Call My Name by the Stars

CHAPTER 19 pt.2- Blessings of Rain, I Hear Myself

"Sorry for being late. I just went to the repair shop. The inspector said they could fix it and restore the files, but it'll take quite some time to patch them up since it's already a pretty old model," Min keyed in to the number he saved as "Jooah."

No response, though the check mark by the message doubled to indicate she'd read it, "Is she mad?"

He realized the ridiculous question he asked for himself and scoffed, "Of course she should, idiot. "I'm not in the mood"? Jeez Kang Min, who talks like that to someone you're begging for forgiveness from?," He turned the steering wheels without thinking and drove to the same spot again.

Min spotted Jooah in a single glance right upon parking in the KK Center lot. She was always the one walking alone with a stale unaffected expression, if not with her camera team carrying more equipment expressionless. It wasn't that late when he arrived, it was still at noon, but the crew were wrapping up and getting back to their vans.

Jaeryeong quickly caught up to her as she faced back and stared at him coldly before he even approached, because her gut was never wrong in the annoying people navigation.

He flinched and stopped in his tracks right before her, "Oh!... hey...," he took off his mask and brushed the back of his hair in embarrassment, "Are- are you guys going somewhere? For lunch, I suppose?"

"Why don't you just ask your beloved member?"

"Uhm...," Jaeryeong looked away, wondering how people knew how to naturally change the subject when a similar situation is faced.

Jooah muttered, "Makes me question how you even have the constant authority to walk in and out of here whenever you please."

Jaeryeong gave a tiny shy smile.

She sighed, "We started early at dawn today, so we're also ending early," she crossed her arm as if she were the final boss fight in a game, "Why are you here again? Chunyoung already went home with his manager."

"Oh uhh... I sent you a message... about your camera."

"Yeah I've read it."

"Oh... yeah... you did...," he expected her to add in more, but it already turned to a strange situation the moment he expected so from someone with a few words as replies. To make matters worse, he didn't say anything either afterwards, so the two are left with a long overbearing silence in between the creaks of crickets and background car engines in the distance. It turned stale and awkward, and at that point, both were just in hesitation as the second passed.

Jooah took the role of the ice breaker, "Is that it? That's all?"

"Sorry, about what I said last night," he said abruptly straight to the point, not knowing how to beat around the bush any longer.

"Which part of it?"

"I think I gave the impression that I got annoyed for thinking you were messing with me and pestering me for pleasure. That's not what I intended," he shook his hands.

"I never said I thought that way."

"Yeah but, I thought you might. It's my fault anyways that your camera broke. And I was the one who insisted to get it fixed for you, but I took way too much time, especially considering the fact you entrusted me with something very precious to you. Sorry, Joo- Kim Hyojin. I am really irresponsible."

She thought about whether the evil side of her should seize victory and make things harder for him, but she didn't want to bother too much with it, knowing it's petty if she had done so over a small communication mishap, "...Okay then."