One Thing After Another

Being away from most of Seventeen’s schedules allowed me thinking time about what Jaehwa sunbae had said to me. It was clear that I had more than a professional and mutual friendship with both Hoshi and Dino. And I hated to think I had to decide between the two and Seventeen or my job. I had never considered my feelings over my job before. That’s why I've never had a boyfriend before. Business always came first… until now. Now I was thinking of the possibility of leaving my job for a boy. That must mean I really like Seventeen to sacrifice my career. Maybe more specifically, those two.

Sitting at my desk at home, I sighed looking at my homework spread before me, undone. With being a manager, I had little to no time to do homework, meaning I had to focus on homework in order to get it done.
But now I have time.
Time.
I didn’t have to rush my homework. Which caused me to procrastinate from doing it.
Like now.
A buzz from my phone caught my attention and I switched my head towards it on my desk, grabbing it to see what it was. Another thing to distract me, great. Seeing the name of the text my thoughts stopped for a moment, only to be brought back to Earth with another buzz emanating from my phone in my hands. The second name sending my heart into a fast pace. Grabbing my necklace, I opened them reading them through five or six times, absorbing the content.
Channie: When we gonna see you? You know you still have my jumper, right? You better bring it back Eunnie :P
I smiled a little at the teasing comment me made to me.
Haeun: I’m in tomorrow while you guys are practising, so I’ll bring it then ^-^
Soonyoung-Oppa: The members are missing you~! Though I doubt they’re missing me as much as I’m missing you ToT
Haeun: I’m in tomorrow don’t worry! I’ll see you all then.
I sighed after replying to Hoshi, but being swiftly distracted by another buzz.
Channie: Glad you’ll be back. How are you by the way? Feeling any better from when we last saw each other?
I suddenly felt a little embarrassment for crying in front of him that day at the Pledis building. Nevertheless feeling almost cared about, as he questioned my health. That makes only four people in the past week that have actually worried for me. Why did he care for me?
Haeun: Feeling better, thanks for asking. Maybe I needed this break...

Channie and I talked for over an hour about almost anything. Wherever the conversation led really. I didn’t do my homework, but for once I wasn’t so worried about anything. I even went to sleep later, waking up earlier in contrast, feeling not tiredness but excitement. I did miss the boys of Seventeen, even if they had gotten me into the situation I was in now. They put a smile on my face when I was tired after school, and always treated me so kindly from the start.

As I made my way to the practice studio, less eyes were on me than there were at the beginning of the week when this all started. As I walked through the building seeing the staff that worked around I bowed and smiled as I walked through, with some smiling back, and some still sour about the situation. I don’t blame them though. Not in the happy mood I was in. Almost to the studio, I gasped in surprise as my waist was suddenly squeezed by a pair of arms. I turned my head to my left, where a chin rest upon my shoulder. Immediately my heart sped up and a smile graced my face as I saw Dino’s eyes and huge gummy smile looking back at me. We both laughed a little, and I found my hands naturally landing on his hands that wrapped my waist. He let go of his hold and ran around me to walk ahead of me, still smiling I might add.
“They’re gonna be so happy to see you Haeunnie!” Channie said walking backwards towards the studio door, as I followed him, smiling like an idiot. It’d only been a week but seeing him on screen didn’t suffice my need to see him in person. He was a lot more handsome in person…
“I doubt that, it’s only been a wee-,” I shook my head in doubt as he opened to door for me.
“HAEUN MANAGER!” The whole studio when in uproar. I blinked rapidly, being taken aback by the sound of my name being shouted. Seeing twelve faces looking at me with a smile, my cheeks felt warmer. I didn’t know they cared that much about me. Why would they? I bowed as I entered, smiling and Jaehwa sunbae brought me up to date on what they were doing today. I was so grateful for her and how she looked out for me.

Today all I had was watching over the boys every now and then. Settling in a seat in one of the room’s corners, Jun and The8 immediately came over to see me.
“It’s good to see you back Noona,” The8 said with a smile on his face. I laughed a little in response feeling weird that I was wanted by a group of people for maybe the first time in my life. It felt nice actually. My eyes got dragged away and Hoshi’s eyes and mine met. Him shooting me his iconic 10:10 eyes, and me awkwardly smiling back and fumbling with my necklace as I do every now and then. I had obviously thought about it but I just now realised how urgent answering Hoshi’s feelings might be.
“So are you two a thing or…” Jun said bringing my attention back to the room. I looked at him as he leaned against the wall wiggling his eyebrows a little, feeling taken aback.
“Jun! Don’t ask them that, they don’t even know themselves,” The8 whispered at him as he looked nervously back and forth from me to Hoshi. I sighed with a smile at the two goofballs as they continued to friendly bicker at one another, sometimes replying in Chinese. Looking across the room at the boys chatting away I looked at Channie speaking to Vernon. And soon enough, Channie turned his head and we met eyes. I gestured my hand for him to some over to me. I’d just remembered something…
He jogged over to me with a smile, making a smile appear on my face without any control.
“Oh uh, Channie. Here’s your jumper,” I reached into my bag and handed his folded jumper he loaned me, and had reminded me I still had by text.
“Ah, thank you Eunnie,” he cheerfully said as he took it from my hands carefully. My heart skipping a beat just as he said my name.
“You borrowed his jumper?” Jun butted in looking at the jumper in Dino’s arms and then to me confused. I nodded with a smile on my face, even thought I was trying hard to hide it. Looking up at Dino, even he couldn’t keep a smile off his face as his friend noticed.
“I got it cleaned as well,” I looked back at Dino as I pointed to the oversized jumper.
“Wait are you two a thing?!” Jun gasped as he was taken aback by his so called 'discovery’. This only made Dino and I laughed even more and The8 lean over Jun’s shoulder also interested and confused by the situation.
“Don’t you have some practicing to do Jun?” I said with a laugh gesturing to the floor in the middle of the room. He scratched the back of his head not making eye contact but staring off into space still thinking hard as he turned as walked away.

The day went by quickly with the boys sometimes asking for my input on what dance moves I preferred, and mostly me reading or humming to their songs that were on replay as they were editing. Leaving slightly earlier than I planned to, since I had school the next day, I walked back to the bus stop feeling calm now that there weren’t cameras in my face. I sat down on the bench checking my phone for the time.
I reached for my collarbone, feeling nothing. My heart dropped momentarily, before I turned around immediately and sprinted back to the Pledis building.

Bursting through the dance studio’s door, I see Dino standing across the room with my necklace dangling from his hand. We both pause for a second looking at each other. Seeing the necklace was mine, I rushed over to him. "Is this yours?” He said examining the necklace closely with all it’s silver curves and bumps.
“Dino just give it back,” I said with my hand laid out in front of him, not wanting to mention the necklace to him.
“Are you going to answer my question?” He frowned a little at me, looking back and forth from the necklace to me. I was a patient person, but not with this. This necklace meant too much to me.
“I shouldn’t have to! Now give it back please!” I replied quickly in urgency, reaching for the necklace. But Dino was too quick, and before I could grab it, he held it up further out of my reach, towards the ceiling. I jumped it grabbed it, missing and feeling our chests meet. If it weren’t for the situation’s circumstances I would have gone red on the cheeks. I looked at him annoyed and he looked back at me curious.
“Is this really yours? It doesn’t even look-“ he pulled it back to study it again, giving me a chance.
“YES! It’s mine okay?!” I snatched it possessively, almost yelling at Dino and immediately pulling the necklace towards my chest. I looked back at Dino seeing his shocked expression. “I’m… i’m sorry,” I looked into my hands at the necklace feeling a urge of guilt overthrow me. A small silence started before Dino broke the silence.
“It must mean quite a bit to you,” Dino said with wide eyes looking at me, with his hands shoved in his jumper pocket. I nodded slowly, putting the necklace back on myself. “I’m sorry,” apologising, he kept eye contact.
“It’s okay Dino it’s just…” I started to explain myself before retracting, having a sudden thought. This was my mother’s necklace. Not the mother in Korea, but my mother somewhere else. I looked into Dino’s eyes for a while, wondering if I could trust him. He’d helped me in such bad times. “That necklace is the only last possible tie I have with my family,” I almost whispered out. Luckily in the empty studio, he heard me.
“You’re family?” His eyes still on mine, his eyebrows tucked a little.
“I’m adopted, Dino,” I almost laughed out, trying not to seem so worked up about telling someone finally. I feel like a weight had been released off my shoulders. I looked at Dino for a reaction nervously holding my elbows.
“Wow…” He exhaled speechlessly.
“I mean I look pretty different from Koreans, you can kinda tell,” I laughed out clutching my necklace again.
“I didn’t even notice,” Dino said with a slow blink and genuine smile spread across his face. It wasn’t a compliment to most, but to me, those words meant a lot. I always felt like I didn’t look right and stuck out like a sore thumb. The fact that he didn’t see the difference, stopped my heart and my thoughts for what seemed like a while. Luckily Dino brought my attention back by saying, “let’s get going, it’s pretty late.”

The next day, was similar to the day before. The boys were practicing for a choreography video that they upload for the fans. Maybe I should of listened to Dohyun sunbae, and been more responsible…
I just felt so guilty that day…

Hearing a thump, I turned my head towards it seeing Dino lying on the floor. “Dino!”

Notes

ahhhh i'm a bit late again miahnhaeyoooo readers
hopefully this long chapter will suffice and flame down the angry comments you're already writing (i know u r m8)
i'm back at school so again, i'll try my best to get te chapters out but don't be suprised by a chapter or two being late
plus its me. this is expected
okay bai fam