TRACK 08
MEET ME
KYUNG
Today's practice seemed more grueling than ever.
Maybe it's just felt like that because we were in the studio for most of the morning, and then jumped straight into practice.
We took a small window halfway through the set of choreo to have dinner.
We technically aren't supposed to have our phones out while we're working, but no one said a word to me for sending Liz a quick text.
Well, other than Yoon Ji leaning over without even looking to see what I was doing to say, "Tell her hi for me, too."
I acknowledge him with a quick quiet, "Mmm."
I can't help but to think, in the moment, I want to say that it amazes me how fast they've taken to her, but I'm not surprised at all.
Look at me, I fell after the second time of speaking with her.
She's quiet, but outspoken on things she feels heavily for.
She's calm mannered, but I do love making her feisty.
She's intelligent and beautiful like a superhero nerd.
It's in the middle of our second set that I make my first mistake that resets us all.
My brain was elsewhere and Seong Su's expression says he knows exactly where it was.
I'd hate to make him enforce the rule of no phones during practice.
Plus, my members are all working hard today.
It's not fair to them that I'm unfocused.
I bow, "I'm sorry. It won't happen again."
None of them look angry. Not even Seong Su when he commands, "Start over from the beginning."
I give them my full focus all the way until we're loading up into the van, but by that time all I want to do is lay my head back and take a nap.
Which is exactly what most of us do. I can only imagine what we look like thirty minutes later stepping out, most of us still half asleep.
Except Seong Su, of course. I've always wondered if our leader ever sleeps, which sends me on a spiral worried if he's carrying too much weight of our team on himself.
Though, anytime I've ever asked, he's brushed me off.
So, I've just been keeping an eye on him, just in case.
As we walk into our house, everyone makes a straight line path to their rooms after switching shoes.
Jae-un pokes his head into my room through our connecting bathroom, "Want to go first?"
"Nah, go ahead," I tell him, giving him first dibs on the shower, knowing he only takes a couple minutes anyway. It'll give me time to plug my phone in to charge and grab some water.
"Thanks," he says with a sigh, pulling his head back into the room and sliding the door closed.
"Mmm," I reply, even though I'm pretty sure he can't hear me at this point.
I'm more distracted by the fact that I let my phone die.
My video call with Liz last night killed my battery since I didn't have it charging, and I definitely didn't have time to put it on there this morning before we left.
That quick text earlier was all I was able to get out of the juice left.
Knowing her, she's not going to be upset that I was only able to get that one text out.
She might even be here before I get the chance to see if she responded.
I need to go find out what time Dav En told her to be here, but he's likely grabbing a shower like the rest of us.
And, he tends to take forever. Unfortunately, for Minsul who probably went to the guest bath instead of waiting him out.
I snort softly to myself, thinking about what a diva Dav En is lately.
He's always been one of us who takes more pride in his appearance for our fans, but he's gone the extra mile since he met Liz.
It's just as cute as the admiration in Seong Su's expression the other night at dinner when he realized that she truly doesn't care about our idol status.
Or better yet, the compassionate way she answers Yoon Ji's eccentric, sometimes slightly awkward questions.
I wasn't lying when I told them that I knew she'd fit in with us perfectly.
I wasn't quite expecting it to be in the capacity of sharing her, but once I saw it, I couldn't unsee it.
There's just enough time for me to grab a glass of water and get back to my room for Jae-un to be sliding the door back open to let me know the shower is free.
As much as I'd love to stand under the warm spray to loosen my muscles, Liz should be here soon, and I can't wait to see her. The thought has me rushing even more.
When I step out and dry off, I throw on a pair of grey sweatpants and a white long-sleeved shirt, pulling the sleeves up my forearms as I walk back out to the kitchen where I hear the murmer of conversation.
"I'm telling you," Jae-un is advising someone. "It's not a good idea to have a heavy meal this late. Just make it light with some fruit.”
His advice is always sound when it comes to being healthy.
It's one of the things I see him and Liz bonding over in the future.
She's as much of a health nut as he is. Only, she doesn't have an idol figure to worry about like he does constantly, so she indulges when she wants and lives for the moment.
One thing that I really hope she brings to his life.
As I come around the corner and see Dav En with his head stuck in the fridge, I huff out a laugh, making Jae-un turn his disapproval on me. "You shouldn't support his bad habits. We're supposed to help each other."
I bite my lips together so that I don't let another smile slip.
He's better off talking to the wall when it comes to Dav En sometimes.
However, there have been moments where if he's going to listen to someone, it's going to be Jae-un.
The thought no longer has time to formulate in my brain before Dav En is pushing some of the food off his plate onto another one.
Trying to make him lose some of the pout that he's shooting toward Jae-un, I ask him, "So, what time did you tell Liz to be here tonight?"
His gaze shifts to me as his jaw drops open and his spoon hovering in the air over his plate. "I didn't invite her. I thought you said you would."
We clearly had different versions of the same conversation which both led to no one inviting her.
There's a split second where our gazes are locked, both in shock while we process, then we both leap into action.
We take off running towards our rooms, bumping into each other then almost knocking In-Se over in the process.
"Hey what's going on?" he asks, coming to stand in the hall between our rooms. "When is Lizzy getting here?"
I can see Dav En throwing his clothes on just as fast as I am, but I take the time to answer In-Se just as Jae-un and Yoon Ji's heads pop around my door frame. "Liz isn't coming over tonight. There was a miscommunication and she didn't get an invite."
"Bummer," In-Se says sadly. "I was really hoping to see her. But wait, why are you guys getting dressed again?"
"We're going to go find her," I tell him, grabbing my converse out of my closet.
"Can we go?" Yoon Ji asks.
I nod, "Anyone ready to walk out of the house in ten minutes can go."
Yoon Ji and In-Se don't have to be told twice as they take off into their rooms.
Jae-un watches curiously for a moment. "How do you know she'll be waiting for you?"
I can't help the smile that breaks across my face. "Because I just know."
He nods in full trust and walks quickly off to his room, running into someone in the hallway because I hear him repeating what I said about anyone wanting to go has ten minutes.
Honestly, as fast as me and Dav En are, I assumed that we'd be waiting for everyone else since we got such a big head start, but I'm wrong.
Everyone else is already ready and waiting to leave, with Minsul and In Se quick on my heels.
We all throw on our hats and face masks, in hopes that we won't be recognized and get stopped a million times, before we head out.
"Are we walking?" Seong Su asks.
"Yep," I answer. "She won't be expecting us to be in cars."
"Guess that means you'll have to put work away for now," In Se teases him. "Not like you can walk and work on your phone at the same time."
"You need some time off anyway," Yeon Hu murmurs, which I wholeheartedly agree with and say so.
Seong Su tucks his phone away, sliding his hands into his pockets, "It has been a long time since I've taken a second to breathe. It's been even longer since we've all done something like this together."
Yoon Ji slides his arm through one of Seong Su's elbows as Yeon Hu does the same on the other side, the former telling him, "You work too hard for us. You always have and never take breaks."
"We all work hard," he retorts easily. "We're a team. I'm just doing my part for us."
"But even our leader deserves some time off," Jae-un argues, looking over at him.
Just over Seong Su's shoulder, I see him take his hands out of his pockets and wiggle his fingers at our member before tucking them back in, not shaking off the two arms still linked in his.
I glance down, smiling at my shoes. We're always on Seong Su about taking time off, but he's like the little train that could.
Always chugging along. If I'm honest, I'm surprised he came out with us tonight.
Either he's worried we'll get into trouble without him, or he must really be catching feelings like the rest of us.
Out of the eight of us, he's definitely the hardest to read emotionally.
Dav En and In Se are out in front, literally skipping their hearts out.
Probably in some kind of competition knowing them.
Minsul is behind them, shaking his head.
His laughs are flowing back to us. As the youngest, I'm shocked more often than not that he doesn't join them in their antics.
Even me, who they like to call the goofiest member who jokes around the most, I join in with them sometimes.