(9)

Hani ditched me for her boyfriend. Last night she was so excited on going to BEAST’s cheap outdoor concert; she already picked her clothes. Then it turned out her boyfriend already had something planned for the two of them for the whole day, and she just can’t refuse. I feel bad as a best friend but I don’t think I can also accompany her the whole duration of the concert since I’ll be mostly inside the backstage.

The CUBE lobby was already packed with employees assigned with the things going on the concert venue. Yoon Hayoon was spotted among the crowd so I definitely have a reason to join. I’m not much familiar with the other members so I looked for Rin from the crowd. She was nowhere to be found. Great.

“Hyojungieee!” Mi Ri’s voiced called out not far away from where I’m standing. I turned and saw Mi Ri looking rather different than ever. How much makeup is on that face this time?

“Hi Mi Ri-ssi. ‘Morning!”

“Good morning~” She greeted in English. “What are you doing here? You should be in Hayoon’s office, right?”

I couldn’t help but to raise my left eyebrow. “I’m sorry; what?”

“You’ll be doing Hayoon’s paperwork while she’s gone for the concert. Didn’t you know?”

Flabbergasted, I just looked at her with my mouth parted slightly. Hayoon-ssi said before that she already has a secretary for her paperwork so I shouldn’t worry about those. I believe that being a secretary and an assistant are two different things.

She smiled and patted my cheek.

“Why are you so surprised? It’s not like you’re that...” she stopped and pointed at the air, searching for a word. “...focal to go with the rest of us.”

What did she just say?

I bit the inside of my lower lip hard and looked at her fixedly. I have no right to be pissed off, I repeated myself for a thousand times.

I breathed and shrugged. “Okay, Mi Ri-ssi –“

“We need a substitute for Kang Jiyeon’s absence! Anybody who is willing to substitute for Kang Jiyeon is welcome!” I heard someone announce by the doors and I felt myself smiling. I hastily raised my hand and like water, Mi Ri moved in front of me and glanced at her wristwatch.

“We don’t have time left. Let’s get going everybody!”

My jaw dropped and I could only look at her back before she spun dramatically to face me. I scoffed in the inside.

“Now get to work, Song Hyojung.”

The way she smiles at me is just so frustrating.

I gave her a bitter smile. “Why do I get the feeling that you don’t want me around?”

“What made you think that, you cutie?” She pinched my cheek too hard. My face clearly showed no signs of flattery and delight. She, however, is enjoying this, isn’t she? Her smile is telling me something in the lines of I’m the head staff here and you’re just one kind-of-an-errand-girl who just happened to look like me and don’t deserve to be with one of us.

She turned to her heels and walked to the door with the rest of the staff. I watched all of them hop inside the vehicles. The van drove to the concert venue.

I flopped down the couch and crossed my arms with a pout. I sat Indian style and nibbled my lower lip. What on earth did I do to deserve such unkindness? I was told to listen to whatever the head coordinator and manager says, and since manager-nim wasn’t around a while ago, I was stuck with having a one-sided conversation with Mi Ri.

I groaned and rested my head on the back of the couch. The only one left by the lobby is the attendant by the registrar and me.

“Is she always like that?” I asked out loud. She stopped doing whatever she was doing and raised her head at me.

“Who’s she?” she unknowingly asked.

“Jang Mi Ri. She totally snubbed me as the addition to her ‘group’. Somebody should remind Mi Ri that this isn’t high school where you just reject someone from your lunch table because she dislikes her. And why would she dislike me?”

Here you are again, Song Hyojung, with your candid mouth.

“She really did that?” she tilted her head to the side. “Mi Ri always welcomes those who volunteers. I remember the time she let Daeun come with her even though she’s a trainee. You must have done something, Hyojungie.”

“What could I have possibly done?” I didn’t just steal her cup of coffee, right? Because if I did then I could’ve understood why and be mad at myself too. But previously I was the one who let her take her coffee first...

“Stole her lover or something; I don’t know. Don’t ask me. I only watch things from this desk.” She smiled sweetly before returning back from typing.

“A lover?”

BEAST’s manager suddenly walked in front of me to the gates and I gave him a quick bow, whilst sitting down. The six boys, one after another, followed and stepped in their car. Yoseob was beside Doojoon and I saw him stop from his tracks. He must’ve seen me from the corner of his eye.

“Yah, why are you still here?”

I rocked back and forth and shrugged. “I might be banned from coming with the staff. I don’t know.”

Doojoon, using signed language, told Yoseob that he’d just wait inside the car. Yoseob nodded and returned his attention to me.

“What do you mean banned? You should be there, you don’t know that?” Wait, is Yang Yoseob getting mad?

“How should I know? I might have no purpose to be there. I tried, okay.”

“No purpose? The audience are mostly international students. The company, mostly you and Yoon Hayoon-ssi, wants to see how our Japanese improved, before sending us back to Japan. The event is a charity event, too.”

I straightened my legs, starting to feel a leg cramp. I stared at Yoseob for a couple of seconds to process everything he just said. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

“I thought you knew!”

I massaged my temples and sighed. “This company keeps on keeping secrets for me, seriously. Mi Ri-ssi would be so furious if I showed up.”

Yoseob smiled slyly and walked to the door. “Then you can hide behind me. You’re much shorter than me anway.”

“How many centuries have you waited to say that?” I teased with a smirk.

“Oh, shut up.” Seeing Yoseob smiling with my own two eyes is the best thing ever. “Stand up. There might be more room for you in the car.”

Though that’d be very great, I shook my head. I’m not that desperate.

“I’ll catch a cab and follow. Go quickly!”

“If you don’t come, I’ll be confiscating your coffees.” he warned, still smiling.

“Not going to take any chances.” I assured and motioned for him to already go.

“See me on backstage.” He said, before leaving.

I eyed counter lady Gaeul. She was watching us the whole time.

“You’re not going to tell Mi Ri, are you?” I whispered cautiously.

She shook her head calmly. “I won’t, I won’t. I root Team Yoseob all the way.”

“Thank you so much, unnie!” I showed my thanks and darted to the glass doors.

“Come back here before everybody else, okay! I won’t be able to defend you if they arrive earlier and look for you!” she yelled and gave her my thumbs up before hailing a cab.

I got on a cab before BEAST’s car left. I told the cabby to follow their car since I know nothing about the concert venue, only to receive suspicious looks from him.

“Ahjussi, I’m in a hurry!” I shouted.

“You won’t get me into trouble because of this, will you? I have lots of experiences with sasaengs in the past...” I heard him mumble and I huffed.

The only choice I have left is to give him a tear-jerking story.

“Ahjussi, what would you do if the one who makes your heart beat really fast, in short the one you truly madly deeply love, left you but she is just right in front of you in a freaking car and you’re inside a freaking car?”

“I’ll cry.” He plainly answered. I sniffed and faked tears.

“Ahjussi, won’t you follow your heart? You’re so heartless... Your chance is just right there...”

He sighed deeply and rubbed his forehead. “Okay, okay, I’ll follow my heart.”

“That’s the ahjussi that I know!” I exclaimed proudly and patted his shoulder. “I can assure you that I am no sasaeng. In this case, we don’t follow our heart, we’ll follow that van.”

I heard him sigh deeply again and he pressed the accelerator. 

~*~

There were already thousands of people waiting by the concert venue and I nearly got lost. I followed my intuition and finally got to the backstage. Thank god for the staff ID or I won’t be able to get inside.

Conscious of getting caught, I carefully placed my steps and mixed in with other staff members to not seem too suspicious. I suddenly felt a hand wrap on my wrist and pulled me to the corner, though feebly. I know all of us have warm touches but this hand is most likely Yoseob’s.

“Don’t just stand there!” Turns out I was right.

“I have nowhere else to go. Where else should I go?”

“I’ll take you there.” He said softly and, without warning, he was holding my hand. Now when did that happen? I’m going to faint from so much blood in my face.

We walked quietly through the dim light and we were in the so called ‘place’ where I can see their backsides. It was just an ordinary place behind the stage.

“You stay here and get a very good view.” He pointed the big hole behind the stage wall which looks invisible from the audience’s sight.

“If I get found out here, Yang Yoseob, I freaking swear –“

“I promise you’ll get out of this alive and not fired. Hopefully.” He mumbled the last word. I’m honestly nervous about all this but my heart isn’t beating so fast because of that. It’s because of the hand. Why is he still holding my hand? My shaking hand is starting to sweat. Should I let go first? But I really like holding hands with Yoseob. It’s just so warm and very manly and I feel so secured.

“Yah, Yoseob, we’ve been looking everywhere for...you...” Doojoon walked right into the backstage and his eyes widened. I gulped but then sighed in relief, happy that that wasn’t some loyal Mi Ri follower. “Why is Hyojungie here?”

I followed his stare as it shifted to our hands. “And why are you both holding hands?”

Flustered, we both let go.

“You’re doing stuff like this now, aren’t you, Yang Yoseob?” He clicked his tongue and shook his head, smiling. “And I thought you’re the purest of us.”

“It’s not what you think!” Both of us said in unison.

“Okay, whatever you say~ Taking things seriously, why is Hyojung here? I heard Mi Ri noona a while ago that she’s back at the building.”

I feigned innocence and pointed Yoseob. “It was him.”

“Hey, are you both teaming up on me now?” Yoseob sulked and scowled.

Messing with Yoseob has got to be one of my hobbies since he’s just so adorable. I walked to Doojoon’s side and mocked a whisper, but said it aloud.

“Yoseob wants me to see all of your backsides.”

Doojoon faked a loud gasp and covered his mouth with his hand. “Oh, no he did not just do that!”

“I’m so done with all of you. After all I did for you, Hyojungie, you’d team up with the enemy.” He glared at Doojoon and walked out. I found Doojoon and myself laughing as Yoseob walked backwards and pointed at me.

“Don’t get caught, Song Hyojung. I won’t ditch performances to look after you.”

“I didn’t ask for a guard. And don’t worry, I’m pretty much invisible. I’ll leave before everybody else just to be safe.”

He nodded with a smile and before he left I called out to him.

“You’re not mad, are you?” Just to be sure.

He chuckled and dragged Doojoon with him. “Why would I?”

And they both left. I heard Doojoon say “Our Yoseob is such a man now.” and “Ouch, was hitting me really necessary?”

I watched the whole concert without any problem, except that the eye hole is really too big I cannot enjoy the duration of the performances without being too conscious of being exposed.

BEAST sang Korean and Japanese versions of their songs and all were perfect as usual. They sang How To Love and I can’t help but feel a tinge joy knowing that I was the first one to hear this. The audience loved it, and so did I. At that moment, I wanted to hug Yoseob. I don’t know; I just want to. I don’t know.

I literally sprinted to the exit when they said there are only a couple minutes left. I sat on the same spot I was sitting on a while ago. Gaeul beamed at me and said that I survived the day and I gave her a huge grin.

Not before long they all came back and went inside the bulding. I ached all of them pass by me. Not too long, MI Ri passed by me.

“Did you stay at that same spot for the whole day?” There was doubt all over her tone.

“Of course not. I had times where I had to go to the bathroom, too.”

She thought I didn’t notice it but I just saw her roll her eyes. Oh, Jang Mi Ri hates my guts. Gaeul chortled and Mi Ri snapped her neck quickly to look at her.

“Sorry!” Gaeul uttered.

She turned to Gaeul to ask her a silent question and Gaeul shook her head in response. I was bowing in gratitude for her in my mind but remained with a blank face. Mi Ri walked away. I was pursing my lips to avoid laughing the whole time. I grinned at Gaeul.

“Thank you, Gaeul-ssi!” I bowed.

“No problem!” She said in English, making an OK sign with her fingers.

BEAST’s van then came and as Yoseob passed by, we only exchanged smiles. Nothing more, nothing less.

The next few seconds, I spent the whole day pretending I didn’t hear just what Gaeul said.

“God do I ship these two.” Gaeul sighed.

~*~

The next day I was welcomed by a fairly quiet staff room. I was about to enter Yoon Hayoon’s office (we share the same room now, yay!) when I noticed how everybody else was looking at their computer screens.

I peered at Mi Ri’s computer and saw her reading an article.

“What’s going on?” I asked aloud and Mi Ri just continued scrolling down the page.

“This is just ridiculous.” I heard her say to herself. I squinted to get a clearer view of the page when the door of the staff room abruptly opened with a bang.

“Song Hyojung, where are you?!” I see smoke coming out of her nostrils. Well, metaphorically.

“Where were you yesterday?!” Yoon Hayoon was charging to me. I can see my gravestone in her eyes.

“I was in the back – I was back here, why?” Phew, almost brought it out.

“Why?!” Oh dear, she’s really fuming.

“Because I...” I looked around for some excuse and realized that I don’t need an excuse because I was really supposed to be there! At the same time, I saw the article title on Mi Ri’s computer.

“ Mi Ri-ssi told me not to go.” I said clearly and see her tense up. I read again the title and felt every matter in my body fall apart. I won’t get exposed, he said. Hopefully, he said.

I guess Yoseob didn’t hope enough.

"Saesang caught on BEAST’s backstage. Or perhaps... a ghost?"

Right there was a blurry picture of my eyes. Yang Yoseob, I’m so going to get you.

A/N: hi hello i updated again >u< it's much shorter than the past chapters but how did this one go? please comment or subscribe or friend me or all of the above ^^ have a nice day, everybody~