Drive || B.C ||

| five |

The car we drove is far less extravagant than my usual colorful assortment of racing machines, but still sleek and elegant.

The man's knee beside me bouncing rhythmically to whatever tune plays on the radio.

"Did you come alone?" I pipe, now feeling guilty of dragging him around just to run my manager's errands.

"What?" He says bewildered, like I just broke him out of some trance.

"I was asking if you came alone to L.A, I know you're in a boy group-"

"Oh no, they're in Korea" he answers so quickly he cuts me off, his tone almost nostalgic. I just nod, not sure what else to say.

"Have you lived in L.A long?" Bangchan offers.

"Yeah, I can't remember not living here."

"Really?"

"Mhm"

He stares like he wants me to continue, like my short responses weren't enough.

"Yeah uh," I tapped the steering wheel as we came to a stop at a red light. "I went back and forth since I was fifteen, finally bought a house here at Twenty-one."

Shooting a glance at him as I nipped at my bottom lip. Expecting him to be uninterestedly staring out the window.

Instead, it's the opposite.

An intent, genuine, stare like this simple small glance into my life was all the answers he needed.

"Really, since fifteen? Were your parents with you?"

"At first yeah, then they got comfortable with the adults around me"

Unfortunately.

Gently pushing my foot on the acceleration at the flash of green.

"That's kinda like me," Bangchan added, nervously playing with his fingers as he looks at all the buildings we pass through the front windshield.

"I moved to Korea when I was thirteen."

"You're not from there originally?"

He chuckles with a shake of his head, "Australia."

Passing him a playful look, "Explains the accent."

"One of the other members is from Australia too."

"Really?" I voiced, it seemed I needed to reevaluate my concept of kpop.

He nods with tight lips and wide eyes.

I pull the car into the side of an overly large glass structured building.

"I have to run in here right quick, but there's a little coffee shop down stairs. Grab whatever you want and add it under my name."

He's quick to defend, shoulders raising as his hands reach for nothing, "Oh that's not necessary-"

"I get stuff free here."

Making a silent "oh" with his lips as he mimics my action of stepping out of the car.

His laptop in a bag glued to his side, I led Bangchan to the small shop I mentioned.

Pulling up my phone as he sits at a table, "I'll be back" I state monotonously before walking off.

My mind was too busy with the continuous incoming texts on my screen to catch whatever Bangchan said as I walked off to the elevator.

Catching the ride up multiple floors. The silver doors opened to a long hall of closed off offices. Walking down until I come across the familiar number and knock.

"Come come" a gravelly sweet voice spoke from the other side.

Pushing the door open, I'm met with the suffering aroma of a lit eucalyptus incense. "Val, I'm darling, you made it." Antoinette was my publicist, and at times, my personal stylist. She was the type of lady who'd cheekily say she's 25 for the past ten years, while also living through countless history altering events. Her style was something you'd only see on the runway, and today her pants and shirt collided into two eye sore patterns.

"Seth said you couldn't make it" She hummed as she wrapped me in a hug that I gladly returned.

The few wrinkles on her forehead seemed to crease as she pulled away but still held me at arms length, "Is he still giving you a hard time?" "Isn't he always."

I attempted to laugh off. But it seemed nothing ever got past Antoinette.

Before I could get another word out, she's patting my back and leading me towards her purple crushed velvet couch.

"Sit, sit, let's complain about all our problems"

"I can't I..I have someone waiting" I say with a huff as I melt into her seating I've grown used to.

"Oh?" she smirks, sitting down at her office chair.

"That boy band member I'm working with" closing my eyes as I lean back.

"Is he cute?"

"Otherworldly."

"is he single?"

"Is it for you or me?" I humored with a smirk.

"Either or." smiling as she crosses her feet on her desk.

"He's not giving you any shit, is he?"

"No, if anything, I'm giving him the shit."

"You do have an attitude problem."

Scrunching my nose at her as I pry my eyelids open. "Seth's black mailing me again"

"What, is it another tape?"

"No!" I exclaim, sitting up immediately. Antoinette laughs at my declaration of emotion.

"Honey, he had too much ego to actually send anything to the press. You know he just wishes it was him."

I sigh, I knew she had a point, but I still didn't wanna risk it.

"Anyways, you should get back to your boy toy. I just had some mail for you" getting up to go to her file cabinet, handing over the letters with a hug.

"Call me tonight, ok?" Kissing both my cheeks before sending me off.