Oasis

CHAPTER I - Encounter

New beginnings. That's what you have been whispering to yourself the past weeks as you prepared for your departure to Korea. Everything felt so heavy to leave behind but you knew for yourself that even before, it was already expected of you to leave your hometown someday because of your chosen career. There are a lot more opportunities for you around the world and it would be such a waste to just oversee those doors leading you to new paths, that's why you're trying to motivate yourself to be brave enough to conquer your fears.
As soon as you step out of the airport building, you close your eyes and breathe in the air... trying to let everything sink in. Your journey starts here. This is what you have been preparing yourself for. You're outside of your comfort zone and all things are still foreign, however, you know this is where you'll grow. You smile to yourself as you once again open your eyes to look around, studying your surroundings. Airports mark different kinds of dawning and all those take courage. It is evident in the eyes of the people bidding farewell to their loved ones - one final hug before they leave. In contrast, the wide smiles on people's faces as they welcome their arriving beloveds with warm embraces also speak so much. These individuals also have their own story just like you and the fact that today is spent dissimilarly by these people is just so overwhelming to think about.

"Y/N!" Soo Young, your cousin squeals as she excitedly runs to give you the biggest hug. "I missed you so much!" "I missed you too!" You tighten the hug. It has been five years since the last time you saw each other. She's your closest cousin from your father's side and even though you used to live miles away from one another, you kept tabs on your own lives' highlights so she basically knows what's going on with yours. "Come on, let's go. My boyfriend is here to drive us to your apartment." She helps you push your cart towards the car and her boyfriend offers his hand to aid you put them in his car's trunk. The three of you drive to yours and Soo Young's favorite restaurant to grab lunch before going to your unit to unpack. The catching up is so much fun, not to mention that today's the first time you have officially met Joo Ho, her boyfriend of two years. She only introduced him to you through a video call before and it is a relief that he seems to be a wonderful man who doesn't have any intention to hurt your cousin because that'd be the last thing you ever want to happen. He will go through hell with you if he will resort to anything of that sort.

The lunch's filled with laughter, stories and endless smiles as each of you shares interesting happenings as well as reminisce how you and Soo Young were growing up. As you finish eating, you go on with your plan to finally unpack in your rented space. Actually, Soo Young was the one who chose the whole thing which is why she's anticipating your feedback. "I really hope you will like this place." She gives her final remark before opening the door. You smile at her and look around. It's actually pretty decent, knowing you asked her to look for units that are just within your budget since you still can't afford expensive apartments because you're still paying your student loans. This is a studio type apartment but it is spacious enough. "Well?" You turn to her and raise your eyebrow. "Don't you like it?" You show her a thumbs down gesture but turn it to a thumbs up. "I love it, Soo Young. Thank you so much." You snicker at her reaction. "What was that.. I really thought you're disappointed." You laugh and resume looking around. "How can I be disappointed with this? This is such a great deal." You check the faucet in the kitchen and bathroom and the pressure is good enough too. "This is the most beautiful part." She opens the curtain that reveals the big, glass window overlooking the intersections and streets of Seoul. "Wow." You stand beside her, admiring the view. It isn't as grand as the ones from the high class apartments but you know for yourself this is still a pleasant view to wake up to in the morning. "Now shall we start unpacking?" You nod and you both go through your luggage. Joo Ho doesn't stay for long because of some errands but Soo Young does and decides to spend the night with you. It becomes an exciting task to allocate spaces for your things. However, the challenge is for you to mix and match some design ideas that you think suit the feels that you're envisioning for your new home. Nonetheless, you seize the thrill while it's there.

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It has been a week since your arrival and now, things begin to feel real. Your work is starting in a few days and since you're done settling everything in your house including your newly arrived packages from home and the appliances you bought, you begin preparing yourself for the start of your residency. You're studying again, reviewing your notes and purchasing books that are useful for you. Today, the weather's good so you're out to study in a café. It's been about five hours of non-stop reading, highlighting and taking down notes that you're on the verge of feeling stuffy. You've finished two big cups of cappuccino and three slices of red velvet cheesecake that your table looks like you were with someone. That's the thing about you when you study. You just can't stop pigging out but you relieve your guilt through working out twice as much though so it doesn't really bother you. You basically workout to enjoy food. You look outside the glass windows and notice that the sun's about to set so you gather your things and put them back in your bag to head out. "I think I've done enough reviews for today." You mutter to yourself as you zip your bag. Just when you're about to stand up, you notice that the person sitting from across your table looks extremely familiar. One name pops out in your mind: Jaehyun from NCT. Your eyes widen in shock, you never thought you'd meet a celebrity in the café that you always loved dropping by since you moved in the neighborhood. However, there was something odd in him. He looks so uncomfortable and fidgety. You try to read his actions and your hypothesis leads you to assume that the two persons on his left side are the cause of his uneasiness. He's alone, drinking some iced americano, trying to divert his attention to his phone but the restlessness on his face is very evident. You want to do something to help him, yet you don't know how so you just exit the café - keenly hoping he'd just leave the shop to avoid the girls.

While you reach the first alleyway from the coffee shop, you turn your head to see him brisk walking, constantly checking if the girls are still following him. You know you shouldn't mind people's business too much because it might get you into some trouble but you just felt his antsy feeling back there that you can't help yourself from meddling so you run towards him and pull him to the alley. "Hey! Who are you?! You're with them aren't you?" "Just keep your voice down if you do not want to be found by them." You head straight to the narrow street on the other side that leads to the suburbs. When you lose them, you let go of his wrist to lean on the brick wall and catch your breath which he does too. "Were they sasaengs?" You ask him with heavy pants. "Yes. They have been following me since I went to the department store. They even went in the comfort room and waited for me in the other cubicle. I was really terrified." "What?! That's just a disgusting behavior. Have you contacted your managers?" He shakes his head no. "Today's my manager's day off. I called my member, Mark, to pick me up but apparently, there's some car accident in Cheongdam-dong so he's stuck in traffic." You furrow your eyebrows at him. "Are you kidding me? A celebrity being picked up by a celebrity, those sasaengs will only follow you even more." You grab your phone from your pocket. "Do you want me to hail you a cab?" He nods and you proceed to book a taxi using an app. "How did you know I was being tailed?" "You looked uneasy in the café. I thought you'd get through it yourself but those girls were just so crazy, I guess." You answer him without getting your eyes off the screen of your phone. "You know who I am, right?" "Who doesn't when you basically live on TV and in the news articles?" He smiles and you do too. A few moments pass by and the cab arrives. "Thank you so much. I greatly appreciate your help." He thanks you with a bow before he opens the car door. "Wait." You halt his actions and remove your cap to wear it on him. "This should be enough to somehow conceal your identity. You wouldn't want any other sasaengs to follow you, right?" He flashes you another smile as he once again, thank you for your kind act. You wave him goodbye as the cab leaves. You just met and talked to Jeong Jaehyun. Crazy. But you think to yourself, it must be so hard for people like him to live that kind of life. Sure, he's wildly popular but that popularity also has its own cons. "I hope he gets home without meeting weird people again tho." You mumble before you walk your way home. The sun has set fully and it's getting dark. Well, today was... something.