The Album
SasaengOne: The Album
Alex finally decided to take her headphones out so she could drown out the annoying sounds her friends were making. They were looking at those boys in colorful clothes again. She once told them they’re gay because look, is that a skirt? Why are they wearing skirts? But they laughed at her anyway. Laughed and ignored her. She and her friends rode the train like always. By now, the same passengers they get to ride with are already used to the noise her friends were making.
“Awe babyyyy,” Shane squealed, caressing a page of the magazine with her index finger, “look at his eyes… oh c’mon. PARK CHANYEOL WHY ARE YOU SO HOT,” she added a little too loud before she proceeded to bury her face on Alex’s neck and making a muffled aaaaaarrrgggh.
“Shane, you need to calm down. It’s just a magazine, for goodness sake,” Alex said, annoyed. She noticed the man seated in front of them smiling as if suppressing a laugh as he also began to take his own headphones out from his bag. He put it on and finally noticed Alex looking at him. Alex smiled, rolling her eyes.
“I don’t want to calm down. I want to get married to Park Chanyeol,” Shane cried. “And it’s not a magazine, Lexi. Look at how thick it is, stupid.”
“Don’t call me stupid, or I’ll cut your hair the next time you scream at my neck again,” Alex quipped. Her friends always found it weird that she brings scissors to school everyday. Well, she brings all school materials— gel pens, pencils, markers, highlighters, glue, etcetera. She brings all of them because she’s always too lazy to ask or borrow and then having to return things. “And whether it’s a magazine or not, whatever, it’s paper.”
“But it’s glossy!” Karen retorted.
“Okay, okay. Just shhh, I’m listening to something.” Angela adjusted her headphones, and then taking her CD Sony Walkman, which she’d taken very good care of for years, she pressed the previous button.
“You know what? Here,” Shane said, putting the magazine on Alex’s lap.
“I’m not gonna waste time flipping through glossy pages of feggits, Shane,” she replied deadpan, not looking at her.
“It’s not a magazine. It’s their album, you should try listening to it,” Karen explained, a little too enthusiastically.
“Not gonna happen, because I actually make my homework.”
“Demit, Lexi, you can listen to it on your way home, just give it a chance,” Shane said, almost begging.
Alex still looked straight ahead, ignoring the girls, only focusing on how the train started to slow down, and then finally into a halt. “Fine,” she said after giving out a sigh. “I’m going. Take care– s lurking around and all that,” she added, taking her bag and the album with her.
Kim Jongin, dressed in a clean white hoodie and navy-blue shorts, pushed the elevator button, his head down. Although the people living and visiting at this condo-hotel are mostly people with class who respect his privacy, the chances of running into a crazy fan is still there. Suho and his manager always reminded him that too. Adjusting his hoodie, he tried to look up at the red glowing digits above him. 7... blink 6 ...blink 5... blink 4. He looked down again.
Finally, the doors slide open and he walks in, letting out a sigh of relief when he saw it empty. He quickly pushed the button that would take him to his floor. “Omo,” he gasped in surprise, when out of nowhere a hand roughly held one side of the door, making it slide open again.
Alex hurried her way in, panting from running too fast all the way from the lobby to the elevator. The doors closed. She looked at the young man in front of her, whose mouth was open, clearly startled, and then she pushed the button that would take her to her flat. She stood beside him.
Feeling like the man beside her was still holding his breath, she looked at him once again to check, and sure enough his mouth was still slightly open, eyeing her from head to toe. She always made sure her uniform was neat, so she checked it herself too, before saying, “Are you okay? I’m sorry I startled you. I didn’t want to wait.” But she actually meant Do you have a problem with me?!
Four things startled him. One— a hand showing up out of nowhere. Two— a girl clad in high school uniform. Three— their latest album in her hand.
Jongin blinked a few times before composing himself once again. This is a fan, he should act accordingly, he told himself. He looked at the red glowing digits above him again— 5... blink 6... blink 7. He sighed, thirteen floors to go. She’s bringing their album, maybe she wants an autograph. Wait, what if she wants to take selcas and post it online.
And Four— the elevator making a very loud thud, making them both fall to the floor. Oh dear god, hyunnggggggg! A sasaeng! Jongin screamed internally.
“Really now, seriously?!” Alex said, standing up and kicking the elevator doors.
“Don’t do that!” Jongin said in panic, worried about the traction cables being cut off. “Don’t move. I mean… okay yeah move, but slowly,” he explained.
“Wow, you’re like… easy to startle or something,” Alex said in mock surprise, walking past him towards the buttons again and pressing what looks like the alarm switch.
Jongin’s eyes widened, already expecting the girl to start with the threatening words. This is not happening to me. He reached for his phone inside his pocket, but it was empty. You’re so dead, Sehun.
“You left your phone, didn’t you?” Alex asked. “That’s fine, I already pushed the emergency button. I’m sure somebody will fix it or something.”
"How long is it going to take?” Jongin asked.
“How would I know?” she replied, sitting down on the floor and fishing the headphones and walkman out of her bag again. She checked her watch before putting it on and closing her eyes.
Jongin stared at the CD Sony Walkman. He didn’t think that kind of thing was still around after all the latest gadgets released recently. And then his eyes landed on their Growl Repackaged Album. He wondered why she still hasn’t asked for his autograph. Oh right, because she’s sasaeng so maybe she has something else up in her sleeve, he scoffed.
He looked at his watch, only ten minutes have passed, yet it felt like half an hour. The girl in front of her didn’t talk. She just kept her eyes closed, her fingers tapping the floor in a rhythm. He expected something would happen to him and the sasaeng by now, something like taking pictures, or hugging him, or making him strip, or pinching his s, but there was none. Maybe she just wanted to get stuck in an elevator with me so she could tell all her friends about it, Jongin thought. So out of boredom, he tried to strike up a conversation and sat down. “Is it any good?” he asked.
Alex opened her eyes sleepily, and squinted at the man in front of her, unsure if he said anything or didn’t. “What?” she asked, taking her headphones out.
“The album, is it any good?” Jongin asked again, now pointing at the album which was lying on the floor.
“Oh that? No,” she replied dryly which made the man in front of her frown.
“Why? Tell me,” Jongin asked. He liked their songs very much so why. It was perfect, so what’s wrong with it?
“Are you a fan of theirs too? I’m sorry, I meant no, as in— no, I haven’t listened to it yet,” Alex replied, hoping the man wasn’t too offended. She had enough violent reactions from her friends already.
“No, I’m not a fan,” Jongin said deadpan, not buying her act. Like c’mon, she owns a copy of their album.
“Oh good,” Alex sighed in relief and flashed a grin. “My friends are pretty crazy about them. They won’t stop talking about them and squealing, it’s annoying. We just argued awhile ago, because I was telling them to calm down it’s just a magazine, and they were like, no it not ‘just’ a magazine—”
"It’s a photobook,” Jongin said, cutting her off.
"Yeah, okay—”
“ayy,” Jongin muttered in reflex.
“What?” Alex asked, not catching what the young man said. “So yeah, they said it’s their album, and they forced me to try to listen to it.”
“You should,” Jongin said, eyebrows raised.
Alex creased her eyebrows in confusion, because of course there’s something fishy about someone who isn’t a fan but enthusiastically encouraging her to listen to the CD anyway. “Uh, okay… later. I’m not in the mood for it at the moment. And like, ninety-nine percent of me have this feeling that it will ,” she replied, taking her head phones off completely now, all worked up.
Jongin’s mouth fell open again, appalled by what she said. “Like have you actually seen those boys? They look like girls,” the girl continued. “They wear these awful girlish colorful clothes too,” I told manager too much color won’t look too good, “it’s so gay! I bet they can’t even sing, only relying on their looks.”
Jongin felt like he wanted to hyperventilate because of her words. He scold himself for being stupid but he’s actually starting to believe she isn’t a fan. “So you’ve never actually heard of them?”
“What— you mean, EXO?” But Jongin meant the songs, their songs. She might have heard it on the radio, he thought, mentally hoping that if she did, the song was Baby, Don’t Cry. That song was perfect, his hyung’s vocals, and Chanyeol’s rap. “No, I hear about them everyday, inside the classroom, in the hallways, in the restroom. It’s crazy. Shane won’t stop screaming that one member’s name— who was it…”
“Kai?” Jongin asked immediately.
“No—”
Jongin sighed, “it’s Sehun, isn't it?”
“No, it was Park something—“
“Aish, Chanyeol, that prick,” Jongin muttered under his breath.
“Yeah, Park Chanyeol. Wait—yah! Are you sure you’re not a fan? You know their names better than I do!” she replied a little too loud, feeling betrayed and lied to. She thought she’d finally found someone who isn’t a fan, but obviously it’s like she’s the only one left who isn't.
“I am not,” Jongin replied immediately, “I know they’re names because they’re famous, okay. Anyway, does any of your friends squeal or scream Kai or shout or something, what else do they do?”
“Kai? Kai… yeah—” she was interrupted by a sound coming from her phone “—wait,” she added, and Jongin nodded. “Hello— yeah yeah I’m listening to it,” she rolled her eyes and she saw a ghost of smile from the man in front of her, “— okay… okay… yah guess what? I’m trapped in an elevator— I don’t know, maybe twenty minutes? — yeah, I’m okay. I have someone with me thank god or I’ll be bored out of my mind—” and maybe actually listen to that album eugh, she shuddered at the thought, “— yah,” she called, turning her attention back to the young man, “what’s your name?”
Jongin smirked, and he chuckled when he saw the girl freeze momentarily, staring at him. “Jongin…”
“—his name’s Jongin,” Alex said to the other line, not taking her eyes off at the young man, now Jongin. She was dazed when he smirked alright, and then as if that didn’t do the job, the little punk chuckled.
“Kim Jongin,” added Jongin.
“K-Kim… Jongin…” How can a man be this attractive? She asked herself, still not taking her eyes off Jongin who was adorably trying to suppress a laugh. She never really took time to study his face before because of that stupid hoodie he was wearing but crap he’s so beautiful. A very loud are you crazy?! from the other line snapped her out of her reverie, making her cringe. “—yah! Don’t shout at me—” toot.
“She hung up.”
“Who?” Jongin asked, cocking his head to the side.
“Shane. I don’t think she believed me when I said I’m trapped inside an elevator. You… you’re like… really hot. Do you even know that?” she replied, earning another chuckle from Jongin. “You do! You arrogant prick! Anyway, where were we? Right, Kai…”
“Yeah. Kai,” Jongin replied, trying to compose himself.
“Yeah, I hear about him a lot too… Kai, Kaisoo— I think they’re the same. No wait, actually no, because I hear Sekai too. I really don’t know. People get so annoying sometimes I try not to listen anymore,” she explained.
Jongin sighed. He wanted to know more about what his fans think of him and about the others too but decided not to push it since the girl is clueless anyway. “What sort of music do you listen to, anyway?” he asked, curious. Maybe he can change her mind into giving their music a chance.
“Uhh,” Alex hummed, thinking about the best way to put her thoughts. “Er, nevermind. It’s complicated.”
Jongin knew what she meant. “Ah, how about this, what’s the last song you listened to?”
“It’s not popular. You wouldn’t recognize it.”
“Aish, just say it.”
“It’s French.”
“So what,”
Alex sighed, “Fondu Au Noir.”
"Is that how you pronounce it?" Jongin asked.
“That’s why I didn’t want to say it!” she said, her face on her palms.
“You could’ve just said yes, and pretended,” Jongin replied, chuckling. “What song, you can’t take your mind off of lately?”
Alex thought about it, biting her upper lip, a weird habit. “I have to admit, PSY’s Gentleman.”
“Yeah, the song does it to a lot of people,” Jongin said, enjoying. “Ah! Your ringtone, what was it?”
“It’s Levan Polkka, but a version sung by software, a voice synthesizer something called Hatsune Miku. It’s not a person, it’s pretty cool really.”
“Mm,” Jongin hummed, nodding. “It’s not complicated actually, your choice of music, I mean. You listen to something, and you like it if you like it.”
“Yeah,” she nodded in agreement.
“So why not try listening to EXO?”
“Hey, I said I was going to! I just didn’t feel like it at the moment.”
“I’m not a fan, but they’re actually good. I’ve listened to some.”
“Yah— stop pretending. I know you’re a closet fan and you’re trying to make me listen to them. I will, okay.”
Closet fan. Jongin laughed at that because it was quite true. “Hey, can I borrow your phone?”
“Why?” Alex asked, eyes slightly squinting. “If you want my number, just ask for it.”
“No. Let’s take a selca,” Jongin said. He argued with himself about this for a moment a while ago, thinking about what Suho might say about it, but he decided to just do it anyway.
“You’re not asking for my number. You’re asking for a selca with me. Seriously? That’s like, really creepy. I mean, you’re hot and all, but you’re a stranger. What are you going to do with the photo anyway?” she replied.
“Oh c’mon, it’s just a selca. It’s not everyday you run into a hot boy and get trapped in an elevator with him.”
Alex thought about it for a while, staring at him. And thought, why not? He has a point. “Fine, but you be the one to scoot over here because I’m too lazy. School stress, elevator stress, you know. Plus, you’re the one who asked for it.”
Jongin took off his hoodie before doing what he was told. He sat beside her and took the cell phone she handed to him. It occurred to him that he still hasn’t got her name. “Okay, hana… dul… seh… kimchi—” they both smiled as the phone made the clicking sound. “Okay,” Jongin muttered to himself still fiddling with the phone, “let me just mail it to my phone…”
“Yeah sure,” Alex replied, eyes also on the screen, as Jongin tried to choose between photo filters, their shoulders pressed together. “No, no, the other one is better!”
“But it will only make me look darker,” said Jongin quickly.
“Tsk, fine. But it’s too bright, my one eyebrow is disappearing!”
“Whatever… there,” Jongin said, finally sending it to his phone. He chuckled at himself, imagining the boys’ reactions once they received the multimedia message. They’re on the twentieth floor of the building and he smiled at the thought that they were probably doing the same things they always do, and yet here he was trapped in an elevator having his own little adventure. “Yah, how long has it been?”
Alex looked at her watch. “Thirty minutes,” she answered.
“I’m hungry,” Jongin said.
“Aish, now that you mention it. I’m feeling hungry too.”
“I have Snickers.”
“I have… burger. Yeah, a burger! Karen kept forcing me to try baozi at the cafeteria a while ago and made me keep my burger. Because there’s this one member of that gay group again who’s called baozi, it’s so stupid. I kept telling them that, and they’re like no it’s cute,” she replied mimicking her friends’ girlish voice while rummaging through her bag.
“We don’t have water.”
“Oh, but I do. Be jealous. I want to see you choke on your Snickers for being attractive,” Alex said, face impassive.
“What are you doing in this building anyway?” Jongin asked, taking his Snickers from his pocket, and opening it.
“To make money, I sell my body to save up for college,” she replied, opening the ziplock that contained the burger. “What…” she added to Jongin who was staring intently at her. “No. No way I’m doing it with you in an elevator.”
“What? No. But really?” Jongin asked, his mouth open again.
“No!” She laughed. “I live here. My dad owns the building actually. I kept reminding the staff about this elevator problem but they ignore me. They think I’m still a kid. You, what are you doing here? Vacation?”
“Photoshoot,” Jongin replied, taking a bite.
“Of course,” she said, also taking a bite. “Photoshoot.”
They shared both Snickers and burger, not caring about how weird it tasted being eaten together. Alex allowed Jongin to drink, saying it’s up to him if he really wanted to share the bottle.
It occurred to Jongin that the schoolgirl really was exhausted when she dozed off. He could only imagine how many boring lectures she had to go through, and how much time she’ll spend at studying the same lectures once she gets home. She has now fallen asleep, her head on his lap. He examined her for a moment, remarking her long white neck, and how the dark tendrils of her hair stood out because of the complexion. Then he looked at her uniform, looking away immediately when his eyes landed on her gray pleated skirt. He didn’t want to get a from recalling the adult videos he watched with Sehun and Taemin. He closed his eyes, thought about that funny .gif image he and Chanyeol saw on Tumblr, and sighed. When he opened his eyes, he stared at the album lying on the floor.
“No matter what, you have to be our fan. You have to attend our concerts. And I’m going to be your bias,” he muttered to himself.
Slowly, Jongin lifted her head then gently put it on the cold floor. He searched for a marker and the CD Sony Walkman inside her bag, careful not to make a noise. And then taking the album, he opened it and signed it with a message:
Thanks for supporting EXO.
Make sure she gets her own
Copy ㅋㅋㅋ Study hard! -Kai
Then after that, he opened the CD Sony walkman, surprised to find it empty. She wasn’t listening to anything at all. He took the CD from their album and carefully placed it inside the walkman and then placed everything back to its place. He positioned himself back to where he was seated too, placing her head on his lap again.
Another loud thud startled them both, making them shot up in alarm from their sleepy state. Alex enthusiastically stood up. “It’s back, it’s back. What took them so long, anyway? Yah- Jongin.”
Jongin didn’t budge, his gaze on the album which was still lying on the floor. This really was it. Outside that sliding door, it’s back to normal. Well, not really normal— but what now seems to be normal for him and to the others. Indeed, he’d miss talking to someone who doesn’t have the slightest idea who he is, except for his name Kim Jongin. He looked at the red glowing digits above him— 10... blink 11... blink 12... blink 13... blink 14— he has to let go —15... blink 16— now.
He stood up, bringing the girl’s bag and the album. Alex took it from him, and said thanks. He didn’t reply and he didn’t look at her. He just took off his hoodie and then gently put it around her making sure her face was hidden. Alex was surprised, and she tried to push Jongin away, but his grip only tightened.
Ding— the doors slide open.
Alex paused for a moment to gather strength, but she was left to pause for a very long time as she heard the loud, almost frightening, clicks of cameras. Lots of cameras. Lots of noise. She couldn’t find the time to process what’s happening so she held on to the album tighter and closed her eyes because even with Jongin’s hoodie, the lights were blinding.
It took a very long time before the security guards could keep the photographers away. And when they finally did, Kai— rapper and famous dance machine of EXO— did what he had to do. He slowly pushed the girl away as he stepped out of the elevator, leaving her inside. The photographers were still around, but not close enough to keep the sliding doors from finally closing. He looked at the red glowing digits above him— 20 ... blink 21... blink— and turned around.
Alex took the hoodie off in panic when she felt the elevator move again. She didn’t know what just happened, but as her eyes landed on the buttons, she pressed the button 23 like she was programmed to. The doors slide open almost immediately and she’s in another lobby again.
On her way to her flat, she walked in a daze, inhaling the rich scent of Kim Jongin’s hoodie, making only the slightest movement to get her walkman.
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