Chapter 4

Chris

I stare over at Sophie, unable to focus on anything else. Why is she looking at all the other members, watching them get dressed, passing them their clothes, when she hasn't even glanced over to me? I watch her, dressed all nice, standing there awkwardly by herself as I pull my jeans up onto my hips.

"Soph, come here," I call her over, still zipping up my fly, her face glancing over towards me. I see her wait a second, taking a breath out before walking towards me. As she slowly walks over I take my shirt off, throwing it onto the couch and grasping onto the white shirt that had previously been discarded next to it. I hold back a smile as I notice her cheeks begin to turn pink, an expression of shock etched into her features.

"Yeah?" She stammers and I notice her trying not to look down at me as she switches between holding eye contact and looking directly at the ground.

"Why are you being a creep?" I mutter sarcastically, trying to keep my cool, flashing the boldest smile I could muster out. She gasps playfully in response, tilting her head as I begin putting the shirt on, ever so slightly seeing her glancing down.

"Standing over there, staring at my members," I continue to put my shirt on, noticing a smile tugging on the corner of her lips, forcing me to react with a huge smile, smothered across my face. At this point, I think she's given up on trying not to look, I keep on seeing her eyeing off my stomach.

"Now, do your job, help me," I mutter, a light smirk crossing my face as I indicate to her to take the tie out of my hand and tie it for me. I try not to move as she walks towards me, beginning to button up my shirt as a distraction from how close she is to me. Her hot breath breezes over my chest as she finally takes the tie, leaving me more flustered than I should be.

I watch her as she neatly does the tie up, biting her lip as she concentrates, brushing her hair out of her face. Every so often she glances down, watching me do my shirt up, my hands occasionally skimming past her waist as I switch to the next button.

She finishes with the tie, flattening out my collar, the feeling of her cold hands brushing past my neck making me shiver.

"How was work?" I ask, taking a seat next to the shirt I dumped on the couch earlier.

"Fine," she responds with a light shrug, inching closer to me.

"Where's your spongebob sweater today?" I chuckle, trying not to show how flustered I am by the fact she looks so calm as I stare up at her.

"At least I still have the soggy boots on," I take a glance down at her shoes, seeing the entire side of her right boot disintegrated, leaving random white holes everywhere.

"Oh fuck, buy some new shoes," I gasp, placing my face into the palms of my hands.

"You don't think I've been saving up for a pair?" She chuckles lightly, crossing her arms.

I tried offering her a new pair but... that stupid intern girl with the gleaming green hair decided it was time to go to lunch, immediately snatching Sophie, practically dragging her away from me.

Honestly, I feel so fucking bad. Like actually so bad. I'm such a privileged piece of shit now. Buy some new shoes, fuck I'm stupid. I just didn't realise her situation was that bad, like I thought she had some money, it looks like she does... she acts like she does. That poor girl is stuck working every day and every night.

I've known this girl for a day... a day... I need to get a grip, but I just feel like I need to help her, provide for her, but it's been a day. It's been ages since I've been this whipped for someone.

"Let's go eat," Changbin catches my attention, snapping me back into reality. "Cmon', get changed."

"Fine, fine," I mutter compliantly, allowing him to pull me up from the couch. I take the tie off from around my neck, grinning from ear to ear, my cheeks warming up as I remember how it was put on.

"God, stop blushing over me and hurry up," Changbin shoves me lightly in my shoulder and in one quick motion, pulls my pants down a second later. I quickly get back into my usual clothes as fast as possible in an attempt to avoid getting dacked again, which could happen at any second with Changbin waiting impatiently for me by the door.

We eventually leave the room, entering the bustling cafeteria. Changbin, as usual, getting the biggest meal on the menu, the large jjigae, which he pushed through the line to secure, leaving me by myself, waiting patiently for my chicken. I search the cafeteria, trying to find where he decided to sit amidst the sea of faces, when I suddenly see a bright glow from the left side of the room.

It's a glow so bright, I'd notice it anywhere, a shade of green I don't even think is possible to find in nature. As I glance over, my eyes quickly adjust to the brightness of the intern's hair, noticing Sophie across the table from her, staring into a bowl of Changbin's famous jjigae.

Despite Changbin being across the cafeteria from her, after receiving the chicken, I walk straight towards Sophie. As I become closer, I realise that she isn't watching her bowl of jjigae in an extremely loving way, but her phone and she doesn't even notice me coming straight towards her.

Well, she can't be texting a boyfriend, her phone is in landscape, but she can't be playing a video game, she's too calm. Maybe she's watching a video? But she's tapping and dragging.

Mate... Chris... We met her YESTERDAY, calm the fuck out

"Sophie?" I position myself behind her, glancing over her shoulder, holding in an excited gasp as I realise she's editing a sound track. "Sophie... Sophie," I try to capture her attention, quickly giving up with calling her. I lean into her left shoulder, titling my head to look at her face as I softly take out an earphone.

"Chris." I see her confused face turn into a slight smile, as she rubs her eyes.

"Tired?" I ask, moving a strand of hair off of her cheek, putting my chicken on the table.

"Yeah," she nods, closing her eyes.

"Take a break," I mutter.

"I can't," she sighs, resting her face in the palm of her hands.

"You can though."

"No, like, I actually can't," she leans back, turning her phone off and putting it face down on the table. "Literally the only reason I'm not dead on the streets yet is because I have a scholarship, but that doesn't pay for my food, so I have to work 24/7."

"Yeah?"

"And my school called up yesterday. Now they're saying I need to lift my grades if I want to keep the scholarship. This prac is my be all or end all."

"What is it?" I ask, leaning in towards her.

"What's what?"

"The prac."

"Oh, just producing a song." She smiles awkwardly, nodding slowly.

"Look Soph, I wouldn't usually offer this to someone," I wince a little as I realise what I'm about to offer.

"But?" She shifts in her seat, waiting in anticipation.

"Come to my studio tomorrow, I'll help you out." I smile, placing my hands on the table.

"That- that's actually really nice of you, but yunno I have uni, this internship and then work, it's a little much to fit in." She leans back into her chair, tucking her hair behind her ears.

"Just count it off as your intern hours," I shrug.

"You'd sign it off?" She gasps, practically jumping out of her seat, her mouth wide open.

"Yeah," I nod, a smile spreading across my face as I watch her reaction.

"OHH THANK YOUUU," she exclaims, shaking the entire table.

"Look, I'm going to go now, Changbins waiting," I glance over at Changbin, who's glaring at me from across the room. I pick up my chicken and stand up, giving Sophie a light tap on her back.

"See you tomorrow," she smiles and as I walk off, hearing her begin to talk to the intern with the fluorescent hair. I arrive at Changbin's table, his bowl already half finished. I couldn't tell what was more threatening, the glow of that intern's bright green hair reflecting off of his bowl, nearly blinding me as it pierces directly into my eyes, or Changbin's glare.

I slowly drag the seat out from under the table, it's squeaks echoing through the cafeteria, bringing the sound of chewing and speaking to a halt.

"Heyyyy," I break the silence, my voice so high pitched it could break a glass.

"What the fuck did you do." He cut my 'hey' off, crossing his arms across his chest, leaning back into his chair.

"I offered to help her with her uni prac," I cringe, confessing immediately, taking a huge bite out of a chicken breast, the flavours briefly providing a distraction from the confrontation.

"Fuckkk, Chan." He shakes his head, drowning himself in his jjigae. Whether he was just hungry, or trying to drown out this entire situation, I will never know.

"Yeah... yeah, I know." I nod, letting out a long sigh. 

Author's note

This was the chapter that was meant to be super short ahaahah... I just get a lil distracted sometimes (: Hope you enjoyed!! I've been super busy with assignments and tests but I have a lil announcement to get yall excited next chap (or just check my conversations tab bahahah)