Completely taken by surprise, Jo found herself scurrying into the private room’s lounge area – foolishly hoping for at least a trace of the other’s current whereabouts. When she was finally convinced that they had truthfully left already, the girl looked for her phone but she ended up letting out an anxious sigh when she realized that she left it inside Danica’s bag that morning.

Totally overcame by panic, the girl darted to the door to leave immediately. But even before she could touch the knob, her attention was caught when another presence cleared his throat.

“Where are you going?” Jonghyun asked carefully. His eyes were questioning, an eyebrow raised a little, and it made Jo feel slightly intimidated. But there was an obvious sense of worry that glazed his velvety speaking voice.

The girl slapped her forehead and turned around. She forgot that there were two people left behind and the other one is no ordinary person. It is Lee Jonghyun, one of the four people everyone outside is trying to get a glimpse of. Feeling embarrassed, she took one step away from the door – and closer to him – with her head bowed down low.

“I forgot you’re here,” she mumbled. But she instantly regretted it as it sounded a little insolent. And the last thing she wanted that moment is to piss the artist off.

Fortunately, Jonghyun didn’t hear. He just took a few steps closer and bent forward as an encouragement to the lady that it’s okay to look at him.

Jo was fidgeting but she realized that her job’s much more important than her shame. So gulping all her nervousness, she raised her head up and that’s when their eyes met – their faces a few inches away from each other.

Instantly, she felt her cheeks burning. It’s not everyday that you get to do eye contacts with glorious human beings as the one before her – not to mention the close distance between them. She stared at him and easily noticed how clear her reflection was in his dark brown eyes.

Apparently, Jonghyun felt a little drawn too that he actually spent a good few seconds before breaking the gazing competition. For the second time, he cleared his throat and decided to plop himself on the wide couch beside him.

“Do you have a phone?” Jo asked him after finally finding the courage to breathe.

The man stared at her in silence and confusion. That’s when she realized that she must have spoken fast that he couldn’t catch up. It’s not a surprise when some idols couldn’t understand English right away; and so she repeated her question, a little animated this time.

“A phone,” she said as she put her fingers near her ears as if she’s classing. “Isseo?”

With the Korean word, Jonghyun seemed to have understood; and it was a relief. But the frustration immediately came back when he shrugged, “No,” he said. “Manager hyung.”

The girl felt like a brick just fell off her head. She’s doomed. If Jonghyun won’t make it to the presscon which is happening in two hours at the hotel which is more than 30 minutes away from the airport, it’ll be a mess. And Mrs. Lee won’t surely appreciate that.

She paced back and forth the lounge, thinking of what to do. Sure, they could just wait for the others to come back and get them but judging from the amount of people they had to get through just to get out to the lobby and into the vans, it will take so much time and they might get late.

In the end, she concluded that it’s best to get Jonghyun out of the building and into the waiting vans, as fast as possible, without getting spotted by the fans.

***

Jo’s face lit up in delight that she threw herself on the couch, beside the idol. “I KNOW NOW!” She practically screamed.

Completely dumbfounded, Jonghyun hugged his bag tighter. “Wae geuraeyo?” His face was full of doubt that Jo felt like slapping herself. That simple Korean sentence she understood; and she felt a little embarrassed again when she realized that of course, the idol would be a little confused. She planned everything in her head in a matter of seconds, after all.

As if talking to a little child, Jo explained the idol the situation they’re in, inserting some simple Korean phrases she learned from her friends in the past. She told him that the only way they could get out of the airport is disguise themselves. She admitted that she wouldn’t be able to handle his security in case their covers will get blown up.

“How?” Jonghyun asked cluelessly.

A flush of pink appeared in her cheeks as it dawned to her that she actually had no plan to execute the idea. “Do you-- Do you have an idea to spare?”

The guy brought his knuckles to his lips as he got immersed in thinking. Jo was doing the same and she couldn’t really come up with a plausible option. Well, there’s one; but that will definitely cross the line.

“A couple.”

Jo’s eyes widened in surprise. Did she actually said that out loud? But then it sounded like a voice of a man.

Her breathing hitched as she realized who it came from. Slowly and with hung open, she turned to her side and once again met eyes with the man beside her.

Jonghyun smiled at her, oblivious to the kind of situation’s she putting the girl’s emotions in. “Good idea? Good idea?”

Damn. How could he ask that easily? Jo’s breathing hitched at the thought of pretending to be the Lee Jonghyun’s girlfriend. She might not be a fan, but during the few minutes that they were talking, she was certain that she had found someone who could rival her utmost love for Cho Kyuhyun.

And come to think of it, they kinda look the same.

The man stared at her as he waited for an answer. Pressured with time and the weight of his gazes, Jo found herself nodding.