Narrator's P.O.V:
"Mm, this meat is so tasty," said Zoey as her mouth chewed on the tender meat.
Mino, who sat opposite her, smiled. "I told you they serve the best meat here," he said as he held in his hands chopsticks with a piece of meat in between them.
"Yeah, I take back what I said earlier. I don't think I've tasted meat this good."
"Nah, you did have a point, though. We men just love meat."
"We need to hurry up with our food, though," said Zoey as she picked on the pieces of meat on the small grill built into the center of their table with her chopsticks. "I don't want to miss Johnny at the club."
Mino was just about to put the piece of meat in his mouth when he stopped himself short after Zoey's statement. Zoey continued eating, and it was only after a little while that she noticed Mino looking at her.
"What is it?" she asked. "You're going to make your meat burn."
Mino put his chopsticks aside. "I don't think confronting Johnny over what happened today is a good idea."
Zoey rolled her eyes as she grabbed the small bowl of sauce she had been dipping her pieces of meat in. "You sound like Sam," she said.
"I'm just saying you might want to think this through."
"I have." Zoey picked up a piece of meat from the brai. "I'm just going to talk to him."
"Would you mind running me through it then?" Mino asked.
"Why should I?" Zoey now looked a little agitated. "You don't know how a conversation is going to go."
"Exactly. You can never know, and I'm afraid you might want to scratch his face off."
Zoey put a piece of meat in her mouth and talked as she chewed. "First of all, I'm not a cat to scratch people when I feel like it. Second, I can assure you that it will be nothing but a nice, friendly chat."
"A friendly chat with someone who almost made you get caught in a stampede at a park and someone who you suspect to have cut the power at YG even when it was confirmed that no one did it."
"Oh, I can assure you, he did it. Johnny has a funny way of getting out of trouble."
"And you've got a terrible way of getting into one."
Zoey looked up at Mino, and he knew that he had struck a nerve there. Zoey picked up a piece of hot, sizzling meat on the brai and ate it. "What's wrong with you?" she asked. "One minute you were willing to help me out, the next you weren't."
"Because it's pointless trying to confront him. You're only going to get into more trouble."
"This is why I didn't want you to come. I knew you were going to get cold feet and try to stop me."
"You weren't going to come far in Hongdae without me. You would've gotten lost."
Zoey finished chewing the meat in her mouth and swallowed. "I'm grateful for your help, Mino. But if you aren't going to the club with me, then it's best you let me be."
"I'm not going to. Whatever the case, I'm coming with you. You might end up throwing punches at him anyway."
Zoey began to laugh. "I'm not going to punch anyone. The last thing I need is to cause a fiasco."
"Then promise me you won't." Mino looked at Zoey with an eyebrow raised. "And I want you to mean it, Zoey."
Zoey put down the small bowl of sauce and picked up her bowl of noodles. She looked up at Mino with a sincere look on her face. "I'll keep my word," she said. "I won't do any funny business."
'"Okay, then," he said as he picked up his chopsticks and went for his bowl of noodles. "Let's eat up and get going."
"Can I have your meat?" Zoey asks. She didn't wait for Mino to respond, as she took the pieces of meat meant for him with her chopsticks and put them in her bowl of noodles.
***
Sam's P.O.V:
Lee and Christine were like 'oh' and 'ah' at every shop we passed that had many fashion designer clothes, bags, shoes, and jewelry. I wish I could give into the enthusiasm they were showing, but my eyes were focused on each person in sight. It's not like the two were doing anything wrong. I just pray that while they were admiring things, they wouldn't lose focus on the objective of being here.
We had just passed a shop with fancy high-heeled shoes and slippers when I felt Jungkook bump shoulders with me on my right side.
"Sorry about that," he said as he looked at me.
"Oh, it's nothing," I said.
"Gosh, this place is overwhelming, don't you think?" Daniel asked as he walked alongside Mike behind me.
"It is," said Jimin, who walked slightly ahead of me. Lee and Christine were a little further, but not too far ahead to disband with the group.
"Why don't we just go to the club where Johnny said he would be?" Mike asked. "Won't it be a whole lot better to catch her there?"
"We are heading there right now," said Jungkook. "But since she is alone, we might get lucky and find her walking down the street."
"I pray so," I said. "We might have put on disguises, but for how long are we going to stay like this before someone recognizes us?"
"Hopefully, not too soon," said Jimin as he looked at me with his mask and hoodie over his head.
After passing a few clothing shops, we entered another street, opposite where we came from. There were many restaurants and cafés. I saw Christine hold Lee's shoulder and point with her other hand towards a café in front of them.
"Can I have just one sweet dumpling?" I hear her ask Lee as the rest of us get closer to them.
"Are you forgetting that we are only here to look for Zoey and not get anything?" Lee asked.
"Come on, it's just a dumpling," Christine continued to whine. "I really want to taste one, and they look really yummy."
"Goodness, I swear you act like a child sometimes." Lee turned to us behind her. "Anyone care for a sweet dumpling?"
"I want one!" Daniel yelled, raising his hand in the air.
Jimin and I chuckled at his childlike demeanor, which didn't seem to impress Lee at all.
"We all would like a dumpling, Lee," I said.
"And what about finding Zoey?" Jungkook asked.
"Taking a little break won't hurt anyone, will it?" Mike asked. "I say we enjoy ourselves a little. If I know Zoey, she's probably somewhere eating or buying something too."
"But let's not stay for too long," I pointed out. "We don't want to miss our chance at finding either Johnny or Zoey."
Everyone else agreed, and Christine quickly led the way into the café. The rest of us followed. I was careful enough to look around the cozy yet colourful café. There weren't many people around. It must be because it is evening and cafés aren't usually filled with people at the time. Christine, Lee, and Daniel went over to the counter to order dumplings. Mike found a booth next to the glass window for us to look outside, which was very smart of him. We might get lucky and find Zoey walking by.
I entered the booth and sat facing Mike by the window. Jimin came to sit next to me, and Jungkook sat next to Mike. When the others had finished ordering, they came to join us.
"I hope you guys don't mind," said Lee. "I ordered some tea to go along with the dumplings."
"Yeah, sure," said Jungkook. "Tea goes really well with them."
"I can't wait to have them in my mouth," said Christine, who sat next to Jungkook.
"Well, we do need dessert with the way we left the hotel," said Daniel.
"You two have such a sweet tooth," said Lee as she shook her head.
I removed the mask to get a little breath of air. The people in the café were few, and most of them were older. I had a feeling this place was safe for now.
"So how are you guys finding Korea so far?" Jimin asked.
"Great," I answered him with a smile. "It's really an interesting place. Next time I come here, I would rather be on vacation. I would like to go out of Seoul and look at other places as well."
"When you do, give me a ring, and I'll make sure to take you to some interesting ones," said Jungkook.
"That will be great. I would like to see your beautiful landscapes and those of other smaller towns. There's no time for that with our busy schedule."
I look out the window. Hongdae Street really was a busy place. After looking around, it was evident why. The place offered a variety of goods and services popular with people's tastes and needs. You can find almost anything here.
"I would also like to come here on vacation," said Christine. "Sam, make sure you tug me along with you."
"I also want to come," said Daniel.
"In short, the whole of The Toxins," I said. "Zoey would also like to come back here, no doubt."
"And what of you, Mike?" Jimin asked.
Mike turned his eyes away from the window. "Yeah, I would. But I would also like to visit Japan as well."
I raised an eyebrow at him. "I think I know why," I said.
Mike looked at me with a smile. He might not show it sometimes, but he's also a big anime fan. Moreover, the biggest gaming conventions happen in Japan, so I'm not surprised.
Soon enough, dumplings and hot tea served in small wooden teacups were served at our table. Christine and Daniel looked at the food as if they could eat it all themselves. Lee had to give them an eye, showing that if they were to do so, she wouldn't hesitate to give them a slap on the head.
Jimin served me my tea and dumplings in a wooden bowl. The hot, sweet smell of the dumplings and the tea made my mouth water all of a sudden. It was obvious that this was going to be yummy. I thanked him, and he smiled in response.
We went on ahead to eat our dessert, using chopsticks to pick up the dumplings and eat them. As soon as Christine and Daniel ate one, you could tell from the look on their faces that they went up to food heaven and just witnessed some kind of enlightenment.
"This is so good," said Christine.
"I know," said Daniel, already picking up another dumpling. "We should carry a box of these to the hotel."
"This reminds me of when we were filming the music video with BIGBANG and we got those lovely moon cakes," I said.
The rest of us Toxins with Lee reminisced over the event, telling Jimin and Jungkook how fun that day turned out to be. We didn't forget to mention that Zoey and I weren't on speaking terms at the time. However, we were careful enough not to talk about Jehan.
As we talked, every now and then, I would notice Mike look out the window, and I would follow suit. There's still no sign of her. Nor Johnny. I couldn't help but think that all this is just a trap Johnny set up. If it is, then what could he really be planning? What if I'm overthinking things and it turns out that it was nothing and he just wanted to go to the club and have some fun? If that is the case, Zoey might ruin his night if she decides to lose her temper. That might attract unwanted attention, and it would put all of us in trouble if Collins found out.
"You look deep in thought," said Jungkook, and I quickly turned to face him.
"Sorry about that," I said. "I'm just hoping that we can find Zoey in time. And I just hope that she hasn't done anything silly yet."
"If she did, a lot of people would be in a frenzy by now," said Lee as she also looked out of the window.
My mind jolted for a second. Speaking of a frenzy, I quickly turned back to the window. If Zoey were to be walking around as she is, she would've easily been caught by some fans asking for pictures or autographs. So far, there hasn't been that exciting feeling in the area that shows that a celebrity has visited the place. Can it be that, just like us, she's also wearing some sort of disguise?
"Sam?" Mike called out to me. "What's wrong? That look on your face says something is up. What is it?"
"Uh…" I didn't notice that I was that readable. There's no point in hiding it now. "I think Zoey is also wearing some sort of disguise."
"Is that why we aren't able to see her?" Christine asked.
"No. I think she's somewhere we haven't looked yet. If she is, it's going to get a lot more difficult to find her, especially in a club."
"Goodness," said Lee as she rubbed the temples of her head, trying to calm herself. "Zoey can really give you a headache."
"Well, Sam does have a point," said Mike. "We would've known by now that Zoey was here. Therefore, she must be hiding herself. I wonder how she thought of that, though. She does have her moments of brilliance; I can give her that."
I raised an eyebrow, wanting to tell Mike that he shouldn't have said that last part. However, that made me realize that he's right. Who knows, maybe she did think about that herself, but then how did she know Hongdae Street was a busy place to begin with? She's not one who googles about places unless they interest her in some way. On the other hand, maybe it's someone who might have told her. But if so, then who?
"We better keep on looking for her," said Jimin. "We are all done, aren't we? The best thing we can do is go to the club and hope that she hasn't gone in yet."
We all agreed, and just as we started to get up from the booth and head out, Mike gasped, looking out of the window. I followed his eyes, and my eyes widened looking at who walked on the other side of the street.
There was Johnny walking alongside two males who happened to be wearing black facemasks, except for him. They looked to be in some conversation as they talked, and lucky enough, Johnny didn't give much thought to looking across the street at the café we were in. Even if he did, he wasn't going to give us much thought with the disguises we had on. I had put the mask on before we stood, so there was no need to worry.
"That's Johnny," said Mike. "And by the looks of it, he must be heading to the club."
"What are we waiting for?" Christine asked. "We've got to follow him."
"Let's not rush," said Lee. "We don't want to attract attention to ourselves, remember? We might be wearing disguises, but Johnny knows you all too well, and he can easily stir up trouble. Let's not forget about the incident at the park."
Lee's right. We can follow him at a distance. Since we know where he is going, we have nothing to worry. Our main concern is Zoey.
We left the café, making sure to walk out steadily and not in a rush. We still had our sights set on him. However, we had to be extra cautious.
"Is he going in the direction of the club?" I asked Jimin, who walked beside me.
"He is," Jimin answered. "Do you know the people he is with?"
"No, I've never seen them before. Maybe they are friends that he made when he came here."
"Well, whoever they are, there's something fishy about them," said Mike, who walked in front of me. "I can't really tell if it's a good or a bad thing."
Mike was right. I also had the same impression when I first saw them. I just hope they don't spell trouble like Johnny.
"I hope we find Zoey soon," said Lee. "I don't liking where this is heading."
We all weren't. The vibe that we felt when we first came here was replaced with anxiety after seeing Johnny. A few of us were also keeping an eye out for Zoey in case she happened to appear. If she happens to reach Johnny before us, we are doomed.
Johnny turned around the corner with his so-called friends, and the sound of music grew louder when we approached. This must definitely be where some of the clubs are. When we finally turned, we saw Johnny and his companions go on ahead. I noticed the bar signs above the door of a building. Johnny will be going to this club. I looked around the place, and it's packed with people. We didn't lose sight of Johnny, though, as we saw him and his companions walk straight up to the front door. Johnny showed a black card that he pulled out of his pocket to the door bouncer, who immediately let him and his friends in.
"Was that a special pass?" I asked Jungkook.
"Yes, most clubs give special member passes sometimes," Jungkook answered.
"Great! Since when did Johnny become that important?" Daniel asked.
"The important question is to know whether Zoey is in there," said Lee. "I'm looking around, and I only see a few ladies with a different skin colour, and none of them is Zoey."
"Gosh. This just got tough, huh?" Jimin asked.
"Yeah, it has," I said. "If Zoey really is hell bent on facing Johnny, she would do anything to enter that club, even if it seems impossible with this many people around. So what would she do?"
"Obviously, not waiting in line," Mike said.
"What about going in at the back?" Jungkook asked.
"Maybe, but that's if she is crafty enough," said Christine. "Which she isn't."
"Why not use her face?" Daniel asked. "If you ask me, that's one way of going in without causing too much trouble."
Daniel is right, and I couldn't help but smile at him. Most celebrities use their status to get into clubs; that's if the door bouncer has been strictly told not to allow them in without permission.
"Daniel is right," I said. "The only way to get in is through her face. We have to be wary of who goes through that door."
"Why not go in ourselves?" Lee asked.
"The best time to catch her is now," said Mike. "If she goes in there, it will be like looking for a needle in a haystack."
"We should get a little closer to watch whoever will walk in," said Jimin.
"Good idea, but let's be careful," I said. "Remember, no one here has to know who we are."
***
On the other side of the street from where Sam and the others were, Zoey and Mino had appeared, also approaching the club. Zoey adjusted the glasses over her eyes to observe the situation by the entrance.
"The door bouncers there don't look very friendly," she said. She turned to Mino. "How do you think we should proceed?"
"This is going to be tough," said Mino. "And I don't think there's any way of sneaking in through the back. The back doors are always closed and only open when allowing the staff in and during emergencies."
Zoey thought for a minute and then asked, "What if I tell them who I am?"
"That could work," he said. "Or we can call it a night and go back to exploring Hongdae."
"Very funny," said Zoey. "I'm going to talk to him."
Mino continued to look at Zoey, and he wished he could do something to convince her otherwise. Nevertheless, he realized that it was going to be hard to get her to reason with him.
"Okay, but I'm coming with you."
"That's fine with me," said Zoey. "We better start making our way over there."
Zoey and Mino did just that. They cut through the line of people who were making their way into the club as well, and as soon as they reached the door bouncer, they had already received a few stares and whispers from people wondering why they cut the line instead of being in it as they were.
The door bouncer was well built and much bigger in frame than Mino. Zoey couldn't help but feel a little intimidated by his appearance. She gulped as she braved herself to reveal her face.
"Hello, there," she said, putting up a nervous smile.
"And who might you be?" the door bouncer asked.
Zoey knew if she openly revealed her face to the door bouncer, it might attract attention from the people next to her standing in line. However, she knew it was the only way in. She took a deep breath as she turned her back to the crowd, hoping that no one would see her face. Mino came to stand beside her for cover, which she was grateful. The door bouncer looked on as she slowly started to remove her glasses. Before she could remove them, she heard running footsteps and someone bumping into her shoulder so abruptly.
"Wait, wait," came a voice that seemed familiar to Zoey as she felt a hand on her shoulder. "I'm so sorry for my friend here. This isn't the club we were supposed to be going to."
Zoey turned to the person next to her, and her eyes widened. The young woman in a black jumper, hoodie, and black facemask looked familiar. However, her head was so jumbled with what was going on that she didn't have time to process who the person could be.
"Okay," said the door bouncer, who looked a little relieved that he didn't have to handle someone if they happened to be unruly. "Next time, be sure about where you're going."
"Uh..." Zoey looked at the person and at the door bouncer. "Wait a minute; I was supposed to go in."
Before Zoey could explain herself, the person in the hoodie took Zoey's hand firmly and dragged her away from the door bouncer.
"Come on, this isn't the place," said the woman in the hoodie. She looked back at the door bouncer. "Sorry for the trouble."
Mino, not knowing what was going on, stood there for a minute before following Zoey as she being dragged down the street.
"Hey, wait," said. "I was supposed to go in there. What's your problem? You can't just do whatever you want with me."
"And you can't be putting us in jeopardy either," said the girl in the hood.
"Hey, what's going on?" Mino asked as he caught up with the two.
They reached the corner of the street, and the girl with the hood turned to look at Zoey. Zoey stopped, as she couldn't see the woman's eyes clearly under the hood, and with the street lamp facing the girl's back, it was a lot more difficult to see her face. It wasn't too long until they were surrounded by other people, some with hoodies on and others with masks and scarves over their heads. It wasn't until one of them, wearing a scarf over her head, removed her sunglasses that Mino and Zoey gasped with surprise. It was Lee.
"You really know how to get us all worked up," said Lee, looking like an angry aunt. "Do you know what would've happened if you showed the door bouncer your face?"
"Lee?" Zoey looked around and recognized Christine, Mike, and Daniel. Jimin and Jungkook lifted up their hoodies for a brief moment before putting them back on. Zoey turned to the girl in front of her, and she didn't have to say who it was.
"You really need some serious talking to," said Sam. "Come on; let's go someplace where they won't see us."
Sam led the way by going around the corner, and others started to follow suit. Zoey hesitated for a minute before looking at Mino, who, with his eyes, said it was best to follow. She sighed, knowing fully well that even if she wanted to head back to the club, it would be impossible to do so. Therefore, she followed the others, with Mino following behind her.