º I'm A Sasaeng Fan!?!

     I helped O'Hare up the ladder and yanked on my blanket that was currently under Kris' . I wrinkled my nose in determination as I tugged harder.

     “You stupid love birds. If you were going to get all nasty you should have at least gone to a motel or something." I continued to mutter, much worse insults mind you, to the couple spooning on the bed I shared with Afton. They didn't even budge when I stumbled back after freeing my blanket. I climbed up the ladder and laid next to O'Hare. You might be wondering why I simply didn't share the blanket O'Hare had. Well, that my dear kids, is because O'Hare was the type to kick her blanket off the bed. I on the other hand, needed a blanket to fall asleep, no matter how hot my surrounding was. I plugged my ears and felt O'Hare elbow me in the ribs as she switched positions. 

      "~ GET UP WOULD YOU!?" Looking up with crusted eyes, I wished I could have laser vision to disintegrate O'Hare, who was shaking me awake. I threw her arm off and sat up.  She had somehow climbed over me earlier, without waking me.

     “What is it!? Aren't you supposed to be hungover? How are you even awake before me you.. You...”  Fumbling with my words, Korean and English slurring together, I couldn't even come up with a good insult besides poop pile. I climbed down the stairs and walked into the kitchen were Afton was finishing breakfast. Kris was gone, I assumed he had dance practice or something else to keep him busy. We all sat down and began to eat a bowl of cereal while watching morning cartoons. Afton and O'Hare had classes today, but since it was Sunday, I didn't.

    "Jaeseop is back from Columbia," O'Hare informed me and I nodded my head. We were all into K-pop, but as things were right now, we didn't have time to fangirl over it as over girls got to.

     “Are you going to go a fan meet then?" Afton and I asked in almost unison. O'Hare shook her head yes and I felt a small pang of envy pass through my veins.

    “You better get Soohyun's signature for me."  I half-joked with her.

     "Of course, dear," she said cheerily. We all knew I had a bit of a crush on Soohyun. The rest of the morning continued like that until eventually my two friends had to get to class and I was left alone in the dorm. Waiting till they were gone. I threw my hands in the air and stood on the couch.  

    "The house is finally mine!"  I practically yelled and I began to dance to "Roly Poly".  The excitement soon died down though and I dusted the couch off before sitting down again. The house was very quiet, and somehow it made me restless. I glanced over my shoulder; feeling like someone was staring at me. It was awful. I knew I was being paranoid but I couldn't help it. I stood up in frustration and ruffled my hair and walked into the bed room where I slipped on washed-out blue skinny jeans and a mix-matched leopard print free shirt over the black one piece. I didn't have many accessories except for two earrings in each ear. Small diamond studs in the the bottom hole, and above that slightly large sapphire stones. I threw my hair into a messy bun and made sure to grab a coat before slipping my only pair of Puma hightops on. It wasn't anything something would gawk at since it was me. 

     "Yeoboseyo?" I had made it to the restaurant where O'Hare had taken me out for dinner last night. Small presents and fan art lined the tables and was to spilling over onto the floor. I leaned down and began to pick up and reorganize the small stuffed animals, love-notes, paintings, wrapped boxes, and whatever else there was. I was just finishing when I felt someone touch my shoulder.

     "Aish, you scared me ajummah." I stood up and placed a hand on my chest, willing myself to calm down. She glanced over at what I just finished rearranging and I had immediately bowed 90 degrees.”J-jesonghamnida!" I rose up and bowed again. "It's just that they were all over the floor and I didn't want anyone to step on them." I heard chuckling and looked up to see the old couple smiling at me. I was completely baffled. Apparently it showed on my face. I felt Ajummhas' small hand pat my shoulder and I bowed again. Even though she had seemed okay with it, I still felt bad about touching things that weren't mine. The couple led me to the back where they explained how to work some of the burners in case they were out. I nodded and tied on the apron. It wasn't even the lunch hour rush yet but there were students piled into the main room, wanting to eat. A sigh escaped my lips, but I put on a sincere smile and began to casually talk with the customers and take their orders.

     “I wonder who she had to bribe to work here," they whispred amongst themselves.

     "I know. She's not even very pretty, she's fat too."

     “Do you think her parents have connections here somehow?"

      I shot the two girls in the corner a warm smile, but my eyes were obviously telling them to shut up. 

     'Yeah. Because my Mom who left already was able to do this. Because my Dad definitely knows I live in Korea now. Because it's not like I hadn't seen him since I was 11. And there's a chance that my older-brother who works hard in the military had time to make such connections.'  I bit back the nasty comments. It would be rude to come out and about my life, and even worse since this was my first day working here. I gave the little brats a refill on their water and greeted the next customers that walked in. 

Infinite POV 

     "Ehehe Sunggyu~" Woohyun linked arms with Sunggyu as they walked towards their van. " Aren't you even a bit excited!? It's a break! Plus we get to visit Dongwoos' parents’ restaurant. Get pumped up! A golden chance~" 

     Sunggyu clicked his tongue. "I'm not excited. How can I be happy if I still have to watch over you kids? I just want to go home and take a nap." 

     Sungjong perked up, "Hyung, don't seem so angry. We might get to meet some fans. Someone might even tell you you're the most handsome." He tried to encourage his leader as they climbed into the van. He sat between L and Woohyun, with Hoya and Dongwoo taking the front two seats, Sunggyu in the passenger’s seat.

     "YAH!" Woohyun yelled up to the very front. “Don’t get too happy grandpa. I'm the only one who can say you're handsome!" He laid back into his seat, satisfied as the other members burst out into laughter and watched a blush flourish across their hyung's face. Sungyeol was coming from acting lessons and had promised to meet them at the restaurant.

     "So Dongwoo, are you excited?" Hoya leaned over and asked Dongwoo. He nodded before showing off his gums in a bright smile.

     "Of course! I got my mom this necklace and my dad this heating pack. He said his back has been hurting since last week." He laughed for no apparent reason, and soon the van was just in general chaos. Myungsoo was sleeping with his head resting on the window, but everyone else was yelling and throwing things. Even after their manager had turned up the volume of the radio twice so he could hear "I Don't Need A Man." And boy, did he not need a man.

     They pulled up a block from the restaurant to not cause a commotion. Sungyeol joined them and they all walked to the restaurant disguised fairly well. Dongwoo shuffled his pink hair a cap, Hoya was wearing thick sunglasses, and they wore almost uniform face masks and each had a scarf. Woohyun was the only brave enough to try and hide his face with the collar of his shirt.

    "It's rare we get to be like this. Especially since Infinite H was such a big hit. But promotions for that are over right?" Myungsoo asked quietly and Hoya answered with a simple "ne."

~ POV

      A large group of shady looking people came in and sat down at a table in the back. They looked around, as if looking for someone. I wasn't sure what to do at all. I drew a shaky breath.

     ’What if they want to rob us? Oh why why why why why did Ajummah have to leave? Ajushi is in the back cooking and I can't disturb him.' I calmed my breathing as best as I could and approached the group. One by one they took of their masks, scarves, hats, sunglasses, and whatever else they could off. One even kicked off his shoes before they all appeared dumb-struck while looking at me. They were handsome, and I had a hard time picking whose face I wanted to get lost in. I soon noticed the glare coming from one of them, and the other panicked faces. I looked behind my shoulder expecting to find maybe a huge wasps or maybe even a serial murder; there was nothing. I laughed, and they all bugged their eyes out at me. I had forgotten for a second that I was a tall, white, foreigner.  The one with a large mouth joined me in laughter almost immediately and after both of us had calmed down, I could tell everyone was really confused. Somehow..... I wanted to bully them longer.

    “So what do you guys want to eat?" I asked in English and they turned to stared at each other.

    "What did she say?"

    "Something about food?"

     "What the hell?! Why is there a foreigner working here? Dongwoo, what's going on here?"

    They yelled at each other in hushed-tones, not knowing I understood Korean. I bite back laughter and put on my best innocent face.  One of them turned to face me after they were done with the "secret" meeting and pointed to seaweed and tofu soup, kimchi, rice, soda, grilled mackerel, tteok, and whatever the others around him yelled out.

     “Food... this, very good you know?" He hesitated and tried again. “We Infinite you know? My mom and dad own store." I opened my mouth a little and took a quick glance at the pictures that were all over the walls. I looked back and forth between them and nodded ook my head yes. I hadn't noticed earlier from all the people in the store, and now it was even worse. Not many people had noticed them, but those who had were whispering amongst themselves about how lucky they were. I knew of Infinite, but I didn't know all the members, only one called Sungyeol and another called Woohyun. I could tell the others were getting annoyed though as one said whispered to the other loudly, “Na mi chyuh gan da" which I knew he was saying that he was going crazy. The one who seemed like the leader leaned forward and asked me if I spoke Korean and I just simply nodded my head, not bothering to hide an amused smirk.

    "Why didn't you just say so then?" he demanded.

     I smiled sheepishly. "You didn't ask me. Plus he," I gestured with a turn of my head to the one who had pointed to whatever they wanted, "just pointed to whatever he wanted. I assumed he was ordering for everyone." I bowed slightly as they laughed it off and they finished telling me what they wanted to shove into their empty stomachs. I went to the back and ajummah was walking through the door, and I told her and her husband that their son was back. Both of their faces lit up and they rushed out from the back. Ajummah grabbed Dongwoos’ cheeks and hit him softly calling him an idiot. After ushering out the rest of the customers, his father went to the front and flipped the sign to "Closed" and locked the door, as there was already a large crowd outside the restaurant. 

     I don't know how much time passed before they stopped talking and Dongwoo's parents went into the back to finish cooking for everyone. Somehow we had chased everyone else out of the store but you could still hear fans outside chanting they wanted to see Infinite, or whinnying for a certain member. Woohyun was the one who was the nicest and teased the fans the most. He had gotten up from their table once or twice and stood in front of the window and threw out hearts. I giggled  when he, dragged Sunggyu, whose name I had leaned through eavesdropping, to the window and planted a firm kiss on his cheek. The girls went wild and I felt myself raise a hand to my mouth and bite at my knuckle. WooGyu indeed. Even I felt myself want them to smash their faces together and get it over with.

     "~ would you be a dear and bring in the soup? It should be done now. After that, please eat with us?" Ajumma's sweet voice brought me back to my senses back and I bowed with a short "ne." I was bringing in the soup and placed it on their table when I heard a loud gasp. I looked up to meet the face of a horrified Sungyeol who was pointing to me.

     "Yah! Why is Dongwoo's name on your chest!?" I looked at the small print and back at Dongwoo, who looked even more mortified than the rest of Infinite. I had taken off my apron and the name was on my collarbones. There was not much I could do to hide it besides wear turtlenecks and high-cut shirts that almost strangled me. I wasn't going to live my entire life trying to hide a mark I had no control over. I shrugged my shoulders and tried to explain but there was no time.

    “OH MY GOD! Dongwoo, she's like some of those other girls. They started tattooing names onto their bodies hoping to trick us into falling for them. You're so... so..." He struggled for words as I stared at him. “Pathetic. Are you that desperate? To tattoo someone's name on you is just.... AISH!"

     “You’re just a dirty sasaeng fan! We’re people too you know!"

     I stared at him in disbelief and looked at the faces that were scrunched up in disgust, but trying to keep their images as idols. I was beyond furious now. “What did you just say to me?!” 

     I yelled back at him, standing up in my chair causing a loud screech as the chair was forced back and eventually fell over from the sheer force of how I pushed myself up.  “You’re just some idol who is too full of himself! Are you racist?!” I screamed at him in English, I fell back onto the cliché even though I immediately regretted it.  “How can you even say that me?” I asked in Korean to with Sunggyu clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes.

     “Come on, it’s pretty obvious with you acting like this. Would you please just leave us alone? We don’t want any trouble and if you continue this way it will be bad for you also.” 

Sorry our choding is the bad guy >.< It's just for a little while though. I was just thinking and I thought that he would be the person most likely to yell something out in a burst of anger. Remember it's fictional 'kay?~