[Next day, KSJ Lounge]
"Chicken wings."
"Chicken wings?"
"Chicken wings."
"Really, chicken wings?"
"Yep, chicken wings."
"Why chicken wings?"
"Why not chicken wings?"
"Just say you both want chicken wings, i'll get some."
"Taehyunie you don't need to."
"Is it okay for you?"
"You both have to practice and i want to take a quick look by auntie."
The festival is in exactly two months. Each artist of KSJ Entertainment have 61 days left to prepare for their stage performance. It wasn't necessary to spend a lot of time planning everything, but with the typical comeback saison in KSJ, any of them have to struggle with two act of defiance.
Taehyun is one of the artist who will perform a big stage appearance. And he knows that his two best friend worked hard on their choreography.
"Crispy-honey-hotsauce or extra spicy-cheese?",Taehyun ask as he puts on the black leather jacket, which surprisingly suits him well.
"The crispy honey thing." Heeseung says, streching his neck in turning motion for the dance class, "Mr. Jung advised us not to eat anything spicy one hour before dancing. I still didn't ask him the reason though."
"Taehyunie i'll accompany you a little, dance practice is about to begin again." Yeonjun dancing the steps he learned by his teacher towards Taehyun.
"I've never seen you wearing this jacket, nice catch." Yeonjun goes through the sleeve of the jacket with his fingertips. They are in the hallway, going towards the evelator.
The now silverish-ash haired male feels his cheeks burning,"It actually belongs to a friend." he then press the button while clearing his throat.
"Wait frie-?"
Ding.
"Hey boys~"
"Hi Yeji!" Taehyun gives her a fists bump, smiling brightly.
"Choi, Mr. Park is searching for you, hurry.up.boy!" Yeji emphasizes the last words.
"Whatever." Yeonjun grimaces, selecting button 17 that leads to the dance rooms.
"So who is this fRienD? Do i know him or her?"
"Does Choi B-"
Ding.
"YEONJUN THERE YOU ARE, LATE AGAIN."
"Oh man i'm so sorry Mr. Park." Yeonjun bows to his dance teacher, who's face was colored red before.
"Oh hello Taehyun-ssi." Mr. Park rests his hands on his hips.
Mr. Park along with Mr. Jung are the official dance tutor of KSJ and are currently responsible for the choreo stages.
"Nice to see you Mr. Park." Taehyun presses the lowest button, still standing in the evelator.
"Wait what's the name?!"
"I'll tell you la-!"
Ding.
"Seriously this thing." the male mumbles and sighs after the door closed.
It is not like he hates to use the evelator. It is fast and easy to handle.
He even got advice from his sunbaenim Jungkook that he could use the evelator to escape from his manager since he can shift to an other evelator.
It worked and made fun.
At least for him.
Back to the point, thanks to the evelator he got stucked there for five hours. So since then he never goes alone again.
Ding.
"Am i already there?"
"I don't know if they will agree to this chance, i know they all are not ready yet."
"But this is the opportunity Seokjin, and it won't fly infront of your nose twice. Think about it-"
"Taehyun-ssi-"
"Excuse me-e." Taehyun interrups the Ceo while pressing on the button again, multiple times. His gazes repeatedly switch from the button to the two person in front of the evelator door. His cheeks flushes red from embarrassment.
"What's wrong with me? Dang it"
He blows up a strand of hair aside with closing eyes, leaning against the metally evelator wall as the door closes.
"But this is the opportunity Seokjin and it won't fly infront of your nose twice."
What opportunity did they meant before? He has been on this label officially 2 years and definetly knows that Kim Seok Jin stepped in as the new CEO around that time. Even though the new CEO isn't for long in this business he does his job very well. At least manager Kwan tolds the young artist so.
But he has to keep on his mind that those things are non of his business. CEO Kim Seokjin can decide about everything he can. At the end they won't regret his decision though.
Ding.
Taehyun walks out of the evelator but is gretting by a bunch employee of KSJ. He steps out the hallway to meet the cold breeze of the wind. He is lucky that he wears the jacket unless he'll be an 5,8f. tall Olaf of frozen anytime.
"Just give it back to me the next time we'll meet."
The real question is when they'll meet again. He anyways hopes soon. It is not like he can't live without Beomgyu or something.
Back to topic.
Fortunately, 'Hotpot', the shop where his aunt Mirae and her husband work at, is not far from the KSJ Building, which is why the smell of warm chicken wafts through his nose.
He hadn't came over to them for a while, because whenever the school is over or like today when he has free time, he'll always go to Hotpot just to see them. They are like his second parents he love the most.
"Heyy can i take an order?" Taehyun peeks at the frame, giggling after.
"Terry Kang!"
Uncle Soo-Ri let all of the plates he was holding dropping and walks his way to Taehyun.
"H-how are you? It's been a long time." Soo-Ri cups his hands onto the ash blonde's cheeks.
Taehyun takes the chance and eyes his uncle from head to toe and he could determine one thing. Uncle Soo-Ri never changed, not a bit. He is the same man with his short silky black hair, his light beard, the red smock he always wears for work and his uncle is still taller then him.
"It's been just one year." Taehyun hugs his uncle, few tears dropping either from the garlic dip which he can take from the smock or he just missed his uncle.
Maybe both.
"Ricky you don't have to- Taekey!"
A woman with a messy bun and round glasses can be seen in the bar.
From all the stains on her bluse she was making the BBQ sauce for the grilled pork meat.
"What are you doing here?", she excitetly wanders to her nephew.
"I just want to-"
"Do you want to eat something?"
"Haha yes but-"
"Woah you are taller than in my memory, do you start exercising lately?"
"Mirae please hea-"
"Is this a new jacket? It suits you so much!"
"No-o it's from a friend but-"
"You have a boyfriend? And why didn't you tell me?" Mirae pouts, crossing her arms onto her chest,"I could cry, Taekey i missed you so much, sorry please continue. What do you want?"
"Auntie i.don't.have.a.boyfriend, this jacket is just from a new friend i met yesterday." Taehyun grabs her wrists to calm her down.
"I want some chicken wings...wait seriously Taekey and Terry Kang?" Taehyun blushes at the nicknames.
"I once dreamed of me calling you 'Terry Kang' so why not in real life too." Soo-Ri chuckles, blinking at the ash blond. He always blinks whenever he chuckles.
"And people says that dreams come true." his aunt shruggs. Her smile remains him so much like his father and so his smile.
"Which sort of chicken? Shuu let me guess...crispy honey?"
"Yep 2x 20-pack please. I'll share with my friends."
"Okay sit here and don't move, give me a sec." Mirae hurries into the kitchen in just a blink.
"You sure you don't have a lover? You can tell me." uncle Soo-Ri gives a suspicious look.
Beomgyu? Choi Beomgyu? As his boyfriend? Never.
Taehyun was unsure about his sexuality and in which he is attract to. He is definetly sure he is straight. But those things crime his head to be honest.
"Ah no he-e is just a em- a friend." Taehyun blushes, his uncle nods.
"And how are your parents doing?" Soo-Ri goes further to wipe the tables with a rag full of foam.
"Dad's is like always in the military. He told me that his troop will come back to Korea for an conmission." Taehyun looks down, playing with the nails of his fingers.
He hadn't see him for years expect via face time. Back then as he was still little he was proud that his father work for the military. Today he is still proud of him of course, but he is also afraid that his father might fight with bad luck. He just don't want to imagine it.
"And mom...is still ill." he lowers his voice which comes out like a faint whisper. She is in the Seoul-hospital for months, where she is taken care of by her personal doctors.
"I'm.. i'm sorry i thought-, may the goods happen to her. And about your dad, Mirae told me he's a strong yet brave man with a golden heart and you know it, so please don't worry about him."
"Taekey, here are chicken wings you wanted and i add more hotsauce like the way you loved it." Aunt Mirae points to the bag,"And enjoy the cheese tteokbokki i made for you."
"Thanks i gotta go now." Taehyun smiles at them, waving to say goodbye.
"Already? Fine, send my best regards to parents. Please take care and please visit us someday again!"
"Fighting Terry Kang! We love you!"
"Love you~" Taehyun chuckles at their action and get flustered by the nickname 'Terry Kang' again. He really needs to get used to it, because this likely might be forever.
"Taehyun-ssi."
A wide black van drives past the last bend until it stops infront of the boy. The window cracks down, showing manager Kwan in top form.
"What are you doing here mister? Hop in before someone will recognize you."
"It's too late anyway." Taehyun gets in the van, looking for a seat next his manager.
"Maybe i need to be with you 24/7."
"What makes you think about it?" Taehyun places the bag on his lap, searching for his phone.
"Do you perhaps see my-"
"You mean this?" manager Kwan sways a cellphone with his three finger,"Does it answers you enough?"
"24/7? What about freedom because i need it." Taehyun grins, snapping his cellphone,"I was just a lil busy today. I-i don't have to keep track of everything..please don't be mad."
"It's fine young man, everything is still on its place."
"It's not that far away by the way, we don't need to be driven."
Manager Kwan just hums at him. The ash blonde unlocks his phone, receiving many missed calls and messages.
He didn't see his cell phone for half a day and he was bombarded with lot of things. Unbelievable.
You receive three messages of 4454044558.
He is aware that he should not contact anyone as long as it is a stranger. It can't happen again. And he won't let it happen. Not again.
He has trust issues since then.
But one look doesn't costs anything right?
___