Chapter 72
Tuesday morning, 6 o'clock. No, that was not normal. I'd rather lie in my bed and try sleeping.
I looked out of the window of the black car I sat in. It was rainy. One of those days you rather stay at home, on your sofa with a cup of hot chocolate and just watch TV the whole day. Sadly the temperature had fallen and it was only about 15 degrees. I closed my jacket and muttered some curses under my breath so that nobody would hear that I was swearing again –like I used to do, and like to do.
"You're okay?", my best friend asked me who sat next to me.
"Besides that I'm tired and that I'm cold, it is the most beautiful day of my life." I realized that it sounded sarcastic though it shouldn't do. I was happy to be with SHINee and their manager to get an impression of the work a manager had to do, but the circumstances were not that nice.
"Shishi, I told you a million times that you mustn't swear!", Key's voice sounded from the other end of the car to me. "It's not nice to hear a young lady like you swearing. That creates a wrong and bad impression of you!" Key still didn't give up trying to make me a bit more girly though he liked me the way I am –well, he always said that.
"You know that I like –maybe even love- swearing and that you can't do anything against it, Key", I said while trying to warm my hands which were nearly cold as ice.
"Could you please be more quite, some persons want to sleep!", Jonghyun threw in the round.
"You better shouldn't have said that", Minho mentioned while offering me his warm hands to warm up mine. Thankful I agreed and he out my hands between his big warm hands. "You really should wear gloves", he continued and grinned. "They feel like there are negative degrees outside." I showed him my tongue and wanted to give him a tough answer but I was disturbed by Key and Jonghyun.
"Leave me in peace!", the 'dinosaur' yelled at his group mate who annoyed him so that he couldn't sleep.
"You know that I always do that!", Key's excited laughing voice said and I just shook my head. Sometimes –maybe even more- they were like little kids. Totally immature with the only difference that little children are allowed to be childish, but young men not.
The leader said a powerful word and the two were more or less quite. Honestly said, I was surprised that they listened to their leader. Most times I got the impression that there was officially a leader but the boys didn't really mind having one but not minding him.
"Ute-Daesang, here is the schedule and a list of things I'd like you to do. Most are just formal calls so you don't have to worry. I'd like to explain a few things to you during the flight. I hope you are okay with that", the manager told me. He was always really formal and right. I nodded and took the papers; sadly I had to leave Minho's warm hands. I had a brief look on the things on it and inside on me I was angry that I wouldn't sleep in the plane but that was the price of being here. I was here to work and not to relax and have a nice and easy time.
"We have arrived", the driver suddenly said and I fast stowed the papers away in my bag. We all got out of the car and were welcomed by screaming fans. It was really incredible. Though it was this early a crowd of fan girls were staying on the pavement next to the street and trying to have a look at their idols. I took my suitcase and made my way to the building of the airport through the little path between the screaming girls. Taemin was walking next to me.
"Incredible, huh?", he asked me and smiled. I nodded.
"But I think it is a nice feeling to have fans that cheer for you all the time wherever you are."
"Yes it is, but sometimes I wouldn't mind having a bit privacy."
"That's the price for being an idol and famous."
"Yes, but I think it is worth it. At least sometimes." My best friend again grinned at me and finally the screaming became silent because we were inside the building.
The check-in was fast done. No problems, luckily.
We waited in an extra VIP room for our plane to be cleaned. It would just take another few minutes before we would the plane would get started and later we would land in Hong Kong. I was really excited.
I checked a last time my texts on my new Blackberry before I had to turn it off. Taemin looked curiously over my shoulder. I didn't mind that he would read the texts I might have. There was exactly one:
'Good morning, Ute. I wish you a nice flight and stay in China. I'll miss you the three weeks you will be on your way. XO Donghae'
I felt sick.
Taemin was hugging me because he noticed that something was wrong. Without looking again, or answering, I turned off my phone and laid my head on his shoulder.
I didn't know what to do.