Chapter 46

160928

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"There she is." Yuta said to Ten while watching Star enter the backstage. "Ten, do not prolong this story anymore."

Ten nodded at him and sighed deeply. He walked slowly with his eyes fixed only to her.

She's looking down while walking that she did not notice Ten in her front. But as she saw a pair of legs, she looked up and finally saw Ten.

They stayed looking at each other for a while. Yuta smiled seeing them from afar. "They deserve being happy."

"Really, hyung?" Yuta looked at his side and saw Chanwoo with a black cap and grey sweater.

"Why are you here?" Yuta asked with crossed arms, looking up to the tall Chanwoo.

"Supporting my noona and hyungs. Why? No one recognizes me here. But geez, you do have crazy fans out there. There's like a stampede outside. Anyway, I'm still handsome." He then shrugged and flashed a crook smile.

Yuta pulled his cap down to his eyes and tapped his crown, "This kid. Did you ditch training?"

"Yah!" Chanwoo snorted, "I legally went here. Jaerim hyung gave me the permission." Then he smiled brightly.

"You look more childish than your noona knowing that you're a boy." Then Yuta looked at Star who is now inside Ten's arms. "Whoa. Whoa. Ten's too fast!" Then he laughed.

"Hahaha! Look at noona. She's blushing!" Chanwoo said, teasing Star in his mind. "I wish they're happy together."

"At this moment, Star is not yet happy. She's still unconscious of everything. By now, she will push Ten away." Then they saw Star pushing Ten away.

Chanwoo shook his head, "I know noona. She has never been in love like this."

"And that kind of love must not be wasted. That kind of love, being sacrificial, is the noblest love in the land." Yuta sighed, "If only there are no intruders."

"I see. Idols are humans too. The only difference is, they have cameras pointed towards them, watching their every move." Chanwoo sighed, "I want to quit."

He looked at Chanwoo, "We are here because of passion, Chanwoo. Accepting this cruel life is part of it." Then he looked back to the lovers. Star is already walking back and Ten is just watching her go, "That couple, they're just staying away from what may hurt one another. I never knew anything about Baekhyun sunbae and Taeyon sunbae's relationship issue before. But I believe it is not part of SM's media play. I believe they are really in love. But because of the intolerable eyes that are criticizing them, they received foul judgments. Baekhyun sunbae is hated by his own fans, and Taeyeon sunbae is hated by Baekhyun's fans intensely. Both are hurt, especially Taeyeon sunbae. So, to stop it, they have to let go of each other and give them peace."

Chanwoo shook his head, "If you really love each other, you won't take those judgments, right? Those won't penetrate your relationship until it splits you. As long as you're strong together, no one can ever break them."

Yuta smiled at him, "How old is your noona last year?"

"Seventeen." He answered confidently.

"She's still in his maturation stage that time. I believe she's more mature now. She's already a lady. She's better now." He giggled, "And a good thing from you, you already know that thing about love. You're more mature than your age."

Chanwoo smirked, "I got it from Taeyong hyung. You know, sometimes I can't understand him. He's just so deep and full of wisdom." Yuta just laughed at him. They both looked at Ten, but he's now missing. "Where's Ten hyung?"

"I guess he's following his heart." Then Yuta smiled.

**

"Star, wait!" Ten grabbed Star's wrist and stopped her. They already reached the building's underground parking lot. Star doesn't even know how did her feet bring her there.

"What do you need from me?" Star directly asked.

"I want to talk with you. Please."

"We have no time for that one. We're both busy. I have schedules tomorrow as well as you."

"Please, Star." He looked sincere and sad seeing Star being that way. Star felt a pinch in her heart when she saw crystals of tears forming in Ten's eyes.

Star gulped and thought of something to say. "I thought you don't want to see me anymore..."

"That's why I want to talk to you. Star, please, just for an hour."

She heaved a sigh, "Later, 7 pm at Hangang River."

Ten smiled and nodded cheerfully, "Yes! Yes! Thank you, Star!" Then he was about to hug her when someone screamed his name.

"TEN OPPA!" They both looked at Ten's back and saw six girls looking at them. They are holding banners, light sticks and fans with NCT's faces on it.

"Oh God. No way." Ten whispered.

"Who are they?" Star asked.

"Obsessed fans." Then he held Star's wrist and prepared to run.

"TEN OPPAAAAAA!" They ran towards Ten while screaming their lungs out.

"Run!" Ten pulled Star and ran away. The sasaeng fans are chasing after them.

"You have fans like that? I never knew."

"It's inevitable for a handsome idol, you know." He said between his breath. Star just glared at him and looked at her back. They are still following them.

They are almost approaching the end of the parking lot, one way on the left and one path on the right.

"TEN OPPA! WAIT!" They continued screaming.

"Let's split ways. They only want me. You go to the right and hide." Ten said.

Star disagreed, "Yah, they are crazy. They might hurt you! I can't let that happen!"

So when they reached the end of the parking lot, Star pulled Ten to the right and entered a small door. It was a dark hallway but they still ran and went to the right. Ten saw another door and went inside the room with Star. It is total darkness but rays of light can still pass through the open spaces of the door.

They both rested their backs behind the door and panted. They heard footsteps nearing. They almost froze and they are barely breathing. Ten pulled Star near him and silently listened to the girls outside.

"Where the heck are they?"

"Yah, unnie, I can't see anything."

"Ten oppa! Where are you?"

"Ten oppaaaa!"

"These crazy girls." Star whispered while listening to them. Ten just smiled at her, though she can't see him.

"Check this room." Star's eyes widened when she heard it. She moved closer to Ten and hid behind him.

One of the girls is about to touch the door knob when a security guard whistled at them.

"Hey! You are not allowed here! Go out!"

They heard the girls ranting and their sounds faded out as they marched away.

Star finally refrained from holding her breath. She clutched her chest and panted, "Thank God. Thank God!" She whispered.

"Are you okay?" Ten asked.

"Yah. You?"

"I'm more than okay."

Then Star felt Ten's hand holding hers tighter. She then realized that they were holding each other's hands since she pulled him into this place.

Star tried to pulled her hand but Ten did not let go.

"Let go now, Ten." She asked while pulling her hand.

But she was pulled into Ten instead. She can't see him but she knows he's right in front of him, face to face. She can feel his breath brushing his nose. They can't see each other, but their mere presence made their heart beat loudly.

"Star..." he's voice cracked. She knew he's crying. Star's heart broke and felt like crying too. But she shook it off.

"What kind of drama are you trying to pull off now?" She asked.

Ten sniffed and did not speak. He held Star's hand with both of his hands tightly.

"Star I know I still have a place in your heart. Please let me in. Please let me hold your hand. I promise, I will never let it go unlike what I did before. It was a big mistake."

He composed them in his mind but he has no courage to tell it at all.

He then felt her other hand touching his face wet with sweat. But she did not care. She's not speaking either. She just wanted to touch him and feel him. She felt a warm liquid touched her hand and ran over it. It was Ten's tears.

They are a couple with a lot to say to each other but cannot.

**

Meanwhile, the six frustrated sasaeng fans continued to march out of the parking lot.

"Have you seen the girl he's with?" Said by the girl who is petite with a milky skin. She's Jinhyun.

"Yah. Who is she? How dare her talk with Ten?" The tall girl with narrow eyes and long hair said. She's Haekyo.

Harin, a pretty girl with braded hair strands stomped, "I can't believe it! I can almost reach him. If only I ran faster!"

"Girls, wait," the small girl named Cheonhwa with waving hair said, "What if she is Ten's girl?"

"Are you asking if they are possibly dating?" The girl wearing short shorts and sleeveless blouse asked. Her name is Eunah.

"THEY CANNOT!" The five cried then continued marching with heavy stomps.

Meanwhile, the girl with brownish red hair, brown eyes, fair skin and slim body, namely Jinhee, silently stares at a picture on her phone.

It was Ten and Star, running away. You can see Star's side profile and her outfit for earlier's stage is very noticeable. The girl glared at her.

When they reached the vestibule of the building, they saw a group of fans distributing handy posters of a certain group.

"What is that?" Jinhee asked a girl who is happily looking at the poster.

She smiled at Jinhee and politely answered, "A poster of Spade, a new girl group under Blue Entertainment."

She looked at the members and one looked familiar. The outfit looks very familiar.

"It's her. She thought.

"What's her name?" Jinhee asked and pointed to the familiar lady.

"Ah, their maknae, Star!"

"Okay. Thank you." She said then walked away.

She smirked as she started plotting for something evil.

***