Being 24 is a dodgy time in life. All your friends are getting married or having kids and owning your own home. Not me I didn't want that. I was quite contempt. I am a waitress in a small cafe in London. Its not very busy and the pay is not great but it pays the bills. I work I sleep and I work Day in day. The only thing going for me was going to see my favourite group in a couple of days with my best friend. I've looked forward to this for the past year. I finally get to see my boys perform. Same thing everyday. I live in a small apartment complex just shy of Hyde park. It's so nice round here and peaceful. Quite tranquil to be fair.
My work place is only a 5 minute walk from Hyde park. I start work at 12 and it now half 11 so I got my uniform on and leave. When i arrive auntie June greets me. She owns the cafe with her husband. Cute couple they are old and sweet. Her name isn't really auntie June but that's what she likes to be called. " I need you to stay late to night. Oliver has called on sick" Oliver is our pot wash which means I'll be washing up tonight. I don't mind though auntie is good to me.
After a long shift I finally get round to washing the pots. I Bluetooth my phone to the speaker. I play a stray kids song and get cracked on. The door bell goes but I don't really hear it because my music is too loud. "Chris" auntie shouts. "Sophie come, this is my nephew I've been telling you about." She says all smile and happy. I paused my music and dried my hands. "Auntie I told you time again I don't date people it just makes my life too complicated." I make my to a booth where she was sat. My body freezes like a car had slammed on its breaks. Her nephew was bang fucking chan one of the biggest Kpop idols going. The leader of the group I'm going to see tomorrow. " hi I'm Chris." He says tilting his head to get a full look at me. "Ssssophie" I say nervously shacking his hand. " I finally get to meet the girl who's been helping auntie all theses years. She's told me so much about you." " Anyway is that my music you were listening too." " yes it was, I know auntie likes it and I understand why now." I say smiling. " autie are you still not coming tomorrow? I'd love it if you were there" " you know I'd come sweetie but my old bones not let me stand for that long." " come on auntie me and Chloe are going it will be well fun." I say with excitement in my voice. He hands us two landyards with vip backstage on them.
I look at the time " shit, I'm going to late."
" what's up sweetie" auntie replies. " I'm supposed to be meeting Chloe at the train station in 15 minutes, I'm never going to make it." " I'll take you." Chris says. "No that's quite alright. My friend will freak if she sees you." "I'm quite good at disguises I'll let you know." I agree as I didn't have much time left anyway and she will be pissed if I leave her out on the cold. He pulls up his hood and puts some glasses on. Damm he looked hot in glasses. He puts on a face mask and head to the car.
He opens the door for me and I get in. after a what felt like a long awkward car journey we come to a halt. Road works. It didn't take long to get through them, though the traffic was terrible. As we pull up to the train station I see Chloe outside waiting for me with her case. I shout her over with excitement. I jump out the car and hug her. She hits me on the arm. "What's took you so long I'm freezing." She says angrily. "I know I'm sorry. I do have a good excuse tho." "Go on." She says as she tilts her head and folds her arms. "Oliver didn't show up apparently he was sick so I had to do the shift all by my self. I had to get aunties nephew to bring me here and then we bumped into roadworks. It was a nightmare I tell you." "Auntie has a newphew?" He waves at her as we get in the car. I sit in the front. "Why you dressed as a ninja with the face mask." She says poiting at him. " I'm not very well, so I put a mask on so none of you catch anything." Most of the way home she raves about the concert how excited she was, she was like a teen again. I stayed quite. "What wrong with you. You've hardly spoken a word since I saw you." " I don't think Chris wants to hear our fangirling." I say giggling. He looked at me with a raised one eye brow. "No I'm not doing it , I'm not embarrassing my self in front of a guy." I slip back in my seat already feeling embarrassed and I sat silent the rest of the trip.
We pull up at my apartment. Chris grabs the bag out the boot and walks us in. "Thank you for carrying my bag, you're such a gentleman." She takes the bag and goes in. " would you like to come in for a drink." I say pointing to the door. "No thank you, I really must go, have a busy day tomorrow remember. I will some other time though ." He pulls me in for a hug. The smell of his cologne filled the air around me , it was heaven. " I want to thank you for looking after my aunt since I've been gone. She really appreciates everything you do for her." I blush. I never had kinder words said to me. My heart starts to flutter. " Why thank you. But she took me in, helped me out when I needed the most.i could never repay her for what she has done for me." He looks down at his phone "shit!, I'm gonna have to go look at the time." We say our byes and I wave him off.
I ran as quick as I could up the stairs.I closed the door behind me, leaning against it as I tried to steady my racing heart. Meeting bang chan had been surreal enough, but discovering he was auntie's nephew? That was a twist I never saw coming.
I walked into the living room, the familiar comfort of home doing little to calm my swirling thoughts. My mind replayed the moment I realized who he was. The same charming smile, the same twinkle in his eyes. How did I not see it before?
I sank into the couch, staring at the ceiling. It was like meeting a stranger and a family member all at once. The realization was overwhelming, and I couldn't help but smile at the absurdity of it all.
He was auntie's nephew. My celebrity crush was technically family. The thought was going to take some time to wrap my head around, but maybe, just maybe, this unexpected twist was the best surprise of all.