chapter six; 

                  encounter troubles

» "Oh my god," Bella mutters once she says goodbye to Samuel and is off the stage. 

I hold a hand up and close my eyes. "Don't say it. I don't want to attract any attention from - "

"HOLY , YOU GUYS. WE HUNG OUT WITH DOYOON YESTERDAY," a, sadly, familiar voice shouts out. With two mere sentences, we've attracted the attention of a couple of fans who were waiting in line. I didn't need this, I already gave us enough while arguing with Doyoon onstage. I don't dare look back, hoping that hopefully Jordan would get the clue but he still fails to. He hops off the stage, grinning with eyes wide. "WE WENT SHOPPING WITH DOYOON. WE WENT TO THE SUMMER FESTIVAL WITH SEVENTEEN'S DOY - "

"Oh my god, Jordan. Can you shut up for one goddamn time?" Bella snaps, tugging on his sleeve. "Come on, let's leave before Mr. Big Mouth here decides to help us out again." 

We move towards the doors, leaving behind the band of seventeen members with hushed whispers following us among strangers eyes. We had everyone's attention - something I didn't want. I eyed the floor, not wanting to meet anyone's gaze. This was his fault! Doyoon's fault! If only he had told us straight up who he was and who he was associated with! Then, we wouldn't have acted - or Jordan wouldn't have acted - the way he is right now. However, I could blame Doyoon as much as I wanted to but I knew the real reason was having an idiot as a friend. 

"You're saying you hung out with Doyoon yesterday?" I suddenly crash into Bella who is already grumbling. I peek over her shoulder to see a small girl who had her long brown hair tied up in a high ponytail. She''s fairly short, I'd say around 4'9" but her eyes could burn holes right through you. Around her dark auburn, she's coated on sparkling eye shadow to match the shiny metal hoops hang from her ears. 

"What is it to you?" Bella hissed. She was never good with nosy people - especially if they were strangers. 

"I don't like liars," the girl shoots, a smirk on her face.

"I don't like people who I don't know in my business," Bella shot back. If looks could kill...

I cut in before the two of them could have brawl right there. "Look, we don't want trouble. So, if you could just - " I gesture for her to skedaddle onto the side but she laughs, a dry one as if to quench me of thirst. It must work because my throat grows dry.

"Just admit you lied."

"About what?" I retort.

"So you're actually saying that you hung out with Doyoon yesterday?"

I roll my eyes. Give me a break! "Why is it such a big deal to you if we did or didn't?"

"Like I said, I don't like liars," she shrugs. The hoops from her ears dangle, clinking into one another. It made me want to rip them off her robe.

Bella buds in again. "And I said I don't like people who I don't know in my business. I could solve that problem for the both of us right now by punching you to f - " I nudge her back, glancing at Jordan who avoids my eyes. For someone who caused the problem, he was being awfully quiet. 

"Fine, we lied, happy?" I finally said, raising my eyebrows with an unamused expression on my face. 

She snorts, glancing back at her friends. "Told you so."

"Can we pass now, security?" Bella asked, taking one last stab.

The girl steps aside, her face smug. "By all means."

I shot her daggers before moving past her and her friends, finally exiting the large crowd of people. Although a few hours had passed, the group was still rather large, people lining up to meet the members. The sun was rather bright and I had to squint my eyes to see. 

"I hope you're happy," Bella finally says, slapping Jordan upside the head. I look back at the two and Jordan gives me a apologetic smile. 

"Sorry, Lisa. I didn't think..."

"It's alright." I, for one, was not someone to ponder on the past. "Let's just forget it and go for bubble tea. How about it?"

The two reluctantly agree and we make our way to a tea shop nearby, hoping that there weren't many people. I pushed open the doors, the bell greeting us as we entered the shop. Soft jazz music was playing and luckily, there weren't many people. One or two tables were occupied but not many. We slid into a booth, studying the menu. A waiter finally approaches us, asking for our drinks and we place our orders. Once he's gone, Bella places down her menu and gingerly looks over to me.

"Are we seriously not going to mention him now that we're alone?"

"Who, Doyoon?" I asked, tearing my own eyes away from the menu and putting my own copy down.

"Hell yeah. Did he tell you why he didn't want to tell us yesterday?" She sighs, eyes wide. "Our meet was so awkward."

A waiter passed by and I dropped my voice. "Yeah, he said how he thought we'd treat him differently or whatever." 

Bella shakes her head. "Where'd he get that idea?"

I raised an eyebrow, nodding over to Jordan with a smirk. "Exhibit A."

He grimaces. "Again, sorry.

I laughed as the waiter placed our drinks on the table, handing us each a straw. I picked the pink one and stuck it in the plastic wrap and started to drink. "Well, it's alright. I don't think we're going to see him again. I mean, I invited him to the dinner we're going to be having but," I pause to shrug, "I don't think he's going to be able to make it. He said he might have practice."

"You invited him before you even knew him well enough?" Jordan asks, making a face.

"Just a kind gesture. I think yesterday and today was a one time thing. Doyoon is a busy person I guess." I shrug again, playing with the straw in my drink.

"Speak of the devil," Bella mutters and I glance up to see four people that I wasn't exactly overjoyed to see.

 AUTHOR'S NOTES 
sorry for the short chapter update, i'll make the next one longer! thanks again for reading (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧