On my way to stardom

32. An afternoon out

Freddie oppa takes me out for lunch today. I am really surprised by the gesture because there's literally 2 days left before the comeback showcase. Surely, he should be worried that I'm not practicing enough?

I don't think I will ever get used to seeing myself on billboards and advertisements. That girl who's got professional makeup and hairstyling looks 100% like me, but the old Shannon would never be able to act cool in front of cameras, let alone dance to such difficult choreography.

We arrive at the cafe Freddie oppa often talks about. It looks modern and cozy. I can already smell the coffee from the outside.

Once we're seated, we start chatting.

'I know we see each other everyday, but how have you been lately?' He asks with his snow white teeth flashing.

'I've been busy with work, oppa,' I smile back. 'What about you?'

The relationship I have with my manager is so precious. We work closely with one another, but we can also call each other our friend. I can always trust him with anything, from my stage styling to personal matters. Hell, he's even the first person I opened up to about the situation in my family. I really treasure this boy.

' I'm doing well, thank you.' He reaches over and gently takes my hand, the bracelet Jungkook oppa gave me is hanging on the wrist now. 'I've been meaning to ask, who gave you this bracelet?'

I smile shyly, 'just a friend.'

'A friend or a boyfriend?' He whispers the word 'boy' as if he's scared that someone might here our conversation. 'I'm not asking as a manager but as a friend who cares about you.'

'Jungkook oppa is not my boyfriend.' Ahhh, I've just exposed myself.

He nods understandingly, ' I knew it.'

'You did?'

'Even that cactus plant sitting in Bang P.D. nim's office knows!' He says. 'It's so obvious.'

' But I...'

He shakes his head and interrupts, 'uh-uh, no "but"s. Do you even know how much your bracelet costs?'

I shake my head guiltily.

He makes a tsk sound and says, 'it costs about 25 million won.'

I nearly choke on the water that I'm drinking. '25 million won? You mean 25 thousand, right?'

He rests his forehead on his hand, and comes back up looking frustrated, 'Shannon-ah. You're wearing a rose gold Cartier bracelet with real diamonds on them. Unless Jungkook-ssi went to get it from a Parisian street market that specialises in making fake jewellery, which I doubt it, this bracelet is worth millions of wons.'

'Oh my days, how am I supposed to repay him with an equally expensive present?'

'There's practically no way,' he says, now looking through the menu to decide what to order. 'Do you like carbonara?'

'Oppa! I'm serious. Jungkook oppa has helped me with so much.'

'1 carbonara and 1 of your signature pepperoni pizzas. I'll have a coffee and...what do you want to drink, sweetie?' He asks me.

' Warm water would do, thanks.'

After the waiter has left with our order, Freddie oppa says, 'you were saying?'

'Nevermind...'

' Well, there's also another reason why I brought you here today,' he says. He looks like he's waiting for someone else to arrive.