Noah, the frontman and vocalist of the metalcore band Bad Omens, was in Paris for a show when he crossed paths with Karina, a member of a global idol group Aespa, seeking solace in the same town where her identity could remain a secret during her hi...
Yeon-hee left the room to pick up a few things for her family, Karina offered to accompany her. However, Yeon-hee declined, insisting that Karina should rest because she still looked pale and weak.
Karina couldn't handle alcohol well. She'd get drunk quickly because she had a low tolerance. Karina never drank outside home. She liked being in her own space, where she could relax without feeling pressured in public.
Unlike most kids her age, she never experienced the carefree joys of youth. Instead, she spent her time to rigorous training at the academy, to pursue her dream of becoming an idol from a very young age. While her peers were out playing with friends, she was immersed in a demanding schedule of studying and honing her skills in singing, dancing, and perfecting her mannerisms, often pushing herself to the point of exhaustion.
She hardly had time to think about love. Although her company didn't ban dating, her romantic choices had significant consequences. Although she could date anyone she wanted, the possible fallout could damage her reputation. Moreover, her actions could unfairly affect her teammates, burdening them with the consequences of her choices. It was a heavy weight to bear.
Last night felt like a well-deserved reward for her after years of hard work, with all the blood, sweat, and tears. In that moment, she felt completely free in both mind and soul. Maybe it was the alcohol making her feel so unrestrained, as if nothing in the world could hold her back.
The repeated encounters with that man, orchestrated by fate, stirred conflicting emotions within her, a blend of happiness and embarrassment. She found herself drawn to the idea of embracing him once more, even when she was sober. The longing to feel his touch, to inhale his scent until every craving was sated, consumed her thoughts, creating a dissonance between the yearning of her heart and the judgments of her mind. Though she recognized the impropriety of her desires, she found herself powerless to resist.
Ding! Dong!
The sound of the bell startled her, reminding her of the laundry service she had requested from the hotel earlier. It must be them. Karina approached the door, reached for the door knob, and swung it open.
As the door creaked open, her eyes fell upon a sight of a strikingly familiar man.
The man stood with an effortless confidence, his broad shoulders giving him a dominant presence. His fine jawline was chiseled and defined, adding a striking sharpness to his handsome face. His sleepy eyes, half-lidded and languid, gave him a look of casual ease and allure.
It was the man who had recently taken center stage in her fantasies, now standing mere steps away from her. Karina blinked repeatedly, as if trying to dispel any lingering haze from the night before. She needed reassurance that she was indeed back in the realm of sober reality, and that the allure of alcohol no longer clouded her perception.
"How are you feeling?" he spoke in a voice that made Karina feel as if her knees were melting.
"M...much better."
"Good."
Karina's mind was filled with the sound of shattering glass and her own voice echoing desperately, mixed with the dramatic strains of violin music. Her heart raced, its pounding rhythm overwhelmed her, each beat making it increasingly difficult to draw a breath. The rush of blood through her veins seemed to intensify, heating her from within and causing her cheeks to flush with embarrassment.
"Alright then, just checking on you." he said as he stepped back and was about to leave.
"W...wait!"
"..."
"Thank you for helping me last night."
"It's nothing."
"Let me treat you a dinner."
The words swiftly came out of her mouth before she realized it. Karina wanted to slap herself for asking such a thing to a stranger, a stranger she had been fantasizing about like a madwoman. She thought she must have lost her mind.
Karina waited nervously for his response, hoping that the man would refuse her invitation so that she could consider it a passing matter and move on with her life.
"Sure."
The woman felt as though a large rock had fallen from the sky and landed on her body.
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'I'll be in the lobby at 7.'
Karina paced nervously around her spacious room. She cursed her careless self for getting into this complicated situation. Now, she had to take him to dinner in a foreign country she wasn't familiar with. She didn't know what to wear, she hadn't brought a formal dress for a fancy dinner. After all, who would expect a boujee dinner on a solo vacation? She was stuck with only her casual dresses and clothes as options for tonight.
"What to do? What to do?!" she repeatedly asked herself in panic. There must be someone she could ask for help.
She grabbed her phone and started typing at the speed of light.
'Catherine, do you know any good place for dinner that's not too formal? Somewhere that matches this dress?'
Karina took a picture of herself wearing the dress she chose for tonight. It was an off-the-shoulder black dress with a simple, elegant design and a slight ruffle along the neckline. The dress fit snugly around her shoulders and upper chest, giving it a casual yet chic appearance. She thought it would be perfect for a casual dinner with him.
Beep!
Karina knew Catherine was the best person to ask in this crucial moment. She replied faster than Karina had expected.
'There's a famous steakhouse two blocks away from your hotel. The place is more like a family dinner spot than a fancy restaurant. They have semi-private tables if you're not comfortable because it gets quite crowded at dinner time.'
Catherine attached the link to the restaurant, which Karina immediately opened. She was quite satisfied with the recommendation.
'I'll be in the lobby at 7.'
The man's voice echoed again in her head, startling her out of her thoughts. Karina rushed into the bathroom, but once there, she felt overwhelmed and uncertain. She had no idea how to style her hair or what makeup to put on. Her hands trembled slightly as she stared at her reflection, feeling the weight of the evening's expectations. Panic rose in her chest as she glanced at her assortment of cosmetics and hair tools, unsure where to even begin.
"Holyshit!"
Karina wanted to scream her lungs out. She had just realized she didn't even know his name yet. In her nervousness earlier, she had been too shy to ask for his name but had somehow mustered the audacity to invite him to dinner. Now, she felt like a complete mess. He must think she's some kind of crazy woman with no manners. How was she supposed to face him now? Her mind raced with worst-case scenarios, imagining his judgment and potential embarrassment.
'I'll be in the lobby at 7.'
She glanced at the clock and saw it was 5:45. Karina inhaled deeply, trying to calm herself down. She grabbed her towel and walked into the bathroom. At least she already had the dress to put on later, despite the mess of nerves and uncertainties that awaited her. As she turned on the shower, the steady stream of water gave her a slight comfort from her anxiety. She let the warm water cascade over her, hoping it would wash away some of her stress.
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