24H | SEVENTEEN

१७

"Eo? Eo? Yah! Stop dragging me." Rumi warned as Youngjae started picking up his pace while dragging Rumi along. "Are you not embarrassing us now?" She taunted, Youngjae had not left a single opportunity of taunting her when they for the event.

"If I hadn't pulled you along then there would be lot more than just embarrassment." Youngjae muttered under his breath thankfully Rumi's ears didn't catch that. Someone who shall be not named had arrived at the event and it was better that those two don't in contact, so Youngjae had dragged her away. "Ah here are our seats!" Youngjae exclaimed pulling out the chair for Rumi. "Please." He said smiling at her, earning an eye roll in response. "Do you want something? To drink? To eat?" He asked.

"Yes, my champagne's gone." Rumi said showing her empty glass and turning around to look for the guy.

"No!" Youngjae exclaimed grabbing her shoulders stopping her from looking back. "Ha ha ha." He awkwardly laughed. "You don't have exert yourself, Rumi-ya." He smiled. "Oppa, will get you anything you want, Okay?" He patted her head while waving his other hand to get the champagne. The arrived with the tray, Youngjae smiled and picked up two glass before placing them in front of Rumi. "See, oppa can do anything for you, so Rumi should just rest well and enjoy the event, okay?" He said scanning the crowd behind her. He was nowhere to be seen. Youngjae sighed plopping down in his chair.

Rumi furrowed her eyebrow and glanced behind her back. What is wrong with this guy, suddenly? She thought looking back at him in suspicion. He's been acting weird since they arrived at the event. Was he drunk? No, he didn't even finish the glass which Rumi had handed him. Then, what is up with him? Rumi leaned forward, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Mwo? Why are you looking at me like that?" Youngjae questioned feeling her eyes on him.

"You tell me?" Rumi retorted not moving her gaze.

"What? You are lookin-"

"Kim Youngjae!" A cheery voice cut him off. Youngjae turned to see it was his colleague calling him over. He waved his hand and glanced at Rumi.

"Go on." Rumi leaned back making shooing motion with her hand. "I'll be here, don't worry." She said shooing him away.

"Aarso. Don't go anywhere and do not cause trouble, okay?" Youngjae warned. Rumi nodded rolling her eyes. Youngjae gave her one last look before he left to where his colleagues were.

Rumi relaxed in her chair and started looking around, her eyes had finally adjusted itself to brightness in the ball room. The extravagant decoration made tsk in distaste. "They have no money to pay for over-timers but to spent on these glittery things." She chuckled bitterly glaring at the huge chandelier hanging of at the middle of ballroom. "What are they trying to show off?" She snorted. Then she suddenly felt it, them burning holes in her body. Rumi straightened up in her chair. Whistling she glanced to her right, oh there it was. "What are they gossiping about?" She looked to her left muttering to herself. 

Okay, normally Rumi wouldn't have cared about people burning holes in her body or gossiping about her but it felt different today. She had started to grow uncomfortable under their stares. She was always the reason of gossip, be it her being a foreigner, or being the woman parading through room full of man. But today she wasn't the only foreigner nor only woman. "Fuck it!" She cursed standing up, she glanced around her looking for an exit. A balcony with no humans around. Perfect place for her. She smiled and made a beeline towards it.

"Ahhh!" She sighed spreading her arms, taking in the fresh air. "Feels better." She smiled hugging herself. "Hmm..." She nodded when her phone pinged again. It was probably Hoshi again. Rumi thought pulling her cell phone. "What's with this guy?"