Long Waiting at The Salon

"Are you sure I can leave you alone here? Let's just forget what i sais before, I can accompany you until he comes", he said as you stepped out from his car. You smiled to Sungyeol who was worried about you. 

"It's okay, beside, the manager is still here. See? The light in her room is still on", you said, pointing to the dim light coming from the room. Sungyeol just rubbed his temple in defeat. He regretted to say he wouldn't stay with you until he came. But another part just told him to do so. He didn't want to interrupt your quality time, and he didn't want to feel heartbroken to see you acting lovey dovey with Hoya. 

"Okay, be careful, call me if something happened", he said at last. 'I hope he would come soon, I'll kill him if he made get waiting all night long'

You nodded, smiling to him. "Thank you Sungyeol"

"Anything for you haha. Bye, don't forget to call me!". You giggled at his changes of tone. He waved at you and then drove off. You waited until he got out from your sight before walking into the salon. 

It was dark, and the only light was coming from the manager's room. You quickly shoved away the door and directly went to the room. You slowly opened the door, and found the manager was half asleep. You went up to her and softly shook her body, trying to wake her up. 

"Manager", you said. The manager's eyes fluttered opened, before staring at you, a little bit too long to realize it was only you. 

"Oh ___-sshi, what are you doing here at night?", she asked, as she fixed her hair and sat up straight. 

"I'm... Waiting for hoya to pick me up. What about you, Ma'am? Why are you still here?", you asked back. Concern was the only thing heard from your tone. How couldn't? You noticed the tired manager sleeping in her office at this late of night. 

"I'm waiting for the delivery of new products. They said it will come at 5 but screw that, it's already 10. Hugh liar". You giggled at the manager's comment. Being in her late 50s made her a little bit grumpier than before. Sometimes, you for being such a granny. But since you were her favorite staff, she just laughed along with you. 

"Why don't you just go home then?"

"I can't. I need to scan through the products to make sure none of them are failed product"

"But you looked tired Ma'am", you told her. 

"Well I am. But.... there's no other staff here to wait for that delivery to come"

"I can do it for you. Besides, I think Hoya would be here several hours later", you offered. Being her loyal staff, you would do anything for this salon. Besides, she was the only one who wanted to accept her to work on her salon. 'I should help her'

The manager scratch her head in hesitate. "Really? But you don't have shift today. And it's already late"

"It's okay ma'am I can handle this. You know it's not my first time being at the salon till late", you said, trying to reassure her. She looked to tired to work, and thanks to her age, she lost her capability to stay late just like now. 

"But not this late. It's dangerous for a girl like you to stay outside this late. Besides, no one would hurt a granny like me, just go home ___-ah", she said, urging you to just leave her. But you resisted. 

"I want to be a good staff of yours ma'am, you know I can handle this. Just go home and get some rest, you look really tired Ma'am"

The older woman at first sighed in defeat as she couldn't say anything again. She then stood up and patted your back. "You're such a good staff ___-sshi. I'm glad to have you work in my salon"

"I'm glad too ma'am thanks for hiring me", you said, smiling to her. 

"You're welcome. I leave the number of the producer of the product on my desk. Lock the door and be careful ___-sshi, there are so many bad people out there"

"Yes ma'am. Don't worry. I'll wait until the delivery come. And if Hoya happened to be here before the delivery come, I would force him to wait it with me", you said and put a thumb up. The manager just chuckled and got her things. 

"Be careful okay. Let me know if something happened. Just go home if the delivery still haven't come until midnight"

"Yes ma'am. Good evening"

With that, she rushed to her car and drove off to her home. You walked out from the room and went to the front door. You locked the front door and pulled down the curtains on the window. You went back to the room and plopped in the couch standing on the other side of the room. You pulled out your phone and scanned through your contacts to stop on Hoya's name. You quickly typed a message to him. 

To: Hoya oppa
Oppa, if you have finished with your meeting, please pick me up at the salon. I'll be waiting until you come, it's too dark for me to walk myself home. Thanks. Btw, I like the necklace. :)

You put down the phone after clicking send. Then not long after that, you felt your phone buzzing. It was a message, from Sungyeol to your disappointment. You read it after letting out a sigh. 

From : Sungyeol 
Yo is he there already? I'm already at the apartment. 

To: Sungyeol
Nope. I just texted him. Go get a rest, I heard you got tight schedule to do tomorrow

From : Sungyeol
Where is he? It's already late do I need to accompany you?

To : Sungyeol
Nooo I'm okay don't worry ;)

Then, no reply. Probably he was taking a bath and you just put the phone next to your side. Then your phone rang. You hoped it was from Hoya but no, it was from Woohyun. 

"Yes oppa?", the first word came from you. 

"I passed your house and the lights were off. Are you asleep already?", he asked from the other line. You were confused of why he would pass your house. His house was on different direction. 

"Nope, I'm still waiting for Hoya to come", you said calmly. 

"Where are you now? Is Sungyeol with you?", Woohyun asked. Although he didn't like Sungyeol, but he could only expect him to accompany you. 

"At the salon. No he's not". You just got him crazy. 

"YOU'RE ALONE?! What the hell are you doing there? Just go home!", he yelled through the phone line. You just sighed in amusement. Woohyun hadn't really changed. 

"I'm waiting for new products to come too Oppa, the manager was too tired so I replaced her to wait for the products to come", you explained. Woohyun seemed not satisfied with your answer but then you said it was for your work, he just gave up and let you to stay. 

"Fine whatever. Just be careful. Robbers today are scary"

After several warnings and scolding, Woohyun hung up. You glanced at the clock to find it was already 11. You decide to call Hoya. But screw that, voicemail was the one who answered your call. You then decided to text him instead. 

To: Hoya oppa
Oppa, it's getting late, where are you? I'm still at the salon, text me if you're already on your way. 

No reply again, just another call came from Sungyeol. 

"Yessss?", you answered with lots of exaggerating. 

"Still at the salon? Yah it's late, I'll go pick you up"

"Nah no need to. It's still 11"

"Still? Whew your definition of late must be weird. Where is he now?", he asked. 

"I don't know. He hasn't answered my calls and my texts", you said , shrugging your shoulder. 

"Oh god and you're still waiting?", he asked in disbelief.

"Yup, you're the one making me so", you . 

"Since this is your birthday I let you to do so, but as soon as the clock ticks one second past the midnight and he still hasn't picked you up, I'll drag you along with me"

"Yes Mom", you again

"I'm serious!"

"Yes Sungyeol I understand, I'll call you later okay?"

"Okay, be careful ___-ah, lock the door."

Then you hung up. You leaned your head to the couch's hand. You had texted Hoya for several times and none of them were replied. 'did he get the messages?'. Unconsciously, you fell asleep and leaned your head on the desk. It was already late and several days of hard works as an idol's make up artist really took your energy. It was such a gift for you to be easily asleep at any place you want. 

But it was such a careless act you did to forget locking the back door of the salon at this late of night.