ㅤtaco bell

@minseok k. ( lordy I must've caught that same illness tbh, my stress has been on 90 I'm sorry for the wait/crappy reply ;;;;)

Joohyun listened to his advice, she was never one to ask for it but always accepted it. Her superiors at SM had taught her many things; how to act, how to walk, how to speak, even how to appropriately handle a fan encounter. To her, this was no different, a simple word of advice, something she'd take into consideration should the topic of red velvets leader wandering the streets at 5am become an issue.

Tucking her phone into the depths of her pocket, Joohyun nodded, a tiny smile accentuating her him of agreement as her round glasses slid down her narrow nose just a touch. "I didn't think to mention that, she always calls about small issues, next time I'll remind her." Then it clicked, how she'd phrased that sentence. "Ah-- I, I mean, should the issue come up again, not that this outing should be a regular occurrence." Furrowing her brows in a familiar look of grimace and self inflicted embarrassment, Joohyun continued to chew the small packet, hoping it'd assist in keeping shut.

Nodding along, Joohyun glanced over the van and the driver, not unlike the one who drove her around during promotions. Still the ever quiet being, she gave a simple nod of acknowledgment before stepping into the back of the van. Sitting in a window seat, she sat the bag on her lap before her gaze shifted back to her companion for the sudden outing. Folding her hands around her hoodie cuffs, she let out a exhale, tugging the packet from her teeth. "Do you go out often? I mean, socializing outside of work and the members?"

She wondered, honestly. As the leader, the ever known mother and homebody of red velvet, she rarely did. She liked home, she liked security and quiet, she liked cooking in the dead of night and binge watching an entire Netflix series until her mind was dead and her eyes were bloodshot. Maybe it was unhealthy, her tendency to stay home, but it was a hard habit to break. Especially after a comeback when everything hurt and everything was chaotic and loud - all she wanted was the sweet hum of silence. Even if it was accompanied silence.

@chaeyoung. p [] Oh my god I'm so sorry for letting you wait this long! I had like the worst case of "I can't bring myself to do anything!" ;;;

The air around them was slowly coming to life with sounds, the faint swishing of car tires across damp concrete, the occasional splash of rubber across a puddle, the noise of a door closing. They were ordinary sounds of an ordinary and utterly mundane life, but Minseok enjoyed them nonetheless. When he had been younger, not an idol yet, those noises were annoying - a constant backdrop of noise, like radio static that would never leave his head. This city was never quiet, no matter what. But over the years, those things had been replaced by screaming and screeching, by the press of a headset against his ear, by music blaring no matter where he went. Honking cars, bellowing voices, never a moment of peace and quiet. He craved the mundane, banality.

A small smile played around the edges of his lips when he saw Joohyun nibbling on a package of sauce, a shake of his head soon following to clear away his amusement at the obvious habit the other singer had picked up through living this hectic life of always being watched too closely. He knew what it was like to replace meals by little things that provided a little bit of taste while you were forced to step down from all the things you loved to eat. And who was he to judge? He would be a hypocrite of he would say he didn't have those habits himself. Maybe not a package of hot sauce between the teeth, but probably coping mechanism that were just as unhealthy. "They can't tell you to stay at home all the time though.", he said with a said, raking a hand through his pitch black hair and messing up the freshly washed strands, having them falling messily into his forehead.
"I mean... We had those moments too, but I think after all this media circus they calmed down a little bit with us, right? Just go out for your walks and be honest with the management. They'll understand."
God, he felt old. Was it really that long ago that he got advice from his seniors like this? All those tips nobody else was able or willing to give him, forced to live like a mouse behind bars until some other idol stepped up to him and talked a little bit of confidence back into him?

At the sound of her phone ringing, Minseok felt himself tense up, holding his breath until he saw Joohyun relaxing, his shoulders visibly sagging as she gave him the ok, told him everything was alright. "Mhhh and you should probably tell Wendy not to give you any calls while you're out sneaking around. Jesus, that nearly gave me a heart attack.", he laughed, cradling his take out bag in his arm to check his own phone. No message, no call. Good. "I came with a driver. My manager wanted to make sure he will be able to keep tabs on me. If I go out with my own car I'm too unpredictable. His words, not mine.", he explained to her softly, pointing to the corner where the white van was still parked, a bored looking man leaning against the side of it with a cigarette dangling from his lips. Upon seeing Minseok though, the man quickly dropped his cigarette and waved at him, casting Joohyun a rather curious look before he recognized her.
"It won't be a problem though.", Minseok assured the other idol next to him while they made their way to the van, the engine already running and the door open for them. "Just trust me on that one, okay? We'd like to go to the company please. And you can tell hyung about it, it's fine. He knows where I am and who I'm with."

Oh but what if his manager would find out about the photo snapped of the two idols at 5 am in a Taco Bell? His ears were already ringing with his managers screaming and scolding. He could only hope Junmyeon would step up and save his , honestly.

@minseok k. Joohyun in a sharp breath at the click of the camera, teeth clenched as they usually were but somehow, she really had hoped this could've gone unpublicized. Just one time, one outing that nobody knew about, but no, there was always someone and there was always a camera. Still, she didn't regret going, but she hoped their clear attempt at disguising themselves as regular folk had done it's job. No one believed every ill-taken candid claiming they were celebrities. Still, the chilly air acted as a kind of reprieve from the knowledge of potential scandal - she could worry later, when her manager scolded her and her company reprimanded her; for now, enjoying the moment of peace and cheat food was all that she had to think about.

Nudging her glasses up with her knuckle, Joohyun turned her gaze back on him at the suggestion, a subtle nod in agreement accentuating her words. "Sure, that sounds like a good spot." She didn't hide the smile on her lips, not this time, she wanted to enjoy such a thing as her favorite setting and her favorite food. Absentmindedly, she pulled the tiny packet of mild - she wasn't one for spice - hot sauce from her pocket, tearing the corner and nibbling on the edge. Her members found it strange, but she'd done it all her life; the tiny ketchup or mustard, hot sauce or even the rare ones like plum sauce or sweet and sour. They provides her the taste without the calories, and even with the promise of food, she found herself turning to the packet first, as though it were an appetizer. Her gaze wandered slowly over the buildings and cars passing by, slowly morning was arriving, Seoul was alive - though, when was it not. It gave her comfort, seeing the city revive in morning light, like plants in spring or when she'd rescue a bug from the shower before one of the girls squished it, it was fresh, bright, life buzzing around her. She sighed softly, it was exhilarating it the most calming way.

Shifting the packet it her teeth, Joohyun saw him looking at her, a shy glance away following moments later. "Did I-- oh, ah, yes I did." She nodded, a tinge of concern behind her words. "I only told Wendy I left, she said she'd cover for me. Sometimes I take walks in the morning but the company hasn't found out yet." Her lips tightly pursed in that familiar smile as she looked down, almost proud of her defiance, or her testong of the rules at the very least. She'd always been good, never much of a troublemaker, but sometimes those morning ventures into Seoul streets with her hood up and her earbuds on were exactly what the homebody needed.

Joohyun startled when her phone rang, the calming Ed Sheeran song humming in the silent parking lot as she dug the device from her pocket. Sliding the button across, she answered immediately, biting her lip as she pressed it to her ear beneath her hood. "What is it?" Nervous, she asked, eyes trained on Minseok's as though maybe realizing she wasn't alone could quell the anxiety she'd grown so used to carrying alone. But quickly, the breath of relief left her lips when Wendy simply asked if she needed to water Han Solo - Joohyun's bamboo tree - while she was gone. A chuckle left her lips, Joohyun twiddling the packet in her free hand. "Its okay, I did it before I left. Thanks Wendy." With a crooked smile still on her lips, Joohyun slid her phone back into her pocket. "False alarm."

Tucking a lock of hair off her face, Joohyun nodded toward the street, a little lighter then she'd been, relieved to still be in the clear, at least from her manager for the time being. "So, your car is nearby? We should probably go before traffic picks up."

@chaeyoung. p part 2


He was a little surprised to say the least, to have a member of Red Velvet allowed outside on her own- well, unless she didn't ask before she had come out to meet him here. And again he could only hope that this little impromptu taco meeting wouldn't get them into trouble. He could handle it. But could she? She seemed so small next to him - next to him! - breakable, as if the idol world had made a porcelain doll out of her. Beloved Irene of SMs rising girl group. Darling child of the idol world, adored by both fans and fellow idols alike. But they were all oh so breakable in the end, weren't they?

@chaeyoung. p part1

It was a risky wager to simply assume that the wide-eyed cashier wouldn't instantly run to get her phone the moment Minseok and Joohyun would leave the restaurant, to sent out messages to probably everybody in her kakao talk contact list, telling them about the thing she had just witnessed. There was only one thing that kept Minseok from panicking - a simple thing, really. It was something that normally annoyed him, that made his life living hell if he made one tiny mistake. They worked for SMent. And if there was one thing SMent was good at, it was covering things up. He himself had learned that the hard way, what with three of their members quitting the band and doing moonlight flits on them all. It had broken Minseok in two the first time, the second time and even the third time after that. But it had proven one thing to him: The company was ing damn good in ruling them all in with an iron hand, covering up every single mistake and slip up and scandal, brushing them over with more bull. A glossy coat of more lies to distract people from what was going on for real. And in the end... well, they could always just paint a picture for the media, right? Minseok, being a good senior and spending time with his dongsaeng. It would be the perfect Koreaboo headline, after all. "Exo's Minseok proves once more that he is a sweetheart, spending time with Red Velvets Irene."
The thought alone made him snort.

When he caught her gaze again, he couldn't help but smile. There was a moment of fear in her eyes, just a tiny spark of uncertainty as she turned, almost as if she thought he would be gone already. And the way her features were relaxing when she spotted him waiting for her - people would probably never understand how hard it was for an idol to not guard their emotions. He knew the thoughts that were able to eat you up alive if we were left alone with them for too long. The cashier was watching them, Minseok noticed, fingers already clutching her bright pink phone case in front of her, as if it wasn't painfully visible to them both, looking at them with glinting eyes. Like a feast for the crows, Minseok thought to themselves, before he turned back towards Joohyun and gave her the most subtle of smiles. "Sure.", he shrugged, keeping his voice so low that it was only audible to her, lips barely moving with his grin, flashing the faintest hint of white teeth. "Let's get out of here."

He caught himself touching her upper arm then, just a subtle hint for her to move quickly, nodding at the cashier before he held open the door, ignoring the digital clicking sound of a camera behind them, only able to turn his head away so it wasn't that obvious who he was - hopefully. Maybe, if he was lucky, he was able to mask his identity with the back of his head, freshly dyed black hair too common to be a hint at who he really was. Jesus have mercy on him only once, please. He couldn't even say how thankful he was that Joohyun was wearing a hood, back already turned to the register because Minseok was holding the door open for her. The air outside was crisp with dew and dawn, still smelling faintly of the rain that had been drizzling the city in a fine mist the evening before, moisture lingering in the breeze and coating the skin like a fine dust made of crystals. He took a deep breath in when the door swung shut behind them, fingers reaching for his mask to fix it back over his face, just in case somebody else would see them. The city was coming alive slowly after all.

"Maybe we have enough time to go to the roof of Smtown?", he suggested, peering at the sky and then at the clock of his phone, eyes squinting against the bright screen of his iPhone. "We still have half an hour before the sun really rises and will be visible above the city. My driver should still be around."
It was too far to walk in half an hour - but a thought had him looking at her curiously, one eyebrow arched high as he started digging around in his take out bag for his Mountain Dew Freeze. He took a sip of the cold beverage, over his bottom lip to chase the taste, head tilting to the side. "Did you walk here?", he asked softly, eyes trained on her pale face that seemed to glow in the breaking light of dawn, the city around them bathed in nothing but hues of pale blue and gray. "It's pretty far from the company to here. That's why my manager made me take the car. He didn't trust me to walk out here on my own without getting into trouble."

@minseok k. His English caught her off guard, a moment of shock crossing her face as she glanced over her shoulder. Of course she knew he /knew/ basic English, it was practically a requirement of all idols, but she just… hadn't seen that coming. It surprised her, but still had an ephemeral smile pulling at her lips. It'd been hard, having to spend most of her time speaking Korean, with minimal reprieve thanks to Jennie, but still the tug to just ramble on about her new favorite webtoon for three hours in plain old English was intense and regrettably not likely.

Drawing in a slow, deep breath through her nose, Chae regarded the menu a little longer, rereading and thinking of all the calories she was about to consume - in a way, it almost frightened her, she'd been so strict with her diet for so long the prospect of food that actually had flavor and, god forbid, didn't taste like damp cardboard, was almost unimaginable. Still, Minseok's comment coupled with the once over had a small laugh leaving . "Heaven forbid I hit 100 pounds on the scale." She smirked, somewhere between sarcasm and guilt lacing her tone at the prospect. Chaeyoung parted her lips to answer the offer when her gaze flitted to his, and she didn't need to ask - they couldn't pretend this wasn't risky, and judging by the subtle panic lacing his features, she knew better then to respond, instead choosing to take a small step back, seemingly still deciding on her meal.

She watched the proceedings of him passing the cashier the card, lips pursed in a tight line, still gnawing on the inner edge of her already raw lips. A bad habit on her part, she did it so much there was always a little blood on her tongue, but this last few weeks had prompted even more chewing and therefore even more aching. Hands still tucked deep in her hoodie pockets, she knocked the toe of her converse against the floor, glancing back to him when the cashier finally left earshot. "Its alright, I caught on pretty quick to what happened." She assured, nodding. "I wouldn't have let you pay for me, anyway." Drawing in another taco-scented breath, she nodded with a gentle laugh lifting her eyes into a smile. "Its incredibly confusing, getting used to it, honestly. Being watched, monitored, inspected… its weird." She scrunched her nose as if to accentuate the feeling. "You'd think I'd get used to it, but I guess it'll take a bit longer."

Finally the cashier returned with Minseok's order, passing him the bag with a subtle nod and that same doe-eyed stare of awe. Chaeyoung stepped up next, eyes still trailing over the glowing menu overhead. "I'll take a gordita crunch, but with bean, no meat… and a… nacho supreme." Tugging the BB8 wallet from her hoodie pocket - the hoodie beneath her outer coat, she felt it was safer there - Chae folded the twenty in her fingers as she watched the cashier type into the register, the ringing and beeping sounds of a fast food joint filling her ears and making the cashier have to ask her twice for the $11.77. Gaze falling back to the scratch in the floor, Chae glanced over toward Minseok again, part of her expected him to have left - maybe that was the paranoia talking, but she still smiled a soft simper when she caught his gaze a few feet away.

"Here you are Rose-- er, ma'am." The cashier slipped, and Chaeyoung's gaze snapped back to her immediately. The red on the woman's cheeks gave away her embarrassment as she slid the same plastic bag to her. Chae's cold hands scooped up the bag without word, offering a simple nod of gratitude to the worker, a fair thanks to someone who could not only ruin your life, but someone else's. Chaeyoung tugged her hood down a little, voice dropped low as she stepped up beside Minseok again. "Did you -- I mean, if you're not worried about being seen already, did you want to eat outside? We can watch the sunrise."

@chaeyoung. p It was funny sometimes, how a foreign tongue could throw you off your track of thoughts, was able to confuse you for a second even if your mind already registered the word and deciphered it. With one raised eyebrow, Minseok turned his head to look at Chaeyoung as she passed him by the door, a slightly amused breath leaving him as he replied on reflex in English as well: "You're welcome." He knew his English wasn't the best and he certainly had a heavy accent, but he was trying. For the sake of their band and their international fans of course. Mastering a second language had been hard for him in the beginning, thinking back to their Exo-M days, when he had been stumbling through Chinese, always clinging to Luhan for help, who patiently translated what ever Minseok hadn't been able to understand. Those days seemed so far away by now and now with the English rolling off his tongue as quietly as a whispering wind that was rustling through trees, it was as if he was having a flashback.

Checking his phone quickly, the young singer followed Chaeyoung towards the counter, a smile tugging at his lips as he slowly peeled off the mask from his features, stuffing it into the pocket of his jacket, crumbling it in the pocket, fingers playing with the elastic bands while he studied the menu, leaning against the counter next to her, fingers drumming softly against the slightly sticky plastic counter top. "Actually.", he chuckled, casting her a slightly amused glance. "I think you could actually really use a little bit of calories, no?" He let his eyes travel over her form, hidden underneath a black sweater, eyes crinkling at the corners with humor before he turned back towards the menu, chewing on his bottom lip. "My trainer will kill me if I order a Taco and a Burrito... Want to share a side of fiesta potatoes with me?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, Minseok wanted to bite his tongue off. If the cashier recognized them, the young woman didn't say a single word, but what he just said could easily sound like a couple sharing dishes in a sudden impulse of cravings in the middle of the night. And Minseok had learned a rather hard way that people were sneaky. How often had he gone out, only to receive a verbal beating from their manager because he hadn't been "careful enough" and someone had tweeted about his outings, or had ratted him out to dispatch.
"Have you decided?", he asked, turning towards Chaeyoung, who was still staring at the menu. He was already reaching for his wallet, pulling it out from the pack pocket of his black ripped jeans, leaning a little closer so he could order first while she was still thinking about it. "I'm gonna take the shredded chicken burrito and a side of fiesta potatoes, please. Oh! And a Mountain Dew Freeze, please."

The cashiers eyes flickered over towards Chaeyoung, clearly expecting them to order together and Minseok realized in a sudden burst of panic that this was the moment a scandal could built itself up around them. If they ordered together and Minseok paid for it all - no matter if the other idol would pay him back later - to the outside world it would be the perfect opportunity to screw them both over. He could already read the headlines in the morning: "Exo's Xiumin and BlackPinks Rose dating!"
A shudder raced down his spine. Not because it would be horrible to date Rose, no Jesus, but SM would have his head if he screwed up. It was already hot enough in the waters for Exo sometimes. Minseok didn't have to make it all worse for them, right?
"Uh.", he made, getting the cashiers attention, who instantly looked at him with wide, tired eyes. "She's still deciding.... I think? Here." Holding out his credit card, he tried to smile, but he was aware that the motion of his lips was tight and tense, eyes clearly telling the cashier to get it on with - who only nodded and took his card, eyes flickering back and forth between them still, curiously studying Chaeyoungs face.
"Sorry.", Minseok whispered as soon as the young woman turned away to prepare his order, the side of his hip leaning against the counter while his arms crossed over his broad, muscled chest. "I didn't mean to be rude. I just... learned that as an idol you have to be extra careful. I would pay for you, if I could. Must be still confusing for you, hm? All this..." He waved a hand around, as if generally drawing a circle around the entire world. "Idol thing. You're still kinda fresh in the industry, right?"

Deaf*

@jimin p. Hah! What she ordered? Were they dead or just plain stupid? "Like hell I did! I've been coming here for two years and not once, not ONCE have I ever ordered anything other than two hardshell tacos with no salsa!" Gasping for air, Sangbi could feel herself turning red as she knew that all eyes were on her, but she didn't care. Pulling out the receipt, the woman allowed a sinister grin to contort her features as she triumphantly slammed the white piece if paper showing her original order. "You wanna try denying it now, hm? Is this enough prof for you or-" She lived how dumbfounded they looked as if they couldn't believe the magnitude if their mistake. Peering down, Sangbi even went as far as scanning over the time stamp, and sure enough, she was correct. No one s with her and her tacos.

@jimin p. ( ) Shush, go put ice on your wrist bbg

@sangbi l. [] i'm SO SORRY IT'S SO MSALL AOISJKDLFM my wrist aches

@sangbi l. The loud roar lacking any hesitance whatsoever has him perking up, readying himself for a show. Delight, enamour, and then - all of it gone within mere moments as he realizes just *who* it was that was acting like such. So, here she was ... He sips idly as his Baja Blast, slowly standing up to move closer to the commotion. "Ma'am- please, calm down. This is what you ordered?" The cashier insists, gesturing towards the bag and the girl. "Check your receipt - it's what was rang up!"

@jimin p. Pulling up to the next window, Sangbi let a soft smile show itself upon her plush tiers as a familiar roar from her vehicle reminded her how much she loved being free. Free from work, from complaints, from other people-
"Ah..Thank you.." The woman bobbed her head once, her slim digits curling around the brown paper bag in a tight grip as she paid for her 'meal'. She was happy, nothing could cheer her up like these delicious combinations of grease and fat.
With a swift flick of her wrist, Sangbi parked her Jeep in one of the many vacant spots, her dark orbs peering from side to side from behind round sunglasses as she made sure that she was alone with herself. Butterflies arose in her stomach, she was giddy- like someone who was about to have their first kiss, but this encounter was far less awkward.
Hesitation was a thing of the past as the woman practically tore through the barrier between her and her amazing delights; but what she found was far from delightful. Rage-- complete and utter rage rose within her as she feasted her eyes on something unfamiliar. How could they have gotten something so simple wrong? It was unthinkable; mind boggling even.
As if her body had moved on its own, Sangbi was already halfway to the door, bag in hand as she pushed past everyone else in line. "You idiots!" The woman roared with a venomous growl, her fists slamming down on the white counter top. Someone was going to die.

@sangbi l. He was inside, sipping away at a Baja Blast and waiting on his order. Sunglasses perching upon his nose, hoodie over his head, hands tucking into his pockets, just simply waiting for his two crunchwrap supreme's. Diet. Who needs a diet? Too many times he was told to trim his waist - he had a nice one. No doubt about that. Which was the EXACT reason why he snuck out to grab something to eat, managers a bit more lenient since he wasn't at their hip 24/7. Not for now, at least. He could have sworn he saw a familiar car, but he makes no note of it, too much focus on his rumbling stomach. He heard a garbled order, and starting watching the cooks prepare something that .. Definitely wasn't that. It looks like two Doritos Locos Tacos and a huge helping of salsa. .... "Well, that person wont be happy," He mutters, sipping loudly at his drink. He was preparing to watch chaos, sitting down on a chair now, and just kicking back to witness.

@jimin p. Tacos- the one thing Sangbi just couldn't live without. Their messiness was a challenge, one that she often overturned, but that's not what really had her taste buds screaming in ecstasy; no, it was the way the meat, lettuce, and cheese meshed themselves together to form one ic bite after another. As a woman with next to no free time, Sangbi was neither getting laid nor gracing herself with the necessary 'tools' to relieve her mountainous amounts of stress. So with that in mind- the drive-up window at Taco Bell made her life a whole lot easier, especially because lines were never her thing.
"Two hard shell tacos- hold the salsa.." The woman trailed off as she leaned her slim frame closer to the window of her red jeep. Such a car was considered a luxury to some, but to Sangbi, it was nothing more than a parting gift from one unhappy person to another.

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@minseok k. Eyes glancing up off her converse clad feet, Chae met the eyes of the hooded figure in the checkered mask. She would recognize those eyes anywhere, a small pursed lip smile tugging at the edges of ChapStick lips. "Hey," Chae nodded. "Its fine, I wasn't waiting long." She said as she shifted her weight between her feet, head dipped down, naturally trying to avoid attention - sometimes she'd forget nobody was actually there to see her. There weren't crowds at imitation Mexican restaurants at 5am, there weren't fans and cameras, but still, Chaeyoung was nervous.

With a mention of the cold, Chae nodded, stepping inside the restaurant as he held the door for her. A quiet "thanks" left her lips, unintentionally falling in her native English tongue, accented with the Aussie hue; quickly she remembered this wasn't her mumbling to her plants, this was an actual human. Did he even speak English? She couldn't remember, but still she figured thank you was widely known even to the foreign.

Hands stuffed in her pockets, Chaeyoung toddled over to the counter, eyes scanning over the lit plastic menu up on the wall, all flashy and damn lovely. The hunger in the pit of her stomach had been gnawing for days, never satisfied by the boiled chicken and Kale from her trainer. The choices were endless, deliciously gorgeous to a starved girls eyes. Chae found herself just… staring, unsure what to even begin with. "Good lord, I'm starving." She muttered, an airy chuckle leaving as she rocked back on her heels. "I don't even know the menu anymore."

Glancing his way, Chaeyoung still couldn't see much of his face. She had no clue how he felt about this sudden invitation; good god, how would it look if they did get noticed? A scandal could ruin them. She hadn't thought much of it when she dialled, but now, here, it was surfacing all at once. The pang of nervousness ached her chest, rattled her hands as they trembled ever so slightly in her pockets - not uncommon, but not lessened by the nervousness. She could only hope, beg internally to some unknown god, that this would not end in a fiery disaster.

@chaeyoung. p 5 am was a promise.
It was a promise of a long day, the paling horizon a promise of a breathtaking sunrise - so subtle in it's change of color and yet already stunningly beautiful. He loved the city at this time of the day. So quiet and serene, barely any living soul outside on the streets. All noises seemed to cease, as if the world was finally coming to a standstill after 4 am. The soft humming of the cars engine was still vibrating through his bones even as he walked down the sidewalk, hands in the pockets of his college jacket, chin and nose securely hidden underneath a black and white checkered mask. His manager had insisted on him wearing a mask even though the possibility of getting recognized was lower than getting hit by lightning at 5 am in the parking lot of a Taco Bell just outside of the city center. It was close to a wonder he was even allowed to be outside... and if he was being honest with himself, it felt weird. Being out here, completely alone and without another member of his band, no manager, no bodyguard... it made him feel oddly vulnerable, no matter how much he sometimes craved his alone-time.

His scalp was still itching under his hood, the normally soft brown strands now crisp with another dye-job that had tinted his hair a dark brown, almost black. It was certainly a change again, something he was used to by now and yet - yet it was always weird to look into the mirror after all the make-up was applied, after they did his hair and adorned him with so much jewelry he thought he was a Christmas tree. It was as if he was looking at another person. An alternate persona, someone not even Minseok knew.
At first he hadn't even understood when people had told him that he would have a stage persona to present to the world and the cameras, the ever screeching sea of faces surrounding him. He was exhausted.
Exhausted of the people watching him, of himself watching him, of the pressure of being perfect and cute and adorable while all of him just wanted to be... like Kyungsoo. Yes, Kyungsoo would be a good choice. Not-ever-giving-a- Kyungsoo. But he wasn't.

The phone call had certainly be a surprise and if he was being honest he hadn't even stopped a second to question where Park Chaeyoung had gotten his number from in the first place. (Probably through a manager - that was basically the only option, seeing as the two of them had hardly ever spoken to each other)
And even though he was perfectly aware that he should definitely /not/ eat a taco at 5 am in the morning, he just couldn't say no. Not when Chaeyoung had sounded so excited, as if she was craving some calories just as much as he did. (He could always just run a couple of miles on the treadmill, right?)

The parking lot was half shrouded in shadows, the only line of street lamps only casting white light across one side of it, just enough for Minseok to be able to avoid the larger puddles scattered across the pavement.
His breath was coming out in little puffs of annoyance as he slipped into one, his black Nike sneaker sinking deep into water and wetting his sock inside. "Ugh.", he made under his breath before he shook his head with a scowl and continued onward, walking straight towards the only other person in the parking lot - undoubtedly Chaeyoung, what with this being their appointed meeting spot.
"Uh.", he made when he was close enough, voice muffled by the face mask he was still wearing. "Chaeyoung? Sorry, I'm a little late. My manager made me recite the entire how-to-avoid-scandals regime before he let me go out. Should we get inside? It's a bit chilly out here."
With a smile that made his eyes crinkle, he reached for the door, pulling it open so she could head inside before him, his other hand still in the pocket of his jacket, clutching his phone out of habit.

@minseok k. Was there ever a bad time for tacos? To Chaeyoung, the answer would be no, but to others, a dreary cornflower grey sky and a drizzly 4:56am craving may have been the exception to that 'any time is taco time' rule. She'd been up a majority of the night, as per usual, unable to sleep even though there were plenty of people to keep the ever frightened girl's paranoia in check. Chae didn't like sleeping at night, she found herself most productive in the evening hours, and the sunrise on Seoul skylines was always worth the minimal hours of sleep. Her body had gotten used to the lack of sleep, instead craving the caffeine she'd just picked up out of a redbull vending machine.

Fixing her hood over her snapback, lengths of chocolate hair falling over her shoulder, Chae took a drink of the fruity wake up she needed, glancing out over the street as her converse stepped through shallow black puddles in the crevices of the parking lot. The hazy scent of rain still hung in the air, the chill of early morning crisping up the late July weather. Taking in a deep breath, Chae exhaled as the thoughts of Autumn crossed her mind; she loved Autumn. Something about the feel, the chill in the breeze and the pumpkin flavored everything, it brought a warmth to her chest, even if still a ways away.

But today was not for Autumn or nostalgia, it was for the simple and impulsive craving. And maybe the stupidly impulsive phone call. They weren't exactly close, of course, being in the kpop world, the two had met backstage and at events but an off hand comment about not having tacos for months had prompted Chaeyoung's first thought when she concluded she was indeed venturing out for food. She had to invite him, at least give the offer, honestly she'd not expected him to agree, but people could surprise you. And she was definitely surprised.

Free hand tucked in her black hoodie pocket, Chae chewed on the inside of her cheek as she awaited by the entrance of the Mexican food chain. She just hoped, without the makeup and trappings, nobody would recognize her. Or at least wouldn't cause a scene if they did. She just needed a break, a sliver of normality after weeks of promotions and stress. A much needed break from everything, and a cheat meal she wouldn't tell anyone about - no calorie counting today, she promised herself, or at least, she hoped as she sipped her drink in wait.

⌂ ᴏᴘᴇɴ