That little coffee shop BamBam took me to on my first day in Seoul wasn't too far from my aunt's apartment.
I hadn't realized this until I had to escape my aunt's too-small-to-fit-everyone apartment the other day. My grandparents had already arrived and were staying at a hotel, but they decided to visit my aunt's apartment.
After much criticism from my grandparents about how I had "ruined my beautiful hair" by putting that lilac streak in my hair and how I should wear brighter, more girly clothing to "highlight my girly features," I had had enough and excused myself from the apartment. Of course, my grandparents and my mother tried to get me to stay but Aunt Abbi let me go.
That's how I found my way here, alone. I ordered the same thing that BamBam got for me the last time. I was thinking that maybe this would be my special place her in Seoul. There was even a currency exchange right across the street. I had brought a lot of extra cash, considering the fact that we would be here for a while. Although my aunt was cool enough to give me an allowance everyday. Honestly, where does she work that she's earned so much?
Anyway, the coffee shop was quiet, not too much people went inside at the same time. It was the perfect place to escape to since the grandparents were back at my aunt's apartment.
And at least I had gotten the chance to charge the music player this time.
So there I was, sitting at a table in the far corner, when the bell at the entrance sounded and in came someone I thought I had seen the last of.
I didn't think BamBam noticed me as he walked straight for the counter. I tried to focus on the hot tea that I had ordered, pretending to myself that his presence didn't distract me from the music I was blasting through my headphones.
A faint shadow fell on the table and I looked up only to see the Thai kpop celebrity. He smiled and something I couldn't hear. I held up my hand and pulled off my headphones.
"Sorry, what?"
"I asked if anyone was sitting here," he said.
"Oh, yeah, he's kinda invisible at the moment," I said.
He chuckled, taking a seat on the chair across from me.
"So, how are you?" he asked.
I shrugged. "Fine, I guess. What brings you here?"
"I wanted some coffee," he simply said. "Something wrong with that?"
I shook my head. "Nope. Just surprised to see you again."
"Well, I'm glad to see you again. I saw you at the restaurant the other day."
"Really? I didn't see you."
"I know you did. You were staring."
"Not at you. Your friend, the one beside you, he's kinda hot," I said trying to play down the fact that I was caught.
"Mark?" he questioned out loud as if he was trying to make sense of it. "He's okay, but I'm better-looking."
I just shrugged. Honestly, I had no idea who he was talking about. BamBam was the only one of the seven that had caught my eye. Not that I would tell him that.
It was quiet for a while until he broke the silence.
"So, you were with your family at the restaurant, right?"
"Yeah, so?"
"I don't think I saw your dad? Did he not come with you here?" he asked.
The question caught me off guard and I let out the first words that popped into my head. "You don't know when you're not wanted, do you?"
He frowned. "I always thought I'm a good companion."
The hint of hurt in his expression kinda made me guilty.
"I should go," he muttered, standing up. Okay so maybe I was more than just 'kinda guilty' for saying that.
I sighed, reaching out to grab his wrist before he could leave. "I'm sorry," I said, "I didn't mean to say that. It's just... I'm not in a great mood right now." And my family was always a topic I liked to avoid. I didn't say it out loud but he nodded as if he understood.
"Oh, it's... okay," he said. I gestured for him to sit down again and he did. I managed a small smile, which he returned a bit hesitantly.
"So, since you're from here and all, how about a little tour? I could use a little sight-seeing," I said. He brightened up as I said that then went on about the places we could go to. I think I stopped listening after a few seconds.
Why did I ask him to show me around? He's this famous guy and there's gonna be some fans and stupid rumors! All I wanted was to make it through the entire stay in Seoul alive. Sight-seeing and Korean popstars were never part of the equation and never should have been.
I must have been staring because then I realized he wasn't talking anymore. And that we weren't alone. How could I have not noticed the arrival of these strangers?
Two guys had joined us at the table. They were familiar. I was sure that I had seen them before and I realized that they were his groupmates in Got7.
I recognized one of them as the guy with the headphones in that one music video of theirs that I watched. I didn't really have time to admire him at the time but now that he was sitting next to me, damn. Couldn't he have been the one I met first?
I turned my attention back to BamBam and he smiled at me. "You were staring again." He chuckled and I rolled my eyes. "I know it's me you were staring at."
"Whatever."
"So, this is the girl who saved you from the sasaengs," the guy who sat next to BamBam said.
The guy beside me muttered something in Korean, offering me a smile before speaking to the two other boys.
And suddenly they were all speaking Korean. I was out of place.
"You guys do know that I can't understand you, right?" I piped in.
They seemed to finally remember that they weren't the only ones sitting at the table. They muttered an apology, speaking in English this time.
"Sorry," the one next to BamBam said. "I'm Jackson, by the way." Well, at least he didn't wait so long to tell me his name like a certain someone.
"And he's Mark," Jackson added, gesturing to the guy next to me. Mark smiled, muttering a greeting.
They seemed pretty good in English.
"Skylar," I introduced myself. "And for the record, I didn't save him on purpose."
"You still saved him, that counts as something," Mark said with a shrug.
"And as a thank you, we will give you a free tour of the city," Jackson said. "What do you say?"
I shrugged. "Why not?"
"But I thought I'm supposed to be the one to give you a tour." BamBam pouted and I chuckled.
"Aaw, you don't want us to interrupt your date. That's cute," Mark said.
Wait, did he just say date?
"We're interrupting their date right now," Jackson told him.
"We're not going on a date," I muttered.
Jackson snorted. "Okay. Nevertheless, we will accompany you two since you're still underaged."
Bambam protested. "Yah. I'm eighteen. I don't need babysitters."
"But she is... How old are you?"
"Seventeen in a month," I answered. I didn't think my age was that obvious. I mean, I had a fake ID that I used to buy alcohol with my friends back at home. (Yeah, they weren't the best examples of people but they got my back. That's all that really mattered anyway.)
"She's still sixteen," Mark said. "You need a chaperone."
"I don't think so," BamBam replied.
But then again, what harm's gonna be done if they did follow us around?
I shrugged. "If they wanna come, I'm fine with it. It's not like anything bad's gonna happen if we let them come along," I told BamBam. "Besides, it's not like this is a date."
I tried ignoring the flash of emotion I saw on his face. It disappeared from his expression before I could tell what it was.
"See, she wants us to come!" Jackson said.
Honestly, I just didn't want it to seem like a date. Besides, I'll probably have more protection against crazy fangirls that will eventually spot us.
The three of us waited for BamBam's reply. I could see that he was hesitant, though I don't know what for.
"Fine," he said grudgingly.
"Don't worry. We'll give you alone time with your girlfriend," Mark said and both BamBam and I yelled in protest.
"I'm not his girlfriend!" "She's not my girlfriend."
The two just laughed while BamBam was as red as a tomato.
It shouldn't end up too bad if they came along, right? I mean, I'm hoping I can make it to the end of the day without punching one of those guys in the face.