CHAPTER 13- OFFERS

JIN'S POV

          I was getting ready in my room. I pulled some comfortable clothes from my closet and picked out my watch from my glass case. No need to dress up when we were to head to some kind of prairie for the photoshoot.

          I got out of my room and ran down the staircase. "Good morning!" I ran to the dining table and kissed Mom and greeted Dad.

          "Son, have breakfast first." Mom pulled out the chair beside her.

          "Sorry, Mom. I'll be late in picking up the girls and for the photoshoot if I stay." I just picked up a pair of toast and spread peanut butter and jam on it and placed it in my mouth.

          "Say hi to Caleb for us, Son," my Dad said.

          "Nae! Goodbye!" Well, my family is what you can say almost perfect. My Dad and Mom had been together for a long time. Well, I grew up in a well off family. Yes, I am a Chaebol but unlike what you usually see in dramas where the first son get gets all pressured to take over the family business, I didn't have to go all through that because I get to do what I like most and that is music so I am all okay with this set up.

          I drove my way to the girls' dorm and waited for them to come down from the building. As I stood outside waiting for them, I saw somebody looking up at their condominium's building. He was holding a music notebook with the same logo of Irene's school. His head turned to my direction and I met his eyes. For some unknown reason, I kept looking at him. We stayed that way and I somehow wonder why he does not look away.

          "Oppa!" I heard Seulgi's voice as he called me out. I broke off from staring at him and waved at the girls.

          "Who was that?" Wendy asked. I looked back again and suddenly he was nowhere to be seen.

          "Oh?" I looked around but he’s not around anymore. "I don't know," I looked at Irene. "But his music notebook has the same logo as your school."

          "Huh? I didn't see him though." Irene looked at me with a muddled expression.

          "Oh, nevermind. Come in.” We took the van to the location. Irene sat beside me, I looked at her from time to time to see if she was ok. She was very quiet. She was staring far away, deep in thought.

          We arrived at the location of the photoshoot. We walked towards Heeyeon who was busy checking if everything was set. Hyojin was also there as she is the photographer for this project.

          “Heeyeon-ah!” I called her name out. She looked towards my direction. “Oh hey Alex!” The girls immediately bowed to her. She smiled at them but I can’t help noticing her staring longer at Irene.

          “The crew is there,” Heeyeon said as she pointed to the trailer van. “You can head up there to get yourselves prettied up.”

          Hyojin suddenly popped up beside her.  “Hello guys. Wow, you really are a sight to see.”

“So, I guess we don’t need introductions anymore,” Heeyeon flipped on her notebook and looked back at us. “By the way, it’s only for the four girls now. Irene-ssi please stay here. You will have your photoshoot on a later date. Since you are going to be the hidden member”

          I saw Hyojinn suddenly turning to her sister, quite surprised at the sudden instruction. “Wait, so Irene isn’t joining the photoshoot today?” I asked.

          “Nope. Well, just let her sit there. She’ll have her own photoshoot.”

          “Wait, I was thinking that you will have here join the photoshoot and just black out her picture to hide her or something like that. So you mean you will promote the four girls first before introducing her to the public? It is not what we have agreed about in the meeting” I was utterly taken aback by the sudden decision they have. This was not what we were expecting.

          “Gwaenchanayo. Go,” I suddenly heard Irene speaking to the girls. Gyuri and the girls looked at her in surprise.

          “Irene,” Gyuri started.

          “I’m okay Eonni. Go with the girls. I’ll be fine here,” she said with a smile. I looked at her and she took my hand. She ushered me to sit in one of the tents. Heeyeon followed us to the tent.

          “This is not what we talked about back in the meeting, Heeyeon. How is it that the format is changed suddenly? I agreed with the hidden member thing only if they have Irene in the picture just a bit blurred out and not totally promote the four members first, and without her.” It was frustrating for me.

          “We already studied on this concept and everyone agreed that this will work, Alex. You don’t have to worry about this. We all know what we are doing.” Heeyeon sound a bit annoyed with my nagging.

          I looked at Irene. “You know I didn’t like this set-up from the start. If I were to choose, I would want to have her from the start of the promotions especially that Irene is the team’s leader.”

          “You want to make a noise right? Let’s go start with her. She’ll make that noise for the group. Leader is the the last to be introduced. Everyone’s attention will be on her once she is revealed to the public. End of story,” Heeyeon snarled at me where I was suddenly taken aback. She turned around and headed to the lighting director and Hyojin who was getting her equipment ready. I breathed deep in defeat. “Sorry, Irene.”

          “Ani, I don’t want to feel bad about this. I don’t even want to show them I am a bit affected by this. I am the leader. That means I have to stay strong for them. Its fine, Jin.” She looked at her hands which were on her knees and turned to me and smiled. I felt bad about this but well, we already started. She does not want to turn back, we will have to keep going then.

          I smiled at her to comfort her. “I’ll treat you to something nice after this.” I pat her head and she smiled back. She looked to the crews’ direction. I looked behind her to see someone was watching us. That someone was smiling in victory. Suho, Kim Joonmyeon.

BOGUM’S POV

          Two days passed. No sight of Joohyun. I have some few classes with her. I wondered where she was so one day I decided to go to her condo. How did I find out where she lives? It was simple. I quietly followed her without her knowing. I don’t know why she seems out of it lately. She didn’t even notice me following her around.

          I may sound like some weird stalker doing this but I have my own reasons why I do this. She is my only connection to him. She can be one of my ways to get close to him. I’ll do anything to get close to her. I stood in front of their condo building, wondering whether I should go in and surprise her but decided against it. It was weird enough with me being there. I don’t want to bust any of my chances getting close to her by appearing like a maniac.

          I held my notebook in one hand as I continued standing there debating with myself on what I should do next when I turned my head and met eyes with one man. I stared at him and just stayed that way for a few moment.

          “Oppa!” a girl’s voice rang from the building’s glass doors. There she was, Irene with the members of her group, I guess. I should go to her but I looked at the guy I was staring and decided to let it go for the meantime and quickly left the place.

          The next day, in school…

          “Chaerin-ah, is Irene going to school today?” I asked her friend.

          “Nope not yet. Why?” She looked at me in curiosity.

          “Nothing… I just want to ask her something. Anyway, thanks,” I went back to my seat and sighed deeply. Just then, a group of girls came to my side, giggling.

          “Hi, Bogum-ssi.” I looked up to them and smiled. “Annyeong,” I answered in courtesy.

          “Are you looking for Irene? If you need help, maybe we can do it for you?” said one girl with red hair.

          “Aniyo, gwaenchana. I’m alright.” I looked back to my book and started scribbling on one page.

          “Looks like you are quickly becoming famous among the girls here, ey?” Chaerin joked around and smiled as she went back to what she was doing. She and Irene became my friends after bumping into them during that little squabble with the girl named Jinri.

          It wasn’t some kind of coincidence though, like I said, I have my own reasons and did some research of my own. After school, I went around Seoul and decided to go there. With a cup of iced coffee in my hand, I stood outside the building and stared at it.

          “Just a little bit more, I’ll be meeting you. I bet you don’t even know who I am,” I thought. I smiled to myself thinking of how much I had to leave behind just to meet you. You don’t even know of my existence. I took two steps back and decided to leave for now when suddenly I heard someone…

          “Wait! Wait! You there! The one holding the iced coffee!” A girl with a light brown hair came running to me, panting.

          “Na?” I said pointing to myself.

          “Well, yes. Who else is holding an iced coffee here?” she said.

          “Ah, okay.” I was a bit taken aback being called by an unknown person. I looked at her, no she isn’t completely unfamiliar. I think I already saw her somewhere.

          “Were you just staring at our building just now? Do you want to join us?” She asked with great fervor. “Well, here is my business card. Call me when you are interested. I work for them. Be ready with something for the audition, arasso?” She looked at me with a big, bright smile. “I believe you have what it takes. By the way, your name is?”

          “Park Bogum”

          “Nice name. Call me, okay?” She waved her hands goodbye and ran into the building. I looked at the business card in my hand.

PARK GYURI

Talent Agent

Starlight Entertainment

****

Hello everyone! So here it is another update! Oh I am so happy! After a few months of slump, my brain is finally working again! I hope you like this update. So, Bogum is finally in the picture. Wondering what he really is in the story? Can I hear your guesses?

Just Comment. I would really love to hear from you. :-D