Chapter 3: Avoiding

Jong kook sighed.

The turned the knob, and then hesitated. He sighed again.

“Err, hyung?” It was Gap Jin eyeing him with worry. “Aren’t you going in? We’re already late.”

Jong kook smiled thriftily, his manager had no idea what happened and he wasn’t prepared himself into telling anyone about it. “I will… of course I will.” He inhaled deeply and steeled his nerves even if he only wanted to go home at that moment.

Jong kook finally opened the door and his eyes immediately scanned for her. She was in a corner talking with Gwang soo animatedly. He was sure it never happened before but after seeing her, it felt like he had just finished a whole day session in the gym. Nothing weird there Jong kook, you said something embarrassing… did you expect not to feel anything?

 Gary was in another corner, his coordi fixing his jacket. Jong kook went to him and pretended to ask about their Asian tour.

“I know you’re a fan of us hyung… but you’ve already asked me about the same thing five times.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Well you didn’t actually.”

“What?”

“I said you didn’t actually ask me about the same thing five times. Your eyes… are looking past me and you’re speaking in auto-mode. You’re quite good at it actually but I know you well hyung.”

Jong kook fell silent. “Hyung, did it become awkward because of those empty words, or are you afraid something you didn’t mean to reveal came out in the open?”

He laughed weakly and accused his dongsaeng of taking him too seriously. He made a lame excuse of being tired and thanked his luck when the PDs said it’s time for filming. He made another series of silent thank yous to the heaven when that day they were not in the same team and had no reasons to exchange anything.

Except that, he found himself hovering near her team’s vicinity hoping to at least catch her eyes. He only wanted to know they were still partners and friends, he assured himself. Nothing more of something like his friends’ accusation.