Chapter 9: Inkigayo

***  リオ！あなたが韓国であったと聞きました。もうすぐ韓国に来るということだ。あなたを見ることを望んで。それまで！世話をする。***

Rio! Anata ga Kankokudeatta to kikimaa. Mōsugu Kankoku ni kuru to iu kotoda. Anata o miru koto o nozon de. Sore made! Sewa o suru.

Rio! Heard you were in Korea. Will be coming to Korea soon. Hoping to see you. Until then! Take care.

The number might have been different, but Rio knew exactly who the text was from and she had no intention of replying. What’s in the past should stay in the past.

She shook her head and went to get dressed. She put on a simple white v-neck shirt and denim cut off shorts, and paired them with army boots. She hesitated for a bit before putting on her contact lenses. ‘What Manager Kim doesn’t know, won’t hurt him!’ She thought as she grabbed her bag and headed out of the dorm.

Rio tapped her foot impatiently. She was going to be late for her Inkigayo practice and the elevator was taking its sweet time getting to the 9th floor.

‘Manager-nimmmmm, I’m coming down already! Please text me if you’re on the way!’ She texted quickly before the elevator doors opened.

“Oh. Rio-ssi!” Hoya greeted and she bowed awkwardly before getting on the elevator with the 7 boys. She was standing between Hoya and Woohyun, with Dongwoo, L and Sunggyu behind her and Sungjong and Sungyeol at the back of the elevator.

“Annyeong haseyo, sunbaenim.” She greeted politely.

“Annyeong!” Sungjong greeted as he squeezed himself between Dongwoo and L and pushed Hoya aside to stand beside Rio. “Where are you going today?” He asked.

“SBS.” She smiled, welcoming the same-age idol. “You?”

“SBS too! For Inkigayo.”

“Oh! We’re going to the same place then!” Rio uttered in surprise. “Are you performing Destiny today?”

“Yeah, it’s our goodbye stage! It’s kind of sad.” Sungjong replied and she nodded.

“Good luck! I’ll be cheering for you!” She smiled brightly before turning her attention to her ringing phone. “Excuse me.” She said before picking up the phone.

“Oh, Kim-nim!!!” She called endearingly. “Eh?! One hour?” She sighed. “Arasseo. I’ll just wait in the lounge.” She looked up at Sungjong who gave her a smile. “Okay, I won’t.” She paused and gave an exasperated sigh. “I already said I won’t.” Her voice was pressed and she frowned before bringing her hand up to cover . “…I won’t talk to strangers, I promise.” She whispered, obviously embarrassed. Woohyun and Sunggyu snickered and she blushed. “Arasseo! I’m hanging up!” She blew on her fringe before hiding the phone in her pocket.

“Your boyfriend?” Hoya asked jokingly, earning him a surprised look from Rio before she scrunched up her face in disgust.

“My manager.” She lightly hit his arm. “Sunbae, you should stop joking like that you know!” She smiled before continuing. “My manager treats me like I’m a kid.”

“At least it’s just your manager! My hyungs treat me like a kid!” Sungjong complained.

“Yah! We’re right here, you punk!” Sunggyu scolded and they laughed.

They alighted the elevator and Rio bade them goodbye.

“Rio-ssi, you’re not leaving yet?” Woohyun asked and Rio shook her head.

“My van will just arrive in one hour, so I’ll wait here, sunbae.” She smiled before bowing and turning away.

“Wait! You can ride with us, if you want!” Sungjong offered and that got the attention of s. “Right, hyung?”

Sunggyu nodded. “Yeah, I’m sure it won’t be a problem.”

“Oh…” She looked at them and her phone hesitantly.

“We’re not strangers you know!” Hoya joked and she laughed. “We’re going to the same place anyway.”

She nodded. “Will we fit though?”

“It’s a 13-seater, we’ll fit!!!” Sungjong said excitedly before walking up to her and hooking his arm with hers. “Let’s go!”

--

Rio sat awkwardly between Dongwoo and Woohyun. “Sorry for troubling you like this.” She smiled apologetically. Infinite’s managers turned to her and shook their heads.

“It’s okay! We’re happy you’re with us!!” One of their managers, Kim Jungryul, said.

“Ah! That’s right, my daughter is a fan, can you please sign this CD?” Another manager, Hyoan, said as he pulled out her CD from his bag. She chuckled and got it from him.

“Yah, hyung, do you always carry that with you?” Sungyeol asked.

“Yah! I knew she was going to perform today, so I brought it with me!”

“Oh! Your signature is pretty!” Woohyun commented as he leaned close to her. She looked at him and smiled, their proximity making him blush. “Did you make it yourself?” She nodded.

“Oh.” Rio uttered as she looked at the caller on her phone.  *Manager Kim*

Dongwoo put on a huge grin and pressed the loudspeaker before she could react.

Rio looked at him in shock and sighed. “Annyeong, samcheonnie~~~ <3 <3” She tried her best to do aegyo over the phone, the boys snickered. Woohyun and Dongwoo inched closer to hear his response.

“YAH! What do you mean you went ahead already? You said you’d wait in the lobby! Sajangnim is going to kill me!!! Do you know how dangerous it is? What bus did you ride? Who are you with?! Rio-ya! You better answer me right now before I die of heart attack!” He shouted, concern lacing his voice and she felt bad about having him worry too much.

“Arasseo, I’m sorry! Really~ I’m riding with someone—or some people on the way to SBS right now, it’s safe, so don’t worryyy!”

“Bwoh?! Who are you riding with? What car? Where are you now??”

“Samcheon, I’m with—“

“INFINITE-imnida!!!” Woohyun, Sunggyu, Sungyeol, Sungjong and Dongwoo chorused. Rio sank in her seat.

“With who??? Why are there so many people there?”

“I’m with the Infinite sunbaes! Tada!!” She joked, hoping he would let it go.

“Ya!”

“Samcheonnie, it’s okay! I’m with the Infinite sunbaes and we’re riding together, on the way to SBS. If I waited for you, I would’ve been really late, right?” The other line remained silent. “So, I’ll meet with coordi-unnie and the staff in my waiting room and I’ll see you, you can head directly to SBS and you’ll save on gas and time.” She said smoothly and the Infinite members were observing the conversation, all of them (except for L) were holding their breaths.

“Arasseo.” He sighed. “Be safe and other than them, don’t talk to any strangers!”

“Ya, Kim Junhyeong!” One of Infinite’s managers called out.

“YA!!! Kim  Jungryul! You take care of my kid, you understand? Or I’ll beat you into a pulp!” Manager Kim called out and the van burst out laughing.

“Stop threating other people…” Rio chided.

“You take care okay!”

She nodded. “Bye, Samcheonnie~~~” She said lovingly before ending the call.

“Your manager is really something!” Dongwoo commented and Rio could only agree.

“You handle him well!!!” Sunggyu praised and she smiled smugly in return.

“Of course! I’m very charming.” She joked and they all chided her.

--

The van stopped at the back entrance of the SBS building. The 8 artists in the van observed the many fans waiting for their idols. They crowded the big black van and waited for the idols to go down.

“Yah, they know our van too well! I love INSPIRITS!” Sunggyu shouted.

“Let’s go!” Sungyeol motioned to open the door when L’s hand shot up to stop him.

“Lee Sungyeol, are you sure it’s safe for her to be seen going down the car with us?”

The older manager gave his coat to Rio for her to cover her face up.

“We’ll all go down together. Hyung, you go call the staff so Rio-ssi can blend with them.” The younger manager managed to say and the older one immediately rushed to the building. “Who has a cap?” He asked the 7 boys and Sunggyu offered his animal print ones.

“Ya, that’s so suspicious looking, hyung!” Hoya scolded and they agreed. L took off his black cap and his shades.

“Wear this.” The members all looked at him as he put the cap on her head and gave her the sunglasses. Rio nodded and thanked him.

“We have