"Su Bin-ah, he's a busy man. Why can't you tell me exactly what's on your mind?" Ji Eun mumbled unsurely to her best friend.
She managed to get the taller girl to come over to hang out with her after a while of pleading. The oddly quiet Su Bin concerned Ji Eun to a great extent. Since when was her best friend able to manage to not be talkative for this long? Ji Eun was beginning to miss the long talks of gossip and celebrity news they shared, even when some of it was her bashing about some girl idols she enjoyed (the ones who gotten too close to the biases.)
But now that Ji Eun gotten this opportunity to squeeze something out of Su Bin, she requested to hang out with Baekhyun and then she would tell her about what she was thinking about. This frustrated Ji Eun, because this very thing was what she wanted to avoid when she introduced her and Baekhyun. She didn't want Su Bin to take advantage of her friendship with the idol and make things so inconvenient.
Was Ji Eun being greedy for thinking this way when she knew that Baekhyun was Su Bin's ultimate bias?
There's no reason for her to be greedy.
"Come on Eunnie, it doesn't hurt to try," Su Bin begged, giving the short girl a puppy dog glance, a thing Ji Eun hated receiving the most from her. "This would help with meeting up with him, yeah?" Su Bin scrounged about in her purse and took out what looked to be a couple cards hung on lanyards. In the midst of her confusion, Ji Eun leaned forward to examine the cards. The younger's eyes bulged at its significance. "Finally won me some Music Bank passes on the radio station and I know for damn sure that EXO will be performing."
Ji Eun was rendered speechless. She guessed it was about time that her best friend won something more than just trinkets and merch. She could imagine it, Su Bin at the boutique in the middle of working and using her phone, her co-workers phones, and the store phone itself to call into the radio station to whatever number caller to win the passes. Su Bin's tenacity and determination was really no joke.
"So how about we hit Baekhyun up and let him know we're coming over? He should be able to hang a bit after the show, right?" Su Bin pressed on, handing Ji Eun the second pass.
So tempting, but she already knew how bad everything could turn out. She's still surprised how Baekhyun wasn't caught at the birthday party. She'll have to thank the wonders of alcohol for that night.
But no, Music Bank will most definitely not have alcohol and it's heavy with media. They could be simply greeting Baekhyun and their faces would be spread over the internet. She was not going to take a risk like that ever again.
Besides, she never mentioned how close she was to Baekhyun. Ji Eun never really confirmed what kind of relationship they had, just that he was someone who took pity on her. For all Su Bin knows, meeting Baekhyin and having him come to the birthday party was a once in a lifetime chance, and to never see him again. Why was Su Bin making the assumption?
"I don't know why you're asking me. I have no means to reach him," Ji Eun mumbled out the lie, hoping that Su Bin would believe it. She unconsciously scratched at the back of her neck while her friend stared her down intensely, already unraveling her and the obvious lie. Yes, it was too obvious, for goodness sakes, Ji Eun had her hand on her neck, a nervous habit she had since she was a child. Of course Su Bin could tell she was lying.
"Okay."
Ji Eun wasn't expecting that response. "Okay?"
The other girl shrugged her shoulders. "I mean, if you really say so. I should trust you, right? You wouldn't lie to me." Ji Eun felt like she should slither away in shame right about now. "Well, get ready for tomorrow. Getting a glimpse of the love of my life is better than nothing!"
"Yeah... True," Ji Eun nodded, baring a small smile. "I'll see you tomorrow then."
"Yup, tomorrow." With that, Su Bin began gathering her belongings to head back home. She then suddenly paused, and looked down at the smaller girl. "I gotten a random text the other day that you and Jong Hoon are kind of okay now..."
All color drained from Ji Eun's face. Jong Hoon must've mentioned Baekhyun, it just had to. Who wouldn't have ranted about the guy who gave him a bruised jaw? She grimaced at the thought because her lie was not adding up to anything. Surely, this was a red flag. "Yeah, we ran into each other at the market and we talked somewhat... And I don't completely hate him now."
"True, his girlfriend was the bitch at my party. Not him," Su Bin grumbled, remembering the squabble. "If I see blondie again, I'm going make sure to smack away all that caked makeup on her face for you." The two of them laughed. "Okay, I gotta go. I'll swing by tomorrow, yeah?"
Ji Eun nodded at her friend and bid their last goodbyes before she left the apartment. Left alone in her own home, her eyes shifted over to her awaiting phone on the coffee table, feeling the guilt of the situation settle in her stomach. Why can't she flat out tell the truth? Baekhyun's actions themselves were already contradicting to what Ji Eun said and GOD she just didn't want to be the bad guy. Never to Su Bin.
She picked up her phone, debating whether to message Baekhyun or not. She can shoot a text that the two of them were attending and that's it. Maybe try to look for them in the audience if that's possible... She really did want to see Baekhyun again.
Or maybe, she should try to see if he has some free time after the show...
"Aishh, why is this such a problem?!" Ji Eun's voice echoed about in the empty apartment. "I should ask him... But I don't want to bother him... Maybe I shouldn't even message him at all." She slowly nodded her head at the idea. "That's right, Su Bin doesn't know I have his number so it'd be weird if we did meet up with him." She tossed her phone onto the couch cushion.
She can't even be bothered about this any more.
Ji Eun can't break. Not right now.
She has to stop these feelings for Baekhyun or else she's going to get into sucked into drama that she'd much rather avoid.
~ • ~ Next Day ~ • ~
Baekhyun didn't think he'd actually be nervous. Stomach twisting, fingers twiddling, mind racing kind of nervousness. He really shouldn't. Once he's nervous, he'd be distracted on his performance and that's just... No bueno.
But the reason why he's suddenly nervous?
From: my gamja ❤️
> Hey, guess who just won a pass to music bank!!~
> Am I going to be able to see you after the show or no?
> Lemme know soooooon ;3
Like, Ji Eun wouldn't lie to him about this, right? He'll be able to see her and she'll be able to see him. Baekhyun never felt so overwhelmingly giddy and anxious at the same time. It's almost too good to be true.
But he doesn't want to mess up with her watching him live.
Oh god, he would die. He could imagine the babble of teasing once they meet backstage or something and through text. Yes, Ji Eun was the kind of girl who would spam him through phone and face to face. It will happen, he knows Ji Eun well enough to have the scenario play out in his mind.
This was fine. He just needs to remember that Ji Eun was a fan just like everyone else. A fan who will be cheering, possibly singing to their songs. Having fun jamming... Looking cute.
A ferocious groan escaped his lips, which startled his hairstylist half to death. Baekhyun bared an apologetic glance and trained his eyes back on his phone screen.
They should have some time after the show to hang out.
Maybe just a few minutes, but that should be enough.
< I think you can!!
< I can ask the security here to bring you back or something
Baekhyun's own heart lurched at the text message. He felt his cheeks burn at the simple reply.
Since when did Ji Eun send him hearts?
He bit down on his lip to stop the growing smile, but failed. He was just so flustered and... Goodness, he liked her so much.
Once the stylists left the dressing room to leave the boys on their own, Jongdae piped up for everyone to hear, "Look at this, Baek is smiling like an idiot. Something must have happened with Kang Ji Eun."
Minseok had trotted over to Baekhyun's side and wrapped an arm around the boy's shoulder. "Looks like it is!" The oldest chimed to confirm everyone's assumption. The eight all just nodded in understanding, because, honestly, this wasn't new. There was only one reason for seeing the vocal smile at random times nowadays.
"Hyung, don't you think it's about time you ask her out?" Jongin asked out of curiosity, glancing at the older male through the mirror. A few of the members voiced out replies of agreement. All of EXO could see how happy this girl makes Baekhyun, this was actually the happiest he's ever been in a while. Finally out whatever slump the vocal was in, Kang Ji Eun had come into his life at the most perfect time.
And the members could only see good things to come out when, not if, they get together. They would do anything in their willpower for this relationship to work out.
Fuck the media and the company.
It's about time that they get some freedom to do what they want.
"So what did she do this time?" Junmyeon asked, since he knew Baekhyun was just waiting for someone to ask him.
A bright smile spread on his lips. "She's going to be here in the audience! She apparently won a pass through some contest."
"Yah, we could've just given her one, right?" Chanyeol muttered from his side. "Must've been a lot of effort to win that pass."
Baekhyun only shrugged at this. "Well, she's not the kind of person to ask things from others." He glanced down at the phone screen to stare at her last message again. The heart added was just killing him right now. "You think I can ask manager-nim if we could bring her back her after the show?" He looked at all of his members for some kind of answer. "We should have some time. Five, ten minutes tops?"
"That's enough time to ask her out," Yixing snickered from the corner of the room. The others cheered in response, now supporting Baekhyun to do it.
Ask out Kang Ji Eun to a date.
Finally do what you wanted to do since you met her, Byun Baekhyun.
A knock on the door interrupted the heated discussion. The door creaking open, a stagehand peeked his head in and told the boys that they were needed on stage in ten minutes. With one last message to Ji Eun, Baekhyun readied himself for the upcoming performance. That's right, he's got to be even better on this stage, gotta impress.
Because, who would want to ask out the girl after a horrid performance?
. . .
EXO did fantastic as usual. With a performance that still wowed the audience, the boys left the stage with high praise and thunderous applause. And honestly, Baekhyun thought he did his best out there. He had hit every difficult note and got down the dance moves flawlessly. He felt like he had a lot riding on this. He was at his high, he was confident now.
He really was going to ask out his gamja girl.
All the boys were back in their dressing room, exhausted but overall pleased with the performance they gave. Baekhyun was quick to move however, to change into his casual clothes and to freshen himself up before the girl arrives.
"Damn, I never would have thought Baek would be so nervous about this," Jongdae quipped as he lazily laid on the couch, not even bothering to change out the glitzy outfit. "I guess that's what love is."
"Hey, Kyungsoo-yah, tell me what is love."
"Shut up, Chanyeol, I'll kick your ass."
Baekhyun didn't pay his members any attention as he tried to make himself look decent with the limited time he had.
Not too long after did someone knock on the door and a security guard mentioned that the guest was here.
All of EXO quietly cheered Baekhyun on as he approached the door.
"Hello Ji--"
Baekhyun stopped his greeting midsentence, the look of shock obvious on his face. However, the members didn't see this expression, and happily greeted the girl and welcomed her into the dressing room, showering her kindness. That is until Chanyeol and Jongdae realized the problem at hand.
"Who are you?" the tallest member asked the starstruck girl. "You're not Kang Ji Eun, right?"
"Baek, what's going on?"
The vocal's gaze averted onto the phone in the girl's hand, and noticed that she did, in fact, have Ji Eun's phone. She had tricked him just to meet him and Baekhyun wasn't sure how to feel about that.
What kind of best friend does this?
The girl then gave an apologetic bow to the confused boys and decided to introduce herself properly. "Hello, I apologize for the mix up, but I'm Kim Su Bin and I'm also Baekhyun's friend."
| Unedited |