A Fangirl's Secret/ Soobin

Rules are meant to be Broken/9

Soobin's POV

The tour came to a close after a month and a half. After the incident with Seo-ah, the company has done their best to return things back to normal. I do still see some news articles regarding Lee Seo-ah but most of it has died down. I still thought of her though despite her disappearance. 

Once I had more free time, I tried several times to sneak out to the cafe but each time, there was another worker there- a male who looked around the age of Seo-ah. I know it isn't fair for her to see me, but I needed to see that she was doing okay. Instead of going later in the evening, I went in earlier in the day and saw her through the window. I stopped. She was laughing with the other worker and I began to feel a sharp pain in my chest. I decided to walk away and return another day. I returned two days later. This is the last time I'm doing this. I nod to myself. I enter into the dimly lit cafe only several minutes before closing and saw her cleaning up. 

"Soob- wait no.." She looks at me confused for a moment as my heart practically stopped.

"It's you! Where have you been? Its been so long." She looks at me once again.

I come up with a small white lie since she didn't recognize me. 

"Are you free after this?" I asked her, thinking she might decline my offer to hang out, but she accepted.

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We walked the streets and made our way to the Han River. We keep walking alongside it, our hands swinging endlessly until my fingertips reach hers and stay within her grip. I look over slyly and see her blush slightly but I could also see a hint of uneasiness. I held on tighter, signaling I wasn't letting her go. At least I hope she got that message. We both look over at one of the restaurants and I knew that it was a signal to get something to eat.

We walked into the fried chicken restaurant, surprised that it is still open. They seat us and we look at the menu.

"Order anything you'd like. It's on me." I let her know.

"No way! I should be the one treating my treasured customer." She insists.

"I won't allow it." I dismiss her request.

She looks at me with a face of defeat and I laugh at her. "Fine. But I get to treat you next time."

The wings come out and I don't know why it didn't occur to me until I picked up the wing and placed it near my mouth that I can't eat with a mask. I placed the wing back down and watched her eat the chicken wing, stuffing her cheeks as she took more and more bites. I laugh at her and she notices my chuckle and swallows.

"What?" She looks at me confused.

"You look like a squirrel while eating." I laugh once again.

"Ahh.. Not the first time I've been told that." She laughs with me. "By the way, are you not eating?" 

"I-uh.." I scratch my head awkwardly.

"Y-your mask? Oh I see..." She pauses to think for a moment. "How about this... I close my eyes and you eat. Would that be okay for you?"

I nod and she does as she said and closed her eyes. I removed my mask slightly and ate the chicken wing. 

"Are you good now?" She asks.

"Yes." I answer and she opens her eyes to see three chicken bones on my plate.

We both continue to finish the rest of the plate, with each of us taking turns on who eats. I also made sure that we both wouldn't drink too much. Considering what happened last time I was drunk with her, I'd rather be mostly sober. The night comes to a close as I walk her to her apartment door.

"Thank you for hanging out tonight!" She waves goodbye. "Oh and also, don't be a stranger. Come in more again. I miss you." 

I wonder if she'd feel the same if she knew it was me..

I get a ride home and reach the apartment where we stay and was greeted by Beomgyu.

"Hiiii Soobin! How was your day?" He smiles brightly at me.

"Pretty good. I did.. see her." I shyly say.

"I figured. Honestly, you know I'll always support you with whatever decision you make, even if it doesn't follow the company's perspective. But don't tell them that-" He laughs at his last comment.

"And I hope you know that I'll support you too."

------

I met her several times after that. Only Beomgyu knew. I was too afraid to tell the other members, thinking that they'd disapprove of it and tell the company. Seo-ah and I only grew closer. I guess the mask became something that took away the barrier between us. I would come to the cafe an hour before closing and we would spend time after she finished work. I noticed she grew more comfortable with me- linking arms, brushing up against me, playfighting, and handholding. I too, grew more comfortable. But the more I grew comfortable, the more I felt guilty. I held those thoughts back and buried them deep inside. In the daytime, I lived as an idol, but in the nighttime, I became hers. 

"Yah- were you evening listening to me?" She notices me blanking out in my thoughts.

"Y-yes... no." 

"I said that we should go do karaoke tonight! That way you finally get to hear my astonishing voice." 

"Well wait until you hear my astonishing voice-" I smile confidently.

"I challenge you to a sing-off. The winner with the highest ratings gets to choose something the other person has to do." She smiles back at me.

"Deal." I agree.

------

She looks at the screen feeling shocked to see a rating of 100% after I sang. 

"Fine." She sighed. "What's the punishment for me.."

"Hmm..."

..

..

"Go out with me.."