The City of Seoul // Bang Chan [EDITING]

✧.* Chapter 1 *.✧

It wasn't a surprise for the young Korean women to get a glimpse of all of these people waiting. A mix of middle-aged holding cameras with huge, high quality lenses on step stools or ladders and next to them young females, even a few males, dressed in extremely stylish outfits. 

Flying from Australia to her home country, Danbi noticed a large group of people as soon as she arrived at the lounge. A group of young men caught her eyes. Their faces were covered with masks but hearing them talk, only confirmed they were Korean as well. She smiled under her mask at the familiar sound of her mother tongue.  But she didn't have a clue who they were and she couldn't care less.

Seeing the dynamic with the surrounding people, it was clear they were some sort of Idol group. 

Boarding only confirmed it, when Danbi saw a few dressed-up girls line up for the economy boarding right next to the men in the line for business class. A sigh of pity escaped her. Unknown to her it was heard by one of the men. Warm brown eyes laid on her for mere moments.

It was loud even with the glass doors separating the eras. The noise did surprise her a bit. It was the first time for her to arrive at the airport of the capital at the same time as famous people.  Even before the pandemic, Choi Danbi was travelling rather frequently alone, with friends or visiting her brother all over the world and never experienced something like that.

Struggling with crowded places herself, this situation made her uncomfortable and feel even more pity for the Idols who would get caught in similar situations regularly. The fans seemed to know no boundaries and personal space. From what could be seen on the internet to Danbi it looked like it only got worse with each year. News over Idols that dripped and fell normal by now.

A tap on her shoulder made her jump and turn around startled while taking her earphones off. In front of her stood one of the Korean men who had caught her eye in Sydney. His face was still covered by a black mask but the small wrinkles by his eyes told her, he was smiling. The look in his eyes was apologetic. The same warm brown eyes that watched her in Australia.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," he began, "but you dropped this when you got off the plane." 

Danbi looked at him confused. As far as she had checked, she had everything. Taking his hand out of his jacket pocket, he showed her a little bundle of metal in his palm. 

Her heart stopped for a moment.

Resting in the stranger's hand was the most precious piece of jewellery the young woman owned. It was a dainty bracelet. A present from her parents for getting accepted at her dream university in Sydney. 

"Oh god, thank you so much!" Her voice was shaking a bit, relieved. She didn't want to think about how she would feel if she noticed the bracelet missing later. 

"I'm glad I could give it back," He watched her, seeing how much it must mean to her. "I know too well how it feels to lose an important piece of jewellery." He carefully dropped it into her open palm. He smiled under his mask.

She thanked him again, resting her phone on one of her suitcases to be able to put the jewellery back on. Doing that on herself was a bit of a struggle.

"May I?" The Idol hesitated before reaching out and clasping the fine band around her small wrist. 

"Thank you so much," Danbi blushed a bit under her mask. She couldn't help herself. 

"You're welcome." 

"Thank you again. This means a lot to me." She brushed over the cool metal on her arm before looking at the male in front of her again. "Have a safe journey home. Be safe." 

Danbi turned her head towards the doors for a moment. The male kept his eyes on her.

"Hopefully we have enough security this time." The Idol half-heartedly joked.

Turing her head back and watching the other people travelling with him, she counted the imitating men in black. Danbi noticed the majority of them glancing in their directions.

"It seems the rest is waiting for you." Danbi looked up at the Korean man in front of her. "Be safe." Her tone of concerned and serious.

"I will do my best to keep the kids safe." The skin around his eyes wrinkled again, indicating he was smiling. "Stay safe yourself."

She bowed before shyly waving and turning to leave. 

The noise level increased after walking through the glass doors, flashes from the cameras were going off, and different names were called. The music blasting from her headphones only blurred it. 

Wanting to get out of this situation as fast as possible, the young woman increased her steps while pushing both suitcases on either side with one hand also holding her phone. Focusing on what was in front of her, Danbi didn't catch on that the group had entered the arrival hall as well.

She only noticed, too late, that the waiting fans broke through the barricades running toward the Idols. Without caring about anyone else but themselves, they bumped into her. Trying to shield herself from the impacts, Danbi pushed her suitcases more in front of her than to her side.

Overwhelmed with the situation, she still tried to push forward and get out. 

There wasn't enough space between the group sheltered by a ring of security and her. Fans and reporters wanting to get the attention of the boys and good pictures walked backwards fast.

Danbi only caught on when it was too late and people stumbled into her from behind, stepping on her shoe and causing her to fall with the next push of the security.

It happened fast, she yelped and fell. Danbi fell over her suitcases with the momentum of the pushing and weight of the other people, landing uncomfortably half on top and in between them. Pain shot through her wrist.

Her headphones had moved, and suddenly it got so much louder, overwhelming the female even more. Carefully she sat up, and the people who caused her fall managed to catch themselves before falling to the ground.

Only when pairs of hands carefully grabbed her upper arms, she noticed that the group had reached her or made their way to her. The guards held the crowd back while the man who found her bracelet and one who was slightly older without a mask helped her up.

"Miss, are you hurt?" The second man asked concerned after Danbi stood on her feet again.

"I-I don't think so." She stuttered, eyes wide open and subconsciously holding her wrist. It was too much for her. 

"I think we should get her out of here." The Idols demanded, seeing how the security almost fought against the crowd.

Grateful for his members, he saw them pick up her suitcases and phone from the ground and bring it to them.

Danbi felt like she was in a tunnel, she couldn't concentrate on the short conversation between the men around her.

"Is there a car waiting for you?" The deep voice managed to get through to her. Confused she looked up to him, nodding mindlessly.

"A white Van." She told him after he asked twice. "I'm sorry."

The man smiled under his mask. "Don't worry. It's overwhelming. Let's get out of here."

Danbi had missed their conversation over splitting the group up with the security. Five would escort her and the man with warm eyes to her car and the rest of the Idols. She also missed the exchange of looks between him and his manager, silently arguing that he shouldn't do that. But there was no use.

So they started to move.