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Chapter 6
Possessed by My Favorite’s Favorite
Ji-hyun pulled her hat down low like a celebrity in a drama and put on sunglasses.
She had considered wearing a mask and even putting on thick clothes, but since it was summer, she thought that would be a bit too much.
However, she soon came to regret thinking that.
It wasn’t so far that she needed to take a bus or taxi, so she simply started walking. But something felt strange.
She kept feeling people’s gazes on her. It almost seemed like every person passing by on the opposite side of the street was staring straight at her.
It’s just my imagination, right? Haha. Seriously, have I already caught celebrity syndrome?
But her anxiety was proven to be reality a few minutes later when a woman suddenly approached her.
“Excuse me, could you possibly be…”
“……”
Ji-hyun waved her hands around, trying to avoid the situation, and continued walking, but it was already too late.
“Excuse me, you’re Moa’s Ahn Ji-hyun… right?”
“Ah, no! I’m not…”
The moment the woman heard Ji-hyun’s voice—one that people had even said was like a fingerprint—the uncertainty on her face disappeared, and her expression brightened.
“No way! It really is you!”
The woman’s voice wasn’t loud. It was only a small exclamation that could be heard by Ji-hyun and the people nearby.
But after those words—it really is you—people around them began gathering as if they had been waiting for that moment.
I have to run.
She knew instinctively.
Without Seonghan or any bodyguards with her right now, if she didn’t leave immediately, she would get surrounded by the crowd and wouldn’t be able to escape.
“Ji-hyun!”
Ji-hyun started running.
At that moment, people began chasing after her like a swarm of zombies.
There were people who looked like reporters, and just from the cameras she saw flashing past, there had to be dozens.
On top of that, ordinary passersby, waiting fans, and everyone else became one massive group chasing after Ji-hyun.
She had no idea how she managed to escape from there and find the JW building. Her mind was completely blank.
“Ha… ha… ah!”
Ji-hyun barely managed to rush inside the building. After running at full speed, she stumbled several more steps before collapsing down onto the floor.
A startled employee cautiously approached and handed her some water.
“Ji-hyun? What happened? Are you okay?”
“Huff… huff…”
“Just… let me drink some water.”
After hurriedly wetting her throat, Ji-hyun finally caught her breath and stood up.
Her sunglasses were a mess, and she had no idea where her hat had flown off while running. Nothing about her appearance was intact.
Considering she hadn’t arrived in a company car but had instead sprinted through the main entrance looking like that, the employee’s bewildered expression was completely understandable.
Ji-hyun thought about how she should explain herself, then smiled awkwardly and vaguely brushed it off.
“There was… something urgent.”
“Then should I call your manager over here?”
“No, it’s okay. Um…”
Ji-hyun’s eyes quickly scanned the floor guide sign.
At least she had arrived at JW Entertainment like the event instructed. Surely the next thing she had to do would be revealed soon.
After finding a suitable excuse, Ji-hyun brushed off her clothes and stood up.
“I was supposed to meet someone at the cafeteria.”
“Would you like me to pass the message along?”
“No, it’s okay. I already contacted them.”
“Really? But why did you come personally…”
“There was a reason.”
“I’m really okay.”
Ji-hyun emphasized it once more, worried that another troublesome situation might happen, and walked away.
Ding—
After leaving the worried employee behind and entering the elevator, Ji-hyun finally began to calm down a little.
She swept her hair back behind her ear and shook her head, realizing once again how inexperienced she was.
From now on, I really need to wrap myself up completely like a kimbap when I go outside.
But… which floor was the cafeteria on again?
Maybe because she had run so much, she was genuinely starting to feel hungry.
Thinking back, she realized that after the intense practice session, she hadn’t eaten anything because she had been distracted by the sudden mission.
Since she didn’t even know what the next event would be and would probably have to keep waiting anyway, why not just fill her stomach while she was here?
With such peaceful thoughts, Ji-hyun pressed the button for the sixth floor where the cafeteria was located.
The elevator slowly moved upward and stopped at the fifth floor.
Someone’s getting on?
Now that she had become somewhat accustomed to her body and voice, she thought she could at least naturally greet whoever entered.
She never imagined that it would be one of Moa’s members.
“So, back then, when I was moving, some weird lighting suddenly came out beside the stage, and my entire path was completely…”
“Huh?”
“What is it? Why did you stop talking all of a sudden?”
“Ow!”
The faces of the slender women entering one after another were extremely familiar.
And so was the cute complaining voice coming from behind them.
“Unnies, where are you suddenly stopping!”
“Ichika. In situations like that, you should say ‘Where are you?’”
“Where are you?”
“Good. But seriously, why did you stop?”
Suddenly, a small girl poked her head out from behind the three women.
With large eyes and a round face, she was Moa’s youngest member, Yeseo.
After everyone confirmed each other’s identities, a brief silence fell.
The first person to break it was Yeseo.
“Ji-hyun unnie—!”
“Are you going to eat?”
At that moment, Winter stretched out her arm and stopped Yeseo from rushing forward.
She was definitely smiling, but the coldness leaking through her white teeth couldn’t be hidden.
It was a question asking whether she was going to eat, but it felt more like she was asking:
Can you even eat right now?
“Good timing. We were heading to the cafeteria too.”
Let’s eat together.
Winter smiled brightly and asked the other members if it was okay.
But their reactions were strange.
Moa was supposed to be a group that couldn’t stand being apart from each other according to the behind-the-scenes videos, yet the expressions of the members entering the elevator one by one following Winter’s words were oddly stiff.
Han Gyeoul, Ichika, Yoo Ji-an, and finally Yeseo, who had always smiled brightly at her.
Ji-hyun could clearly feel that there was no place for her among those four.
Why did she feel that way?
Why had no one contacted her?
Even if she wanted to ask, the atmosphere wasn’t one where she could.
I’m screwed.
From the fifth floor to the sixth floor.
The ride only took about ten seconds, but to Ji-hyun, it felt like ten hours.
