I stood up from where I was crouched on the training room floor and clapped my hands.

"Great job today, everyone!" I applauded the rest of iKON. We had been at YG perfecting our dances most of the day and now everyone was tired and drooping.

"Yay!!" The others gave each other high-fives on a job well done and Junhoe and Chanwoo even did some hops around the room, to which I just laughed and shook my head at.

"It's getting late. Everyone should go to the dorm and get some supper and much-needed rest."

Jinhwan, being the eldest, nodded his head and took charge of the younger members. "Yes. We have another long day in front of us tomorrow. We should head back now."

Everyone started filing out of the room, but I stayed behind, gathering up some things and stuffing them into my backpack.

"Hanbin. Are you coming?"

I looked at Bobby standing by the door. I shook my head. "No, Hyung. Not yet."

His expression became strained. "Are you seeing Shelby?"

I nodded and tried to ignore his expression, which now showed the worry I could tell he felt.

He gave a short nod and pressed his lips together. "Don't stay out too late. You'll be tired like the rest."

"Nae, Hyung. We're just having a late supper."

He nodded again and left the room. The door banged slightly as it closed and after it was quiet again, I stopped zipping my backpack and sighed.

I rubbed a hand over my face as I thought of my girlfriend, Shelby Park. She was American-Korean and attending Seoul National University.

We had met six months ago. I had felt if I didn't get a cup of coffee I would lose my mind and I had hurriedly gone into a coffee shop on the SNU campus.

Six months ago.

After placing my order at the counter, I turned around and looked for a seat to wait at. I chose the table closest to the counter so when my order was ready, I wouldn't have far to go. I couldn't stay and drink it here, though I would have loved to. Being an idol made it impossible to do a lot of things that others took for granted.

Which was the reason I was currently wearing a mask. At least since it was cold outside, I had an excuse and it wouldn't be so obvious that I was trying to hide my identity.

Christmas had passed a few weeks before though we still had snow. It had continuously snowed the last three weeks and I loved it. Snow made everything seem clean again. It covered up all the dirty things.

My order was called and I stood up and walked to the counter and thanked the woman that handed me the cup.

She smiled. 

I headed to the door.

"Keep warm out there!" She called after me and I turned my head and bowed to her slightly.

I turned back around and collided with someone. 

All I could see was someone wearing a scarf because they were bowing so low in apology.

"I'm so sorry," the person kept saying.

"It's all right," I assured the person, whom I was pretty sure was female, because they were pretty small. I couldn't really tell from the voice though because their face was almost completely covered by the scarf and it muffled their voice.

The figure bowed once again before moving past me. They moved too close however, and my coffee flew from my hand and landed on the ground.

The person stopped when they realized what they had done but didn't turn around immediately.

Instead, they raised their hands and slapped themselves on the head. I raised an eyebrow in surprise. What were they doing?

"How could you be so stupid, Shelby? Really?!!" 

I raised the other brow when I heard the voice speak in English this time. They must be foreign then and I was now positive it was a girl. The scarf had slipped down a bit and I could hear the voice more clearly now.

Definitely feminine.

The girl turned around towards me then. "I am so, so sorry. Again," she said bowing even lower than before.

"It's all right," I assured her.

"No, it's not. Let me buy you another coffee, at least."

"Okay," I said. I had really been looking forward to that coffee. It had been a long busy week and just last month we had released some new songs, just in time for Christmas.

One of the employees rushed towards us to clean up the spill and the girl apologized to them as well and helped the worker as best she could, which wasn't much, since she kept stepping in the spilled coffee.

I had to stop myself from laughing out loud at the sight.

The worker finished and left.

The girl moved towards the counter and I followed. 

"What did you have?" She asked me.

"Just a caramel cappuccino."

"Okay." She turned back around and addressed the barista. "One hot chocolate and one caramel cappuccino, please."

She paid and then headed towards the table I had sat at previously.

We sat down and the girl unraveled her scarf. I stared in surprise. Her features were Asian but it was mostly her hair that I stared at. It was chin length and straight and....hot pink.

She caught my stare and laughed a little self-consciously. "Hot pink is my favorite color. I decided I would dye my hair right before I came here."

"Where are you from?"

"The United States. Denver. That's in Colorado."

"Why did you come here?" I questioned before realizing the way I had worded the sentence sounded like I hated that she'd come to Korea.

"College. My grandfather moved to America when he was in his twenties. When my dad was college-age, my grandfather had him go to school here. My dad wanted me to do the same, so here I am."

 

~~~~~~~~

 

 

I ended up drinking my coffee there. 

We moved to a table at the back, away from everyone. 

I figured since she was from another country she might know who iKON was, so I felt I could relax with her.

I watched closely as I removed my mask but her face didn't show recognition. I let out a silent sigh.

Finally. Someone I could just be myself with.

Her Korean was flawless which must mean she had probably grown up speaking it.

She told me that she was attending Seoul National University and she wanted to be an actress, so she was taking acting classes. Her parents weren't real happy with her choice but allowed it as long as she also studied something more,  like business or the like.

We talked for two hours, until it began to get dark. I knew I needed to get back to the dorm before the others started to get worried because I'd been gone so long.

We said goodbye but traded phone numbers first.

I knew I wanted to see her again. She seemed more real than the other girls I had met here. Most of them knew who I was, and wanted to get close to me so they could also get close to iKON.

 

 

~~~~~~~~

 

Present time

 

 

A text message alert pulled me from my thoughts. I grabbed my phone and looked at the message.

Oppa, are you coming with the food?  I sighed. Lately our messages were always like this.

Yes. Pizza, right?

Yes. Pepperoni.

Okay. I'll be there soon.

Well, hurry! I'm starving!

I'll hurry.

I waited a moment but got no response, so I stuck my phone back in my pocket and stood up.

I remembered I needed to order the pizza still, so I dug my phone out again and placed an order for a large pepperoni pizza.

I left the training room and headed for the exit. I passed several workers and nodded to them, but didn't speak.

The pizza place was several blocks away and I walked instead of taking the bus. It was a nice night with a breeze and I breathed in the scents of food from nearby restaurants.

After fifteen minutes, I reached the pizza place and went to the counter.

The man standing there had a pencil over his ear and was typing something into the register in front of him. He looked up.

"Can I help you?"

"I placed an online order for a large pepperoni."

"Okay. That'll be $12.80."

I reached for my wallet and pulled some bills out to cover the cost.

The man rang it up and handed me my change before reaching behind him for my pizza.

"Here you go. Have a nice night and thank you." He smiled at me. "Please come again."

I thanked the man and left.

Outside, I walked faster so Shelby wouldn't have to wait so long. I stopped suddenly and flagged down a taxi. I would be walking for an hour if I walked to Shelby's apartment.

I have the driver the address and sank back into the seat. Thirteen minutes later, it pulled up outside the nice block of apartments that my girlfriend lived in.

I entered the security code at the gate and stepped inside the building. I pressed the button for the elevator and stepped inside when the doors opened. I pressed the button for the second floor. I didn't feel like climbing the stairs even though there weren't that many.

When the elevator stopped, I stepped out and walked to to the door that had 214 on it. I rang the bell and then typed in the pass code.

"What took you so long?" a voice screeched in my ear as soon as I stepped inside the door. I winced.

"I'm sorry."

She came forward and yanked the pizza out of my hands. "Whatever," she muttered, walking to the kitchen and grabbing plates and cups.

I rubbed my hand over my hair in frustration. Nothing I seemed to do lately made her happy. She just seemed to be angry all the time.

I took off my shoes and exchanged them for some slippers before walking into the living room where Shelby was now arranging everything.

We both sank to the floor by the table and my stomach rumbled as I smelled the aroma from the pizza. I was starving too. I hadn't eaten since 4 P.M. and it was now almost 10.

She opened the pizza and then let out a scream that was louder than the screech from before.

"This is sausage!" She yelled at me. "I told you I wanted pepperoni! Why'd you get this?"

I peeked into the pizza box. Sure enough, it was sausage.

"I ordered pepperoni. The man at the pizza place must've given me the wrong one,"  I told her.

"Why didn't you check it before you left?" She was still yelling and I glanced worriedly towards the far wall, afraid her neighbors would hear her and get upset.

"I-I guess I forgot."

She huffed and stood up. "Well, take your forgetfulness and leave!" She pointed to the door.

I blinked at her in surprise. She wanted me to leave? I'd just gotten here.

Since I didn't make a move to stand up, she grabbed my arm and hauled me up before closing the pizza box and shoving it at me.

"Go!" She turned me around and pushed me towards the door.

I stumbled a little before I caught my balance. I turned my head around, just in time to see her enter her room and slam the door.

Well, that went great, I thought unhappily. 

I felt my eyes well up with tears and tried to wipe them away before they fell. A few fell anyway and landed on my sweaty shirt.

I walked to the door and put on my shoes. I opened the door and stepped out making sure I closed it firmly before walking to the elevator.

Outside, I walked slowly not paying attention to what direction I was going. 

More tears started to fall and soon I was sobbing. I clutched the pizza to my chest and stumbled along the sidewalk. 

Over and over, I heard her voice yelling at me.

What had happened to the girl I had met six months ago? That girl was nice and sweet and wouldn't have freaked out over a pizza mix-up.

This girl...this girl was a stranger.

 

 

~~~~~~~~

 

Hello! This is my second fanfiction and I am writing this as an entry for a writing contest.

I hope you all will enjoy this and find out what happens with Hanbin and Shelby.

Happy reading and thank you to my three subscribers!!