Chapter 17: Rewind and Replay

With a heavy sigh I left the podium and walked away from the press conference, all of their questions just circulated about our debut, about our songs, the group’s theme, and lastly my relationship with Luhan. Everything is just the same. Sitting down inside the car that would bring me back to the plane back to China, I once again contemplated about my choice, yes I know that I revealed it too soon but I just don’t want to have anything that could make me feel hopeful that he would one day recognize me or even give me or spare me even a little space in his heart. His jacket which I kept for more than 4 years, his jacket that I treasured for what it seemed like forever I gave it up and gave it back to him.

I did not make that decision because of HanSol, I made it just to free myself from everything that would tie me to him, everything that would hurt me continuously in the process, as he said he would stage our break up, which I assure myself would give me a hard time to get over with, I would also dawdle in that emotional state for a long period of time. Looking at the dark sky studded with diamond stars I took out my phone which like rang for more or less 10 times all of the calls were from the girls, well let’s include a certain meddlesome boy who would like to quote and quote meddle with my life’s decision HanSol.

HanSol had been a great help, making me forget about the stupid contract making me believe that even in this foreign industry I can at least find a true friend aside from the girls, he’s like an older brother that I could lean on, HeeChul on the other hand is the most protective type of brother that would spoil me to death. Surely boys are not the same judging from my so called brothers. The car suddenly stopped making me fall from my seat.

“What was that?” I asked our manager who was traveling with me.

“A car suddenly made a turn without signaling.” Mr. Kang, our temporary manager said as he held on the car door and opened it. “Just stay here.”

“Stay?” I seriously won’t stay here.

As I got down the car, the driver of the said car that would have collided with mine got down from his seat and said his apologies, but from the look in Mr. Kang’s eyes he would not forgive him that easily.

“He already said that he’s sorry..” I muttered and placed my hand on Mr. Kang’s shoulder.

“I thought I told you to stay in the car, I told you to wait for me!” Mr. Kang screamed, well that was certainly the first time that he screamed at me like that.

“Why should I?” I answered back, “I’m also one of the car’s passenger and I have the right to meddle in this situation, this is a democratic country right?”

Mr. Kang sighed, “What if they’ll-“

“Wait, you’re Jin from PRISM right?!” A cheerful voice suddenly broke the tension between me and Mr. Kang.

“Told you.” Mr. Kang whispered.

We both looked at the source of the voice and saw a 7 boys descending from the car. I just looked at them, they all looked familiar, very famili—ar…

“Kookie!!” I shouted and ran towards the tall giant cookie monster and started to pinch his cheeks. “You cheeky little brat! you told me you’d wait for me before you debut but you!!! you giant piece of cookie!”

“You both know each other?” Suga asked as he pointed at Kookie and at me.

“Well duh, they won’t greet each other like that if they don’t know each other..” Jin answered.

I smiled at them, “I hope you’ll take good care of my giant cookie, he might be a cookie on the outside but he’s a monster deep inside..” I then laughed.

“She’s weird right?” Kookie said as he hugged me tightly, “I missed you Noona!”

“Noo-“ Rap Mon’s eyebrow hitched higher.

“I’m the only one allowed to call her that.” Kookie proudly said. “By the way, he’s RapMon, V, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, and JiMin.” Kookie said as he pointed at the boys one by one.

“Hey! Your Highness!” Mr. Kang shouted, “You still have a schedule to attend to in China, and you need to think of an answer to that sudden almighty revelation that you did back at the presscon. “

“Uh-right..” I pouted.

“Aigoo..still acting cute..” Kookie said as he ruffled my hair, in a non messy way.

“Shut it you cookie monster. My number is still the same, just give me a ring and I have lots to tell you..” I turned to the other guys, “It’s nice meeting you, Let’s grab a meal sometime..Kookie will pay..”

“I still won’t let you off the hook.” Mr. Kang added as he pointed at their driver.

“Like seriously you like holding grudges..” I muttered.

“I was just joking but did you see the look on the guys face?” Mr. Kang snickered.

“You’re mean.. but yeah, it was priceless..you should have gotten a photo of it..”

Mr. Kang just gave me his usual look and smiled as we went inside the car and off it went back to the airport. The flight was long really long, without the girls by my side it felt like forever.

||Luhan’s P.O.V

She’s back. In China.

I silently hid myself like what I usually did back in Korea, whenever I see her, I just conceal myself and watch her from the sidelines, I did that just because I find her familiar, but this time I’m doing this because she was the girl that owns the ring, the ring that made me who I am, the ring that allowed me to be strong, the ring who made me believe that one day I will find her once again and I did.

Crowd started to form around her, flashes of camera lights began to overwhelm her, I must say that their group made quite an uproar even before their debut. And I think I can see why, all of them showed charms of their own, Nam who expressed herself in a more conservative manner in front of the camera, Shin who was as cheerful as Yeol, Ai who easily gets the mood going like Baek and Kris, SeoYeon who made everyone want her as their little sister and Jin who just pulls everyone in her circle, making them curious who she really is. From my position I can easily see her having a hard time blocking the camera from harassing her privacy but she just hides it with her smiles, she’s tired, buts he still showed everyone that she still has the energy to do things for her group.

“Kya! It’s Luhan!” a shrilling voice made me leap from my position.

I gazed back and saw Chen acting like a highschool girl, “Like seriously hyung, you still do this?” he added as he placed his arm on my shoulder.

“She’ll be fine,” Chen added, “but you my friend..”

“I know..just let me sit here and look at her..even like this, I want to act like I’m still close to her..” I answered as I followed her every movement with my eyes.

“Kya! Chen Oppa! Luhan Oppa!” another scream made me look at Chen who at the same time flinched with me.

“I swear I followed you alone..” Chen said as we both starred at our back, and he was telling the truth, the ones who screamed were our fans who have seemed to blow our cover.

“Oppa!” a girl suddenly jumped in front and suddenly said, “You came here to see Jin?”

I starred at her, her question left me gazing directly at her.

“Didn’t Jin say that there’s nothing going on between them?” another girl caught my attention.

“Yeah, she said it on national T.V”.. another one added.

I then felt Chen tugging my sleeve which made me go back to reality, I need to answer but I don’t know how.

“Oppa!” a followed up shout made us all including the girls stop talking and looked at the same direction.

There she was with her usual smile, with her hair tied up in a ponytail, and her hands on her hips. “I thought you told me you won’t make it!” she pouted, “and you even brought a troll with you..” she added as she laughed.

“Jin..” Chen semi-whispered.

“Girls, will you excuse us..” Jin said as she pulled both me and Chen away.

“But I thought nothing is going on between you two..” the same girl who started the topic said as she blocked Jin’s path.

“You shouldn’t believe what you see and hear on T.V..” Jin smiled sweetly, “just keep this as a secret ok?” she added with a wink as she continued to pull me and Chen from the crowd and made our way towards the car. As we got in she unhooked her arm and let out a frustrated sigh and sat on her seat.

“Remind me not to do that again, it’s freaking annoying to lie!” She shouted at Mr. Kang who just seemed busy contacting someone.

“You’re labelmates and you need to help them get out of the commotion..” Mr. Kang answered.

“Labelmates? That was just an act?” Chen repeated.

She nodded and looked at me, “I was dead serious when I told you that I’ll end everything once I get back to Korea..”

“But you..” Chen trailed off, “Don’t tell me..”

“Nope, I don’t have any feelings for him, and he knows that I don’t believe in love, and that I’ll never fall in love..” She answered as she raised her brow, “But you see leaving fans curious is fun..so I want to continue this game of charades, not with you, but with them..” she chuckled.

I stared at her for the longest time ever, even as we got on the car, I still kept on looking at her.

“Would you please stop staring? You might create a hole on my head rest..” She looked back at me and smiled.

“You said you hate lies, then why..”

“Yeah, I hate it if someone lies to me, but I’m just creating a little white lie to save your group and mine from being engulf by Kim YoungMin. You see I hate being controlled and being played, so why don’t you just play this game with me even for a teenie tiny while..”she answered. “let’s see how long can our current CEO hold on to his position..”

I swallowed hard, for sure right now, I don’t know if I’m still talking to Jin. I looked at Mr. Kang’s direction who seemed to know about Jin’s plan just smiled at me and shrugged his shoulders. But the again this is Jin we are talking about, after a few minutes of exchanging looks with Chen, Jin started laughing hard.

“You both should have seen the look on your faces, like seriously?! Hahahaha” Jin laughed as she clutched her stomach.

“Wha--?!” Chen shouted beside me.

I really don’t know if Jin was serious about what she just said, she seemed different than her usual self, really different.

“Ne, Mr. Kang, why is the sky blue? How did the world start? I mean where did these colors come from?” Jin continuously asked as she poked Mr. Kang’s back.

“Jin, just get some rest ok?” Mr. Kang answered without looking back at her. “And boys don’t mind her shifting attitude, she’s just tired.”

The drive towards the hotel was long and silent, Chen kept on looking at me then at the sleeping Jin who seemed to become uncomfortable due to the shifting of her head on her chair.

“Don’t mind Jin, if gets to stressed her brain gets coo coo..” Mr.Kang explained, an explanation that really did not help.

 But even though Mr. Kang said that, Jin still feels different..really different.

|Jin’s P.O.V

As soon as the car stopped, my eyes instinctively opened followed by a heavy sigh, scrunching up my nose I took out my glasses from my bag and wore it again, well it surely feels like forever, Mr. Kang cleared his throat and pointed at the boys sitting at the back of the van.

“What are they doing here?” I asked him as my forehead creased.

“Wrinkles.” Mr. Kang flicked my forehead and explained what I just did, “You, you just made things more complicated.”

“But I think, this can bring him back.” I muttered, Mr. Kang then patted my back.

“You’re doing this for him?”Mr. Kang asked as I nodded.

“Will you wake them up?..I need to break this news to the girls..” I said as I jumped off the van and walked straight towards the entrance of the hotel.