The next day you went ahead with your initial plan which was to explore Hongdae. You had always wanted to be there since many tourists and friends commented that the place was beyond gorgeous at night. Of course, whatever happened yesterday was still fresh in your mind. You furrowed your eyebrows, trying to firgure out what his first impression of you was. Then you broke into a smile, thinking how silly you could be because he probably got drunk and did not realise what he was doing.

Or maybe not. 

Solo trip gogo! 

You tweeted before finally embarking on your anticipated solo trip.

Since it was your first trip to Seoul, you actually did some homework on how to navigate there by yourself. You briefly slotted the small piece of paper with all the directions written into the front compartment, not realising that it accidentally slipped out along the corridor of your hotel room.

Little did you know it was going to be a nightmare.

You reached Hongdae earlier than expected, took your time going around, tasting the delicacies that were available in the mini stalls set up almost everywhere. After all you had forgotten to eat breakfast since you were too excited. You chose the perfect day - a weekend, the most happening time of the week! Ahjummas were fighting among themselves to get your attention to try out their hoddeok, seafood ddeokbokki and other variety of finger food they had prepared. The ambience was more than perfect. Music with different genres were blasting as some students got on their feet and executed some dance choreography. Meanwhile the group of elderly nearby were singing aloud when a trot song came on. Further inside, tourists gathered around buskers who were singing their own renditions of popular KPOP songs. You hung around for a while before setting off again in search of souvenirs for your close ones. 
As day turned to night, more lights got lit up. The scene was prettier than what you had imagined in your head. Strong barbecue smell made you your lips but you were already full from a heavy lunch you had earlier. All you wanted to do was sit down somewhere and enjoy a bowl of patbingsoo by yourself while watching the night scene unfold infront of your very eyes. But what you did not know was how Hongdae can be really scary at night.

"Little miss, are you alone here? Can ahjumma sit with you?" the shop owner looked at you while curving a smile on her old chapped lips. You smiled back and nodded, quickly getting up and dragging out a chair opposite you so she could sit.

"Ah you are so kind. Thanks young one", she said. "Why are you not going home yet? Its already late… and you are alone." She sounded worried but it did not alarm you because she must have got tricked by your young appearance when you were actually already 22.
"Don’t worry ahjumma, I will be meeting my friends later on", you lied, "they are shopping for a while."

"Thank god you are here with your friends or I will be worried sick", she sighed with concern. "Hongdae can be really scary at night. Especially weekends when there are more tourists around along with the locals and they get drunk. They were worse case scenarios where they prey on those walking alone at night."

That sent a shiver down your spine. You totally did not expect that. You felt the need to get away from there asap since it was already late. It was going to be 12 midnight soon. You finally bidded the shop owner goodbye and exited the patbingsoo parlour.

They were blasting techno and many people were seen randomly dancing on the streets. The place was packed despite the timing. Probably because it was weekends. The strong alcohol smell hit you as you walked out of the place. You sling your backpack forward to retrieve the piece of paper you slotted earlier. You gasped.
It was not there.

You looked around frantically for it might have dropped out without you noticing. Crap, you lost it for real. The most important piece of paper for your Hongdae trip. You took out your phone and headed to twitter, trying to get help from your followers and friends. How did you even not think to call the hotel number which you had keyed into your phone earlier? You were just too panick stricken to organise your thoughts.

OKAY IS THERE ANY KOREANS ON MY TLIST BECAUSE I AM CURRENTLY LOST IN HONGDAE. T.T LOL.

Of course your mentions exploded but none was with the solution you were trying to find. They were asking if you were fine, in which of course you were not. You were on the verge of breaking down seeing the different groups of drunkards in front of you. You slid your phone back into your pocket and looked around for more sober people you could at least ask directions from.

You spotted a petite looking girl with really long silky hear donning a black and blue varsity jacket 5 metres away from you. She looked sober enough, in fact she did not look drunk. Maybe she’s going out of Hongdae too.. Oh God so much for my solo trip and getting lost here! Babo!

You shrugged and ran towards her. “Hey excuse me, Miss!” You caught up with her, trying to regulate your breathing. She furrowed her eyebrows looking at you. “Are you leaving Hongdae? Umm I need your help. I am kinda lost here and I’m not sure how to go about getting out of this place.” Your voice were cracky, you were refraining from bursting into tears because you felt relieved. At the same time she looked very familiar but you could not figure out who since your mind was in a huge mess all you wanted was to get home safely.

The girl broke into a warm friendly eyesmile. “No worries, we will lead you out since we are going off too!” She chuckled softly and looked over your head. “See I told you we could find her! Or rather, she found me coincidentally.”

Who was she talking to? You slowly turned around and found a familiar figure walking towards you. As he walked past the streetlights, you could see his face clearer.

WHAT IS HE DOING HERE?!
OH MY GOD.

Your eyes widened and your jaw dropped to the floor. You turned back to the girl. “Oh my god? I knew it!” You cried, pointing to her. “You look so familiar but I can’t figure out who.Did you guys trail me here or something?” You questioned them.

"Oh no not me! It’s him!" She pointed to the one behind me. "He insisted because he fear you might get lost…and he was right,"she broke into laughter. "Are you guys like…dating or something?" She frowned at you with a smirk.

"What? No! We just met", you denied profusely and bursting into laughter. Finally your heart felt settled as you found two familiar faces with you.

"So I read someone got lost in Hongdae", he towered over you and looked down at your face with a sarcastic look.

You pouted and turned away. “I’m ignoring you. Anyway thanks alot Sharon for your help! So when are we setting o~~!!” You were not done with your question but Daniel already carried you off your feet, piggybacking you without your consent. Sharon was already on the floor laughing so hard at your priceless reaction being held by her little brother.

"Come on, Shae", he called for his sister. "And as for you, since you chose to ignore me, I am kidnapping you away from here." He chuckled as he positioned your legs properly on his waist.
You finally gave up struggling and shot him a mean look jokingly. “You are horrible.”

They sent you home in his car. You insisted to walk up alone but they already freed themselves from the seatbelts and got out of the car before you could say more. In the end, they accompanied you to the lift lobby. Sharon was good at starting random conversation. You found yourselves talking about high heels in mere seconds. She held your hands like you have known each other for a long time and swung it around. Daniel was walking behind you girls, watching and smiling to himself. His fan turned friend had become a family friend.

You realised that he was not walking with you and glanced over to look at him… avoiding every means of fatal eyecontacts. He still had his hoodie up since you saw him earlier and your heart hurt looking at how he was looking down to the floor to avoid gazes from stranger who recognised him. Sharon took notice of you and broke the meresecond silence. “He’s been like that eversince the scandal.” She sighed and let out a small laugh. You turned to look at her as she continued with her voice as soft as possible. “But I let him be. I believe that one day he will find himself and be normal again. He just needed…”

"Time", you completed her sentence sounding as forlorn as she was. She nodded and smiled again. Sharon was of course, worried about Daniel but she disliked showing him how sad she was. She was looking at the positive side, always giving him moral support he needed. She may look bubbly most of the time but who knew deep inside she was aching more than anyone else (other than the family members) when fans were hurt enough seeing him in that state. After all she was his bloodrelated sister.

"I’m pretty sure he will find himself again, Sharon. I believe in him. The whole fandom do too." You smiled at her.

So much for your super soft conversation. Daniel successfully managed to eavesdrop and he just looked at you and Shae with the sad and tired pair of eyes. He tried not to make his eyes well up. He was touched. Touched that someone cared.

I’m thankful, God. To know many care for me. Though they knew I did wrong. And I can’t seem to be able to redeem myself. But you led her into my life and made me feel umpteen times better. I need my strength back, dear Lord. Please give me back my strength and make me normal again.To be who I used to be.

He quickly wiped off his tears and started catching up with you girls. Finally you reached your hotel room. You got rid of the guilt in your heart by apologising profusely to Daniel and Sharon for troubling them. Daniel stared at you. looking amused at you blabbering non-stop. Deep inside he actually found you cute though that day was the second time you met. He felt touched that you actually meant what you said earlier… that right now, you were going to be his friend instead of his fan. Until he was brave enough to face the crowd not as an idol but as Daniel Chae. He did not feel awkward when he was with you.

Likewise for you, all those awkward feelings eventually disappered. You felt comfortable being around the Chae siblings. Maybe it was because they were too nice in the first place. You felt grateful because although the trip was meant to be a solo one, you definitely felt happier.

"So do we have plans tomorrow?" Sharon asked.

"We?" you widened your eyes in disbelief.

"Yes, we", Daniel nodded while fiddling on his phone. He bit his lower lips (you had to control your feelings because it was really seductive) while focusing on his phone and then finally looked up. "How about Lotte World?"

"Sounds fun!! It has been ages since I stepped in there!" Sharon sighed and pouted like a small kid.

"Umm… yeah, okay. That…was a part of my plan but…" you trailed off.

"But why is it WE?"

"Well in case you get lost somewhere again like you did today!" Sharon chuckled.

You sighed and pouted disapprovingly but in the end, agreed to the plan. Sharon then bidded goodbye before walking away to the lift area while Danny stayed behind for a few seconds.

"Guess I shall see you tomorrow" he said softly as he stared at your face in hope to get an eyecontact with you.

"Yeah, I guess so…Daniel" You replied.

"I shall get going then or Shae will kill me! Goodnight" Out of the blue, he cupped both your face and your cheeks gently. Your legs turned jelly as he winked before turning around to leave.

You touched your cheeks in embarrassment. That did not just happened. You slapped yourself.