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Misoo slapped Rumi across her back. "Ah!" Rumi yelped in pain turning and glaring at Misoo. "Why the fuck are you hitting me?" Rumi cried rubbing the spot where Misoo had hit her. "That's for hitting my husband!" Misoo said. Rumi clicked her tongue and looked away. "How can you do that to him in front of Aera?!" She exclaimed lifting her hand to hit her again but Rumi dodged it this time. "I didn't know that trash talking bin was her father!" Rumi complained. "I mean seriously unnie? You can do better." Rumi continued gesturing up and down at her. Misoo scoffed looking away with little smile on her face. "Aish you brat."

"Ani, I don't get it. Why does the pretty one always ends up with shi-ah!" Misoo smacked her again. "He's still my husband and father of my Aera." Misoo warned. Rum rolled her eyes mocking her. "By the way how do you two know each other?" Rumi froze. "He kept complaining about how you never had manners to begin with and all-" "Mwo?! I lack manners? Wah jinja! That brat, he just knows how flap that mouth of his! I need to pull out that tongue of-" Another smack was earned. "Unnie!" Rumi exclaimed rubbing her arm which probably had a bruise forming now. Rumi glared at her, Misoo was the only one standing upright after hitting her thrice like this.

"Yah, that tongue knows other things too." Misoo said with a sly smirk on her face. "Ack!" Rumi covered her ears. "I don't want to know those things." Misoo laughed pulling at her hand trying to uncover them. "Waeeee...let me tell you." Misoo laughed. "Ani I am fine without knowing." Rumi said pushing her away. "But seriously how do you two know each other? I don't think I have introduce you both before." Misoo questioned again. "Obviously." Rumi rolled her eyes. "I have met few times before when I went to see Hyun." Misoo nodded her mouth forming a 'o.' "But unnie do you know where to find director? We have been walking for too long." Rumi staring ahead at the empty hallway. They were in Incheon city for the awards ceremony which will be held tomorrow in same gymnasium there walking in. "Obviously." Misoo said imitating Rumi. "I know the way; we need to take two more turns and we'll find him. By the way why does this hallway seems so empty. Weren't they having the practice run today?" Misoo questioned to which Rumi nodded. Wonwoo had told her about it and she had also checked the schedule of security team. "Ahh, they must be near the main stage." Misoo said nodding at the staff passing by them.

"Main stage?" Rumi questioned staring at the staff's running back. "Unnie, you can do this without me, right?" Rumi asked. "Eo, we just need to-yah eodiga?!" Misoo shouted at Rumi who didn't bothered to look back. "Ah where did he go?" Rumi asked looking around having lost the sight of the staff when she noticed young boys making their way in through a door. Rumi politely bowed at them quickly walked pass through that door. "Hehe, there they are." Rumi giggled noticing her favorite boys on stage. Each one of them kept passing comments in the mic as mic test, while Hoshi was being Hoshi. "Make some noise!" Rumi covered her ears; they are noisy as ever. She shook her head made her way towards the stage. "Hello." Rumi greeted their manager. "Oh hello." The manager greeted back. "How is everything going?" Rumi asked smiling at the boys who preparing for their performance. "Everything is alright we need to work on the stage that's all." He informed observing the boys. Rumi hummed nodding her head. "Are they filming this?" Rumi questioned noticing the camera director.  "Ye, for youtube content." She hummed again nodding her head.

"Rumi."

Rumi turned around to see Hyun standing behind. She excused herself and walked towards him. "Eo, how's everything?" Rumi asked walking towards him. Hyun just stared at her. "Hyun?" She snapped her fingers to catch his attention. "Are you the-" Hyun grabbed her hand pulled her aside, little away from manager's hearing range. "Why are you- he can't hear us with all this noise?"

"Why-" "Don't worry. I am here as staff from production department and not trying to-"

"Why have you been avoiding me?"

"Eo?" Rumi furrowed her eyebrows. "Museun soriya? When did I avoi-?"

"You know what I am talking about." Hyun said his grip tightening on her hand. "You have been avoiding me since we went for reporting. You ditched me that day and didn't even pick up my calls."

"What are you saying? I told you I had meetings to attend. How do you expect me to pick up your call while in a meeting? And we see each other in security office almost every day how is that avoiding?" Rumi questioned removing his grip of hers. "And why does it even matter if I avoid you or not? Won't you be happy, trouble-free with me not around?" Rumi asked looking into his eyes. "Mwo? What ar-" "Anyways, I'll be staying here until the event so let me know if you need me. Mostly you won't, right?" She let out a bitter laugh and walked back to the stage. Hyun just stared at her in disbelief, what the fuck is wrong with her? Why is she pissed at me when it should me? She has been ditching me since that day, and what we see each other every day? That's right, we see each other practically. Just see each for those few minutes of meeting and then she just disappears! Everything was going fine, why is she suddenly acting like this?

Rumi put on her smile and stood beside the manager again. Everything's fine. She nodded to herself watched the boys. Rumi smiled, just watching them makes her forgot about all her worries, their carefree behavior, their weird sense of humor. Somehow these thirteen chaotic boys who once were a chore had become her peace now. Rumi chuckled at Seokmin's weird moves as some of the others followed imitating him. "What are they even doing?" Manager laughed at her comment. "This isn't half of it." He said nodding towards Hoshi and Seungkwan who were bickering in the back. "They start off with teasing and then end up bickering like that. Yedera! Focus come on!" Manager shouted clapping his hands trying to get their attention.

"Oh, it's Rumi noona." Seokmin noticed pointing at her. Rumi smiled waving at him who waved back as enthusiastically. "Oye, what are you doing here?" It was the leader. "Did you come to see me, soulmateu?" His loud voice was enough to make her cringe. "Ani." Rumi flatly replied making his members chuckle. "Didn't you hear manager-nim? Get back to your practice." She said making a shooing motion with her hand. Hoshi clicked his tongue and sassed away; Rumi rolled her eyes with little smile on her face. He is too much, she thought noticing her kitten shyly waving his hands. Rumi giggled and waved back. "Why is he being all this cute, I want to bite his cheeks." Rumi cooed watching him move to beats of music. "De?" The manager asked turning to her. She shook her head muttering a nothing and going back to mentally cooing.

"There are good, right?" The manager said watching the boys with proud smile. Rumi hummed with her own smile. "There ar-eo?" Flickering lights caught her attention. "Ah they still haven't fix it?" Manager followed her eyes. "Technician was here earlier talking about fixing it, why isn't it not done yet?" Manager questioned looking around for site staff. "They'll fix before the show, right?" Manager asked, Rumi hummed nodded her head.

Flickering is one thing but why did it look like that lantern was moving. Rumi took a few steps back to get a clear sight since it was difficult to stare straight at that lantern. She narrowed her eyes; I swear it look like it was swingin- Her eyes went wide before it snapped to Seungkwan was standing right under it. "Everyone get back!" Rumi screamed as she jumped on the stage diving right at Seungkwan pulling him along on the floor.

*CRASH*

Gasp and scream of fright were heard. Everyone stood stunned staring at the lantern crashed broken on the stage where Seungkwan stood few seconds before. Rumi pulled back to look at Seungkwan who laid frozen in shock. "Seungkwan-ssi are you okay?" She questioned making him look at her and slowly nod his head. Rumi sighed in relief and turned to other members. "Is everyone okay? Is anyone hurt?" She questioned looking at each of them when her eyes fell on him. It was as if deer caught in a headlight, his eyes went wide when they met Rumi's, the expressions on his face screamed run just as the guy did. "Mardarc-siss!" Rumi hissed in pain trying to get up. "Noona!" "Rumi!"

Rumi looked at the guy jumping over the equipment trying to get away. "HYUN PAKAD TYALA!" Rumi screamed her eyes not leaving the sight of the guy. Hyun who had followed up her on stage in worry earlier, hearing the alert jumped right off noticing the guy running off from the back stage.

"Noona." Wonwoo worriedly ran to her side helping her and Seungkwan up. Rumi looked at him and others. It's not safe, here. "Manager-nim, get everyone off the stage." Manager who was still in shock was phased out with Rumi's commanding voice. "Eo? Ye! Everyone get down right now!" He instructed. "Noona-" "Wonwoo-ssi, help your brother down." She commanded shrugging off his grip and nodding towards to Seungkwan. Wonwoo opened and closed his mouth, he knew that tone. Obediently, he nodded and got off the stage.

Rumi walked to where she had caught the man standing earlier. This looks like control panel; she thought inspecting the panel full of buttons. She turned around to check the other panels and if something the guy left behind. "Ma'am." Rumi looked up to see a site staff had followed her. "This. What it is for?" She questioned pointing towards the control panel right front of her. Staff glanced towards it, "Control panel for stage lighting, ma'am." Rumi clenched her jaw. Still, it doesn't make sense that the lantern fell right off. She thought staring at the lanterns, "They are secured with screw, right?" Rumi asked not waiting for response she questioned him again. "There is a way up right?" The staff nodded walking pass her behind the pseudo wall. Metal stairs led up to the lighting beams. "Seal the area, nobody is allowed up here until we know it's safe, nothing should be touched." Rumi instructed before climbing up the stairs. "Ma-" Rumi inspected the first secured lantern. Three screw securing the lantern to the beam from above, she moved forward checking each one of them and stopped right in front of missing one, the holder was right there secured with three screw intact, only the main body had fallen off. Rumi leaned closer, one of the screw hole of the holder was damaged as if it couldn't hold body weight and broke right off. Rumi checked the other lantern and climbed down. "One screw should be missing."  She muttered walking in the front.

The site staff came running towards her, "Ma'am, we have a schedule how are we-" "Then do you wish to continue with your schedule when we could possibly have attempted murder here!" She snapped her voice raising enough to warn off the other staff gathered around. "Nobody moves until this is sorted." Rumi warned glancing up to notice one of the agent from her team walking towards them. She gave one last warning glanced to the staff and walked towards agent. "The guy?" She questioned. "We have him." Rumi hummed and nodded towards the stage. "Secure it, they won't do it. Talk to managing director." The agent nodded heeding to her instructions and getting right to work. There was a limit to which she can intervene.

Rumi walked back to the idols gathered around the front row of seats. "Is he okay?" Rumi questioned making the idols snapped their heads towards her in attention. She noticed medic kneeled in front of Seungkwan questioning him. "What about everyone else? Nobody got hurt, right?" She asked inspecting everyone for injuries. "Yah, talk about yourself." Seungcheol snapped pointing towards her right hand. Rumi glanced down at it, red and shaking. It sure hurt like bitch when she used her hand to protect Seungkwan's head but was worth it looking at him unharmed. "It is all fine." Rumi assured trying to close her fist, damn it hurts! She bit her inside of cheeks, is it broken? "Don't worry about it." She smiled at him. "Manager-nim, I think we should escort the boys back to hotel." She said turning towards manager. "We should, we should." He nodded. "But-" He was cut off by the site staff announcing the practice run was postponed until further notice. "Okay, let's get everyone back." The manager nodded to himself and started urging the boys to get on move.

Now that's settled I should look for Hyun. Rumi walked the opposite direction knowing where she would find him. "Noona!" Rumi stopped and turned around to see Wonwoo running towards her. "Wonwoo-ssi wha-" "Let's go." He carefully grabbed her uninjured hand. "You need to get treated." He said. Rumi shook her head, "It's alright Wonwoo-ssi doesn't hurt tha-" "Stop pretending it's alright when it clearly hurts noona!" He snapped tightening his grip. Rumi's eyes widen a little in surprise at his raised voice. "Why do you keep doing this noona? Why do you have put yourself in danger every time, why do you have get hurt every time?" Wonwoo said his voice strained with emotions. "Wonwoo-ssi I-"

"Rumi." Both snapped their head up to see Hyun walking towards them, he glanced at their adjoined hands. "Wonwoo-ssi." He politely bowed, "I can handle it from here." He said glancing at their hands again and then looking right into his eyes. Mwo? Wonwoo narrowed his eyes. Who the fuck he- "I will bring her to get it treated before we take her statement about the incident." Hyun added. Rumi glanced between them, "Wonwoo-ssi, see I'll get it treated. So please head back first, I'll come see you later." Rumi said standing in view of Wonwoo who was glaring at Hyun. "Wonwoo-ssi..." She called cupping his face using her uninjured hand. Wonwoo finally looked towards her. "I am really fine. After I am done here I'll be right there." She said. "Now, it's important that you go back with others, hmm?" Wonwoo sighed looking away. "You will get this treated first." He said, Rumi nodded smiling. "And come see me." She nodded again. "Eo, I promise." He stared at her for few seconds before stepping back, he threw one last glare at Hyun and left.

Rumi sighed and turned back to Hyun. "So, what did he blabbered?" She questioned. "Huh? Ah, he said he was there to fix the lights. He didn't know what happened, how that lantern fell off-"

"What bullshit is he yapping huh? That bastard ran off as soon as our eyes met. And what? He doesn't know what happened!?"

"He said he got scared when the lantern fell almost hurting someone; fearing that he will be held accountable for it he ran off." Rumi bitterly snorted at that. "Yah you seriously believe that shit? Eo? That he didn't know what happened? I was scared- what fucking nonsense! He was standing right in front of those controls, that light had a screw missing. Now it can't be I don't know anything when he was there to fix that god damn light!" Rumi snapped in frustration. Why the fuck was Hyun acting like some naïve amateur here?

"I know Rumi but we can't just conclude it to that he deliberately did it." Mwo? She looked at him in disbelief. Is he really saying that after working here for what, six months? "You do remember what purpose we are here for, Hyun?" She asked. "Rumi-" "Forget it! Let me talk to that bastard then we'll see how much he doesn't know." Hyun grabbed her hand, "No, wait Rumi you can't do that!"

"Can't do that?"

"You know why." Rumi stopped. "And the organiser is also involved so it is better you stay few steps back for now." Right, she was just another spare. "Rumi?" She hummed nodding her head in answer. "Now let's get you treated." "Eo?" She looked up. Hyun nodded towards her hand. Ah right, it's not broken, is it?

"That was a fright." Joshua said rubbing Seungkwan's hand in comfort. "Are you sure you are really okay? Do you need something-" Seungkwan shook his head. "I am fine hyung. I was little shocked, it happened so fast; if it hadn't been for noona..." He trailed off shaking his head again.

"True. When she said she's going to step in whenever we are in danger to protect us, I didn't think she would literally do that." Jun commented making Joshua, Seungkwan, Vernon and Hoshi look at him. The boys were gathered in Seungkwan and Vernon's room. "Ani, she meant it one hundred percent that night Jun-ah." Seungcheol said. From what he had known her, Rumi wasn't someone with empty talks and that's what has started to budge him. There's no doubt for his gratefulness towards her. Like Seungkwan said if it hadn't been her no one knew what would have happened to him and he was grateful for that but her throwing herself face first in danger was something that didn't settle well with him. They hadn't known each other for long but they had come close to care for one another, when he had said she was one of them he had meant it.

"Yes Rumi is like that. It's in her nature. It doesn't matter who is in trouble she will always run first to help them." Hoshi added. "Take it dressing room incident, the resort incident or even with Jangmi? The very reason Jangmi is smitten was because of Rumi's protective nature."  "Ani more like her hero complex." Seungcheol with scowl on his face. "She's need to get rid of that if she doesn't want to end up in trouble. Look where did all these incident got her? She ended up getting hurt in each of them." Hoshi clammed his mouth, it was true. He knew what his hyung was worried about but- brrring... His buzzing handphone cut him off. He pulled it out of his pocket to check the caller id. "Um excuse me." He excused himself and went out to receive the call. "Hello."

"Eo. Where are you?" Rumi asked looking down the large window of the hotel. "Okay then meet me downstairs. I will be in the café." She said turning around and walking towards the said café. "Eo. Okay." With that she hung up and pushed her phone down her pocket complaining to herself about small pockets.  "Rumi-ssi?" Rumi turned around politely thinking it was someone for their staff, "Ye-eo? Annyeong Jeongin-ah." Rumi smiled.

"Annyeong. I thought you were going to ignore me like earlier." Jeongin smiled meeting her halfway. Rumi chuckled shaking her head. "Mian." She apologized remembering him passing by when she went looking for boys earlier. "You left me all curious when you said to pretend to not know each other if we ever meet again." Rumi nodded. "So, was your curiosity satisfied?" Jeongin shook his head, "But I have some idea why you said so." Rumi chuckled ruffling his hair. "How have you been?" Rumi asked patting down his hair which she had messed up earlier. "Been good." Jeongin nodded smiling back. He's holding up well, looking at that smile. "Good." Rumi said poking his dimples. "Why didn't you tell me your name?" He ask furrowing his eyebrows. "Because I knew you would look for me like this." She replied flicking him on his forehead. Jeongin whined glaring at her for hitting him. He scoffed nodding at her hand, "What happened?" Rumi glanced at her bandaged right hand. "Ah this? Had a little accident." Rumi replied inspecting white plaster. Jeongin scoffed again making her look at him. "Everybody heard about that little accident." He said with scowl on his face. Rumi hummed, "Are you staying in this hotel too?" Rumi asked changing the topic. "Are you free? How about a coffee? Let noona treat you today." Rumi said throwing her arm around his shoulder.

"Iyen-ah." Both turned around. "Eo hyung." Jeongin greeted, Rumi removed her arm and politely bowed at him, she had noticed him with Jeongin earlier must be his team member. "Let's meet up for that coffee another time." Rumi said turning towards Jeongin. "Eo. Let me intro-" Rumi shook her head. "See you around." She patted his head and walked off nodding at his member in acknowledgment.

"Who was that?" Chan questioned walking towards hisyounger member. "It's someone I know from acting classes." Jeongin quickly liedlike he had been for past few months. Club being the said acting classes, wellhe did met her there. "Oh." Chan nodded staring at her leaving back wonderingwhat's up with her hand.

A/N :

What do you think, is the technician the real culprit or was it just coincident? Let me know in comment section below. Don't forget to vote and share this story with your pals. And also do add this book to your library and reading list so you won't miss an update.

Love,

Alba💜