Chapter 44

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After a year...

Star is standing in front of a coffee shop with her arms crossed and her brows furrowed. She kept on looking at her wrist watch. Every minute seems to be equivalent to half an hour.

"Where the heck is that guy now?" She muttered.

She glances at her wrist watch every minute while watching the people pass by her front. She's stretching her neck to look at each of their faces, with the hope to finally see the person she's been waiting.

"Ugh! That guy!" She groaned then stomped. She's been waiting there for almost an hour and that person is twenty minutes late, which is actually unusual, that's why Star is irritated.

She sighed when she felt a vibration from her denim pants's pocket. "At last! A call from him!" She said in her mind.

However, when she saw the caller's ID, she suddenly froze. She felt her knees trembling. She's holding her breathe. Her eyes are shaking as she watches his name being displayed on her phone.

Then the call turned into a missed call. She's still staring at her phone that displays his number who called her number.

Guess who he is? No other than the only person who can make her tremble like that.

"But why? Why all of a sudden?" She thought.

It's been a very long while.

She's still staring at her phone when it started vibrating again. And the same feeling rose! It's him. Again.

She can only see him through television programs and videos in video sharing sites. She can only hear him through audios. She can only touch him through the monitor. They're always one screen away.

But this sudden moment came. If ever, it will be the first time after she left SM.

She gulped before swiping the answer button. She slowly placed her phone on her left ear. She felt her heart beating fastly and loudly. She can feel her cheeks turn to red. She feels nervous and all synonymous to it. She closed her eyes before speaking.

"He- hello?" She said timidly.

"STAR-YAH!"

She suddenly moved her phone away from her ear when someone from the other line shouted.

"What the heck?" She said then once again checked the caller's ID. It was really Ten's, but she heard an irritating voice instead. She placed her phone near her ear again and spoke louder, "What?"

"Where the heck are you? You're twenty-two minutes late!" The guy shouted.

"Yuta?" She asked for assurance.

"The cute mountain man." He said firmly.

"Where the heck are you? You're twenty-two minutes late!" She said, repeating what Yuta said. "How dare you ask me that? I'm on our meeting place. And why are you using Ten's number? You made me go crazy! My goodness!"

"Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!"

Star showed an irritated face after hearing his loud laugh.

"I'm so done with this living organism. Jinjja!" She stated while shaking her head.

"But seriously, where are you? I'm here already."

"What are you saying? I'm at the coffee shop already! Didn't I clear our meeting place?"

"What coffee shop?"

"The coffee shop in Anguk."

"Oh jinjja? I thought you're pertaining to the coffee shop in Myeongdong!"

Star closed her eyes violently and covered her face with her palm.

"Yuta? Seriously?"

"Sorry! I'm lacking of sleep."

"I think so too! Goodness, you are way far from here!"

"I'm just a few minutes away."

"Yes. Few minutes away when riding a helicopter! Rush up to here! I have something to do this afternoon."

"Give me ten minutes. Just go inside and get something to eat. I will pay."

"Whatever. Just come."

Then she ended the call, but realized once again that he's using Ten's number.

"Ugh! He's always getting into my nerves." Then she entered the coffee shop with a frown.

After ten minutes, Yuta came with a taxi. Star sighed in relief.

"Thank God, you're finally here!"

"Missed me?" Yuta asked jokingly.

"Quit joking. I'm not in the mood."

Yuta sat on the chair at her front. "PMS?"

"Goodness. You're hopeless." She said while shaking her head.

"Start now. What are you going to tell me?" Yuta asked while looking at the menu on the counter.

"I have a question first."

"And it is what?" He asked with his eyes fixed on the menu.

She sighed before continuing, "Why the heck are you using Ten's number? Didn't you know that my whole inner self has been screaming that time? Are you trying me or what?"

Yuta just answered her with a smirk, without even looking at her.

She rolled her eyes and pinched his right cheek then she pulled it, "Yuta-yah! Answer me!"

"Capuccino!" He said.

"Argh." She pulled back and rested her back on the back rest of the chair. She glared at him while gritting her teeth.

"Hahahaha! Look at this cute girl." He leaned forward and reached for her head and tapped her crown like a dog.

"Yah!" She tapped his hand with irritation.

She's irritated but she's used to it. It's not the kind of irritation that will grow into anger that she'll keep a grudge about it.

"Yuta, seriously..."

Yuta smiled genuinely, "Your feelings for him never changed, eh?"

Star averted her gaze from him and looked outside the shop. She doesn't want to answer his question, because she doesn't want to hear her honest answer coming from herself.

"He's preparing for a comeback lately. He's going fine. He's still short though." Then he laughed.

Star wanted to smile but she stopped herself just to keep her cold image today. She's missing him more.

"Says who?" She said teasingly with a smirk.

"Aish." Yuta said in frustration of himself.

"This short kid." She said while enjoying watching him frustrated.

"I used his number because my battery is dead already. We're together earlier and I borrowed his phone."

"Tch!" She said while rolling her eyes but she suddenly froze when she realized something. "You were together in Myeongdong earlier?" Yuta smiled and nodded. "You mean, you brought him with you when you're supposed to meet me? What are you trying to do?"

"It's really a pity you didn't meet. He had to go for his recordings."

She frowned and started hitting his shoulder, "Fool. Stupid. Foooool! You almost created a chaos!" She said as if she's a little girl complaining.

"It will be a good show though." Then he laughed.

"Why did I befriend a minion of a devil?"

"HAHAHAHAHA!"

Good thing no one's inside the coffee shop aside from them and the lady at the counter.

"Anyway," he suddenly stopped laughing and spoke, "what are you about to say to me that I have to go this far?"

She smiled widely and meaningfully.

"What's with the smile?" He asked who looks so excited as well.

"Guess who's finally debuting."

Yuta's eyes widened. "You are?"

"No." She answered sarcastically. "It's you. You're going to debut under a new unit again. Congratulations. I'm so happy for you." She said plainly with a plain expression.

"Eeeeeh. Tell me," he looked like a kid who has been offered with tons of candies, "You're really going to debut?"

Star smiled and nodded cheerfully, like a kid.

They both look like kids. They both look like stupids now.

"Yay! Finally! Congratulations for your debut!" He clapped and they rejoiced. They didn't care about the person on the counter. She's on her earphones anyway. And there's no need to disguise or hide, it's fine.

"I already told this to my family and their grateful as well. Finally, Yutaaaaaa!" She squealed while clapping her hands.

"Hahahaha! When?"

"Next month."

"What's your group name?"

"We're still deciding on it because there are many choices. But we already have our songs prepared. We just have to do the recordings and practices."

"Hmm, let me help you im choosing your group name. You can be... Ladies First!"

"You're starting again!" She groaned.

"Or or or or... Charlie's Angels!"

"Aish." She slapped her cheeks with her own two palms.

"How many are you?"

"Four."

"Four Ever!"

"Sucks."

"If there is Fantastic Four, you are Gorgeous Four!"

"Goodness! You can't run an entertainment company."

"I already ran on a football field for years, why not in an entertainment company."

She cringed, "You're really hopeless. Cut the jokes, I have to go now." She looked at her wrist watch, "We will start our recording today!" She said happily.

"Okay!" They both stood up, "Want me to send you there?"

"No need. Thank you."

"Yah. We didn't order anything." Yuta whispered as they open the coffee shop's door.

"Haha. I will be going now. Good bye!" Then she started walking backwards while waving her hands to him.

He smiled and waved back. When she's finally out of his sight, he grabbed his phone from his pants's pocket and saw the call is still going.

He looked at the restaurant at the front of the coffee shop and waved his hand to the person with a phone placed on his right ear, sitting. The person stood and went out of the restaurant and looked at where Star went. He returned his gaze to Yuta and smiled.

Yuta placed his phone near his mouth and spoke, "You heard it right? She's finally debuting. And it's in the same month as your comeback." He laughed.

From the other side of the street, he spoke, "Yeah, right. And you lied pretty well. Dead battery? Borrowed my phone? And that I had to go?" He laughed at Yuta. "And who did you call short?" He asked with a tone of danger. Yuta just ignored it.

"Put on your mask, Ten. Let's go." Then he crossed the street while wearing his mouth mask.

They had a manly high five when they approached each other and started walking. They also ended the call at the same time.

"Thank you for taking care of her." Ten said.

"You're welcome. And please, stop looking at her from afar. Approach her!"

It's not seen but Ten is smiling behind his mouth mask, "I will. Soon."

***