Counting Stars (In A Relationship With EXO Kai)

5 | Three Steps Back

The sun was shining bright as I stood in the street, handing our restaurant flyers to the people walking past me. I won't say my heart didn't hurt when people threw the flyer away and others stomped over it. People were not very considerate but I hoped some of them would come to the restaurant after reading the advertisement. Hope was all I could do.

"Please visit Aroma sometime." I handed the promotional poster to another person as I bowed. The person kept standing there though, not moving forward with their business.

"Ji Sun-hee?"

I lifted my head up and saw one of my school classmates standing in front of me. "Seola?" I stilled. My eyes went over her and just like I had remembered, she was as classy as she had been in school. The optimum of beauty and grace.

She chuckled. "Sunhee. What are you doing?" Gesturing towards the flyers in my hands, she shook her head. "You really aren't going to college? Or even training for an entertainment company. So the rumours of you are true."

My hands curled around the sheets. "What rumours?"

"That you're as miserable as you were in school." Seola looked me up and down. "I pity you really. Can't believe students used to compare me with you. I mean... Woah." Her laugh was humiliating.

"Visit Aroma someday with your friends." I gestured towards the flyer. "My mother cooks the best food."

My smile was forced, but I didn't want to be rude to her. I would have to confront my classmates many times in the upcoming future. Most of them would be successful, rich, doing a professional job with their respectful carrer. I needed to accept that... I won't have that kind of life. Not anymore.

Seola scoffed. "I will. I heard from Minji that your family business is on the verge of closing down. No wonder you didn't treat us during our school days." She pulled her purse from the bag. "But again you didn't make friends. You must've wanted to save money. Right?"

I stepped back when she pushed some bills to my chest. "What? No. What are you doing?" I caught them before they slipped through my hands.

"Keep them. You need it more than me." Seola turned around to leave, but I grabbed her arm and pushed the money back into her bag.

I bowed. "Thanks, but... visit our restaurant sometime and then pay. I don't accept money like this."

"I can't believe this. Whatever."

She walked away while I gathered the few flyers that had fallen on the ground. I didn't want to cry. I really didn't, but tears just rolled down my cheeks. Even though I took pride in my family and my mother's cooking, sometimes.. just sometimes I wished I was poor upto a limit. That we had debts upto a limit. That I could live without the constant fear of ending up on the streets.

I walked back to see an empty restaurant. Mum and dad were sitting on one of the corner tables, going through accounts, probably to see if we could make it to the next month or not. The restaurant across us was filled with customers and had a waiting line outside for others too. I hated it. I hated it so much.

Industry's contact cards in my bag felt heavy. There were moments like this when I was so desperate to earn money for my parents that I was ready to step into the entertainment world. But then there were incidents like the one that happened today. Seola moved on with her life, but her words were going to stay with me for a long time. I was scared of the dark side that would come with the fame if I really made it. But, it would be worth it if my parents got to live a comfortable life at their age. Right?

The bells over the door chimed and I spun around so fast that I felt dizzy for a moment. "Sunshine." Jongin waved at me and bowed to my parents.

In my mind, our previous meeting was the last meeting I would have with Jongin. At least for a long run. So when he knocked the door and asked if he could invite his group members and friends to lunch here came as a surprise. No. Not surprise. More like a shock.

"You mean... Wait. Wait. You want to have a lunch with your friends here? Did you like the food that much?" My eyes must've been wide and comic because he chuckled.

"Sunshine, your mother cooks the best I've ever had. Of course, I want my members to taste it." Jongin put his hands into his jacket. "They have had a few take outs, but eating in here would be a different experience. Don't you think so?"

I was flustered. Looking around, my face fell. I didn't have much decorations around the walls or in the whole restaurant generally. "Aroma isn't picture perfect and... stylish like other places. Do you think it would be alright?" I asked slowly.

I tried not to sound embarrassed. Because I shouldn't be. We worked hard to have this place but... They were EXO. Literal celebrities. What if one of the members threw a fit or an insult at us? What then? Would I be able to handle it? No. I won't be. It could lead to an argument and... Ah... This was driving me crazy.

"It'll be more than alright. Trust me." Jongin placed a hand over my shoulder. "To be honest, they had been waiting to visit you for a while. For food of course, but... I stopped them. I don't want you to be uncomfortable or anything."

"Uncomfortable?" I shook my head. "I'm completely fine. Do invite them some day."

Jongin hummed. "Did something happen?" He asked as we made our way out of the restaurant. "You're silent. Like sad silent. Did that make sense?"

I sighed. "I've alot in my mind. Sorry." Squaring my shoulders, I took a deep breath. "How are you? I didn't ask before. You're having a comeback soon I heard in the news."

"If it's too heavy... You can share it with me." He stopped and I looked up at him. "You're clearly troubled. Can I help you with something? Anything? Is it about the restaurant business? Shall I have one of our seniors sign the walls for you? It would attract a lot of people here. Right?"

"I don't want to put on any fake reviews." I patted his arm. "It's alright, Jongin. Exo members can leave their reviews if you guys want to. We'll handle it. Okay?" I started walking again.

"But Exo isn't that popular." Jongin stomped his foot. I glanced at him wide eyed. What was up with him? "We don't have many fans. It won't make a difference-"

"Jongin." I looked at him, alarmed. "Did something happen? You're using my problem as an outlet of your emotions. Are you hurt?" I jumped when he wrapped his arms around me and held me there. My eyes moved left to right. No one was around. "Hey, it's okay if you don't want to tell me. I won't ask."

"I thought I could handle it, but it's heavy. It's so heavy." His voice came as muffled. I had no comfort to give him apart from the one I was already giving him. I let him hold on to me.

"I know, Jongin. I know."

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Short update! I completed Lay's story, so we're officially continuing Jongin's story. Thank you for staying by my side. I hope you guys love this story too. Thank you!