Narrator's P.O.V: 

 

"Mm, this meat is so tasty," said Zoey as chewed on the tender meat. 

 

Mino, who sat opposite her, smiled. "I told you they serve the best meat here," he said as he held in his hands chopsticks with a piece of meat in between them. 

 

"Yeah, I take back what I said earlier. I don't think I've tasted meat this good." 

 

"Nah, you did have a point, though. We men just love meat." 

 

"We need to hurry up with our food, though," said Zoey as she picked on the pieces of meat on the small grill built into the center of their table with her chopsticks. "I don't want to miss Johnny at the club." 

 

Mino was just about to put the piece of meat in his mouth when he stopped himself short after Zoey's statement. Zoey continued eating, and it was only after a little while that she noticed Mino looking at her. 

 

"What is it?" she asked. "You're going to make your meat burn." 

 

Mino put his chopsticks aside. "I don't think confronting Johnny over what happened today is a good idea." 

 

Zoey rolled her eyes as she grabbed the small bowl of sauce she had been dipping her pieces of meat in. "You sound like Sam," she said. 

 

"I'm just saying you might want to think this through." 

 

"I have." Zoey picked up a piece of meat from the brai. "I’m just going to talk to him." 

 

"Would you mind running me through it then?" Mino asked. 

 

"Why should I?" Zoey now looked a little agitated. "You don’t know how a conversation is going to go." 

 

"Exactly. You can never know, and I’m afraid you might want to scratch his face off." 

 

Zoey put a piece of meat in and talked as she chewed. "First of all, I’m not a cat to scratch people when I feel like it. Second, I can assure you that it will be nothing but a nice, friendly chat." 

 

"A friendly chat with someone who almost made you get caught in a stampede at a park and someone who you suspect to have cut the power at YG even when it was confirmed that no one did it." 

 

"Oh, I can assure you, he did it. Johnny has a funny way of getting out of trouble." 

 

"And you've got a terrible way of getting into one." 

 

Zoey looked up at Mino, and he knew that he had struck a nerve there. Zoey picked up a piece of hot, sizzling meat on the brai and ate it. "What’s wrong with you?" she asked. "One minute you were willing to help me out, the next you weren’t." 

 

"Because it’s pointless trying to confront him. You’re only going to get into more trouble." 

 

"This is why I didn’t want you to come. I knew you were going to get cold feet and try to stop me." 

 

"You weren’t going to come far in Hongdae without me. You would've gotten lost." 

 

Zoey finished chewing the meat in and swallowed. "I’m grateful for your help, Mino. But if you aren’t going to the club with me, then it’s best you let me be." 

 

"I’m not going to. Whatever the case, I’m coming with you. You might end up throwing punches at him anyway." 

 

Zoey began to laugh. "I’m not going to punch anyone. The last thing I need is to cause a fiasco." 

 

"Then promise me you won’t." Mino looked at Zoey with an eyebrow raised. "And I want you to mean it, Zoey." 

 

Zoey put down the small bowl of sauce and picked up her bowl of noodles. She looked up at Mino with a sincere look on her face. "I’ll keep my word," she said. "I won’t do any funny business." 

 

‘"Okay, then," he said as he picked up his chopsticks and went for his bowl of noodles. "Let's eat up and get going." 

 

"Can I have your meat?" Zoey asks. She didn’t wait for Mino to respond, as she took the pieces of meat meant for him with her chopsticks and put them in her bowl of noodles. 

 

*** 

 

Sam's P.O.V: 

 

Lee and Christine were like 'oh’ and ‘ah’ at every shop we passed that had many fashion designer clothes, bags, shoes, and jewelry. I wish I could give into the enthusiasm they were showing, but my eyes were focused on each person in sight. It’s not like the two were doing anything wrong. I just pray that while they were admiring things, they wouldn’t lose focus on the objective of being here. 

 

We had just passed a shop with fancy high-heeled shoes and slippers when I felt Jungkook bump shoulders with me on my right side. 

 

"Sorry about that," he said as he looked at me. 

 

"Oh, it’s nothing," I said. 

 

"Gosh, this place is overwhelming, don’t you think?" Daniel asked as he walked alongside Mike behind me. 

 

"It is," said Jimin, who walked slightly ahead of me. Lee and Christine were a little further, but not too far ahead to disband with the group. 

 

"Why don’t we just go to the club where Johnny said he would be?" Mike asked. "Won’t it be a whole lot better to catch her there?" 

 

"We are heading there right now," said Jungkook. "But since she is alone, we might get lucky and find her walking down the street." 

 

"I pray so," I said. "We might have put on disguises, but for how long are we going to stay like this before someone recognizes us?" 

 

"Hopefully, not too soon," said Jimin as he looked at me with his mask and hoodie over his head. 

 

After passing a few clothing shops, we entered another street, opposite where we came from. There were many restaurants and cafés. I saw Christine hold Lee’s shoulder and point with her other hand towards a café in front of them. 

 

"Can I have just one sweet dumpling?" I hear her ask Lee as the rest of us get closer to them. 

 

"Are you forgetting that we are only here to look for Zoey and not get anything?" Lee asked. 

 

"Come on, it’s just a dumpling," Christine continued to whine. "I really want to taste one, and they look really yummy." 

 

"Goodness, I swear you act like a child sometimes." Lee turned to us behind her. "Anyone care for a sweet dumpling?" 

 

"I want one!" Daniel yelled, raising his hand in the air. 

 

Jimin and I chuckled at his childlike demeanor, which didn’t seem to impress Lee at all. 

 

"We all would like a dumpling, Lee," I said. 

 

"And what about finding Zoey?" Jungkook asked. 

 

"Taking a little break won’t hurt anyone, will it?" Mike asked. "I say we enjoy ourselves a little. If I know Zoey, she’s probably somewhere eating or buying something too." 

 

"But let’s not stay for too long," I pointed out. "We don’t want to miss our chance at finding either Johnny or Zoey." 

 

Everyone else agreed, and Christine quickly led the way into the café. The rest of us followed. I was careful enough to look around the cozy yet colourful café. There weren’t many people around. It must be because it is evening and cafés aren’t usually filled with people at the time. Christine, Lee, and Daniel went over to the counter to order dumplings. Mike found a booth next to the glass window for us to look outside, which was very smart of him. We might get lucky and find Zoey walking by. 

 

I entered the booth and sat facing Mike by the window. Jimin came to sit next to me, and Jungkook sat next to Mike. When the others had finished ordering, they came to join us. 

 

"I hope you guys don’t mind," said Lee. "I ordered some tea to go along with the dumplings." 

 

"Yeah, sure," said Jungkook. "Tea goes really well with them." 

 

"I can’t wait to have them in my mouth," said Christine, who sat next to Jungkook. 

 

"Well, we do need dessert with the way we left the hotel," said Daniel. 

 

"You two have such a sweet tooth," said Lee as she shook her head. 

 

I removed the mask to get a little breath of air. The people in the café were few, and most of them were older. I had a feeling this place was safe for now. 

 

"So how are you guys finding Korea so far?" Jimin asked. 

 

"Great," I answered him with a smile. "It’s really an interesting place. Next time I come here, I would rather be on vacation. I would like to go out of Seoul and look at other places as well." 

 

"When you do, give me a ring, and I’ll make sure to take you to some interesting ones," said Jungkook. 

 

"That will be great. I would like to see your beautiful landscapes and those of other smaller towns. There’s no time for that with our busy schedule." 

 

I look out the window. Hongdae Street really was a busy place. After looking around, it was evident why. The place offered a variety of goods and services popular with people’s tastes and needs. You can find almost anything here. 

 

"I would also like to come here on vacation," said Christine. "Sam, make sure you tug me along with you." 

 

"I also want to come," said Daniel. 

 

"In short, the whole of The Toxins," I said. "Zoey would also like to come back here, no doubt." 

 

"And what of you, Mike?" Jimin asked. 

 

Mike turned his eyes away from the window. "Yeah, I would. But I would also like to visit Japan as well." 

 

I raised an eyebrow at him. "I think I know why," I said. 

 

Mike looked at me with a smile. He migh