ᴛʜᴀᴛ ꜰᴇᴇʟɪɴɢ ᴡʜᴇɴ [ᴇɴ- ᴘᴏʟʏ]

Chapter 126

I couldn't form proper words. "What?"

"Call me oppa." He repeated.

"I'm older than you, Niki." I reminded him.

"I know. But Korean honorifics mean nothing to you. So just say it." He said with a teasing smile.

Alright Niki, I'll make you an oppa now.

"Exactly. Korean honorific means nothing to me. So I'll call you the Indian counterpart of it. It's a little more specific though." I said.

"What's that?" He asked.

"Bhaiya." I said with a sweet smile.

"What does that mean?"

"It means older brother."

"Older...male?"

"No. Older brother."

"Does not include..." He asked nervously.

"Nope."

"Noona." He said suddenly.

"Yes?" I asked.

"I was joking obviously. I'll stick with Noona. No need for oppa." He said with the same sweet smile.

"Good. Ask me to call you Oppa and I'll call you Bhaiya instead."

"Of course! And to celebrate not having to call me oppa or Bhaiya, what do you want?" He asked me. "Ask."

"Anything?"

"Anything."

"Do a cheek heart." I said.

His smile turned into a grimace. "No."

"You said anything."

"Anything but aegyo."

I laughed at the expression on his face. I knew he wouldn't do it. He hated cute aegyo. The staff told me the time was up. Niki started pouting again. He didn't let go of my hand until I stood up. I waved at him and started walking away.

"Noona."

I turned back. He made a cheek heart and gave me a slow blink. And immediately turned his attention to the girl in front of him, leaving me to cover my bashful smile.

*********************

I sat there in the audience and watched the rest of the fan sign. The boys occasionally interacted with the fans in the room and spoke to them. It was later in the event when the hall was buzzing more than ever. There were loads of influencers and young actresses here as well. All of them, more well-known than the previous one. They had VIP passes meant for a private meeting at the end of the event.

The press took loads of pictures of them. Even asking the boys to pose with the actresses. The audience was going wild. I wasn't sure if it was because of the visual feast in front of us or because of how closely those girls interacted with them.

Whatever it was, I'll admit I did feel a little uncomfortable at how touchy those people were being. I pursed my lips when Sunghoon bent down to hear what this gorgeously beautiful girl was whispering in his ear.

When the fan sign ended, I was about to leave but a staff beckoned me to the backstage and left me in the green room. No matter how much I tried not to, I couldn't help but think of those pretty actresses who looked straight out of their silver screen presence. Because come on, they were the epitome of young beauty in the industry. It was hard not to be smitten at the first sight. And to think the boys were having a private meeting with them?

I wondered what was happening in the other room. But I distracted myself by looking through my album and their signatures. Time passed by and I shifted to going through my ebook library. I had so many books to pick from the stack back in the hotel, but still ebooks and audiobooks were the handy ones in public. About half an hour later, the door opened and the seven of them spilled in. I closed my phone and put it aside.