𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐄 𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄 | 𝘤𝘴𝘤

𝙭𝙫.

"Hyunjae, what's up with you recently?" Aerin's question was only responded to with an eye roll. Hyunjae abruptly stood up from her spot on the couch to march towards her leader. Nothing but a stern expression on her caked up face.

"don't pretend you're better than us." and with the slam of the front door, Hyunjae had made her over-the-top exit. Aerin's superstition had hit an all time high and she knew she had to do something about it.

Without a second thought, Aerin jogged towards the door securing her keys and jacket before pausing to look back at the members. "Girls, i have to do something. If Manager Yoo comes by tell her i went to the grocery store." Seeing the guilty faces of her members made Rin feel some sort of way. It's not like she couldn't talk with them or didn't trust them, but she needed an unbiased opinion.

No, who was she kidding those weren't any of her actual reasons. Seungcheol's words failed to leave her mind and she had to admit he was apart of every single thought in the past few hours, Hyunjae's actions making it all the more worse.

As soon as Aerin made it inside a random taxi, it failed to even cross her mind to ask him. She didn't even know his favorite color what made her think she knew his address.

She quickly fished out her phone while giving the driver a guilty smile. Each ring felt incredibly long and it was as if time was stretched the more the ringing continued. It was so dreadful that when the line went through, Aerin internally jumped for joy.

"Seungcheol? Hi hey are you free right now i need to talk with you."

"Oh uh sure, let me send you my address." She let out a sigh she didn't even know she was holding in after hearing seungcheol's answer. In fact, she didn't even stop to notice how weird it was for her to be making such a request or how weird it was for cheol to be responding like that.

As the call disconnected, Aerin immediately recited seungcheol's address to the taxi driver and she spent the entire ride in anticipation. Her left leg was bouncing up and down and she found herself even picking on her nails as the time passed. It was weird that her normal anxiety hadn't made an appearance yet, but it seemed that was only because it was lurking and waiting for the very last moment to seep in.

"ma'am we're here." Aerin swore her heart was about to jump out of her chest the moment the driver spoke up and she rushed to give him the money before she dashed out of the car onto the pavement.

For some reason it never occurred to her that seventeen were so successful, it never occurred to her that their careers were worth more than her life. But that's how it always was for her. Not once in her life had she treated someone differently because of their status, whether that be a better or worse one. "Never judge a book by it's cover" was a saying Aerin used to loathe, yet became more moved by it the older she grew. It took a while for her to get there sure, but it had now become a staple of her personality.

This sole trait alone though was probably why Aerin found her jaw dropped as she stepped into the apartment building. The floors were a white marble with matched elegantly with the gold accents in the decoration. Fuck what she said about her dream apartment, THIS was her dream apartment.

Footsteps came into earshot and the girl quickly turned around, ashamed of her toursit-y actions in an apartment building. Someone could have honestly mistaken her for someone about to rob the place too with the way she analyzed everything.

"Aerin!" her head fully turned around now and was met with the vision of Seungcheol jogging towards her from the entrance. His tight black shirt showcased his built figure and the jeans he was wearing made the whole look he probably just wore to practice seem all the more high fashion.

With the way she was stunned, her initial reason for being there in the first place was pushed aside but was brought back forward the moment Aerin noticed seungcheol looking at her in anticipation.

"Oh right! Um, is it okay if i can talk to you in a more. . .private area?" She honestly felt so awkward asking, but this building was not limited to just idols, random people lived here as well. What would happen if one of those random people turned out to be a saesang, a reporter, or even a regular person who found their conversation oddly intriguing enough to share.

"Sure yeah. . .everything good?" he asked as he started walking towards the elevator which--guess what-- was plated with gold. Aerin wasn't sure whether to follow him or not, but he seemed to continue his question as he walked with no sign of stopping, so she followed closely behind, slowly making her way to his side.

"Nope. That's kind of why i'm here." Aerin's bluntness was honestly something she would never be able to control seeing as she put not a second thought into her monotone reply which seungcheol clearly put thought into as he stared at her. He was not too used to interacting with people like that let alone idols who had been conditioned to be nice 100% of the time.

"Oh y--yeah of course."

Silence. Pure, intimidating silence the entirety of the 30 second elevator ride. Luckily though, the doors opened in the blink of an eye and seungcheol led her to door number 1782. He swiftly punched his key code in and the elegant door opened to reveal an apartment which was the essence of modern. It looked absolutely humongous and Aerin found herself somewhat intimidated by the large space yet she hesitantly walked inside

"take a seat on the couch, let me get you some water." He walked towards the kitchen yet Aerin halted him.

"no! no it's fine i just- i really need to talk to you. Are your members here by chance?" he curtly shook his head as he lead her to the living room and motioned for her to sit on the couch across from the one he was about to sit on.

Aerin wasn't so sure why she was nervous. It's not like she was admitting defeat or anything. . .even though she kind of was. It was just a simple question and a simple statement. That's all.

Seungcheol eyed her like a hawk, anticipating her words which he predicted to be something completely different than what it was.

Aerin took one deep breath.

"You were right."