American Casual

Chanyeol stretched his arms out as much as he could, trying to alleviate some of the stiff muscles as he waited for his friends. The performance had been a success, but he couldn't stop thinking about Julia's answer to the question of returning to Seoul. It had never occurred to Chanyeol that she might not come back with them and it wasn't a pleasant prospect. Maybe she doesn't want to come back, he thought darkly. Maybe she just said that for the cameras.

Junmyeon and Sehun were the first out of the dressing room and joined Chanyeol at the end of the hall. “Chanyeol, why are you hiding out here?” Junmyeon asked. “We were just talking about your skill at Giant Darts.”

“Just tired, I guess,” he shrugged. “Minseok was better.”

“Minseok didn't win,” Sehun reminded him.

Chanyeol saw Julia and Youngjun coming down the hallway and felt a wave of sadness crash over him. What if this is it? What if we never see her again after this tour?

Junmyeon went straight to Youngjun and started talking, but Sehun noticed the cloud on Chanyeol's face. “Are you okay?” he asked in a low voice. “You look upset.”

The dressing room door opened again and Chanyeol shoved back his emotions as the others came out. “I'm fine,” he muttered, giving Sehun a half-hearted smile.

He and the others expected to be taken straight back to the hotel, but Julia announced she had a surprise for them and piled them into two large cabs. Chanyeol purposefully took the cab Julia wasn't in, mainly because he couldn't process the curious welling of emotion he was feeling. “Where do you think we're going?” Kyungsoo wondered.

“Hopefully somewhere quiet,” Minseok yawned.

“Is your head hurting?” Baekhyun asked concernedly. “Are you sick? Let me feel your forehead.”

“Get off me,” Minseok said, batting him away. “I'm just tired like everyone else.”

Sehun nudged Chanyeol and he made an effort to smile. “I'm fine,” he assured him.

“You don't look fine,” Sehun murmured. “If you're worried about the performance-”

“Yeah,” Chanyeol said, seizing on the idea immediately, “I am. I guess I… thought we'd have more time to prepare.”

Sehun shrugged. “We've done that routine a thousand times, though I agree the stage was a little small. I'd have liked a little more room.”

“Yeah, me too,” Chanyeol murmured.

They pulled up outside a bar and met Julia and the others by the door. “What is this place?” Minseok asked.

Julia gestured up at the neon sign. “This is The Lion's Den,” she said proudly. “It's the favorite hangout spot for all the Columbia students, and where I worked my last two years of school.”

She led them inside and Chanyeol was instantly warmed by the pleasant atmosphere. It was reasonably full, but not overcrowded, and he could hear bouncy pop music under the buzz of conversation and sports games on the many televisions. “Julia!” someone called, and they looked up to see a beautiful black-haired girl waving at them. “Hello,” Baekhyun whispered.

“I'll say,” Jongin agreed, watching the two girls embrace. “I wonder what other friends Julia's got around here?”

Julia brought the girl over and gestured to the members. “These are the guys I've been telling you about,” she said loudly. “They wanted to see the school, but I thought here would be a better idea.”

“Absolutely,” the girl agreed. “Hi everyone, I'm Gracie.”

“Hello,” they all chorused.

“It's a pleasure to meet you,” Junmyeon said, shouldering past Chanyeol to give Gracie a bow.

“Wow, what a gentleman!” Gracie giggled. “Let me grab some menus.”

She bounced away and Julia promptly smacked Junmyeon on the arm. “Ow! What was-”

“Gracie is my friend!” she interrupted. “Besides, you don't have a chance.”

“Not compared to me,” Jongin said, running his fingers through his hair.

Julia rolled her eyes. “See that guy?’ she said, pointing at a lean man behind the bar. “That's Harry Daniels, the owner. He and Gracie are together.”

Jongin tilted his head critically. “I could take him,” he decided.

Julia smacked him just as Gracie came back. “The back room is all ready for you,” she trilled. “I'll take you, since Julia's probably forgotten where it is.”

Julia linked arms with her and they all followed after her to the rear of the bar. I'll have to remember this place next time we're in New York, Chanyeol thought as he nodded at a table of girls.


******


After Gracie took their orders and returned to the main bar Julia took a look around the room. It was all still there - the polished wood furniture, the blue and white neon signs, the worn pool table - as if time had frozen since she’d last been there. She closed her eyes and could almost imagine she was back in school and working another late shift, until someone coughed and she remembered the EXO members. “Care to share with the rest of the class?” Junmyeon inquired.

“Just feeling a little nostalgic,” she admitted. “I didn't realize how much I missed this place.”

Gracie returned with drinks and Chanyeol downed his beer in three large gulps before signalling for another. “Don't get too drunk, we've got our first concert tomorrow night,” Kyungsoo reminded him.

“We'll be fine before then,” Baekhyun cut in, taking a large swallow from his own glass. “Who wants shots?”

Most of the members shook their heads, so he turned to Julia, but she declined too. “I'm not too keen after…” the words died on her lips and she looked down at her feet. Why does everything circle back to Shindo? she wondered.

No one broke the awkward silence until Gracie came in with another round, followed by Harry with a tray of food. “We don't mean to interrupt, but we couldn't let Harry miss out on meeting such famous celebrities,” Gracie trilled.

“Me? You're the one that was drooling over them during their interview,” Harry protested.

Everyone laughed and the spell was broken as they handed out beers and baskets of fries. “Julia told us you'd be on Fallon, so we tuned in,” Gracie explained. “And I wasn't drooling.”

“Must've been sweat, then,” Harry countered without missing a beat. “Is that a fresh shirt you're wearing?”

Julia introduced all of the members, most of whom she noticed still stared at Gracie. “Did you like the performance?” Junmyeon asked.

“We loved it, and so did the rest of the bar,” Gracie gushed. “When Julia called to reserve the back room I thought she was being silly, but she didn't tell me what incredible guys she worked with.”

Some of the guys puffed their chests out a little and Julia rolled her eyes. “Thanks guys, I'm sure you've got other customers,” she said politely. Gracie stuck her lip out, but Harry got the hint and prodded her out of the room. “I like them,” Jongdae announced.

“You like her,” Julia corrected. “I saw all of you eyeing her like a piece of meat. You're worse than the guys at school.”

“Not true!” Yixing said defensively. “We liked him too.”

“Him? What's his name, then?”

They all exchanged a sidelong glance. “Henry?” Jongin guessed.

“Holly?” Baekhyun added.

“Give it up, guys,” Julia said with a chuckle. “It's okay, I'm used to it. Gracie's probably the most beautiful girl to ever exist, and guys just can't help themselves. Her tips were way fatter than ours, but she always shared with everyone else.”


******


Jongdae felt a pleasant buzz kick in after finishing his second beer and looked around at his friends. Jongin and Yixing were digging into the platter of onion rings on the table, while Junmyeon and Sehun were trying to start a game of pool. “Should we do doubles, or triples?” Junmyeon asked as he grabbed a cue stick.

“Is triples a thing?” Baekhyun wondered.

“It is when you've got a pool table all to yourself,” Minseok decided. “I'm with Jun and Sehun.”

Baekhyun scanned the room and came to rest in Chanyeol. “Ready to take these guys down?” he asked, holding out a stick, but to Jongdae's surprise Chanyeol shook his head. “Maybe next round,” he muttered into his glass.

What's his deal? Jongdae wondered. Even when he's drunk he's not morose like this. I wonder what-

“Jongdae! You playing?”

“No thanks, I'm eating,” he called back, and he pulled a plate of fries to him as he watched Chanyeol down his third shot of tequila. This is gonna go downhill fast if he doesn't slow down, he thought worriedly. He tried to get Junmyeon's attention, but he was busy racking up the balls and looked a little tipsy himself. Great.

After Baekhyun convinced Julia and Jongin to play and the game began, Jongdae took his plate over to where Chanyeol sat and settled in beside him. “Having fun?” he asked conversationally.

“Tons,” Chanyeol mumbled.

Jongdae ate a few fries as he considered his next attempt. “I couldn't help noticing you look a little…”

“What?” Chanyeol snapped.

“Tired!” he said quickly, “I was gonna say tired. Do you wanna head back early?”

“And miss even more stuff?” Chanyeol demanded. “I'm not stupid, Jongdae. I know what's gonna happen after this.”

Jongdae was confused, but Kyungsoo was watching them concernedly and Jongdae didn't want Chanyeol's funk to ruin the night for everyone else. “I just wanted to check on you,” he said in a low voice. “Fries?”

Chanyeol took a fry and nibbled on it as he watched the pool game with a dark expression. This isn't like him at all, Jongdae thought uncomfortably.

The pool game ended with Junmyeon's team victorious and Baekhyun flopped into the seat across from them. “It's not fair,” he whined.

“You get fussy when you have tequila,” Julia teased. “You'll be okay.”

“I do not!” he said indignantly. “Can't I be mad about such an unexpected loss?”

Chanyeol got up suddenly and left the room, silencing everyone, and Junmyeon raised an eyebrow. “He's not sick, is he?”

“I don't think so,” Jongdae offered.

“Maybe we should check on him,” Baekhyun said, already halfway out of his chair.

“No, let… let me,” Julia said, and she followed Chanyeol out of the room before they could protest. She must know something about his bad mood, Jongdae thought, then he turned back around to find everyone staring at him. “What?”

“We wanna know what's up!” Jongin replied.

“And I'm the one who has to go find out?”

“You are the best at this kind of thing,” Kyungsoo reminded him.

“I'm not… this isn't… oh, fine,” Jongdae muttered.

He went back through the pub, looking around for Chanyeol and Julia, then Gracie saw him and pointed at the door. Hope they didn't get in a cab or something. He looked out the window, then went out onto the sidewalk, but couldn't see them anywhere. “What the… where did they go?!” he demanded aloud, startling the passerby.

He started pacing the sidewalk frantically, trying to figure out his next move, when suddenly he heard Chanyeol's voice rise above the street traffic for a moment before disappearing again. Maybe they're in that alley. The idea of being in a New York alley this late at night gave him a chill, but he decided to check anyway and worked his way through the pedestrians to the alley dividing The Lion's Den from a pizzeria.

“-else I was supposed to say!” he heard Julia exclaim. “They put me on the spot, and I didn't want to dampen the mood by hinting at not coming back.”

Jongdae peeked around the corner and saw two silhouettes standing a little ways down the alley, one tall and lanky and the other shorter and with a hand on her hip. Not gone, then, he thought with relief. They didn't see him, so he ducked back behind the corner and listened.

“That's not the point!” Chanyeol snapped.

“Why are you so mad, Chanyeol?”

“Because I… I didn't know going on the tour meant you would leave.”

Jongdae's heart plummeted into his stomach as the realization hit. That's right, Julia may not be coming back to Seoul with us, he thought in dismay. That's why Chanyeol's so upset.

“It's not that I don't want to come back, it's just not up to me,” Julia said gently. “In light of everything that's happened-”

“No one cares about that!” Chanyeol interrupted. “You're really good at translating and stuff, and there's lots more groups at SM and… and other companies… so you can't leave.”

“You're not listening, Chanyeol!”

Julia's voice was sharper now and Jongdae winced a little. “I have no control over this! Do you think I like the idea of just disappearing from your lives like that? The fact is that I've done my job, and if SM or another company doesn't renew my contract, I've got no choice but to stay here.”

“No, no,” Chanyeol said roughly, “it's not fair. We can… we can…”

“You're drunk,” she said gently, “and upset. We should talk about this later.”

Jongdae scurried back into the bar and made it into his seat just before Julia and Chanyeol came back. “I’m fine, just felt nauseous,” Chanyeol grunted.

Jongdae could tell the others were dying to know what had been said, but as the night wore on there was never a good moment for Jongdae to tell them. If only I could just keep it to myself, he wished silently.


******


The next morning a hungover Julia woke up to several texts from Jin about the spontaneous interview and she took a few ibuprofen for her headache as she scrolled through them.

Why didn’t you tell me you were gonna be on TV?!?! This is epic!!!!

Chanyeol gave you his seat? Interesting… ;)

Whoa, are you serious??? You might not come back to Seoul???Their managers must be having a fit rn

CALL ME WHEN YOU WAKE UP AND TELL ME EVERYTHING xxx

Julia groaned and flopped back onto the bed. I hope Chanyeol calmed down, she thought, then another idea made her sit up a little. I hope he didn't rile up the others.


******


Jongdae was brushing his teeth when the bathroom door creaked open and Baekhyun poked his head in. “Well?” he croaked.

“Well what?”

“Tell me what you overheard last night.”

Jongdae raised an eyebrow and spit in the sink. “I don't think it matters,” he replied. “I'm surprised you didn't nearly kick the door in like you usually do.”

“My head hurts too much to kick anything,” Baekhyun muttered.

Jongdae rinsed his mouth and left Baekhyun in the bathroom while he went in search of a granola bar. I'm sure Julia's gonna tell everyone something today, he told himself, though he had a hard time believing it. It was likely Julia didn't have any more information than they did, and Youngjun would hardly be forthcoming at this point. Jongdae unearthed a granola bar from his suitcase and peeled back the wrapper as he gazed out at the New York skyline. Only four months and we all go from barely tolerating her to praying she doesn't leave, he mused as he ate. The irony is incredible.

They were due for a sound check in an hour, so Jongdae finished his breakfast and gave Baekhyun a few ibuprofen before guiding him out the door and to the elevators. Jongin and Sehun were already waiting there, both looking fairly chipper after their late night out. “You really need to pace yourself on the shots,” Jongin said when he saw Baekhyun.

“Worth it,” he said stubbornly.

“Where's everyone else?” Jongdae asked.

“I think they're already downstairs,” Sehun replied. “Do you remember what happened last night?”

The elevator doors opened and Jongdae pretended not to hear him as they got on, but Sehun just frowned at him. “So you did hear something.”

“I'm hearing a lot right now and it's all too loud,” Baekhyun mumbled.

“You're in for a rough morning,” Jongin commented.

The doors opened on the lobby and Jongdae caught sight of their van idling out in the parking lot. “Come on, the others are probably waiting on us,” he said, jogging ahead of them.

To his disappointment only Junmyeon and Kyungsoo were in the van, and both of them immediately perked up when they saw him. “Well?” Junmyeon prodded.

“Well what?”

“Spill,” Kyungsoo demanded.

Jongdae allowed the others to get in while he scrambled to stall. “Where's Chanyeol?” he asked finally.

“Don't worry, he's not down yet,” Kyungsoo shrugged. Junmyeon looked concernedly at his watch, but curiosity overcame his responsibility for a change and he leaned over the seat again. “Just tell us,” he begged.

“There's nothing to tell,” Jongdae said as he got into the van. “Chanyeol was upset that Julia might not be coming back to Seoul with us, and Julia doesn't know for sure what SM is gonna do with her.”

He pulled the door shut as they processed this, then Jongin cleared his throat. “I mean, technically she did the job she was hired to do,” he began uncertainly. “There may not be a good reason for SM to keep her on.”

“What about the other groups?” Sehun countered. “Surely one of them could benefit from learning English too?”

The van door opened suddenly and they all jumped, but it was just Minseok and Yixing. “Whoa, chill,” Minseok said, “it's just us.”

They climbed in and Jongdae closed the door after them. “What did we miss?” Yixing asked.

“Last night Chanyeol was upset because Julia might not be coming back to Seoul with us.”

“I don't believe it,” Yixing said immediately. “If they haven't told her yet, then it's probably because they're renewing her contract.”

“Or because they aren't planning to,” Junmyeon returned. “As much as I hate to say it, I tend to agree with Jongin. This might be it.”

No one spoke again for a while, each trying to figure a way out of the situation that benefited everyone, but Jongdae was struggling to come up with anything. Even if she worked with NCT or something, she'd still be in the same situation six months from now. There's no sustainable solution.

Chanyeol finally came outside and everyone pretended not to notice the sour look on his face. “How are you feeling?” Junmyeon asked as he opened the door.

“Like I've been run over by a train,” he grumbled. He sat beside Jongdae and pulled the door shut just as their driver strolled up. “All set?” he called, pulling out his keys.

“Stop shouting,” Baekhyun groaned.

They arrived at the arena twenty minutes later and Julia was waiting for them in their dressing room. “Morning,” she croaked.

Jongdae immediately felt guilty for eavesdropping and glanced at the others, but Junmyeon flashed him a stern look before smiling at Julia. “Everyone's a little hungover, but they'll feel better after sound check,” he said lightly.

Baekhyun and Chanyeol groaned and curled up on opposite ends of the couch while the others headed for their makeup chairs. “Let's go,” Junmyeon said, nudging Baekhyun with his foot.

“Bite me,” Baekhyun grumbled.

Youngjun came in and gave the members on the couch a concerned look, but didn't acknowledge them. “I'd like to address last night,” he announced.

The room fell silent and Jongdae could suddenly hear his pulse thudding in his ears.

“I've talked with the executives, and they reiterated that Julia's current contract is valid through the end of this tour,” he continued. “They're pleased with the work she's accomplished with all of you, and they'll be considering future arrangements while we're traveling. I'll have an answer by the time we get to Hawaii, but in the meantime I don't want any of you to be distracted by this.”

Julia nodded. “I second that,” she said, turning to face them. “This is all part of my job, guys. I'd love to come back to Seoul and continue working with SM, but there's a good chance that I'll be moving on to something else soon. That doesn't mean we have to stop being friends, though.”

Jongdae felt tears prick his eyes, then he blinked them away and cleared his throat. “We understand,” he said in a steady voice, “but that doesn't mean we have to like it.”

Julia gave him a bittersweet smile and threw her arms around him wordlessly. Jongdae returned the hug, then one by one the others joined in until they were encased in one giant huddle. “Maybe we should have you perform a number with us,” Yixing commented.

This broke the tension and everyone laughed except Julia, who looked alarmed. “Please don't,” she begged.

Notes