Archive of Our Own

            Byung-gyu loaded his last bag into the back of his truck and made his way to open the backseat door. He turned around to whistle at his dog. "Coco! Time to go!"

            Coco, who was waiting at the porch of the house shared by the band, bounced up to his feet and went to the open door. His bushy tail swayed in the air as he mounted up before Byung-gyu closed the door and left the window open, knowing how his dog liked poking his tongue out at the wind.

            "Have a nice trip, hyung!" Yoon-ho called from the doorframe, along with the rest of the guys. "Tell your grandmother we said hi!"

            Byung-gyu chuckled. "Absolutely!"

            "Don't forget to be careful with the people around. Remember, you're no longer the guy who makes acoustic covers." Jong-in said. "You're a guy who's widely known across the country."

            "People, specifically your fans, will swarm you around until you lose the energy to go outside." Tae-gyu added.

            Jin-woo huffed. "Byung-gyu knows what to do, guys. Don't make him nervous."

            "Jin-woo's right," said Byung-gyu. "I know my neighborhood anyway. Sure, they might flock around me, but not in a way just like that those 'fangirls'." He shivered. "Anyways, I should get going, guys! Have fun while I'm gone!"

            A chorus of different responses were heard. Byung-gyu walked to the other side and got onto the driver's seat. He pressed the keys into the ignition and the engines rumbled, he placed his foot on one of the pedals to pull out of the garage.

            It was his first time going back to Gyeongsang since he began his debut as an idol. Byung-gyu called his grandmother whenever he was not busy, her laugh and tender voice always lifted his spirits, knowing that she was doing well even if he was not by her side. The thought of reuniting with the only family member he had left increased Byung-gyu's excitement.

            He was coming home.

            And a lot had changed since he chose to go to the idol path instead of becoming a history teacher — did he regret? Not really. And besides, Byung-gyu was able to send a portion of his money to his grandmother so she would have money to buy her needs. His love for his grandmother worth more than the finest of gems. She was the courage he could grab onto when he was nervous of going to the stage.

            She'd be cheering for him.

            She'd be giving him thumbs up and the brightest smile ever.

            Besides his mom, his grandmother was the most important woman in his life.

            Time passed, Byung-gyu had finally arrived in Gyeongsang. Coco started barking behind him, yet he had to calm him down by saying that they weren't in the exact town. But Byung-gyu knew he'd be as jubilant as his dog if he was not completely aware of his surroundings.

            The journey to his hometown took another ten minutes and at last, Byung-gyu felt a whiplash of nostalgia even while he was still in the vehicle. The lush green trees blessing his vision, the distant sound of waves from the open windows, the open road which had not once experienced traffic, and the houses that stood since he was young.

            So far, nobody had noticed him. But that was because he hadn't stepped out yet. Byung-gyu took a turn to the path that led to where his house was, driving a bit slower this time due to the road and the proximity to the other houses.

            "Guys! It's Coco!"

            "What? No way that's— it is Coco!"

            "Hyung-nim is here!!"

            . . . And his cover was blown.

            Fortunately, it was the kids. Byung-gyu would have to deal with them later once he got settled down. He parked the vehicle on the open lot near the tree and pushed the door open to hop off. And just as he was about to open the door for his dog, a couple of bodies clashed with his body.

            "Hyung-nim!"

            "You're back, teacher!"

            "I've watched your concerts on YouTube! You are AWESOME!"

            "How does it feel to be famous, hyung-nim?"

            Byung-gyu laughed and ruffled each of the children's hairs. "I'll hang out with you guys later. I have to see halmeoni first."

            They nodded.

            The moment Byung-gyu opened the gate, Coco sprinted inside and went to the porch to scratch the door. Sang-ah, Byung-gyu's seventy-nine year old grandmother, opened it and was greeted by the golden retriever, who was as lively as her grandson when it came to her.

            Sang-ah had light grey hair, almost white, that was tied in a bun and wore a casual air of pants, a sweater that she made for herself, and a dark blue vest. She had been around since Byung-gyu's birth and took care of him whenever his parents were away for work, so there was no doubt that Byung-gyu was more attached to her than anyone else.

            "Halmeoni!"

            Sang-ah looked up and saw her grandson. "Byung— oh!"

            Byung-gyu threw his arms around her before she could even finish her sentence. Sang-ah laughed. She knew when Byung-gyu hugged someone, it would be tight and full of warmth depending on how much he yearned to feel someone close to him.

            "I missed you!"

            "I missed you too, dear," smiled Sang-ah. "Look how far you've come! Back then, I only listened to you sing in your room, and now, you're singing in front of hundreds of people!"

            Byung-gyu chuckled. He wiped a stray tear when he pulled away and stared at his grandmother's beautiful green eyes. "So much has happened, halmeoni. The guys told me to tell you they said hi."

            "Aw, they're so sweet. You should bring them along next time. In that way, I can make them the crab stew you always liked."

            "I'll try, but you know people can get toward famous people," shrugged Byung-gyu. "I wonder how our neighbors will react to me now."

            The old lady huffed. "Don't fret about it! I have you know that I always show you off to my friends. Do you know what they say? They want to set you up with their granddaughters!"

            He paled. "Wh— what?!"

            "Just joking!" Sang-ah smacked her grandson's arm. She turned around to make her way to the kitchen. "Do you think your old lady will simply sell you off? Absolutely not!"

            Byung-gyu shook his head playfully.

            While Byung-gyu was bringing all of his clothes out to place them on his wardrobe, which had been kept spotless by his grandmother, along with the rest of his room. Sang-ah was in the kitchen preparing Byung-gyu's favorite crab stew with seaweed. And of course, Byung-gyu didn't come back empty handed — he bought gifts for Sang-ah.

            Knowing that Sang-ah preferred things that were not too expensive, Byung-gyu got her a new flower vase, a couple of his photos that also included his friends since Sang-ah would like to display them in the house, and a headdress for whenever she wished to go out.

            Lunch was spent wonderfully. Byung-gyu spilled all details of the new memories he had created to his grandmother, who laughed and mused at certain situations that involved with the ARISE members and the band's manager. Sang-ah always thought that her grandson had found himself in a group of professional and matured people, but after hearing those stories, Byung-gyu reckoned her views would change once he shared more.

            Afterward, Byung-gyu helped his grandmother with the dishes before feeding his dog by the porch. He watched Coco wagged his tail as he devoured his own lunch, then he caught his grandmother stepping down with the vase he had gifted her. Sang-ah walked to her garden where she crouched down and picked a flower from a clay pot with her gloved hands, transferring it to the ceramic vase. Byung-gyu noticed that the flower was pink and had a couple of dark green leaves clinging on the stem. . . He hadn't seen that flower before, or perhaps Sang-ah must've bought it.

            "This has been given by a nice family near our house," said Sang-ah after noticing her grandson's curious gaze. "Isn't it beautiful? And with the vase you got me, this flower has a new home!"

            Byung-gyu smiled. Then, he caught a couple of eyes glancing through the gate.

            "Halmeoni? Is hyung-nim around?"

            Sang-ah turned to him. "Seems like they are looking for you, my dear."

            Byung-gyu chuckled and stood up. "Watch Coco for a bit for me, halmeoni."

            "Take all your time! I'm sure they missed you a lot."

            Very. Byung-gyu opened the gate and he was greeted by a group of young kids whom he always saw running around the neighborhood. One of them was holding a ball, which insinuated that they were about to play something and they wished him to be included in their activity.

            The children beamed and started to scramble out of the gate, passing the ball to one another as their laughter increased in the air. Byung-gyu followed shortly behind them until he noticed that the kids were about to pass by a certain house where he knew someone would yell at the youngsters for being too loud.

            "Hey! Be careful!" He shouted. "We don't want to have the old couple yell at us since we're in front of their house, do we?"

            "But they're no longer here, hyung-nim."

            Byung-gyu blinked. "They passed away?"

            "Idiot!" The kid hit the back of his friend's head. He turned to Byung-gyu. "They left when their children came to pick them up. A new family had now moved into that house two weeks ago."

            "Oh?" Byung-gyu raised a brow. "I see."

            Part of him wondered if that was the same family who had given his grandmother that flower. . .

            Byung-gyu had always liked spending time with the kids in his neighborhood. He considered them as his friends too. Whenever he brought his guitar around, they would gather around him and listen to the sounds he made; he'd watch or play with them and help them with their homework. The kids even cried when they learned that he was leaving due to a new work.

            But now that he was here, Byung-gyu would make sure to create new memories with them as well as with his grandmother.

            The children played in a vacant lot near a gazebo. They were passing the ball with their feet and Byung-gyu stood somewhere to kick the ball when it headed toward him. His laughter mixed with theirs. While half of the children were competitive, he didn't choose to get involved with him, rather he focused on the joy of being back to his neighborhood.

            . . . But that was until he had put too much strength on the ball that it struck across the place and went past the kids. Then, there was a young woman, who was walking by and not aware of the incoming ball to her direction. Unfortunately, it was too late. . . The ball had already hit her shoulder.

            Oh shit! Byung-gyu winced. Meanwhile, the children ran toward the woman.

            "Noona! Are you okay?"

            "We are so sorry!"

            "We are just playing and—"

            To Byung-gyu's surprise, the woman let out a chuckle.

            "It's fine! You kids don't have to apologize. Just try to be careful next time, okay?" She said. Her voice sounded sweet as cinnamon and honey.

            Byung-gyu sprinted toward her. "Hey! Uh— it's technically my fault. I was with these kids and—"

            His sentence came into an end when the woman met his gaze. Her eyes were blue like sapphires. She had long ginger hair that had a fringe right over her eyebrows. She was short, only reaching his chin, and looked quite younger than him. She wore a plain white shirt and a pair of jeans; a brown sling bag clung to her shoulder.

            "You don't have to apologize, sir. It is merely an accident." She smiled.

            "Aw! Noona is so kind!"

            "Hey, Unnie! Did you know that he's—"

            Byung-gyu quickly covered the kid's mouth and left the rest of her sentence muffled behind his palm. The woman hadn't recognized him, so he must maintain it that way. "Okay, that's enough, Rin-ah. Aren't you supposed to win this game?"

            Rin-ah's face changed. She shook her head and Byung-gyu removed his hand from her mouth to let her speak. "Right! Let's get back to the game and win!" She exclaimed and punched her fists in the air.

            Byung-gyu laughed. When he turned to the woman, she had already walked away. Part of him wondered who could she be, considering how close were the kids toward her. And part of him reckoned that he hadn't seen her around the neighborhood before too.

            "That's Lee Ju-hee, hyung-nim!" Another kid, Gwi-nam, said. "She's new here in the neighborhood. We were so happy that the old couple was gone and we decided to befriend her!"

            "I can tell," chuckled Byung-gyu.

            Later that day, Byung-gyu said farewell to the group of children, who were reluctant to see him leave, to go further in the town. He was going to meet a certain someone at the café. Eun-seok, who was a long-time friend of his besides Yoon-ho and also the person who had been editing the lyric videos of his original songs; he was a digital editor and had used Byung-gyu's videos to practice his skills.

            Byung-gyu had already messaged Eun-seok that he was back in town and wished to meet him at the café they used to frequently hang out in. His friend's response had been a bunch of keyboard spamming that Byung-gyu chose not to read as he was walking. He had pulled his hood over his head in attempt of a disguise — and so far, nobody had recognized him, which was good. Back in Seoul, he barely stepped into the daylight due to his popularity, and when he had gone to the convenience store with Jin-woo once, a bunch of people had surrounded them.

            They had to be fully covered since then. No matter what was the temperature.

            Sure, he had his own fans when he was that singer online. But that was different in his new and current career.

            When he entered the coffee shop, Byung-gyu looked around until he spotted his friend across the place. Eun-seok was facing his laptop with a pair of glasses in his eyes as he fiddled on his keyboard, his light brown hair had reached past the shell of his ears and his hazel eyes were fixated on the screen in utter concentration.

            Byung-gyu pulled his hood back and made his way toward his friend. "Eun-seok!"

            Eun-seok looked up from his laptop and a wide smile broke through his face. He got up and welcomed Byung-gyu into his arms. The two squeezed each other tight before Eun-seok patted Byung-gyu's back to pull away.

            "I'm so glad to see you again, my man!" Eun-seok said. "You don't know how my days had become weird when you aren't sending something for me to edit."

            Byung-gyu laughed. "Well, the company has their own set of editors to do the job. But hey! Maybe some time later if I'm in the mood to compose an original song, I'll hit you up."

            "Great! But first things first— tell me about your career! Is it amazing? Are the fans different than your old viewers? Oh! Have you met any celebrities?" Eun-seok bomboarded him with questions as he sat down.

            Byung-gyu answered them after Eun-seok called for a waiter to order some coffee, which Byung-gyu had to pull his hood back up to prevent an unwanted attention. Eun-seok flashed him an odd look and was about to ask until realization kicked in his eyes and nodded.

            "Damn, what a struggle, huh?"

            Byung-gyu sighed. "It's an absolute pain."

            "Min Byung-gyu?"

            Urgh! Not now!

            Byung-gyu tugged his hood lower and he suddenly felt a strong sense that someone was heading toward him. His heart raced at the sight of three shadows touching the edge of the table. He wanted to run away. But no, Eun-seok was here, and it would be such a disrespect if he left out of the blue and those girls might interrogate his poor friend.

            "Excuse me? Sir?"

            "Oh my God! You can't just refer an idol 'sir'!"

            "I'm just making sure! What if he's not really Min Byung-gyu?"

            Leave me alone, please!

            "Isn't ARISE in a vacation right now?"

            "Right! Woo Jin-chul had posted on his page about it."

            A finger tapped his shoulder. "Hello?"

            "Cough!" Byung-gyu began to force himself cough loudly and tried to speak in a different voice. "Cough! Cough! I'm so sick! I cannot breathe!"

            As if finally getting grasp of the situation, Eun-seok got up and reached up to his best friend. "My— my sweet brother! Do you need medicine?? Should I call the hospital?" He turned to the girls. "Uh, can you leave us alone, ladies? My brother gets. . . An attack when he's surrounded with people he does not know."

            The girls instantly left as Byung-gyu continued coughing while Eun-seok was rubbing his shoulder. He waited until the girls were completely out and let out a sigh, leaning back to his seat.

            "Remember when I joked about you becoming famous and surrounded by fans? Yeah, I regret it now." He said.

            Byung-gyu groaned. "I should've listened to Jong-in and Tae-gyu!"

            All Eun-seok could do was pat him on the head.

            Once the two men were finished with their coffee, Byung-gyu felt refreshed. Nobody else had approached him ever since the girls had left the place, so that meant he was confident that he could walk around without anyone recognizing him as one of the members of the leading band of the country. . .

            . . . And he was wrong.

            The three girls who had attempted to approach him earlier turned out to be waiting for him outside, so the moment Byung-gyu got out of the cafe, they squealed and pulled him into taking selfies with them. Byung-gyu was forced to smile throughout six photos until Eun-seok dragged him away. Since then, more people began to notice him, flocking him, asking him to sign autographs, asking him to take a selfie with them. . . Byung-gyu was in a disaster.

            All he asked was a simple hang out with Eun-seok.

            Sadly, he hadn't gotten to catch up with his friend since Eun-seok had to return to his work, much to Byung-gyu's dismay.

            Later that evening, Byung-gyu was walking in his neighborhood, on his way to return to his house when his phone started ringing. It was a group call from his friends. He answered it and four faces appeared in the screen. Their backgrounds appeared different, which meant they had visited their family, except Jong-in — who remained in the hotel instead of seeing his father — and Yoon-ho — who hadn't left their shared house.

            "What's up, hyung?"

            "Hey!"

            "How was your reunion with your grandma?

            "You look like you're outside. I hope everything is going well for you, eh?"

            Byung-gyu chuckled. "Hey, guys! Missing me already? Yeah. . . I should've been more careful."

            "Ha! I was right!" Tae-gyu exclaimed. "So what did they do to you? Asked you for photos? Took selfies with you while you smile in pain?"

            "You know the risks, Min. And judging what you're wearing right now? Yes, you'd be easily recognized." Jong-in said as matter-of-factly. "And I won't be surprised if pictures of you in Gyeongsang is in the internet."

            "Idiot, stop scolding Byung-gyu. He's trying to live his best life!"

            "I'm just reminding him to be careful, you big fat—"

            "How's your grandma, Byung-gyu?" Jin-woo cut in. "Any something exciting happen?"

            "Halmeoni's doing great! She quickly made me my favorite stew." Byung-gyu smiled. "The kids are happy to see me too as much as I am with theirs. And a new family had moved in the house that was previously owned by an old grumpy couple, so I guess that's good."

            "Seems like you don't like that couple a lot."

            "They always yell at the kids. Halmeoni probably hated them too. But nonetheless, the new neighbors seem nice." Byung-gyu said. Surely, if that lovely woman whom he had encountered turned out to be kind-hearted, then the rest of her family must've been the same.

            "Ohhh~ who are they? Did they find out that a certain ARISE member lives in the neighborhood?" Tae-gyu smirked.

            Byung-gyu shook his head. "Not exactly. Otherwise, they would've approached me by now."

            Tae-gyu huffed. "Don't get too comfortable, my dear friend, because once you—"

            Words faded when Byung-gyu saw something across him. It was a young woman who looked exactly like the one he had seen earlier. Orange hair, petite frame, and a white shirt — that was definitely Lee Ju-hee, whom the neighborhood kids had befriended when he was in Seoul.

            His feet halted.

            Byung-gyu spotted her place her hand through the bars to fiddle on the gate. And that was when their gazes met. Byung-gyu tugged the corner of his mouth into a smile, but Ju-hee turned away and opened the gate and made her way inside.

            His smile fell into a frown.

            "Byung-gyu? Earth to Byung-gyu!"

            "I think the signal is breaking."

            Realizing that he was in a middle of conversation, Byung-gyu shook his head and glanced to his screen. "Gotta call you guys back. I think I need some rest."

            His band members bid incoherent farewells and the video call ended. Byung-gyu shoved his phone into his pocket and proceeded his walk to his house. Coco was already waiting in the porch, so the second he saw his owner, his tail wagged and greeted Byung-gyu by standing on his back feet to reach him up. Byung-gyu rubbed the back of his dog's ears in return and ushered him to get inside.

            "Oh, you're back, sweetheart!" Sang-ah called from the living room, watching a show in the television. "How's your day went? Good? Did you meet your fans?"

            Byung-gyu chuckled. "Something like that, halmeoni. It feels weird to be seen by a lot of people."

            "That's what you get for being very talented, my grandson. After all, you went from having small to big just like those stars I see on the television."

            "I guess you're right," said Byung-gyu. He was about to turn to his bedroom when he stopped in front of the door. "Uh, halmeoni? Do our new neighbors know that you have a famous grandson?"

            "Hmm. . . I have not told them yet. Why?"

            "Oh, nothing." With that, Byung-gyu opened the door and Coco made his way inside first before he did.

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            The next day, Byung-gyu decided to bring his dog along to see the kids since they were already done with their morning walk. If the children were not running around in the neighborhood, then they were likely at the wooden gazebo. Back in Seoul, he barely had time to take long walks in the morning with his dog, most especially when he was busy with rehearsing and had to hide his identity from the public.

            Being back to his hometown had never felt so nice. . .

            Until he caught a scene with the children.

            They were huddled around something and as Byung-gyu got near, he realized that someone was crying. It turned out to be Beru, a six-year-old boy who came from another country and had moved in the neighborhood three years ago. He had a scraped knee and was sobbing.

            "What happened? Is he okay?" Byung-gyu asked in worry.

            "He tripped over when we were playing tag, hyung-nim."

            He nodded. "Okay. Now, listen, Beru—"

            "Guys! Noona is here!" Gwi-nam shouted and joined his friends. Byung-gyu turned up and saw Ju-hee, who was rushing toward them.

            "Is your friend alright? How hurt is he?" Ju-hee asked. The kids stepped aside to give way, so she crouched down in front of the injured Beru. She reached her hand up to wipe his tears. "It's okay, sweetie. I'm here now."

            "Is— is it going to be painful, Ms. Lee?" Beru sniffled.

            She smiled. "A little. But you can stay strong for me, right?"

            Beru nodded.

            Byung-gyu watched another scene unfold. Ju-hee took something from her sling bag and it was a couple of medical supplies, she began by cleaning the corners of the wound, causing Beru to wince. Byung-gyu placed his hand on the kid's shoulder to comfort him. Beru slowly stopped crying when Ju-hee plastered a band-aid over it, pressing it gently to keep it intact with the skin.

            Beru still sniffled and drew his arm across his eyes to wipe away the remnants of his tears. Ju-hee reached down to her bag again and this time, she brought out a piece of candy to hand it to Beru.

            The kid's eyes widened. Ju-hee gave him an encouraging nod. Meanwhile, Byung-gyu gave him a smile. "So? What do you say?"

            Beru turned to the candy again and reluctantly took it. "Th— thank you, Ms. Lee."

            "Your welcome," Ju-hee smiled. "Now go and play. Just be more careful, Beru."

            "Yep! I promise!"

            Huh, Beru had never promised someone that he won't get hurt.

            Nonetheless, while the children went back to playing, Byung-gyu had unleashed Coco to let him join the kids. Then, he realized that it was just him and Ju-hee who were left on the spot. Ju-hee watched the children play with her eyes glistening tenderly just like the soft sunlight coming through the leaves of the tree above her, also bringing copper glow from her ginger hair, then a soft smile was curved on her thin lips.

            She's pretty. A thought came to Byung-gyu.

            He understood what made the children fond of her. When Beru got injured, one of the kids had gone to fetch Ju-hee because they knew she would rush to their aid as possible; she treated him nicely and gave him a reward in return. Ju-hee was kind-hearted.

            "Is there something you want, mister?"

            "Oh! Sorry, I just—" Byung-gyu raised an eyebrow. "Did you just call me mister?"

            "Yeah. Why?"

            "You know me, right? Don't tell me you do not." Byung-gyu said. "I mean, the whole country knows who I am because I'm part of ARISE — one of the two lead vocalists! So there's always going to be someone who notices me if I'm not being to careful—"

            Ju-hee laughed. "Did I hurt your feelings just because I didn't treat you like your fans?"

            "No, I just—" Byung-gyu looked away and rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't know. The fact that you called me mister bugged me, I guess?"

            "I see. Now that must've been the reason why you rambled about your image." Ju-hee said. "And yes, I do know you, Min Byung-gyu. But it's not like I'm gonna treat you like some God if that is what you're thinking."

            Byung-gyu huffed. "Then I should be grateful."

            "Oh? So you don't like being surrounded and praised just like other famous people?"

            "Not exactly. I didn't accept the offer just so I could get a lot of attention, but rather, I joined because of my passion." Byung-gyu shrugged. "And to be fair, it feels new to be treated this way. You're not screaming or squealing at me, Ms. Lee."

            "I just thought I should treat you like an average person when I learned that you've become a hit star." The corner of Ju-hee's lips twitched. "I used to watch your acoustic covers, you know? When I was still studying for exams, I used your videos to help me focus and relax."

            She used to listen to my old covers?! Byung-gyu was surprised. To think he'd actually meet someone who had been listening to him sing before he rose to fame. . . It felt quite flattering. Truly. 

            "Well. . . What about now? Did your opinions change now that I'm—" he shrugged his shoulders to insinuate the last unspoken word.

            Ju-hee hummed. "You amused me. To think I'd witness you dance at the same time, it made me wonder if I am looking at the same person." She chuckled. "Nonetheless, you deserve to be seen by hundreds. ARISE sure is lucky to have you."

            Byung-gyu laughed airily. "What a flatter, Ms. Lee."

            "Call me Ju-hee," the ginger let out a grin. "You don't use honorifics around your fans, you know?"

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            His fingers strung the strings of the guitar. A smooth rhythm wafted in the air, twirling and waltzing to the ears of the small audience that had gathered in the gazebo. Byung-gyu had his foot pressed on a chair to perch his instrument above his leg, he opened his mouth to begin singing in front of the kids who had occupied all the sitting areas in the wooden shelter. They stared at him in utter awe, absorbing the gentleness of his voice amid the stringing of his guitar.

            The song was the acoustic version of one of ARISE's newest releases before their vacation. Byung-gyu was yet to release the version, but he decided to share it with the kids first. 

            As soon as the song came to an end, Byung-gyu proceeded to play his guitar to repeat the chorus. He knew how the youngsters liked the stringing sounds so much. A grin crept across his mouth at the enamored faces of the children until he reached the last note of the song.

            His audience clapped and erupted into cheers.

            "You're so amazing, hyung-nim!"

            "You are the best singer I've ever known!"

            "I want to go to your concerts one day!"

            "Another song! Another song!"

            Byung-gyu laughed. "You guys enjoyed it so much, huh? Who wants to hear another one?"

            "Me!" They exclaimed simultaneously.

            "Alright! Let's—" Byung-gyu paused when he caught something from the corner of his eye. It was Ju-hee, who carried a plastic bag in her hands. "Ju-hee!" He called.

            Ju-hee's twin pools of blue met his dark ones. At first, she blinked. "Oh, hey?"

            "Wanna join us?" He said. "I could use one more audience."

            "Uhm. . . " Ju-hee turned to the children, who looked at her with pleading eyes. Her lips softly curled into a smile. "Okay."

            Yes! Byung-gyu succeeded in his plan. So once Ju-hee sat on the corner, he moved his capo to a different spot in the neck and began stringing his guitar. His gaze landed on Ju-hee, whose eyes stretched at the first few notes. The song was one of his most viewed covers in his account. So obviously, Ju-hee might've listened to it.

            Judging her reaction, he was correct.

            The song was originally pop, but Byung-gyu made it smoother. He added more emotion to the lyrics since singing with his whole heart felt much better. He briefly glanced at Ju-hee, who had a smile on her face. Just seeing her reminded him of sunshine.

            "How long are you going to be here?" Ju-hee asked. She and Byung-gyu were walking together after they decided to leave the children alone to play, thus having a moment for themselves as grown-ups.

            "Two months. That's the longest vacation ARISE could get." Byung-gyu replied.

            "Really? That feels quite short. You guys probably worked hard a lot to deliver those performances on stage." Ju-hee remarked. "How are you handling it?"

            His mouth twitched into a grin. "Sometimes it's exhausting, but sometimes we just find the fun in our rehearsals. Namely, speeding our song twice and whoever falls loses. Jong-in is the one who never wins because of his body not handling too much steps — Yoon-ho dragged him to the gym once, Tae-gyu almost called the hospital."

            "Wow! You guys are wild." Ju-hee chuckled. "What about you? What's your role?"

            "I only cause trouble once or twice. I don't usually join them to the gym, but if I do, I just make a run in the treadmill." Byung-gyu shrugged. "Yoon-ho is the biggest gym junkie, Tae-gyu and Jin-woo come close."

            "Tae-gyu used to be a tennis player, right? And I heard that Jin-woo used to be an athlete too."

            "He was, but Jin-woo only tried it when he was a kid because he needed to get good grades. Tae-gyu still plays tennis, only as a hobby now though, and he wants to try archery for a change."

            "I see," Ju-hee nodded. "Do you write the band's songs all the time?"

            "Yeah, but occasionally, I had the guys help me with the verses. Jin-woo had even wrote his own song for his first single — which made me so proud." Byung-gyu wiped a nonexistent tear on the corner of his eye. He snickered at the eye roll Ju-hee had given him. "What? Is it wrong to be proud of my fellow members?"

            "No. I just find it cute that you guys see each other as siblings." She said.

            "Well, we are one happy family after all. And that includes the band's mother hen."

            "Who's the mother hen?"

            "You're up for a story then, Ms. Lee!"

            Byung-gyu had grown more comfortable with Lee Ju-hee. He even couldn't believe that he was revealing a lot of things to her that no one else in the media knew. But Ju-hee did not give him the impression that she would tell other people, she listened and chattered along like she wasn't walking alongside a celebrity.

            It felt like she was talking to a friend.

            Byung-gyu liked that.

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            "When are you gonna make a new song or a cover? My hands are itching to create a video out of it!"

            Byung-gyu chuckled and held the both of his hands up. "Sorry, hyung. I challenged myself not to write songs during the whole vacation."

            "Well, that just sucks," scoffed Eun-seok. Coco went to him with a stick between his teeth, so he took it and threw the stick to the distance. "But hey! Do you know that being friends with a celebrity is hard too? Yeah, my co-workers talked to me all of a sudden and a girl asked me out on a date."

            "Congrats!"

            "No, it's not! She clearly asked me out because I'm friends with you." Eun-seok said. "And then she'll just use me as a bridge to get close to you until you leave me in the shadows after—"

            Byung-gyu smacked the back of his friend's head. "Quit overthinking. Do you think I will abandon you? Not in a million years. And besides, why would I date a girl who uses others? If I hadn't become a celebrity, I doubt I will get a date."

            "What kind of girl who won't fall for a talented guy like you who plays guitar, sings, and loves his grandmother?"

            "Call me high standards." Byung-gyu shrugged.

            "High standards my ass!" Eun-seok rolled his eyes. He looked over and noticed that the dog hadn't returned yet. "Where's Coco? I'm sure I didn't throw the stick too far."

            "Let's just look for him." Byung-gyu walked past Eun-seok and followed the trail his dog had gone to. Coco wasn't the one to get lost, but if he did, it might be because he got distracted by something.

            And Byung-gyu had a bad feeling about it.

            He wasn't sure how short Coco's attention span had been after living in the city for too long. Given how his bandmates had been spoiling his dog behind his back, Byung-gyu had grown concerned over the idea of Coco getting lost.

            Eventually, he and Eun-seok found the golden retriever.

            Coco did get distracted. . . Particularly because Ju-hee was with him.

            Coco wagged his tail as he leaned further on Ju-hee's touch. She scratched his fur and giggled when Coco licked her hand in return. The stick, on the other hand, was left unnoticed. Coco whined lovingly at her and laid on the ground with his belly exposed for her to rub.

            "Dude, I think someone has stolen your dog."

            "He's not stolen, you dummy," said Byung-gyu. "He saw a friend."

            Eun-seok flashed him an odd look. "Eh?"

            "Coco!" Byung-gyu called his dog as he approached the two. "There you are. I was wondering where you went!"

            Ju-hee looked up to him with her blue eyes, shining just like her smile. "Byung-gyu! I was just coming back from the clinic when I found Coco. Though, it was more like he found me."

            "You're working at the clinic?" Byung-gyu asked.

            "Yeah. I just thought that I should start with something small before moving to an actual hospital."

            "Well, that's great! I hope you'll be able to work in the hospital one day." Byung-gyu smiled. "Hmm. . . Dr. Lee? Or Dr. Ju-hee? Which sounds better?"

            "Either," Ju-hee chuckled.

            "Ahem!"

            Byung-gyu turned around and realized Eun-seok was still there. "Oh! Eun-seok, this is Ju-hee." He turned to the ginger. "Ju-hee, that is Eun-seok. He's the one who edited my old videos."

            Eun-seok waved at her.

            Ju-hee nodded at the brunet and turned to the wagging golden retriever. "Your dad's here now. Go to him."

            Coco whined and leaned up to flick his tongue at Ju-hee's chin before going to Byung-gyu.

            "Your dog likes her a lot."

            "Coco likes people in general, Eun-seok."

            Eun-seok snickered.

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            "Put it on the left! Yes, there we go!"

            "Be careful! The contents might be fragile."

            "No, no! Don't put that box on the crates. They have chemicals!"

            "How about here?"

            "That's fine."

            "I can't believe we have an idol helping us around!"

            Byung-gyu chuckled as he hauled another box from the truck. "Just because I'm famous doesn't mean I will have to stop helping you, Ms. Jung. Remember when you used to give me candies in return?"

            The middle-aged woman laughed. "Of course! How can I forget that young boy who joins the delivery men after he gets home from school?" She said. "So, now what? Do you want candies after this?"

            "Maybe later," Byung-gyu grinned.

            When he placed the box on top of the others, he shook his arms on his sides to ease his muscles from carrying heavy objects. Byung-gyu preferred carrying boxes more than lifting weights in the gym. And at this, his bandmates believed that he didn't have as much muscles — which was partially true, but Byung-gyu still had a bit of muscular biceps that were always hidden under his hoodies.

            Currently, Byung-gyu had taken off his jacket and rolled the sleeves of his shirt to his shoulders. Sweat glistened from his forehead down to his neck, also leaving small drenched marks on his light brown top. He brought his arm to his forehead to not only wipe the sweat, but also push his hair back, and released a quick loud sigh. 

            "Are you sure you can still do it, dear?"

            "Hm? Of course, I can!" Byung-gyu grinned broadly. "The temperature happened to be so hot, you know?"

            "My! If my daughter is here, she would be watching you the whole day." Ms. Jung chuckled. "She has a big crush on you, you know? If anything, would you be willing to date someone who's a fan of yours?"

            Byung-gyu hummed. "That depends. But usually, I will have to refuse."

            "Oh, so your type is a celebrity like you?"

            "Not that either," he shrugged. He walked back to the truck to pick up the last box. "I prefer someone who's. . . Ordinary. Whether she's a fan or not, if I feel like she's the right person, then might as well go for the chance."

            She smiled. "You have a great mindset, Byung-gyu."

            Afterward, Byung-gyu sat on the bench outside the store, downing on the ice cold water Ms. Jung's husband had given him as gratitude for the help. The lady had also given him candies as promised. The store was located near his neighborhood, so he had no worries of people recognizing him or even snapping photos of him since his face was completely bare to the public.

            Then, he caught a taxi pulling over several feet away from his spot. A woman got out of the front seat and pulled the door from the back, hauling out two heavy plastic bags with one hand and another two with the other. She placed them on the ground and took out some cents from her pocket to hand them to the driver.

            Byung-gyu drank the last of his water and threw it at the trashcan. He grabbed his jacket from the edge of the bench and tied the sleeves around his waist as he took off toward the lady, who seemed to be struggling a little with the weight on her hands.

            "Let me carry these for you," he said to her as he crouched down. The woman looked quite familiar and he presumed she must be living somewhere in the neighborhood.

            "Oh, you don't have to—" she paused. "Min Byung-gyu?"

            He shrugged. "As always."

            "Heavens! I never thought I would encounter you in personal." She chuckled. "And— why are you all sweaty?"

            "I just helped carry the boxes that belonged to that store," he jerked his head to the direction of the small convenience store. "Sorry for the messy appearance, ma'am."

            "Oh, you don't have to apologize. I almost didn't recognize you."

            "Thanks for the compliment!"

            The woman laughed and playfully smacked his arm with her free hand. "Now that you're here, I might as well lead you to my house and make you something nice as a treat."

            Byung-gyu followed the lady, who was now carrying only one plastic bag since he had already taken the other three which he believed would be too heavy to carry on her own. He got into a nice conversation with her. Unlike Mrs. Jung, the woman didn't mention a daughter of hers being a fan of him and attempt to set him up, rather she talked about nice topics that reminded Byung-gyu of his mom and grandmother.

            Speaking of his mom. . . It made him miss her.

            It had been almost a decade since he lost her, as well as his dad.

            A few moments later, Byung-gyu noticed he was walking in a familiar pathway, like he was just heading home. He speculated that the woman lived somewhere close. Then, he realized that she turned out to live in the same house where the old couple had formally resided.

            Wait. . . Could it be—

            "Mom?" It was Ju-hee's voice.

            Byung-gyu found himself facing Ju-hee, who was standing in the middle of the doorway. Her eyes were stretched in surprise.

            "Look who's with me, Ju-hee!" The lady— no, Ju-hee's mother, said. "You two have already talked, right?"

            "Y— yes. . . "

            "She's a shy young lady," the woman whispered to him. "But she is incredibly sweet once you get to know her more."

            Byung-gyu let out a chuckle. "I can already tell, ma'am."

            "And sometimes, my daughter is also—"

            "That's enough!" Ju-hee glared at the two. She left the doorway and walked to Byung-gyu, her face flushing as she held on the bag's handle. "Thank you so much for helping my mom, Byung-gyu!"

            "It was nothing. I didn't even know that she's your mom in the first place." The corner of his mouth twitched.

            "Byung-gyu! I'm gonna make you some iced tea, so you better come inside of this house!"

            Ju-hee blinked. "What's going on?"

            "Your mom invited me over when I went to help her," Byung-gyu shrugged. 

            " . . . "

            Ju-hee's parents were both welcoming individuals. It even made Byung-gyu quite overwhelmed when the couple ushered him to take a seat. Meanwhile, Ju-hee was nowhere to be found, and Byung-gyu was too occupied to ask where she was. It made him wonder if they were naturally friendly to everyone. But he would be lying if he said that he didn't have a good time — Ju-hee's mother had given him iced tea and some cookies.

            "Do you always come home here in every vacation?"

            "Only if the vacation is one month or more, sir," replied Byung-gyu to Mr. Lee. "And sometimes, we take vacation somewhere else as a band."

            "Well, that's a good thing that you folks are finding enjoyment that doesn't involve performing to the audience," the man nodded. "Look at you! You're way too handsome to be so stressed. When I was in your age, ladies still keep fawning over me."

            Byung-gyu chuckled. "Uh. . . Thank you."

            "You're sweating a little, son. Are you nervous?"

            "What? No, sir. It's just that—"

            "Got it!"

            Byung-gyu turned his head and saw Ju-hee, who had a clean white cloth in her hand. He was about to open his mouth when he suddenly felt something soft on his forehead.

            "It's bad if you leave your sweat on your skin for too long," said Ju-hee.

            Byung-gyu felt his breath pausing. The proximity between them was short. He could see her sky blue eyes fixed in concentration. He considered pulling the collar of his shirt up to smell his odor, yet his hands had gone inert on the table.

            And when he caught the towel moving to his neck, that was when he decided to act.

            "I— uhm. . . " He stuttered. "I— I can do it. Thank you, Ju-hee."

            When Ju-hee realized what she was doing, she flinched and the towel fell on his lap. "Oh my God! Sorry!"

            Her father laughed on the other side of the table. "Ju-hee likes to look after people. It's her instinct. Although, I'm surprised that you called her by her first name, Byung-gyu."

            "They have already met before, dear!" Ju-hee's mom shouted from the kitchen. "Why didn't you tell us that you're friends with Byung-gyu, Ju-hee?"

            "It wasn't that completely important, mom."

            "Are you saying that I'm not important?" Byung-gyu widened his eyes and leaned away in faux hurt. "I cannot believe you hurt me this way, Ms. Lee."

            Ju-hee glowered down at him. "Shut it."

            He laughed.

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            It had been a few weeks since he was staying in Gyeongsang.

            Byung-gyu created new memories with his grandmother, spent more time with Eun-seok and the kids, let his dog run around freely as much as he wanted, and most of all, hung out with Ju-hee too.

            Since their houses were not far from each other, it was easy for Byung-gyu to see her around and invite her to hang out with him if she was not busy. He had gotten along well with her parents too, which was something Ju-hee would prevent from happening. And while she had already known Sang-ah, Ju-hee was still quite timid when entering the old woman's house, and luckily, Coco was there to drag her in by himself.

            Ju-hee was as welcomed by Sang-ah as Byung-gyu was by her parents.

            Byung-gyu began to show her the songs he had written and sang them to her with his guitar. He knew that Ju-hee would not share it with others, unlike a particular member in the band who had could not keep his hands to himself. Ju-hee's reactions were heartwarming. She'd tell her compliments once the song was over and was hoping that he would do a solo cover soon.

            It was felt as though he was interacting with a fan. Except that Byung-gyu wasn't uncomfortable and he liked her company a lot. Besides Eun-seok, he never thought he would gain another friend who was just an average person.

            Other times, he'd hang out with Ju-hee until sundown. And even when she was at his house, Byung-gyu would still take her home, only then to be greeted by her parents who were grinning at the other side of the gate. He laughed at Ju-hee's reaction.

            She made him happy.

            "Ju-hee's the sweetest, isn't she?" Sang-ah spoke when she was sitting on the couch and Byung-gyu was on the floor, playing with Coco. "She came here a month before you did. I even told her that I have a grandson whose heart is big just like hers." She let out a chuckle. "And the funny thing is, I can't help but feel I am witnessing your parents' love story again."

            Byung-gyu looked up with an arched brow. "How so?"

            Sure, he already knew how his parents met, but to have his grandmother include Ju-hee, it made him curious.

            "When your dad was the first one to fall in love, he could not stay quiet around your grandfather and I after he realized his feelings," Sang-ah told him with a gentle smile. "The most amazing part is that they met and fell in love in the same neighborhood."

            "I don't get it. . . " Byung-gyu said. "How does that have something to do between me and Ju-hee?"

            "Oh, you'll find out soon enough, my boy. And I trust my instincts." Then, Sang-ah let out a grin. "Do you think you can fool this old lady, huh? I have taken care of you since you were a baby!"

            Byung-gyu just playfully shook his head.

            He believed that his grandmother must be pestering him to get a girlfriend and used Ju-hee to emphasize it. He knew how old people could get when it came to love lives. And besides, he was still young despite in his early twenties — he didn't have to hurry about dating, especially when he had a career to look after.

            But little did he know, he should've had listened to his grandmother.

            Byung-gyu was walking around the neighborhood, hoping to see the kids to spend time with them, but to his surprise, Ju-hee was there.

            He raised his hand and was about to shout until he got the gist of the situation. Two girls were with her while the boys were running around and playing tag. Several flowers were scattered on the mat next to the girls' feet, who were fawning over the flower crowns they had created.

            "You look so pretty, unnie!"

            "Unnie! Try this one!"

            Ju-hee bent down to let a little girl put a wreath on top of her head. She was clad in a pair of black leggings underneath her floral skirt and a yellow shoulderless blouse with puffy sleeves; with the white wreath on, her beauty radiated into something more.

            . . . And Byung-gyu was probably blinded by it.

            Afterward, the two girls, who had their own wreaths, took each of Ju-hee's hands and connected their hands together to form a circle. Laughter blossomed in the air as the little girls bounced on their feet while Ju-hee just watched them with the widest smile on her face.

            Oh no. Came his first thought.

            Perhaps his grandmother's intuition was right. Byung-gyu turned around and was to walk away when he heard someone call him.

            "Hyung-nim!" Rin-ah beamed. "Come and take a look at unnie!"

            Byung-gyu obliged and came face-to-face with Ju-hee. Her long orange hair swayed gracefully behind her waist. And with the flower crown on her head, it made him feel as though he was facing a spring goddess.

            "Hey." Ju-hee smiled.

            If it wasn't for his jacket, she would've seen the blush on his neck. Byung-gyu had to swallow to make sure he wouldn't lose his voice. "Uh. . . Hi?"

            Awkward silence. . .

            Knowing that he must do something, Byung-gyu spoke again. "You— you look like a goddess, Ju-hee! I have to go!"

            He took off after that and didn't look back.

           Eun-seok was the first person he went to. Unable to hold back his words, Byung-gyu rambled in front of Eun-seok without allowing him say a single word about him barging into his house in the middle of the day. Eun-seok ended up listening until he was done.

            "I barely understand anything, but all I get is that Ju-hee is the reason why you're like this, correct?"

            "Yes!"

            " . . . " Eun-seok sighed. "Damn, I thought something bad happened. Anyways— why are you so freaked out about that?"

            "Should I not be freaked out?" Byung-gyu said. "I mean, I've only known Ju-hee in less than two months and I got—" he counted his fingers. "Two weeks and four days left until my vacation is over!"

            "Two weeks and four days left?!"

            "I told you I won't stay here for a long time." Byung-gyu rolled his eyes. "But that's not the main point! I'm not sure if Ju-hee feels the same way, or if I will be able to admit to her, but do you think things will be rushed if I take the risk?"

            "You're not even sure if you'll be coming to Seoul with a broken heart or a happy heart." Eun-seok deadpanned.

            Byung-gyu sighed. "Okay, maybe I won't tell her yet. I can just cope with it since I'll be busy once ARISE is back on stage."

            "Or you can deal with your feelings in a creative way. That'll keep you sane." Eun-seok shrugged. Then, he grinned. "So. . . Someone finally stole your heart, huh? Of all the girls going crazy over you, your heart chooses a sweet girl like Ju-hee."

            Byung-gyu huffed. "Well, at least I don't simply jump into a relationship." There was another moment of silence until he spoke again, only to send a warning gaze at Eun-seok. "You better not tell anyone about this."

            Eun-seok snickered. "Well, this should be—"

            "I'm firing you as my editor."

            "Okay, fine! I won't tell anyone."

            Two weeks and four days had finally come to an end. Sang-ah had become emotional while she watched her grandson pack his things into his bag. Byung-gyu had to pause and comfort her, rubbing her back, then told her that he would return on his next vacation. He too was emotional, yet held his tears back.

            The kids had come to see him for one last time. Some didn't want to see him leave while the others were excited to see him again. Byung-gyu ruffled each of their heads before he loaded his bags into the back of his truck. Coco was already in the inside, poking his head through the open window. Eun-seok, who had spent the night in his house, stood next to Sang-ah, comforting the old woman.

            "We'll be waiting for your next spotlight, Byung-gyu!" Eun-seok said.

            "Thanks, man!" Byung-gyu smiled.

            As everyone waited for him to mount on the driver's seat, Byung-gyu found himself standing still next to the door. It seemed that someone was missing. The kids, his grandmother, and Eun-seok were there, but not her. Byung-gyu wondered if she was on her shift and that was why she couldn't meet him in his departure.

            "Are you waiting for someone?"

            It took a brief moment for Byung-gyu to respond. "Well. . . "

            "Byung-gyu!"

            And there she was.

            Ju-hee ran toward him, panting. Her hair had grown quite messy as if she had rushed from the clinic to the neighborhood. Byung-gyu stared at her wide-eyed as she straightened her posture and shook her head.

            "I, uh. . . I can't risk seeing you leave without saying goodbye." She said.

            Eun-seok snorted, but Sang-ah smacked him in the head. Byung-gyu's lips curled into a smile, his heart fluttering. He couldn't believe that Ju-hee had ran all the way to see him. . .

             "Thank you. I'll— see you next time, Ju-hee." He told her.

            "Good luck with your upcoming songs, Byung-gyu. The whole band, I mean." She smiled. "And don't worry, I will check on your grandmother while you're gone."

            Part of him wanted to hug her. But then, Sang-ah and Eun-seok might get the wrong idea, so Byung-gyu resisted the urge and smiled at her before he opened the door and got into the driver's seat.

            They bid farewell to him, though Byung-gyu found himself paying more attention to Ju-hee through the sideview mirror. He turned on the keys on the ignition and pulled out of the driveway. Vacation was over, it was back to spending his time at the recording studio.

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            "Welcome back, hyung!" Tae-gyu greeted him when Byung-gyu had stepped inside of their shared house. Coco quickly dashed toward Yoon-ho, who happily greeted the dog and began to rub his furry belly. "Judging by your face, it seems like you had a great time."

            "The greatest." He chuckled.

            "Now that everyone here is complete," Jin-chul began. "You guys know what this means, right? The vacation is over, ARISE releases new songs. However, feel free to do whatever you want while Byung-gyu is writing songs or doing the final revisions."

            "Uhm, actually—" Byung-gyu brought his backpack down and pulled out his notebook to flip it open. He turned over a couple of pages before he handed it to Jin-chul. "I have already written one when I was back in Gyeongsang."

            Curious, Jin-chul took the notebook and began to read the lyrics. Byung-gyu waited in anticipation while the rest stared at their manager. Then, Jin-chul's eyes widened. "Wow. . . "

            "What is it, Mr. Woo?"

            "Do the lyrics finally contain swear words?"

            "Are we gonna low-key insult people in the song?"

            "Tell us already!"

            "Seems like you guys will be singing something different," Jin-chul let out a grin. "After having a break for two months, ARISE will surprise the viewers with their very first love song!"

            "WHAT?!"

            Byung-gyu rubbed the back of his neck. He knew that everyone would be shocked. "Yeah. . . "

            He might get questioned after the meeting, but he was prepared for his answers anyway, whether it would end up with him lying or not. Byung-gyu chose to keep the real truth a secret. And to think, he had actually written a song for somebody — a romance song to be precise, but if he kept these feelings buried in his heart, it might push his sanity on the edge.

            It was better to release his feelings through words while not mentioning the name.

            Sooner or later, he would be singing to hundreds of people. But little did they know, he was actually singing to one person. And little did that one person know, she was hearing all of the emotions she had made him feel within those two months.

            Ju-hee had managed to linger in his mind like the most beautiful song he had ever heard. Her kind soul alone had made his heart race. Byung-gyu had many words to describe her smiles and laughs in a sheet of paper until he came up with a song.

            She became his new favorite inspiration.

            Byung-gyu might be singing to the whole country, but to him, he was just singing to the girl from his hometown.