Fan Service [Chan]

Chapter 4

Once in the lobby, I realized that Chan still had my phone. I couldn't call an Uber, and I had no idea where I was.

I headed to the employee at the desk and asked how I could get to my hotel. They informed me that there was a shuttle bus that left from the hotel every ten minutes or so and that it would take me back to the area near the venue.

I thanked them and went outside to wait for the bus. I sat on a bench just out of view of the lobby in case Chan came to find me and tried to drag me back upstairs.

Dozens of people in Stray Kids merch walked past me. They giggled at my outfit and one forgot to turn her flash off as she took a picture of my boots.

I sighed but said nothing. I just wanted to get back to Mana. I'd have to worry about my phone later.

The group that walked inside squealed loudly at whatever or whoever they saw. I was pretty sure I knew who it was, and I took a deep breath before peaking around the corner. Chan was being mobbed by fans. They were forcing him to take selfies, and he had on a fake smile for them as he held up peace sign after peace sign.

I could see the bus down the street and bounced anxiously while I waited for it to pull up. Once it did, I hopped up the steps and turned to see Chan glaring at me. I waved goodbye with a winning smile and took a seat.

I watched as he pushed some of the fans aside and ran out of the hotel after me, but the bus had already begun to move. I stared at him as we pulled away, and watched as he was attacked by more fans and camera flashes.

I sighed in relief.

I'd made it.

When the driver pulled up to the venue, I hopped off and sprinted to my hotel despite the pain in my feet. Mana was not going to believe what I'd gone through.

It only took a few minutes for me to get back, and, the second I got inside, I began processing everything and ripping off my shoes.

"Ella!" she shouted when I walked through the door. "What happened? I've been texting you?"

"They...took...my phone," I breathed. I was pretty sure I had PRd my quarter mile on the run over from the bus stop.

"Why?"

"Water," I heaved with a cough as I fell to the floor to catch my breath.

She handed me a bottle, and I chugged half of it before answering. "So that I couldn't secretly record them."

"Them? You met them!" Her eyes lit up in excitement.

"Yes, I did, but they're nothing like the interviews."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, Felix is the same. He's super nice and very pretty. But Chan," I groaned as I recalled the way he had treated me with such discontent. I might as well have been a cockroach crawling on him.

"Was he that hot?" she asked, confusing my annoyance for lust.

"No. Well, yes, but that's not what I'm talking about. He was horrible," I complained.

"How? Did he hurt you?" her tone was threatening.

"No, nothing like that. He was just so rude."

"How? He always seems so sweet in interviews."

"I know. He's my bias...was my bias."

"Was?" her eyes widened as if that was the most shocking piece of news she'd received.

"Well, not anymore. He made fun of my shoes. He seemed annoyed that I was there even though I offered to leave. My prize was having a drink with him since I'd listed him as my bias, and, since he obviously didn't want to do that, I tried to switch who I drank with, and he yelled at me."

Her mouth dropped open in shock. "He yelled at you?"

"Yes! I argued back, but I could never look at him the same way again. All I'll ever see is how disgusted he looked when he stared at me."

Mana put her arm around me. "I'm sorry, Ella."

"Thanks," I slumped into her as I took a seat at the foot of the bed.

"So..." she began. "What was Lee Know like?"

"Quiet. He didn't say anything. Neither did Han, I.N., or Changbin. Most of them were probably too tired after the performance to entertain someone for another hour. Hyunjin complimented my boots though."

"A fashion compliment from the prince of kpop?" she nudged me trying to lighten my mood.

"I know," I smiled, that had probably been the highlight of my evening.

"What about Seungmin?"

I recalled the way he laughed when I stood up for myself. "He's exactly how he seems."

I told her about my standing on the bench and she nearly fell off of the bed from laughing so hard.

"And then what?"

"And then the bus jerked, and I fell into Chan," I howled, and she had tears falling from her eyes.

"I bet he was pissed!"

"Oh, he was!"

"Well, I'm sorry he turned out to be so mean."

I shrugged. "It's okay. I got to keep Felix's jacket."  I huddled into it and smiled.

"True! Sucks you have to get a new phone though," she frowned.

"My address was on the form. Maybe they'll just send it back."

"Maybe," she replied. She looked over at the clock and saw it was 4 am. "You have to be up in like 4 hours."

"I need to head down to the hotel's business office to print off my ticket first because I can't use the one that was on my phone anymore."

She yawned and threw me a thumbs-up as she crawled into bed.

"Can you set an alarm for me?" I asked.

She nodded, and I headed off in search of the business office. It was pretty easy to find since the lobby had signs for it everywhere.

Within minutes I was back upstairs with my ticket in hand. Mana was snoring away, and I got ready for bed quietly so as not to disturb her. It was 5 before I finally settled in for my couple of hours of sleep.