Beyond Us [Bangchan] [Finished]

Chapter 23

The comeback was being a success so far. The promotion of the new album was going smoothly and the sales were even higher than the previous one. The numbers were so shocking that even the fandom couldn't believe it. I was hoping it just didn't translate into more pressure on the guys, which was difficult not to happen but hope is the last thing you lose.

I went to Inkigayo as I mentioned to Chan. The experience was fun; I have never gone to a TV show before so it was refreshing. There were some little interactions between the fans and the guys too, it was heartwarming to see them playing with their fans. There was this girl screaming at the top of her lungs that made everyone laugh too, the boys on the stage included.

Seungmin and Changbin talked briefly with some fans at the front while off-camera. I really thought Korean fans were extremely lucky to be able to have such moments with their artists.

Even though I had a great time, I felt a bit strange. It almost felt like living a double life, one as a fan, one as an insider.

"Are you off? Get home well". Wrote Chan after the broadcast was over.

"I'll meet a friend before going home. You slay the performance". I sent back with a few hearts.

We didn't see each other after that day we had dinner together, and we couldn't talk much either but we would update each other regularly. Because of the timing, I guessed he wrote to me over meals and while waiting time on schedules.

I didn't hate this time apart anyway. It's not like we were not talking at all either. After giving it some thought, I came to think that it was fine and maybe necessary. Things between Chan and me escalated quite quickly after all. It didn't seem like a bad thing to back up for a bit.

"Mia!" I heard someone calling out my name.

"Hey! You're already here. Thanks for picking me up".

"I parked the car around the corner". I nodded and followed him.

"And how did your job interview go?"

I was meeting Hyeon-u. We happened to bump into each other once again down in Hongdae when I was killing some time after my course the previous week. I thought it was too much of a coincidence to meet each other like that, it was already the third time; he thought the same so we exchanged numbers and made plans to drink something together that weekend.

We were about to turn around the corner when suddenly a bunch of girls started screaming. I looked back just to see the boys getting in a van.

"Ah, it must be an idol group", said Hyeon-u looking at the scene with me.

"Yeah, it's Stray Kids. I came to see them too".

"Don't you wanna go and take a picture too?"

"No way!" I laughed at the thought of it. "Let's go, you said you had things to do later".

Hyeon-u was a marketing advisor in search of a stable job; he had been freelancing since he got out of college. He was living with his older sister, they were from Busan. He had this cute Persian cat he would constantly talk about and it looked like he spent most of his free time playing on the PC at home or clubbing in Itaewon.

Luckily for him, he got the job he was applying for that day we met; he was starting the next day.

"You sure have stayed longer than you told me the first time. Are you planning on settling here?" He asked after I told him about my trip to Busan. He started telling me some other things and spots to visit. It seemed I needed a third tip there.

"No, no. I haven't even thought about it".

"But you have an online job. You can perfectly stay if you want to, and without the burden of finding a job here and all that it implies".