After the concerts in Seoul, EXO started their tours which covered Busan, Tokyo, Osaka, Hong Kong and Taipei. Sumin was glad that she did not see Sehun after the concert. She was flustered that he took her number but fortunately he had yet to make contact. She wouldn’t know how to react to him. She admitted the concert gave her new perspective and newfound respects for the idols, kpop and especially the EXO members.

Sehun was sitting on the couch in the hotel room in Tokyo, half listening to s chatting while Baekhyun and Chen were playing games. They arrived in Tokyo earlier in the day after 2 days concert in Busan and their concert in Tokyo would be in two days’ time. Today was a rest day for the group. He was twiddling with the phone, and finally decided to unlock it and stare at the photo of him and Sumin. He sighed and turned to contacts. As he scrolled to her number, he again was hesitant about making contact. Sehun looked up when he heard Chanyeol called out to him. “Yes hyung,” as he quickly locked his phone. “Quit daydreaming about Sumin. Come, join us!” Kai and Lay sniggered while Suho smiled at him kindly. Sehun scooted over to his hyungs. “I wasn’t thinking of her,” he said grumpily. “If you like her so much, call her. What’s the problem?” Chanyeol continued. “I said I wasn’t thinking about her,” Sehun said gruffily as he threw a cushion at Chanyeol.

That night, Suho lay down beside Sehun. “What’s wrong with you? All of us can see that something seems to be bothering you. You were not even enjoying the sushi from your favourite place,” Suho commented. Sehun remained silent. His eyes were focused on the ceiling. “Do you want to date her but afraid to?” Suho probed. “Ani. I wasn’t thinking of dating her,” Sehun quickly replied. “I just want to be friends with her. I think she would make a good female friend, because she would not be jumping all over the fact that she is friends with someone from EXO. But I’m unsure if she would want to be friends with me.” “Ask her. Don’t jump to conclusion,” Suho advised.

Sehun stood outside the bubble tea café. Sumin was working alone upfront. Its been several weeks since the concert and they were back in Seoul a few days ago. He just finished a meeting at SM Building to discuss his photoshoot for Vogue. Taking a deep breath, he joined the queue.

“Hi,” Sehun said softly as he reached the counter. He noticed Sumin paused momentarily before closing the cash machine and looked up at him.  Sumin had stopped as she recognized the voice.  Taking a slow breath, she asked monotonously “The usual?” He nodded as he extended his hand with the cash. She returned his change and moved over to make his drink, avoiding all eye contacts. She placed his drink at the pick up counter and was about to move away when Sehun stopped her.

“Sumin, wait,” Sehun said softly. Sumin turned slowly. Her face had flushed the moment she saw him earlier but she decided to react coolly. “Yes,” she replied softly, raising her eyes to his face. She saw he was nervous, his eyes shifting, his hands clenching the drink at the counter and he had sweat beads on his forehead. “I’m sorry I took your number without permission,” he whispered. “I just wanted to chat with you.. as a friend. If that is ok with you.” Sumin lowered her eyes and stared at her hands. Her mind was confused. Should she agree? She must have taken longer than he anticipated because suddenly she heard Sehun sighed heavily, “Ok, I’ll lose your no,” and he took his drink abruptly and strode out of the café. Sumin stared at his retreating back before sitting down at the counter and tried to read her books again. But Sehun’s face kept flashing before her. “Aarrgghhh!! Guys are just too much trouble.”

On the bus that night, Sumin stared at her phone. She felt guilty for rejecting Sehun’s friendship. Scrolling to his number that