Underneath The Riptide

Chapter Five Part 2

***

When I am already halfway towards the venue, Jeannette called me again and told me that she'll be waiting outside.

I laugh how she is stressed out for waiting me so long but I know she's just too excited.

"C'mon, Jean, we still got one hour and thirty-minutes!"

"Still! We need to be early as possible, goodness! Michael, park it there!"

I look at the screen of my phone. "Michael's with you?"

"You dumbass, just park it there! I am fine. Heavens," I heard a long sigh from the other line before my speaker made a sound. "hello, Brie? You were sayin' something?"

I nodded even though she can't see me then smile. "Yeah but I knew it already. Drop the call now, almost there." I dropped the call when I notice how the bus glides right towards the direction of the stadium.

As I step out from the bus, I hurriedly ran to the hallway where it seems like a garden before the real entrance. My sandals made a sound as I walk in a fast phase and I saw too many women who are also busy running to and fro.

"Brie, I am here!"

I look on my left and saw Jeannette with a man on his suit. They both smile as I walk towards their direction and my friend immediately cup my cheeks while hiding a squeal.

"You are so pretty!" My friend exclaimed whiel tracing my cheek bone. I then shifted my gaze to the man behind Jeanette before I smiled.

"How are you?"

He cleared his throat before moving to embrace me as well then replied, "doing well."

I let go, "great!"

"I heard about what happened," he began clicking his tongue on the side of his cheek while looking on his clasped palms. "know that I will help. Hmm?"

I smiled at him. "You already helped too much, Michael."

He shook his head. "I insist," Michael then look at Jeannette, nodding at her sister. "I hope you guys are fine now, so I should get going?" He said and look at me.

"Yes, brother. Bye!" Jean said and kiss Michael on his cheek.

Michael glance down at me for the last time before he walk away from us. Just when he is about to take another step, I called him and with tears forming unde rny eyelids, I thank him before bidding my goodbye.

We took so many pictures before going in and we even hug different standie of the boys. I ran to where Ziyoon's standie is then flash a smile when Jeannette face her camera at me.

"You are so beautiful today! I love how you smile, Brie." She said while tapping on her phone. "Gonna send this to the squad and I am sure Jonas will rip our throats out for not inviting them!"

I laugh because of my friend's goofiness. And yes, Jonas was making a fuss few days ago when he learnt that we are going to the fan meet. He is also a fan of them and when he tried buying for tickets, he really shouted at us when it is already sold out.

"Let's go inside!" She hold me on my wrist and ran together towards the entrance. Just when I am about to fall in line, a group of huge men stops me from walking and so does Jeannette.

"Hey!" Jeannette utterly confused. "Excuse me but–"

"Jean..." I called and she immediately shut her mouth.

I look at the man I last saw days ago and face him. "Can't you really wait?" I asked half-annoyed.

For Pete's sake, these men are ruining my mood!

"You need to stop what you are planning to do, Ms. Adler."

I am taken aback first before realizing how they manage to know what I am planning to do despite not tailing me for days straight in a row.

"Why? What do you guys think that I'll do?" I tested him.

"Brie," Jeannette called but I stop her from speaking and face the man again.

"You can't even do it, Gabrielle. You are being so desperate."

I smirk. Since when did I not become a desperate? "Watch me."

After that nerve-wracking conversation, Jeannette pulled me away from those men and look at me wearily. She even hold me by my face but I just smile at her.

"What did he mean by that?"

Right. She doesn't know what I am planning to do and by this, I am really going to lose my face, in front of everybody.

Desperate times calls for desperate help.

I chose not to answer Jeannette and I am now pulling her towards the entrance. People are falling in line whilst looking so excited. As we reach the table, a woman ask for our tickets and mark our wrist with a purple thing.

I thought that outside is already the best but when we entered the classy space, we are flabbergasted with the band's color and floating transparent balloons. There are another standie from last month's world tour and different fans wearing their signature designs.

"This is exciting!" Jeannette screamed. We took pictures and pose like we don't have any exams this Tuesday.

The band's song played in the stereo and the fans are all jumping and singing with the music.

I smiled with the sight.

I haven't feel so full like this!

We waited for another twenty-minutes before we fall in line. There are hundreds of fans inside and we are still far from the band's table.

The first one who gets out from the back stage is Jin Greggory.

I heard how Jeannette screamed when her favorite man came out with a blonde hair and cozy look. Next in line is Brian, the leader of the group and the third one is Kross followed by Vie and Ralph. My smile widen when Ziyoon finally came out with Timotheo and I go wild already.

Goodness! I haven't feel so real like this! My hero is in front of me and few minutes from now, I will be holding their hands and can watch them closer than I expected.

"Oh my gosh, Brie! Greggory is so handsome shocks, I am going to die!"

When the event started, my legs began throbbing. I pouted when I felt how I felt the need to go to the toilet so I excuse myself and told Jeannette that I will be back.

When I am on my way to the toilet, a strong impact suddenly bump me and I almost fell from the floor. Good thing that the man held me on my back to prevent me from falling and my forehead automatically creases when I notice how weird he looks like.

I move away from him and cleared my throat. "I am sorry." I said and secretly scan him from head to toe.

The man is wearing a beige pull-over almost totally the same color with my Tote bag — but completely not a thing a fan will wear during this kind of event.

Just when I am about to walk again, my head suddenly throbs and a strong sharp sound stops me from walking and I couldn't know what to feel. I began running from the crowded place, looking for the toilet and began falling.

Then I wake up, feeling so light. I notice how people look at me but I stand up and walk towards the toilet room.

Damn it, what was that?

After five minutes, I went back in line and notice that we are few steps away from the members already.

Jeannette is staring at her favorite so I laugh at her and start calling Greggory's name — a completely not so me.

Why am I so confident today?

"Jin Greggory Klein!"

I notice how he manage to look in our side and smile while still busy entertaining the woman in front of him.

I laugh on how my friend reactedon her own when Greggory smiled.

"I can't breathe."

I suddenly became quiet when I look at Ziyoon's side. He look so cold but when he began smiling, everything erases. I inhaled, remembering my plan.

Okay, Brie, it is now or never.

Until it's our turn, I stand after Jeannette so I climb up the stage first than her. I went to Greggory and he smile when I gave him a piece of paper. Written there is a poem on how my friend admire him and he automatically smile at me. I shifted my gaze to the leader and smiled at Brian.

"Hi." I greeted with a smile.

"You seems great! How are you?"

I am taken aback and I felt how I am pulled back to reality. "Hey!" Brian called for my attention when I began spacing out.

Fine?

"I am not fine..." I whispered.

Now, all the excitement from earlier vanish and hundreds of emotions flew down inside my head.

"Come again?" Brian is staring at me with a face that I couldn't understand.

But the staff already ushered me to move towards Kross.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

It seems like he overheard our conversation and now, I notice how Vie look at me.

I just shake my head when embarrassment filled me. Goodness, Brie! Control it!

I saw that Kross wrote something on my palm using his pen but I haven't got the chance to thank him.

Oh my God, I am idling!

Vie flashes his smile and I did my best to look normal and smile back. I gave him a paper where I wrote a poem for him and gave another paper that is supposedly for Kross.

"I forgot to give this to Kross. Can you give this yourself?"

He stare at my face before nodding. "Great! Thank you for this."

"No, I want to thank you guys better. You are saving me for years now," I said and now, Vie knotted his brows.

"Are you fine?"

I bitterly smile. They are asking the same question but until now, I still have the same answer.

"I am..." Not.

The staff cut our conversation and told me to walk where Ralph's table is. I look at Vie again and he's still staring at me so I feel embarrassed about myself.

As I went nearer to Ziyoon, instead of focusing with Ralph, my eyes went to Ziyoon's side. Ralph got his letter from me and even smiled at me but I can't feel anything already.

Ziyoon is next. I whispered.

While walking towards his table, he seem to notice how I stare at him. He shyly smiled when I reach in front of him.

"Hi?" He awkwardly asked.

"Ziyoon," I whispered and slowly put the piece of paper on his own table. I saw how he raise his right brow while tilting his head. "Marry me." I firmly said and that seems to caught his attention. My voice is even trembling and tears began pooling under my eyelids.

"W-what?"

Ralph seems to notice us and even Timotheo who is next to Ziyoon.

"Please," I desperately grab the folder and open it for him. "There are men waiting for me outside and they are tailing me for weeks now. They are asking me to pay them but I don't have any amount with me. I come to realize how you guys can help me because you have the power. Please, Ziyoon, I am begging you, help me."

I do not really know what I was saying because I only have limited time to explain. I even seems to said it fast and trembling while looking how Ziyoon's emotion shifted from smiling to bold face.

I turn to my left and notice how Ralph seems to overheard what I said and Vie, who is facing Jeannette, looks in our side and automatically stand up when he saw me with flowing tears and trembling lips but Ralph pulled him back to his seat to make everything look fine.

I then heard murmurs from behind and I notice how the members look in our side. I look at Ziyoon with so much desperation but a staff automatically held me away from him, leaving the paper on top of Ziyoon's table.

I stare at him while I am drag by their staffs but I saw Brian walks towards us and whispered something at the man who is holding me on my hands.

"Brie!" I heard Jeannette called but I did not look back at her. Instead, I watch how Ziyoon stares on the paper on top having a face I couldn't also understand.

I look so desperate today. I am sure that those men from earlier is laughing at me already. I failed my plan...

But I thought so.

The staff brought me to another room and told me to sit and wait there until the event will end.

My heart began racing again.

What am I supposed to do?