Volcano | Bangchan

Rumours has it

The day after, it was hard to wake up. I couldn't really get why, but I had insomnia. It has been a while since I had trouble falling asleep. I must have been so used to sleeping with my boyfriend that it became difficult when he wasn't there. I missed him, we barely talked yesterday because of his concert. But he was back tonight, and I couldn't wait to fall asleep in his arms. I dressed comfy : a grey pair of sweatpants, a white crop top, and my leather jacket. A bit of make-up, and I was ready for work.

I stopped by the coffee shop to buy a drink for the guys and went to the studio. It was sunny today, and walking to work on a sunny day made the day better. I was completely awake and full of joy when I entered the studio : "Hiiiiii guuuuurls, your favorite barista is here ~~". All the guys turned to me, and my smile faded. They all looked serious, Bin and Lee Know were focused on a phone. "What's with the long faces ?". I.N and Hyunjin scratched their neck, looking at the floor. They looked kind of embarrassed. Han and Seungmin looked at each other, silently fighting to decide who was gonna be the one dropping the news. Finally, Seungmin sighed and came to me. He put his hands on my shoulders and held my gaze : "I need you to be honest with me, Soo. What happened yesterday when you left with Chan ?".

My face was puzzled, trying to see where he was coming with his question. "He walked me home, and he came back to the dorm. Why are you asking ?". Lee Know insisted : "So nothing happened between you two ?". Han took my hand. "We're not here to judge you, bug. We're here to help.". I frowned and freed myself from them. I felt a bit offended by their little questioning. What did they want from me ? "Are you high ? What's gotten into you guys ? I'm telling you nothing happened !". Seungmin looked into my eyes one last time, searching for the truth, and sighed. He then made a sign at Bin, who gave me the phone.

It was an article from Dispatch. My brain froze. No... There's no way... I scrolled through the article : Chan has been seen along Han's river at night with a girl. My eyes stopped on the picture attached. It was a photo of me and Chan yesterday. It was taken when he was giving me his jacket. Because of the timing, it looked like we were really close, too close. But it was all a misunderstanding. I stuttered : "This is... This is a misunderstanding. He was just giving me his jacket because I was cold. Guys, you have to believe me ! I swear nothing happened !". Seungmin stroked my arm : "We trust you. You wouldn't lie to us about that.". Minho was pacing back and forth : "But those bastards are good with timing.". I now realized Chan was nowhere to be found. "Where is Chan ? Does he know ?" I asked a bit panicked. Changbin answered : "Of course, he knows. He has been at the emergency meeting since 8 AM this morning. Luckily, you weren't identifiable. He prevented us from telling you so you won't worry.".

I freaked out : "Oh my god, this is all my fault ! I am the one who insisted on walking, nothing would have happened if I had taken a taxi... His career is gonna suffer because of me... OH MY GOD, Y'ALL ARE GONNA SUFFER FROM THIS !". Hyunjin rubbed his face and mumbled : "This is why we shouldn't have told her...". Han hugged me to stop my panic attack. "None of this is your fault, bug. Chan is the one who chose to escort you. He was well aware of the risks, and that's why he was wearing a cap and a mask. So stop blaming yourself.". Felix, who was on the couch with I.N, added : "Plus, most of the fans are not buying it. Some are denying the fact that it's Chan Hyung, and some recognize his jacket. But honestly, the reactions aren't that bad.". I was holding my tears so badly. I had no right to cry. The rumors had no impact on my life, but it could irremediably damage Chan's life. I couldn't help but think about the worst scenario. What if they decide to put him on hiatus because of me ? How will the boys deal without their leader ? How could the group recover from this ? They were so devastated when Hyunjin went, so to think about their leader... I could never forgive myself. Han was hugging me tight. He wasn't only trying to comfort me but also himself. Because, deep inside, he was scared too.

The door behind us opened, and we all turned around. A visibly exhausted Chan appeared in the door frame. We could all see how drained he was, but he tried to keep a smiling face : "What's with the long faces ?". I couldn't hold it anymore. I ran to him and threw myself into his arms. "I am so sorry, Chan. This is all my fault. I wish I could go back in time and took that freaking taxi." I stuttered between my sobs. Chan held me tight, comforting me and stroking my hair to calm me down. "Shhh... It's okay, Sooki. Everything is gonna be okay. We are not identifiable, it's gonna be okay.". "Seriously, hyung. What did they say ?" Changbin asked in a serious tone. Chan explained without letting go of me : "As I said, they have no proof that it's really me, since I had my mask on and a cap. They have no idea who was with me, and I refused to tell them, so Sooki is safe. We're gonna keep it low. No comment, no statement. As if it was just baseless rumors.". The guys all sighed as one, visibly relieved. I moved aside to look at him : "So you're safe?". He gave me a reassuring smile, took my face in his hands, and wiped the tears with his thumbs. "Yes, princess. I'm safe. So stop crying.".