The idol stares at me with full of anticipation in his eyes. He looks at me like a kid, begging for a candy in a candy store. Eyes wide and grins that shows his pink gum. Everyone is silent, not knowing what to say with the scene in front of them. The claim that the idol just made really did take us off guard.

“Err… hyung” Seungri finally speaks. “We have to leave to the airport tomorrow morning”

The idol quickly snap his head to Seungri, “Are you serious?!”

“Yes. Tomorrow is Thursday, hyung” Seungri confirms after he checks his phone.

“To where??” The idol asks, bewildered.

“Err… Los Angeles? In case you forgot, our concert is still on going, dude” Youngbae answers.

“” The idol curses under his breath.

“Don’t worry, Ji. I’ll keep my eyes on Hyuri all night.” Seunghyun chimes in with his low voice.

“Why aren’t you going??” The idol leans over to take a better look of Seunghyun.

“I already got permission a week ago. I’ll be going to the airport in the morning though so that fans will think that I’ve left the country already. I don’t want to get ambush when I leave for LA the next day” He says, boastful.

“Why didn’t you tell me about this event last week??!” The idol turns to me and scolds me.

“What the heck?! We met last week!!” I shriek. How am I the one to blame?!

“ARGH!!” He scratches his head ferociously. “Have they got our ticket??” The idol asks Youngbae with hopeful eyes but the latter only shot him an ‘are-you-stupid?’ look to the idol.

“Hyung, Mika and Seunghyun hyung will be there. They can take care of Hyuri and I’m sure if you asked, they’ll make sure the guy wont touch a single strand of Hyuri nor would they let him woo her” Daesung tries to calm the idol.

“YA” The idol’s face turns instant red. “I’m not worried about that. I mean, if Hyuri wants to, then the guy can do whatever he likes. Heck, they can date if they want to! I just don’t like it when a guy hurt a girl.”

“Sure you are” Youngbae rolls his eyes.

“I’M SERIOUS!” The idol yells. “Youngbae-ah! You’ve been accusing me of s! Look, it’s not what you think, okay??! Hyuri-ah. Sorry I couldn’t be your date for tomorrow so I guess you have to be careful yourself. I’m sure Mika and Seunghyun can help you if you need them. Sorry” He says everything in one breath.

“I didn’t ask you to be my date anyway” I answer and the occurring blush is visible on his cheeks again.

“Well, whether you asked or not, I can’t” He says, snapping his face away from me. The idol clears his throat and stretches his arms wide, “Ah… I’m beat, let’s get the check”. He yawns exaggeratedly.

Seungri grabs the check from a waiter and give it to the idol to settle. While the idol pays for our meal, we sneak our way out through the back door, passing the kitchen as we go. Our cars parked secretly behind the restaurant building to avoid any fans noticing Seungri’s car.

I walk with Mika towards her red blinding Lambo after I bid my farewell with Seungri, Seunghyun, Youngbae and Daesung. I give them a good luck wish for their overseas concerts and wish them success. I don’t normally do that but I genuinely wish that they got acknowledgement overseas that they deserve. They’re good guys, after all.

“KOO!!” A loud voice stops me entering Mika’s car.

I turn and the idol is standing just outside the restaurant’s backdoor with his hands on his waists and his eyebrows mashed up together. He’s angry.

I my head, wondering what it is that he wants and without answering, he marches his way towards me. I can see in Seungri’s car the boys are now peeking from the car window, anticipating of what the idol might do next.

“I’m taking you home” He announces once he is in front of me.

Mika got out of her car, “That’s okay, oppa. I picked her up so I’ll be the one who is supposed to drive her home”

“No. I drove her here, so I should take her home” He stubbornly says.

“No, really. I pass by her house on the way to mine, anyway” Mika reasons.

“Don’t you have to go back to your office?” I ask before he comes up with another reason on why he should be the one driving me home.

He doesn’t reply, knowing that the answer to my question is a yes. Without waiting for him to say anything else, I smile and wink as a form of goodbye to the idol before I jump inside Mika’s car quickly. I don't want to go through a long discussion and debate with the idol. After spending couple of days with him, I already know that he doesn't like losing. But... Crap. Why did I wink at him?!

Before I shut my door close, I can hear the idol mutters, “I won’t be seeing you for god-knows-how-long”

Mika follows me a moment later and got inside the car with a knowing smile on her face. Before she turns the engine, she turns at me. “Ya. Go with Jiyong oppa”

“Why?”

“Just go” She says, shoving my shoulder lightly.

I look out the window and I can see the idol is now walking towards his car. His step is slow and heavy and his back is hunched. He pulled on his hoodie, which I returned back to him earlier before we left the restaurant. His hands are in his pockets and I can see his step is getting slower and slower.

“Why should I go with him?” I ask Mika as I watch the idol’s figure walking away.

“Because I know that your tummy rumbles when you’re with him” She answers.

I snap my head back to her and whisper with terror. “Isn’t that a bad thing?”

She chuckles, “No, pabo. It’s a good thing. Now go before he leaves!”

“I don’t like it when I’m around him, though. I feel sick. My whole body acts weird”

“Don’t overthink and over analyze things too much, Hyuri-ah. Just go with your guts. Is your gut telling you to ride with Jiyong oppa?” Mika asks with all seriousness.

It takes me some time to reply. Is my gut telling me to ride with the idol? Do I want to? He annoyed me, every single chance he got, but something pulls me to him, like a force and I don’t feel like fighting it. He confuses me with every action he does, but the way his action changes, my insides jumps and twirl.

“I don’t know, Mika… Do I want to?” I turn my head and the idol is now already next to his car, opening his door.

I don’t know what happened or who initiated it but next thing I know, I am already standing outside Mika’s door with my clutch in hand, ready to switch car. The sight of the idol leaving without me in his car doesn't fit well in my gut so I naturally acted to prevent it.

“Hey idol!” I shout.

He turns and his eyebrows furrow.

“Wait up!” I walk towards him as Seungri’s car begins to drive away.

“You’re riding with me?” The idol asks in disbelief.

“Yeah, I guess I am. No more question! Get in and drive me home”

***

The ride to my home is comfortably silent. The idol continuously humming melodies that is not familiar to me. Sometimes he mumbles some rhymes, which I think he just made. He taps his finger on the steering wheel to match with the melodies. The silence of the car doesn’t feel silent at all.

“You seem happy” I comment, seeing the brightness in his eyes.

“Yeah. I love BBQ” He answers.

“So you’re happy because of the food?”

“Yeah, why else?”

“Aren’t you happy that I’m riding with you?” I ask blatantly.

He snaps his eyes at me with much surprise. “Aa…A… I…”

“You’re not?”

“Of course I’m happy!” He shouts.

“Good. That means I’ve done my good deeds for the day” I slump my body on his leather seat.

“Good deeds?” He asks.

“Yeah. Mother always says to do a good deed every day to have a good day ahea