In-ah’s POV

Riiiiiiing!

At the blaring sound of my alarm, I immediately woke up then and there. I shut off my alarm and just sat there in bed for a dazed second, my vision blurry from the bright sunlight that streamed through my bedroom window. My mind replayed the phone call from yesterday—the conversation I had with Jackson. Thinking about it brought a huge smile to my face. I hardly started my days in an ecstatic mood, so today was certainly a nice change.

Being well-rested and b with anticipation, I was quick to go through my wake-up routine so that I could spend some time assembling my outfit and applying my makeup. I shifted through the various articles of clothes in my wardrobe, recalling what my friends and colleagues have said about my fashion style. It was simple and typically out of season, but I didn’t dwell much on their opinions. Whether it was plain or cheap or colorful, I wore what I liked and had fun with mixing and matching. That was that.

In the end, I had to prepare an outfit that would suit the weather. Texas weather was usually unpredictable; however, today’s forecast said it would be sunny and warm with little to no rain. Because of this, I chose to wear a V-neck floral blouse and a pair of blue skinny jeans. Next was my makeup. My easygoing preference in fashion could be translated into my tastes in makeup as well. I favored a light and natural look, rather than something bold or sweet. To be honest, I wasn’t terribly self-conscious about my bare face, but if I was going to see my favorite K-Pop idols, minimal makeup was a must. Finished with getting ready, I went downstairs. My sister had just left for school, and my parents were eating breakfast.

“Can I take the car today?” I asked with wide eyes, hoping for an affirmative.

Without even needing to glance at me, my dad answered, “Yeah, sure, go ahead. I’ll be home today working in my office and your mom has a co-worker picking her up.”

“You don’t look like you’re dressed for work. Is there a special occasion?” asked my mom as she assessed me from top to bottom curiously.

This smart question caught me off guard. Okay, listen here, folks. I love my mom, but at the same time, I was not going to tell her that I was about to hang out with a bunch of young and handsome (and supposedly single) guys. One girl spending time with seven guys who happened to be celebrities? Nope. My mom would not, and I repeat, not approve.

Therefore, this was the reason why I dredged up a lie. “Uh, no, not exactly. You see, um, my research team has the weekend off from lab, so we decided that we should all hang out together since it’s such a nice opportunity.” I cleared my throat, a little nervous. “Yeah, so, for today and tomorrow, I’ll be out. Is…that okay?”

My mom nodded, smiling warmly. “Yes, it’s fine. Have fun, but please remember to be careful on the road. And make sure to text us when you’re coming home.”

Beaming, I gave her a hug before I hurried to slip on my comfortable flats. Even if I wanted to impress my companions, who cared about wearing heels? My feet needed to remain functional, thank you very much.

After punching in the address Jackson had texted me, I was all set to hit the road! I blasted GOT7’s music throughout the entire ride. It was the perfect time to jam to their songs, am I right?

Judging by the chosen route and the traffic to downtown, I would get to GOT7’s hotel in about an hour. It was still pretty early in the day, I mused, so maybe I should buy some coffee for the boys on the way.

“Your destination is on your right,” reported the GPS. Soon, I pulled up to the driveway belonging to the Renaissance Hotel. Man, K-Pop idols are so lucky, I thought, admiring the building as I maneuvered the car to the visitor parking lot. Valet parking was too expensive for a frugal person like me. So, why bother with it? Grabbing the bag of coffee and my purse, I ambled over to enter the building. The decoration and structure inside was mesmerizing. The place literally glowed with vividness. Now nervous, I kept my head ducked as I crossed over to the front desk to relay the purpose of my visit to the receptionist.

“Oh, you must be that friend they’re waiting for,” remarked the lady. “I was instructed to direct you to a conference room. I’ll inform them of your arrival. They should come down to get you.”

I thanked her and followed the directions she gave me. Finding the room, I walked inside and took a seat. All I had to do now was wait.

Jackson’s POV

“Guys! Hurry up! She’s waiting for us downstairs!” I yelled, restless with impatience. It was surprising how energetic I was despite how yesterday’s practice had all of us passing out from sheer exhaustion the moment it ended.

“What’s up with you?” Mark-hyung questioned with a furrowed brow. “You’re acting more insufferable than usual. Is there something I need to know about?”

I narrowed my eyes at his nosy tone while we got ready to leave. Hopefully, Mark-hyung wasn’t jumping to conclusions. If he was, I had to deflect him. “What do you mean? I’m always insufferable—insufferably awesome,” I countered, pretending to be snobbish. He rolled his eyes, and I grinned. “Come on, we finally have a break. Aren’t you excited?”

Before he could reply, Jin-young interceded, saying suggestively, “Don’t fall for that, Mark-hyung. Jackson’s acting like an idiot because we’re seeing her again.”

I turned to glare at Jin-young smirking. He really liked to push my buttons to the point of self-endangerment. “Whatever you’re implying, it’s not like that!” I protested heatedly. “Stop it, or karma will teach you a lesson, I swear!”

The two of them laughed at my hissy fit. Finally, with our shoes on and necessities prepared, we headed out to locate the conference room where In-ah was waiting for us.

“Where did manager-hyung disappear off to?” BamBam asked as he fixed his hair in the elevator’s reflection.

“He actually went down already to explain things to In-ah-ssi,” said Jae-beom. “That way, there’s no need for confidentiality forms.”

We reached the first floor and found the conference room. Instead of going in right away, we stopped right outside the door, overhearing our manager-hyung talking to In-ah.

Yu-gyeom frowned at our brief hesitation. "You know, if we stand around like this, people will think we're creepy eavesdroppers. Let's just go in." Talking the lead, he knocked on the door and then swung it open.

"Ah, here they are," manager-hyung said as we shuffled into the room. His expression became slightly stern. "Boys, what's the point of being fashionably late if you keep a sweet girl like this waiting? Remember your manners, please."

After we apologized and promised to behave, In-ah got up from her chair and bowed politely. While she happily mentioned that it was nice to see us again, I surveyed her appearance, seeing how different she was out of her work attire. She didn't doll herself up like most girls, or even BamBam for that matter (he seriously needed to tone down his obsession with his looks). But that didn't mean that it was a bad thing. Seeing her in modest clothes with a refreshing face was great.

"In-ah-ssi, I leave the boys in your hands. Please take care of them," our manager asked her respectfully. The he leveled an earnest, imploring stare at us. "As for you boys, I trust that you will behave and not trouble her, right?"

We shot a pleading glance at the youngest two, who returned the silent plea with innocently blank expressions. The problem wasn't so much that they liked to misbehave; it was because they couldn't restrain themselves from being restless and outspoken. Depending on In-ah's personality, we hyungs would have to make sure that the brats wouldn't overwhelm her. She was already doing us a big favor by showing us around.

I heard a small chuckle escape from In-ah as we told our manager goodbye. We sat down at the table and directed our attention towards In-ah. This made her feel awkward and stiff, though it was easy to tell that she did her best to stay composed. Since I was the social one in the group, I took the responsibility to make her feel comfortable, taking a step towards becoming friends. "Thanks for coming! We're glad you're here."

Her cheeks became pink at my words. She nodded and kept her gaze lowered as she gestured at the to-go bag. "I...uh...brought you coffee...on my way here. I hope that's okay."

Her timidness intrigued me because it was so unlike my outgoing personality. Though I couldn't say I understood what it was like being so shy, since I had no problem when it came to communication.

"Wow, thanks, In-ah-ssi!" Young-jae cheered as he greedily reached for a drink. "You're an angel in disguise!" There was a round of thanks, which made In-ah ten times more flustered, but she eased up at the lighthearted atmosphere.

"Hey, relax. We won't bite," Jin-young told a fidgeting In-ah with a slight chuckle. "Since we're going to be hanging out, we should start acting like friends. Oh, I almost forgot. How old are you?"

“Oh, I was born in August, a ’94 liner, so I’m twenty-five,” she said. “In Korea, I’m twenty-six.”

Abruptly, Yu-gyeom sat up straighter at that discovery. “Really?” he gasped, a little incredulous. “I thought you were younger than that, like in your early twenties! Wait, since you’re older than me, can I call you noona?”

“Y-yeah, sure. That’s fine,” she replied in a small but warm tone. She peered at all of us curiously. “What about the rest of you? Should I call you oppa?”

“It’s entirely up to you,” Jae-beom said kindly. “Whatever makes you feel comfortable.”

She considered that for a second and then concluded aloud, “Alright, I’ll address you by your names.” I saw her eyes shine in delight. “It’s much easier, I think.”

After finishing our coffee, In-ah clapped her hands and announced, “Then, shall we get going? We can stop for lunch first before the actual tour, if you want. I know a great place to eat!”

“Um, noona, how are we going to get there?” Young-jae asked as we left the building.

She reassured him with a calm smile. “By car, of course! Don’t worry, it can fit seven people.”

Before anyone else could steal it, I quickly snatched the front passenger seat. In-ah started the engine and fiddled with some functions and the GPS. I leaned over a bit and asked, “So, where to for lunch?”

“Oh, you’ll see!” she chirped, upbeat.