Chapter Seven

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STARING at the rectangular piece of digitalization, I mulled over my next move. It kept haunting me, with its blank, black surface that would light up with a notification - usually one about some sale on a clothing line on an online platform.

An entire day had passed since my prey had given me his number. It had also been twelve hours since I almost lost it in the bar, after Chaeri treated me to a round of "congratulations-your-sorry-butt-finally-tracked-your-meal" drinks in Pied Piper. Six hours ago, Soojin had called, asking about the status of the hunt and berated me after learning that I hadn't made a single move. Roughly an hour ago, the accursed device had, at last, revived the energy to make calls; apparently "butt-dialling" my brother several times had caused its weak self to lose all its power.

Half an hour had passed since I had painstakingly entered his name in my contacts. And after all this time, I still had no idea about my next plan of action.

Never before had I drawn a full blank while hunting. It was most unlike me. And that irked the very life out of me.

Snap went something inside me and in an instant, the wise-phone was in my hand and the drone of the ringing outgoing call filled my ears. Unconsciously, my fingers raised themselves towards my mouth and before I knew it, I was munching on my nails like they were peanuts. Then, the horrific realization that I had no concrete reason to give him a ring, sinked in.

Think, Jiya, think. Think of suitable conversation-openers.

Yes, that was it. A variety of ideas popped up before me and I sifted through them eagerly.

Ask him about his work! Yes, perfect. That would set the mood for a romantic first conversation.

Discuss the latest news! How about the murder that took place in one of the SBS networks? What brilliance! In fact, he would have proposed to me had I started with that.

I blamed my hunger on this. For once, I wished to be a simpler creature - like a bear. Doze half the year, gorge on fresh fish-

"Hello, who is this?"

Hadn't my admirable composure saved my ass in the nick of time, I would have screamed like a common rat and ended up shattering my phone. I covered the receiver end of the phone (or the end I assumed was the receiver) and cleared my throat.

"Hello, this is Moon Jiya, from the photoshoot. You gave me your number?"

"Ah, yes. I wondered why you hadn't immediately risen to the occasion and given me a call, judging from how enamoured you were."

I had to take a moment to control my mirth; the sheer gall of this man!

"You are very funny, Mr. ...?"

"Kim, Kim Seokjin," breathed he.

As if I would ever forget that name.

"My apologies," I drawled. "I have an unfortunate knack of forgetting surnames."

"So, you're the type to be on first-name basis with your crushes? How brazen," he chuckled.

I scoffed. "I did not admit to having a crush on you."

"You will get there soon, darling."

My cheeks flared. The effect the little word - darling - had on me was, to put it shortly, astounding. It was such a simple, affectionate term and yet when it came from that siren-like voice, I suddenly felt as if I was a mere human girl with no self restraint.

Whatever happened to snaring him in, not the opposite? I took in a deep breath; of course I was going to find him attractive at first - he had the quality I prized most. Of course he was going to look like photos of his should be taken, not the opposite - I deserved no less. I was not going to lose my mind over a fairly good-looking human. Not at the price of losing my powers. I smiled, even though he couldn't see it from the other end.

"You will, too," I answered.

He gave a chuckle; a soft, sensuous one. "You didn't tell me the purpose of your call."

I had expected the question and was prepared to dance around it. Although, enough stalling had alredy been done, in my opinion. Talking about the murder in the SBS radio station would definitely diffuse some of the energy we (more specifically, I) had built up.

"Do I need one?"

Yet another one of those annoyingly mesmerizing laughs filled my ears. "Well, a pretty woman like you doesn't."

I bit my tongue. He didn't lose any chances, did he?

This was going to be easy.

I made my way to the kitchen, fetching the bottle of Chardonnay (my birthday present from Soojin). And even though he wasn't before me, I made a show of swaying my hips. A sip of the wine supplied the little boost that would give my already established confidence, a tiny edge.

"I must say, you do have good timing, Mr. Kim."

"Quite like you, Ms. Moon. You managed to call me just when I was wondering what happened to the lovely lady I saved from the pool."

"You're making me blush," I said, cheeks paler than marble. "How was your day?"

"Well, I'm still in the studio. So, it's been a busy one. I'm assuming that you don't have any photoshoots, at the moment?"

"Have you been stalking my schedule, Mr. Kim?"

He gasped dramatically. "Nothing of that sort! Goodness, what kind of man do you take me for?"

"An infatuated one," I said sweetly.

"I have to admit that you caught me off-guard with that. But I will confess that although I haven't glimpsed your schedule, I did observe you completely in conversation with your co-model. I don't think you're the kind to be on your phone for too long."

I smirked. I needn't have bothered to even spare him a glance: the way he was making such keen observations. My attractiveness was clearly on another level when I showed a little more skin - sometimes I surprised myself.

"You're very observant. I do despise these wise-phones with passion," I said, letting him have the chance to preen his proud feathers.

A loud, raucous chorus of laughter burst through the other end, much unlike its dulcet sibling. Confused, I took my precious ear a few centimeters away from the phone.

"Is everything alright, Mr. Kim?"

It took him a while to calm down before he could speak. "I apologize. Your term for a smartphone made me laugh like there was no tomorrow. Why, I think you have a fair chance of beating me when it comes to humor!"

"What do you mean, they're called smartphones?"

Seokjin only lost control at that and I was subjected to another round of screeching laughter.

*

"You did not just say that wretched word to your prey," Soojin snorted, setting her can of beer down.

"As much as I regret saying this, I should listen to you more often," I replied, my head face down on Soojin's kitchen counter.

"And here I thought I was the outdated one," Chaeri spoke from Soojin's phone.

"For the last time, Chae, if you have nothing valuable to contribute to my situation, leave."

"I would, but it's physically impossible for me to do so because I'm not present there in person."

"Yup, you're still the most outdated person, Chae," Soojin said, shaking in laughter. "Just end the call by pressing the red button - we've spoken about this before."

"I kept pressing the little square with the spectacles on it - I see that was why it wasn't ending."

"That's for recording the call!"

"They can do that now? My goodness, these people have no such thing called as privacy."

Soojin did us both a favor by ending the call.

"Where was I?"

"Making poor attempts at stabbing my pride," I muttered, still face-down on the counter.

Soojin rolled her eyes. "I don't think it's humanly possible to burst the bubble that is your fat ego. In fact, let's not call it a bubble; it's a metal globe the size of Lotte World Tower."

"Thanks."

"So, you've had just the one conversation with him, which was yesterday?" Soojin asked, changing the topic.

I raised my head and nodded. Soojin hummed in response.

"And you've successfully transported the impression that you're an old-timer - that's impressive."

"I thought I came here to ask you for help on texting, not tasteless jabs on my intelligence."

Soojin raised her hand, making a motion telling me to be patient as she was getting to the point. It descended just as quickly and returned to the can, from which she took another sip of beer.

"Texting, huh?" She looked thoughtful.

"He said it would be more efficient since he cannot afford long one-on-one conversations. He's already sent me a friend request on LINE."

"Not bad," Soojin remarked.

"It's just the usual aura thing. Like I said before, he noticed me way before I even thought of targeting him."

"I get it but you also told me he saw that you were talking to me. By your logic, he should've had the same effect with me, too. I don't think it's like that, in this case."

"I am no Jihoon," I began.

"Neither am I," Soojin interjected. I shot her an impatient look and she made a gesture as if to tell me to continue.

"But I have two theories for the quick move he took."

"Shoot."

I held one finger up. "One, he could naturally be the kind to make moves. But I don't have much confidence in that assumption."

"And that's because?"

"He just ... seems to be the picky kind. If he really is my perfect prey, I think he wouldn't settle on the first pretty girl (assuming he's straight) he sees on set. I think he'd reserve the best option for courting."

"If that's an indirect insult at saying I'm not as beautiful as you, that is a very low blow. I expected better of you in the field of comebacks, Jiya. I did enter the set first."

I narrowed my eyes. "No, it isn't. That thought didn't occur to me."

"Valid. Please continue."

"Second, it might have something to do with me approaching him first." Here, I fell silent.

Soojin sat on this for some time before opening her mouth.

"Technically, it makes the most sense. You did go into a sort of trance without realizing- and who knows? Maybe he did get affected by the intense energy of it."

"My thoughts line up with yours. Again, since I'm no expert in tails like Jihoon, I cannot guarantee the accuracy of my theories."

Soojin made a sound of assent. "Speaking of Jihoon, have you updated him about the current status?"

I wrinkled my nose. "Why should I? It's not like he's my guardian."

"Have you told your parents, then?" She asked with a sly grin.

That shut me up.

"No, I haven't," I admitted.

"Well, you could do with telling him," Soojin offered. "He may be annoying to you-"

"All younger brothers are," I chipped in.

"His professional training will be of some use to you. That's all I'm trying to say."

"I know," I sighed. I hopped on the counter, swinging my legs as I sipped the beer. "I'd just prefer to go and rely on him only when things get out of my control. Until then, I think I'd like to handle it on my own."

"Why're you visiting me then?" Soojin teased.

I groaned. "You're impossible!"

She smiled. "Honestly, do your thing. It works out the best when you're all natural - and that usually works when you're not pressured by exterior advice, doesn't it?"

I nodded in agreement. "Anything else?"

Soojin smirked. "Just don't let your hag show."

I threw my empty can at her.

*

Before I went to sleep, I picked up my phone from the nightstand. I chewed my lip for a while, before deciding to send a text that read: "Hi."

I stared at the blank, unmoving screen for a while.

This was embarrassing. I tossed it back to its place and buried my head in my pillow. I took deep breaths and titled so that I was facing the ceiling.

"It's not that complicated, Jiya. It's just plain flirting - don't be discouraged. For you, it's only flirting with no strings attached."

After that pep talk, I let out a yawn that might have easily encompassed my face. My eyes fluttered shut. Then, my phone dinged with a notification. I scrambled to check what it was about and saw the slender lime green banner on the lockscreen winking back at me.

"hey :3"

In a flash, the accursed piece of technology was in my hands.

The next day, I woke up at three in the afternoon.

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