Saturday, November 19th; Fall Music Festival.
"Hyung!" Taehyung shouted, banging two more times on the front door. Jungkook let out a tired sigh, due to both is fatigue and frustration, as Taehyung shouted out for the nth time. "Are you coming or not?"
I tapped my foot out of nervous impatience, selecting Suga's contact and waiting for the call to be picked up. Surprisingly, although Jungkook had already called him twice without success, Suga picked up after the first ring.
"Su-"
"Tell them I'm coming, I'm trying to get this last album done. And Jesus, tell Taehyung to stop breaking down my door. I can hear it from all the way over here."
I lowered my phone, covering the microphone as I tapped the loud, shouting Taehyung and stopped him from continuing to wake up any neighbors nearby. "He's coming, chill."
"Are we gonna be late?" Jungkook asked somewhat quietly, glancing towards both of us. Taehyung shrugged and I glanced down at the time.
"When do we need to be there?" I asked, my question being picked up by the phone as well.
"We'll be fine," Suga said calmly from the phone, Jungkook's tenseness only relaxing a tiny amount. He let out a little breath, but his shoulders didn't drop from his tense position.
Just a few seconds later, the door opened abruptly with Suga exiting and locking the door behind him. His sudden and rather quick appearance startled all of us, the older giving Taehyung a squinted stare.
"It's not like my parents were sleeping or anything," he stated, Taehyung biting his lip with a slightly fearful look. Suga just let him off though, walking down the porch steps and leading the way back to the car with a quick speed-walk.
"Thank God you're here," RapMon sighed as Suga closed the front passenger door. Jungkook, Taehyung and I squished in the back seats as usual, Jungkook whispering something about the door to the older boy next to him that I didn't pick up on. Rather, I listened in on the driver's words.
"We'll get there right before registration closes." RapMon said, somewhat quietly to avoid stressing out anyone in the back. Suga simply shook his head.
"We just need to check in before 9." he stated, confusing RapMon to the point he sat up a bit in his seat, glancing at the person next to him.
"Nine? Then why did you tell us we had to be there by eight, God," he sighed, seeming a lot more relaxed but didn't change his speed on the road.
I watched Suga glance around quickly. "Rona's supposed to be there by 8." he said rather quietly, yet I unconsciously replied without thinking.
"I do?" I asked loudly, distracting the two younger boys from their conversation. They looked over, confused of what we were talking about.
Suga let out a small chuckle, turning his head towards me. "Super responsible, Rona."
"I am responsible," I replied slightly offended. "Lyra said to be there by 8:30."
Suga was awfully confident in himself as he shook his head. "No, it's 8."
Jungkook glanced towards his phone for the time, then towards me with a confused but slightly worried look. I felt the tenseness of the silence that waited to be broken in the car, a little tug pulling all of us as RapMon sped up a bit more after the traffic light turned green.
"How do you know her schedule?" Taehyung asked, his joking smile and curious heart could always be heard in his voice, somehow. RapMon laughed a little, clicking on his turn signal as he commented, "Yeah, Hyung,"
"I have friends other than you guys," Suga said, probably rolling his eyes but I couldn't tell from the side. He shrugged off the driver's lingering "mhm" that lasted a bit longer than it needed to.
"Who?" I asked, realizing it seemed rather harsh to ask what other friends he had. However it had already come out of my mouth, Jungkook holding in a laugh and Taehyung not even trying to stay quiet. I decided to add something else before Suga took it the wrong way. "Suho?"
"Bro, you talk to Rona's-"
Suga cut off the younger, perhaps not on purpose but his short reply was enough to stop Taehyung with a shake of his head. He explained immediately afterwards with a single name. "Hoseok."
"I'm weak," Jungkook laughed, being the silent listener until now as his eager interest in the conversation, causing him to sit up in his chair, dissipated and he plopped his back into the seat cushion.
I laughed as well, RapMon letting out a "That doesn't count," and Taehyung finding it so funny he patted Suga on the shoulder from behind.
The contact made Suga flinch, not of fear but of surprise, moving forward a little to get away from the younger's hand. "Chill, don't touch me." he said, Taehyung immediately obeying but still with his entertained giggle.
"We're here, we're here," RapMon said quickly, pulling into a rather crowded parking lot. I looked towards the front of the car for the time, everyone else also checking whatever the closest clock was to them. The red digital numbers read "8:07".
"I'll drive by the front, it'll take forever to find parking." RapMon said, following a line of cars that was dropping off various groups of people at the large arch opening. Suga pointed towards the right as we approached a little paved pathway.
"You can park back there since we're performing." Suga said, RapMon seeming surprised.
"Really?" he asked, seeming internally overjoyed. Suga simply nodded, the rest of us being impressed by how much he knew. Then again, we probably should have known all of the same things as well.
"Yeah, just drop off us first though." Suga said, and a few seconds later, everyone popped their door open. RapMon popped the trunk and Jungkook grabbed my bag, handing it to me. It looked full, yet it was light since it was filled with mostly clothing and a few bottles of water.
Taehyung had asked if he needed to take out another bag, the one full of the albums they were planning to sell, and I walked around the car to the passenger side as well.
Suga was about to reply, likely that he could get them himself, as he sat up to get out of his seat. RapMon let out a quick, "Hey, Hyung," that stopped the older. Suga turned towards the driver again.
"Can you come with me to park?" he asked, using his head to make a gesture towards the direction of the performer parking lot that Suga had mentioned moments earlier. Suga glanced towards the three of us, who were all waiting along the side of the car.
Suga sucked in a breath, turning back towards RapMon. "Can you go yourself? I'll go in and meet you at the back entrance and help you carry things in."
"Jin and Jimin are already at the back entrance." Taehyung said suddenly, reading a text off of his phone. I could have sworn Suga shot an annoyed glare at the younger.
"Then you guys go ahead," Suga said, putting his leg back into the car and holding the door as he talked. "Don't be late," he said to me.
I nodded in understanding, the older closing his door shut as the car drove off. Jungkook gave me a little pat on my back, ushering me forward. "Better go meet up with your other group."
I nodded, grabbing my phone to check once again where we were meeting. I glanced at a map on my phone, remembering passing the same few vendor booths when doing the sound check the other day.
"I'm not sure why Jimin isn't with them, I'll tell him to meet up with you when we see him." Taehyung said as I sped-walk towards the entrance, the younger also walking a bit faster than usual. When Jungkook ran to catch up with us, Taehyung seemed to skip along the path ahead, making us both laugh.
Once we entered under the large arch I turned left, following a sidewalk that paved a path along the side of the grass towards the large patio-like area far in front of the large stage that now had many people setting up around it. I recognized a few people sitting around a wooden picnic table, jumping up a few stairs to meet them.
"Rona, you're here!" Lyra smiled, waving me over. I rushed over, setting my bag on the table.
"Sorry I'm late," I apologized, looking around the table. I scanned the bodies, suddenly noticing there were only two. "...where's everyone else?"
"Um..." Lyra began, thinking. She pointed off in the distance past the arch I had entered through. "Grace and Sana went to go change, though we don't perform for another hour and a half. We already checked in, by the way. And..." she continued, pausing to think again. "Chanyeol's buying breakfast, I think."
Isabella, who sat across from Lyra on her phone, looked up and nodded. "Did you eat yet?"
I nodded, thanking her for offering. Chanyeol arrived moments later, setting two bags on the table. "Morning, Rona." he greeted simply with a smile, pointing at the bags. "Help yourself if you're hungry."
I gave him a nod of thanks as well, Lyra beginning hastily, "Don't eat too much though, we've gotta dance soon."
I felt a little buzz on my phone, picking up and reviewing the message. I was a lot calmer now knowing I wasn't holding anyone behind.
Taehyung: Jimin's helping us bring stuff in but it's not a lot so he should meet up with you guys soon
Rona: Is Hoseok with you?
Taehyung: nah idk where he is
I looked up from my phone, catching Lyra's attention. "Hey, where's J-Hope?"
"I don't know," she replied casually, surprising me a bit. "He helped us check in and then left. I assume it was for his band thing." she seemed indifferent about the conversation, perhaps a bit tired from waking up early on a Saturday. She didn't hear a response and looked up from her phone, noticing my surprised and confused expression.
"What? I'm supposed to know where he is at all times? I'm not his mother."
"I never said that," I replied, smiling a little. She let out a laugh in response, looking around.
"Hey Rona, where's Suho?" she asked. Isabella looked up from searching through the bag of food to hear my answer as well, Chanyeol chewing on some sort of bread-like food in his hand.
"How should I know?" I asked, Lyra pointing at me with raised eyebrows.
"Exactly." she replied with a satisfied smile, reaching across the table to grab a small piece of a blueberry muffin Isabella had in front of her. The other girl didn't seem to mind, breaking off a piece for herself and putting it in her mouth too.
Chanyeol was chewing a lot faster, trying to get the food down. He took a tiny sip of water before beginning quickly, "Suho signed in for our other group and then had to leave to pick someone up."
"Jongin?" I asked suddenly, surprising him a bit. Chanyeol smiled at the name, shaking his head.
"No, Baekhyun..." he answered, trailing off but not out of confusion or suspicion. He smiled again. "You know Jongin?"
"Yeah, from Ms. Minji's studio. He also came to help register your group a few days ago." I replied, Isabella seeming interested in the conversation as she sat up.
"Right," Chanyeol said, nodding once. "Jongin told me about that." he said, pointing at me, then at his head. "But no, he's already here. I think he's hanging out by the backstage parking lot."
I received a little buzz from my pocket.
Jimin ^-^: Suho just arrived in the back parking lot. He says he's heading over.
Rona: cool
Rona: Do you know where Hoseok is?
Jimin ^-^: He arrived with us and went to go meet Lyra
Jimin ^-^: Is he not with you guys?
Rona: No he's not here
Jimin ^-^: Maybe check by the bathroom? He said his stomach hurt
Rona: Oh no
Rona: Thanks I'll try to find him
"Hey," I said suddenly through the silence, everyone looking up from either their food or phone. "I'm gonna go to the bathroom. I think Hoseok might be there too, wanna come with?"
"I'll come - I mean you can't go in the guy's bathroom anyways," Chanyeol said, standing up. Lyra gave a little nod as well, picking up my bag for me.
"We can go change and make sure everything fits and all." Lyra suggested. I nodded reaching my arm and holding the bag for her. Isabella said she'd say at the table and guard our food, Chanyeol grabbing something from inside the bag as we began to walk away.
"You must be really hungry," I commented with a laugh. Chanyeol handed me half of the bagel he had in his hand.
"Want some?" he asked with a half full mouth, humorously disgusting Lyra as she pushed him away. "You're disgusting."
"What? I'm trying to offer Rona this nice, high quality bagel. Would you like half of my nice, high quality-"
"No, Chanyeol."
Chanyeol rolled his eyes a bit and looked away from her, taking another bite and then looking back at me. He looked towards me like he was about to say something quietly, or perhaps just mouth a message to me, but ended up just making a tiny gesture with his eyes towards Lyra, who was walking a few steps in front of us. I lacked an answer to his vague statement, sending a simple smile back in response.
When we arrived at the bathroom area, the place not crowded at all, though it would be in just a few hours when listeners of the festival started arriving. Chanyeol broke off from the two of us, eating the last of his bagel. I'm pretty sure he had swallowed at least most of it before he pointed towards the male bathroom door.
"I need to go to the bathroom but I'll let you know if Hoseok's in there." he said, both of us nodding rather awkwardly. I was going to let him know that we'd be changing soon but he had already closed the bathroom door behind him.
"Is there a hanger in here anywhere?" I asked once we had entered the bathroom. Lyra glanced around, pointing at a coat hanger along the wall across from the toilet stalls. I went ahead and hung the bag on the hook. The bathroom was empty anyways, it's not like anyone would steal a bag full of random clothes.
"I actually have to go to the bathroom so I'll just leave this out here." I said, Lyra nodding. Right as I closed the door she commented, "You know what? Me too." I heard another door open and then close, the sound repeating itself twice. I wanted to laugh over Lyra's first failed attempt to close the stall door, yet it seemed like she hadn't struggled after that point so I decided not to.
Lyra was done before me (her door opening and closing twice once again) and washing her hands when I exited the stall. I reached over across her to grab the soap, the girl leaning back a bit so I wouldn't drip water on her shirt.
"Which one's mine?" Lyra asked, unzipping my bag.
"The one on top," I replied. I moved my hands under the hand dryer, the machine blasting out a loud, machinery-like noise with the stream of air.
"Oh, this is cute," I think she commented, the sound of the blow dryer seeming to overpower her voice. "How does it work though?"
"What do you mean?" I asked, almost yelling over the noise of the small machine. I shook my hands a few times and walked towards her and the bag, the hand dryer still blasting it's loud noise.
"Is it supposed to be like that?" she asked, holding up the white crop top. My eyes widened.
"Wait," I began, quickly stepping up to her and observing the fabric. In fact, it looked more like simple fabric than any type of clothing now. "I... no, it's cut."
She handed me the top as I ran my finger against the very crooked cut down the back, using my thumb to push the two sides back together. Once they wrapped around back to where they were supposed to be, it resembled what it looked like earlier this morning when I had packed it into my bag.
"Well, that's definitely cut." Lyra said, observing the broken outfit casually as if it was no big deal. I simple stared at her with my widened eyes for a few more seconds, looking around.
"I have no idea what happened..." I began, trailing off. Lyra looked at the fabric for another second commenting simply, "It's a pretty cute crop top though."
I stopped my internal want to correct her with "was" and looked around the bathroom. All the stall doors were open and no one was in here. It must've happened earlier, right? But I've been with this bag all day. The only time I've left it "alone" was just now.
Lyra was digging through the bag, pulling out the rest of the clothes. She glanced at each side of the shorts, then putting them in front of her waist. "This is cute too." she commented to herself, quickly pulling out the other clothes which was my outfit for the performance.
"That's the only thing that got messed up." she said, pointing towards the white fabric in my hands.
"I don't know-" I began, Lyra cutting me off.
"Don't worry about it, it's not your fault. I think I have an idea of what happened, but we can just fix it. I always have a sewing kit in my car, just gimme a minute and I'll get it." Lyra said.
"You're so calm about this," I said, stuffing the other clothing back in the bag and following her out of the bathroom. As soon as we exited, Lyra walked a few steps away from the bathroom and looked down both the right and left pathways that lead towards the patio, exit, and stage. I looked both ways as well, but most of the people walking around were just staff carrying speakers or vendors setting up their booths.
I could've sworn Lyra had cursed under her breath, looking down the paths one more time before looking towards me again. "I can easily fix this in my car, I'll be back. Don't worry too much."
And with that she ran down the path to the left, Hoseok's voice appearing from behind me.
"Lyra!" he shouted, yet the girl didn't turn around. He let out a sigh, making me turn around.
However, Hoseok wasn't looking towards me anymore, but rather Chanyeol, who also looked concerned on why Lyra sped down the paved sidewalk towards the exit.
"Why would she be running that way? Her car is parked in the back parking lot, isn't it? Didn't she just say she was going to her car?" he asked, Chanyeol shrugging.
"I don't know. " Chanyeol began, lowering his voice significantly as he continued. "But I'd bet Ivy running down that path has something to do with it."
~~~
a/n: Hey are you proud of me? I actually updated on time and added important plot to this chapter! Hope you enjoyed and let me know your thoughts about what you think is gonna happen next/what happened if you've got any theories - I'm curious to see what you all are thinking ^-^