𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐄 𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄 | csc

𝙫𝙞.

"How interesting."

"What?" Minghao who was stood next to Seungcheol seemed to be the only one who heard and in panic, Seungcheol shook his head, dismissing his co-member's comment.

He had to admit, watching Aerin dance with such a bright smile on her face as she followed her passion made him happy. In fact, he hadn't realized a small grin was growing on his face until his hand dropped his water bottle, alerting his members.

"You okay?"

"Yeah Josh." Despite his answer, it was evident to his group that he was feeling the opposite. They knew him too well.

Seungcheol picked up the bottle, swiftly throwing it in the trash before running his hand through his hair.

"I'm gonna take a breather." He said, to which his members perked up and all of a sudden started listing countless food times for him to pick up. He would have retaliated and thrown a few playful insults, but his urge to leave the suffocating room outweighed and he just nodded before exiting.

His mind was completely blank.

"Shit, again?" Suddenly a figure bumped into his chest and he looked down to be met with the exact person who was throwing him in such a spiral.

She started to walk away but he caught her wrist again. The moment she turned to him, he suddenly regret everything he just did. He had no idea what he was going to say, but he hoped it wasn't complete trash.

"What? are you going to ask me that shitty question again?"

"No, No! I just um, wanted to apologize for what I said last time we met. I don't know what came over me and I'd like us to start over." He gave her a bow and then let out a chuckle, looking at her shocked face. Her unfiltered expressions were something he knew he would become fond of.

Seungcheol's sincere smile made Aerin's heart skip a beat. Being talented and a heart flutter? Damn he had it all.

"I- sure, I guess." It would be way to awkward to refuse the guy's from-the-heart apology, so she just did a tiny bow back and discreetly moved to a more shaded area of the hall. She had been told from her manager that staff were apparently extremely gossip-y and there was no way in hell Aerin would risk anything.

"I'm Seungcheol by the way." Aerin decided to calm herself, maybe this wouldn't be so bad. She smiled up at him, leaning on the wall.

She suddenly stood up straight, alarming Seungcheol as he moved towards her with an expression of worry.

"Oh my god I forgot about the food." She facepalmed and turned her attention back to the man across her, giving her that angelic gummy smile.

"Sorry, I need to go to the cafeteria to get the girls food." Seungcheol nodded.

"I'll head with you, I'm in the same situation." And that's how the two leaders found themselves walking side by side all the way to the Music Bank cafeteria, engaging in small talk which Aerin surprisingly found comfort in.

Aerin pulled a yellow sticky note from her pocket and recited what it said to the staff who faithfully wrote the order down. For a small group of idols, they somehow managed to eat a lot but she couldn't imagine how long Seungcheol's order would be. From the small talk, she picked up that he was the leader of seventeen and she wondered how she hadn't met the leader of her cousin's group sooner.

"Alrighty! It'll be ₩7,5401.65 ( $59.32 usd )" The cheery worker exclaimed and as Aerin reached into her pockets in search for her wallet, her hand was met with only the material of her outfit.

She frantically searched all of her other pockets before she was hit with realization.

"Shit." Seungcheol who was trying to remember his member's orders was alerted at Aerin's panic.

"You good?" He asked and the girl stopped her search, looked at him with a guilty smile.

"I left my fucking wallet in the waiting room." A sigh escaped her lips and she closed her eyes in stress. The moment she opened them, the register showed the words "transaction complete."

Aerin was left in confusion until she saw Seungcheol placing his...black fucking card (!?) in his pocket. She knew popular idols earned pretty good money most times, but he had a whole ass black card? What the hell?

Brushing away her shock from the card, she then connected the dots and realized what had happened. But before she got a chance to talk, she was shoved to a more remote area in the cafeteria by Seungcheol who had a cocky smile on his face.

"You little shit! You payed for the food!? No no, I need to pay you back!" Seungcheol laughed at her rush to pay him back but then held her shoulders, bringing Aerin back from her worry. It was then that the girl realized how close they were, but despite that, she kept her composure.

"It's all good, no need."

"Still! I'll feel like shit for the rest of my life if I don't." The man sighed and reached for his phone, doing something quick and then looking up to her.

"Then give me your number. Let's stay in contact"