Stella's Cafe: A Jang Geun Suk Fanfic

9. Star Light, Star Bright

"You dummy! He likes you!!!" Kosuzu blurted looking at me with disbelief, "how could you not realize that?"

We were still in the bathroom and the SS had patiently listened to my tale from start to finish. Somehow, I felt they may have gotten the wrong idea.

"He's just nice to me because he knows me since I served him coffee!" I explained.

"Are you kidding me? He was practically stalking you!" Alex argued.

"Min Hee Ssi, I think they're right," Suka added barely holding back a grin, "you really think a guy would do all those things for coffee?"

"You must be the most innocent girl world, leh!" Mama Kay added with a chuckle, "or retarded!"

"Mama!!" Weng scolded.

Serene chimed in, "I think it's so romantic! Your life sounds like a fanfic!"

I blinked at her. It did?

"I wish I was you," Mein grumbled, "Why you waste so much time? If it was me, by now we would be married with kids."

Everyone laughed.

Then Sears spoke, "but now that we know, everyone, this is a secret till we die!"

The SS all agreed.

I still wanted to go home but I didn't want to ruin a night they had all travelled so far for so we all went out again and found our booth. There were some girls there but they left when they saw our crowd. The party was in full swing. After being reassured I was ok, the girls went back to the floor and had a blast.

I watched from the booth as our idol gave another unforgettable night to his fans. The music ricocheted off the walls around us and he was -- well he was like his nick name, Psycho!!

He tore his shirt, drenched himself in water, then champagne then more water! Then he poured champagne on the fans, sometimes directly into their mouths. The mood could not have been higher!

At one point he left the stage and dived into the crowd.

My heart caught. I was sure he was done for! The way everyone was going crazy…

But then I saw him climb back on to the stage laughing, his hair in his eyes.

Serene, Suka and Kosuzu ran back to me at the booth. Their faces were flushed and their eyes bright. "Did you see??!! He came right to us!!!" Suka yelled at me over the music.

"I bet he was looking for you!" Kosuzu added.

"Join us, sis!" Serene begged!

I wanted to but I was scared of him seeing me again. I didn't want to embarrass him so I smiled and shook my head.

They shrugged (Kosuzu sighed) and returned to the dance floor.

Sometime during the set, a giant birthday cake with fire works was rolled out. It was a gift from local fans and they stopped the music so that everyone could sing "Sangil Chukha Hamnida!"

Our idol looked touched and bowed deeply. He thanked everyone and then lobbed a big piece of icing on B.B.'s face.  After that there was a big cake fight with him throwing cake at everyone and his managers came out and helped throw cake at him.^^ The whole thing ended with him and B.B. singing a single they had collaborated on. Everyone already knew the words and sang along and so It all ended on a high note.

Afterwards everyone sat at the table talking excitedly, recounting high points. Weng was already tweeting bits of her fan account for the SS who couldn't be there. The house DJ had taken over and nobody was thinking of leaving because rumor had it that our idol was partying it up in the very private VVIP section of the club. Our plan was to stick around in case he decided to party with the fans a bit. He'd been known to do that occasionally.

At our table Mama sighed loudly and said, "to think we have his girl friend right here stuck outside with us!" which made me turn bright red while everyone shushed her loudly while trying not to laugh. "What? it's true!" she said innocently.

And then as if she'd conjured him, a man in a suit was standing at our booth peering at us. He had a head set on that he was talking into. "Ah! I think I found them!" he was saying, "red faced agassi surrounded by foreigners!" He looked again, then turned away a little and said in a more hushed voice, "hyung, it's dark out here - I can't see if her eyes are - um - deep or not…"

He listened to his headset again. We watched him like he was a TV show.

Finally he looked up. "Park Min Hee Ssi, could you follow me please?"

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!" the girls all exclaimed looking at each me. I looked at them helplessly.

Weng nudged me, "Go, sis!"

"If you don't go, I will!" Mein said.

I got shakily to my feet.

"Actually," the man said, "I'm supposed to call the whole party. All Park Min Hee Ssi's friends!"

I sagged with relief that I didn't have to go alone while the faces of the girls around me lit up like christmas lights.

As we followed the man out of the central club area and up some stairs I heard Neo commenting, "This is unbelievable! After all our crazy plans, I can't believe we're just going to walk into VVIP and join him!" she and Kosuzu chuckled.

We entered the lounge that was the VVIP section where there was music and dancing in full swing. It was full of glamorous people, some of them with familiar faces. Immediately the excited chatter of the SS froze up. All our faces filled with awe.

Sham nudged Serene, "Hey -- isn't that -- Heechul from Super Junior?"

Serene couldn't say a word, she just stared.

"Oh my God, look! That's Hong Ki!!!" Suka squealed in an excited whisper.

"And there's Yong Hwa and Jung Shin from C.N.Blue!" Alex whispered in wonder.

"If Park Shin Hye is here, I'm gonna die!" Weng whispered back.

"She is." Sears confirmed and Weng almost tripped twisting round to see her.

"I knew I should have snuck in the camera." MamaKay shook her head in wonder.

"We're in Kpop Heaven!" Neo murmured.

"But where's our Prince?" Mein wondered, the only one that did not seem impressed by the splendor around us.

The man we were following didn't stop at the lounge but continued through till we got to a door at the other end. He knocked at the door and we all huddled round him trying not to stare at the celebrities.

The door opened and we all gasped to see its frame filled by the all too familiar, buff build of K- Sama, our idol's closest manager. Neo and Suka in particular couldn't stop staring. Neo was grinning like a lottery prize winner.

He gave us all a stern look but then he slanted a smile and opened the door so we could all troop in and face the tall young man who was sprawled all over a luxurious looking leather sofa inside.

"Happy Birthday, kid." he said cryptically then stepped out behind us, shutting the door firmly after him.

***

Everyone was silent.

We stood there, 11 of us in various degrees of shock. None of us could take our eyes of the man in front of us.

Jang Geun Suk.

Known by his International fans, the SS included, as JKS or simply…

Sukkie.

I really can't imagine what went through the mind of the other girls. I just knew that as a group, it was a really meaningful moment for us because we were friends now but only because we had loved him first.

For me - my cowardly mind had checked out already and all I had was a kind of blankness and an inability to stop staring at him.

After the door shut, Sukkie gave us a boyish sort of polite smile and stood up slowly. He towered easily over all of us in his elegant slimness. He still wore the pants he'd worn for Lounge H but he was now wearing a simple white tank top over it. There was a silver necklace at his neck and his dark, wavy hair hung free around his face, long enough to hide the butterfly at his neck.

He seemed to look at each girl one by one except me.

Then he bowed low in front of them and spoke in his accented english made even more charming by his deep voice.

"You've come from very far to attend my party. Thank you."

Now it was the turn of the SS to blush. They murmured responses none of which I could make out.

Finally he looked at me. Actually he narrowed his pretty eyes at me. "You." he said imperiously in Hangul. He crooked his finger "come here."

I looked at the girls. They widened there eyes at me and indicated I should go looking almost threatening.

I shuffled forward warily and stopped in front of him.

My breath caught when he took me by the wrist and moved me so I was beside him. He spoke to the SS again, this time his eyes and his voice were filled with warm, mischief.

"I especially want to thank you for taking care of this one for me." he grinned, "she's too timid and I don't know if she would have come if you hadn't brought her," he bowed again, "Khamsahamnida."

Then he turned to me and flicked me on the head.

Shocked I grabbed my head! "Oppa!"

"11 tickets? Even if I said give her what she needs, isn't that taking advantage?"

Ah! The tickets.

"I wanted to ask you but I didn't know how…" I tried to explain.

"Seriously, I was so shocked when the event planner told me! The managers were angry with me too!"

"Mianhe, Oppa!" I bowed quickly. I hadn't thought about it enough. I should have realized I was doing something troublesome. Then I heard him snort.

I looked up and saw he was looking at me and trying not to laugh. Then he grinned. "Aigoo. This cute jangeo. She can't even tell when she's being teased."

He turned to the girls who were watching us with avid interest, "everyone be comfortable, please. This is Jang's TripleVIP and you're my welcome guests!"

He loped across the room to where several bottles of champagne were sitting in ice buckets. He pulled one out and popped it expertly, " let's drink and talk." he said.

***

I sat beside him, my entire side heated just from his nearness and watched him get to know my friends.

It was more of a seduction really, wether it was intentional or not.

His good looks, his intelligence and his vivacious personality were already a stunning combination, tough to resist and he had obviously decided to be charming on top of everything so no one in the room, myself included, stood  a chance. He was impossibly likable.

He asked everyone questions and wanted to know everything about where they were from and what they did. He scrutinized Weng especially and said she looked kind of familiar. Weng went red and confessed the events she'd been too where they'd met before and then he flustered her completely by reaching across and hugging her spontaneously.

He really seemed fascinated by the fact that the SS had discovered him from far away and asked questions about that and about what other Korean stuff they watched and listened too.

Luckily someone had actually remembered to carry our gift so we were able to give it to him right there. Having him sit in the midst of the SS and go through each page with them was another unforgettable moment. When he came to my page he laughed out loud. "Babo! Why are you here too!" This time, I guessed he was teasing me so I just smiled.

He smiled back at me with his eyes before going back to the book and thanking everyone. I felt a warmth deep inside me because we'd been able to make him smile and laugh.

After the book, we were joking around but still being on our best behavior when he kind of dropped the bombshell that was on everyone's minds. "Are you really this polite?" he said, "I thought someone would have asked by now about  me and Min hee-ah."

"Ah -," Suka jumped into the silence that followed, "Oppa, it's ok if you want to keep it private. We don't mind - and we wont tell anybody." All the girls nodded in agreement.

Sukkie sat forward in the chair he had been occupying and pushed his hair out of his face to reveal a somewhat serious expression. "It's true that I want to keep it private but, not from you guys because - you're Min Hee-ah's friends." A serious atmosphere fell over the room and we all paid attention.

"The truth is, since I got to know her, I've been worried that my... interest in her would cause her trouble. This is usually what happens when someone with my job tries to date someone outside the industry."

My hands clenched into fists in my lap. Date…someone?

"She's a scaredy cat," he smiled softly. "Even if we tried to keep it a secret to protect her, it would be too hard for her if anything went wrong. Especially since I'm always working and I have an agreement with my company about having relationships during schedules. But now that I've met Min-hee-ah's friends, I feel a little relieved because - you can help me protect her."

I was staring at him now. Why was he telling them things like this as if I was his girl friend? Wasn't he worried about causing a misunderstanding?

"Oppa, you don't have to worry," Serene said seriously. "As SeOul sisters there are two things important to us; our friendship with each other and - um - you!"

"Geun Suk Ssi, Min hee Ssi is one of us, we'll definitely protect her!" Sears chimed in.

"We'll protect both of you!" Kosuzu added. Everyone agreed and nodded.

Sukkie nudged me. "Yah," he said softly, "don't you have anything to say?"

I was a little stunned so I said what came to my head. "We're dating?"

My friends exclaimed at me in exasperation. "Ah…she's too simple," MamaKay said shaking her head.

"Min-hee Ssi, that's too much!" Suka said with concern.

"If you don't want him…" Mein suggested.

Sukkie casually looped his long arm around my shoulder, looked into my face and laughed. I felt the sweet weight of him leaning against me and looked up into his eyes. They were extremely gentle - and full of me. 

"This is why I can't leave her alone." he said simply. Then he turned to the girls, "let's exchange email addresses." Our eyes widened.

"Really?" Weng asked.

Sukkie looked at her. "Of course. How can we help each other if we cant keep in touch?"

He bounded up from the chair and found an ipad from somewhere. "Everyone, put down your address. Lets join forces. From now on," he gave his mischievous grin, "I'm an unofficial SeOul Sister!"

Everyone laughed.

Right after we exchanged addresses, there was a knock on the door and K-sama's head poked in. "Yah, are you coming out or what?" he wanted to know.

"In a minute, hyung." Sukkie said. K-sama shut the door.

Sukkie looked at the SS and they looked back at him. "So are you guys gonna stay for the after party?" he asked, curly smile in full force.

***
That night, Sukkie succeeded in being the boyfriend of every SeOul sister (well except Neo and Suka who disappeared at one point then reappeared hanging on to K-sama. Also someone else did something similar with B.B. can't remember who) as he basically spent the night partying and dancing and playing with us. It was crazy.

He really did have energy to spare.

He played drinking games with Serene, Mein, and MamaKay, he introduced Sears and Weng to Kim Hyung Joon when he popped in and they spent ages entertaining the girls with impressions of each other, he dirty danced with Kosuzu and Alex (at some point I'm pretty sure Kosuzu straddled him!) and for some reason he drew a fake tattoo on Sham's arm.

Everywhere you looked he was there, laughing, playing and defining the idea of being the life of the party. I got caught up in his energy just like the last time he took me out and I danced till I was ready to drop. Every now and then, when no one would notice, he would materialize behind me or beside me and surprise me with a hug or just grab my hand and smile at me.

I had fun.

We didn't leave till 4 in the morning. Sukkie personally saw us to the minivan. All the girls climbed in, drunk, tired and happy singing, "goodnight Oppa! Thank you for tonight! Sarangheyo!"

Before I could follow them, he held my wrist. So I looked up at him.

His long hair was stuck to his head from sweat. He looked like he would drop at any minute. It was the first time I'd seen him looking tired. "Oppa!" I said worriedly.

Before I could say anything else he put a big hand gently on either side of my face and dropped his head so our foreheads touched. "Min hee-ah, I'll contact you tomorrow. When I do, bring everyone to my place. Okay?"

I nodded.

He moved his face a few millimeters and the next thing I knew, those curving lips were pressed against mine. Too briefly. Chastely.

The warmth from them spread all the way to my toes and I raised my hands to cover his hands where he held my head. My heart beat faster.

I pressed towards him wanting him to make it deeper but he sighed and pulled away instead. Then he turned me and literally pushed me into the driver seat of the minivan. "Drive safe, Min Hee-ah," he said. I was disappointed but I obediently got behind the wheel, started the car and pulled away.

As I drove away I saw from my side mirror that he stayed on the side walk watching us till we pulled around the corner.

***
If I didn't already have someone, I would wish I was Min Hee-ah. Imagine Sukkie doting over you and your friends *swoon*

Anyway, hope you liked this chapter. It's the last of the ones I wrote 4 years ago only tidied up for Wattpad. The next I will have to write from scratch in an attempt to finish this story.

Which way should it go? Happy or Sad?

Don't forget to comment and vote!!