Eye of the public | Seo Changbin

Chapter 9

1st Advent

"Hey princess, I missed you!" Changbin pulled his girlfriend in for a short greeting kiss, having to pull away because seven other boys also wanted a greeting.

"Riley! It's been so long! How are you?" Jisung asked and side-hugged her. "I'm fine, it was just really busy at the company lately. I do hope that the christmas time will be more relaxed but I think the opposite will happen."

"No bad moods today! We got a whole buffet prepared and we can't have the food waiting, now can we?" Everyone laughed at Changbin's excited eyes at the mention of food. While everyone made their way towards the living room, Riley whispered in Changbin's ear, "Food or me?"

The look that appeared on Changbin's face showed his despair but the girl only laughed and dragged him to the others. "We bought Scones in this british restaurant near han river" Changbin seemed really proud that he got his girlfriend something she liked.

"Thank you guys. You didn't have to!" Riley argued but was shut off by Chan,
"Bullshit! Now let's dig in!"

After a few moments of peaceful chatter and eating, Riley spoke up again, "As a person who works in the medical field I order you to take a break from overworking. You just had a successful comeback but here you are already producing the whole night for the next songs."

"It's fine Ry, we're used to it." Changbin reassured and carressed the latters thigh.
"That is not an excuse! Stay wouldn't be dissappointed just because the next comeback takes longer than four months."

Silence filled the room after Riley's worried outburst. "Sorry, I didn't mean to sound this harsh. I'm just worried for your well-being" Changbin still carressed her thigh but now moved his hand to lay over her shoulders. "We know that and we appreciate your concern but this is just how things are, we can't just stop working because we had a comeback."

"I know, I know. But please promise me you'll look after yourselves. And Chan, you need to stop working after midnight and if it comes as far as me dragging you out of the company!"

"I'll try okay?"

Riley was satisfied with that answer and they continued eating. "We are writing personal christmas cards this year and will send them to Stays through a drawing by coincidence. Do you want to help us decorate them?"

"I don't think Stay would like if they knew some of the cards were from me and not made by you"
"Then they have to deal with that! Come on!" Changbin pulled Riley up and dragged the girl to the couch were boxes full of empty cards, glitter and stickers stood.
"Who had the nonsense idea to literally make all these cards yourself?"

"The management and that is the reason we need your help. Every pair of helping hands is welcomed and very much needed" Jisung explained and took one of the red cards. "Let's get started then" Riley sighed and took a card herself.

•

"My fingers are all sticky, ew" Hyunjin whined and tried to shake a christmas-tree-sticker off that stuck to his finger. Just then Rileys phone rung, and with the only two fingeres that weren't covered in glitter, she answered the call.

"Riley! I need your signature for this order abroad. It needs to go off until tonight. Where are you right now?" Riley's assistant and friend Sora rambled on the other side. "Calm down girl. I'm at Changbin's dorm right now, I can't really leave right now but you can put it in my post and I'll send it to you later."

"No, that's to late but I'll find a solution. Bye bye!"
"Hey, wait!... That girl" Riley shook her head and continued working on her card while the boys didn't even mind her taking a call.

Not even twenty minutes later the doorbell rung and Jeongin, who had the least glue and glitter on his fingers, went to open it. "Riley? It's Sora, she is asking for some signature?" Jeongin had come back with the mentioned girl on his tail.

"Hi Sora, you can stay and help us!" Chan exclaimed and shoved a pile of cards into the girl's hands. "I was just here for a signature though?" The confused response came.

"I'll sign it but there should still be time for you to join us" Riley looked up at her friend with puppy eyes. With a sigh Sora sat down and reached for the glue, starting her work with the cheering of eight boys.

"If I tell you next time that I'll find a solution other than your suggestion, please persist on doing it your way, Ry" Sora whined, struggling to get a heart away from her nose without touching it with her sticky fingers.

"I think you two are good to go. You already helped a lot and from what I have heard you still got some things to do", Chan commented and immediately Sora stood up and left for the bathroom. "I also gotta go, I'm meeting with a guy from college whom I do a project with" Riley followed her bestfriend to the bathroom and left a confused looking Changbin behind.

The guy didn't know whom she was meeting and felt the familiar tingle of jealousy rise in his chest. "You know that she would never" Jeongin started but didn't need to finish his sentence as everyone already knew what he had meant. "But that guy may not know that and try something"

When the girls came back from the bathroom they bid their goodbyes and were brought to the door by Changbin. "Go ahead Sora, I have to borrow my girlfriend real quick"

The said girl left down the stairs, giving the couple some privacy.

"Who is this guy that you are meeting with?"

"Some guy from my business class, he's chill, doesn't like to be the center of attention." Changbin let his head hang low, knowing he should control his jealousy and protectiveness.

"You don't need to be jealous Bin, he's alright and I would never cheat on you, you know that" Riley tried to reassure her boyfriend after noticing his mood.

"I know and I trust you with all my heart but I just don't trust the others. It is in your character that you only see the good in people, and that's also something I love about you, but it sometimes gets you in certain situations and I know you don't like to be rude or get loud."

Changbin was silenced by a loving kiss pressed to his lips which made him forget about all his worries for a moment. "I'll call you when I get home and we are meeting at the university library so you don't need to worry that much okay? I love you and only you Changbin, never forget that"
"I love you too, my princess. Now go, don't let that poor guy waiting"

After another short kiss Riley hurried down the stairs and drove to the library. Cursing at herself for already being five minutes late which turned to fifteen when she finally reched the library.

She saw the blond boy sitting in a corner looing out the window with a dreamy smile. "Hey, Wooyoung! I am so sorry for being late, we can start now"

•

"You promised to call me the moment you were back home! I'm feeling neglected!" Changbin whined through the phone while he had his laptop and notebook in front of him, working on some songs. "I'm sorry you big baby but I'm calling you now, aren't I? And it's been only thirty minutes since I have arrived for that matter."

"How did it go with the project?" Changbin asked, both knowing very well whom his question was actually about. "We got pretty far, another few meet-ups and we should be done. Wooyoung is a great guy, I think you would get along well."

"That's..that's great, I guess. Yeah, glad it went well" Changbin stumbled a bit over his words, knowing Riley didn't like it when he became unnecessarily jealous. "Relax Changbin, Wooyoung spent the whole first hour rambling about some guy he was on a date with. I think his name was San or something and let me tell you that guy was whipped. I don't have a problem with you being jealous or worried but you need to talk to me about it Bin and not bottle it all up."

"I know, sorry princess. I'll try to talk about my feelings more with you, thank you"
"That's what I'm here for Bin, I love you. Now put away your stuff and go to sleep! Goodnight my knight"

Before Changbin could answer the call ended and he looked confused at his desk, "I didn't even tell her that I was still working..."

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~I've got nothing to say

~until next chapter
~~June