The Prince of K-Pop || Bang Chan FF

Chapter Eight

          Naty spent the rest of the morning lying to her friends. California turned to Oregon while Chan turned to a mystery figure that worked for the government—some government. She was able to—at length—explain the events of the evening. The group was torn between leaving and using all the amenities the hotel had to offer. Naty explained that, for now, she wanted to stay.

          By the time 9 a.m. had rolled around she had already received breakfast and her drycleaned clothes. It was Ashley at the door with a much friendlier attitude. Naty opened the door with the same smile she used earlier, "Good morning!"

          "Good morning," Ashley returned the enthusiasm, "I see there's no hard feelings from last night."

          "Nah, you're just doing your job," Naty shrugged, stepping aside so the woman could enter.

          "Oh, there's no time to chat. I'm bringing you to your massage," Ashley's eyes glanced inside as if searching for Chan or any remnants of him.

          Naty grabbed hers shoes then exited the room, "He's not in there."

          "I know," the woman smirked before turning down the hall toward the elevator, "Listen, everything we said last night still applies but I want to apologize for how rude we were. I mean, Tara doesn't care but I feel a little bad."

          "Thank you. I appreciate the apology. Last night was pretty heavy," Naty sighed.

          The two entered the elevator and once the door closed, Ashley continued to speak, "I know Chris went to see you this morning. Don't bother denying it. I caught him sneaking back into his room and I could smell his cologne at the door."

          Naty didn't say a word.

          "I need you to understand something," Ashley looked to Naty with seriousness, "We aren't parents discipling their child. We are employees doing a job that we will not compromise. This is a big moment for Stray Kids. These individuals have been working toward this their whole life. We won't let any of them throw that away."

          "I hear you. I'm not here to mess that up. I'm staying out of this. There's no fighting from me," Naty hoped the woman believed her.

          Ashley sighed as they reached the spa level, "I'm inclined to believe you. Not by your words but your actions. I spent all yesterday combing through your account and the only mention of Chris was a mystery guy you went on a date with in Greece. You promote Stray Kids a normal amount without mentioning any hidden meaning. Your content is consistent—even if you do talk about BTS a little too much. You've not made a single story or comment since being here. Maintain that energy."

          "I will," Naty made sure to meet the woman's eye as she made her declaration.

          "Good. I'll be back to get you. Enjoy your spa day."

          With that the woman was gone.

          The spa day was lovely and helped to lessen some of the knots the night before had created. Even the walk with Ashley was pleasant. Yet, every moment was just filler until she could see her dear friend.

          Naty had begun dreaming again. This time not of a romantic relationship—he had made that clear in the morning—but of a time when they could actually hangout. The dinner a year ago felt like such a distant memory but one that brought her hope. They had done it before and could certainty do it again.

          Five o'clock came and with it the time to meet Fred out in the hotel lobby. Naty made sure to wear something that was cute and comfortable but wouldn't make her look like a seductress. She had been half tempted to wear "the dress" but knew it would not be needed for this trip.