Chereads / Love In The Spotlight / Chapter 4 - Connection

Chapter 4 - Connection

As Hana walked away, Kai couldn't help but watch her go. There was something about her sassiness and confidence that caught his attention. He shook his head, chuckling to himself. He hadn't expected to run into someone like her tonight.

Kai continued on his way, his mind still on the mysterious girl he had just met. He couldn't believe he had been so careless, running into her like that. He needed to be more careful, especially with the paparazzi always lurking around.

As he turned the corner, he noticed a group of fans waiting outside his dorm. He sighed, pulling his mask back up and quickening his pace. He didn't want to deal with them right now. He quickly scanned the area, looking for an alternative entrance.

That's when he spotted a small alleyway to the side of the building. He remembered using it before when he wanted to avoid the crowds. Without hesitation, Kai made his way towards the alleyway, hoping to go unnoticed.

He walked quickly and quietly, his eyes fixed on the door at the end of the alleyway that led to the dorm's back entrance. As he reached the door, he swiped his key card and slipped inside, relieved to have avoided the fans.

Once inside, Kai made his way to the stairs, taking them two at a time to get to his floor quickly. He was looking forward to relaxing with his friends and forgetting about the chaos outside.

As he entered the common room, his friends turned to him, concerned expressions on their faces. "Dude, what happened?" Joon asked, noticing the disguise.

Kai shrugged, taking off his mask and hat. "Just ran into some fans. And a girl who wasn't impressed by me."

The others laughed, and Minsoo clapped him on the back. "Well, at least you're safe now."

Kai smiled, feeling grateful for his friends and the sense of normalcy they brought to his life.

Meanwhile, Hana walked to Soojin's place instead of hers. Her mind still reeling from the encounter with the mysterious guy. "What a weirdo," she thought to herself, shaking her head. She couldn't believe his attitude and that ridiculous disguise.

As she turned the corner onto Soojin's street, Hana's stomach suddenly growled, reminding her that she had skipped dinner. Her craving for ramyeon hit her like a wave, and she quickened her pace.

"Ramyeon, yes, that's exactly what I need right now," she thought, her mouth watering at the thought of the spicy noodles.

She walked up to Soojin's apartment, approached the door and keyed in the password, her fingers moving swiftly over the keypad. She had memorized the password long ago, and her fingers moved on autopilot.

Soojin, who was sitting behind her laptop, starting her live stream, heard the sound of the keypad beeping as Hana entered the password. She strained to have a look, her eyes flicking towards the door.

"Ah, that must be Hana," she thought to herself, smiling.

As the final digit was entered, the door clicked open, and Hana pushed it wide. "Hey, Soojin! I'm here!" she called out, dropping her bag on the floor.

Soojin turned back to her laptop, a bright smile on her face. "Hey, girl! Perfect timing. I'm just starting my live stream."

Hana made her way to the living room, her eyes scanning the room for the ramyeon packets. "Is that...?" she started to ask, spotting the familiar red and blue packaging.

Soojin laughed. "Of course, I knew you'd be craving it! Help yourself."

As Hana cooked the ramyeon in the kitchen, Soojin started her live stream, chatting with her viewers about the latest K-pop trends. Hana listened in, nodding along as she waited for the noodles to cook.

While Soojin continued her live stream, Hana couldn't help but mimic her friend's enthusiastic gestures and facial expressions, even though Soojin couldn't see her. She nodded along, mouthed "yes!" and "I know, right?" and even threw in a few dramatic hand gestures, all while cooking her ramyeon.

Soojin, oblivious to Hana's antics, kept chatting away, discussing the latest Lumina comeback and speculating about the group's future plans. Hana, still imitating Soojin, started to get into the conversation, responding to Soojin's points as if she were part of the live stream.

"I know, right? Kai's vocals are insane!" Hana mouthed, waving her spoon in the air.

"Totally! And have you seen Joon's dance moves?" Soojin replied, unaware of Hana's mimicking.

Hana nodded vigorously, her eyes shining with amusement. "Yes! He's so smooth!"

Soojin laughed, thinking her viewers were responding enthusiastically. "Right? Okay, next question...!"

Hana continued to imitate Soojin, enjoying the silly game of mimicry. She couldn't wait to tease Soojin about it later. For now, all she cares about was her ramyeon.

While Soojin went on ranting over her live stream, Hana checked on the noodles, stirring the them with a spoon. The aroma of spicy pork and vegetables filled the kitchen, making her stomach growl with anticipation.

"Almost done," Hana muttered to herself, tasting the broth to adjust the seasoning.

Within few minutes, it was done. Hana poured herself a steaming hot bowl of ramyeon and grabbed a pair of chopsticks. She made her way to the couch, sitting down in a spot just out of view of the live stream camera.

Crossing her legs comfortably, Hana took a sip of the spicy broth and closed her eyes in bliss. "Mmm, this is so good," she murmured to herself.

Soojin, still chatting away with her viewers, didn't notice Hana's arrival. "Okay, guys, so what do you think about Lumina's new concept photos?"

Hana, now sitting comfortably on the couch, looked confused. "Concept photos? What's that even mean?" she whispered to herself.

Soojin, thinking it was just her viewers commenting, responded, "Right? I know, I'm loving the dark concept!"

Hana raised an eyebrow, still not understanding the conversation. She shrugged and continued eating her ramyeon, happy to just enjoy her snack and Soojin's company, even if she didn't know what they were talking about.