Chapter 27

"A lunch will turn into a date, and a date will turn into something else I believe"

I rolled myself to the side of the bed without even opening my eyes trying to ignore the murmuring girl that had been there sitting on my bed for a while.

"Fishu yah~"

I stayed still on my position didn't move an inch.

"Where is this girl who casually talk to me on 3 AM?"

"It's 7 AM now, not 3" I said a matter of factly.

"Oh so you remember"

I can hear sarcasm in her words but nonethless, I ignore her.

"Geez! Okay, I wiill go back to my room and put out your misery"

That's better. A smile curved on my lips. But then I felt arms around my waist. This little

"You haven't told me why you are so silent yesterday"

I heaved a deep sighed "I landed myself in trouble" I open my eyes slowly adjusting it to the dim light in the room "Natasha, she was lying"

"Natasha who?" I heard Yuri's yawned as she snuggled closer to my back "Oh, Jepp's sister"

"I felt sick. I want to distance myself from those two" I couldn't hide my voice of disgust as I say those words. I wonder why... Maybe because I don't like when someone lie to me. Only I can lie to myself.

"Two as in?"

"Natasha and her brother"

"Why?"

"I had enough of this tracking things"

"Oh so you finally realize"

I scoffed at her "You think I'm stupid"

"I think you are"

I rolled my eyes at her in disbelieve "You do think I am?"

"I do think you are"

I let out a deep sighed then forcefully break myself away from her arms and getting off from the bed "I'm going"

***

I walk alone on the street as I look to my left and right side. People started to look at me and I can even see that those eyes are ogling at me. This whole situation of being a model started to irked me. Can they just let me walk on the street casually? Or maybe that my tolerance just getting lower with each day passing. I put up my poker face and walk as if I don't know that I am the centre of the attention to these crowd. It's a chill weather in Seoul that we had today. With wind keep breezing as the temperature go down. I hate Winter no, Autumn. I hate of getting flu that easily. Long coat is a must wear with sweaters inside, like what I did. I could hear my boots clacking sound as the murmured goes louder. I wonder why. I didn't bother to look or smile to whoever passed me by. I pull out my phone from the pocket on my coat and saw the LED light flashing. I scrolled to unlock it and found Jepp, the Mr.Stranger, had been sending me texts since the morning. I didn't bother to open it up. The next thing I know, I turned it off, pull out the battery, and just trash it to the neareast big trashcan. I smiled. You don't have to do that you know a voice inside my head told me but I shook it off

"I need to do that" I said in finality to myself as I continue to walk.

People gave me a weird stare. I bet they are wondering why Kwon Ailee, the Great Kwon Yuri's sister, trash her own phone on a public trashcan. Believe me, I wonder about that too. And so I realize that today I had already pull out 2 great sight. Me being alone walking on the street and throwing my phone to the nearest trashcan. I wonder what will the news portal offer me tomorrow. I smiled and just shook it off. Tomorrow will be interesting, or maybe it will be today? I halt my steps in front of tall 2 stores building. I observed it for a while before deciding to continue my steps to the inside. I scanned the area and search for the particular Blue Hair Man. Where is he? I can feel that I almost stand a minute or two then headed upstair ignoring all the stares. Here he is, sitting oh so silently on the corner with a cup of coffee on the table. I strides towards him then put my bag on the seat next to him.

"Why do you have to choose this floor?"

He lifted up his face then smile spread on his face "Oh hey, you should have called me"

I sit facing him then crossed my legs slowly "warugaki"

He furrowed his eyebrow and looked at me "What was that you said?"

"Nothing" I murmured then look at the menu in front of me "What's good here?"

"Vanilla latte"

I scanned through the menu slowly "Not my favorite"

"Hazelnut maybe?"

I put down the menu then smile "That's more like it"

I call upon the waitress then order what I wanted. I smiled to him as he descent downstair.

"So"

I look at him and tilt my head to the side a little "What?"

He seemed to be thinking about something then his hand cupped the glass again "What is your decision to actually meet me?"

I frowned "What do you mean?"

"It's just been a while"

"Do I need a depth decission to just meet you?" I asked him "I think not"

"It's been a while"

I chuckled "It has not been that while. We just haven't meet for few days or so. Wait, wasn't it like a day or two? What's with the longing?" Great Ailee, you asked something that you don't want to hear the answer.

"I think you know why" he smiled then bring the glass to his lips.

I.die. This man in front of me just

"Don't you?"

" I don't know" I flashed him an innocent smile "You tell me" Play pretend is the best for now.

"Aile-"

"Here's your drink and food, ma'm"

I glance to my side and saw the waitress brought my drink and little snack. I smiled to him and let him put it down on the table. He bowed at me as I nod my head at him. I take the cold glass of hazelnut into my hand and play with the straw. I turned my gaze back to the man in front of me. "What is it?"

"I saw your pictures on Instagram"

I nodded my head then started slurping my drink through the straw "My friend made it for me, but I lost my phone" I saw his face frowned then quickly explained "I throw it away actually. No worries, I will buy a new one this evening after our teaching"

"So that's why I didn't receive any answer nor reply"

I put the glass down on the table then looked at him apologetically.

"Yeah" he nodded understandingly "I see that now"

"Sorry" I murmured lowly feeling a bit guilty "I'm still alive though"

"I was thinking that you are chased by men in black again or something"

I smiled "I can assure you that I am walking alone here and not being chased by anyone" I put the straw inside my mouth again and began slurping the sweet hazelnut.

"Have you told anyone about this?"

I shook my head "Please do tell sangjangnim"

He nodded his head and pull out his phone started to type something. I"m guessing a text to sangjangnim and my manager, that is if he is kind enough. Should I give it a go? You don't remember phone numbers. That hit me hard. Yeah, how am I supposed to contact my manager only to explain that I throw my phone to the trashcan because I was mad, no, because something weird or because I was feeling something irked me? I lean my self to the chair. You don't really feel that one. Oh yeah, I don't. I don't have a legit reason to tell my manager of why I throw my phone away to the trashcan..... Maybe by know he will listen to the news or read the news about it? Well, a little bit hope won't hurt you..... Right? I stare to the man in front of me and recite those words in my head. A little bit hope won't hurt you. hope, I am hurting already. Hurting in a slightly weird way of hurting. I let out a deep sighed. What have I landed myself into?

"--Lee"

I snapped out from my own thoughts and felt something warm on my cheek. I glance down to my right cheek where I feel the warmth is and saw a hand, a big warm hand cupping one side of my cheek. Slowly turning to the front, I found myself looking at those dark orbs that full of uncertainity. Uncertainity.... Yes, uncertainity. 

"You dazed out pretty" he looked at me in a serious tone " long"

I blink my eyes for a while and glance at the clock at the corner of the room only to find 15 minutes passed by already. What did I think about again?

"Are you okay?"

I looked at him confusedly.

"Can you at least......." he think for a while " answer one question?"

I nod myself and held his hand softly "I am okay, just something passed by my mind"

To my dismissed, he withdraw his hand leaving my cheek to be brushed with another breeze, not that I mind. You do mind it. NO, I DON'T. A ghost of smile fainlty showed on his lips. That smile.... 

"Are you excited for our teaching day?"

I return his smile back and nodded excitedly... well not really that excied but yes, I have to be excited in a way or another "I never really enjoy my stay at the university years ago. It would be very cool to actually visit a university and even teaching the students there. It made me feel a little bit like a senior?" I unsurely asked myself. 

I heard his laugh out loud and clear. He is laughing... I scoffed right away at the sight. Why is he laughing? Is it that funny witht he fact I don't enjoy my university life? Well of course, I was surrounded by not so pretty people around here. 

"I once go to the university too. I pretty much become the centre of attention for the people around me. It was weird really... I never really had a normal life, not that I regret it or something like that. I love my job, but sometimes they just get too much in one way and another. Even I believe that wall have their own ears to listen to me and my privacy"

I nodded my head. I understand that, in a completely different way. I am out of my bad style of living already, but at that time, it was worst. There is even tracker inside the bathroom which had made me goes into a mad man crazy cows in a blink of eyes. Having no privacy, having nothing that you could keep at all, it's...

"Luckily, all my closest friends seems to support me. I can play basketball again because I wanted to"

My ears perked up at the word " I love basketball too! Should we play one on one?"

He seemed to be taken aback by the fact that I just throw out "You play?"

I laughed at his adamned expression "yeah! I just told you a few seconds ago about it. Are we having an argument about this or you will snapped it out of your context?"

He laughed along with me, I guess we both are just dumb. I know people glancing at us and keep looking at our way wondering why two idols and models are there laughing their out. This is more or less one normal thing that we still have. Laugh.

"How do you feel? I mean the company despite of things"

I pick my drink and slowly slurp it taking my own time of thinking of how am I really doing "It was great. I love the environment. Yuri always right about the wroking place she works, nonethless to say about that. She is a genius model now. I love how the people in sync on working things out and well, I love it. There is nothing more I could say"

He absorbed my answer and nodded his head, eyes still looking at mine softly. How I wish that I the time would stopped at time like this. The time when I feel I don't have any burden and can just let all things out. This kind of time when he looks at me only. I my breathe couldn't continue my thoughts. I put the glass down and in a big amount of air and release it again. My eyes started to get teary and my chest feel so heavy to think that... I can't be with him. I just can't. I will keep on denying this.

to be continued ...