The hotel where CNBLUE will be staying and where the press conference will be held wasn’t too far from the airport and miraculously, the traffic in Manila seemed to work in their favors. They have reached the venue around 20 minutes before the time and so they got enough time to prepare. Good thing, they already had their make-ups done before their flight to the Philippines so less concerns for the whole team.

Everybody was busy doing their own things for the pre-concert event; but Jonghyun felt a different type of restlessness. Well, he was normally calm in times like this, but the thought of a girl he was with a few moments ago getting fired was just too much to handle. He clearly couldn’t find a reason why, but his strong instincts are telling him it involves him greatly.

“Do you know where my PA is?” The idol asked the unfamiliar make-up artist he presumed to be a part of the local production team. They were inside a huge dressing area behind the stage and he was being touched-up. There are a few minutes before the main event began and he could hear the growing noise of the press people behind the thin walls.

The female’s eyes widened at the sudden interaction. For a moment, her gaze flickered to Jonghyun’s and it was enough for the latter to see the nervousness reflected in her orbs. When he attempted to repeat the question, the girl shrugged her head no and went back to her task without saying a word. The man noticed she quite rushed and went away after a stiff bow.

Such reaction triggered something within the band member, which he still couldn’t fully identify. Nonetheless, his thoughts flew back to Jo and her current whereabouts. Was she really fired like how his manager thought? Is that why she looked dejected as she entered the bus? Did her boss reprimand her for being late?

But why? It’s not like she wanted that to happen.

Annoyed at the thoughts of the unfairness Jo had probably gone through, Jonghyun kept quiet throughout the next ten minutes until it’s time to face the press. The manager entered the dressing area and the staffs scattered away as the band members left the room, one by one.

----

They heard it was the biggest ballroom in the hotel, but it didn’t seem so. The four members of CNBLUE had their mouths hung open when they stepped into the stage and got a glimpse of the crowd waiting for them. The room was full. There were even some who were standing on the sides, holding cameras, wearing media ID’s. Surely, they had no idea the Philippines value their presence this much. In a way, all four of them felt so honored.

Somehow, the idea of such gracious reception distracted Jonghyun from thinking about Jo. Like in all other interviews, he just kept quiet on his seat, letting Yonghwa and Jungshin handle everything like the pros that they are. The questions were screened prior to their appearance so he was pretty certain that there was no need for him to interfere. His smiles and occasional waves are enough.

Apparently, one journalist decided to change that.

“This is a question for Mr. Jonghyun Lee,” a lady who’s probably in her early twenties began. The owner of the name quickly turned his attention to the interviewer and his eyes widened a little in surprise. Was his name even specified in the list of questions they saw?

The emcee would have stopped the lady, who everyone had presumed by then to be an actual fan, if not for Lee Jonghyun himself taking the microphone from his hyung. “Go on,” he said, granting his permission to be asked. He saw the manager glare at him, but he only shrugged. To hell with him.

A smile and a nod, and the lady interviewer continued. “Everyone knows how clean your record is when it comes to girls. We just want to know if someone managed to catch your attention here in Manila. Is there?”

Yonghwa, Minhyuk and Jungshin snickered as soon as the question got translated to Korean. They have loved impromptu questions like this. The manager and some other FNC staffs tsk-ed though. They must be plotting how to throw the lady off the venue quickly. But Jonghyun smiled a very bright one, as he brought the microphone closer to his lips.

“The Filipinas are beautiful,” he stated in English, making the people cheer and whistle. “And yeah, there is one who caught my attention too,” he stated briefly in Korean.

When it got translated to English, the whole crowd roared. Even the lady who asked seemed content with the answer. Maybe, it was really enough to know that the great Lee Jonghyun finds interest in girls.

The interviewer would have thrown a follow-up question but the emcee had to interrupt and call another member of the press. The conference then continued until all inquiries were answered and pictures were taken.

Jonghyun was the first to leave the stage - his mind back to that girl who caught his attention, obviously.

---

“Dude, you were into that question, aren’t you?” Yonghwa asked as they got into their double suite. He’s sharing with the second member.

Jonghyun lazily dragged his feet to the bed and threw his body down to it. With closed eyes, he puffed a sigh and planted his face on the soft mattress.

“Where is my PA…” he muttered, his voice muffled by the fabric.

The leader of CNBLUE stifled a laugh as he sat on the other side of the bed. “You got it bad, didn’t you?”

It took the younger one quite a few seconds to reply to the statement. He was actually thinking whether he really got it bad or what. His mind fluttered to the memory of them, kissing; Joanna’s soft lips graciously moving against his, how their hands seemed to have fit perfectly together, and how he loved holding her thin waist close to his body.

Warmth spread across his body as he repeated his hyung’s question in his head. Was he really into the girl he met just this morning? Did he really got it bad?

“Maybe,” he whispered in defeat.

This story is not going to be long, okay? :)

I need to start on another so I'm finishing this quickly, heh.