7 | siete

Sehun returned to the hotel to find everyone packed up and ready to return to Korea. The only thing they were waiting for was for him to return from his photo shoot with the former Miss Universe. Even his own belongings were already packed, probably a courtesy of their group's leader, which he probably did after they got back from their morning of fun at Six Flags. He had seen their pictures on social media and slightly envied them, only because they got to have fun while he still had to work. The only bright side he saw to it was being around Florencia who was more stunning in person than in her pictures.

As soon as he entered the room, their manager announced to the group with much authority, "We can go now. Everyone get your things and wait for us in the lobby while we check out."

But another manager shook his head. He was the one who had accompanied the group's maknae to the photo shoot that morning. He was fully aware of the situation and of the fact that they would all have to stay in Mexico a day longer, or they would just have to go on without him. "Thanks to that spoiled little rich girl, the shoot extended to tomorrow. Sehun has to stay behind."

Sehun was quick to jump to Florencia's defense, unknowing that she was trying to run him off the shoot. "Wait. This wasn't her fault. What happened today was an accident."

Baekhyun walked over to his group member and inhaled his scent. "Is that why you smell like a truck full of coffee ran you over?" He could already smell him from across the room. It was definitely a more foreign scent on Sehun since he mostly preferred to drink bubble tea.

The maknae sighed, and gave a nod of his head. He then proceeded to explain what had happened to him. His clothes were even still damp with the cold liquid and some of it had gotten in his hair too. "She asked one of the employees on set to bring us coffee, so we could drink it after the shoot. But the woman tripped over some cables and ended up drenching us in coffee--Florencia, the photographer, and me." His hyungs all managed to find his story amusing and broke out into laughter.

"At least," The manager accompanying Sehun started, a hint of a smile in his words. For SM Entertainment, any sacrifice was worth it, as long as they got something out of it in the end. "Our media people back home informed that ever since people found out about the photo shoot with her, the words Sehun and Florencia have been the most searched in Google Latin America. And the tag SeFlor has been trending in Latin American Twitter and Instagram. The people are really responding positively to him."

"So, what do you suggest?" The other manager asked.

He responded with the best solution he could think of, "I think everyone should head back today as planned. Sehun and I will catch the first flight to Korea as soon as the photo shoot is over tomorrow."

With that, the other five EXO K members hugged their maknae goodbye and left the hotel without him. Sehun stayed behind with his manager, who booked them the same room for another day. 

Neither of them yet realized that tomorrow would also be a long day.

-

At the shoot for the third time, the photographer finally put his foot down and set some rules for everyone there. He warned everyone not to bring any food or drinks onto his set until all of his equipment had been put away after the shoot. That left Florencia with one less alternative to stall the shoot. He warned everyone, but particularly Florencia, that he wanted no whining and no complaining during the shoot. Florencia had to comply out of fear that she would be the one driven out. Last, he warned that he would have no one changing into different outfits other than the ones that had been set out for the shoot. That had left Florencia with no ideas left to sabotage Oh Sehun.

All she was allowed to do was to stand there, smile, and look pretty.

With all the new rules that were set, the pictures were taken quickly, the shoot only lasting about an hour and a half which included hair and make up, and the time it took them to change outfits. When everything was wrapped up, Florencia and Sehun were led to the dressing rooms to change back into their regular clothes.

On their way out of the forum when they were done changing, they were stopped by the photographer, who now seemed to be in a better mood considering that the shoot had gone well. The only one who appeared unhappy at that moment was Florencia Orizaba. All she could do now was to accept her fate and the criticism it would bring for having to share a magazine cover with someone else. 

"Every time a shoot goes well," He started in Spanish, and Florencia almost wanted to laugh. The shoot had painstakingly ended after she had almost drove everyone insane. If that was what he considered going well, she didn't want to imagine a scenario in which things had gone badly. "We like to celebrate by having a little meal together. We ordered a sandwich platter, but the restaurant can't bring it over because they're backed up during the lunch rush. Can you two go pick it up?"

"What?" Sehun asked in English, looking to Florencia for assistance.

Florencia gestured to the photographer to wait a moment while she translated for Sehun. Turning to him, she translated into English, "He says that whenever a shoot goes well, they like to celebrate by having a meal together. The sandwich place they ordered from is backed up because of the lunch rush, so he wants us to pick it up. What should I tell him?"

In Korea, being polite was always the most important thing, especially when it came to people who were older. Sehun looked from Florencia to the photographer and gave a nod of his head. "Yeah. I don't see why we can't go."

"Gracias." The photographer smiled at them, which was something he didn't do often during the shoot. He tossed Sehun his keys and said as he walked off. "Its the black Nissan Altima in the third floor of the parking structure."

The two twenty year olds then headed for the food together.

-

They went to the sandwich shop which was only a few streets away in the busy city, where Florencia asked for the order in the name of their photographer. She was instantly recognized and they were held up at the shop for about ten extra minutes while everyone got a photo with her, and her autograph. She also saw people snapping pictures of her with Sehun, which she knew would end up in some gossip magazine the next morning.

When they handed them the sandwich platters, there were two of them and they were heavy. Florencia tried to carry one, but set it back on the counter when she almost dropped it. Sehun had easily picked the other one up and said to her, "Give me the box. I'll carry both of them."

"Are you sure?" She asked him.

He nodded his head and she placed the other box in his arms. Sehun followed Florencia out of the restaurant and back to the car. 

With the sandwich platters secure in the back seat, Florencia made her way back to the forum. They had intended for Sehun to drive, but Florencia knew Mexico City better and they wouldn't get lost with her at the wheel. Her heart almost stopped when he jumped in his seat with excitement as he spotted something familiar. Boba Loca. A tiny little place where he could see the people inside having boba tea.

"What happened?" She asked, terrified.

"Coffee date?" He replied, his finger pointing towards the little place.

Florencia nodded her head. She did owe it to him after trying to sabotage him at the photo shoot. They stopped there for some boba tea, and Florencia called the studio to ask everyone else if they wanted any.

Since most of them didn't know what it was, they left the shop with only two cups. One for her, and one for Sehun.

They were in and out of the shop within minutes and they returned to the car to head back to the studio. The car ride back was more lively, as opposed to the ride to the shop which had been quiet and awkward. They got to know each other a little better and Florencia felt bad for trying to sabotage Sehun. He was a nice guy and wasn't out to take her cover from her. He was only doing what his agency wanted him to do. Sehun had to carry the heavy boxes of food again and Florencia opened doors for him as they entered the building--she did the best she could at opening doors with two cups of bubble tea in her hands. Making their way down the hallway, they ran into Sehun's manager, who had been looking for him the entire time. He didn't know that Sehun had gone out to get the food with Florencia.

Sehun was telling Florencia a funny story about how the others wouldn't let him cook anymore because he once almost burnt the dorm building down when he attempted to make ramen. Florencia laughed at the story, completely taken and charmed by his accent and the way he spoke English. 

Their conversation ceased when they ran into his manager.

"What are you doing alone with this girl?" He asked, glaring at Florencia. 

She was surprised to get that treatment from him, since she had never met him before and never given him any reasons for him to dislike her. 

When he continued, he spoke in English so that both could understand him. He pointed his index finger accusingly at Florencia, "I knew there was something off about you during the shoot the other day." He said, his words oozing with venom. "You were trying to sabotage our maknae. But you didn't get away with it, and now you're trying to pretend you actually like him."

"What?" Sehun asked, eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

Florencia's eyes widened in shock and the drinks fell out of her hands, the lids popping off and making a mess on the floor. 

"She was trying to sabotage you, to get that magazine cover for herself." The manager repeated.

"How do you know that? Who told you?" Sehun wondered, suddenly feeling like a fool. There he was with the person who had apparently tried to sabotage him. And he believed every single bit of it when she pretended to like him.

Before the manager could explain how he knew that information, Florencia blurted out, her hand reaching towards him to grip his upper arm, begging for him to listen to her. "Okay, I can explain. I really wasn't personal. I don't hate you or anything." She got the words out in a rush, her voice heightened with guilt and fear--guilt that she had been caught and fear that he would hate her. It was by her own words that he confirmed that his manager's words were true. "Its just that as a model, and a former Miss Universe, it would be very shameful for me to share a magazine cover with someone. I--"

Sehun said nothing to Florencia and instead looked to his manager, now speaking in Korean as though she was not there. "I'm gonna drop these off and say goodbye to everyone." He informed. "They were nothing but good to me. Then we can go. I want to get out of this place as soon as possible after she made a fool of me."

His manager nodded and Sehun walked off with the trays of food. 

-

i wanted to update sasaeng today, but then i remembered that i cant until something important happens in this story. because if i mention it there, then i will be ruining it here. so i'll update sasaeng again after about two to three more updates have passed here.

thank you all so much for getting this story to 1k reads. it really means a lot to me.

i hope you're all having a wonderful weekend!

-clary xx