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"De... gamsahamnida." Jeonghan bowed as four bottles of soju were placed on their table. "Uh, can we get one more glass please." He smiled as the server nodded bringing him the glass. Seungcheol had already started cooking the meat and seafood. "You texted her the correct address right? Why isn't she here yet?" Jeonghan asked opening one of the soju bottles.

"I did. She hasn't reply yet." Seungcheol answered. "Should I give her a call?" He asked pulling out his phone. "Don't." Jeonghan stopped him while nodding towards battered looking Rumi entering the restaurant. "Rumi-ya!" Jeonghan called waving his hand when he noticed her looking around.

"Joesonghamnida." Rumi bowed ninety degrees towards them before sitting down on one of the chairs. "Yah, you told me to text you but how was I suppose to when I didn't have your number?" Seungcheol complained pointing tongs at her. "I had to get it from Hoshi. Do you even know what sort of excuses I came up with just to evade his questions?" Rumi laughed apologizing again. "I completely forget about it but you also didn't ask." Rumi said making Seungcheol scowl at her. "Okay, my fault it is." She laughed before looking around. It was quite obvious that many eyes were watching them. "But, it is really okay? I mean eating here?" Rumi questioned pointing her thumb behind her. Both of them glanced behind her and shrugged her shoulders.

"It's fine. As long as they don't get down here." Jeonghan said. "And they won't." Seungcheol added feeling confident. They had encountered fans while out for drinks many times, mostly their fans didn't disturb them or more like had that understanding. So, when it came to their fans he had some sense of pride. "Yeah, they won't." Jeonghan assured giving his own confirmative while pouring drinks for each one of them. "Here, cheers!" He said holding up his glass. Both Rumi and Seungcheol clinked their glasses.

"Ahhh..." Rumi let out a sigh of satisfaction before filling her glass and downing it again. "Now I feel good." Rumi grinned when noticing the idols looking at her with eyebrow raised. "I needed something to calm my mind." She explained.

"We ordered first; you can place yours. I hope you don't mind seafood" Seungcheol said while serving cooked clam on her plate. Rumi shook her head filling her glass again. "Eat something first." Seungcheol scolded. Rumi nodded but still downed the glass. "Aish...this woman."

"I will." Rumi assured laughing at his annoyed face. "Have you guys ever babysat a five-year old before? It was so unnerving." She explained finally eating something. "That kid was strange, she wouldn't agree to get on the car even though her mother talked her through. Some great level of stranger-danger she had going on. After some painstaking effort she finally somehow got in. Not wanting her to feel uncomfortable and scared I treated her to some food and ice-cream then suddenly she wouldn't let me go!" Rumi said looking exasperated. "She didn't give two shits about her mother when I dropped her off. She just latched onto me like some leech. I was suppose to have my evening off today!" Both idols laughed at dishevelled Rumi, she really looked beaten.

"Well kids are like that. They are innocent and naïve. You give them treats or play well they'll suddenly like you." Jeonghan said smiling. Rumi scoffed denying and muttering how they are just devil's spawns. "Yah, as if you weren't a kid before? I'm pretty sure you were quite a trouble." Rumi shrugged in answered. "Don't you have siblings?"

"I do, two of them." Rumi answered showing her two fingers while downing another glass of soju. "I'm the youngest."

"Nado." Seungcheol said as both them clinked their glasses. Jeonghan shook his head at their antics. "How older? Brothers?"

"Ani, sisters. One is umm two years difference and other is five years I guess." Rumi squinted her eyes trying to remember. "Slow down, you already forgetting things." Jeonghan said. Rumi chuckled and shook her head. "Not yet. She's '92 and '89." Rumi counted on her fingers. "Right, two and five-years difference." Rumi nodded looking up. Seungcheol nodded chewing on the meat he had just cooked.

"Eo? That's means you are a year older than us." Jeonghan said doing the calculations. Rumi looked at him and blinked. "Am I?" She asked earning a nod from Jeonghan. "We are both '95 born." Jeonghan said pointing towards himself and Seungcheol. "Nice." Rumi commented busy trying to getting the meat of the shell. "Wahh I definitely thought you were younger; around '97 maybe."

"Really? Isn't that a good thing?" Rumi asked smiling at Jeonghan. "Do I look that young?" She asked cupping her cheeks. "Now you don't." Seungcheol commented earning a kick from her. "Anyways thank you." She smiled ignoring Seungcheol's comment.

"Are your sisters married?" Seungcheol suddenly asked. Rumi furrowed her eyebrows. "Wae? Are you interested?" She asked causing Seungcheol to make a face. "I'm just trying to make small talk." Rumi stared at him and nodded. "Both of them, one has a kid." She answered.

"And you've never looked after your sister's kid?" Jeonghan said referring to her earlier distress. Rumi pressed her lips together and nodded her head. "We are not on good terms. So, no." She said. "I have like meet him once or twice I guess. Just sends him gifts for his birthday." She continued letting out a bitter chuckle. Both idols silently glanced at each other and then at her. Jeonghan was about to apologise but the restaurant owner cut him off with their dishes.

"Here is your food." The sajangnim smiled placing the bowls of noodles on the table. "If you need anyth- eo? What are you doing here?" The sajangnim asked looking down at Rumi.

"Ahh jagiya..." Rumi grinned circling her arms around the lady and hugging her. The ahjumma patted her head before pushing her away. "I haven't seen you for days." Rumi nodded. "I was busy with work. Waeyo, Jagiya missed me?" The sajangnim rolled her eyes and turned towards the boys. "If you need anything let me know. And neo? What do you want?"

"Bibim naengmyeon." The ahjumma nodded and left muttering how Rumi is always around handsome ones. "Don't worry nobody can take your place in my heart!" She shouted back and turned back to boys with laugh. "Ah, I know her." She said noticing their expression. "We got it from that interaction." Seungcheol said making her chuckle. "Matja, to think of it, I met Chan and others here for the first time."

"The infamous drunkard." Jeonghan said making her nod her head. "Channie wouldn't keep quiet for days after that. I think he personally recited the incident to every one of us." Seungcheol nodded agreeing. "Jihoonie was fed up with his chatter and Hoshi got in trouble too." Jeonghan said remembering the incident.

"Speaking of Jihoonie. What is going on between you two?" Seungcheol questioned raising his eyebrow at Rumi who cursed before letting out a sigh. "Don't ask. It's all that rat's doing." Rumi muttered pouring herself a drink. "I might've called Jihoon-ssi cute when we meet, so now he's hell bent on getting us together." She continued making Seungcheol chuckle. "He really is though. He's been working hard, sending pictures of you to Jihoon." Seungcheol revealed.

"Eh?" Rumi looked up in question. "Pictures of me? Where did he got those from?" Rumi asked then realization dawned upon her. "Ahh that's what he was doing with my phone. Sneaky rat." Rumi shook her head. "What pictures?" Jeonghan asked glancing at two of them.

"Her pictures." Seungcheol nodded towards Rumi. "You looked beautiful by the way in those clothes." He complimented. "I don't know which photos he took but thank you." Rumi replied. "I didn't recognize you in the first glance. You really looked different and pretty." Rumi bowed her head in thanks. "So does that mean I don't look pretty other times?" A teasing grin formed on his face, "Eo." He nodded. "Aish.!" Rumi scowled trying to kick him again but he shifted back avoiding it. "You are no better than me!" She argued.

Seungcheol snorted. "I can prove otherwise." He nodded behind her. Rumi turned around and tsked. "That's cheating." She muttered like sore loser. Both of them laughed at her face. "Still, you've handsome guys like Gu Hwa-ssi and Hyun-ssi around you."

"Gu Hwa?" Seungcheol questioned. "The elevator confessor." Jeonghan reminded making Seungcheol nod his head with 'ah' sound. "Wah people here are really nosy about other's personal life." Rumi said shaking her head. "What do you expect when you work for entertainment company, huh?" Seungcheol snorted.

"So, between Gu Hwa-ssi and Hyun-ssi who do you like?" Jeonghan questioned. "Neither of them." Rumi replied bowing her head towards the server who bought her noodles. "Why not? Or is it Jangmi?" Rumi gave him a blank stare. "We don't discriminate here." Jeonghan teased with a little laugh. "Because Hyun is the kid I know, the other is a bastard I loathe and Jangmi-ssi, she falls in love too easily." Rumi explained shaking her head. "But why are you suddenly interested in my dating life?"

"As if you have one." Seungcheol muttered ready to earn a kick but she held up her glass. "True." Rumi nodded clinking her glass with Seungcheol's. "What about you guys? Shouldn't your dating life be better? Jeonghan-ssi?" Jeonghan shook his head. "Yah, what are you talking about? We are idols." Seungcheol snorted. "So? You guys can date in secret right?" Rumi said.

"We can but don't tend to." Jeonghan answered. Rumi asked with her mouth full, 'why not?' "Because it is easier that way. Though there are fans who are very considerate but there are also some who are not."

"But that is not fair. No offence but you guys are just normal people who are doing their jobs as entertainers why are they putting you in such position and dominating your life?" Rumi argued. "You have every right to live your life the way you want."

"Yes we do." Seungcheol nodded placing his glass down. "There are times when I say I don't live according to others, nobody can rule my life but when it comes to dating or thinking of having a life partner I just back out." Seungcheol confessed. "I don't know I just feel it's selfish of me." Rumi furrowed her eyebrows. "How so? Isn't it normal to have someone at this age, what could be so selfish about wanting to have a romantic partner?"

"It feels like it when you work in this line of work." Jeonghan said. "As I said there are who are considerate and who are not. If I want to date then I'm putting lot of things on a risk here. It's just not me or my career which is gonna be affected but also my group's since I'm not alone but a part of group; the company, the employees who put lot of work behind us to make us look that good on stage." Jeonghan explained playing with his spoon. "And more importantly, I wouldn't want to put my partner through aftermath of dating a celebrity. It's not just fair to them." He added looking up at Rumi with a small smile.

Rumi never realised these guys were giving up on such an important part of their life. She always thought that these guys had it easy, they sing, they dance, they entertain and people idolize them like one would to god. Now that she has been living around them, watching them closely that she had realized the efforts they put in on each thing while scarifying basic things a normal man would enjoy in his daily life. Suddenly the thought crossed her mind, has she been putting Wonwoo-ssi in tough spot? Wasn't she basically being a nuisance to him with her feelings?

"But you know what? We humans are selfish creatures." Seungcheol smiled. "At the end we always tend to do what we want. And love is such a thing that we cannot control, you never know when you'll fall in love someone. It just happens." Seungcheol added with daze looking smile. Rumi gave her own. "Leader-nim have you fallen in love?" She teased. Seungcheol laughed and turned towards the one sitting beside him. "Jeonghan-ah..."

Jeonghan choked and covered his mouth so food would spill out of his mouth. "Mwo naya?" Jeonghan asked looking surprised. Seungcheol nodded and three of them burst out of laughing. Just like that Rumi didn't even realized when clock ticked away from evening to night. Since she was basically with her clients, she wasn't planning on getting drunk but  with all talks and laughs she didn't realized how many glasses she had downed.

"Aniya, aniya. Leader-nim I will pay today!" She announced standing up when Seungcheol asked them to wait outside while he take cares of the bill. Shaking her head to get it straight she walked up to the counter. She wasn't there yet, not fully drunk but tipsy enough to not have control over her mouth. Both Seungcheol and Jeonghan followed behind her. "Rumi-ya lets go first. We'll look for a taekssi..." Jeonghan said locking his arm with hers and pulling her outside. Three of them had enough alcohol in their system to forget about their surroundings. "But-but."

"Seungcheolie will take care of it." Jeonghan said dragging her outside. "Now let's look for a taxi." He pulled out his phone. Rumi knitted her eyebrows. "Why are you looking at your phone when you said to look for a taxi?" Rumi questioned. "Eo? To call a taxi?" Jeonghan answered showing her his phone. "Ahh matja..." Rumi laughed. "I completely forget we can do that." She giggled. Jeonghan shook his head calling her silly. "It's done. Will be here soon." He said pocketing his phone.

"Do you know, that when I was too drunk, Wonwoo-ssi drove me home." Rumi confessed. "Really?" Jeonghan asked. "Eo! Wonwoo-ssi drove me home and even treated my wound." She added showing her back where her wound supposed to be. Jeonghan leaned looking at it and nodded. "He did good." He said when all he was looking at was her checkered shirt. "Wonwoo-ssi was so gentle whil-"

"Oppa!" Both of them turned towards the voice. A young girl was standing few steps away from them with phone in her hand. "Jeonghannie oppa. I really big fan of yours!" She exclaimed. Jeonghan smiled and bowed towards her thanking her. "Oppa, I really love you! Can I get a picture with you please?" Jeonghan looked around, there were lots of them around. He can't do that.

"Thank you really for your love. But I really can't do that." Jeonghan said giving her apologetic look. "I'm really sorry but I'm out with my friends, so I would really appreciate if you-"

"Just one picture oppa." The girl begged stepping near. "Aniyo, aniyo I can't. If I click with you then I have to with everyone else. Besides I don't even look good right now." Jeonghan said trying to evade the situation. "Oppa you always look good. Please, it's just a picture." The girl looked little drunk and stubborn, Jeonghan bit his lip thinking about how to get out of this situation. "One picture." She stepped closer, too close when an arm appeared between them and Jeonghan was pushed behind.

"Look little lady, the man doesn't want to click pictures right now." Rumi said looking down at the girl. The girl was on shorter side so she had to crane her neck to look up at Rumi. "Who are you?" The girl asked looking at Rumi annoyed. "A human, who is aware of human rights. So please step back since you are violating them." The girl snorted before glaring at Rumi. "Yah, bikyeo. Nobody's talking to you here. Oppa, just a picture and I'll leave." The girl leaning on side to look at Jeonghan.

Rumi blocked her way again. "Do you not understand when someone says no then it means no." Rumi asserted. "So please step away, you are making it uncomfortable for him." She calmly intervened because the girl looked trouble walking on legs. "I won't. What will you do?" The girl dared pushing Rumi. "Rumi!" Jeonghan exclaimed in worry as Rumi stumbled back. "Excuse me but please calm down." He turned towards the girl trying to calm her down.

"What is happening here?" Seungcheol walked out to see Rumi and Jeonghan huddled up together, there was a crowd forming, probably their fans the way they had their phones out. Seungcheol stood beside Rumi covering Jeonghan. "Excuse me, but may I ask what is wrong here?" He asked looking at the girl.

"Oppa!" The girl squealed in delight. "Oppa, I just wanted a picture." She smiled stepping closer but once again Rumi put her arm in between. The girl tsked and glared at her. Seungcheol tapped Rumi's arm telling her it was okay. "Excuse me, I understand you are a fan but you see we are out with friends, we can't really click pictures right now." Seungcheol calmy but firmly explained.

But those words fell short on her ears the way she was glaring down at Rumi. "Yah, who the hell are you?" The girl asked scanning Rumi. "The hell you are stepping in between us for? Where did you come from, a sewer? Why don't you go back to where you came from?!"

"Yah-" Rumi stepped in front of Seungcheol to stop him. "The taxi is here, both of you get in." Rumi said her voice demanding. "Look, we are calmly requesting you. So please." Rumi said looking down at her. The girl scoffed giving her a disgusted look. "I won't. What are you going to do huh?" She asked. "What are you going to do? Huh?!" She screamed her hand slapping Rumi across her face. Rumi clenched her jaw feeling the sting on her cheek.

"Rumi!" Both Seungcheol and Jeonghan exclaimed. "Yah! What are yo-" Seungcheol was about to lose it when Jeonghan grabbed his arm. "Don't." He warned. After all they were in public and it was a girl who standing in front of them. "But she's-"

"Get inside the taxi. I'll handle this." Rumi said this time not taking no for an answer. Jeonghan glanced at her and pulled Seungcheol with him. Rumi waited until they were inside the car and turned towards the girl. "Are you satisfied?" She asked. "Or do you want to hit some more?" Rumi dared her showing the other cheek. "Because I can easily sue you." Rumi whispered leaning in. "I've heard internet does wonders and it looks like it would do you great damage." She continued leaning back and glancing at the number of phone cameras recording the scene. The girl followed her eyes and realized the situation. "These days it makes it easier, doesn't it?" Rumi smirked looking down at her. The girl stepped back glaring at her. "Whatever. You can't do shit to me!" She screamed before covering her face and walking off. Rumi watched her walk away and then turned to the onlookers.

"Umm, excuse me everyone but can I request you all to delete the video you've recorded?" Rumi asked bowing towards them.

"Waeyo? Shouldn't we post this so that girl could be punished for what she has done?" One of them retorted back earning grunts of agreement.

Rumi smiled and nodded her head. "I totally understand but I think she was drunk and didn't know what she was doing. Plus, this is regarding those two, I'm sure you don't want to see them in trouble right?" Rumi asked pointing her thump towards the taxi. Rumi smiled glancing at the hesitant looks. "If this incident comes up on news tomorrow then those two will be in trouble, they already have lot on their plate." Rumi said. "I'm sure there are lot of other ways to express your worry and protection." She suggested glancing at them.

"Arasoyo." Another one said. Rumi smiled and bowed towards her thanking her. "Thank you very much for understanding." Rumi bowed several times. "No, thank you for protecting our idols." The girl bowed back. Rumi smiled nodding. "Then, I'll trust you with that. Gomapseumnida." Rumi bowed towards them.

A/N :

Aye-yo! I am back. I hope y'all missed me? If you did then show some love by commenting. I love reading your comments on chapter. Also don't forget to vote. Hehe.

Love,

Alba💜