Sasaeng Sister [In big roles: Sunghoon, Lee Know, skz, Ateez, Jungkook]

Chapter 78

I baked brownies and cheese horns for the party. Mike had helped tidy up before he left for work, and Minho was in charge of roasting the chicken wings.

My phone rested on the table within arm's reach, safely out of any drifting flour but close enough for me to glimpse the notifications.

The screen lit up as Hongjoong sent a message to our new group chat.

"We'll bring some drinks, but not alcohol."

Hands deep in dough, I couldn't reply. Besides, the moment was critical. A fresh batch of horns needed to go into the oven immediately.

"Minho, can you respond to Hongjoong?" I called over.

"Why me? I'm cooking, too," Minho protested, wiping his hands hastily.

"Just give them a thumbs-up or something," I said.

Muttering under his breath, Minho washed his hands and grabbed his phone.

A new notification popped up: Minho reacted to Hongjoong's message.

I wondered if anyone had managed to contact Sunghoon since he wasn't part of the group chat.

I rolled the last cheese horns, mentally promising myself not to dwell on Sunghoon and to enjoy the gathering, whether he came or not.

When the apartment was filled with the aroma of melted cheese and roasted chicken the doorbell rang.

Ateez had arrived first.

They greeted us at the door, leaving our jacket racks already bulging with coats, although we were still expecting about half of the guests.

Hongjoon and Seonghwa carried sparkling water, sodas, and juice to the kitchen.

I pointed out a spot on the counter where they could put them.

"We didn't bring any alcohol because Wooyoung can't drink," Hongjoong explained. "We have nothing against alcohol, though. If you have it, it's fine."

Seonghwa lifted a lunch box from his bag.

"He's supposed to avoid salt, too. We brought him something so you don't have to worry about it."

"Oh, thanks..." I opened the fridge door. "You can put it here if it needs to stay cold."

Asking about Wooyoung's diet felt nosy, so I held back. Besides, I had a pretty good guess. He had been poisoned during the first kidnapping, which likely still affected his digestion.

When we moved into the living room, Minho had already stirred up a conversation with the rest of the Ateez members. He'd been more excited about hosting the gathering than I'd expected, and chatting with the other idols seemed to lift his spirits.

"We've been at the studio lately," Mingi mentioned.

Minho raised his eyebrows.

"New music coming up already?"

San, holding one of our decorative pillows, nodded.

"Music is a good way to cope with everything."

"But we haven't booked any interviews," Yunho added with a mellow smile. "We all need a little more time to heal."

The conversation naturally shifted into a discussion about the power of music and art.

Hongjoong was explaining his typical songwriting process when the doorbell rang.

Minho excused himself immediately, rushing to greet his fellow members.

I was torn between listening to the interesting conversation and welcoming Stray Kids. Thankfully, Hongjoong paused, so I took the chance to do what a good host should and followed Minho into the entrance hall.