Backstage | Kwon Soonyoung

15.

A/N I have zero patience when it comes to uploading chapters -_-

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"So much for keeping quiet, hmm?" Mingyu spoke as he observed the crowd around them. Quite a lot of people had assembled, watching them and the drama that had unfolded in the middle of the lobby. The hotel was a luxurious one, where dinner meetings and rich reservations were common, with it's peak time going on.

"This is bad," Seungkwan whispered. "They've definitely recognised us."

One of the girls who had been torn by confusion if it was real walked forward, "Excuse me, but you're members of Seventeen, right? I'm a fan!"

Hoshi frowned under his mask as he analysed the situation they were in. They had been identified for sure and there was no way to avoid the tabloids. What was most important now was to minimise the damage as much as they could. Pulling his mask from over his ear, Hoshi put it on Mina to hide her appearance. Whispering slightly, he spoke, "Stay still and quiet for a little bit, Mina-ssi."

He then approached the fan without further ado. With that outfit and in the setting, he stuck out like a sore thumb. There was little identity left to protect. "Hi, are you a carat?" He smiled as she squealed, "Thank you for supporting us."

Explaining to her that they were on a personal schedule and unable to take pictures, Hoshi being the oldest in the current group, took the bullet. Signing autographs, subtly mentioning that they were there to pick up their sister (Mina) and thanking her, the five finally set off.

Having found Mina's keys in her pockets, Hoshi spoke, taking charge, "I'll drop her home. The rest of you should go back to the dorms. Inform the manager and the hyungs so that there are no unnecessary tabloids tomorrow morning."

Seokmin, Seungkwan and Mingyu took their leave, driving back the car they had come in as Hoshi set Mina in the passenger seat of her car. She seemed a little sleepy, still drunk and Hoshi found it best to leave the location and head to a convenience store a little far away. He handed Mina a bottle of water and hangover medicine, "Drink some. It'll help you sober up."

Mina nodded, doing as told, watching Hoshi with earnest eyes. He only sighed, "How did you even end up in that situation in the first place? What happened?"

Mina did not answer. Instead, scarcely awake, Mina allowed herself to take in the sight of Hoshi sitting in the driver's seat of her car, looking at her with worry. She had missed this, the concern in his eyes, the care in his touch and the warmth of his words. Mina let herself smile bitterly, the world swirling slightly, "I thought I'd pushed you past return but here you are. Is this a dream?"

"Is it?" He laughed at the situation bitterly, pushing a strand of hair away from Mina's face. "It must be a nightmare then because it nearly drove me crazy imagining you with someone else for even a second."

"Its not a nightmare," Mina spoke, letting the alcohol speak honestly for her, "Because I got to see you once more."

She was getting sober silently, she knew. But if there was something she wanted then was to stay intoxicated. Why? Because the alcohol brought him to her. It didn't matter whether it was her imagination or a hallucination or if she was going nuts because of him, she wanted to dream it just a little more. Eyes closing as if falling under a magic spell Mina whispered in her sleep,

"I don't want to let you go ever again."

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Mina woke up from her beautiful dream in the morning, in her familiar bed and unfamiliar time. Her head ached, her memories hazy. What had happened last night? Surely she remembered drowning in misery at the bar where she met some Min Suk who said he knew the perfect place for a second round, offering her a drink but everything else was hazy after that.

Judging from her lonely apartment, she was grateful that at the very least she hadn't ended up in bed with some random man. Had she really dreamt up meeting Hoshi then? Was she never going to meet him again? But walking up to her office early morning and watching his silhouette leaning at her door, Mina stopped in her tracks,

"What are you doing here?"

A coffee cup in hand, Hoshi leaned by the wall as he waited for Mina to arrive. A small smile gracing his lips upon her arrival, Hoshi stepped towards her, placing the coffee on her desk and cupping her cheeks in his palms. Mina's eyes grew wide, her breath taken away by the closeness. "Hoshi, what are you—"

Hoshi kissed her before she could finish speaking, his lips moving over hers and his breath mingling with hers. It was sudden and Mina could barely process what was happening but she was already kissing back, craving the sweet taste of his lips, the more she tasted them. They were passionate, eyes closed and breaths growing short as Hoshi deepened the kiss, slow and sensuous this time, Mina clutching his shirt in her fingers.

Mina glanced at him as they broke apart, eyeing as he ran a thumb over his lips, licking it once, "Strawberry?" He teased, "I didn't think you were the type to go for strawberry based lipsticks."

"What are you even doing here in the first place, Soonyoung-ah?" Flushed and unexpectedly excited in the morning, Mina asked. "I thought last night was a dream."

"I thought so too," Soonyoung spoke with an eyebrow raised, "But you said you'd never let me go again and now I'm here to make sure you do good on your promise."

Stepping forward and kissing the edge of her lips, Hoshi mused, "We can go slow but one way or another, I'm going to get you." He hummed at Mina's surprised reaction, satisfied, "For now, I've brought you your coffee."

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