Ari's POV
The hand groped its way from my jean-clad thigh to my ass. I stopped breathing. Black dots began to appear in my vision. As the fingers crawled across my body, my skin began to itch. The ugly monster began to grip my throat, making it difficult for me to breathe.
A sudden bang of drums jolted me out of my reverie, and I jerked away the hand that was groping my ass and turned to Kevin with wide eyes. He smirked and moved closer to me, oblivious to my anxiety.
"Would you like to do something else, sweetheart? I'm open for anything."
"K-kevin, stop, I'm not comfortable with this."
"Give me a kiss, babe."
He reached out his hand to grab my face, but I moved back and nearly tripped. My phone flew under Joe's seat as a result of the sudden movement. I turned around and crouched in the darkness to look for my phone under the seat.
"It's only a phone. Babe." In the background, Kevin babbled, but I ignored him.
With a sudden chill, the hair on the back of my neck rose. My entire body shivered from my toes to my head. I raised my head and looked around. But I couldn't find anything or anyone who could explain my body's reaction. Then My gaze was drawn up to the VIP lounge area.
It was encased in massive glass that could be seen from both sides. The yellow lights from the interior make it appear like a bright yellow bulb in the stadium's darkness.
But what I saw inside compelled me to pose. My breathing became laboured. My heart began to beat in a different rhythm. A rhythm I was familiar with and followed on a daily basis two years ago. My mouth gaped open, and I was surprised that my eyes didn't pop out of their sockets.
The lounge sofas were placed right next to the large glass wall that separated the VIP area from the rest of the space. And there sat the man with a black turtleneck and jacket. His face, hidden behind a black hat and mask. His entire focus was on his phone. Earplugs in his ears, as if he wasn't interested in the concert at all and was dragged out there forcefully. Because he would never willingly attend a concert unless it was his own.
It was him. I knew it. Despite the fact that he had effectively concealed himself. I knew it. I couldn't be more sure of it. Even though it was barely visible from where I was. I knew it was him.
Kim taehyung was right there, in front of me. At the same place as me. Only a few columns apart.
And just when I thought the day couldn't get any worse, it did. His brows furrowed slightly, his sharp eyes moved from his phone to in front of him and stayed there for a few moments before, he clutched his heart with his palm and in the next second, he snapped his face at the top floor so hard, I was afraid he'd break his bones.
At the same time, I turned around on my back, grabbed my phone from the ground, and dashed out the door as fast as I could. Partially thankful for the darkness. I could only see him because of the lights in the VIP lounge.
But it wasn't the same for him. He was in the bright lights, while I was in the peach black shadows.
I took two steps down the stairs at a time and almost ran into someone. Focusing on the stairs, I quickly apologised and dashed out of the exit doors.
I finally took a deep breath. My lungs were burning from the sudden running. I leaned in half and rested my palms on my knees for support. Taking a breather.
What the hell? What exactly was he doing here? I hope he didn't notice me bolting out of there. No he couldn't. If he could, I wouldn't be standing here alone.
Heck I wouldn't have even reached out of exit if he had caught me.
Right, he has to be here for his schedules in the U.s. Not a big deal. Was he with someone? Dang it, I was so busy panicking I didn't even see who he was with. There must be other members. Nobody else can forcefully bring him.
I straightened up and wiped the sweat from my brows as I dialled my best friend's number, who was probably doing quickies at the time while I was experiencing an emotional roller coaster.
She finally picks up the phone on the fourth ring, her voice breathy- Something I never want to hear from my best friend. "Hey... you okay?"
As I manage to speak, I gag internally at her breathy after-sex voice. "No, I mean, I'm fine, but I need to leave. Right now."
Her voice instantly sobered up. "What? What happened? Are you feeling sick? Are you okay? Did something happened? Where are you?" I could hear her shuffling around due to background noises. Most likely, putting on some clothes.
"Just... just come to your car, I'm right there. On the way back, I'll tell you everything."
"On my way."
I spoke quickly before she could hung up the phone. "Lor? ....can we...can we go alone? Only the two of us? I know I sound terrible, but-"
She beat me to it before I could explain. "Don't worry, we're going alone. Wait for me, I'll be there in a minute"
Even though she can't see it, I nod and end the call. As a cherry on top of everything I was feeling after seeing him, her kindness sent a flood of emotions through my veins. Well practically I didn't see his face. I couldn't even make out his eyes. But he was there, and I saw him. After two years of hell.
My body sensed his presence before my eyes could. When I think about it, my eyes well up with tears, and I do my best not to break down in tears.
I noticed lor running out of the exit and towards her car where I was standing alone. She comes to a halt in front of me, her gaze scanning my face for two seconds before pulling me into a hug.
I immediately wrap my arms around her and bury my face in her shoulder, tears silently streaming from my eyes. This was the reason she was my best friend. She understood me even before I could tell her verbally.
We stayed that way for a while before I broke the hug and wiped my tears with the full sleeves of my top.
"Ah..sorry." I laughed awkwardly while wiping my tears away, but my eyes kept betraying me and the tears flowed like a waterfall from my sockets.
"Ae- A, are you all right?" In a gentle tone, she inquired. Reminding me of the first time I came to her aid.
I nod, sniffing and wiping my nose. She opened her car door for me without saying anything, and we both drove away from the stadium, leaving the boys behind.
And him.
I watch in the side mirror as the stadium shrinks in the back and I pull away from him. Again.
The car was quiet, and I knew Lor was giving me space to gather my thoughts and tell her everything on my own. So I broke the silence when the stadium became a complete dot in the background.
"He was there." I spoke while still staring out the window.
Lor was looking at me with confused eyes in my peripheral vision when her brain started working and the realisation hit her.
While huffing, she returned her attention to the road. "Oh holy mother of god....how?"
I shook my head, "I don't know. He was in the VIP lounge. I saw him."
"Did he...." Lor's question was cut short. I shook my head once more.
"I wouldn't be sitting with you right now if he had seen me."
"Don't mind A, but if he had kidnapped you, he would have had to fight with me first. That conceited jerk is getting a lot more than he deserves."
I huffed a chuckle and turned to face her. "How can you even joke at times like this"
She shrugged and winked at me. "That's my role."
"You mean, making me laugh after you've had several orgies?" I teased her.
With a smirk, she wiggled her brows at me. "That too"
I punched her in the arm while laughing, "gross."
She sat up straight and inquired solemnly. "How are you dealing with it?"
"All right, I guess." I look down at my lap and interlace my fingers.
"You miss him."
I answered even though it wasn't a question.
"I miss him." Always. Everyday. Every second.
"What exactly happened at the stadium while I was gone?"
"To begin with, your friend's friend groped me-"
"What!??"
I continued, ignoring my friends loud shrill.
"- I stumbled on my leg and accidentally dropped my phone on the ground when I saw him there, In the vip section. Then I ran away and called you."
She gave me a horrified look. "Kevin groped you? You serious?"
"Yup. Couldn't be more." My shoulder shrugged.
She exhaled an angry sigh and slammed her palm against the steering wheel. "Fuck! He's so dead, I'm gonna kill the basterd."
I smiled and kept my eyes on the road when I heard her mutter the words. "I shouldn't have took you there."
"It's not your fault, lor. I know it's difficult, but seeing him made me feel better after a long time. He cured the trigger Kevin pulled despite being completely unaware of everything that happened."
I swivel my head to look at her at the same time she does. "I'm glad I could see him Infront of me." I say the words quietly with a small smile, and she responds with a small nod. We then drove back to our apartments in silence.
In my room, I spent the entire night listening to his songs and looking at his pictures online. I was tired enough to fall asleep somewhere around midnight. Without even a hint of what was waiting for me next in the morning.
The doorbell rang at seven past twenty in the morning. Bringing me out of my slumber. I heard Lor open the door but couldn't hear anything else.
I washed my face in the bathroom and heard Lor knock once on my door before she entered my room, stunned. While wiping my face with a towel, I walk out of my room.
"Someone's here for you."
"Is it anyone from the orphanage?" I asked my friend, frowning.
"I don't think so." My frown deepened as she said this hesitantly.
"What's the matter?"
"I don't know, he just asked me about you"
I gave her a look. "Lor. Nobody knows me except you and orphanage in this city"
"I'm not sure, I've never seen him before."
The towel slid from my fingers and landed on the floor with a faint thud. My fingers began to tremble, and my palms began to sweat. Lor was an outgoing person. She knew nearly everyone in town. Her flower business assisted her in this, while hacking did the rest of the work. So, if she said she hadn't seen the person who was waiting for me outside the apartment. That left only one possibility. The one I was terrified of.
"He's standing outside the door, waiting for you....
I didn't tell him you were here; I simply shut the door in his face." Lor said this awkwardly.
"Are you sure you haven't seen him before?"
Please say no.
"Yes" oh lord "He appears Korean; he spoke to me in English with a slight Korean accent. And seemed polite."
This didn't help me figure out who she was referring to. There is only one way to figure it out. As the doorbell rang again, I moved to the main door on shaky legs. Following up on a knock.
"I'm not here to harm anyone, Miss Bloom. I must see Miss Park Ari. I know she's in there with you."
That voice... My eyes widened with realisation, and I took a few steps back from the door. While he continued to knock on the door and the door bell continued to ring. In a panic, I looked around, clutching my hair.
Lor dashed to my side as she inquired. "Do you know him?" As my gaze returned to the door, I nodded in response to her question.
I had no idea what to do or how to get out of this situation. How in the hell he even found me. Did he see me yesterday? No, no, no. He couldn't. And how in the world did he found my fake name?
I couldn't even hide in this small apartment. He'd find me there easily, and I couldn't even jump out the window from the sixth floor.
The only option was not to open the door. Yes, he will eventually leave. Avoiding him is the best option.
"I'm not going anywhere until I meet Miss Park Ari."
God hell!!! I was dying to scream. He kept knocking and ringing the doorbell. I couldn't leave him outside for much longer in case someone in the neighbourhood complained. No, no, I couldn't let that happen. I couldn't bring the police into my life after illegally creating fake IDs for myself. That would also involve Lor, and I couldn't bring myself to drag her into this with me.
I needed to figure it out. Think, think Aera! What can you do to avoid complications?
"Just meet him." Lor's voice from my side drew my attention to her.
"What?!" I yell at her in hushed tones. Thinking She was insane.
"He wants to meet, Park Ari. Not Kim Aera. So just act like Ari. He wouldn't be able to track the codes I used for your forged identification. He'd never be able to crack my hacking. He won't have any proof to prove your legal status as Kim Aera. Face match doesn't matter."
My brain's wheels started turning as Lor's words made sense to me. She was right.
He came to meet Park Ari. So he'd just meet Park Ari.
To calm myself, I took a deep breath. And slowly opened the door to my apartment with phoney confidence.
And came face to face with the person who had introduced me to the world I had fantasised about.
"I wasn't mistaken, you are indeed her."
Someone had to pinch me awake from this nightmare. I could literally hear the warning sirens in the background. Telling me that everything is going to change. Again. And in the worst possible way.
Because the man in front of me was the key to that change, and I had no doubts that I shouldn't have had opened the door. I now really wish I hadn't.
the person standing before me was definitely not a fool. And one of the last people I wanted to see after my escape.
One of the three brains of Hybe entertainment. One with the most acute intellect.
Manager Sejin looked at me as if he had found the missing piece of his puzzle and was proud with himself.
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