Chapter 3: It is all in the Past...

"I know that you are not on your way," Namjoon said coldly.

Hoseok felt his anger boiling through his veins. "Wait! Are you here spying on me?"

"I am not spying, Hobi," Namjoon replied icily through the receiver. "I am only reminding you that you have no time for distractions."

"You are not my babysitter, Joonie!" Hoseok screamed and lowered the phone from his ear. The screen darkened, ending the call and his hands formed fists.

What was Namjoon's sudden interest in his personal life? It was never that intense that he thought Namjoon would be stalking his every move. He turned back towards the pier.

Aya was already gone and he missed the chance of getting her contact details. He stomped back to the steps, his hand gripped the pier railing tightly and he turned to the parking lot.

Luckily there was always an uber around here. He walked to a car that was a few feet away. His mind was already making new plans to come and see Aya again.

He wanted her cell number so that they could chat even when he was not in Seoul. He climbed into the uber which was waiting a few feet away from the diner and the pier.

"Where to sir?" the driver asked.

Hoseok gave him the address of their home and then it dawned on him. He would have to hide the fact that he was an Idol from Aya as long as he possibly could.

.....

Namjoon had watched them from the shadows. He didn't like Hoseok getting so close to someone. He did not want history to repeat itself. He remembered the first time that Hoseok was smitten.

Hoseok brought Yue into their lives and she had taken over everything. She had tried her best to rule them and out of the blue when she couldn't have what she always wanted; she abandoned Hoseok.

He had followed Hoseok and the girl from the diner. He had waited a few seconds so that they were ahead before he continued to follow them. He tried his best to stick to the shadows.

He crept along the path, his eyes were following them like a hawk. They stopped and he crouched, just in case Hoseok spotted him. He took out his phone from his pants pocket.

He was going to stop Hoseok. He swiped his screen and scrolled down to Hoseok's cell number. He lifted the phone to his ear. Hoseok's smooth voice filled the speaker. "Namjoon, I was just on my way home."

Namjoon snarled soundlessly against his phone. Did Hoseok think that he was a schmuck?

"I know that you are not on your way," Namjoon said coldly.

"Wait! Are you here spying on me?" Hoseok said angrily.

"I am not spying, Hobi," Namjoon replied icily through the receiver. "I am only reminding you that you have no time for distractions."

"You are not my babysitter, Joonie!"

Namjoon had to move his phone from his ear. Before he could reply the line went dead. He stared at his phone dumbstruck. This was the first time that Hoseok had ever hung up, on him.

If the press had to find out… He was not going to be able to save them again from this. This girl had to go, and she had to go very quickly. Namjoon saw Hosoek was all alone on the beach.

The girl had left. He should probably get home before Hoseok did. Or he had to explain and he did not want to fight in front of the others. Namjoon crept back to the pier before Hoseok could make it and left with the other car they had come with earlier.

Namjoon looked into the rearview mirror. A breath of relief escaped his lips when he saw Hoseok get into an Uber taxi. He would make it home first. He drove as fast as he could, the streets were quiet this time of night.

The dorm came into view. Namjoon parked as quickly as he could and jumped out of the car. He ran up the steps and opened the door. The others were already asleep.

Perfect, he thought. He closed the door, locking it and turned the lights off. He sat on one of the couches facing the door. This should scare Hoseok, he thought and intertwined his fingers. All he had to do now, was to wait.

He did not wait long. He heard the key turn in the door. His fingers were tapping against the armrest. The lights went on and he said in a low voice. "Where have you been?"

Hoseok let out an irritated sigh. "I have been out. But, I guess you already know that."

"Of course," Namjoon said, "I am asking where and with whom."

"I told you Namjoon. You are not my babysitter," Hoseok snarled.

"I am your leader and I-"

Hoseok did not give him time to finish his sentence and stormed off to the room he shared with Jimin. Light snoring could be heard as he opened the door. He walked to his bed and flopped down.

He stared up at the ceiling. If Namjoon had not interfered he would have had Aya's number and… He blinked. Maybe he should understand where Namjoon was coming from.

It was all in the past now. Yue would never bother them again. Couldn't Namjoon understand? Couldn't he give this girl a chance? He was already planning to go back tomorrow evening to see her. Hoseok smiled to himself and fell asleep dreaming of Aya and their walk on the beach.

Shocked by what just aspired, Namjoon stood up from the couch. This was not happening. Hoseok could not put them through this again. He would not allow it.

He needed Hoseok to focus on what was important and that was their tour. They were leaving in a week to go to the states. He bit his lip and averted his gaze down the hall to Hoseok's bedroom door.

"Alright Hobi. I will save you from yourself. I will play this little game of yours," Namjoon said softly with a smirk and made his way to his bedroom.

...

Aya had turned to glance back at the man she had left on the beach. It was a shame that she couldn't get his digits. She let out a sigh as she walked up to the pier. It was a long trek to her apartment.

She hated walking in the dark. Her shift had ended late and she have that romantic walk with Hoseok. Her cheeks flushed at the memory. It was just perfect.

How lucky could a girl get? She met a guy who took her breath away with his smile, even her heart could not resist him. She wondered if she would see him again?

She shook her head. She looked around in the dark streets and shuddered. "Maybe I should call Carl?" she thought and kept walking, her footsteps echoed.

Carl was not going to be happy if she called him at this hour. She clutched her bag closer and continued to walk. She hummed to herself to keep her mind from wandering.

But, her thoughts only returned to him. What was he doing? Was he missing her as she was missing him? She closed her eyes in frustration. "Stop, thinking like that!" She argued with herself.

The street that she turned right from was illuminating her path. Good, she was almost home. She took out her phone from her bag and swiped. There was one thing that Carl did make her promise (even if she was not allowed to call him) that she would send him a text when she arrived home.

She clicked on Carl's number and started typing.

"Hi, Carl.

Isis got me to lock up again. I just arrived home. (Lie, she was not even on the steps yet.)

I met someone today…

Sleep tight."

She pressed send and put her phone back into her bag. She ascended the steps with her apartment key already in hand. She stopped in front of her apartment.

Her face fell. This was not the kind of neighbourhood she wanted to live in but after what happened with her and Luke… She had no choice but to come and live in this dump.

She placed the keys in the door, it clicked, she swung the door open and reached for the light switch. She squinted her eyes at the light and placed her bag on the table.

Her apartment was very tiny. She had an open floor living area that contained a table, a couch, a bookshelf and a stove with a whistling kettle. It was not luxurious, at least the bedroom was separate with a small bathroom.

She walked to the kitchen and put the kettle on. There was nothing like a refreshing cup of tea before bedtime. She leaned against the kitchen cabinet, waiting for the kettle to boil when her phone vibrated in her bag.

Probably just Carl, she thought and ignored her phone. The kettle whistled. She smiled and poured the boiling water into her cup and walked to her bedroom. She placed the cup on her nightstand, she wanted to take a quick shower before turning in.

She showered quickly. She did this so that her thoughts would not cloud her mind with what-if scenarios. She hated it when her mind would create stories that she had no control over.

The bathroom steamed up and she climbed out of the shower. Her hand reached for a towel, which she draped over herself and she wiped the steam from the mirror.

"You look tired," she said to the mirror. Aya was tired. She worked double shifts at the diner and when she could at the Busan Animal Sanctuary where Carl was the owner.

Carl was her best friend, her boss and her caretaker. She did not know where she would be if it was not for him. A sigh escaped her lips and she left the bathroom. She should check her phone before sleeping or Carl would be worried if she did not reply.

She took her cup from the nightstand, she took a sip while walking to her living room. She fished her phone out of her bag, it was flashing and she swiped to read.

"Aya, darling.

Should I give Isis a piece of my mind? (Do not answer that… I will throw her off a cliff.)

I am happy that you are home safe. (Thank you for always letting me know.)

Now, you have me curious… Who might this person be?

Love,

Carl."

Aya smiled as she read the text. Typical of Carl who always wanted to save her day. She would tell him tomorrow, but first, she needed some sleep. She finished her tea and went back to the bedroom. She changed and climbed into bed.