Wonwoo's Protection

10. Going against the odds

"Ayat!!! Ayat!!!" Wonwoo screamed in panic as he made his way down to the backstage after the hiphop unit's performance, searching for their chief creative producer who is also their close confidant and friend. He still couldn't believe that Inha was in the audience and he needed to see her soon.

"Where is Ayat???" He asked the rest of the crew who were clamouring around the members to help them prepare for the next performance. However, Ayat was nowhere to be seen and Wonwoo desperately needed her help.

"What what?? Are you hurt somewhere? Let me look!" Ayat came to meet him with full-blown panic on her face as she heard Wonwoo call out to her. She raised her hand to check if he's hurt anywhere when Wonwoo caught her hand, stopping her.

"I am not hurt. I need your help. She's here, Ayat. Inha is here!" he said in a hurried way with a growing smile stretched across his face. He still couldn't believe that Inha was at a close distance where he could reach her.

"Where?" Ayat asked him, determined to help him now as she finally understood why Wonwoo was searching for her.

"Down near the thrust stage. She's wearing a pink full-sleeved sweater. Her hair colour is auburn and she's really pretty"

"Dude, I need more than that to find her in a sea of your fans." Ayat replied, annoyed. "Do you have a picture?"

"Yes, I'll send it," Wonwoo said, fishing out his phone. Thankfully his mother had sent a few photos taken at his engagement and Wonwoo immediately sent Inha's picture to Ayat.

"Got it," she said as her phone dinged. "I'll make sure she's here by the time you finish the concert. Okay?"

"Yes, you are the absolute best Ayat Nuna" he said, hugging her suddenly.

"Eww, don't call me Nuna. I am only a year older than you. Now go and change for the next performance while I go find your fiancee"

And that's how Ayat found herself amongst Carats who were standing in front of the thrust stage. The next performance also started by that time. She was looking for a girl with a pink sleeved sweater and with the help of the picture that Wonwoo provided, she was able to single out one girl who held his picket in her hand.

"Gotcha" she whispered to herself as she made her way towards her. She covered herself with the black hoodie as she zigzagged her way towards where Inha was standing. The performance ended and it was time for their ment when the boys came near the thrust stage. She saw Wonwoo coming towards where she was standing next to a clueless Inha and with a slight assurance from his eyes directed at her, Ayat knew she found the right girl.

Meanwhile Inha thought she was imagining things when Wonwoo came near to where she was standing. He made direct eye contact with her and it sent shivers to her body.

Did he find me? Naah, that couldn't have been possible.

She shook those thoughts away when Eunbi was screaming next to her.

"Did you see??? Did you see him coming towards us!!!" Eunbi said as she couldn't peel her eyes off the stage.

Soon Inha felt someone slipping a note into her hand and noticed the strange hooded figure next to her. She couldn't see who it was as she was covered completely with a black hoodie and a black mask. However Inha made eye contact with the girl who didn't look or feel like a Korean.

"Open it" she urged in a low voice, but loud enough for only Inha to hear. Inha opened the note when Eunbi was distracted by the funny things happening on stage during the ment and found out the words neatly written in perfect Korean.

'Annyeonghaseyo, my name is Ayat Zaid. I am Wonwoo's friend. He wants to meet you after the concert. Please give this note to the guard standing on the left side of the stage and he'll help you reach backstage.'

By the time Inha read the note and wanted to ask the girl if this was for real, she was gone. She directed her gaze towards the left side of the stage to find the guard and found the hooded figure there, talking to the guard quickly and entering an area behind him. That gave Inha the assurance that this was not a drill and that she might really be able to meet her fiance.

So he knows I am here and that's why he came near.

Her heart was filled with joy but the only problem was Eunbi. What excuse should she give her to escape her? And how would she actually make it to where the guard was standing without anyone noticing her?

Soon the concert ended, the boys wrapped up the encore and disappeared behind the stage and the audience started to jostle against each other in an attempt to leave the venue and that gave her the opportunity to move away from Eunbi and put some distance between them. With some struggle Inha managed to reach the other side of the stage where the guard was standing and showed him the note that Ayat gave earlier. He welcomed her and opened the small gate and asked her to walk along the dark passageway under the stairs that led backstage.

As she walked she also called Eunbi and lied to her that she was pushed to the other side of the venue and so she didn't have to wait for her. Inha said she'll go home by herself and asked Eunbi to leave without her. Eunbi insisted that she would wait but Inha convinced her to go. She wondered if Eunbi would get suspicious of her behaviour but at that moment, she didn't have the energy to think about the repercussions as her heart was beating very fast at the prospect of meeting Wonwoo.

She saw a faint light and chattering of voices coming from afar under the stage and as she made her way towards it, someone caught hold of her hand and pulled her against a corner space that was quite small for two people. She tried to scream but they put their hand against her mouth in an attempt to silence her.
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A/N
Hello! Hope you liked this chapter! I will try to update very soon! Pls do vote and comment on parts you liked! Thank you so much for reading this book!