Lucid

Chapter 27

Pov: Y/N
Another day, another person going to do something dumb. I swear, is it something in the water? Or perhaps something about how the Korean society enforces respect, it makes all the kids act out in strange and aggressive ways. This time, it's a couple of college students who have had the bright idea to break into a concert, and do who knows what. They discussed that in person, but they made a few too many things visible in a groupchat. If a sixty year old said it, I would assume it was fake. But a group of twenty year old men with nothing better to do, and not much to loose? I don't put anything past. It was a pretty casual plan, they were going to sneak backstage by distracting a guard and find the idols. I'll probably wait until they get into backstage to catch them though, I'd rather not make a public scene. People were still sharing the video of what I did during Chaeyeon's stage, so I don't want to get any undue attention. As I walk into the foyer, I suddenly stop and realize- I have no idea whose concert is is. They mentioned a few names, such as Hayoung, Jisun, and Seoyeon, but they don't actually say the name of the band. Walking back to the intel room, I check the board. Oh, right. With than in mind, I pull up a blueprint of the building they're performing in tonight. Standard layout, almost identical to the one I was in the other day. The one different here, is the larger hallways that they use can fit a number of people, making easier exit routes.  Helpful for me if I need to leave, but problematic if they try to run. The whole area is fairly open though, and the stage and stage behind area are all overhung by a large latticework, which I'll be using as a perch while I wait. I love those.

It's silent while I walk towards the armory. I start thinking loosely, and the first thing that comes to mind is my dream last night. It painfully reminds me of why I'm keeping myself so busy today, and I immediate focus up as I walk into the next room. I flip on the lights, and see the racks upon racks of weapons. I grab the cart from by the door, and start putting on gear. I start with two mark-50 Sidekicks, then a pair of Wingmans, then two 7th Seraph VX-9's. Bored with the close range gear that I probably won't use, I move on to mid range. This is where I get indecisive. I decide to decide later, and grab an M-76 Revenant, an MA40, an R301, and an EL16 HFE. With that settled, I push further. In the special weapons area, I pick up a Binary Rifle and a Xenoclast IV. With those covered, I grab one more- my favorite of them all, a marksman's rifle. This truly stumps me for a good few minutes, but after bouncing back and forth between a number of good options, I grab ahold of one that was gifted to me by an old friend, a weapon I call the Dead Man's Tale. I push the cart down to my workbench, and start taking them each apart to clean and check them before my mission today.

It goes smoothly, as I work with music in the background to keep myself occupied. But all too soon, it's changed. My phone rings, and it's not another contract or a new piece of intel. It's Liz. Just who I was planning to avoid. Some days, I can brush my nightmares aside easily. But others, they persist, like a dark cloud that won't dissipate. I stare at the phone for a moment, trying to decide how to answer, what to say when I pick up. But as I think, I pull a blank, and the call stops ringing. I feel a pang of guilt, but I'll respond later and say I was busy. It's not entirely untrue either, I'm in the middle of calibrating my rifle. That's a perfectly good reason not to answer. She doesn't call again, but leaves a text. Looking over, I read the preview. It says,
"I wanted to talk to you, and apologize for what happened last..." I tap the screen, and it displays the rest of the message. "...night. Are you free sometime? I would prefer in person, if it's possible." Ah. I guess she does act as a gatekeeper for the girls sometimes. She did when we first met. So it makes sense that she's trying to apologize for Leeseo. In truth, I don't even blame Leeseo. She asked a question, perhaps slightly tactlessly but I do the same thing often. But how I left could have come across rather badly. I brush the message aside, and go back to cleaning the barrel.

Location: IVE dorm
POV: None
"He didn't answer, or respond." Says Liz, pacing across the room.
"Maybe he's busy." Says Leeseo.
"He would usually still answer a call though." Answers Wonyoung. Everyone is sitting in the living room together, feeling uneasy. When Leeseo had brought up what happened last night, Gaeul had suggested they work together to try and come up with a solution.
"Is there a place we can go to find him? Maybe we could talk to him in person." Asks Yujin. "Didn't you say you went to his house, Wonyoung?" She nods.
"I did, but I don't really remember where it was. It was in a tunnel somewhere? To the south, not far. Let's not go there, we shouldn't invade his privacy." Gaeul agrees.
"That's how we got here in the first place."
"So should we just wait?" Asks Leeseo, wringing her hands. Everyone looks around, but nobody comes up with a good answer.
"I guess so." Says Liz, and puts down her phone. "Let's talk about something else. Monsta X is having a show today, and Fromis_9 will also be there to perform. Would you like to go? We can get seats." Everyone perks up hearing that.
"Ohhhh, that sounds fun!" Say Rei, standing up.
"Let's go, then, everyone seems to like the idea."
"Alright. I'll call and ask to get seats." Liz walks to her room, dialing the company. Everyone else spreads to their own hobbies.

POV: Liz
As I wait for the call to go through, I wonder about our conversation. I wonder if Y/N really was hurt by that, or if he just had to leave. I know he's really busy. But I feel like he could have been made very sad or uncomfortable by that. But why am I so worried about it? Just then, the call connects, and I drop the subject.

Timeskip- that night

POV: Leeseo
We stood backstage, in a waiting area. Monsta X had just left after saying hi, and we were waiting for the show to start to move to our seats. Wonyoung and Yujin had just left to go say hi to their old bandmate Eunbi, and Liz and Rei were filming for a vlog over against the wall. I sat on a couch, next to Gaeul, just feeling bored. I stand up, and she looks at me.
"Where are you going?"
"I need to use the bathroom." It was true, although I also did want to walk around a bit and see what was happening backstage. I get directions to the restroom and go by the first. Afterwards, I take a longer path back, going through the idol preparation area and the changing rooms, and the idol ready rooms. As I start heading back, one of the staff, dressed in black like most of them are and this one wearing a hat, bumps into me. He knocks into my arm, and something he was holding bumps my hand. I turn and bow, and say, "I'm sorry!" he doesn't respond, and when I look up, he isn't there. There's a few halls and doors nearby, so he probably just went into there. There's a lot of busy staff here so I suppose I should be more careful in their workplace. Just then, I notice a note, tucked into my hand. Did I pick that up earlier? Did he put it there? That's odd. I open it up, and it says,

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|                                                                                   |
|                 Talk tomorrow.                                     |
|                                                                                   |
|                                            Fixer                              |
|                                                                                   |
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I suddenly smile, feeling better. I hadn't really thought about it recently, but knowing he wants to talk is really reassuring that he isn't mad. Now much happier, I walk back to the waiting room only to see everyone else walking out.
"Why are you over there? The bathroom was that way." Asks the manager, as I rejoin the group.
"Got lost." I say with a shrug.
"Well, we're headed to our seats. Let's go." I nod, and follow the group. We walk past a number of busy-looking people, mostly in black. I tap Wonyoung as we walk, and ask,
"Why are they always wearing black?" She looks around, then looks back at me.
"I'm not sure. Maybe it's so that they're obviously stage crew? And that way you can't see them in the dark areas around the stage. Ah, that makes sense.
"Ok." So they wear black so they won't be spotted in the dark corners, where they work. I get it.

A/N- casual chapter. Not much to say.

Oh, but! The photo I used is from a person named Elliot Davis, a hard surfaces 3D designer. I saw it online and thought it was perfect for this. If you want me to take it down, Elliot, just comment or message me and I legally have to (maybe?)