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The ten of them stood confused and could feel the annoyance and rage started to emerge. Taeyong looked up to see the the clock strike 8:00 PM in the room. They were all late, he wasn't going to deny it. They were late by fifteen minutes. The manager was still not there? It was him who had called them all for the meeting. The meeting room was too silent for it's own good.

"Have we been pranked?" Haechan asked, breaking the deathly silence of the room.

Just then they heard loud footsteps approaching. More like someone was running for their dear life.

"I'm sorry! Sorry sorry sorry! So sorry!" a woman entered panting "of all days, I had to be late today" she groaned and bowed to them.

She looked at the men who had frozen in their spots. She had to bite down on the huge smile that almost made its way on her lips. Poor boys. They then broke out from their trance and bowed back.

"Why y'all standing? Sit down. Take your seats" she smiled as she took her seat.

"Nuna!" Jungwoo called out, happily.

"Me?" she asked, pointing to herself "this building is way better than the previous one. How much did the agency invest?" she scoffed, more to herself, clicking her tongue as she looked around the room.

"Nuna" he called out again, a little upset.

No reply.

"Eunji-ah" Johnny called out to which she just glared.

"I think we need to get to work, rather than just standing here" she sighed looking up at the ten of them.

"Okay, I give up. Can't I just play a little?" she smiled and then burst into fits of laughter.

They all took their seats "I thought you hated us" Taeil said.

"How can I hate you all? And why would I? Just because I'm a rival?" she asked "wasn't my twelve years a proof?" she spoke, a little upset.

"I see my surprise is more shocking. And yeah, don't get mad at your manager. I was the one who asked him to call you all like how he always organises a weekly meeting" she said, leaning towards the table with her hands folded.

"What happened to your hair?" Doyoung asked.

"I cut it. Two months ago. Why? Is it bad? Didn't you see my Instagram?" she asked.

"What are you here for?" he asked.

"Ooh, straight to business. I like it" she grinned, clicked her tongue with a wink as she pointed at her best friend and straightened herself.

"It's been so long seeing y'all together. Like all ele-" she stopped "all of you. You all.. all of us together" she cleared her throat.

She wanted to smack herself. Hard. Just then, her assistant walked in with a worried expression, with her phone in his hand. She took the phone from him and for the next few minutes her facial expressions were enough to guess what the situation was even if she had hardly spoken. She also look at the members which had them confused all the more. The moment she hung up, she breathed out in a whoosh.

"Are you okay?" Taeyong asked.

"Yeah" she nodded, clearing her throat and breathed a little "straight to the point. Your company reached out to ours. For a umm.. like a collaboration" she blurted out.

"Okay?" Haechan looked curious.

"They want a collaboration with 9PARK" she replied "and a solo one because Haechan wanted to collaborate with an artist that is not from SM" she smiled.

"Yes. But I did not mention 2(EJ)" he said.

"I know. I know. You're free to choose anyone from any agency, whosoever" she said "but, I know the right person you'll want to collab with. Just so perfect!" she grinned, clapping her hands.

"Okay, I'll shut up" she sighed, watching the members look at her like she was an alien.

"I'll give you time to think about it. You're free to accept or reject. I'll take my leave now" she nodded, getting up.

"Sit down Eunji" Yuta commanded.

"Excuse me?!" she quirked up a brow.

"Nuna sit" it was Jaehyun.

"Alright, tell me" she nodded, sitting down.

"We didn't ask you to go" he said.

"I'm not your manager anymore" she laughed.

"Nuna, I have a concept" Haechan said "since you said you have the perfect person to collaborate with, I trust you with this" he said.

"Is it a mini album or single?" she asked, twirling on her chair.

"Single" he replied "it's pop. For the first song, electro pop with heavy beats. And for the second song, I love the idea of medium pop. With like low register. My voice is known most for it's high registers. So, I was thinking why not with some lows" he said.

"Sounds cool" she smiled, awarding him a thumbs up "how does it feel to be coming back after five years?" she asked.

"This is just my second solo, so meh" he just shrugged "it gave me enough time to think and collect a few songs on my own" he said, leaning further back into chair, arms crossed.

"Okay, good luck! But guys, I really have to go. I'll send in my assistant and a few more people to fill you in with the rest. But yeah, that's only if it's a green signal. It was so nice seeing you. Bye" she bowed "and oh, here you go. Dinner's on me. Just eat what you want. I'll pay them" she smiled, passing out a hotel reservation slip. She waved at them and was out of the room in seconds.

"Bye?" Doyoung said and reached out for the slip.

"So, it's a yes or no?" Taeyong asked.

"Definitely yes!" Doyoung and Johnny said in unison.

Everyone turned around to look at the two who were already staring at each other. Well, something was going in the right direction.

"I need some air" Haechan sighed and with that he was walking out of the room.

Haechan knew just where he had to go. Days like today were the ones where he missed the old times. Screw the unlimited dinner, all he needed was some kimchi-jigae and soju.

Faazila sat a restaurant she had just found. It was a thirty year old hole in the wall restaurant. It was small and two storeyed. It was cute. She looked out of the restaurant letting a big sigh they she didn't know she could. She had long ditched the idea of going back to the school campus to have dinner. Instead what she did was, walk back into the park and take a few slow laps as she let the cool night breeze consume her. It had always calmed her. But this time, it didn't. She had never felt like this before. Ever since her encounter with mister deep voiced ghost, all she did was just walk around in circles until it was enough. She wanted to convince herself that it was just her imagination. That the voice was just a piece of her imagination, but a part of her soul told her that it wasn't.

"Oh, I hate myself" she muttered to herself as she put her head down on the table.

"My poor little legs, I'm so sorry" she mumbled again, finding her legs to massage them under the table.

"Mr. Ghost, you are responsible for my off-focus miserable self at the moment" she grumbled.

"Excuse me, miss" she heard a voice that had her head jerk up in the snap of fingers.

She looked up to see an elderly woman who stood at the table with the most warm welcoming smile. It almost made her choke out a sob, but she held herself together.

"Yes?" she asked.

"What would you like to order?" the woman asked with a smile.

"One omelette, one kimchi-jigae, grilled scallops and one gimbap" she replied with a smile.

"Twenty minutes" the woman smiled as she turned on her heel.

"And yes.." the woman turned back to look at Faazila to which she looked confused.

"Things will be fine" she smiled and then turned back again, walking away.

She put her head back down with a sigh. Her face definitely said it. She was losing it.

"Excuse me?" she heard a voice.

"Yes?" she looked up, but froze the moment she was the person who was standing in front of her.

"Gotcha" he smiled to himself.

"Oh wow! Woah! Well, umm...." she stuttered "hi" she finally managed to say something that made sense.

"Hi!" he chuckled. She was so cute.

Her confused tired face, flushed cheeks, her constantly shaking her head to see if she was seeing things right made him want to just pull her nose.

"What did you call me for?" she asked.

"Well, I wanted to ask if you could share your table with me since it's all packed" he shrugged, looking around to see the tables filled.

Tables were free when she had come. Was she that pre-occupied with her thoughts on Mister Deep Voiced Ghost that she had failed to notice and keep track of her surroundings?

"Yeah, sure. Sure, you can" she managed to speak without stuttering and put on a smile.

"Thank you" he smiled, taking his seat.

"I'm Donghyuck" he smiled.

"Everybody knows you" she smiled.

"Everybody knows Haechan, not Donghyuck" he said.

She blinked. Well, that was true. He did introduce himself as Donghyuck and not Haechan. She just wanted to disappear.

"True. Sorry" she pursed her lips, embarrassed.

Just then the old woman arrived "here's your omelette and gimbap" she smiled, placing the plate in front of her.

"Donghyuck-ah!" the old lady called out happily.

"Halmoeni" he smiled wide "kimchi-jigae and soju please" he smiled again.

"Coming" she smiled.

The woman saw the way Haechan looked at Faazila. She smiled. The boy had found his ray of sunshine. Someone to help him shine. She patted his shoulder and squeezed it a little as she heaved a sigh of relief. She walked away, but not before motioning one of the boys to bring soju bottles.

"Want some?" he asked as he opened the cap of the alcohol bottle.

"I don't drink" she replied "but you can have, I don't mind" she shook her head, picking up her chopsticks and reached out for a piece of her gimbap.

"Want some?" she asked.

He sighed as he closed the lid back and placed at the other end of the table. No drinking tonight.

"Sure" he smiled.

"Not drinking?" she asked.

"I can't in front of someone who doesn't" he smiled "a conversation is better than alcohol" he chuckled.

"Conversation with a stranger?" she chocked out as she chewed on her piece of gimbap.

"You okay?" he asked, concern lacing his features.

"Yep. I am" she gave a thumbs up, taking few sips of water.

"You did say you know me" he smiled.

"Well, you did introduce yourself as Donghyuck. Someone I don't know. You don't know me either" she explained.

Oh lord! She wanted to hit herself. He just wanted to have a conversation. How hard was it going to be? Couldn't she just go along with it? Why was she being such an idiot? She couldn't. She just couldn't. How could she, when he was sitting in front of her? Like the real life Lee Haechan. The real life Lee Donghyuck, all in one piece. How was she going to be normal when the person she had adored all along sat in front of her with a smile.

"I'm sorry, this is just too awkward" she sighed.

The heck?

"It's okay. You weren't wrong" he smiled "let's start over, okay?" he asked.

"Okay" she nodded excitedly, like a child.

"I'm Donghyuck" he smiled, reaching his hand out.

"I'm Faazila" she smiled, but a little hesitant if she could take his hand.

"I don't bite. We can shake hands" he laughed.

The next moment she reached out to take his hand for a shake. He shook vigorously with a laugh and squeezed her hand lightly before letting go.

"Those are some baby soft hands" she smiled.

"Thanks" he chuckled.

"What do you do?" he asked.

"I'm an art teacher" she smiled.

"That's so nice" he smiled.

"Thank you! Now, let's eat. I'm so hungry" she sighed.

"Yes, let's continue. Didn't you have lunch?" he asked.

"You know?" she asked, confused.

"Just a guess" he shrugged, taking a little bit of kimchi.

"You're not dieting right?" he asked a little worried.

"Oh, no! No no no no no no! I can't live without food. Food is life" she grinned.

"Then why didn't you eat?" he asked.

"Well, yeah. I do sometimes. But today, I didn't realise that I had" she said.

"Don't skip your food. Everything comes after that" he said in a serious tone.

"Don't skip your meals.
Everything comes after food."

"Don't skip your meals.
Everything comes after food."

"Don't skip your meals.
Everything comes after food."

She gasped at his words. It was him! But wait, was it? Could it? No! No no no no! It was not. That was not his voice. Mister Deep Voice Ghost's voice was not even close to the sweet voice of his. She would recognise Haechan's voice anywhere. At anytime any place. And now, even the haunting voice.

Words. It was all just words. People can use the same combination of words. A set of words were not designated for a certain person. Anybody could use any word. Do anything.

"It's not him. It can't be him. It is not!" she told herself.

Haechan just looked on as she sat there, quite panicked. A little frozen. It made him kind of regret his decision to sneak up on her from behind. She clearly wasn't handling it well. And he could see it clearly. By the time she'd recovered, their meals had arrived.

"Okay" she finally managed to say the words.

"Promise me that you'll eat well" he said.

"I will" she nodded with a smile.

When she saw that he was not believing her "trust me I will" she smiled, reaching out and placed her palm gently on his.

"That is all you're eating?" she frowned, looking at just a bowl of his stew and some rice.

"Yeah" he shrugged.

"Oh, the hell you are! We are sharing. I've bought enough for the two of us to eat" she smiled.

"You are not going to argue. Eat. With me. I command you to" she ordered, pointing her chopstick at him "I'm not taking no for an answer. Not gonna let you get up until you finish" she stuck her tongue out.

"Cute" he chuckled under his breath.

"I'm sorry, what?" she asked.

"Nothing" he shook his head "let's eat" he smiled.

"Yes" she nodded, clapping her hands.

They ate in silence, with smiles plastered on their faces. It was such a pleasant moment that not even the universe wanted to interrupt them.

"Hey, that's cheating!" she called out.

"No, it's not" he sang.

"How can you pull two blocks out? The rule is to just pull out one block" she frowned.

"Did I say we were following the rules?" he wiggled his brows.

They had finished dinner, ice cream for dessert and were on the restaurant's terrace, playing jenga. Their loud laughters and frowns could be heard. All she could wonder was, how had she gotten so comfortable with him? They definitely hadn't known each other before this encounter. He did radiate a friendly, comforting aura. But, was it supposed to be this easy?

"You got to be kidding!" she groaned, throwing her hands up in the air.

She scooted a little forward to choose a block to pull, and the moment she did, the structure came tumbling down.

"You are going to buy me tteokbokki and rice cakes" he sang a happy tune "I can't believe you lost again" he laughed.

"Stop rubbing it in my face" she pursed her lips.

"Sorry" he laughed "you're just too cute" he smiled.

"I am not" she argued.

"You are" he countered.

"Kids, the restaurant's closing. You need to leave" another old woman said as she approached them.

"Thank you so much for these" Faazila smiled.

"You're welcome. Do visit often" the woman smiled after taking the blocks that had been arranged.

The three of them walked back together and waved at the old lady and she walked to another door on the opposite side of the entrance in the restaurant. Haechan and Faazila walked out and she saw a big van parked at the end of the cramped street.

"So, tteokbokki and rice cakes. You'll get them the next time we meet. Toodles" she waved and walked in the opposite direction.

All he could was, just stare at her. How was he going to find or contact her if he had none of those?

Destiny. Hope. Patience.

He was going to wait. For the right time that they could meet again.

OHKAY! SO HERE ENDS PART TWO!

HONESTLY MY BRAIN IS JUST COOKING UP AND IM JUST GOING WITH THE FLOW! "FOLLOW THE INSTINCT" IT SAID.

WELL LOL.. I THINK I DID OKAY WITH THIS PART.. faazilaraiza HAVE FUN WITH THIS ONE TILL THE NEXT PART COMES UP!

BABAYE NOW!

LOVE YOU 🤍♥️