Female Idols and a Rood Mouth

“Do you like idols?”

Moonbyul looked up from the sink, it was a girl she saw every now and then. Moonbyul wasn’t entirely sure which company she worked for and only vaguely recalled a passing introduction months ago when a colleague talked to the girl.

That wide smile was rather cute but scouring her brain for the name ended with a blank.

But anyway, why was this girl talking to her?

“Uh yeah?”

“Really? Me too!”

Okay....? 

Do people usually start conversations with strangers in the washroom? And about idols?

“I really like the female idols, you know?”

Moonbyul lips parted in confusion as she unconsciously stepped back slightly.

Wow?

That expression and emphasis was earnest to the point of being creepy. And Moonbyul wasn’t about to tell this weirdo that she really fancied female idols too. Male idols, or males in generally, couldn’t entice her a single bit.

But those were classified information, not meant for creepy ears.

“Great?” Moonbyul gave a dry cough, shifted awkwardly and decided to scoot. “Well, nice talking to you?”

Alarmingly, the insistent way the creepy girl shouted ‘feeemaaale idols’ and something about ‘Solar’ during her unglamourous escape followed her even when she was back in office.

Holy . 
 

Hyejin and Wheein burst into unstoppable laughter when Moonbyul relayed the incident to them. They laughed till the point they were falling over each other and choking. Moonbyul was a thin line away from stuffing their mouths with months old socks.

“Why did I tell you guys,” Moonbyul lamented, rolling her eyes. “Now, zip. Shhh.”

Wheein hugged her stomach and croaked out between laughter, “H-hey.. do- do you like female idols? Those reeeeally feeeemaaaale ones?”

Subsequently, the duo descended into chortles again.

Moonbyul couldn’t, for her life, see what was so funny about a creep in the washroom.

“Byulyi. Moon Byulyi. Moonbyul. Byul.”

“Ahn Hyejin, I know my name, you don’t have to repeat it.”

“Yeah,” Hyejin smirked wryly. “But you sure don’t know that the supposed creep in the washroom was hitting on you.”

“Wha-” Moonbyul gasped. After being shocked speechless for long seconds, she waved a finger and frowned. “That’s not funny.”

“She says it’s not funny, Wheein. She says it’s not funny!”

Wheein nodded enthusiastically, huge (and annoying) grin plastered on her face. “Yeah it’s not funny, she’s funny. Byul, you’re so funny.”

“No!”

“Yes!” Her friends chorused in response. “And please hit on her too!”

Moonbyul groaned.

What bad deeds have I done in my previous life to deserve these little demons as friends?!
 

Moonbyul had zero desire to follow her friends’ dumb advice of hitting on the creep when she was once again caught alone with her. This time, in the lift.

Moonbyul had recoiled when she saw the person holding the lift door open for her. But creepy fellow was beaming, looking pretty harmless, and Moonbyul conceded that it'd be rude to ignore her.

Maybe it was a one off thing? Even so, she couldn't shake off the tension between them.

The moment the door slid to a close, Moonbyul felt caged. She wasn’t exactly frightened but something gnawed at her. The ascent seemed particularly slow today.

Playing with her fingers, a nervous habit she had since her teens, she silently cursed her company. Thirty-eighth floor, who the hell picked the office? She could only hope that the creep either forgot about her or she worked on the lower floors.

Unfortunately, it was both a gloomy nope.

“Do you play with your fingers often?”

Bolt out of the blue. Moonbyul gurgled and choked on air.

Oh my ing god. What is this girl!? 

Moonbyul turned to look at her, eyes wide from shock (and a little curious, but that’s a secret).

The Creep had gleaming eyes, shining with earnest yet again.

The shall be her new nickname.

Actually, The Creepy is probably better.

“Do you?” TCP repeated, blinking her eyes innocently, as if she didn’t just say something totally suggestive. “You seem like you do!”

“No!” Moonbyul nearly screamed in embarrassment.

Why the hell should my private life concern you!

“But you were doing it the entire time. I’m sure you like it. ” TCP pouted.

Undeniably, she looked cute but Moonbyul was too horrified to appreciate it for more than a split second. She wanted to melt into the steel lift, never to be seen again. She was almost certain that her face was a flaming red now. Moonbyul swore inwardly, as she stuck herself to the walls of the lift, that she wouldn’t be caught dead with TCP ever again.

The cheery chime of the lift indicated the thirty-eighth floor and Moonbyul sped out without a second thought.

Holy .
 

Someone once told Moonbyul that the more you avoided a certain person, the more that person would stay on your mind. Something about salience.

Moonbyul had called bull then, but she wasn’t that sure now.

She looked to her left cautiously. TCP seemed normal enough today, but she couldn’t wait to get out of her range.

Moonbyul could almost hear the timer ticking, a countdown to something explosive from TCP's mouth.

“Hey! You know... I often see you all alone.”

Moonbyul gulped and shrugged, supremely worried about what was to come.

Come…

“...are you wet?”

Moonbyul squeaked. TCP strikes again!

“I’m really wet.” TCP looked at her genuinely but all Moonbyul could see were huge danger signs and flashing signs. “ Aren’t you?”

“I’m not!” Moonbyul shook her head violently, denying the accusation.

When TCP stuck out her hand, Moonbyul shrinked back, more due to her pattering heart and overwhelming shyness than anything.

"But that's a wet patch." TCP smiled eagerly, her index finger inching closer.

Moonbyul lost it.

"Nope!"

And into the drizzle she ran.
 

She wanted to die. Moonbyul would welcome a flash of lightning, a flamethrower or even the black hole right now. Anything would be paradise compared to her current position.

Which is one very compromising position.

Packed tightly in the rush hour train, Moonbyul was stuck facing TCP with barely a gap between them. Moonbyul could smell her hair (she wouldn't admit that TCP smelled really good) and see that tiny mole on the top corner of her eye. Too close for comfort.

Moonbyul wanted to jump into a frying pan or fry an egg on her burning face.

“Hi!” TCP lit up with a smile but Moonbyul could only reply with an awful grimace. “It’s so packed.”

The sad pout and downturned eyebrows tugged at something in Moonbyul. She nearly, very nearly let out an ‘awww’ but managed to rein it back in.

Hiding her discomfort with a shrug, Moonbyul held her tongue. It had been a long day and the last thing she wanted was to open and dig her own grave.

TCP regarded her curiously, Moonbyul thought she saw a mischievous glint in those eyes. Eye contact was bad.

Moonbyul turned her attention to the granny snoozing away in the far corner, seeking zen and salvation from TCP.

"So tight...ly packed huh?" TCP voice grumbled lowly.

Oh god. Tight?! 

Moonbyul shuddered and used her best effort to ignore TCP. Moonbyul could vaguely feel her breath tickling her chin. She wanted to move back but TCP didn’t allow her a single beat to breathe.

“Do you usually eat out?”

That was it.

Moonbyul lost her cool, spluttered, flailed a little and whacked the man beside her. She survived the harsh glare from him but she wasn’t sure if she could survive another second with TCP.

“None of you business!” She whispered, voice hushed, eyes darting around furtively.

“Oh you don’t?” TCP looked awfully disappointed by the prospect and shook her head as though she was lecturing Moonbyul’s life choices.

Well I do, but… ugh. 

She fell silent and Moonbyul was infinitely glad for the peace. Maybe she would get out of this alive. So she prayed and prayed that this silence would last for the entire ride.

“Do you like top?”

“Huh?!” Moonbyul exclaimed, way too loudly and obviously panicking. “I mean. What are these questions!? We aren’t that friendly… I mean, you can’t ask me such stuff now!”

TCP looked at her, quizzical. “I guess you don’t like Big Bang?”

“Huh? Big Bang?”

“Yeah. You know, Top? T.O.P? Easier to just call him top.”

Moonbyul’s jaw dropped. Had she been mistakenly thinking that the girl was throwing innuendos at her when everything she asked had been innocent friendly questions? Maybe everything was a pure attempt to socialise and Moonbyul had tainted it with her overactive imagination.

“Okay, you don’t like Big Bang, got it. I like them, but not as much as… female idols.” Following that awfully purposeful tone, TCP grinned and Moonbyul retracted her guilt. This girl definitely knew what she was doing.

Innuendos. For sure.

Moonbyul leaned close to TCP’s ear, and as inconspicuously as she could, she demanded softly, “What do you want?!”

“I don’t know,” came the equally stealthy reply. “I just thought you look cute. And you’d probably be cuter when flustered.”

“Wh-”

“And I was right!”

Hands gently caressed Moonbyul’s cheeks and she wanted to melt into a puddle and slosh away. This fellow. This TCP.

Dangerous.

“I’m Yongsun or Solar, call me whichever you want.”

“Byulyi…” Moonbyul mumbled, biting her lips when she noticed Solar’s smirk.

“Important thing is... Do you wanna eat me out?”

Moonbyul screamed in silent terror.

“Oops. I meant, do you want to eat out together? Like grab some food… dinner date?”

Moonbyul froze, her heart hammered and despite everything TCP or Solar did, the tiny spark of want refused to be curbed.

“I promise lesser innuendos.”

Solar's smile and wink didn't look that creepy this time and Moonbyul was swayed. Easily.

She was interesting and sort of funny, once Moonbyul got used that jerk-like sense of humour.

It'd probably be really fun.

“Byulyi, play with me ~”

Moonbyul laughed.

"Well... Okay."