The minute we stepped outside, screams erupted and lights flashed so intensely in our direction. I hid my face in Chan's back and kept my head down like they had told me to. He gripped my hand tightly as we moved forward in little steps towards the bus.
While looking at the ground, I couldn't see much. I couldn't even tell who I was near, but Felix whispered to me, so I knew that he was to the right of me.
"We're almost there," Felix had muttered.
Chan squeezed my hand tighter as the pathway became more narrow the closer we got to the bus. It funneled into the door and Chan knocked to get the driver to open it.
He stepped inside, and I walked up the stairs behind him, still keeping my head down. He dropped my hand immediately as if it had pained him to hold it in the first place.
"Why are you still looking down?" he asked. I partially raised my head, and he rolled his eyes as he sat down on the bench that extended along the sides of the front half of the bus. In the back were bunks and a bathroom. Above the bench, numerous shelves housed snacks and games.
"Hello?" he snapped.
"Sorry, I—I thought they could see me through the windows."
"Well, they can't," he replied snarkily. "So sit."
I sat on the bench across from him, and Felix sat beside me. The rest of the members filed on and seemed disinterested by my presence.
"Will we have to do that again at the hotel?" I whispered to Felix. He was the only one who didn't seem to mind my being here.
"Yes, but it's never as bad at the hotel."
I shook my head in awe of them. I couldn't imagine doing this every day.
"Why metallic cowboy boots?" Chan suddenly asked.
"Why lifted Converse?" I shrugged.
"Because he's short," Seungmin piped up beside me.
Chan folded his arms in annoyance and glared at him.
"I like them," Hyunjin complimented. Being complimented on fashion by Hyunjin was like being given a 5-star food review by Gordon Ramsay. I smiled in response and was too speechless to even remember how to thank him verbally.
Han appeared from his bunk with an iPad and handed it to Chan. He read whatever was on the screen and stared up at me in amusement.
"I'm your bias?" he chuckled.
My face flushed, and I sunk into the chair wishing that I could hide or turn invisible.
"Be nice, Chan," Felix warned.
"You're 27?" he asked.
"She's half 54," Seungmin joked and Chan scowled at him. My stomach fell, and I felt awkward as Chan continued to read the form. I covered my face with my hands.
"Why am I your bias?"
I risked a peak at his expression, and he seemed intrigued. I still felt like he was making fun of me though, so I figured I'd return the energy.
"Probably because you're so tall," I replied.
Seungmin snorted beside me, and, on the other side, Felix sighed.
"I'm taller than you," he said intimidatingly. His eyes were dark, and I felt like I may have made a mistake in insulting him.
"Can we keep her?" Seungmin laughed at Chan's response and threw his arm around me which put me at ease a little bit.
My phone buzzed and I saw a text from Mana asking me when I'd be back at the hotel.
"I'm not sure," I replied and she messaged me back telling me to have fun and be safe.
My phone was snatched out of my hand before I could respond.
"Felix, you were supposed to take this," Chan growled.
"Sorry. I forgot," he apologized and hung his head.
"I'll give it back once we're done with our drink. We can't risk you recording things and trying to leak it to the press."
It made sense I guess. "Why do you put in so much effort to do this when you don't want to?" I asked him.
I genuinely wanted to know what the point was. The sneaking me on the bus, the phone withholding...it all seemed like an unnecessary mess. Any fan would be happy to receive a free sweatshirt. There was no need for all of this.
"JYP said we needed..." Seungmin began, but Chan gave him a look that immediately shut him up.
"Because it's our job," Chan said, sitting back down.
"Well, I can have my drink with someone else. You clearly don't want to."
"It doesn't matter what I want," he responded. "You checked my name on your form. I'm here."
"Well, I change my mind?" I shrugged. "I'll go with Felix or Seungmin."
Seungmin seemed amused at my standing up to him and watched with wide eyes as Chan stood up and came to tower over me. His eyes were black and shot daggers at me.
"You checked my name. So it's me," he growled.
I stood up as well, but he was a few inches taller, as he had told me he would be, so I stepped onto the bench so that I could look down at him.
"I change my mind."
The rest of the boys watched in delight at the fan girl standing up to her bias. The driver hit a bump though and, with nothing to grab onto, I went flying forward into Chan who caught me as he fell back into his original seat.
"Get off of me," he complained, and I stood up and retook my spot by Seungmin and Felix, my face flushed a bright pink.
"Sorry," I tried to apologize, but he just shook his head.
"You're having a drink with me. Not Seungmin. Not Felix. That's the rules. You agreed to them right here," he held up the screen and showed me where I had checked the Terms and Conditions...which I obviously hadn't read.
"Fine," I pouted and leaned against the wall of the bus.
"Fine," Chan repeated. He had his legs spread open and looked like a total douche.
"Get ready," the driver told us, and they formed a single file line at the door. Chan was at the back and he held my hand again for the walk into the hotel.
"Keep your head down until we get to the elevator, okay?" he instructed.
I nodded behind him.
"Hello?"
Oh right, he couldn't see me nodding. "Yep."
The door opened and Hyunjin stepped out first. Flashes went off and shouts of excitement filled the air just like last time.
Felix was right, though. There weren't as many people this time.
I walked behind Chan keeping my head down. In the hotel, one of their managers handed out hotel keys and guided them to the elevator quickly so that they weren't hovering in the lobby for long.
Chan released my hand the second the elevator doors closed.
Two buttons had been pressed. One for the twelfth floor and another for the rooftop bar. The elevator ride was quiet, and I noticed Seungmin suppressing a laugh as he eyed Chan and me.
The elevator stopped and everyone got out except for the two of us.
"Have fun!" Seungmin said sarcastically as he ran off down the hallway to his room.
Chan gave him the middle finger and the doors closed again.
He looked at me in annoyance as he leaned against the opposite side of the elevator. The door reopened, and Chan walked out, leaving me behind. I saw a chance to get out of there.
I repeatedly pressed the button to close the doors and pushed the button for the first floor. Chan hadn't even noticed that I wasn't with him when the doors closed and the elevator began its descent.
I didn't want to subject myself to an awkward drink with an egotistical idol who clearly hated me.
That wasn't a prize I wanted to win.