---- Chapter One ----

two months later

"See, AOA's Mina likes BTOB's Ilhoon, but Ilhoon is going out with 9muses' Kyungri even though Kyungri has a crush on GOT7's Mark who's still hung up on Mina even after they broke up two months ago."

Chaeyoung marvels at the complicated love life of her fellow idols as she chews on her piece of meat while most of the Blackpink and Red Velvet girls at the table giggle or gasp.

The nine girls try to hang out once in a while when their schedules don't clash and while smaller groups have formed among them, they still enjoy their occasional get-together as nine. They each take turns to plan the evening in order to satisfy all their different personalities and preferences. Today meat, karaoke, and gossiping are on the menu for the evening as chosen by Joy.

Jisoo and Joy are currently in the middle of a 'friendly' competition about who knows the juiciest gossip. With her emceeing gig on Inkigayo, Jisoo saw many longing glances, subtle touches, and even the occasional quick pecks when idols thought no one was looking. The number of 'he's so hot', 'I'm going to confess' or 'He cheated on me' she heard in the bathroom still astonish her.

As for Joy, she has a knack for making people spill secrets to her, either theirs or someone else's. With the both of them combined, the girls have access to quite the number of juicy news.

"BTS's Jin and Mamamoo's Moonbuyl had a fight the other day. They're still together, but there might be trouble in paradise." Joy's news can't top Jisoo's complicated love quartet, but the star power involved certainly raises it up.

"I bet that one came from Seulgi who heard it from Jimin," Wendy guesses with a slight smile.

Seulgi rolls her eyes at her friend. "This is the last time I share anything with you." She directs her comment at Joy who only grins in reply, not embarrassed in the least. "I'm happy we're on friendly term after our break up. I don't want to ruin it by sharing what he tells me and then have you blab about it"

"Then you really shouldn't have told me in the first place," Joy counters back, still smiling.

"I know... it just slipped," she admits, biting her lower lip guiltily. "Let's please keep this between us?" she pleads with the other girls.

"How rude. We're not like you, sharing other people's confidences left and right," Yeri replies, a devious grin in her eyes as she leans across the table to steal a piece of pork from Seulgi's plate.

Seulgi then launches into a chopstick fight with Yeri, and Chaeyoung can't help smiling at all her friends' good mood. She fights the urge to hug everyone at the table and immediately, she feels tears at the corner of her eyes. The most mundane moment can turn her into quite the emotional mess. Her friends and fans alike don't call her a crybaby for no reason after all, but it reached new heights ever since it happened.

Refusing to cry in front of all her friends and ruin the evening, she stands up. "Ah, I'm going to the bathroom. Be right back, so leave me some meat," she says as cheerfully as possible.

Lisa gets up so fast her chair almost tumbled down. "Oh, me too! I really need to pee!" Before Chaeyoung can protest, the Thai girl already reaches her side and links their arms together with a bright smile.

The happy and joyful atmosphere turns heavy in an instant. Still, Lisa keeps her smile on as she yanks Chaeyoung toward the door.

"I'll come too." Seulgi also gets up and holds Chaeyoung's free hand. "Be right back!" She takes the lead as they head down the restaurant's somber corridor.

"Things turned awkward because of me," Chaeyoung says softly.

"Absolutely not," Lisa refutes firmly.

"You stood up too fast, you didn't want me to go alone."

"No, I just really really need to go!"

Chaeyoung scoffs, but still returns Lisa's smile in the end. The girls had become overprotective, refusing to leave her alone. To anyone else, it might be annoying, but for her, it warms her heart.

Of course, she wants to say that she'd be fine on her own, but that would be a lie.

Being alone is scary.

They go and do their business and Chaeyoung has to physically drag Lisa out of the bathroom after she'd gleefully emptied all the soap dispensers because she couldn't figure out what it smelled like. She's still trying to figure it out as she sniffs the lingering smell of her hand.

"It's really bugging me! Help me!" she whines, waving her hand under Seulgi's nose.

The older girl giggles and gently claps the other girl's hand down. "It smells weird!"

"It's just Lisa's usual smell," Chaeyoung jokes.

"Yaaaaah! Park Chaeyoung! Why so mean?" Lisa pouts as she pulls her arm playfully.

"Hey, isn't it the chick who got kidnapped?"

The three girls turn at the male voice. Chaeyoung tenses slightly and Lisa reacts by moving closer to her. A tall, lanky male idol she'd seen before but can't remember the name of leans against the wall near the bathroom, phone in hand. He's staring at her like an animal at the zoo, a stare that sends shivers down her spine.

Korean society requires Juniors to be respectful to their Seniors. So they bow and continue their way, or try to, but he pushes from the wall and moves in front of them, efficiently blocking their way. The three girls share a glance, uncomfortable at the sudden situation they find themselves in.