None of Us Saw This Coming

October, 2019: Jealousy, Jealousy

"Hello, Lisa. It's pleasure to finally meet you," a tall man with a heavy Italian accent greeted her, with a smile so wide it literally went from one ear to another, as she stepped into the venue after having her photo taken by some media who were busy taking pictures of every invitee of an event held by one of the Italian luxury brands. They just launched their latest watch and jewellery for their collection and Lisa, who was recently crowned their brand ambassador, was invited to attend the launching.

The man was one of the higher-ups of the company and at the moment, he was busy introducing and explaining the newest members of their collection while Lisa was busy getting distracted by the commotion at the entrance. She saw a glimpse of a figure she recognised, the particular figure who comically enough had reserved a space in her head.

SUHO of EXO.

The name was ringing in her head—in uppercase too. Then it was as if almost immediately and automatically, an imaginary stringing of loud euphoric screams of an ocean of people in a stadium followed the name in her head. He was a rockstar and the flashing lights from cameras that took turns to shower his face somehow only confirmed the title. He swept the room with his unparalleled visual—as expected from an artist from SM Ent.

He was perfect.

And that moment could not be any more perfect.

Lisa was convinced that life was pursuing a career as a bloody clown for putting her in an event with none other than Suho, the man she did not know personally but already despised. She knew she was being silly and her brain had told her for the umpteenth time that she was not in a position to feel anything towards the man, that if anything, she was just being bitter because the man was caught kissing Irene in a photo frame—Irene, who was just a sunbaenim, practically someone she had nothing to do with.

But Lisa could not control what she felt and she was way in over her head; the head that was currently full of three million reasons why she hated the oblivious man or why she should hate the oblivious man and at the very moment, the number one reason why was because he had been busy entertaining himself with his phone, she believed he was texting and being blinded by anger (and jealousy) Lisa also managed to convince herself that he was texting Irene.

If that was the case then Irene seemed to have all the time in the world to reply to the man's text and she did not even bother to spare seconds to reply to hers or return her calls for the longest time.

It was agitating.

She tried to act nonchalantly because she was aware of the number of pairs of eyes that were watching them, but her heart could not shrug off the negative vibe it created.

It was only by the helping hand of God that Lisa managed to civilly attend the event without creating a commotion; like killing the man, perhaps, considering the thought did cross her mind a couple of times (more like countless times).

They left the venue almost at the same time, Suho went into his van first and Lisa went into hers not long after. She did not have any plan, really, but the moment she was aware of Suho's van in front of hers, she demanded her manager to step on the gas tailing Suho's vehicle. She was plain mental—so she convinced herself, to follow Suho's car that she believed was heading to Red Velvet's dorm. True to her suspicion, the van they had been tailing made its way to the basement of the apartment complex where Red Velvet's dorm was located.

The moment both vans stopped, she saw the tiny figure that she knew all too well skipped her steps approaching Suho's van. The man had already stepped out of his van, wearing the same happy smile as the one Irene was wearing. They hugged each other tightly before it was abruptly interrupted by Lisa's venomous voice.