Talk Nerdy to Me

Chapter 6: A Proposition, or, In Which Felix's Surprise Goes Awry

Summary:

Felix's smooth talking has gotten Ra a surprise visit at JYPE. But his suggestion quickly leads down a path Ra never thought she'd ever get to do.

Chapter Text

The next day, the police let Ra know via email that her apartment was ready for her to go back. She didn't want to go back. She didn't want to set foot in the place, barely wanting to get her stuff and leave. But it was her home, and she had a lease, and she couldn't just sleep on Christopher Bang Chan's couch for the rest of her visa.

If her visa didn't get revoked for lack of employment. She squared her shoulders, letting Chris know that she needed to go home and start cleaning up.

He got up immediately to come with her. He wasn't going to let her go there alone.

In a way, Ra was grateful for the protective energy he put off. But on the other hand, she didn't want to cause him further problems. She felt like the fact that she was alive - quite literally, if the accusations being hurled around were true - was thanks enough from her.

But Chris was undeterred, a golden retriever with a bone to pick.

He did wear a hat and sunglasses, plus a mask outside in the morning sunlight. It made her feel slightly better. He was far too good looking not to draw eyes even if you didn't know he was a star. She still didn't know quite how to feel about that. She had only been introduced to Kpop yesterday, but what little research she'd managed to do surreptitiously that morning, she had missed a huge chunk of Korean pop culture.

Not that that was surprising. She missed a lot of that kind of thing. She glanced at him, trying not to be too obvious. His face was pretty even with the scrapes on it. She felt the guilt sinking in at the bruises beginning to form.

"If you keep looking at me like you hit me yourself," he said, his low voice settling into her skin like life itself. "Well, I'm not sure what I'll do yet."

Ra offered a smile, hoping it was enough. He faltered in his step. She looked around for whatever had tripped him, confused.

"It's nothing," he said. "Nothing."

Ra shrugged. She still wasn't quite sure what had made him trip, but she decided it best to accept what he said this time. They arrived at her apartment building not long after. She looked up at her window, pausing, just staring up at it a moment. Not long enough for Chris to question her, but long enough to catch her bearings and head up the one flight of stairs.

She half-expected for the world to go dark again when she opened her door. When it didn't, she took a good look around, double checking the bathroom and her closet, before accepting that they were, in fact, alone.

The place was absolutely trashed. Her books were strewn in every direction. Her curtains were ripped. One of her pillows didn't have a pillowcase - evidence now. They'd even managed to break both of her plates. She did her best not to look too closely at the stains on the floor, thankful that it was hardwood and not carpet.

"Work cut out for us, huh," Chris said, filling the silence.

Ra nodded and sighed. She pulled her trash bin out from under the sink, and began sweeping the glass from her plates up. Chris took off his hoodie, hanging it neatly in her closet, and began to pick up her books. She paused, wrestling with herself. This was an idol. A Kpop superstar, with fans around the world. He shouldn't be picking up the pieces of her life like this.

Yet he was. And he insisted on being friends with her in spite of everything. Insisted the others were her friends, too.

At last - at long, long last - she found her voice. "Thank you, Chris." It was a whisper, husky from lack of use.