Karina's POV
A week passed after the shooting for our commercial, and we're here at a place where a live event for the brand will take place. The staff said that we need to do this in order to promote the brand. The staff introduced us to the MC that will be with us later for the interview, she's a famous comedian here in Korea, and we already know her so we're comfortable talking to her.
It's just me and Yeonjun sunbaenim here, Nayeon sunbaenim and Lisa unnie aren't here yet and we're waiting for them.
Yeonjun sunbaenim is really nice he's talking to me, he said that so I will not get bored. There are times that I will catch myself just staring at him because why not? He's so handsome and I have a crush on him. He said that I can just call him oppa because he said he wants us to be friends and casual with each other.
"Annyeonghaseyo, sorry for making you wait guys," we heard a female voice say, it's Nayeon sunbaenim. Behind her is Lisa unnie, who bowed to us and said annyeonghaseyo as a greeting, why is she too formal?
Nayeon sunbaenim joined our conversation while Lisa unnie is just listening, not saying anything unless someone talked to her. She's really quite huh... When she caught me looking at her, she gave me a small smile and then looked away immediately. Is that a habit of hers? And why is she smiling at me? We're not okay, did she forget that?
Nayeon unnie is really nice, yes unnie, she said I should just call her that because we're close now. Minutes later the staff informed us that the live event will start in 15 minutes, he ushered us to go to the stage together with the MC.
There are these steep stairs that are on the side of the stage, I'm wearing heels so it will be difficult for me to step on them without stumbling. Yeonjun oppa and Lisa unnie are already on the stage, Nayeon unnie is in front of me and also having trouble, she's also wearing heels.
There were a lot of male staffs around us but no one is making a move to help us, what I didn't expect is for Nayeon unnie to be ascending the stairs with Lisa unnie gently helping her, aww... she's so helpful and gentle, and nice... Wait, what?! Karina stop it! Remember, you're not okay with her! But... she's really a gentlewoman.
I came back to my senses when I saw a hand in front of me, I looked at the owner and it was Lisa unnie. She's waiting for me to accept her hands but I don't want to... I looked at her hand again, then her eyes, she was looking back at me. Suddenly she smiled at me and gently spoke, "Karina, let's go?" with that I have no choice but to give my hands to her and let her help me ascend the stairs, beside there was no one to help other than her so I don't have a choice.
She's really gentle and patiently helping me. I noticed that her hand is soft but big and the fingers are long compared to mine that it's scary. When I step onto the stage she let me walk first toward the chairs. When I'm already sitting, my manager, who went out in the meantime to get my blanket from the van suddenly called me to get it from him, he can't just step onto the stage because the live event will almost start.
I think Lisa unnie noticed my situation that's why she suddenly stood up and went to the side of the stage to get my blanket from my manager. When she got back she didn't immediately give the blanket to me, in fact, she herself put the blanket on my lap. The way she does these things looks so natural, without any pretense just genuine actions.
"Thanks," I said softly, it was almost a whisper. She only smiled at me and looked away, yup it's a habit. When she looked away it was now my time to look at her, she was smiling genuinely at whatever the MC said. I didn't even know that I'm now looking at her softly.
"Karina," I got shocked when Nayeon unnie, who's beside me suddenly called my name, I looked at her questioningly.
"You're spacing out, you're just staring at Lisa. I know that she's beautiful and all but Yeonjun beside you is talking to you earlier, but you are not listening. You already have a handsome man beside you but you choose to look at the person beside me..." she said whispering, looking at me teasingly. What is she saying?
"Yah! Unnie, I'm not looking at her!" I defend myself, I'm not looking at Lisa unnie... right? Why would I even look at her?
"Deny all you want, I bet you just didn't notice but you are really staring at her. Next time don't be obvious Karina, people might misinterpret," she said.
I looked at her confused and asked, "What do you mean unnie?"
"Nothing, just be ready, they said that we'll start in three minutes," she said dismissively but still looked teasing.
Just like she said, the live started after three minutes. We introduced ourselves, after the introduction the MC asked us questions about the brand, and we got to know that Lisa unnie actually likes ginseng that's why YG accepted the offer for this brand. They also asked me if I like insam-cha (ginseng tea), I said that I don't usually drink it but I like the insam-cha that the brand made (Of course, I need to promote the brand).
When the questions about the brand are done, we move on to a game, we enjoyed it even if the purpose of it is to entertain the viewers.
After the game, it is now time for the MC to read the questions and comments of the viewers from various social media platforms, the unique part here is the MC will be the one to choose what they're going to read because normally it will be the staff so it's new for us. We've been asked different questions and we also read some touching comments and messages from the fans.
The MC read a comment that we didn't totally expect, "One viewer said; Lisa unnie I didn't know that you are also close to Red Velvet's Irene unnie. There's a person that claimed that she saw you two at a mall, she said that Irene unnie was really clingy to you and that you two bought a bag from the store that she's working at, she also said that the bag is for Irene unnie but you paid for it, I just want to know if it's true." The MC looked at Lisa unnie and asked, "Is this true Lisa?"
I looked at Lisa unnie, I think they are pertaining to the time that we joined them in that restaurant, the time when my view of Lisa unnie changed. When I remember what happened that time, my mood suddenly turned sour.
"Uhm..." Lisa unnie wasn't able to answer immediately. She looked at Nayeon unnie, then she also looked at me worriedly. Why is she looking at me?
"Why did you read this comment?" Nayeon unnie suddenly asked jokingly.
The MC laugh at that but continued to ask, "So Lisa?"
"Yeah, it's true that we're close, we're friends, and I think it will naturally happen because we're in the same show and both our groups are friends as well," Lisa unnie answered.
"Ahh... How about the bag Lisa? is it also true?" Wait, why is she even asking this? This is a personal thing, couldn't they just leave this out? I looked at Lisa unnie, she looks fine with it but at the same time her eyes scream unsure, I think she and Irene unnie didn't talk about revealing their friendship in public much more about how they treat each other.
"We had this bet and I lost so the consequence is for the loser to treat the winner to anything they want. So, yeah, the bag is my treat for her..." Lisa unnie answered. I don't think that's the truth, I'm not sure but I just feel it.
She handled that well. After some questions and comments from the viewers, we played another game. This time the game is by partners, the partners are decided by drawing a paper from a bowl. Each paper has something written on it, the two people who got the same word will be the partners.
The game is not that complicated, we need to blow the powder out of a basin to be able to get the key that is hidden in it. The first to get the key will be able to open a box containing a gift that will be given to one of the lucky viewers, of course, the partners who are able to finish the task are the winners.
The partners are already decided, it would be me and Yeonjun oppa, Nayeon unnie, and Lisa unnie. Yes! I'm happy that I got Yeonjun oppa. The game started and we are all very competitive, I can feel my face full of powder, I can barely see because some are getting in my eyes.
The game goes on for minutes until I heard the MC saying that Lisa unnie got the key. A buzzer was heard signaling the end of the game. Aww... we lost, Lisa unnie and Nayeon unnie won but it doesn't matter at least the viewers can still win the price.
The MC announced how the winner of the price will be picked and all. While we idols are laughing at each other because of the powder on our faces, especially Lisa unnie, she looks funny that we can't stop laughing, even the MC can't concentrate on what she's announcing.
The staff gave us towels to wipe the powder on our faces. After wiping my face, I looked beside me and saw Lisa unnie struggling to take off the powder on her. I patted her back, she turned her head to me and pointed to herself, I nodded.
When she's already looking at me I hold her right cute and chubby cheek, while my other hand is holding my towel and used it to wipe the powder off her face. Aww, she's so cute! She looks like a baby, I want to pinch her cheeks!
Since she made me laugh earlier because of her funny face that was full of powder, also add the fact that she's so cute right now. It didn't even register to me and forgot that I'm supposed to be avoiding and disliking her. This is what will happen when you have three kids living with you every day, my caring nature took over me.
It just registered to me when she said, "Thanks," while smiling at me genuinely happy. Why is she so happy? I only wiped her face. My face turned red when she patted my head to wipe the powder off of it. I felt my heart beat speed up... I don't know why again! Stop heart, please.
I want to slap her hand off of my head but I didn't do it and just let her be. If I do that her fans will attack me, plus she's too cute right now so... hays Karina stop! You dislike her okay?!
The live event came to an end after we said our final speech to promote the brand and thank the fans/viewers.
When the cameras stop recording, we thanked the MC and the staffs. We are now walking toward the end of the stage and I can already see the steep stairs, hays... hassle. Yeonjun oppa descended the stairs first followed by Lisa unnie.
Their difference is while Yeonjun oppa continued walking to his manager, Lisa unnie after she descended waited for us at the bottom, and offered her hand to Nayeon unnie to help her. After Nayeon unnie, she also offered her hand to me, gently and carefully supporting me going down. What Yeonjun oppa did is okay because it's not his obligation to help us, and he's handsome so I'll give it a pass.
"Thanks again," I said to her while looking down.
When I looked up, she was smiling at me a little and said, "No problem."
There's a café nearby so Nayeon unnie suggested for us idols to go there but before we left the place, murmurs of people caught our attention, we can't understand what they were saying because almost everyone are talking.
We just got to know what they were murmuring about when we saw the person who caused it. Inside the building is no other than the original visual herself, Irene unnie. She's currently looking at her phone, looks like she's texting someone, she looked irritated.
Irene unnie looked up, she turned her head left and right as if looking for someone. When she looked our way, she immediately stormed towards us, walking straight to Lisa unnie who currently looks scared. I wonder why?