LEE TAEMIN’S POINT OF VIEW:

7:04

Hey Sleepy head! Good morning!

Min Ho-hyung is snoring loudly sitting in the seat next to me. I stare out of the window and before I can decide not to send the message my right thumb already pressed ‘send’

7:19

I am slowly becoming uncomfortable in the seat, it’s not that I am not used to flying, it’s the growing restlessness inside my chest. I can’t keep still, my I try to avoid starring at my phone, for being in the show biz for over six years I am surprisingly nervous.

If you want to perform on stage you have to have calm nerves, if you want to perfect your dance moves you have to practice along time-

you have to be patient, if you are an idol you have to answer awkward questions and evade uncomfortable situations- you have to keep a cool head.

However, all this seems lost right now as I drum my fingers on the armrest my knees bobbing up and down, why isn’t she answering?

Should I text her something again? Before I can stop myself a ‘Bing’ notifies me that my text was successful send:

Are going to arrive soon in Shanghai. The view is daebak!

7:23

I facepalm myself. How stupid can someone get?! She is still asleep!! I am right, aren’t I? She hast to be… Because she normally answers in a matter of seconds… Relieved I type:

Have fun today with the Hyungs.

Maybe I should add something, it seems so short… Mmmh..

I glance at Min Ho-hyung drooling all over the place. I shake my head in disbelief, Sleeping habits… As an ingenious thought crosses my mind.

Don’t take Jong In-ah too seriously ;)

Now she won’t get too close with Jong In-ah and if he tempts to makes any advances towards her she won’t take him seriously thinking it is just a lame joke of his.

I proudly look at my almost finished message, only a greeting misses:

See you tomorrow. XOXO

Luckily, Min Ho is still in dreamland and Jong Hyun too busy with talking to Onew about how good the chicken at this new restaurant next to our dorm is, so they don’t notice my light blush as I add XOXO, just to keep it normal and to make clear, that I am not awkward around her, after I practically asked her out.

It is still hard for me to accept that this girl, which I have met just some days ago, can mess with my feelings this easily and it doesn’t help that I get the feeling like I am not the only one.

One thing is clear:

Friendship has priority.

- That’s what I like to tell myself, it has always been for me, what unsettles me the most is, I don’t know if it still is if my feelings get any stronger.

I sigh, now only time will tell. Will she answer or not?

OH SEHUN’S POINT OF VIEW:

It’s loud: people calling or yelling orders, the whole room is hot and stuffy from heated human bodies, some are running around with stacks of clothes, boxes of make-up, piles of bags or other accessories, and some with cables or lights in their arms.

The whole place is buzzing with fussing staff making last finishing touches.

I try to relax as much as possible, we will have a long night before us. Min Jae-ssi is currently hovering around Lu Han trying to fix his hair and to prevent single strands from falling onto his brow.

Lu Han flashing her a warm smile now and then or nodding to signal that he understood what our new stylist said.

Jong In shrugs on the black leather jacket that completes his posh overall looks.

He lifts a brow at himself, his face close to the mirror showing his infamous smirk as he straightens his styled hair.

He is conceited in one moment and in the next he steps back and smiles satisfied at me through the mirror, giving me thumbs up as he turns around to talk to me, sitting in one of the chairs leaning onto the room-divider separating us from the other models.

His smile falls when a panting Ah Ri storms in, she holds four different sized cups with big straws protruding from them.

“That took you long enough.”

Jong In-ah snatches one of the cups settling down next to me and starting to nip on the bubble tea.

“Eww… What is that?”

He chokes, Ah Ri hands one to Lu Han, who takes the beverage with a small thank-you-nod, puts another one down onto the table for Min Jae-ssi and hands a last one to me.

“It’s chocolate flavored.”

She smiles devilishly down at a grumbling Jong In-ah. I take a sip, smiling an eye-wrinkling smile at her:

”My favorite.”

I blink surprised to see Ah Ri’s blushing, probably just imagination… But Jong In-ah seems to have noticed it as well, as he starts sulking:

“But not mine.”

Ah Ri shrugs and nicks the cup from him.

“It wasn’t meant for you. You said you didn’t want one.”

She takes the straw between her lips and starts drinking. Jong In-ah gets up and leans close to her, his lips next to her ear drawn into an evil grin.

Ah Ri gulps the chocolate flavored tea down the straw leaving her lips.

I am sure the next few words weren’t meant to be heart by anyone else than Ah Ri, because his voice is just a mere whisper.

Without noticing it I strain my ears and try to catch the words:

“That was an indirect kiss.”

She shivers feeling his warm breath brushing against her ear, it sends goose bumps down her spine. He pulls back bringing his face near to hers, their noses less than two inches from each other’s as he a thumb lightly over her cheek.

He smiles even broader, her eyes widen in surprise and astonishment, unconsciously I hold my breath. She goes rigid when he slowly leans down, smirk still playing on his lips, his other hand cupping her face now too and kisses her lightly on the lips.

Jong In-ah’s eyes flutter open again and he pulls back, his eyes searching hers:

“That was a real kiss. My favorite.”

He throws one last glance at me and drags Lu Han with him leaving us with long strides alone, Min Jae-ssi escapes the awkward situation running after Lu Han, shouting she wasn’t finished yet.

Ah Ri drops down next to me onto a chair, her knees shaking, a trembling hand plugging a none-existing strand behind her ear.

I am dumbfounded, I get up to throw the remaining bubble tea into the bin; the plastic cup squashed beneath my fingers, chocolate tea spilling onto my fingers. I let the cup drop into the bin, the deformed cup lands with pained thud, maybe chocolate isn’t my favorite after all.

I turn my attention to Ah Ri, actually I just want to leave, but her insecure facial expression holds me back, a hapless smile contorts my face:

I sigh, and have to force myself to look down at her. I pet her head.

“It’s all right.”

I crouch down in front of her, resting my head on top of my hands lying on her knees, I look up at her, smiling encouragingly. She takes a moment to swallow, and then responds with a hesitant smile, getting up I ruffle her hair for a last time and mention her to follow me.

“The show is going to start soon, come.”

KWANG AH RI’S POINT OF VIEW:

I almost bump into Sehun as he stops abruptly, we have reached the others, who are standing here too, Min Jae is still fixing Lu Han's hair and Jong In starts complaining as she tugs on his clothes and lifts her eyebrow at, how the collar of his leather jacket popped up, after some minutes of bustling about she smiles satisfied.

“What are we waiting for?”

I ask Sehun quietly shifting my gaze from Jerk to him, for the first time I stop glaring at the kiss-thief. Sehun smiles amused:

“For a sign to enter the stage.”

I gasp, halfway through all this chaos I forget why we are here and I can’t wait to see their performance. A guy with a headset waves at them to go on stage:

“EXO, you have ten more seconds.”

I give them thumbs up.

“Good luck! You can do it!”

I cheer, Lu Han pumps a fist into the air.

“Hwaiting!”

“Hwaiting!” Min Jae and I answer, Sehun smiles nervously and Jerk rolls his eyes at us.

One second Min Jae ushers them on the stage and Jerk is giving me one last glance, that I return with gritted teeth, the next Min Jae drags me by the wrist out of the backstage area.

Some moments later we emerge just behind the stage; the huge room is dimly lit, some rows of chairs are flocked around the catwalk that goes almost to the opposite side of the room(hall).

The people I can see are all wearing expensive looking clothes, probably everything designer clothes

(we are on a fashion week: the Seoul Summer Collection 2014 in Dongdaemoon Plaza):

women in tight-fitting cocktail dresses, skirts, blazers, some in shorts (I bet every single one of them is wearing some dangerously high high-heels),

men in tailored suits with wristwatches, that are more worth than the car my father is driving.

It’s a total different world, a world closed to normal people, people with no money aren’t not welcome.

Reporters are standing behind the rows of chairs eager to take the best pictures.

Min Jae, with me in tow, elbows her way through the little reporter crowd and we stand directly behind the V.I.P.s comfortably sitting.

Suddenly the lights go out and the room (or hall, fits better) is flooded with white lights, I have to cover my eyes with a hand from the blinding lights, the next moment, music starts roaring through the speakers, models come from the back of the stage.

Tall women in designer clothes in black and white, some combinations seem weird to me (like this dress made out of rags of grey clothes in different color gradations for example). Min Jae on the other side claps and cheers loudly, I guess fashion is really her passion.

I am still surprised,at how calm she acted around Sehun, Lu Han and Jong In, there is still this image of her, clutching her crumpled card board sign with Jerk’s name on it and her disappointed expression as Jong In left to find his bracelet (that I actually found), in my head.

After the fifth female model Sehun appears, on his side a pretty woman clad in white, I swallow: he has his arm around her, it looks so natural that I have to remind myself that everything that happens on stage is an act, at least their affection for the models.

Sehun seems so tall in his black, ripped skinny jeans and the long coat he is wearing.

(So tall and handsome!!!!!!!!!!!*fanning myself*)

Jerk is the next, a stern expression shows on his face, his black leather jacket fits perfectly well together with the rocker-like outfit of his company, he is holding her hand.

I expect Min Jae to start screaming as he walks to the end of the catwalk to take his place beside Sehun, Min Jae however starts clapping and cheering like a mad woman as Lu Han emerges.

He wears tight skinny jeans and a big sweater, he is only some inches taller than the model on his side, he has his arm slung around.

I throw her an irritated look, she seems to have noticed, because she nudges me with an elbow to get my attention.

I tear my gaze away from the three EXO members and turn to her.

All of a sudden she starts to yell into my ear, though I can barely hear her over the buzzing music:

“HE is so handsome, I could die! The jeans make him so hot! His smile, awwwwwwwwwww!”

I jerk back as she almost screams my ear off, does she mean Jerk?

She is his biggest fan, right? But why hasn’t she started screaming as the lights were on him?

“Do you mean Jong In?!” I shout.

She looks at me like I am the one, who went mental. “NO! LU HAN! He is so cute!”

“And Jong In?!” She waves me off.

“You can have him! Lu Han is soooooo much more handsome! And he soooooo nice!”

I guess Jerk lost one of his biggest fans… Maybe the way he treated her was the reason.

Now it makes sense that Min Jae was so calm around him and stuck to Lu Han all the time.

I have to smile at the thought of Min Jae together with Lu Han.(Aww that’d be so cute!!!)

My dislike for her puffs into thin air, she was probably just excited to meet them for the first time.

“But if you dare to lay one eye on my Lulu-oppa, you are dead!”

I hectically nod not wanting to be strangled to death.

“Friends?”

I extend hesitantly a hand towards her, she chuckles and side hugs me tightly eyes still fixed on her beloved Lulu-oppa.

“Friends for life!”

I gulp at the possibility of her killing me or snapping me in two pieces in future, if we ever happen to have a disagreement.

Though, I am happy to have a new friend.

My eyes find their way back to Sehun dancing now with controlled movements in synch with his two Hyungs. They are breathtaking live, seriously, I have problems with breathing properly not wanting to choke on the sparkles and fairy dust they are emitting.

People, even the oldest CEO, are mesmerized by their professional and powerful aura.

I have to admit, Jerk did a good job with coming up with that dubstep break, everything goes smoothly and soon they make the last turn, stomping their feet on the stage and the crowd erupts in cheers and jeering.

Min Jae and I clap furiously as they make their way back to the stage vanishing behind the main drapes. Min Jae and I hurry back to meet them.

The next two hours are hectic:

Changing out of one outfit to walk the catwalk and come back to change into the next. Min Jae lets me fetch everything she needs and even hands me hair spray to keep an eye on Sehun’s hair style.

“Last one to go.” He smiles down at me as I tug one strand behind his ear, my body heat rising at the light skin contact we are sharing. I smile and clench a fist.

“Go out there and show them how awesome you are!”

 

After they have bowed together with the main designer of the show at the end, we remove their make-up.

(Event though I have not much make-up myself, I know how to put someone’s make-up… Ha Ni and Se Na made me on the countless drama-watching-girls-night-over-parties we had and with having pretty long hair comes knowing how to handle hair spray and combs.)

We have to hurry, it is already half past midnight and we have to be at two o’clock at the airport.

Lu Han carries Min Jae’s gigantic trunk (ok maybe just case) of make-up, while Min Jae storms at the top of our procession through the huge white hallways, white stairs, walls, even the floor is white, glass walls to the outside show lucid and busy streets.

Quickly we have reached the van waiting downstairs in the park basement.

Everyone gets on board, Lu Han is just storing the make-up trunk/case, before he climbs on the driver’s seat starting the car.

My jaw drops as I see the Dongdaemun Plaza for the first time at night:

It looks like a gigantic shining UFO ready to take off, with its gleaming metal cover and weird form.

Blue lights making it shine in an unearthly glow.

We rush out of the van, everyone has just a small bag or trolley case, but I have troubles with caring my huge- shoulder bag.

The airport is busy even around this hour.

The clock hanging on the other side of the big airport lobby reads '2:15'.

“Palli! Palli! We have to get check in!”

I, a person who has never set a foot onto airport grounds, have no idea what Lu Han is talking about, I shrug following them closely behind.

I put the bag down as we stand in line to get the tickets…?

I guess…

“Why aren’t you taking of the face masks and glasses?”

I mean to ask Sehun, sadly, I have leaned to the wrong side; Jerk’s side.

“You should get used to it, idols have to.”

He states, in normal circumstances I would have gotten it, but as he leans down and looks at me one hand adjusting his black cap, I space out.

His eyes are dark and have this shine to them, just like they had after the “kiss” (more peck).

I am lucky that no one knows my secret… It was my first real kiss....

My heart skips a beat, I don’t know what to do and just stare at this dark, brown, dreamy eyes, mouth slightly agape.

(I must look like a carp trying to breath air.)

“How stupid are you exactly?!”

He flicks my forehead.

“Aww, that hurt!”

“As idol you have to hide your true identity or else, fans would be all over the place, ok normally they are, today wasn’t officially scheduled so they don’t know, but normally-“

“Is that why you walk around with this cheap-looking paper bag?”

I point at his weird fashion item.

“Yah! I am a trend setter, understood?!”

I have to laugh and he takes me into a headlock for that, to my relief I am the next in line and can escape his mean attack. I throw one last glare over my shoulder and head to the counter, a nice lady smiles confidently at me.

 

Yesssssss! I have to keep myself from jumping and running around, screaming out of glee. I am sitting next to Sehun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(OH SEHUN!)

We store our luggage away and Sehun changes seats with me, because I don’t want to sit next to the window (It is my first flight and I have no experience and am scared), like the gentlemen he is.

Min Jae and Lu Han are sitting across the aisle, Lu Han doesn’t look to good, he is a little pale.

All my glee and delight evaporates when I notice Jerk settling down in the seat next to the aisle and me...

Whyyyyyy???!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aww it was so hard to write the kissing scene... I don't why, but it was so awkward. OMG! O^O

I decided to just write two chapters a week, sorry for the unregular update, though! I try to do my best! Hwaiting!