"____________________ ah I'm going out with Sehun oppa. So don't wait up for me okay?" Your best friend  and room mate HyeRi told you as she picked up her purse from her bed and started walking out the door.

 

"Arraso. Have fun. But not too much." You , as she scrunched up her face slightly, but smiled at you playfully. She locked up on her way out of the apartment, and you heard Sehun's car pull up in the driveway. 

 

 You sat at the foot of your own bed, wondering what you'd do for the night.

 

Maybe you would watch Reply 1997 for the third time that month. Or bake some brownies to eat by yourself. You were starting to pity yourself when you shook your head. 

 

Putting a determined expression on your face you walked over to your ipod stereo and Pat Benatar's "Love Is a Battlefield" you started full out rocking as you jumped on your bed up and down as you sang along to the lyrics. 

 

As the song ended you plopped down on your bed in contentment. Then Miss A's "I Don't Need a Man" came on and you suddenly sprang up, jumping down to the carpet and started dancing along, cheering yourself up.

 

Of your close knit group of friends, you were the only single one at the moment. But your girl friends admired you for your independence, and they were always nice enough to invite you on group hangouts.

 

As much as you showed people your confident and independent side, there was a loneliness that you tried to keep to yourself. It was nights like these, when your girl friends were out with their significant others, that the feeling started to seep into your mind.

 

You could sit around and do your routine of moping around, then feeling confident, and then moping again or you could do something else for a change. So you decided to go out for once.

 

Rummaging through your closet, you looked for an outfit that made you feel good nothing too casual, but nothing too flashy and of course nothing too revealing.

 

You were going to go out and have a good time with yourself, and have some time to contemplate about everything good in your life, without a signifcant other.

You had graduated from University a year early, with honors, and were interning at a business that you were passionate about. Your friends were alway there for you.

 

You didn't have to worry about always looking completely poised and presentable or worrying about your appearance to a signifcant other. Yet you still kept yourself healthy and fit for yourself.

 

After some rummaging you decided on a plain white t-shirt, a pale blue cardigan, and perfectly broken in dark blue boot cut jeans. Slipping on light beige riding boots, and grabbing your bag, you tossed your keys, cellphone, and wallet inside, and headed out.

-

    The first place you stopped at was Boba Loca. You grabbed a large milk tea with grass jelly, and a small order of fried tofu. Sitting at the outdoor tables of the boba place, you enjoyed the cool breeze of the night air. 

 

Happily munching on the crunchiness of the tofu, and sipping on you sweet drink, you glanced out at the city happening's in front of you. Across the street you saw a clothing vendor selling cute hats with animal ears, and fuzzy mittens for the approaching fall weather. 

 

Suddenly a large crowd of squealing girls were running and one of them seemed to be grabbing on someone's coat jacket, yelling. It was hard to see who it was considering this person was either around their height or only slightly taller. Some of them even towered over him, but you were finally able to see a guy with a puffy black jacket, and reddish brown hair. 

 

Squinting to see the person's face better, you almost choked on your tofu, but forced yourself to spit it out in a napking before you could choke. You could now clearly see that SHINee's Kim Jonghyun was getting mauled by fan girls.

 

You were surprised to see him at such an odd location, much less without the other members, and even more so without any bodyguards. You cringe when you saw the one girl who was clinging onto his jacket collar, as he struggled to pull himself out of her grasp, but didn't want to even think about resorting to violence, even it meant defending himself.

 

"What to do what to do?" You thought, panicking. Although you were a fan yourself, you were embarassed by your own gender's behavior. You looked around, trying to gain some sort of inspiration for an idea. 

 

Just with your luck, you saw a slightly portly man with sunglasses and slicked back hair walking by. And then a lightbulb went off in your mind. Bracing yourself for what you were about to do, you carefully set your food and drink aside, and stood up on the chair beside your table, cupping your hands around your mouth.

 

Yelling as loudly as you could, you practically screamed out your words.

 

"OMG. It's PSY!!! HE SAID HE'LL GIVE FREE LESSONS TO GANGNAM STYLE TO WHOEVER CAN CATCH HIM! AND SET YOU UP WITH TOP OPPA! OMONA!!! YAH!!!!!!!!!!!!" You yelled out with all the strength that you had, as all the girls, the portly man sorta Psy look a-like, and Jonghyun glanced you in surprise.

 

The fans suddenly quieted down, looking from Jonghyun to the PSY look alike, as if in contemplation. After some deliberation, they suddenly ran towards the PSY look alike, as you started to pretend to run with them and then stopped.

 

The poor man ran for his life down the street.

 

"OMG PSY OPPA YOU HAVE TO TEACH ME THE DANCEEE!" One girl bellowed loudly

 

"GIVE ME TABI OPPA PLEASEEE!!!" Another girl shrieked, as dogs and cats in the nearby areas started barking and meowing.

 

Smirking to yourself in satisfaction, you sat back down at your table, and continued munching on your food and sipping on your drink forgetting about Jonghyun who was completely taken aback by what had just happened.

 

Carefully crossing the street, he approached your table and you glanced up with wide eyes. There wa no doubt that he was even more handsome in person. 

You politely stopped eating, as he gestured at the seat in front of you. Slowly nodding he sat down, placing his hands in his jacket pockets.

 

You could see that he was exhausted, his hairline slightly damp from perspiration, and his face was slightly pink. But his brown eyes were still as bright and alert as ever. Though you could sense a certain downcast expression in his face, but also relief.

 

He glanced back at you and you sat there silently, unable to form any words at the moment.

 

"I--..thanks. Are you um, not a fan?" He asked in curiousity, as you looked at him in surprise. You found yourself shaking your head, but then nodding, but then stopped, confusing both yourself and him.

 

You sighed at yourself, but spoke up. "Sorry. I am actually but I just felt bad at what was happening so I tried to help." You explained, and nervously sipped at your milk tea.

 

He nodded in understanding. "Well thanks again really. I'm not sure how to repay you but, would you like an autograph? Or a picture? Wait I don't mean to sound conceited um.." He rambled off, rubbing the back of his head in embarassment, while you chuckled.

 

You thought for a moment, "you know I would've thought that I'd be okay with asking for one or even both, but instead, I just want to ask you a question." You told him.

 

He looked surprised, if not slightly worried, as he waited.

 

"Don't worry I'm not asking for a kiss or whatever it is hardcore fans ask these days." You told him light heartedly and he looked relieved.

 

"I just..wanted to know what you were doing out here. Without all those bodyguards." You asked him

 

Now it was his turn to sigh, but then he started to speak up. "I had an argument with my band members. About SeKyung..you probably know her I'm guessing?" He asked, glancing back at you.

 

You nodded slowly. "But um, it's been awhile though hasn't it? I mean since you--" You started to say and then caught yourself, shaking your head.

 

You bowed your head slightly. "Forgive me. That was out of line for me to say." You quickly apologized

 

He shook his head with a small smile. "No you're right. It's exactly why I got into an argument with the guys. The thing is it's been over a year already, but I'm still not over it. The other thing is, that it was actually just for publicity. And along the way I really did fall for her but, she broke it off when she saw me getting too attached." He explained, looking down at the table for a moment.

 

This was a side of Jonghyun that you would have never seen on t.v. or at fan signing events, or concerts. Who knew he was hurting so much about an old relationship? You felt a pang of sympathy.

 

He looked back at you again. "You won't tell anyone right?" He asked you.

 

You shook your head. "I won't. That'd be really messed up." You told him, sipping on the last of your drink.

 

He smiled, and your fan girl heart flopped a bit. "You know the strange thing is, I trust you."

 

You smiled back. "Thanks. Well, I guess I should be going then. It was nice meeting you." You replied back, as if he was just any person you met on the street.

 

He deflated slightly. "Wait um, do you wanna meet up to, chat again sometime?" he asked getting up as well, and adjusting his jacket sleeves.

 

You looked around for a moment, but life seemed to be moving on normally.

 

"Me? Um.." You trailed off, imagining hoards of fan girls attacking you.

 

Jonghyun seemed to sense your hesitation as well as your thoughts.

 

"We'd be completely  in disguise if you're worried about the hardcore fans." He added.

 

You pursed your lips. "Well, sure. Why not? But let's meet somewhere else besides here." You told him and whispered another place less known.

 

He nodded and waved goodbye, walking off and with your suggestion, bought a scarf to wrap around the bottom half of his face.

 

You smiled back, tossing the empty plate where your fried tofu was, and walking back to your apartment.

 

There was no denying you made the right choice in going out tonight.

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Isabel Santos Copyright 2012.

All rights reserved.