"What about Penny?" G.NA asks. "Does Penny have some relationship with the industry as well?"

Before you can answer, Seungwoo appears at the door. "Jin Ae-ssi, the CEO is here."

***

"Are you ready yet, hyung?" Sungjae asks eagerly.

"Calm down, Sungjae-ah," Peniel grumbles. He regrets telling Sungjae that you'll be visiting.

"But the Mona Lisa will be there!" The maknae bounces around.

"She's my friend, and she has a name!" Peniel tells him for the umpteenth time, frustrated.

"Yah, sit down in the living room," Minhyuk tells the maknae. "We'll leave soon."

Peniel's phone buzzes.

From: Mark hyung

What are you doing today?

To: Mark hyung

Practicing at Cube. You?

Impulsively, he sends another message.

To: Mark hyung

Do you want to visit? We can have lunch.

From: Mark hyung

Sure. Text me anytime.

Peniel flinches as he receives the reply. Now what?

***

By the time you conclude your discussion with CEO Hong Seungsung, it's already 8 am. With a smile, you bow and take your leave.

Making your way back to BEAST's practice room, you receive a text from Peniel.

From: Penny Shin

Almost there. Where are you? Still on campus?

To: Penny Shin

Nearby :)

There's music playing in the room again. You peek through the window and watch, fascinated.

Yoseob sees you in the mirror and falters, but Gikwang's the one who calls, "You can come in!"

Grinning, you push open the door as the song ends. "Yoseob oppa, do you always get distracted like that?"

"A-aniyo," he denies, avoiding your gaze. Ugh, I'm not wearing any makeup and my hair's a mess.

You chuckle. "Arasoyo." You look around. "Where did unnie go?"

"She has a schedule. Are you officially a trainee now?" Dongwoon asks.

"Mm… I suppose so. You won't see me around much, though," you answer semi-truthfully.

"Because you're still attending college," Junhyung guesses brusquely.

You move your head ambiguously, then smile. "Can I stay here for a bit? I'd like to watch you guys dance."

From: Penny Shin

We're here, heading up now. How close are you? Might as well wait.

To: Penny Shin

Well, I'm really close. Like on top of you close ;) Come find me~

From: Penny Shin

How the heck did you get in??

To: Penny Shin

It's a secret, hehe. I have my ways ^^ good luck, have fun

From: Penny Shin

T_T I'm setting Sungjae on you. I'm not gonna run around on a wild goose chase, might as well let Sungjae do it. Oh, and you're telling me how you got in later or you'll never hear the end of it.

To: Penny Shin

0.0 you wouldn't. Omfg, you're evil.

From: Penny Shin

:)

"Motherf***er," you whisper, frantically looking around for places to hide. It's almost as if you can already hear Sungjae's hyperactive squeals.

"Is that Sungjae?" Yoseob asks. "Why's he so loud this early in the morning?"

"!" you muffle an expletive. Quickly, you bolt towards the mirror and hide behind a random stack of gym mats, not realizing your reflection is slightly visible from the door.

BEAST stop dancing and stares at you. "What are you…"

You put a finger to your lips and curl into the smallest ball you can manage, trying to blend in with the purple gym mats that really don't match at all with your mint-colored shirt. Your bag is still in the middle of the floor.

Yoseob's gaze darts to the door, listening to Sungjae's squealing, to your messenger bag, on top of which is your phone, with a message from Penny Shin, and then to you. Realization dawns. Oh. Grinning, he scoops up the bag, pops the phone in, and heads over to you. Your eyes widen as he hands it to you, pulls the gym mats slightly, and sits down as if taking a rest. With his body in the way, you're not visible at all.

BEAST is still staring.

With a meaningful nod and glance at the door, Yoseob gets the others to start practicing again.

"Gomawoyo, oppa," you whisper. "You must think I'm really weird."

"Nope. Peniel needs to be pranked more often, and running from Sungjae is really just a survival instinct. I think he's coming," he replies, smiling, then lays his head back on the pile of mats and closes his eyes just as Sungjae pulls open the door.

"Hyung-deul, annyeonghaseyo~ Have you seen the Mona Lisa around? She's Peniel hyung's friend, and he says she's here," Sungjae inquires eagerly, bouncing in place.

"Well, someone went that way, towards the vocal rooms." Hyunseung gestures innocently.

"Gomawoyo, hyung. See you later," Sungjae says and rushes off excitedly.

"That boy is way too energetic for his own good," Dongwoon grumbles. "I feel old just looking at him."

"Jin Ae-ssi, you can come out now," Doojoon calls after checking for people in the hallway.

"Gomawoyo, oppa-deul," you thank them gratefully, feeling as if you've just escaped from a natural disaster of epic proportions.

To: Penny Shin

That kid is terrifying, but he's not going to find me. Mehrong~

From: Penny Shin

He passed by?? Seriously, where are you? How did you get in? Sungjae says he checked all the vocal rooms. There's barely anywhere to hide.

To: Penny Shin

Secret ^^ Your boy Sungjae isn't exactly the best seeker. Maybe I'll go have a coffee and then go back into hiding.

From: Penny Shin

Are you serious right now…

Peniel groans and scruffs his hair, frustrated.

"We can't find her," Hyunsik announces, coming back into the practice room. "Sungjae says BEAST sunbae-deul are here though, you want to go say hi?"

"Yeah, araso," Eunkwang agrees, getting up. "Kids, let's go."

Still texting you, Peniel follows.

Hearing voices outside, you scramble to hide behind the gym mats again. Quick-reflexed Gikwang dives after you, tailed by Yoseob, who frowns at him for taking up his spot in front. The two of them start poring over Doojoon's phone, nonchalantly tugging the mats to cover you more fully.

"Hoobae-deul, good morning~" Hyunseung sings, greeting BTOB.

"Annyeonghaseyo~" BTOB bows in tandem.

To: Penny Shin

This scene is so heartwarming :')

Peniel frowns. "Jewel?" he calls out suspiciously. "You're around here, aren't you?"

"Mwoh?" Doojoon asks.

Changsub wanders over to Gikwang's side curiously. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing much," Yoseob says, awkwardly swiping at the phone screen. "Uh… just looking at the weather?"

"Sungjae, go find Jin Ae noona. She's somewhere around here, maybe outside," Peniel instructs the maknae, who dashes off, before turning to Doojoon. "It's my friend, hyung. She's been hiding from me. You haven't seen her, have you? She's got black hair, really short-"

You let out an annoyed sputter despite yourself.

Gikwang suddenly has a fit of intense coughing. Straight-faced, Yoseob smacks him on the back a couple of times.

"Choked on my saliva," Gikwang explains hoarsely, flapping his hand. "Don't mind me."

"Well, if you haven't," Peniel says doubtfully. "We'll just look for her elsewhere, I guess." BTOB leaves, except for Minhyuk.

He grins, on to something. "That pile of mats looks like it's about to fall over. Let me come fix it for you," he offers, coming over.

Oh oh oh , you think, and curl into an even tighter ball.