WONDERLAND

Part II. Took a Wrong Turn

“Do you catch a breath when I look at you? Are you holding back like the way I do?"---David Archuleta

V’s POV

"You are an idiot," Jimin smacked my arm hard. He must be referring to my idiot-ness at the studio. I know I was, I don't need to be reminded every friggin' time! It makes me want to dig a hole and bury myself.

"Yah! Just because you've grown a lot of muscles doesn't mean you have to hit me that hard," I rubbed my arm and stormed off towards the car where manager-hyung was waiting.

"Well, I need to put them biceps to good use ain't I?" Jimin teased me even more by flexing his arms rather comically.

Ever since that 'hot dance solo' on MAMA, he's been relentlessly rubbing into our faces that he's got the hottest body among us. Rapmon was the one who's annoyed the most. Well, that's because he's secretly wanting to have a body like Chim-Chim even Jungkook was working his butt off to achieve them abs. Hell, even Jin-umma was working out! I guess it became an unspoken competition among us to dethrone Jimin.

We were all inside the car and was traveling to our dorms and Jimin still wasn't done praising his 'chocolate abs'. It was hilarious and annoying all at the same time. What got him quiet was Rapmon's legendary phrase, "Jimin no matter what you do, you still got no..."

"JAMS!" we all shouted in chorus.

"Yah! You're evil!" Jimin pouted and pretended to sulk in the corner.

"Saranghaeyo Chimchim!" we all laughed while simultaneously trying to smack his head. What's friendship without a little bit of bullying, eh?

"Bang bang bang!!" I shouted.

"Ppangya ppangya ppangya!" Jungkook continued.

"Bang bang bang!" all others echoed. Even manager-hyung was laughing with us.

We were feeling a little crazy as we sang our lungs off to Big Bang's 'Bang Bang Bang’. Like I said, we're hardcore VIP's.

The traffic was horrible and boredom is such a deadly disease so I decided to check some people out. I know, its stalking. But heyyy, stalking is such a heavy word so I prefer the term, checking out. I opened chrome and started typing R E D V E L V E T. The first result were pictures of cupcakes and cakes.

Nope. Not this one.

Scroll.

Scroll.

Scroll.

Red Velvet is a South Korean girl group from one of South Korea's biggest entertainment agency, SM entertainment. Composed of 5 members: Seulgi, Wendy, Irene, Joy, and the latest addition, Yeri.

I leaned away from my members as I secretly clicked the blue highlighted word that says Irene.

"Hey, V!" JHope suddenly called me.

"What?" I was a little bit annoyed because I was reading the part about Irene's ideal guy.

"What are you, reading? You look so intense,"

"N-n-n-othing," I lied.

"W-w-w-hy are you stuttering?" Jhope teased. "Eeyyy, could it probably be...."

Shit! Did he catch a glimpse of what I was reading. They're never going to stop teasing me about it.

"What?!" I gulped.

"Yah! Manager Hyung. Taehyung is reading porn again!"Jhope suddenly shouted and smacked my head hard.

"Porn?! Of course not!" I defended myself. “And what do you mean ‘again’?” The members were looking at me playfully and tried to grab my phone. I protected it as if my life depended on it.

"Then why are you trying to hide it, huh?"

"I'm not trying to hide it! Value my privacy you people,"

"Privacy, my ass!"

I was squirming to pull myself out of my member's grasp. We probably looked like a bunch of idiots right now. Well, we always we do anyway. Before they could get a hold of my phone, the van suddenly skidded to a halt. We were all sent flying off our seats.

"Ow! What was that?"

"Did we bump unto another car?"

"Omo! What should we do?"

"Calm down, kids. I'll sort it out," Manager-hyung went out of the car and approached the black van in front of us.

The van wasn't badly dented. It probably wasn't our fault since the black van suddenly stopped in the middle of the highway. If manager-hyung's reflexes kicked in later than what had been. The damage could have been serious.

Manager-hyung finished talking with the driver and walked towards our van. He grabbed his phone and must have been dialling the police or the towing company. He went back to speak with the driver again and ran back to the car.

"Kids, move up front. Keep the back vacant. We're having visitors,"

"What? But its cramped up as it is already," Suga complained. He’s the resident ‘whiner’ in the group.

"Just do it. Now, move"

We all half-heartedly moved our asses and make ourselves as comfortable as possible in that tight space.

"Aissh! Why do we have to let them ride with us? What if they're sasaeng fans? We might be in danger,"

Manager-hyung laughed and said, "I'm pretty sure they're not sasaeng fans,"

The visitors went out of their van and as they stepped towards our vans. I could hear my other members gasped.

Holy Guacamole! Its Red Velvet!

I tensed immediately as I saw the familiar little blondie walking towards us. My members were all suddenly awfully quiet. Our van opened and a guy sat down the passenger seat. He must be their manager. One by one they shyly entered the van and quietly huddled in the back. I was trying so hard not to turn around and face them. The air around us remained quiet and awkward for the rest of the trip.

Their manager spoke, "Thank you, for letting us ride with you. I know going to our agency is a bit of a wrong turn in your trip. Thank you, really" and then smiled at us.

Manager-hyung replied, "It’s not a big deal, Hyung. We're glad we could help. Besides, it’s hard to grab a taxi on that particular area and of course it’s safer, Red Velvet is so popular nowadays, we know firsthand how scary some fans can be,"

"Thanks," a familiar voice suddenly spoke. It was Irene. All the members then followed her pursuit and thanked us. Because of that, it seemed to get--even just a tad bit--more comfortable. I could hear Jungkook sigh deeply as if he was holding his breath the whole time. He seems to be awkward around girls which is understandable since he’s the maknae after all. He’s still a baby.

"Are you all fine?" It was Jin who spoke first to them. He is the most confident out of all us. He said thanks to his looks he can be very comfortable around people. I sometimes don’t know if he’s still joking or its his narcissism that’s speaking.

They all nodded and smiled in reply. Well, I guess that ends Jin's hopeless effort in small talk.

"Omo! What is this? This stuff toy looks weird!" the girls suddenly squealed.

I looked at them and was embarrassed to see that they were holding my favorite stuff toy. So, what?! No one's too old for stuff toys

...right?

"Who owns this?" Irene asked full of curiosity.

"M-m-mine," I am stuttering again. WHY THE HELL AM I ALWAYS STUTTERING?!

"It’s his mini-me,” Rapmon teases me. He must have made it a mission to destroy me in front of her.

"But that looks like an alien," Joy interjected. She was trying her best not to look disgusted which is hard since my stuff toy does look like an alien and not in a cute-alien kind of way, but in a gross almost ogre-like alien kind of way

"Well, Tae Hyung is an alien," Suga added salt to my wounded ego and laughed. Is he implying that I look like my Ogre/Alien stuff toy?

BULLIES!

"Well it kind of looks like you," Irene suddenly spoke. "It’s cute," and then she smiled. I could feel my face turn the deepest red so I sank lower in my seat to hide the blush slowly forming in my face. I know I should be at least slightly offended by her remark since my favorite stuff toy neither looks cute nor looks like me but she spoke to me.

SHE.SPOKE.TO.ME.

The car ride to SM Ent. was surprisingly fun. I thought Red Velvet members were all prim and proper and will barely speak to us but I was wrong. They were very witty and funny and we got along just fine. Wendy was really hilarious. She seems to be very comfortable in speaking to us and was friendly towards us. Yeri was also very funny. She seems to be a very naughty maknae towards her Unnies. I can already tell she’s a prankster. Joy was more serious than I expected and Irene was silent during the entire trip. I keep stealing glances at her but I don’t think she ever noticed it. She was looking ahead the whole time like she just wants the entire fiasco to be over. I can’t help but think if she feels awkward about the whole situation or worse if she hates it.

“Unnie are you okay? You seemed too silent,” Joy asked concerned of Irene’s silence.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just tired,” she replied promptly. “My head hurts that’s all,”

I didn’t mean to pry but I heard her complain about getting a headache so I mustered up the courage to offer her medicine hoping she wouldn’t say no to it. I handed her Tylenol and a bottle of water which she gladly accepted. She smiled so sweetly at me and I swear I think my heart just jumped out of my chest.
I don’t think she’s good for my system. She got me all messed up.

“You should close your eyes, Irene-shii,” Jin advised. “That’ll help lessen the headache,”

“Oh, thanks,” she replied and proceeded to lean back and close her eyes.

We still have approximately 30 minutes before we could reach SM Ent. just 30 minutes more to look at her sleeping face.
She had really messed me up. I can’t believe I’m suddenly turning into some kind of obsessed stalker.

This isn’t good.