Chapter 11

The girls rushed off the stage to let the next act go on and stopped breathlessly.

“Yhinny, Summer, Trina….why did you do that? We agreed you would debut as Triple T.” Melody handed the girls each a bottle of water and led them over to some chairs while she went to get the towels she had brought for them.

She didn’t see the members of VIXX watching from the side and noting her attentiveness to the girls and ignoring her own needs.

Coming back she frowned gently at them even as she helped them to cool down.

“Actually Unni… you had decided it. We never wanted to perform without you. You are the reason we started doing this in the first place.” Yhinny went up to snuggle against the woman who had become like her big sister and hugged her tightly.

“She’s right Melly.” Summer said as she went over to hug her also, Trina joined her and all three of them hugged Melody close.

Melody sniffed and carefully nudged them away. “I have something in my eye, I’ll be right back.” Swiftly walking away as if she was going to the restroom she ducked into an empty side room. Fighting tears she closed her eyes and leaned against the wall as her trembling legs threatened to give out beneath her.

A cool cloth pressed against her cheek and she smiled thinking Yhinny had followed her but when she opened her eyes she was startled to see N.

She started to move but stopped as he took her arm and encouraged her to sit where she was.

“Nerves.” He said as he smiled and handed her a bottle of water.

“Drink, you worry about your members but you need also.”

Taking a sip she let the cool water trickle down her parched throat. Her eyes closed briefly in delight but opened again when she felt the cloth against her cheek.

She reached up to take the cloth from him but as her hand covered his to take it his hand cupped her cheek tenderly and he asked her quietly what he should call her.

Startled her eyes flew up to meet his and she stuttered softly, “I’m an 83 line, I’m your noona.”

“Melody Noona.” He nodded as he said it and she flushed, she could feel her cheek burning against his hand.

Realizing what he had done he laughed embarrassed and let her take the cloth from him. “Noona, I never would have realized you were as old as you are.”

At his words her eyes narrowed and he raised a hand to rub his neck awkwardly.

“My English is not very good?” he said hopefully trying not to make her angry. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw her dimple peek out as she tried not to smile. Hongbin did the same when he was trying to pretend he was angry. The moment the dimples showed everyone knew they were safe.

“Gomawoyo.” She said as she smiled.

“You are good leader to those girls and sing and dance good. Wae you not want to be on their team?”

“It’s just not that simple N. I would hold them back, that is why I removed myself from them except to help them as a manager and stuff like that.” Melody shrugged awkwardly not sure if he would understand what she was trying to say.

He looked at her thoughtfully before he blanked his expression to one of confusion when she looked at him. He was hoping she would explain a little more but at her silence he realized she was done.

Standing up he leaned down to reach a hand out to her.

“We go back to the others now?”

She smiled as she reached out to take his hand.

Leo watched from the doorway. He hand planned on speaking to her but when he had come in he had seen N’s hand against her cheek and her hand against his.

Seeing them touching again he frowned…