MINHO'S POV
"Are you going somewhere?" Jinyoung asked as I packed up my things... "Yeah... I am done for the day," I replied as I quickly turned to leave...
"I can't believe you're actually going to Soojin's fan meet without me," he said stopping me in my tracks.... sounding betrayed. I raised an eyebrow, genuinely surprised. "How did you find out?" I asked, my curiosity piqued.
"I saw the ticket in your drawer..." he admitted, and I winced. "You did... I mean, it's not like you would be going either. You have that birthday party gig," I pointed out, trying to deflect his disappointment.
"Right... but I mean, you can help me with the birthday party gig, and I can go. Let's face it, I'm more of her fan than you are. If anything, I'm the reason you became a fan. If I wasn't playing her songs nonstop around here, you would never have discovered her. Because you aren't into music," he explained, and I couldn't help but scoff at his confidence.
"What makes you think I wasn't a fan of her even before?" I questioned, crossing my arms. "Look, I'm not giving you my ticket. The most I can do is help you get some merch and an autograph."
He sighed, clearly resigned. "That works too, I guess," he said, pulling out a poster of Soojin and an album. "Make sure to handle with care," he added, and I chuckled softly at his seriousness.
"Okay," I said, picking up the poster, but then I accidentally dropped the album. I could feel his glare burning into me. "Sorry... I'll handle with care from now on," I quickly apologized as I picked it up.
"Good luck with your gig," I said, giving him a small smile as I walked out of the studio.
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I finally made it to the venue...despite the heavy traffic jam....I walked into the venue, the noise of the crowd buzzing around me, when I noticed something off. As I got closer, my heart sank. There was a man grabbing Soojin by the hand, and I could see the panic in her eyes. "Let me go," she said, struggling to pull away, but he only tightened his grip. "Just sign the paper... come on, be a good girl," he insisted, and I felt a surge of anger rise within me.
Then, without thinking, I stepped into the chaos. "Which part of 'let me go' don't you understand?" I shouted, my voice cutting through the noise."Let her go," I commanded and pulled Soojin away from his grasp.
The guy's face twisted with anger as he turned to me. "Who are you, and why are you intervening?" he demanded, taking a threatening step forward. Before I could even process the situation, my fist moved on instinct, and I threw a punch at him..." Look I didn't want to use violence but you being a little too stubborn..." I said...as he stood up...before I could do anything...I felt the sharp sting of the punch land on my face, and for a moment, everything went hazy. I didn't want to resort to violence, but this guy was making it impossible to walk away. Just as I was trying to gather my thoughts, I saw Soojin rushing towards me, her expression a mix of concern and determination.
"Are you okay?" she asked anxiously, her hands steadying me as I regained my balance. I could see the worry etched on her face, and it made me feel a little better despite the pain. The security guards arrived just in time and dragged the guy away as he spat curses at her. The noise of the crowd faded into the background, and all I could focus on was her....as she stared at me with worry....
Soojin quickly turned to her assistant and manager, instructing them to sort the mess out. Then, without hesitation, she took my hand and led me away from the chaos.
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"Do you deal with such crazy people all the time?" I asked, my voice a mix of curiosity and concern as she went to fetch some ointment for my bruise. I watched her shake her head slightly, trying to downplay the situation. "Not all the time... but it's my first time dealing with one like that," she replied, and I could see the remnants of adrenaline still coursing through her.
As she squeezed the ointment onto her fingers and began to wipe the bruised corner of my mouth, I couldn't help but flinch from the pain. "Is it too painful?" she asked softly, her concern evident. I appreciated her gentleness, and I could feel her sincerity in the way she assured me she'd go slow.
Then, in a surprising moment, she blew softly on the area where she was applying the ointment to ease the sting. The instant I met her gaze, the air shifted around us, thick with an unspoken tension. Our eyes locked, and I felt a spark that seemed to ignite in that brief encounter....." Soojin!" some one called out as they entered the room...causing both of us to pull away from eachother..." Everything has been settled...we are going to resume in ten minutes.." She said to her.." I'll be out soon.." soojin replied...as her assistant left...." Are you still continuing with the fan meet?" I questioned..." I have too...these guys paid alot and took time off to be here so I should give them the full package." She replied..." What if you encounter more crazy fans?" I asked with concern.." Then you will protect me..won't you?" She asked as I tried to smile but the corner of my mouth was still hurting.." I mean I'd love too...Iam going to be right in the crowd incase anything happens.." I said with reassurance as she smiled.." Don't get your self hurt again..." She said.." I'll get going..I need to get ready.." she added as she turned to leave....
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The fan meet had finally wrapped up, and I felt a sense of relief wash over me. Minho had been watching me from a distance throughout the event, and now that it was over, I could see him more clearly.
" isn't that the guy from before? The one who appeared in the article with you?" Nana asked, her eyes widening in recognition.
"Yah, it's him," I replied, a smile creeping onto my face as I glanced back at Minho.
"I didn't think the both of you were too close," she added, raising an eyebrow.
I looked back at Minho, who was still standing there, and couldn't help but smile again. "We're close," I said, feeling a warmth in my chest.
Nana chuckled, but then her tone shifted. "I don't think Mr. Song is going to be happy to know that I allowed you to leave with him."
"Well, it's okay," I reassured her. "Just go home and rest." I waved her off as she stepped into her car and drove away.
"Hey," I called out as I walked over to Minho, who was patiently waiting for me."Hey..." he replied, his voice warm and inviting."Do you want to have a walk?" I asked, hopeful.
"Yeah, but I don't think you'll be able to do it in those heels," he said, glancing down at my shoes. "Right... and Nana just left with my comfortable shoes," I admitted, feeling a little embarrassed.
"Wait here," he said, and I watched as he walked back to his car. A moment later, he returned with a pair of slippers. "They might be a bit big on you, but definitely more comfortable," he said, handing them to me."Thank you!" I said, grateful for his thoughtfulness. I tried to bend down to take off my heels, but for some reason, I just couldn't manage it."Here, I'll help you," he offered, kneeling down in front of me. My heart raced as he gently helped me take off the shoes....
Once my heels were off, he helped me slip into the slippers, and I couldn't help but feel a rush of warmth at the moment.
"Okay then, shall we?" I questioned, trying to sound casual, but my heart raced....He stopped me in my tracks, a gentle smile playing on his lips. "Put this on," he said, removing his overcoat..."It's quite cold," he added, and I could feel the warmth radiating from it, mixing with the fluttering sensation in my stomach.
"Thanks," I murmured, pulling the coat tighter around me. The scent of him lingered in the fabric.....We started walking, the sound of our footsteps echoing softly in the quiet night. The fan meet had been exhilarating, but now it felt like we were in our own little world.
"So, how was it for you?" Minho asked, glancing sideways at me. His eyes sparkled under the streetlights, and I felt a rush of warmth at his attention.
"It was amazing, honestly. I didn't expect to enjoy it this much," I replied, my voice a little breathless...."I'm glad to hear that. I was a bit worried you'd be overwhelmed." he replied.." I was..but seeing you there made me feel safe.." I replied as he chuckled softly..." Iam glad you felt that way...." He said as he slowly pulled me to his side so as not to bump into a sign post....
We then walked in comfortable silence for a moment, the air filled with the sounds of the city winding down for the night.
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" So how have you been feeling lately..?" Dr Park asked as I sat across him..." Fine I guess.." I replied.." And the memory black outs..have you especially more?" He questioned.." No..none.." I replied.." Okay then...just always make sure to report back to me in case of anything.." he said.." Okay then let's go.." he said as I followed him to the ward where I received my medication as I waited for Minho to pick me...he said he had a suprise for me for my birthday.
After my medication, I felt a mix of excitement and curiosity when Minho texted me, asking if he could come up. I decided it was better to find him in the parking lot instead. I quickly packed up my things and headed out, my heart racing at the thought of what he had planned. When I reached the parking lot, there he was, waiting outside his car, looking as charming as ever.
He opened the door for me and said, "You can have some rest... it's going to be a long journey." I nodded, trying to suppress my curiosity. "Are you really not going to tell me where we're going?" I asked, hoping to get even a hint. "It won't be a surprise if I do," he replied with a playful smile. I agreed, but as the journey went on, my curiosity only grew stronger. I tried to coax him into revealing our destination, but after several failed attempts, I decided to take a nap instead.
"Wake up, we're here," Minho said gently, pulling me from my sleep. I stretched and blinked, taking in my surroundings. "Archie's resort...!" I exclaimed, recognizing the place from an article I had read online. My excitement bubbled over as he handed me a blindfold. "Put this on," he instructed, and I complied, my curiosity reaching its peak. After a quick test to see if I could count his fingers while blindfolded, I stepped out of the car. "Here, hold onto my arm," he said, and I wrapped my hand around his, feeling safe as he guided me inside.
"Are we there?" I questioned, trying to gauge how close we were. "Almost," he replied, and I felt him let go for a moment. "Minho," I called out, suddenly feeling someone else take my hand. "Who?" I asked, my heart racing as I slowly removed the blindfold. Standing in front of me were Arin and Suho! "You!" I exclaimed, surprise flooding my voice. "What are the two of you doing here?" I couldn't help but feel a rush of excitement at this unexpected reunion.
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