Almost There (a Summer Crush Short Story) - WATTPAD VERSION

Saturday, 9:45 PM, 15 minutes to show time

The number you dialled is either unattended or out of coverage area.

"Jesus Christ, Yihwan. Why are you being so difficult?" Fi mumbles under her breath as she's bumped and pushed by the crowd jumping to Trainman's last few songs. She's just about to dial Yihwan's number again when she sees a message from Gabriel come through.

Someone may have spotted Yihwan, it says. Look at this tweet.

Nic @bulgogibulge 3m

I AM PRETTY DAMN SURE THIS IS JO YIHWAN RIGHT HERE JFC OMG I AM DYING @eastgenproject #SummerCrush pic.twitter.com/8r41HslJ

Fi zooms in on the attached photo of a man in a white muscle shirt and a dark bull cap, a tri-colored Ibanez slung over his back. It's Yihwan all right, standing in front of a mobile bar looking like he's being handed a beer. The tweet is only three minutes old, which means the band leader could still be at the same spot or around there somewhere.

She does a quick survey of the vicinity, relieved to see no one seems to have jumped on the opportunity to corner Yihwan for selfies. Then again, she remembers seeing one Amethyst bodyguard standing close to Yihwan in the posted photo. Thank God.

Taking another look at the shot, Fi realizes she passed this mini bar a while ago. She turns on her heel and bumps into a guy carrying a girl on his shoulders. "I'm sorry!" she says, but the guy doesn't spare her a glance, too busy singing (or shouting) to Trainman's songs. Ducking her head, Fi clutches her phone against her chest and weaves through the crowd. Sometime between the closing riffs of "You Only Need Reminding" and the opening beat of "To the Moon," Fi reaches the mini bar, but doesn't find Yihwan there.

She checks her phone for messages and sees one from Yihwan.

Relax. I'll be there.

A feeling of relief washes over her, and she stills for a few seconds before dashing for the artists' tent, not caring that she's getting knocked left and right like a pinball. She enters the cordoned off area when Yihwan comes into view, his back to her as he stands outside the tent entrance. He is holding a can of beer to his lips, as though deciding if he should finish the drink now or bring it up with him on stage.

"Yihwan-ah."

There is a smile on his face when he turns to look at her, and for a split second, Fi wonders if he has mistaken her for someone else. But he utters her name with an easy smile. "Have you been running around trying to find me?"

"I told you guys to be here an hour before your set."

He holds his beer to his chest and bows. "Forgive me. I needed to sort some things out. But you know I'll never let the band down, don't you?"

"Are you drunk?"

"Hardly."

"Good." Fi nods, deciding to set aside her worries for the meantime. Trainman is already saying good night, and that means EG Project should be gearing up to go on stage. As Yihwan turns to enter the tent, she asks, "Are you okay?"

He stops to look at her, and again, he smiles, wistfully this time. "Almost there."