There's a couple of things I learned on that short trip with Hyun, which are firstly, he has a friend who's in university. Secondly, he's too much of a dork for his own good. Thirdly, I can not eat a whole bucket of cheese popcorn. Fourthly, he likes tarts. And lastly, there's a job opening that I need to remember to look further into. Probably the most important is, as far as I know, Jumin hasn't seemed to tell Zen anything about me yet and Zen didn't really mention him either, like at all.

Right now however, I'm on a bus heading to the rink to finally meet this well renowned woman of a coach, so she can tell me everything's that's wrong with me. Yay...

Finally here I find myself greeted with silence.

“Where is everyone?” I look down at my watch. Everyone's supposed to be here by now.

I'm not even early.

“Eh-hem.” I turn to the sound, pursing my lips and just knowing that I’m about to get into trouble.

A woman set her tired eyes on me, with her lips thinned, maybe of age, and her already wrinkled skin fold in to deeper creases as her brows knit together.

“Miss Briar-” Her voice soft as she pauses, but make no mistake to the tremble of severity resonating from her tone. “-you’re late.”

“Yes, I’m terribly sorry. It won’t-”

“A lap on the ice.” she twirls her finger, before turning her attention back to Celest.

That doesn’t seem so bad. “Yes, Madame.” I nod, soon turning and rushing to get changed.

I come back wearing my usual practice outfit, trudging with my skates already on. I focus on getting there without falling on my face.

“Miss Briar.” I raise my head. “I should have been clearer.” It’s my outfit, isn’t it? A tank top and tights, just won’t cut it anymore.  “Remove your skates and place your shoes back on.”

I’m not sure I’m getting it. I want to do what she says, but my mind isn’t processing it.

I purse my lips and with a feeling of defeat, I nod.

Getting into detail of the excruciating pain I’m going through, walking step by step on the slippery ice, holding on for dear life so I don’t fall on my arse. “A simple exercise that demonstrates self-control” she says, like it’s so simple well, it’s not. It’s like walking on a soapy floor. One wrong move and BAM! Concussion.

So the scrutiny continues.

Five hours pass before Madame feels it acceptable for us to leave.

“That was painful.” Celest says, packing her stuff in her bag.

“You’re telling me.” She wasn’t all bad, just extreme. Celest, in my opinion, had it easier. She was even noted to being more professional.

She asked of very basic techniques from both of us, even then she found criticism in every move I took. And when it wasn’t my form, or control, it was the way I ‘felt.’

She told me that I’m too emotionally unstable and it shows in my performance, then she goes ahead and tells me that you have to ‘feel’ something to make an impact.

To feel or not to feel that is the question. Which apparently doesn’t have a clear enough answer.

We reach the lobby, about to walk out the door.

“Coach Hunter. What’s his perspective on her?”

“Admiration.” I blow out a huff of air. “Coach was almost too excited to meet Madame Alzbeta. He had me practice an extra two hours yesterday.”

“Yeah, you told me.”

We’re out of the building and get into Celest’s car, heading back.

“You’re coming, right?”

“Where?”

“To work with me.”

“Isn’t your body pleading for some rest? I’m pretty sure my sores are sore.”

“It’s my last day and there’ll be cake.”

When, tell me ‘when’ have I ever refused cake. Naturally, I agree.

So after taking a shower because I stunk and making a quick meal, didn't know how long we'd be there, we get going.

I already knew this, but it still astounded me, every time, how big the place is and how much space can be dedicated to karaoke.

The place had a very laid back feel to it and as usual I'm drawn to the smell of delicious savory food. It's only natural. Many, like Eun, may argue I have an unhealthy habit of eating whenever given the chance, but do they not see how much calories I burn while working, practicing and studying. I don't even argue about it anymore. It's much easier this way.

~°~

There's not one person in this room who isn't cheering or having a great time.

They turn the lights back up just as Celest finishes the song. People; her colleagues; crowd around her, applauding her amazing performance and just talking to her.

And I'm just here in awe. “You've been holding out on me. How long were you going to keep this secret?” This is in every way meant to be a compliment.

“You too?” she jokes. “C'mon, let's get you that cake I promised.” she says, leading me to the table.

“You really need to take this seriously. Ditch the hacking and become a star.” emphasis on ‘star’. She hands me a generous piece of the softest ‘ melts in your mouth’ cake EVER!

“Did you forget,” she playfully elbows me. “I'm already a star.”

“Huh, I thought you forgot.” oh, look at that interesting wall over there. And to that I can't help but smile. Yup. Yup. She's referring to being a famous skater and that does make her a star, but, But, BUT ‘everyone’ would know her name if she chooses musical stardom.

“By the way, thanks for helping out.”

“Well, you know.” I shrug nonchalantly, “It was no big deal.”

Yeah, I couldn't have just sat around and stuff my face while my friend had to finish her shift.

“Hi, you're that girl, right?” A girl; maybe in her late teens; comes up to us and while I think she's addressing me, though I can't imagine why.

My brows furrow from who she thinks I am. “Can you be more specific?”

“Oh, sorry. I'm Amy,” she reaches a hand out for me to shake. Okay~ but not really helpful. “I'm talking about that girl who’s been frequently spotted with ZEN!”

Like, Ow. I think my drums just popped. She squeals like he's right behind me. Wait. I glance over my shoulder and to much of my satisfaction I don't see Zen; it would just be unnatural to find him at every turn I take, like the dude is everywhere, however my eyes do narrow on to someone else.

What's this guy's deal?

“Net, What's wrong?” Celest gets my attention and even as I turn back, I notice that the guy just doesn't even care that I was literally glaring at him.

“Uh, Zen is a- meaning to say we work together.” I clear that up before she starts like the rest. Lately, it isn't just a physical judgement batter, but people online have been commenting on my attitude. Can't imagine why they think they can. Especially since I've been so civil at any encounter with them.

Don't know what it is, but I can't shake the feeling we're being watched. I scan the room for that man, but I don't find him. I have tried to be more positive about the situation, even going so far as making an excuse that he's just probably absentmindedly staring at something that happens to be in our direction.

But even if that were true, I wouldn't believe it.

I saw him staring at Celest as she sang, as she climbed off the stage, as she talked to her friends and while she's here with me.

“So, What's it like working with him?”

We have to get out of here.

“Excuse me, I'm so sorry but we have to get going.” I pull on Celest's arm to follow me. “And he's great.” I call out, recalling the question.

“Net, where are we going?”

“Home.” she tugs at her arm and stops in her tracks, folding her arms across her chest.

She looks angry.

“Why?” she inquires, tapping her fingers against her elbow.

“Don't freak out,” I whisper, “-but I think you caught the attention of a creeper.”

“Net,” she looks me dead in the eyes, appearing so unconvinced it's troubling me.

“Net.” she repeats.

“Listen, I know what you're thinking, but I'm not joking and neither am I being extra judgy. Just cautious.”

“Only everyone I work with is here. People who I know and they know me.” she tries to bolster confidence in what she's saying but…

“There he is.” I poke my head in his direction, trying to direct her attention towards the man without blatantly pointing.

She gets the hint and turns to look. Her brows begin to knit together.

“Do you know him?”

“No.”

“Welp, you know what that means. C'mon.” I make a one eighty turn and head straight for the door, but don't get far.

“Something wrong?” I ask after being held back.

“You know you're probably- we're probably overthinking this. Let's go say hi and maybe we can really get an idea of this guy.”

Nope. Na-uh. I grab onto her arm and she stops. “You never try to befriend someone at night time.”

She side glances at me without saying a word.

A short minute later and Celest's gaze doesn't falter, she's still giving me a look.

“Okay, what?”

“The guy who dropped you off the other night.”

“Not the same. He knows Zen.”

“Everyone knows Zen.”

“Zen knows him.”

“You still don't know that.”

Huh. True.

“Okay. Okay. I knew him.” I confess.

Again with that look. Celest don't you see this man is tearing our friendship apart. Making us argue.

“It was a gala. That's where I met- saw him. At the time he looked like he didn't want to be bothered.” he was super unapproachable. Serious look on that handsome face, but I didn't want to try anything that might disturb him “ Years back, my dad and his dad talked a lot of business.”

“Let's just go.” she quickly says bye to everyone and we head out of the building.

“You know, he showed clear signs.”

“like what?”

“He made me feel uncomfortable.”

“That is no reason to judge someone prematurely.”

“I rather be rude than regret not being, later.”

“You know what, I'll lend you my dad's old case files, they'll -”

“I deal with people good and bad all the time. Part of the job, remember. I've seen much worse.”

Sweet, sweet, Celestial, then you must understand where I'm coming from.

“You can't live your life in fear, Net.”

“Right. You have to take it by the horns, take it down before it kicks you in the shins and eats all your food.”

“That is not how it-”

“Can I borrow your gun?”

“Wait, what?” she unlocks the car door. “You're not allowed to carry a gun.”

“I know that. You know that,” I get the door open and sit in the passenger's seat, and out of habit put my seatbelt on. “ But he doesn't know that. Plus, I'm not allowed to carry a loaded gun with bullets.”

I glance at my reflection through the side view mirror. What the- “Uh, Celest.” I shake her lightly by the shoulder as she's adjusting her seatbelt.

She turns her head over to me. “Yeah?”

“He's coming this way.”

The man’s coming in our direction.

Why isn't she flooring it!? She explains her decision is to help me understand that not all people are bad. I would and did argue that it's better left to one of the mornings, when the suns out and then I would like to see, somewhere where everyone can see and be seen. Not in the middle of the night as he approaches.

In the back seat, more specifically under one of them, there's a gun. So naturally I reach out and get it.

Celest takes notice, as she was bound to do, and I tell her that I'm not taking any chances.

“Better safe than sorry.”

The man is almost to the car now. Just a few more-

Oh, look at that. He walked right past us and into his own car in the front.

“See. He was just getting to his car.”

This still doesn't change my mind.

“What are you doing?” she was turning on the engine and shifting gears, like Celet, we can't do that right now.

“Wait for him to leave first.” begrudgingly she listens and waits.

We wait. Not a word from us.

It's been seven minutes and he still hasn't left yet.

“You see!”

A door closes. Just as I spoke, the man gets out of his car, he's walking towards the back, opens his trunk and takes a crowbar out.

Funny thing, he's headed right towards us.

Okay. Okay. Calm down. I load the gun and remain ready.

“What are you doing?”

“Arming myself in case this goes downhill.”

“You're really starting to-”

“Sh~” I need her quiet. “He's almost…”

Okay.

He's wasn't heading for us, but he did take that crowbar and toss it in a dumpster, for whatever reason. After that he walks back, gets in his car and drives away.

“You had nothing to worry about.”She says as we hit the road.

I don't say much and let it go. I was wrong and that's the fact of the situation. But nothing is going to change my mind on how I prefer to think of myself first, then worry about people whose intentions seem shady.

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