[Mina’s POV]

What’s taking her so long? I kept looking at the direction where she went.

Our food has already arrived. It’s been 20 minutes. Should I go there? Is she alright?

Arraseo. I stood up and walked towards the restroom. I was about to turn towards the hallway leading to it when she popped out of the corner, she startled me and I almost fell down. She was quick to grab my hand and pull me before I completely lose my balance.

“Gwenchanha?” we both said at the same time.

We’re staring at each other, waiting for the other to answer. I gulped.

“Mianhe.” She said softly. Her voice sounded different. Like she’s guilt-ridden.

Why? “Gwenchanha?” I asked again, “I mean, what took you so long?”

“Ah. Mianhe.” Her tone suddenly changed. “My stomach was upset. It must be from the snack I ate last night. Gwenchanha. It’s all good now.” She smiled.

I nodded. “Mokja, out food is getting cold.”

She didn’t let go of my hand as we walked towards our table.

[Chaeyoung’s POV]

“Mmmm! Mada!” Mina exclaimed as she chew her food. I ordered her eggs benedict and tea for her while I had an omelette and mixed berries juice.

I smiled as I stared at her. Yeppeuda.

I grabbed my bag and took out a Polaroid camera.

She was about to take another bite when I snapped a picture of her.

The flash startled her but she looked at me and laughed. “What was that for?”

She is still laughing while covering , trying to chew her food.

“I just couldn’t resist. You look so pretty.” The film came out and I pulled and shook it. I waited for the picture to develop and smiled instantly after seeing it.

Mina extended her arm, asking to see it. I handed it to her. She smiled.

“You really are my favourite photographer. You always take great pictures of me.” She handed it back to me.

“Ani. I think it’s impossible to take a bad picture of you.” I replied, and I really meant it. She extended her arm again, motioning me to give it back to her.

I pulled the photo close to my chest. “Wae? I’m keeping this photo.”

“Ani. I meant give me the camera. I’ll take a picture of you.” She grinned. “If you’re keeping my photo, I should have one of yours, too.”

[Mina’s POV]

We took ten photos in total and used all of Chaeyoung’s print papers.

Photos of each other, candid and posed, selcas and even asked the waiter to take a pictures of us. I suggested that we use our phones but Chaeyoung insisted that the prints are better. We split our copies in half. I got two pictures of Chaeyoung, one selca of myself, a selca of us both, and another photo of us taken by the waiter. It all came out great.

“Waa. I now get why fans love collecting photo cards of idols.” She held up a photo of me. “Look at this fairy. Jinjja yeppeuda.”

I laughed at how ridiculous she is.

She took out her selca from her copies and handed it to me. “Let’s trade. I don’t like this photo. I want a Mina selca.”

“Wae? You look so pretty there.” But I don’t mind taking it. She really looks stunning in the photo. I handed her my selca and took hers.

She waved my selca in the air. “See? This one? Per-fect-ion.” She’s like a giddy kid and it made me laugh hard.

She put back her camera inside her bag and took out a black marker. She gave it to me along with my selca she asked me to trade with. “Sign it juseyo.”

[Chaeyoung’s POV]

“Aaaaa. I got a signed Mina selca.” I laughed as I waved it proudly in the air.

She’s laughing with me. “Please don’t sell it online.”

“Dang-yeonhi aniji! (Of course not!)” I pretended to be offended and grinned. “I’ll keep this photo forever. I’ll probably even frame this when we get home.”

I flipped it over and read what she wrote.

To my favourite person in the world, Chaeyoung-a. Jinjja gomawo.

Love, Minari

I looked at her and she showed me her gummy smile.

Love, Minari. I read that part again.

She handed me back my pen and her copy of my selca. “You have to sign mine, too.”

Before I could even reply and ask a few questions about her message, Like am I really your favourite person in the world? Jinjja? Why are you saying thank you? Or for me being your favourite person—ani. That doesn’t make sense. Love, Minari. Is it like just a generic way of signing your autographs or do you mean that you love me? Ani. She would’ve wrote ‘Chaeyoung-a, Saranghae’ if that’s what she really means—her phone rang.

I grabbed the pen and wrote at the back of her photo as she answered her call.

“Ne. Arraseo. We’ll be home soon. Ne. Ne. Kamsahamnida, unnie.” She hang up the phone and looked at me.

Wae?

I handed her back my photo, with the note facing down.

“Who is it?” I asked.

“It’s Manager unnie. She said we should go back to the dorm ASAP.”

[Chaeyoung’s POV: an hour ago]

“Aigoo!” Dahyun exclaimed. “I knew this guy is from Dispatch. I sensed it the moment I saw him.”

I winced, pacing as I scratched the back of my head. I stopped and looked at him.

“Why are you taking pictures of me?” I asked again.

Tzuyu crossed her arms, “don’t make her ask again.”

He sighed, “It’s because of a dating rumour.”

He lowered his camera and continued, “Somebody tipped us that you’ve been seen on a date in Gapyeong-gun, but there weren’t any pictures. The tipper said you’re with another girl but don’t look like you’re just friends.”

They were aware about our date in Petite France. That was on our 3^rd day. They’ve been aware all this time?

“At first, we thought that maybe it was just misinterpreted by the tipper. Maybe you're just hanging out with a friend. But after closely monitoring your SNS for the past few days, and even other idols, to see any tagged photos, there’s no trace of it whatsoever. We became suspicious.”

“How long have you been following me?”

“This is the third day. But I was unsuccessful on getting pictures yesterday—”

“Show me the pictures you took today.”

He looked at me and considered. “In one condition.”

“Wae?”

He pulled his phone out of his pocket and showed it to Tzuyu. “Can we take a selca together?”

What the—

“No.” Tzuyu didn’t even blink.

“How about an autograph?” he bargained.

“No.” she declined again. She lifted her hand up high and he flinched. Covering his head. “High five. I’ll allow a high five.”

We were all just staring at Tzuyu. Then I looked at the guy.

I waited for his reaction, he thought his words through “with handshake?”

“Don’t push your luck too much.” Tzuyu still has her hand high up.

The guy lifted his hand slowly, but as soon as his hand is within her reach she immediately tapped it and pulled her hand away. “Pali, show her the photos.”

“Aish. That’s unfair.” He looked as if he’s been cheated.

“A deal is a deal. Photos juseyo.” Tzuyu smiled at him and he begrudgingly opened the screen and showed me the photos.

It only shows my face. Good thing I made Mina wear the face mask. With the cap and ponytail, at the angles taken by this guy, she’s unrecognizable.

“How about the photos from the the other night?” it wasn’t in the camera.

“I can’t show you that.” He took the camera away from me.

“Why not?”

“I didn’t take those pictures. My sunbae took it. He just asked me to take more pictures for a more solid evidence.”

Ottoke? What if those photos show her face? I can’t let them post an incriminating article about Mina. I can’t let them drag her out like that.

“Ajusshi,” I looked at him with a determined look in my face, “I have a proposal for you.”