Chapter 8

Shit, she thought to herself when it was already half an hour later before she was walking to the entrance of the building. It was then that someone tapped behind her and there was Kevin, with a bright smile on his face. Bethany quickly noticed the blemished parts underneath his eyes, and they were puffy to look at.

“How… are you today?” Bethany asked first, trying to find out whether what he was going to say was the truth or not.

Kevin sighed and forced a smile on her. “I am pretty fine. A little shaken about yesterday, but you know, we have to bounce back just like we do as always.”

He is lying. Kevin is lying straight to her face, and it does not sit right with her. She wanted to confront him about it, but she could not. It is not that she is going to pretend that her boss is all right.

It is because she is scared of getting close to him.

“Hm? What is it, you zoned out a little on me,” Kevin pulled her back to reality. Bethany shook her head and sheepishly laughed before they walked together, trying to resist butting in on what was going on with her superior.

“Sorry, I must have lacked some sleep lately.”

“It is all right, happens to some of us,” Kevin answered, and they continued to walk in. He swiped his ID on the card reader and let him in. He then signaled Bethany to come with him, but she shook her head.

The man shrugged and insisted on letting her in. “Come on, I thought that you left your ID somewhere.”

She had her mouth gaped in surprise. Bethany completely forgot about the message that she sent to him this morning and in the feeling of embarrassment and owing to him, she slid past the guard and went to him, feeling her cheeks heat up a little.

“Did you even know where you dropped your ID, maybe?”

“It is… a long story,” Bethany shut down the interest in opening the topic. Kevin nodded and started to walk to which she followed along.

“Ah, but we have such little time left for us before we fully commit ourselves to work once again.”

“Yeah.”

“We will just have another ID be done by –”

“Kevin, is that you?” A voice of a man called out to him and both Kevin and Bethany turned around to see a man with blue eyes and an expression of surprise was with him. He froze for a solid three seconds and went to look at Bethany with her eyes widened as well.

“What are you doing here, James?”

“I am here to return this… ID that the woman beside us that she left last night,” James calmly answered the question of Kevin and gave Bethany a side glance, giving her a small smile. “You ran off already before I could even speak with you.”

Bethany sheepishly laughed, trying to look away from him. “Well, you smelled like you were a little drunk, after all.”

James broke a chuckle, putting his hand behind his head, and scratching it. “I really was and last night was the only time I had for beer and the song that we are going to perform next is already on its polishing.”

Kevin gaped his mouth, trying to say something but quickly shut it and held himself back from speaking, nodding instead.

“Well, here it is,” James handed out the ID that he has been holding for quite some time, and Bethany took it from him gently, bowing down in thanks. “Sorry for making you scared of me last night.”

“No, it is fine,” she replied and sighed in relief at the sight and condition of her ID, safe and sound in the hands of the man, and the idol from a top company. She wondered what was with her and she does not get starstruck by meeting such superstars as him. It should be an honor to encounter someone from that high of a company and should have already asked him a few questions in order for them to take notes.

But it seems that it is not the case; either she does not fully idolize James’ group, or he does not have any impact on her at all.

“Say, Kevin,” James broke the silence that was between the three of them, catching the attention of the former groupmate. “Do you have, maybe spare time to share with me?”

“Well,” he was about to say no and come up with an excuse when Bethany butted in, lying, and looking at the idol with a glare.

“He is not busy at this time; he can maybe share a few minutes with you.”

“Wait, what –”

“I have already arranged your schedule, sir,” Bethany was firm with her statement and stepped on his shoes, trying to be as subtle as possible, telling him to be with her in her lie and talk to James. “You guys can talk for a while when I get the papers ready for the morning meeting with the board at nine in the morning.”

James looked up and saw the clock. It is just eight. He smiled and looked at Kevin with high expectations.

Kevin then agreed reluctantly to both of their wishes. As they bid the secretary goodbye, the two men went to the cafeteria, walking among the crowd that had smiles plastered on their faces, pointing, and having their cameras directed at them. James just smiled widely and waved at the people, satisfying them with their desire to have their idol in such simple times as this.

But he knows that the smile of James on his lips is not real. They are as fake as they could come, considering that he had been with the man for a couple of years. But ultimately, he ignored what he was doing and focused on finding a seat for them. When he found it, both of them were seated in front of each other, looking and feeling that there was still an awkward atmosphere between them.

“So,” James somehow broke the silence, stretching his hands and looking at him with an awkward smile. “How are you feeling now?"