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I ran back, and they were gone.
- Seo Jisoo of Lovelyz -

Some Day in May 2016

It was a long, tiring day with numerous schedules running back to back. Lovelyz had just ended their Show Champion recording and were finally piling into the van to head back to the dorms.

Jisoo settled into her seat and rummaged her bag in search for her earpiece but to no avail.

"Ah crap! I left my pouch behind on the table!"

She had brought her earpiece to the pantry at the broadcasting station's waiting area when she went to refill her water bottle. She had sat down to listen and practise her part for Destiny but left the earpiece there when she got distracted by Sujeong and Kei who skipped over with a self-cam.

"Oppa! I'm going back up okay? I left my earpiece behind!" Jisoo called out to her manager and immediately bundled out of the van, running as quickly as she could to retrieve her earpiece.

"Okay!!!" Her manager shouted his response because Jisoo was already a full 10 metres ahead.

//

Panting, Jisoo reached the pantry and immediately panicked. She couldn't see her earpiece anywhere. She looked and looked and looked until she saw her plain black pouch sitting neatly at the corner of the countertop.

As she picked it up, her thumb traced the sewn initials "JS" on the pouch. A small smile formed on her face. She was relieved and thankful she didn't lose it. The earpiece did not really matter; the pouch did.

//

Jisoo headed back downstairs to the parking lot, expecting to see her company van but when she reached, the van was nowhere in sight.

She stared blankly for a second before realising that they left without her. Wait. They left without me?!

Jisoo furrowed her eyebrows, worried.

One, she still did not own a phone (because they have yet to win #1 on a music show). Two, she did not have her wallet with her, meaning she could not use the payphone. And three, she was still uncomfortable with strangers.

Reason number three probably overruled the first two. Her condition has improved by leaps and bounds since she had her first comeback (though actually, her re-debut) with her group six months ago. Even so, it was only with her groupmates that she was at ease. Being on her own made her oversensitive and wary of others.

Jisoo paced back and forth in a small, controlled area, thinking about what she had to do.

The lobby was becoming more crowded as more idol groups were making their way out and back to their dorms. She first saw Dahyun from TWICE and considered asking for help but was so overwhelmed because well, their group is pretty big and they did not seem to notice her presence.

She scrunched her nose and slouched against the wall. What do I do now? She cried out inside.

"Excuse me?" Jisoo heard a voice as she was looking down, playing with her fingers.

She slowly scanned the person on her right, starting from the feet.

She saw a pair of black and white sneakers, rather big in size. Sharks. It's a guy?! The jeans he was wearing double confirmed her suspicions and she further turned her head up to see a guy in an oversized black sweater. (She had not figured it was a guy's voice because she was not being very alert when it called out to her.)

She recognised him from the group SEVENTEEN, though she did not know his name. I mean, there are thirteen of them!

"Y-ye