I am Gone

Chapter 23

Even in the small space of Jihoon's cave, a grumbling sound of a stomach was heard in the studio that it overlapped the beats for a second. The source of that grumbling sound sheepishly smiled at the owner of the room.

"Sorry, hyung." Seokmin apologized, a hand on his stomach.

Jihoon turned around easily with his swiveling chair and thinks for a second. "Hungry, huh? Get your mask on, we're going out." He stood up and get himself ready while Seokmin just stared at him like he's not the person he knew.

"Move your limping arms while I'm still nice here," Jihoon sternly warned when he noticed the younger was not moving and this got Seokmin to move faster.

Not long after, they reached the convenience store Jihoon usually visits. The company building has a canteen in one of it's floors but Jihoon always choose to walk and eat on the convenience store for a reason Jihoon stated quote unquote: "I don't know why people are desperate to be healthy by just eating these disgusting organic vegetable salad!" (Imagine him gagging in front of Seungcheol as an end of his complaining. If Jihoon was just a random employee, they would be killed with a glare.)

"Now I get why you always avoid coming to the canteen, Jihoon-hyung. Because this is heaven." Seokmin complimented the place, his eyes sparking at the shelves of instant noodles and chips. Well, Seokmin is an idol singer and he has an image to maintain. And he's been really obedient to his gym coach, doctor, nutritionist and dietitian.

Jihoon just shrugged, getting a soda on the chiller. "I don't get why Seungcheol doesn't even put just one vending machine in his huge-ass and still growing, ten storey company building. I bet the other departments of SEEn was nuts over not drinking soda in the office." At least he has his own mini-fridge.

Jihoon asked Minhyun, who works in the counter, for a bundle of drinks to be delivered in his room in the building, which Minhyun accepted to do later. Seokmin was enjoying his time to check out the foods he's been missing out.

"Horangi power, yeah yeah~" A voice of someone they know appeared, humming a song no one has ever heard. Jihoon and Seokmin stared at him, the former absolutely judging his whole existence while the latter was swaying along.

"Oh, Hoshi-hyung!" Seokmin, brimming with his bright and friendly energy as usual, greeted Hoshi. Jihoon, escaping to the next shelf, hides before being seen by the tiger-loving human.

"Seokmin-ah!" Hoshi greeted back with a hushed voice, Seokmin chuckled at this.

"You can talk normally, hyung. This place is idol-friendly."

Everyone knows how idols get their privacy invaded by some obsessive fans, slash 사생 (sasaeng) fans, and Seokmin has experiences being followed. He just hope no one asks him how he responded to this since they were erased on the surface of the world, with help from the maknaes. There was nothing to worry about this since the offenders has something dirty on their records.

"What are you doing here? I didn't expect you to be out here in public, you know." Hoshi being Hoshi, he went straight to get his favorite ice cream bars and gave one to Seokmin.

Seokmin pretended to think, looking up to remember his motive. "I'm kinda feeling rebellious and my taste pallets craved for junkies without my nutritionist and doctor knowing." As he was smiling from ear to ear under his face mask, his eyes were also smiling.

They decided to eat a cup of instant ramen. Hoshi and Seokmin really clicked well, both radiating bright and hyper energy that soon would become chaotic when together for a longer period.

"Seokmin-ah, if only Seungkwan is here, he'd surely ask for a high note battle right now." Hoshi said between his chewing, still able to talk clearly.

"Hell, yeah. We've been having matches for hundreds of times and I think… our winning streak was close with three or four wins, me on the lead of course. And probably around two hundred plus wins, close to hundred draws, and less than sixty loses. I'm not really sure with the statistics."