Chapter 14
Stuck With Five Guys For Three Months
Eggs. Bacons. Breads. Cooking Oil. Chili paste. Lettuce. Cabbage. Chili powder. Orange juice. Apple Juice. Gatorades. Beef strips. Whole chicken. Ten instant ramens.
Did we forget something?
“I think we forgot chips and sodas.” DongHae answered my internal question.
“Oh! I knew we forgot something!” We were both in the grocery store buying things we had no stock on. The other guys stayed behind, being lazy as always.
There’s something weird with DongHae, though. He’s wearing sunglasses and a baseball cap.
“Can I ask again why you look like you’re hiding or you don’t want to be seen with me?” I asked. I’ve asked this for about three times now. And his answers were still not clear to me.
DongHae pushed the cart where I am in. “This is a disguise.”
“Yeah, for what?”
He caged his lower lip with his teeth. “I got into a famous entertainment company as a trainee.”
“Oh my gosh!” I shrieked. “What type of trainee? The actor or idol kind?”
He grinned widely. “Idol. But I still want to be an actor though.”
“Oh gosh!” I can't believe this. I live with a guy that going to be an idol a few more years from now. "So what's the disguise for?"
“My company posted clips of their new trainees. I found myself having a lot of fans. They even created a website that’s dedicated to me. They’re in a stalking mission. To know where I live, where I study at, and if ever I have a girlfriend.”
I nodded. “Okay… So you don’t want others to think that I’m your girlfriend?”
“No!” He fastly said. Realizing he seemed so defensive, he cleared his throat. “I mean, no. I just don’t want them bothering us.”
Suddenly, my eyes caught what we're missing from our cart.
“Chips and sodas!” I pointed and DongHae pushed me there. I grabbed six chips and six sodas for all of us. I forgot to tell, we’re all big eaters.
“Do you think they recognize me?” DongHae suddenly asked with a worried look.
“Who?” I asked back. He pointed to where a couple of high school girls that are gossiping while looking at us from the end of the chips and sodas hall.
“You’re being paranoid. Maybe they just think you look weird with your disguise.” I shrug.
“Okay…” He turns the cart around where the cashiers are.
I turned my head just to make sure that those teenage girls were looking because they recognize him. But then I noticed the group doubled and right now, they’re both gossiping and taking out their cellphones to make calls or something.
I cleared my throat. “I think you should walk and push faster.”
DongHae understood and did what I told. We paid our groceries fast and I noticed the teenage girls were now walking to where we are.
“Wear this.” He took of his baseball cap and placed it over my head.
I tugged it down, trying to cover half of my face.
Before the girls came close to us we were already out of the cashier corner and are practically running out of the supermarket.
“Damn it. I’m really not that good in running!” I said. It was the truth. I always end up tripping when I run too fast.
Can you just imagine if the girls get to capture that on their cellphone cameras?
I’d look pathetic.
Just then, I felt a warm hand wrapping around my wrist. I looked at DongHae in question. “I won’t let you fall.” He simply said as we continued running.
I think I just melted. How sweet can this guy be?
I looked back and saw a dozen of teenage girls were now running for us. “Oppa!!! DongHae oppa!!!”
, they’re getting closer.
“We need to… ride the taxi.” I said, panting. I think I looked like a dog with his tongue hanging out of his mouth.
God, I’m thirsty and tired.
He called a taxi over. We went in just in time the girls came closer, still taking pictures.
DongHae smiled at them, apologetically, before he instructed the taxi driver to drive away.
We both panted inside the taxi.
“So that’s… what you’ll deal with… from now on.” I said as a statement, still panting like a dog.
“I didn’t… really expect that…” He answered, panting as well.
I started laughing at our situation. After a second, he joined me.
We both got ourselves two bottle of Gatorade that would help us get to breath normally.
I noticed I was still wearing his baseball cap. “Oh! I forgot to return this.” I was about to take the cap off when DongHae stopped my hand.
“You should keep it. It suits you.”
I blushed. Damn. “Uh, thanks.” I looked at my hands on my lap like it’s the most fascinating things in the world.
We got home after making sure those teenage girls weren’t following us.
I opened the door for DongHae who was carrying the things we bought.
“I didn’t know teenagers could be that crazy.” I said, closing the door behind me.
He chuckles while placing the grocery bags on the kitchen table. “Haven’t you had the experience of stalking your favorite
celebrity?”
Stalking my favorite celebrity? That’s not me.
“No. I’ve always thought of celebrities as normal people. Normal people who needs privacy.” I answered, following DongHae to the kitchen.
He started taking out what we bought from the plastic bags. He sighs deeply after a moment. “That’s true… I wonder if I’ll reach to the point that privacy is out of my own hands.”
“Well I don’t really know much of being a celebrity so I can’t give you advice that will be useful…” I trailed off, looking straight at
Donghae. My lips slowly stretching into an honest but playful smile. “But one thing’s for sure though, I’d talk to your fans when they’ve over-stepped on your privacy.”
DongHae chuckles. “Have I told you how lucky I am to have met you?”
Melting.
Before I could answer, the apartment door opens and closes with a bang. Two guys running inside, panting.
I got two bottles of water and rushed to Seunghyun and Nichkhun. “Oh gosh, what happened to you two?”
They held out a hand while the other takes the bottles on my hand and drink it.
“So many girls…” Nichkhun started, his eyes wide.
So many girls, what?
“Cameras pointed…” Top covered his eyes with his hands.
Cameras pointed, what? Can’t they complete their sentences so we could understand?
“Screaming and squealing…” Nichkhun covers his ears while grimacing.
I groan and at the same time. glaring at the two. “Stop,” And they did. Stop, I mean. “Can anyone please complete their sentence? Because seriously, I can’t understand a thing of what you guys are saying.”
Nichkhun rolls his eyes. “So many girls were following us, cameras on our faces, and they’re squealing and screaming.”
I put my confused face. “And why is that?”
“We got accepted as trainees and right now, netizens are having a feast with that.” Seunghyun answered, grimacing.
“You got accepted as a trainees too?” DongHae ask, while walking to where we all three are. He looked happy as he asked, “What company?”
“JYP.” Nichkhun grins.
“YG.” Seunghyun smirks.
“Holy shh…” DongHae was close to cursing but then he realized I was also there, a girl, so he made it ‘shh’. “I’m on SM.”
“I don’t really know those entertainment companies but they sound big.” I had to add. I was feeling out of placed with all of these you know.
“They are.” Nichkhun grins widely. “Those companies are called ‘the big three’.”
“Wow! Congratulations!” I sincerely said, smiling at the same time. I really am happy. They’re like family. And family supports one another. “How about we celebrate?”
“No alcohol.” They deadpan.
“Pfft! What makes you all think I want to drink?” I said defensively, crossing my arms on my chest while glaring at them.
They all looked at each other, guys secret message or something, before looking straight at me. “We could just feel it.”
Ugh… They were right…
O-kay. Going out is such a bad idea. I’ve got three guys looking like celebrities on disguise. And of course I had to join in. I don’t want people to know who I was and why I was hanging around with these famous idol-to-be trainees.
People were starting to get curious as to why we were dressed like this. Maybe they’re thinking, ‘Are those three guys idols or actors’ and ‘who the hell is that girl beside them?’
“Guys, I think we should head back to the apartment.” I said, glancing at the bystanders that are looking at us.
“Why? We’re already out here and we’ll be meeting up with Gikwang and Mir too. We can’t just cancel this. We rarely even eat
out!” Nichkhun contradicted me.
I lowered my cap down, to cover half of my face. Damn, those people are still looking. “Don’t blame me if girls suddenly crowds all around you guys. And don’t count on me to protect you because I’ll leave or slip away as soon as that happens.”
We walked a little more before we met Gikwang and Mir, who were waiting at some street food vendor. They were also eating, by the way.
“Food!” Nichkhun exclaimed as he see the foods that the street vendor sell.
I roll my eyes.
But then I see dukbokki. “Dukbokki!” I exclaimed, before ordering that spice rice cake. This is one of my favorite Korean foods and I haven’t tasted dukbokki being sold in a street since I was a kid. Dukbokki for me tastes much better when it’s sold in streets than the ones in restaurants. It’s just different and…
Hmm. Spicy and Hot!
While Nichkhun and I ate our ordered food, the other guys talked about each other’s company and other stuffs they’ll do once they started training.
Then, I noticed Mir and Gikwang weren’t speaking about what company they got in.
“How about you guys? Did you get into a company?” I asked both maknaes while ordering for another stick of dukbokki.
They shook their head, smiling, before Mir explains, “We didn’t audition. We’ll finish the next semester first before auditioning. At this point in the university, we can’t mess our studies up. I still dream of being at the top of class before debuting as an idol.”
Gikwang nodded, agreeing as to what Mir said.
“Oh,” That was all I could say at the moment. I was rendered speechless. They didn’t want to rush things and wanted to focus on their studies instead.
Such an inspiring maknaes.
“So you three will be our sunbaes by the time we debut.” Gikwang grinned widely. “Sunbae-nim!” He exclaimed, testing the word out to his hyungs.
Mir sighs before pouting. “We’ll still be the maknaes. Nothing will change.”
I let the boys talk while I eat my delicious hot dukbokki. I decided to entertain myself by looking around where we are and what
people were up to.
That’s where I noticed that a lot of people started gathering not too far from where we are. They’re mostly teenagers that are wearing their school uniforms.
This is so not good.
I finished my dukbokki before turning to the guys. “Hey, I think you’re all gathering a lot of attention right now.” I whispered to Nichkhun who was at my side. I tipped my head to the directions of the forming crowd and he followed my gaze.
He whispered to the other guys, after.
“Do you think we should just act like no-“ Gikwang was cut off when three highschool girls walk up to us.
“Excuse me, but are you guys Nichkhun, Seunghyun and DongHae?” Highschool girl #1 asked.
The boys and I looked at each other.
What to do? That was the telepath message we sent to each other.
But since they’ll be an idol someday and they need to always be nice to their fans, they confirmed who they were.
With just that, the girls squeaked and people that were gathered just around us, came forward, asking for autographs.
I was pushed to the side that forced me to land on my on the ground. I caught myself not to fall completely with my head to the ground with my hand. And that is a really bad choice, now my hand stings.
I think it was scratched. And bleeding by now. I looked at my hand.
Yep, that’s definitely blood. Just two to three small lines of blood.
I realized I’d have to deal with this every time I’m with the guys or as long as I live with them. Can I deal with that?
I was about to stand when a hand appears in front of my sight.
I look up, trying to see who the gentleman that wants to help me stand is.
A pretty-handsome face was what I saw. Eye smile that’s really cute matched with a crooked smile on the lips.
I’ll call him Pretty Boy since I don’t know his name.
Pretty boy, shoot his eyebrows up, gesturing to his hand that is outstretched to me.
Oh, yeah. Forgot about that.
I mumbled, “Thanks”, before holding onto his hand.
He helped me stand and I mumbled another ‘thanks’. I patted the dusts on my shirt and jeans before looking awkwardly at Mr. Pretty Boy.
“It’s my pleasure to help.” He flashed me that crooked smile once again. I think I almost fainted. Why are all the guys in South Korea that I meet have to be this pretty or handsome?
Feeling a bit flustered, I ran a hand through my hair to fix it. That’s one of my mannerism when I’m in this kind of situation.
Then I realize, I used my hurt hand and I winced in a bit of pain.
“Are you alright?” Pretty boy looks at my hand with concern.
I looked awkwardly at my slightly bleeding hand. “Oh, uh, It’s fine. Just a little scratch from the earlier fall.”
“You need to get that treated. The dirt from the ground might cause infection on your hand, you know.” He was still staring at my hand with concern which made me feel more uncomfortable. He looks up at me after a few second. “There’s a drugstore near here. I could buy you some first aid stuffs for that little scratch.”
He’s making me more awkward with his super concerned attitude. “Thanks, uh. This will be fine. I’ll just wash this with water or
something.”
He stares at me for a while before a playful smile forms into his lips. “Come on, I’m not a bad guy.”
I grinned before composing myself and looked at him, menacingly. “How can I be sure of that?”
He shake his head slightly. That playful smile was still plastered on his lips. “First, I’ll tell you my name which is Jung Il-woo. Second, no bad guys helps girls that are in most need of it. And third, do I look like a bad guy to you?”
I chuckled with the mention of ‘do I look like a bad guy’ because he really doesn’t look like one.
Well, should I accept his help?
He’s very nice until now so I guess I could accept his offer to help.
“Fine.”
I look back one more to the three boys that are now crowded with people then I looked at Gikwang and Mir who were watching
with amused expressions.
I waved at them and when I finally got their attention, I pointed to the nearby drugstore and they nodded in understanding.
With that, pretty boy and I walked side by side to the drugstore. It was really weird, though. I just met the guy and I feel like I’ve known him my whole life.
And the name Jung Il-Woo seems to ring a bell on me.
But I can’t remember if I’ve seen him or heard of his name before.
AN: Thanks for reading! All comments are very much appreciated. So... what are you guys thinking?
Comments