Chapter 21

"Haejin-ah, there are pictures of you and Jaemin on the internet. You were hugging. Luckily, his face was covered. Your face was also blurred." Their manager said the next day.

It's 8 am and they're currently eating breakfast. Haejin, who just got up from bed, almost choked on her food because of what their manager told her.

"W-What?! Who took the picture? A-And how did you know that Jaemin-oppa was there?" Haejin said while drinking water.

Junghee, who was seated beside her, rubbed Haejin's back.

Sujin (their manager) sighed, "I saw NCT. I saw all of them. Jaemin was seated in front, correct?"

Haejin nodded.

She looked at Haejin, "And he was the reason why you smiled? You were smiling so brightly evem before your performance started." She sighed then continued, "I also saw you two talking at the backstage."

Haejin froze. She was tongue-tied.

"U-Uhㅡ"

"Haejin-ah, don't lie to me. I'm not mad. I'm just telling you to be more careful next time, okay? I was glad that it was just a hug." Sujin said.

Haejin coughed, "W-What do you mean just a hug?! U-Unnie... A-Are you.. b-by chance th-thinking that... w-we.. we k-k-kissed??! Unnie, we never kissed!!"

The girls laughed, "Aigoo, Haejin-unnie. Manager didn't even say that! Why do you need to be defensive? And why are you blushing furiously?" Xiurong asked.

Haejin glared at her, "Yah, I'm not being defensive! I'm just explaining!"

"Who took the photos, I'm really curious.." Soeun said.

"Me too." Haejin said.

Their manager looked at them, "Have you forgotten that NCT is famous? They have sasaengs, you know. All idols have one or even thousands."

Haejin shivered.

She's scared.

It's good to have fans but the thought of their group having sasaengs terrifies her. Sasaengs have the capability to know everything. They'll do anything so that their idols will notice them, either positively or negatively.

Sasaengs mean no privacy. Haejin knows that. She was a fan once. But now, she's the one who's being idolized.

"Don't worry, the president gave us more security." Their manager said.

The girls sighed, "I became scared all of a sudden."

"We're all scared. I want to inspire people and idolize us but honestly, I really don't like the idea of us having sasaengs." Eunji said.

They nodded.

"I also told NCT's manager about this."

****

"Hyung what is it?" Jaemin said, once he's left alone with his manager.

His manager rubbed his temples, "Jaemin-ah, I told you to be careful right?"

"Hyung? I am careful. What are you talking about?" He asked.

His manager opened his phone and gave it to Jaemin. Jaemin stared at his manager weirdly before looking at the phone.

His jaw dropped. It was a picture of him and Haejin hugging.

"W-What... H-Howㅡ"

"Sasaeng, Jaemin. Sasaeng." His manager said.

He stared at the picture for a while, his back was facing the camera, and Haejin's face was blurred. He wss kind of relieved to see that his face wasn't shown. But still, he's nervous for Haejin.

"Jaemin-ah, please be careful. We don't want issues, okay? Let's avoid it as much as possible. The president gave us more security, so don't worry for now.."His manager reassured him. "Rest assured that no one will have the capability to do this again, okay?"

Jaemin nodded, "Hyung, what about GA? (Girls' Avenue)"

Their manager chuckled, "Are you really asking about GA or just Haejin?"

"Hyuuuung!!"

"They're fine. Their manager was the one who told me about this dillemma." He explains.

Silence.

Jaemin was scared.

About him.

About NCT.

About GA.

About Haejin.

"Jaemin, I don't want to say this but.. I suggest that you two stop seeing each other for now... It's safer that way.."

He froze.

"W-What... we are not s-seeing each other, hyung. It jut happened that it was the first time we saw each other after some time.... so yeah.. we just talked." Jaemin said.

What he said was true. They did really just talked.

"But she's the reason why you attended the music show, right?" Their manager was smirking at him.

He frowned, "Hyung!"

****

"Jaemin-ah, what did he say?"
"Hyung, what happened?"
"Is everything alright?"

The members startedasking once they got back. They left for a while to get food. While Jaemin was left because their manager wants to talk to him.

"You guys... yes, everything's fine. Nothing happened?" Jaemin laughed.

"Are you sure?" Taeyong asked.

"Well... apparently, there was a sasaeng who took a photo of me and Haejin. He or she posted it on Twitter and it became a huge news. Manager-hyung just told me to be careful and s-stay... away.." He said.

"You and Haejin? What did happen when we left you?" Kun asked.

"U-Uh... we just talked." He said, looking down.

"Just a talk huh." Mark said, smirking.

Mark-hyung knows something.

****

"We'll just walk outside. We'll be back." Taeil said, the members, except for Jisung and Jaemin, was trailing behind him.

"Okay, hyung!" Jisung said, lying down.

Once the members were out, Jisung immediately stood up and seated next to Jaemin.

"Hyung, hyung, hyung.. what happened between you and Haejin?" He asked.

"You bratㅡ I told you, nothing happened." Jaemin said.

"Hyung, I have known you since pre-debut. You can't lie to me. You said you love me?" Jisung said, guilttripping Jaemin.

Jaemin sighed, "Okay fine. I hugged her."

'I knew it! Works everytime!' Jisung thought.

"Jinjja? I thought you didn't like her?" Jisung snickers.

"Well I also thought you know me?" Jaemin backfires.

Jisung frowned, "So, you like her?"

"I don't know.... Maybe? I guess so?" Jaemin shrugged. Then he continued, "All I know is that I'm happy everytime I see her."

Jisung smiled, "Well I guess you do, hyung."

"Aish, Jisung-ah, shut your mouth okay? Just keep this between ourselves okay? I'm not yet certain about my feelings, anyway." Jaemin said.

Jisung nodded, "Yes hyung."

****

SM Entertainment clarifies rumors about NCT's Jaemin and Girls' Avenue's Haejin, saying that they are NOT dating.

NCT was spotted at the venue, seated st the front row. The group was said to support their hoobaes, Girls' Avenue.

Haejin Lee, the group's main vocalist and main dancer, was said to be looking at NCT's Jaemin. After their performance, a fan claims that she saw them at the backstage, which explains the picture that is spreading online.

SM claims that nothing is happening between the two members.

Hope fans can breathe now.

"Unnie, read the comments!" Junghee said, sitting next to Yui who was reading the artie released about Jaemin and Haejin.

Haejin watched them secretly.

"'She doesn't deserve Jaemin'
'Woah, what? Unbelievable.'
'Such a flirt.'"

A glass dropped.

And before they knew it, Haejin already went outside.