Dad joke of the Day: Don't trust atoms. They make up everything!

----------------------------

"Oh Sehun?" Sooyoung cried out incredulously. Somin nodded her head. "Like Exo's Sehun? That maknae? Are you kidding me?"

"I told you." She replied calmly, sipping on her latte.

Sooyoung gasped, her eyes filled with amazement. "How do you do it, Som?"

Somin chuckled. They were finally hanging out after such a long time, many months to be honest, but it didn't feel that long once they were together again. "I don't do anything. And besides, didn't I say I didn't even know it was him that night?"

"Woah, woah, hold on." a crease developed between her eyebrows. "What happened to that--what was his name--Sam! Yes, where did he disappear?"

Somin scowled deeply, hitting her friends elbow. "Yah, why would you bring him up now? He's got nothing to do with this!"

Sooyoung asked. "What, so you broke up with him? Last time we met, you said things were really rocky with him."

"Look." Somin sighed deeply. She's really not updated about my life. Taking another deep breath, she explained about her ex. "I dumped him six months ago. You hear me? Six! So for heaven's sake, don't talk about him."

She nodded slowly. Sam was her previous boyfriend whom Sooyoung always thought was a waste for someone like her best friend. He was a tattooed and indebted assistant to Somin's dance trainer in Cube Ent. How on Earth two people that different even fell for each other, it was still a wonder. But she was happy that Somin wasn't seeing trashy people like him anymore.

"Are we clear?"

"Yes, so where were we? Oh yes, Sehun." Sooyoung folded her arms. "I mean, even I haven't had a proper conversation with him! And just to remind you, he's in my agency, he's supposed to be my senior, but. . . ."

Somin replied, "Look, right now, I'm just hoping he doesn't recognize me."

Her friend rolled her eyes. "Pshh, impossible."

She smiled smugly. "Well, I know I'm hard to forget but in this case--"

Sooyoung who was deep in thought suddenly blurted out, "Please don't do anything, hell, don't even touch him."

Somin looked up, surprised. "You got a crush on him or something?" She asked casually.

"What? Ew, no." Sooyoung shook her head quickly to prove her point. She sat up straighter on her seat and leaned in. The risk of being heard was not there because they were occupying a private room in the cafe. "Exo's been through so much lately. Things are tough for them right now and I don't think you should add to the reasons--"

"You're making me sound like a slut! I'm--I'm not a cheater, or a player. And I'm definitely not--"

"Oh wait there, darling," Sooyoung smirked, poking her finger in her friend's face. "You did cheat once, didn't you? And you are playing with Eunwoo so--"

"I am not!" Somin gasped, springing up from her seat. "I told you he likes to do it to himself, I never gave him any kind of sign--"

"Okay whatever." Sooyoung relented. "Fine, you're not a slut. But still, don't meddle with Sehun. Focus on your career first."

Somin answered indignantly. "But I never said that I would! I just told you what actually happened."

"Hmm." Sooyoung smirked knowingly. "You didn't say that you'll make a move but I know you want to."

She looked away, mumbling something inaudibly in her mouth. Sooyoung leaned in. "Sorry, I didn't catch it?"

When Somin didn't reply and kept glaring at the wall, her friend chuckled. "I know you've been thinking about him, I know you want to see him again, I can sense that there's some attraction and perhaps a---"

"Let's talk about something else." Somin folded her arms.

Sooyoung glanced at her, knowing that she'd ruined her friend's mood but she had to do it before Somin gets her ass in a nasty situation. They sipped on their latte silently for some time. "What's your debut date?"

"Two weeks from now."

"God, I waited an eternity for you." Sooyoung smiled ecstatically. "I'm so happy."

Somin smiled in reply. "What happened about your broadcast on We Got Married?"

She sighed. "Nopes, I'm expected to know about my partner in a week or two."

The other nodded. Sooyoung felt bad seeing her friend down and depressed, so she reached forward and wrapped her hand over her fingers, giving them a squeeze. "Don't worry, I know you'll miss Seungmin Oppa, but trust me. Once you debut, you're seriously not going to find a single moment to miss him."

-

Sehun tapped his fingers on his chin, waiting for his turn. Vivi yelped beside him. His fingers reached over and smothered his milky white fur, the silky texture making the owner smile in satisfaction. Sehun stretched himself for the nth time, as he glanced at his Rolex. It was fifteen minutes past the time he was given for the appointment, making him frown.  This was the city's most well-known animal care center, but he was annoyed by their management. The noisy clutter made the bustling crowd was making his head ache.

He turned his attention towards the receptionist again and looked at her in question. She bowed apologetically. As Sehun was adjusting his face mask, somebody's faded voice from the next booth caught his attention.

"Hi, I made an appointment here with Dr. Lee Younju."

An elderly male receptionist replied, "Yes, under what name?"

"Nam Somin."

At the speed of light, Sehun's head whipped at the owner of the voice. There she stood, in a pair of ripped jeans and a floral sleeveless top. Her thick, black mane was down. His heart sprang to his throat and his legs started feeling wobbly. He couldn't believe it. He never thought of seeing her again, with the exception of Vibe or some music shows. But not here.

He knew this was a chance to spark up a conversation so without a plan, he got up, Vivi in his arms and walked casually to the counter, making sure he stood as near her as he could. He asked the receptionist again but her answer didn't even reach his ears this time. His eyes darted sideways and gulped when he saw her filling some forms with her filthy black cat on her feet. 

Somin jotted the last of Leo and her details, handing it to the receptionist. He smiled, "Yes, ma'am. Your number is 26. It will take at least twenty minutes for your turn. Let me get your token."

She nodded, looking around the fancy animal care center.  Wow rich places for rich people, she marveled. This place was too clinical, even the air smelled antiseptic.  The walls were white and windowless. It had cost her an arm and leg for the appointment and she'd used most of her savings but she figured she should get Leo used to places like these since that's where he'd be going when she earned well.

Somin was wiping the sweat on her forehead when her eyes linked with another pair of eager eyes that seemed to be stuck on her. She gasped loudly as she recognized the face behind the mask, making him smirk. Quickly regaining her senses she turned her back on him, swearing under her breath, nervously fumbling with her charm bracelet.

Sehun crawled closer, leaning against the counter until he was just beside her. He was thinking of a good pick-up line but to his annoyance, Vivi chose the moment to bark at the cat, making Somin turn around in caution, bend down to pick Leo up in her arms protectively. She couldn't conceal her presence anymore so she decided to glare Sehun down.

He coughed, settling Vivi on the counter. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"Why?" She demanded.

"It's just that people like you usually can't afford places such as these." He smirked.

Somin fierce stare intensified. "Oh yeah? That really doesn't explain why you came over here to chat with people like me."

His smirk flattened. Looking away, he changed the topic, "Are you really Korean?"

Somin was taken aback. With a chuckle, she answered with a question, "Where did that come from suddenly?"

I liked how she laughs, crisp and refreshing. "From your accent."

She shook her head. Is it that detectible?  "Not entirely Korean." He opened his mouth just as immediately to throw the next question but Somin answered firmly, "It's got nothing to do with you so don't mess your head there."

That shut him up. An answer like that normally would have hurt his self-respect enough to stop right there but surprisingly it didn't. "I didn't see you in Vibe after that one time."

Somin's heart dropped to her feet. He remembers. Fuck. That was the only thing she was hopeful of but his words, quite shockingly, had lighted a small flame of satisfaction in her chest. Narrowing her eyes in confusion, she faced him squarely, "What do you mean? What's Vibe ?"

He gaped at her. No way, what the hell. "What do you mean?"

She shrugged. "I don't understand what you're talking about."

Sehun swallowed, choosing his words carefully. "We've---we've met before, right?"

"Yeah! At your fanmeet." She laughed. "You got amnesia or something?"

He blinked rapidly, trying to process what she just stated. No, no. It's her, I know, I'm hundred percent positive!

He looks cuter when he is confused, she thought. Sehun started moving his hands in the air to make a point, "But-no. . I've seen you before that."

Somin looked at him like he'd grown a new head. "Are you my stalker? That's the only way you could have---"

The receptionist appeared again. "There you go, ma'am. You may wait in the waiting room."

She smiled, taking the token. She marched towards the waiting area, taking a seat. In amidst of his bewilderment, he lost control over his sense of direction and followed her. Sehun's receptionist called his number just then. Pausing for a second, he held up two fingers at the receptionist and took the seat beside Somin.

He licked his lips, thinking about how to convince her and himself about the situation he was so sure of. Holding her chin up and looking ahead, Somin smiled smugly as she relished in his puzzlement. My god, I should have been an actress.

He opened his mouth again to make some sense but Somin spoke, "What are you doing here anyway?"

He adjusted in his seat. "Vivi and I are here for his regular check-up."

Her face scrunched up in distaste. "Regular check-up?" What kind of filthy, rich brat is his dog? Who takes their pets on regular check-ups? She scoffed sadly, "Oh that's a pity. I was hoping your dog had some incurable disease at terminal stage and he was living his last few days."

Sehun refrained himself from hitting her right then and there. His nostrils flaring, he patted Vivi's head and turned at her again with a hateful expression. "Vivi wouldn't die like that, he's nurtured quite well. I pity Leo though, he has a dreadful owner."

Somin rolled her eyes. "Let me tell you one thing, Oh Sehun." She met his eyes. "I came here to have his paw tended. And if the doctor even throws me a single hint that Leo might have been hurt because of a certain animal--" She glanced at the snowy dog--" I swear to god, I am going to sue you for animal abuse . . .  or anything that falls under this category."

Sehun gazed at her, dazed. "Sue me?"

She nodded, "You better worry about the trial. "

He chuckled, shaking his head. "I'll look forward to seeing you in court."

Somin continued, "And also pay attention to your receptionist, she's been throwing daggers at you." He looked back and the fact that his turn had come yet he still choose to spend his precious time with Somin made him flustered. "Noted." And he left.

Somin breathed a sigh of relief. Man, that was close.
In less than ten minutes, she was inside the even more fancier and larger practicing room of Dr. Younju. As he inspected Leo's wound, she was keen on getting the words out of his mouth, the words she wanted to hear. But he shook his head surely, "No, ma'am, you're mistaken. If you look at the wound closely, it's obvious your cat stomped its paw on a pointy edge. Wounds from animal fights look different."

She cursed under her breath. After bandaging and prescription for a bunch of too-expensive healing tonics, Leo was as good as new. She marched out the room, her hair bouncing on her back. Somin's eyes darted around the waiting area, looking for a certain blackhead.

But he had already left.

Somin shrugged, It's not like I was waiting to see him, she told herself, walking in the empty female restroom. Smiling blissfully in the mirror, she fixed her plum lipstick and leveled a few stray hair strands.

The minute Somin pushed the door open and stepped her feet outside in the passageway, she was pushed against it. A gasp emitted from her mouth. In the small passageway, only two people stood, at an alarming proximity.

Sehun's hands clasped her wrists, while her back was touching the wooden door. He was face was bare, without wearing a facemask hence giving her a detailed view of his beautiful features. His face was a refreshing pale shade, his lips were a small pink pout. Her breath hitched in her throat and for a minute, she couldn't even push him away, not that I wanted to.

"Stop playing games with me, Nam Somin." He growled but his eyes were traveling everywhere, from her head to her feet and everything that came in between. "I know who you are." He smirked. "And you know it."

Thankfully, she was quick to react this time. With surprising force, she shoved Sehun's broad chest away and broke his grips from her wrist. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Somin was definitely enjoying the close view, in fact, it took all her inner sanity to take a couple of steps forward, walking away from him but he blocked her way again. Without touching her this time.

"You wore a maroon blouse." He blurted out. She narrowed her eyes. "What?" Sehun continued, his piercing eyes boring into hers as if trying to burn holes. "And your hair was tousled and twisted. You said you liked Tequilla best and that you hated having any kind of tea. And . . . and--"

Why on Earth did I say so much to him that night? "And?" She challenged him.

Sehun gulped, taking a moment to answer. "And there's a faint birthmark behind your neck."

Somin's hand unconsciously bolted up behind her neck landing precisely on the small mark he was talking about. Of course she knew about it, but how he got to see that as well, made her cheeks flush red. That's personal. how much more of me did he exactly see? When her eyes shifted away, he smirked proudly knowing he'd won.

She bit her lip and craned her neck to look at him again. It was a sight of sore eyes to have her so close, and Sehun knew it. Up close like this, he can see her skin as smooth and clear, just two small freckles on her nose. His jaw tightened as he spoke, "I can even call your number to prove, you know?"

Somin fought a smile but in the end gave up, as she laughed thinking how that would turn out. It would be so fun. But she immediately stopped him as he was reaching for his cell phone, "No, it's fine. I--I remember."

Sehun smiled lopsidedly. Somin might have imagined it, but she felt his keen eyes flicker to her lips for a moment. I know where this is going, she thought, her heart was running fast.

Taking a deep breath, she tried to leave again but he asked, "What did the vet say about the injury?"

Damn. Looking away, Somin mumbled, "I forgot to ask him."

He smirked, "Oh no, you didn't." Her eyes shot up to meet his as he bent closer, "But it's okay if you won't say the words, I know you have ego issues."

She chuckled in response, "I could still sue you for invasion of personal space, you know?"

Sehun raised an eyebrow, "Why? Am I making you nervous?"

She smirked, "Oh no." She folded her arms, leaning back on the wall. "I'm just concerned for your health because I can do many things to you that will make you really nervous."

He grinned, "Hmm. I'd like to know about that."

The next few moments comprised of staring each other down and both of them were too competitive. Sehun's heartbeat was accelerating at a startling rate but he was good at hiding it.

In the end, Somin realized it was a lost cause. "Excuse me." She turned left and started walking away when he stopped her again. "What do you exactly want from me, Oh Sehun?" She was annoyed.

"A drink."

"What?"

"A drink. At Vibe. Tonight, same time." Sehun's hands slipped in his pickets, making him look more laidback than he already did. Seeing his expression, she wanted to scream yes. "My treat."

To say that the offer was tempting would be an understatement. Somin could sense how rapidly things were progressing between them, in fact, she had also been feeling like visiting Mia's club again lately but then out of nowhere, Sooyoung's awful words resurfaced, 'Please don't do anything, hell, don't even touch him.' 'Don't meddle with Sehun. Focus on your career first.'

"I'm not available tonight."

It took every shed of Somin's self-control to say those words. Even though her face was as blank as a paper, he didn't miss the glimmer in her eyes. Which is why it took him a nano-second to say, "Tomorrow?"

She shook her head. "I'm busy these days. And even if I wasn't, I have better things to do."

Sehun narrowed his eyes. Before he could stop her again, Somin walked with long, decisive steps to the waiting area, leaving him puzzled and lost.

-

"Come on! Please, it's really worth it--"

Saebyul intervened in Somin's pleads, who was following her like a pup since that morning. "What if someone recognizes us?"

She rolled her eyes, "That's the thing about Vibe. There are no cameras or antis allowed. There is really tight security! All people who come there are either politicians, actors or. . . . or singers like us. I mean, anybody who's rich."

Jae piped in, "I'm all up for it."

Rio nodded, adding in a meek voice, "I'm 19 too now."

The five girls were relaxing after three longs hours of dance practice. Sweat was dripping from their bodies and it doubled since the air conditioner wasn't cooling the room properly. Saebyul sighed unsurely, "I don't know."

Somin closed her eyes tiredly, laying her head on the floor. Just because I couldn't say yes to Sehun's offer that day, doesn't mean I am prohibited to go to Vibe and still see him. But that wasn't the only reason she was persuading her groupmates, of course, she wanted to introduce them to Mia too.

Manager Nancy clapped her hands, catching their attention. "Girls! I told you to warm up! Somin, Get up! Rio, where is your--"

"Ahhh. . . unnie, my back is hurting! Please give us a break." Rio whined.

The older woman shook her head. "No, that's now how idols are bred."

"Bred?" Ariya chuckled, standing up reluctantly. "Do I look like a dog to you?"

Somin turned on the music from the speaker, as she ordered, "Stand up Rio, you still need to work on your moves on your rap. Let's practice together."

For another half hour, they practiced individually. Somin was teaching Rio while Ariya and Saebyul went over there vocal testing of the day. Jae just sat in the corner, looking at every one of them with a hint of jealousy in her eyes.

If she was lucky, she could have been working hard to establish her business in the fashion industry. She could have been sketching clothing items and introducing brand new trends, she could have been meeting with investors. Not be stuck here. A sigh escaped Jae's mouth, Only if mom didn't have to jump in and ruin my life. All her life, Jae had been provided with the best of everything: toys, schooling, food; everything since she was brought up in an affluent family. But when it came to making life decisions, she was the unluckiest. Her mother, who was a huge investor of Cube Ent., was intent on having her only daughter be a star. So she could brag in front of everyone about me.

Sometimes she felt envious of her friends. They were doing something they'd dreamed of their all life. They were brave enough to follow their dreams. Especially Saebyul, that girl was so determined, she even ran from her home, left her family to do what she wanted, why couldn't I have been like that?

"Girls, allow me to introduce you to someone." Their manager got up, urging them to straighten up.

A man in his forties, dressed quite well, entered the room with a wide smile as he bowed slightly. "Hello, I'm Lee Myunshin. I'm very pleased to work with talented girls like you."

They bowed in return, looking at their manager for an explanation. She smiled, "He is your sales manager starting from now. He has a very important role in your career."

"But aren't you our manager?" Saebyul asked.

Manager Nancy smiled, "Yes, yes but I am your personal manager. My job is to guide you guys, make sure you are well-provided, your connection with your agency. I am the one staying in your dorm. Whereas he will--"

"I'll take from here." He took a step further. "I am your connection to the public. I'll be booking your concerts and schedules. When your album releases, I am going to make sure it is present at online sites and every distribution and retail store. I am going to be responsible for your image in front of the fans. If you get involved in any scandal or a matter of public attention, I'm going to handle the situation. Your protocol, social media, security, everything is under me. So I ask you to cooperate with me, if you don't it can end up really nasty end which I'm sure none of us want."

"Ohh, manager-nim, thank you so much for working with us!" Rio bowed deeply, shaking hands with him gratefully. "What would we do without you?"

The girls laughed and shook hands with him too. "I think I've seen you somewhere." Saebyul pondered. "Which groups did you cover before?"

His eyes disappeared as he smiled, "I was a manager for SHINee before I joined your agency."

"Why would you do that?" Somin asked, puzzled.

He sighed. "As groups become famous, their managers increase in number. When I thought my services were no longer needed, I resigned. Anyways, that's not the point. Manager Nancy and I are looking forward to working for you. I'll introduce you to the rest of my team onwards. Work hard!"

-

Somin gulped down the water, her feet dangling in the air, a copy of Vogue opened in front of her. But she was doing anything but reading. Her eyes were following Seungmin as he moved around the apartment, retrieving his stuff and loading into the suitcases. "You sure you don't need any help?"

He looked up and smiled. "No, I'm good. You should rest, I can see you're over-working yourself lately."

He's being uncharacteristically kind, that's not how brother are supposed to be. "When are you moving to your dorm?"

"This Friday."

Seungmin 'hmm-ed' as he went back to checking off his list. He was leaving for Shanghai next weekend but the guilt was eating him up. He couldn't even sleep properly at night, reflecting on his decisions. A fundamental concern popped in Somin's mind making her sit up. "Are we going to sale this apartment?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Are you crazy? No."

"You should. I wouldn't live here anyway."

He shook his head. "I don't trust you. Who knows your agency kicks you out because of something stupid you did. Where will you go?"

Somin threw him a roguish glare and targeted a plastic cup in his direction which hit his elbow. "I'm serious! Maybe you can rent it. I don't need this place."

"No, Somin. I will be at ease when I know I've left you some piece of home. And you'll have days off, right? Make sure to come here at least once a month."

She sighed. It was a lost cause convincing him. The doorbell echoed. "I'll get it." She skipped to the door, opening it revealing Eunwoo's handsome face. "Oh. . . hi." She greeted, looking back at her brother in question.

"Oh Eunwoo! Come on in, mate." Seungmin gestured him inside with a smile.

Somin followed inside and watched the two of them talk about his job. Apparently the two boys were looking for residences in Shanghai. She shrugged and returned to her magazine, turned a page and a large poster of EXO popped up in front of her. She gazed at each boy only came to one decision: the maknae was the hottest. As she gazed at Sehun's face, she was reminded of their conversation and that turned on her brooding mood.

"Somin, can you come over here for a second?" Eunwoo's voice broke her train of thought.

She nodded and helped him as he organized Seungmin's stuff. Eunwoo was telling her about his progress when she accidentally knocked a water bottle and then slipped on the wet floor with a painful yelp, taking a few books and shirts with her.

"Somin!" Eunwoo exclaimed, immediately grabbing her hand and helped her up."Are you okay? Did you hurt your---"

Seungmin came running in the living room as he heard her sister's scream. When he was assured she was fine, he voiced loudly, "Tu es si maladroite! Comment puis-je ne pas m'inquiéter pour toi--" [You're so clumsy! how can you expect me not to worry about you--]

Cha Eunwoo groaned inwardly, "Please stop---"

Somin rolled her eyes at her brother. "Tais-toi!" [Shut up]

"Regarde tout le gâchis que tu as fait! qui va---" [Look at all the mess you made! Who's going to--]

"Will you both shut up fighting in this god damned french for heaven's sake!!" Eunwoo's loud, angry voice roared in the apartment, catching the siblings' attention, shutting them up. "Somin, go back to whatever you were doing. Hyung, bring the mop. I'll finish with this."

Seungmin sighed, picking up his books form the floor. He knew why she was so tense. and he wouldn't blame her. Somin sullenly stomped back her to her bedroom, shoving the copy of Vogue in the bin. When they were sure she was out of earshot, Eunwoo turned to him calmly. "Why are you shouting at her in the last few days you have with her?"

The elder guy massaged his temples. "I didn't mean to. I'm just concerned about her."

He eyed him skeptically. "Well, that was a nice way of showing it."

"What will happen to her? I mean, what if she needs my help and I'm not there?"

Eunwoo held him by the shoulders. "Honestly you're thinking too much. She'll be fine, Somin knows how to get what she wants."

Seungmin mumbled gloomily, "What if she misses family and there's no one."

Eunwoo replied, "You know, it's a good thing she's an idol. That's the most busiest and demanding job ever. She will have no time to miss anyone."

The other nodded mutely, "I know that but. . . "

"Besides," Eunwoo broke eye contact, leaning against the kitchen slab. "I'm here. . . I-I'll see if she wants something, if she needs some comfort." He muttered slowly. "Make sure she's okay."

Seungmin's head lifted as his eagle eyes stared at him. He breathed deeply. For some reason, I trusted Eunwoo. Although Somin was not his responsibility but I had the feeling that Eunwoo would be sincere with her. "No seriously, you shouldn't--"

"But I want to hyung." The words slipped his mouth before Eunwoo could stop himself. He bit his lips, looking at the floor. Did I just cross my limits?  Very cautiously, he met his eyes again but Seungmin didn't take it that way seeing that he was still deep in thought.

Eunwoo cleared his throat and got back to work, "Anyways, what I meant is that you don't need to get worked up over it. I'll check on her and keep you updated."

The older guy just smiled gratefully at his dongsaeng.

-

"What time do I come to pick you up?" Manager Nancy's voice was disapproving as she pulled the brakes in front of Vibe.

"Eleven o'clock?" Saebyul suggested.

"No! The real party starts at midnight." Somin protested. "Unni, please--"

Saebyul relented. "Okay, okay, fine! One o'clock?"

"Better."

The manager turned around, facing Somin since she was leading the gang tonight. "I'm trusting you on this one, Somin. Don't get them too drunk. Keep them sane and alive. I'll tear your skin apart if anyone of you gets recognized and posted on media." She paused for a second. "Honestly I've lost my sanity if I am letting you girls out like this."

"Consider it as a treat on our debut." Ariya grinned.

The manager sighed. Aurora's debut date was three days from tonight. Choreography was perfected, the album was ready and the girls' information had been revealed. As a part of the celebration and in order to calm down everyone's jumpy nerves, Somin had conquered having everyone convinced for a trip to Vibe.

Jae whispered to her teammates. "Let's get inside before she changes her mind."

They giggled in agreement and unloaded off the car, walked towards the elegant underground club. Somin dressed up in ripped jeans and a white crop top, showing only a little stomach. The others were mostly into dresses but they sure looked like the finest elite in the area. As they entered the club after showing Somin's membership card, they were pumped up to find everything dark and colorful lights were flashing on dancing people. Intoxicated individuals were on the floor, standing beside the elegantly-designed bar and or in the private booths. It seemed that the party was in full motion.

"Is there any chance I'd meet someone really famous here?" Rio asked.

"Not EXO, right?" Saebyul teased the youngest.

Rio's eyes gleamed with sparkle. "I won't mind that at all."

Me too, Somin thought, looking around expectantly but it was hard to make out anybody's face with dark lighting.

"But wait, no! They're in Singapore tonight, they can't be here!" Rio slapped her forehead.

"Singapore? Why?" Somin asked quietly.

"They have a fan meet."

Bad luck, I guess.

Somin led the timid-looking four girls towards the bar and was delighted to see the owner, Mia behind the counter She was wearing a flannel shirt, her thick mascara-ed eyes making her look more dominating. She spread her arms wide open as she yelled, "Here comes my favorite bitch!!"

Somin laughed, hugging her cousin. She had always looked up to the elder girl. Though she wasn't much of a girl anymore since she was turning 29 this year. "Lemme show you my girls."

Somin turned around. "That's our leader Saebyul. The Japenese beauty Ari Chan. Jae the . . . honestly that's it. She's not really special." She teased, making Jae swat her arm angrily. "And this little piece of shit called Rio."

Mia grinned, as she shook hands with each of them. "Wow Somin, you've got a pretty cool gang. I was not expecting this."

Ariya blushed red. "Thank you."

Mia commented, "You must be really nervous about your debut."

Rio's head bobbed up and down. "Oh you have no idea, I think I'm going to piss my pants thinking about it! I don't think we'll be a big hit--"

"Of course we will be!" Somin scolded annoyedly. "We have great vocalists and dancers plus you have me! I am Nam Somin and---"

"--And I never lose." Mia completed, knowingly. "When will you ever get tired of that dialogue, Somin?!"

The girl just smiled sheepishly, turning towards her bandmates. "Anyways, that's why I brought you guys here. To relax yourself."

Mia nodded, "I'll make sure y'all are as free as a bird when you leave. But, first things first. What drinks?"

The girls exchanged a glance, unsure of what to order. They looked at Somin for help and she gladly helped them choose beverages according to their tolerance. For herself, she picked the lightest liquor in the house because she had to be extra careful.

An hour had passed by and the five of them had loosened up. After a chat with Mia, they had let her go see other customers while Saebyul and Ariya were dancing, unleashing their inner dancers, and blending in with everyone else. Rio had wandered off to another booth while the remaining two drank more.

Jae was scrolling through her phone while the other girl sat reminiscing the last time she had been here. It had been two weeks since she'd seen him in that animal clinic. It wasn't that she was disappointed on finding him here or anything, it's just that. . . Okay fine, I am a little disappointed. Who cares anyway.
It was after some time that she noticed two guys, really handsome, staring at her and whispering in their ears. She narrowed her eyes in confusion. One of them looked really familiar but she was unable to get a view of his face.

As they made their way to the counter and pay for their drinks, Somin followed them. It wasn't until one of them spoke that she recognized that thick voice. "Jackson? Jackson Wang?"

He turned around, his face broke into a grin. "See! I told you, I told you I've seen her somewhere!" He exclaimed to his friend.

The other guy, Somin recognized as a Thai member from his band, just raised an eyebrow. Jackson held out his and Somin shook it with a smile. "You're--um, you are Sam..."

Somin rolled her eyes. "Seriously, you don't even remember my name?" The Thai guy snorted in laughter.

Jackson scratched the back of his head. "We met in a dance studio right? Um-- some two-three years ago?"

She nodded her head. She'd forgiven him for not knowing her name since it was a vague meeting in her memory as well. They had just chatted because their turn was pushed back. "It's not Sam, It's Som--"

"Somin! Nam Somin!" Jackson punched the air in victory when she grinned in response. "Yes, thank god!"

Before they could catch up, His friend signaled at the door mumbling something about 'manager hyung'. Jackson excused since he was running late and promised to stay in touch this time.

"Is that--" Jae gasped when Somin sauntered back to her table. "That guy from the new drama serial. The one who's starring with Park Shinhye?" She pointed at a far end corner of the club.

She turned her back and whistled. "Yep, that's the one."

Jae squealed. "Oh my god, he's even more handsome in person. Who's that girl beside him?"

"His girlfriend?" She sipped on her sour drink.

"Wow, so couples can actually hang around so freely here?"

She grinned. "Told you this place is heaven."

Her phone vibrated, showing a text.

Sooyoungie
Som, go check on the internet who's my partner for the show!! You'll be really surprised.
Plus, you even know him!!

"Somin?" Jae suddenly called. She held an alarming look. "Did you see Rio taking her insulin before coming here?"

Somin's eyes widened. "Fuck, no." She muttered before rushing up to find the girl. They dashed through all the dance floors, dodging the sweat bodies, ignoring the drunk retards calling after her. The private booths, the main counter, the numerous tables, she was found nowhere. Somin panicked. What if she's not feeling well? What if she's passed out somewhere? They knew alcohol could have drastic effects on diabetic patients if they weren't careful and she hated the thought of Rio screwing up her first drink.

Somin stopped to catch her breath, her eyes surveying the whole area. She considered informing Saebyul but then decided against it. She was happy that the leader was finally enjoying and she hated being the one to burst her little bubble. I have to handle this myself, I am the one responsible for it. Shit idiot, you better pray for your unlucky ass if anything happens to Rio

So she set out again starting from the female restroom. To her surprise, it was jam-packed with girls. Some crying, some getting ready, a few with a really nasty hangover. After making sure Rio wasn't here either, Somin turned on the tap and splashed some water over her face to cool herself down. The anxiety was killing her. I should never have let her wander alone, she's still too young and vulnerable.

Unintentionally, she over-heard a bunch of waitresses. "I'm serious about reporting him to the security." One of them was saying making Somin frown.

"I think we should. He's a real pervert!"

"Have we seen him somewhere before? He doesn't look like an actor or something." A girl added thoughtfully.

"Must be one of those filthy, rich, corrupt investors, they always--"

"Excuse me?" Somin called over. Their heads turned in her direction. "Who are you talking about?"

A waitress replied. "There's this customer in booth number 7. Either he's really drunk or just a weirdo but he's a big perve, that I can say."

"I felt that he was undressing me with his greedy eyes!" A younger waitress shivered.

Somin's brows furrowed as she shrugged and embark on her mission 'Finding Rio' again. Maybe it was just an inner instinct that her legs reflexively led her to booth 7. As she stepped foot inside, the first thing she noticed immediately was that this region was mostly occupied by elder men, most of them well-suited. She coughed in the smoke and tried to clear her view.

Her eyes widened when they fell on a colorful head. Rio's head. With small, fearful steps she neared in. Somin's breathing stopped when she heard Rio's terrified voice. "I said, let me go, sir!"

She ran forward to see what was going on. A forty-something man stood there, in an elegant suit cornering her. He was swinging in the air left to right indicating the high amount of alcohol he had consumed but he still had a tight grip on Rio's shaky waist. "Oh, sugar, why are ya so scare'? We'll jus' have some o' fun--" He closed in on Rio's face, his hands stroking her rear end.

When Rio's petrified sob reached Somin's ears, it didn't take her a second of contemplation to enter the scene. "Yah, Ajhussi! Michyeosseo?!" She sprinted forward, pushing him away harshly on the ground, the one thing Rio had been unable to do. This is seriously worse than Rio forgetting her medicine and passing out.

"Unnie!" The younger girl yelped, tears were streaming down her face as she ran behind Somin and hugged her. The man, being very tipsy, fell on the floor. He groaned in pain. Some heads turned in their direction.

"Who do you think you are, harassing a young girl like that!" Somin's breathing was getting uncontrollable as her anger shot up. She couldn't even bring her self to imagine what could have happened if she hadn't rescued Rio at the moment. "You filthy asshole!"

Despite being totally wasted, he stumbled and stood up again, his knees bending. His eyes were targeted at Somin this time. "Why, you wan' some too?" He licked his lips.

An ugly, crawling feeling flared up in her chest. He stepped closer, leaning against the wall. "Try touching me once and I'll make sure you have a death wish!" She threatened.

Seems like Jae had, after all, tipped off the other girls and all three of them came sprinting in booth 7. Saebyul immediately checked on Rio and made sure she was okay. It was after a moment that they noticed Somin and the man and grasped the situation. Saebyul nudged Somin to back away but it did nothing to cool down the furious girl's temper.

"Call Mia!" Somin yelled, glaring at him. She glanced at the bartender, "What are you doing standing there, didn't you hear me? I said, call the owner!" I want to know how could she let rotten monsters like him even enter this place."

Fire blazed in his eyes. Everybody was enjoying the scene but the five girls were anything but amused. He advanced at Somin, making many on-lookers gasp. Instead of backing away, she quickly grabbed a goblet of champagne and shoved it in his face.

Saebyul's mouth dropped, she couldn't believe what was happening. Somebody wolf-whistled from behind. His face was dripping with the liquid, his expensive-looking shirt was stained. The burning liquid stung his eyes.

"Maybe that'll teach you something when you think of touching a girl next time."

"What's going on? Jiseok, is there a problem here?" A clear voice rang out. Three people entered the booth, frowning deeply. Jiseok's eyes widened. He was supposed to be signing off a deal with them and discuss the terms and conditions but he'd ended up choosing a heavily intoxicated drink and his condition worsened. But the sight of his colleagues brought him back to senses. His hands shot up to straighten his wet hair.

One of them looked at Somin in question. She smiled calmly, it wasn't hard to understand the situation. Jiseok started to walk away but she wasn't done. "Where the hell do you think you're going, ajhussi?"

His eyes darted to his co-workers. "What?"

"I'm going to make sure you're kicked out of this place for good." She hissed. "Don't think you can take advantage of girls whenever you like and then walk away as if nothing happened."

He narrowed his eyes. The only thing he wanted the most at the moment was to shut her up. She was ruining his reputation in front of his customers. Everyone was quiet now.

"You have nothing to say now, do you? Who the hell do you think you are, you bastard?  Those filthy eyes of yours are making everyone uncomfortable. You make yourself known as a respectful man but this is your intention when you find a coward girl in the shadows? Being rich and powerful, you think you can assault any girl? 'Have fun with them', as you said?"

Jiseok was livid now. His blood was boiling. The deal was lost, he knew it. Nobody was going to trust him after all the drama this little, wretched bitch had created. So instead of walking away, he stumbled to face her squarely and spat "Shut that mouth right now or I will---"

"What? Harass me too as you so love to do?" Somin growled.

He gritted her teeth. She needs to be taught a lesson. She was taking Choi Jiseok too easy. Before weighing the consequences, he neared in and seized Somin by the arm, his other hand was in the air. His action had aroused many reactions. A few girls shrieked, he could hear a camera snipping somewhere as an excited rush of whispers spread around the occupants of that booth.

But he would never forget the reaction it invoked from Somin all his life. Before he could do more, she jerked him away and smacked his cheek with all the strength she could muster.

Little did she know, that simple action was going to ruin her entire career, her whole life.

-----------------------------

Well, there you go! I've introduced all of the important characters of this book that I included in the Cast chapter. If you were curious when you read it, I hope it's clear now.
I don't feel like I did my best when writing this chapter but I promise to improve in the upcoming ones.

I really want to fix a day for updating (usually its once a week) but I can not always follow that. Sorry for the delays you'll encounter in this book!

P.s  Byun Baek's solo is nearing in!!  What type of concept do you expect this time? Strong and sassy? Or light and soothing?