Dating an Idol

Ten: CHANCE ENCOUNTER

Two months later at the Incheon International Airport…

"Ohmygod! I can't believe I'm in the land of kdramas and oppas now! Kim Seon Ho and I were now breathing the same air! Can you believe that?" Gianna gushed aloud while raising both hands in the air and trying to breathe in the air-conditioned airport air.

"Stop doing that. You're embarrassing us," said Mael.

"Why? Aren't you as excited as me?"

"I am but I know how to behave myself."

"Am I embarrassing you, Yuri? Am I? Tell me?" Gianna was giving me puppy eyes.

"Stop fighting, both of you," I said. "You're not in the Philippines anymore. You stop fighting like cats and dogs."

The three of us travelled together. I wouldn't be here if not because of Mael. He paid for my plane ticket.

When Gianna found out that I passed the audition, she tried to say no to my previous offer. But I couldn't take it back.

I was thinking of ways on how to raise more money for my own plane ticket when Mael offered to pay for it.

I declined his offer, of course. But he insisted. He said he had saved enough to be able to buy us both a ticket.

I accepted his offer and promised to pay it later. I was planning to find a part-time job while we're here.

"OMG! Their airport is so huge! I mean, look at that! And so clean! And so… so amazing!" Gianna kept mumbling aloud as we walked around the airport with our luggages in tow. She looked like she's in a daze.

"Stop it," Mael said, looking embarrassed.

"I mean, I only see this in kdramas and now I'm finally here! This feels like a dream!"

"It's a bad decision to travel with her," Mael whispered to me loud enough for Gianna to hear.

"Then you should've travelled with Doreen. She'll be more than happy to sit beside you for four long hours!" Gianna snapped back at him.

Mael made a face at the mere sound of Doreen's name.

I just let them fight. Somehow, I already got used to their usual banter. They've always been like that.

I'm feeling overwhelmed, too. I couldn't believe that I'm back here in Korea after two long years. Somehow, I feel like I'm home.

"Can we grab something to eat? I'm hungry," said Gianna.

"If you refrain from talking a lot then you should've saved your energy," Mael replied.

"Shut up or I'm gonna eat you!"

"Am I that hot for you to actually think that I'm a meal?"

"You? Hot? Ewwww. The audacity!"

I suddenly came to a stop and pointed at a mobile service provider outlet. "Let's drop by over there."

"What are we gonna do there?" asked Gianna.

"Buy a prepaid SIM card, you dummy," Mael replied.

"Can we possibly leave him somewhere here, Yuri?" said Gianna.

"I'll find my way. I know how to use my brain cells and energy well," Mael rebutted.

"If you do not stop fighting, I'm gonna leave you, two, here," I warned them. I was just kidding, of course.

We went to the outlet and got ourselves a prepaid SIM card each. We were already heading out of the terminal when we saw a crowd near the exit.

"Oh. What's that?" Gianna asked.

"There must be some celebrities or something," I said.

"OMG! Let's check it out!" She said before she grabbed my wrist and dragged me to where the crowd was.

I had no choice but to run with her, dragging my luggage with me. Mael was left with no choice but to follow us, too.

"OMG! OMG! It's Crest 88!" Gianna shrieked pointing at the banners the fans were waving. I could barely hear her because of the loud noise from the excited fans.

"Can you please watch our things?" She turned to Mael as she handed him both our luggages.

"Wait! What ---"

I wasn't able to hear the rest of what Mael said as Gianna started to drag me into the crowd. We squeezed ourselves into the group of erratic fangirls.

I kept saying sorry as Gianna basically pushed everyone out of our way.

I don't know how we made it to the starting line but we did. I just found myself face to face with the airport guards as they try to secure the path.

The fans got even louder when Leo, one of the Crest 88 members, emerged from somewhere. I had to cover my ears to protect my ear drums as fans went wild, shouting and calling out the idol's name like crazy.

Gianna got even crazier, too. She was screaming at the top of her lungs while jumping up and down.

Leo was followed by another member, Ji Hoon. They were both assisted by staff members and airport guards.

Then I saw Skye in his usual airport fashion. Semi-fitted long sleeve top paired with a pair of rugged jeans and sneakers. He was wearing a cap and a face mask that covers half of his face. He was wearing his black-rimmed eyeglasses, as well. Skye has poor eyesight so he sometimes wears eyeglasses when he's not in the mood to wear contacts.

My heartbeat doubled the instant I saw him from afar. I never really thought I would see him again.

He didn't know that I was coming. I didn't tell him. He thought I flunked the audition.

Skye was being followed by Dal and Eun. They were also assisted by some staff members and airport guards.

The other members were busy waving at the fans while Skye was just keeping his eyes down the whole time. He'd always been like that.

He hated unfamiliar crowds. The irony.

The moment Leo and Ji Hoon passed in front of me, the fans got even wilder. They were screaming like there's no tomorrow.

And when Skye got closer to where I stood, I looked away. I don't want him to see me. I don't want to distract him.

But just as he passed by me, one of the crazy fangirls from my back pushed me. I lost my balance and was thrown in front of the crowd. I landed on my butt right in front of the equally surprised Dal and Eun.

The loud "ohhhh" from the crowd made Skye look back.

Our eyes met and I saw how his eyes grew in surprise when he recognized me.

Stay right there! Stay right there! I silently begged as I tried to scuffle back to my feet.

I saw him take a couple of steps back to where I was. But before he could reach me and before I could pull myself up, I felt Eun's hand on my arm.

"Are you okay?" Eun asked as he helped me up.

That made Skye freeze on his feet.

"Yes. Thank you." I bowed to Eun before I hurried back to the crowd.

I made my way through the crowd and headed to where Mael was waiting for us. My heartbeat was still wild because of the incident.

"OMG! OMG! Did Eun actually help you?" I heard Gianna ask. I didn't know that she followed me.

"What happened?" Mael asked, worried.

"Yuri was pushed by some crazy fangirl and she was being thrown into the Crest 88's way."

"What? Are you okay?" Mael turned to me.

"But guess what happened? You wouldn't believe it but Eun actually helped her up! Can you believe that? Eun actually helped her up!" Gianna exclaimed with so much excitement.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?" Mael kept asking me.

"I'm… I'm fine…" I said to pacify him.

Though I don't think I am really fine. My butt's fine, though. It hurts a bit but all I need is a relief patch to deal with it later.

It's Skye's expression that's bothering me.

He looked surprised when he saw me. But he didn't look happy. Mad, maybe. He must be mad at me for not telling him that I am coming.

"Are you still in Cloud 9?" Gianna nudged at me. We were now outside the terminal and on our way to the bus stop. "Gosh, I'm sooo jealous of you! First, it's Skye, now it's Eun! How lucky can you get? Did you save a nation in your past life?" She couldn't stop gushing.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Mael asked once again.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I said.

"You don't look fine, though. You seemed bothered," he insisted.

"Listen," Gianna replied. "Eun helped her up! Eun grabbed her by the arm! Eun touched her! Of course, she's not fine! Her mind must still be in Cloud 9 right now!" she exclaimed.

I inserted the SIM card on my phone when we were on the bus. I needed to let my mom know that I arrived safe.

Gianna and Mael did the same.

After I messaged my mom, I found myself checking my i********: account. I had a strong feeling that Skye left a message for me there.

We were talking through IG when he went back to Korea.

And I was right. He practically flooded me with messages in my IG inbox.

Really?

You came here without telling me?

Really?

Arghhh! This is so annoying!

You are so annoying!

Where are you now?

Reply once you get my messages.

Where are you staying?

Yuri!

Yuri Baek!

Baek Yuri!

Where are you right now?

C'mon, Yuri. I am not mad at you. Where are you now?

BAEK YURI! Answer me, dammit! You're making me worried.

Did you pass the audition?

Why are you here?

Are you back for good?

I smiled reading all his messages.

I started typing.

Sorry for not telling you right away, I typed.

And it only took a minute for him to reply.

[Skye] Are you okay?

[Me] I'm fine.

[Skye] Are you hurt anywhere?

[Me] Nope.

[Skye] What happened earlier?

[Me] A fan pushed me.

[Skye] Are you sure you're not hurt anywhere?

[Me] Nothing a relief patch can't handle.

[Skye] So you're really hurt!

[Me] I'm fine. Really.

[Skye] Where are you right now?

[Me] On the bus.

[Skye] Where are you heading?

[Me] Somewhere.

[Skye] Where exactly?

I didn't reply.

[Skye] I wanna see you.

I didn't reply again.

[Skye] Baek Yuri! Where are you heading? I wanna see you!

I chose not to reply again.

[Skye] I gotta go. We're getting ready for an interview right now. Will msg you after we're done. Tell me where you are!

"Who are you chatting with?" Gianna tried to take a peek on my phone.

I locked my phone's screen before she could do so.

"No one," I said.

"But I just saw you talking to someone on IG," she insisted.

"I was talking with my mom."

"On IG?"

"On messenger. I was just checking my IG," I lied.

Gianna eyed me suspiciously.

"There's something you're not telling me," she said.

"What?"

"I saw you smiling the whole time you were chatting with someone on your phone."

"I was talking with my mom."

"Nah, nah. I doubt it. You were feeling giddy the whole time."

"No, I was not. I just saw this random meme on IG after I talked with my mom. I just found it funny."

"Nah, nah. I am not buying it.

"What's the matter?" Mael popped his head from the back of our seat. He was seated behind Gianna and I.

"Yuri's hiding something from us," Gianna said.

"No, I'm not," I denied.

"What is it?" Mael asked.

"I think she's talking to someone special on her phone. She was smiling the whole time," said Gianna.

"It was just a meme," I insisted.

"Are you dating someone?" Mael asked me, surprised.

"No, of course not!" I replied right away.

"Why do you seem so bothered? Do you like Yuri?" Gianna asked him.

"Yes!" he answered without any hesitation.

That got Gianna and I dumbfounded.

He looked startled, too.