KRYSTAL’S POV

“Its not what is indicated in the contract agreement!”

I heaved a deep sigh and closed my eyes while listening to Manager oppa having a word skirmish with the person he is talking to on his handphone. The van still moving to our destination and I guess its not the place we expected.

“Aiiishhhh! I’m gonna kill this-- aiiishhh!” 

Let me guess...

“Why are they like this?! Informing us when we are already here?! Aiiiishhh! Its supposed to be The Peninsula like what the contract indicated!”

BINGO.

Accommodation glitch.

“Oppa… deep breaths… come on….” I murmured still with eyes closed. I heard his exasperated sigh then obliged. If he will just continue to be mad then his blood pressure will go up again. I don’t want to take home a Manager back in Korea lying on his casket because of Hypertension or Heart Attack.

Okay... if not The Peninsula then please a decent hotel where we can stay. Comfortable not just for me but also the staff. We are 7 in total, including me. Manager Oppa, my make-up artist, hair stylist, clothes stylist, plus 2 Personal Assistants of mine. I have people to take care for God’s sake!

Sighing, I thought of a proper way to address the situation later. An explanation from their side will be great especially if the hotel where they will throw us doesn’t meet my expectations. This is not the first time a kind of mishandling like this happened, but what to do? Complaining about this to my agency will only bring fruitless results. Acting like a and demanding like a diva is not my cup of tea.

I kept my eyes shut trying to clear my mind when the scene earlier in the airport suddenly played inside my mind. Amber… 

I know its her... I can’t be wrong...

Its AMBER.

I know its her…

I can feel it…

But what if its not Amber??

Am I dreaming again or imagining her?

I miss her so much.

Please let it be you Amber….

Heavens please let it be her…

I need my life back to me…

I beg you please stay…

This time I will never ever let go.

I don’t care anymore. I won’t let anyone stop me again to be with her…

No one.

Just how many times have you said that to yourself Soojung?

How many times more are you going to say those words..?

“Soojung...” 

Manager oppa’s voice brought me back to reality, his voice now calm not like minutes ago he wants to put the caller in a food processor and shred to pieces. I opened my right eye peeking at him with a small smirk.

“No need to say Oppa, I heard everything. Where did they billeted us?”

“Sorry Soojung-ah... that bastard Park said they billeted us at Hotel Elysees Union. He was only giving 3 rooms, I told him we want 4 or we will sue.”

Haha. “Well, we can really sue them because they didn’t follow what the contract stated. That is… if the agency is willing to sue but I doubt it.” I rolled my eyes and continued. “What even happened? I thought everything is all set months ago? Why all of a sudden we lost our rooms in The Peninsula?”

The whole van was quiet, Manager Oppa’s sigh so deep you know he only controlled the anger and disappointment earlier. “That bastard said it was The Peninsula’s fault, saying it was overbooking. How can it even be an overbooking when all the details of the contract were finalized 6 months ago?! Plus the fact that of all guest that they will transfer to another hotel, why you?! Sorry Soojung-ah but I felt disrespected in your behalf…” I nodded at him understanding where he is coming from. I patted his back for a while and sighed. “I already sent a message to the agency informing them about the situation…”

Hmmmm… I don’t even expect a good response from the agency at this moment.

I nodded my head and sighed once again. Oh well… nothing we can do. At least we have rooms…

“Its okay oppa. Just calm down for a minute, then tell the organizer that I wasn’t please at all with their move. Looks like I won’t be going again next year if this is the kind of treatment we will receive.…”

Deep breaths…. inhale… exhale….

Turning my head on my left, I look out the window and smiled to myself seeing the rays of the morning sun shining on my hands. The view of the city along the way giving me tranquility that I needed. Might as well put on my earphones again and just listen to music… I need positivity in my life…

Positive vibes come on…

Irene unnie said positive vibes only, no negativity… unicorns… think about unicorns…and rainbows…

A nice cup of coffee, a cozy room, good quality bed and fluffy sheets, great Motown music…

I found myself smiling when Amber’s face appeared on my mind…

Her sleepy but adorable face smiling lovingly while looking down at me… a memory of her smile the last time we were together…

Its been 4 years… but for me it still feels like yesterday.

“Good morningggg Princess Sleepy head~…”

Her eyes… her adoring stare that melts my insides, the early morning giddy feeling in my stomach  doubles whenever she will kiss me slowly, tenderly…

Heaven.

I momentarily closed my eyes with a smile and took a deep breath, feeling the positivity I need entering my system. When I opened my eyes, I knew everything will be alright.

Biting my lips, I fished out my handphone from the pocket of my coat and fiddled with it. Tapping the PLAY button of the music app I have open since we were on flight. My finger scrolling on the Music Library searching for that song I love to play in the morning whenever I….

Ugh… everytime I miss her.

Pathetic, aren’t I?

Its the song that her desktop alarm clock always play back then at exactly 7:00 in the morning without fail. The countless ‘random’ ‘secret’ sleepovers I did in her apartment back in Harvard got me used to it.

She will wake me up with soft kisses, her voice still husky from the sleep, murmuring my name in my ears, singing the song to wake me up…

“Hey Princess Sleepy Head… I love you…”

The best days of my life…

Even a song makes me miss her so bad. Actually, anything that reminds me of her makes me miss her so bad.

So, so bad.

I closed my eyes once again as the song starts to play, the smile on my lips not going away.

♫ I've got sunshine on a cloudy day
When it's cold outside I've got the month of May

Well I guess you'd say
What can make me feel this way?
My girl (my girl, my girl)
Talkin' 'bout my girl (my girl) ♫

Mornings… sunshine… happy smiles… lazy kisses…

Amber.

I wasn’t even surprised to see the group of people gathering in front of the small hotel. If you were a passer by and saw them you will think the group of people are protesters waving their banners. Almost filling up the small street where the hotel is located. Some of them are already familiar to me and my team, the usual members of my Chinese fansites, some European fans I suppose because I see non-asians waving their handmade banners and random albums of our group, some are probably lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time.

Taking off my earphones, I stuffed it back inside my coat pocket and reached for my short hair fixing it. Dragging my fingers softly on my scalp with a sigh. “They knew where I will be staying. I wonder when they got the info and from whom…” I said in my bored tone fixing my sunglasses.

“Your fans has their ways, sometimes its already creepy.”

“I know right…? I shouldn’t even wonder.”

Oh well.

The moment Manager oppa opened the door of our van, loud shrieks and calling of my name can be heard. He came down first, followed by the others. I was the last to come down then immediately surrounded by my staff with Manager Oppa plus 2 massive guys wearing black suits leading the way. Oh… at least bodyguards are provided.

“Krystal! You’re so pretty!”

“Unnie!!!~”

“I love you Krystal! So pretty!!!”

“f(x) FOREVER!!!”  

“Enjoy Paris Krystal!!!!”

“Krystal unnie I love you!!!”

“KRYSTAL JJANG!!!”

“KRYSTAL SOLO!”

“KRYSTAL! KRYSTAL! KRYSTAL! KRYSTAL!”

And the rest are high pitch squeals coming from the other people. Camera phones being shove to my face that Manager Oppa quickly and respectfully grabs their arms to set aside because if not, their devices will smack on my face that they call “pretty”.

I accepted the letters and gifts they are giving, bowing a little with a shy and thankful smile as form of my gratitude. The squealing intensifies that I think my eardrums are going to break if everything continues. “Thank you so much!~ please don’t tire yourselves~ ” I said in a cute tone fueling more squeals from my fans.

That may I add majority are from the female population. Hahaha! Oh yeah~~

I approached the side of the Chinese fans and bowed at them, smiling and thanking them. Signed a few notebooks and back of cellphone cases then told them to have a good time in Paris. One fan said in her broken English that they were suppose to go to The Peninsula earlier. But someone messaged one of their friends and said they should instead wait for me in front of this small hotel. See? They knew it first before me. Their reactions about the change of venue will probably reach the ears of netizens.

Then next I approached were the Europeans, thanking them for coming to see me at this early Spring morning. One came from London by train while the other one came from Spain by train too, the rest were French fans and it made me glad because our music can reach places other than Asia and America. I signed a few albums and papers, posters even. Three of them even brought with them a copy each of my photobook and had me sign it. Awww~~~… I gladly signed each with a smile on my face thanking them for purchasing my beloved project. They handed me a couple of paper bags with fan gifts and I had a chance to snap some groupie with them before I bid my farewell.

Anyway, after one last bow to all of them we went inside the hotel and instantly I felt this very comforting ambiance. I don’t know why but when I stepped inside and roam my eyes around the not so massive lobby/reception, somehow it gave me the feeling of warmth. The establishment may be small compared to The Peninsula, but it gives off that comforting vibe.

Or maybe I’m just jetlagged LOL.

Lets see… I haven’t seen the rooms so I will hold my critic first. All I want now is to lie on my bed, listen to music and contemplate on my life. Ugh.

“Soojung-ah, I will get the keys you all stay here I’ll handle our check-in.” Manager oppa said while rummaging inside his black Nike fanny pack hanging across his chest.

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