as I thought

She looked at us and aired a sigh of relief thinking no one witnessed the act. She then politely asked us to eat more and stated her name. I smiled at her as I replied to her question about having fun and she sat there frozen beside me, unable to repay the gesture. ‘Is there something wrong with my face?’

She then bowed her head so low and continued to eat; I never got a reply for my internal dialogue.

People started to get up as they finished eating and took turns in washing themselves and changing clothes.

We then positioned ourselves on the couch while she sat on a single sofa that fits her perfectly ‘they asked us to make ourselves at home, didn’t they?’ She snuggled on her seat like the teddy bear that she was.

Wooyoung, Chansung and Junho were on the couch to her left while Nichkhun, Junsu and I were to her right. She was wearing an oversized shirt and Tigger boxer shorts. Again the thought of ‘dress for comfort’ swam in my head and made me smile. The guys were laughing and Wooyoung got a pillow, put it on Chansung’s lap and poised himself to sleep.

Once in a while she’d look at us and smile. She started to look sleepy and swayed her foot that was propped on the other end of the sofa. Junho made a comment about her foot waving to them to which she replied “My foot must be a big fan” sending wind chime laughter in the air.

Her heavy eyes drooped and her foot stopped swaying. Her legs reminded me of milk chocolate and I felt the urge to take a bite. ‘Bite? Her leg? You are so going down from idol to ert!’ her leg was now bent inward, her heel slightly inches way from her inner thigh like a flamingo and her boxers are now too short to cover what they are supposed to. The band from her yellow undies is slightly peeking. If Chansung or Junho tilt their head a little to the right, they will see… heaven.

‘No!!!’ my facial expression must have been priceless. I rushed to grab a blanket beside me and shoot up towards her only to find Junsu doing the chivalric deed I wanted to perform.

‘Junsu and I….We were looking at the same thing?’