Chasm.| Seo Changbin

Twelve.

Felix was right. This industry was beyond what Changbin had imagined. He learned that once he attended Stella's comeback promotions. She worked very hard for the music video in Thailand. She recorded songs nonstop even though some of those songs weren't going to be released on that album and Changbin had no idea why she was working on them.

Stella practiced the dance in the company and in her dance practice room till her legs were all blistered and bruised. She started dieting again to keep herself fit for the live performances. She worked out like crazy. She even joined Changbin in his daily workouts and he ached for how she was pushing herself like that. Her fragile body was surely going to break down.

On the day of the first live performance, Changbin was triggered by the number of people who walked up and down Stella's room while the girl was only in her undergarments as she was getting ready for the stage. Yes, idols sometimes wear revealing clothes, but that was beyond the point. She had no privacy at all and he didn't like that.

Deciding not to be part of this mess, Changbin would always step out of the room after making sure it was secure for her. 

Two weeks into the promotions, and Changbin was so irritated. From stages, to fan signs, fan meetings, variety shows, and interviews, she had no single day of rest. She was under spotlights all the time.

The third week, and Changbin felt like he was about to snap at people from how Stella was treated. She made a very lovely comeback. It was an adorable song that even Changbin, who knew nothing about songs and music, loved. He never got bored of listening to her singing that song over and over, or watching her perform it. But the fans had another opinion.

Some fans loved the comeback, others called it a weak one and accused Stella of not providing something new for her comebacks for the past two years. Instead of defending the girl, her company took another approach. They decided to make Stella perform two songs for the rest of her live performances instead of one. So, the poor girl had to practice another song from her album and perform two of them every single day of her stages.

Changbin was sure she was about to collapse. 

Unlike what he thought, she managed to end her three weeks of promotions for the comeback without collapsing. But that wasn't the end. It was the beginning of preparing for a world tour. A freaking tour that will continue for almost a year. And that wasn't before shooting a movie that she accepted after reading various scripts.

Changbin had no idea how she managed to take all of that and still, be smiley, happy, and bubbly most of the time. She was stronger than he thought for sure, and he learned that as he spent more time with her. He wouldn't say they became friends, no, not yet, but they started to be more comfortable around each other. At least, he stopped calling her ma'am. Instead, he became a friend to her brother Felix. The boy was as bubbly as she was and gave the energy of a little sibling that Changbin didn't hate to have. He had one after all.

Changbin was now comfortable enough around Stella to pull her by the collar of her sweatshirt and twirl her around to make her face the front door of her house. It wasn't the first time for Changbin to manhandle her during the four months he spent with her. She sometimes acted like a kid and grabbing her around or even lifting her off her feet was a must.

So, Stella just rolled her eyes at him. "What?" She spat.

"Lock the freaking house properly." He growled from behind her. "We are going to be absent for a whole month."

She wiggled out of his grip and walked closer to the lock. "You could've said that nicely."

"Last time when I said that nicely, you didn't lock it."

She huffed and pressed the lock. "Even if I forget to manually do it, I still can do it through my mobile or laptop!" She whined but still pressed the code and added her fingerprint.

Changbin didn't respond. He was focused on listening to the sounds of the blinds and internal doors electrically being locked. The alarm system was activated and all the cameras were recording. Nodding to himself, Changbin turned around and walked away.

"Hey!" Stella yelled. "Carry my bag."

Stuffing his hands into the pockets of his baggy pants, he replied without looking at her. "I'm your personal guard, not maid nor assistant." He walked through the front gate.

"Oh, really? Then why do you make me breakfast sometimes?" She yelled behind him and walked to the front gate, pulling her bag with her that wasn't even heavy but she was just being whiny.

"I don't play around food." He stated.

"So are you playing now?" She smirked as she stopped just behind him outside her house.

Changbin turned around and eyed the front gate. "Lock the gate and secure it, ma'am."

"Ughhh!" She groaned and kicked her feet to the ground. She turned around to lock the gate and Changbin turned around to face Hajoon who was by the shielded van waiting for them.

Immediately, Hajoon's face twitched and he gave Changbin a weird smile. It was a smile, but it seemed fake to Changbin.

"Done!" Stella yelled. She walked to the car and pushed Changbin out of the way. "Get lost." She slapped his arm playfully and jumped into the car. Changbin rolled his eyes and closed her door for her before he hopped in the passenger seat beside where Hajoon should be to drive the car.

Once they were in, Changbin looked at Hajoon again who seemed to be not comfortable. "Are you okay?" Changbin asked him. "Do you want me to drive?"

"Oh! No, I'm fine." He smiled at Changbin. Another fake smile.

Stella's face came between the two front seats. "Are you sure you are okay? Changbin is a good driver. He can drive if you are tired."

Hajoon turned his head to look at Stella. He smiled. A real smile. He patted her head. "It's okay. I promise."

Hajoon turned around and looked at the road ahead of him as he started the engine and pulled away. He was driving, and Changbin was still looking at him with something like suspicion.

He hoped his instincts were wrong.