(5)

I know it’s wrong to not feel totally bad about accidentally locking Yoseob and I inside the recording studio now that manager-nim is scolding me. Maybe I was too happy that I got to spend time with Yoseob? Maybe I was too happy to feel guilt? I don’t know, to be frank...

“Are you even listening, Song Hyojung?”

I looked a little lost for a moment before bowing too much and exclaimed, “It won’t happen again.” I stayed in that position until manager-nim cleared his throat and gave me a few warnings. The way he walked away made him look like he didn’t just scold a girl who he thinks locked herself inside a recording room with a precious idol for her only impure intentions.

I sighed deeply and ran my fingers through my hair, and sighed once more. I turned to my heels and saw Yoseob standing there, his arms quickly falling to his sides like he was quickly hiding something from me. He widely smiled and I arched a brow and looked at him curiously.

“I guess I’ll see you later!” he waved and started to walk away.

“What were you doing?” I slightly yelled knowing he was walking ever so slowly like he’s waiting for me to catch up to him. Maybe he’s not, but I like to believe he is. And besides, he wouldn’t know what I’m thinking which would be less embarrassing.

He turned his head to me. “Oh, just being a great friend, that’s all. Manager-nim gives long sermons. See you!” Then he quickly left.

It occurred to me a few seconds after that Yang Yoseob might have helped me. A theory came to me that Yoseob was making silent gestures saying that manager-nim shouldn’t be scolding me because it wasn’t completely my fault. Sure, I was wrong with closing the door without seeing if anyone was inside, but Soyun did tell me wrong information. So if there was someone who needed scolding, it would be manager-nim. I mean, how could he let Soyun tour me around when he knows she is always in her office and relies on the things she hears?

“Hey, Yang Yoseob, thank you!” I shouted anyway. He might be only a few walks away, and I like to thank him quickly. I heard incoherent shouts from him and can’t help but grin.

I turned to my heels to get the company phone when I saw a familiar figure looking at me with an unreadable expression on his face. I quickly bowed.

“President Hong! Hello.” I quietly said and straightened my back again. It suddenly hurts and I don’t know why.

“You must be Song Hyojung?”

“Um, yeah. I guess you’ve read my application form?” I rubbed the back of my neck and combed my hair with my fingers. “Did... Did you hear me a while ago?”

“Ah, the thank you? Yes, but it would be better if you ran to him and thanked him face to face.” I didn’t have a slightest idea of what he said. “And no, I haven’t read that yet. I heard you locked Yoseob inside the recording room with you?”

I laughed nervously and looked at my feet. “Well, it wasn’t on purpose. What about talking to Yoseob-ssi face to face?”

“No shouting at the hallways.” He stated as-a-matter-of-factly and I felt my face flush. Of course.

“I’m so sorry.”

I copied the smile on his face as President Hong said, “Welcome to CUBE, Hyojung. Work hard!”

I shook his hand quickly and he left. I respect him so much and more did I respect him now that I met him face to face. I expect myself to be tense around him, but I didn’t. And I kind of thank him for giving all his artists their deserved second chances and for creating this company because if not then 1. I may not have a job 2. There won’t be BEAST and call me selfish but 3. Yang Yoseob wouldn’t have sung at me.

~*~

I saved the number that called me in the recording studio in my contacts, which turned out to be Soyun’s. She was looking for me to get the company phone and freaked out when I said I was stuck with Yoseob just like what everyone somewhat reacted. It’s even more embarrassing to know that I’m known in the CUBE building as the girl who got locked inside the recording studio with their beloved main vocal.

I put back my phone in my bag and pulled out the company phone, scrolling through the list of people saved in its contacts. It doesn’t have any other apps but in its contacts have BEAST salon’s number, a list of their stylists, managers, President Hong’s, coordinators, but no – even though it was obvious from the start – BEAST contact numbers.

I looked through the photos, curious about what Jang Mi Ri looks like, but it was empty. Seriously though, what kind of phone doesn’t have games, pictures and let alone music?!

Soyun toured me around for a second time to meet the important people inside and good thing she didn’t say anything that would somewhat put me into trouble.

“Don’t do something stupid again. And I’m truly very sorry about a while ago, Hyojung!” she said.

~*~

I had to eat. My stomach is rumbling too much it’s getting very distracting. I had to drink coffee. I had to eat.

It came to a time when I couldn’t take how much my stomach is eating itself and darted to Manager-nim’s office. I knocked.

“Ah, hello Hyojung, Could you come back again later? I’m on my lunch break.”

“Perfect, then” I pursed my lips and breathed through my nose. This takes a lot of guts than I thought it would. “I would like to use my coupon.”

“What?”

“Um...” I looked at my shoes then at my empty stomach. “You owe me coffee, right manager-nim?”

“Ah, right. Coffee...”

“I want to get it right now because if I let it go I would forget all about it sooner or later.”

He glanced at his watch and nodded. “Okay, then. Just coffee?”

I grinned. “If you’re thinking of treating me free lunch then that’d be good too~”

“Aish, you kid!” he hit my head softly with his wallet and passed by me. I followed him to CUBE Cafe. I don’t know if CUBE offers lunch meals but all I really need is something to fill my stomach so it doesn’t really matter.

“Manager-nim, you’re really liked my uncle from a farm.” I spoke with a doughnut still in my mouth, I chewed softky. He treated me two big donuts and a coffee and I am more than grateful.

“What?”

“He always gives more than he should. I didn’t ask for donuts. I was teasing you, manager-nim.” I took a sip of coffee and felt utter bliss.

“Take that as my welcome gift.” He mocked an annoyed expression and sipped loudly from his coffee while he flipped a page from his newspaper.

“Thank you, Uncle Manager-nim!” I laughed and took another bite.

Orientation today was just so short and manager-nim insisted on talking more with me, saying how my talkativeness wasn’t that annoying. That was a good sign. He talked about his daughter working abroad and I talked about my uncle from the farm. Uncle Do Nam had our farm all to himself after we left the province to say permanently in Seoul when I was just 7. He’s too happy there to leave; at least that’s what he told us all the time. I don’t think he’s lonely with just a whole land of plants and a dog, at least that’s what he told us.

“Yes, he has a very big dog named Tiny! But Tiny is so cute even though he is huge.” I said in awe with my hands clasped together. I can’t help but reminisce about my moments with cutie Tiny, until manager-nim turned away from his newspaper and called out to someone.

“Hey, Yang Yoseob! You’re on break too?”

Yoseob turned his head to Manager, his smile growing wider. I didn’t see him for a moment as fans surround him and once he finished signing autographs and taking pictures, he found his way to our table. I felt my face hot. I wish I had the power to control my own blood from reaching my face, but I don’t think it is possible in my case.

“Manager-nim! I was hoping a while ago that I won’t get to eat along here like last time, and there you are! Mind treating me ice cream?” He grabbed my coffee and sipped on it. It’s my coffee. My coffee.

“YA!!!” I shouted and took the cup from him slowly, not letting coffee burn my skin again. Yoseob’s eyes widened.

“Hyojungie! Didn’t see you there~” he beamed and continued insisting manager to treat him ice cream.

I sighed. “Yoseob, I love you as an idol but it is law that no one should drink from Song Hyojung’s coffee.” I stated out loud. Manager laughed out loud. I watched him as he pushed Yoseob’s shoulder to make him sit down next to me. Our shoulders bumped and I want to un-feel it.

“I thought it belonged to manager’s...” I heard him speak softly to himself.

“Yoseob, you’re my idol!” Manager exclaimed, all of a sudden and after seeing Yoseob’s confused face, he continued. “You’ve survived this girl’s talkativeness while being stuck inside the studio with her. I can’t even take a sip of my drink without replying anything she says.”

“Manager-nim!” I whined. Yoseob laughed and tried to take a pinch of my doughnut, and failed as I took it way from him. He mocked a glare at me and I childishly stuck out my tongue at him.

“Did she ask you about global warming too?” he asked with a light in his eyes and swiftly got a part of my donut and popped it in his mouth.

“H-hey, Yang Yoseob!”

“Wait, she asked you about global warming?”

“I don’t know any other things to say, okay!” I whined again and crossed my arms with a pout.

“So the whole time you were only talking about global warming?” I crossed my finger secretly, hoping Yoseob won’t say anything about the singing part. Part of me doesn’t want anyone to know such a precious moment. I want to think that that is our own little secret, that only the two of us know about. But I figure Yoseob already told it to BEAST since they don’t seem like those type to keep secrets from each other.

“Aigoo, so many things to talk about and there you kids talked about global warming...” Manager went on.

“It wasn’t all about global warming!” I felt my heart skip a beat; He’s going to say it.

“Actually –“ Yoseob started but Manager-s phone started ringing continuously. He pulled the phone from his pocket and stared at it for a moment and left, saying his lunch break is over and needed to go. He placed money on top of our table.

“Aigoo, famous idol can’t buy himself ice cream.” He complained under his breath before he left running. He left us. Me and Yoseob. Alone. Again. I felt blood rushing to my face once more. I drank my coffee, letting the cup cover my face as soon as my face relaxes a bit. I put my cup down.

“Hey Hyojung, I think you’re drinking too much coffee...” Yoseob muttered. I looked at his eyes, blinking a few times to get used at seeing his angelic face.

“Hm?”

“Your cheeks are red.”

I quickly placed my palms on both my cheeks. “Oh,” I laughed nervously. “It happens sometimes.”

“You sure do love coffee.”

“Too much, actually.”

Yoseob left and bought himself ice cream. A part of me wants him to sit at another table so that I won’t be acting so awkwardly and embarrass myself in front of him, but the other wants him to stay, to sit closer to me, and to feed me ice cream.

“You should try the ice cream here. Never fails.” He took a spoonful of vanilla and made a sound. If this is a way of him making me jealous, then it surely is working.

“You should try the coffee.” I replied back after finishing my last doughnut.

“I already did.” He said without looking at me, his attention totally on his beloved ice cream. While he was busy with his ice cream, I took time to calm my heart and the butterflies in my stomach down. He drank my coffee a while ago. Normally I would be so mad I wouldn’t even want to speak for my whole life. But not this time. I thought of where his lips touched and if it is where my lips landed too. Just the thought of it made me want to kick myself.

I shook my head too much and rubbed my temples. This isn’t the time to think about this.

“Are you alright?”

“W-what? Yeah... Of course I am!” I belted. Noticing how loud my voice went, I repeated the same words much softer this time. My eyes shifted to the newspaper Manager-nim was reading a while ago and made a short shout before grabbing it.

“Wow, Yang Yoseob, you really are amazing...” I said in awe, looking at the front page. Yoseob’s musical is such a big hit I now really regret not being able to attend.

He leaned closer to me to look clearly at the front page. He is too close I can smell his perfume. He smells so good I – Wait, he even got to have a page on New York Times?

He stayed silent reading the contents before he went back to his ice cream, nodding in affirmation. “Have you seen it?”

“Um, no... But I always wanted to. Heard it was daebak.” I stared longer at his picture on the page, and my lips curved into a smirk. “You look good in a dress.”

“HEY! It’s a robe!”

“Kidding~ Kidding~” I defended myself, raising both my hands. Then I felt somebody holding my right arm, I froze in sudden shock.

“Oppa who is this?” “Oppa, are you dating? Is this your girlfriend?” “Oppaaa! What happened to our happily ever after? I made a fanfic about us and you’re not following the script!”

I thought BEAST has very few sasaengs? What’s going on?

The girl’s hold on my wrist was too tight I struggled to escape her grasp.

“Let go, would you?”

“Answer me first! Are you Yoseob oppa’s girlfriend?”

“No! Now let me go!” I tried yanking my hand away but her hold is too tight.

“Not until you say the truth!”

I freaking had it. “Truth or not, you won’t accept anything that escapes my mouth, right? Why does what I say even matter if you’re going to hit me anyway? Is that really the attitude you want to show in front of your idol? How could you even call yourself a fan?” I spoke too quietly, but the way she glared and gritted her teeth only showed she also had enough.

“You !” She raised her hand. She is going to slap me. I shut my eyes closed before she brings her hand down with force and hit my cheek. I waited for the blow. Nothing. Another five seconds has passed. Nothing.

I opened one eye and saw Yoseob holding the fan’s hand. I only saw his back, and wondered what sort of expression he is wearing. The fan looked happy though.

“That’s enough okay?” His voice is scarily calm and light. “Girls shouldn’t be slapping each other. It’s a total waste of beauty.”

He looked over his shoulder and looked at me. I cannot look straight into his eyes but I beard it and looked back. He mouthed the words, “Go. Hurry, hurry!” and that was my cue to escape from the sasaeng’s clutches. It could’ve been worse. It could’ve been more than just a slap. I mouthed my thanks at him and quietly left CUBE Cafe.

I wonder what Yoseob told those girls, but I’m sure he scold them what they needed to be told, because he is Yang Yoseob. And as I’ve heard a lot about him, if Yoseob is in a situation like this he wouldn’t really care what would people think and just scold the sasaengs because that’s the right thing to do.

I wanted to go back to the cafe to check on Yoseob, but his effort on saving me (again) would be for nought if I went back.

I got in the bus on the way home when my phone shrilled in my pocket. I pulled it out and saw I got a message from a random number.

You’re welcome, Hyojungie~ If the sasaengs come and attack you again just tell me, understand? Yah, they’re really hard to scold... they even told me a story about their Dooseob fanfic!! Why did it come to this >_< but they pinky-promised me they won’t do it again ^^ Save this number~ - Yoseph

This is very unhealthy for the butterflies in my stomach but there’s just one thing... Just how in the world did he get my number?!

A/N:

It took me so long to update and the update is so bad I am so so so sorry ;_;