Warning!!!
This chapter deals with mentions of sexual harassment and might not be suitable for all readers!!! The part between the stars (***) includes sensitive content. Otherwise the chapter is safe.
Note: My experience on Korean BBQ are equivalent to zero. MC orders meat, but if you are vegetarian/vegan/etc., you can imagine it's something else! Also, I haven't watched kdramas but I imagine this might be something similar... I tried figuring out a plausible way to describe the train network so I played around with street view for quite a while. Not that I still know where all the dorms are actually located.
~ May 10, Wednesday ~
I brushed my hand through my hair, messing up the curls I spent two hours on. The blonde color had started to fade and I hadn't yet decided what to do with them now that we had entered the period between two promotion eras. Maybe I should let it grow and concentrate on healing the texture, my hair wasn't as healthy as it used to be before the dying and redying started.
The weather became warmer in May, and just like nature, people started to wake up to the life around them. The trees were covered in tiny green leaves and occasional flowers started pushing up the grass.
I was walking on a busy street, a black mask covering the lower half of my face, while a baseball cap hid most of the remaining skin. Spring had reached my body as well, making me more energized and oddly happy, but I couldn't wear the newest fashion trends like tulle or shiny striped shirts, and dressed up in plain leggings and a hoodie instead. A staff member acting as my bodyguard was walking right on my heels, making sure no one would harm me in case they recognized me. He never said anything, but I couldn't relax in his presence.
After a few minutes I arrived at the corner of a small park, the small city trees fenced neatly around the wooden benches. The crowd was less dense here, and the light breeze of wind between the tower blocks felt a little cold.
– He'll be here soon, I said to the guard, who simply nodded and went back to surveying the surroundings like a protective dog.
I picked up my phone, checking if there were any new messages. None. With a sigh, and looked up. The park was in the middle of a peaceful neighborhood, similar to the one I lived in. Only difference was that it was more well-kept, the grass clean and trimmed, and the walls of the buildings were pure white with glass balconies.
The clouds shifted, and the sun shone brightly down on me, and I turned around, hoping I had taken my sunglasses with me. Soon it became hot, my back warm with the sunlight, and I grew agitated and anxious, it was five minutes past midday. My feet started to pace in place and I hang my arms lazily, swinging them around my body.
Maybe I shouldn't have come, maybe this wasn't a good idea. Yes, it definitely was a bad idea, and I would get into trouble for adventuring around strange parts of the city. I was about to tell the guard we should get back, when he tensed up, staring up the path on my left.
– (First Name)! I heard someone shout.
– It's okay, that's him, I assured the bodyguard, who still stood close to me.
There he was, running towards me, footsteps echoing between the houses. Hyeonwoo slowed down and stopped in front of me, hands resting on his knees as he took a moment to catch his breath.
– Sorry I kept you waiting, it isn't exactly a gentlemanly thing to do, he apologized.
When he looked up, his eyes sparkled as his wide grin lifted his already prominent cheekbones. I kept my eyes fixed on him, forgetting about everything else, even the sun, for a few seconds. It was his puzzled expression that shook me out of my trance.
– Don't worry, I didn't wait that long.
– Ah, good to know. So, there's a nice barbecue place just around that corner. Nothing fancy, but the food's really good. How does that sound?
– I'll trust you on this one, I smirked.
The walk was short, maybe a minute, and there was a narrow street behind the tall buildings. There were more trees, and I appreciated the shadows. Because of the laid-back aesthetic fitting his casual attire Hyeonwoo asked me to take a few photos of him, and I tried my best, but the photo op turned into a hilarious hassle, when he offered to do the same for me. 'Is that your happy face or angry face?' he asked when I couldn't find a good pose and hid my flustered face. Eventually we were happy with the few successful photos and continued to the restaurant.
– Um, this does look like a very fancy restaurant, I voiced my concerns out loud when we stepped in. There wasn't a lot of customers, just a few businessmen enjoying their late dinners, but this looked like a refined restaurant only the CEO's were allowed to dine in.
– It's my cousin's barbecue place, I can get us a discount. Besides, I asked you out so it's technically my duty to pay. Don't worry, I was given a credit card.
– I'm eating on your company's tab? my eyes grew big in panic.
– Yes you are, now sit down and pick whatever you want, Hyeonwoo steered me to a table in the corner where you couldn't even see that well.
The bodyguard sat a few meters from me, ordering a glass of water. Hyeonwoo was sitting opposite me, not bothering to see the menu, and he explained he had memorized it. The photos of sets of various grilled meats and vegetables made my mouth water. After the waiter took our order she briefly disappeared into the kitchen and brought our drinks, and large plates with the raw food we could cook on our own.
We didn't really talk yet, and I could not forget what Hyeonwoo had said about asking me out. Was this a date? When I had asked if I could go out to meet a friend the staff had accepted after I had explained who the friend was and what we were planning on doing. They still insisted someone should accompany me, just in case. No one suspected anything, but it never occurred to me that this probably looked like a date.
I stared at the food as it was cooking over the flame, and my thoughts ran unbothered. We sat in a comfortable silence, the type you often had when eating. And when Hyeonwoo opened his mouth, the silence was broken but the atmosphere was still almost serene.
***
– Daejung was fired, he said.
– Turns out he had harassed someone and she reported him.
He kept his eyes fixed on the food, and I could tell he was a little uncomfortable with the topic. Eunha had texted me as soon she had talked with her manager and the police, and fortunately it was Daejung who had received all the charges. What I didn't know was how JHA would react to it, and how much Eunha had revealed to others, excluding me.
– It's sad, but we, me and the boys, thought it would be the best he left. He is a good guy otherwise, but misbehaving like that also labels the rest of us. The company will publish a statement tomorrow morning, and I hope nothing like this happens again.
I didn't answer, but I had moved my attention away from my food, holding the chopsticks on the table. Earlier I had only seen the individual's point of view, seen Eunha's agony and been angry to a lot of people who didn't let her report it freely. Now I understood this was a part of something bigger, affecting the groups and entire companies. JHA would surely be the center of all news and rumors for a while, and while we all wanted justice, we didn't want to cause chaos.
– The thing is, Hyeonwoo placed his own chopsticks down with a long, troubled sigh.
– Are you alright, (First Name)?
This took me by surprise, did he think I was a part of this? I weighed the available options for a while before answering. Thankfully the restaurant was nearly empty.
– Yes, everything is fine.
– Really?
– Really, I promise.
– Good. Seriously, I don't know what I would do if someone did that to you. No one deserves that, but you're the last person I want to see being harassed. Be careful out there, okay? You never know who might do what, so take care of yourself. And if something happens, I will always protect you and support you.
No words came out of my mouth, not even if I tried to say something. My cheeks had become warm and my heart was beating rapidly. 'Come one, this is serious!' I told myself, but all I wanted to do was to hide behind my cap and scream.
– Thank you, I said so softly he barely heard it.
***
Hyeonwoo wasn't lying, the food was excellent. I had planned on eating just a light dinner, but surprised by the perfect taste and texture, I couldn't leave without trying another dish. We didn't have any deep conversations because we were so busy savoring the meal, but the overall mood had changed into a happy chatter about our jobs and latest interests.
An hour later we had finally finished, and Hyeonwoo paid for both of our orders, and while he didn't show me the total, I knew it was rather large.
– It was great seeing you after a long time, he said when we slowly strolled back to our meeting point.
– I didn't know when would be a good time to ask, you always seem so busy.
– We have to keep training ourselves even between promotions, I agreed.
– True, I have to go to the gym nearly everyday. And not a single muscle has grown since last year!
I laughed a little at his over exaggerating comment. In my opinion he had gained a little more muscle since I last met him. Not that I had seen much of his bare skin to verify my thoughts.
The sun had shifted, and it didn't shine as brightly anymore. I still felt a little tired, but it might have been the food baby in my stomach. I stood there for a moment, thinking about a way to say goodbye.
– Well, I guess we'll see again later, whenever it is, Hyeonwoo said before I could, and I nodded.
– I'll try to let you know whenever I'm free. They never tell the schedules in advance but hopefully there will be more free time.
– Good, because I want to spend more time with you, Hyeonwoo's smile was wide and playful again, but I could see his warm eyes soften a little.
– Me too, I smiled back.
We said our goodbyes and I started walking back to the train station with the bodyguard. I didn't feel as constricted I had earlier, and we walked side by side now. The closer we got to the station, the more people started gathering around us.
But I didn't pay much mind to them. A subtle feeling of after-food laziness didn't stop me from smiling happily. There was something energizing in meeting your loved ones face to face. I sincerely hoped I didn't have a strict timetable for a while so I could plan more outings with my friends. Restaurant hopping with Hyeonwoo, shopping with my members, and maybe doing something fun with Eunha, too. An excited shiver ran down my spine.
The train wasn't full on a weekday, so we could sit down on the bench. As the train jerked and started moving, I fixed my eyes on the window opposite of me. At first I only saw houses, but soon the concrete jungle changed into a bridge over the river. The setting sun colored everything with a hue of orange the shadows were darker. At the mercy of the gentle rocking motion the exhaustion kicked in, and I closed my eyes. The sun was setting and the day was closing its end but I didn't care. I was happy, and that was all that mattered.
FIN