To Kiss An Idol

His mind kept going to his phone. He grabbed his phone and checked for messages. There was none. He opened the group chat. The last message was from Jae-Hwa asking Nivritti about her leg. But Nivritti never replied. He opened the details of that message. Everyone had seen it except Nivritti.

He sat up with a jerk. “Everyone saw it except her?” he was shocked. She didn’t even see the message. How busy was she? And doing what? She was not even allowed to walk. What was she busy with? He checked for every message sent in the group. Everyone had seen and read the messages except Nivritti. She had not seen a single message that was sent to the group.

“Something is wrong!” he said. He bit his lips and kept clenching his one fist in frustration. He was never the one to initiate the conversation but now he would have to break that rule. He typed “good night” and sent that message to Nivritti.

He kept staring at his phone for minutes. The message was sent but was not delivered. “What is happening?” He jumped from his bed and opened his closet. He changed into a hoodie and grabbed his mask.

Suddenly his phone chimed, and a smile appeared on his face. He thought Nivritti replied to him. He ran to his phone and immediately unlocked it. He was disappointed to see that the message was from Jae-Hwa scolding Nivritti for not replying. “Where are you Ritti? Why are you not replying?”

Young-Chul started breathing heavily as his mind started forming scenarios about accidents that could have befallen Nivritti. Not a night went by, that she didn’t message him. Even though he never replied to her, she always replied to him except the night that she didn’t message him in anger.

But she promised that she would never stop messaging him. She said that even if he didn’t reply to him, she will keep sending him messages. At least that night, the messages were delivered to her phone but tonight, it was not even being delivered to her.

Young-Chul opened the door and every member of ASD was standing at their doorstep. All opened the door at the same time with their phones in their hands. All looked at each other, everyone was in their pyjamas except Young-Chul.

.....

“Okay, why is no one asleep?” asked Korain.

“Why are you not sleeping?” asked Jeong-Eun.

“Why is she not replying? I told her we will make a group. Why is she not replying?” shouted Jung-Hwa.

“Why are you dressed like this?” asked Korain to Young-Chul.

“She has not sent a good night message to me. Something is wrong,” Young-Chul was on the verge of hyperventilating.

“Good night?” inquired Jeong-Eun.

“After she heard about my depression, she has been sending messages to me every night. It has been one of the reasons I sleep well. I want my message!!” shouted Young-Chul.

“Okay, okay, maybe she is sleeping, she forgot, she was tired, there are a number of reasons. You cannot go to someone’s house at this hour,” justified Him-Chan.

Suddenly everyone’s phone chimed together. All immediately checked their phone. All collectively clenched their jaws and stared at Thae. It was a message from Thae saying, “Ritti! Reply back, now!!”

“What?” he asked innocently.

“We all could have done that, GENIUS!!” shouted Jung-Hwa.

“No need messages are not being delivered to her. She has not seen or read any of the messages sent in the group,” explained Young-Chul.

“You checked that?” asked Kyung-Soo, worried.

“Yes, every single message. Something is wrong,” yelled Young-Chul.

“But MY, you guys dropped her off at her house,” said Korain.

“Hyung! I don’t know, okay. I don’t know. All I know is she always sends me a goodnight message. I want my message. She berated everyone for not sending reports about me, she scolded me for not replying to her, now it’s her turn,” shouted Young-Chul and started walking out of the house.

“Wait! You are not allowed to drive,” shouted Korain.

“I will drive you,” shouted Kyung-Soo and ran towards him.

“I am coming too,” shouted Jung-Hwa.

“Me too,” said Him-Chan.

“No one is going anywhere except NK and MY. My needs to check on her and he needs someone to drive him. All others are staying put,” ordered Korain.

“But Hyung,” protested Him-Chan.

“Do you think four men barging into a woman’s apartment this late at night is good?” asked Korain. “My God! You just said that,” shouted Korain.

“Right, sorry,” apologised Him-Chan.

“Don’t worry, I will inform you all the moment I reach her house,” said Young-Chul. Kyung-Soo grabbed his car key and walked with Young-Chul. Kyung-Soo didn’t even change his clothes. He just came out in slippers and his silk pyjamas.

All the boys came out near the garage to see Young-Chul and Kyung-Soo drive away.

“Oh, is she alright?” asked Jung-Hwa, sadly.

“She will be fine,” Korain wrapped his arms around Jung-Hwa and gave him a back hug.

“Since she met us, since she came to K&Q, she has been in pain, Hyung,” sniffled Jung-Hwa. two water drops fell on Korain’s arms.

“Are you…” Korain turned Jung-Hwa around and confirmed his suspicions. He was indeed crying. “Are you crying?”

“First, this idiot scolded her and made her cry,” Jung-Hwa pointed at Thae. “Then NK hyung scolded her in the copy room, then she got hurt saving Jae, she was hurt but concentrated on saving me, getting me out of there, then she had to fight with her own department for me and Jae, we triggered her cynophobia, she had to go see a therapist, even when she was dealing with her fear, she made sure MY hyung was okay, and then NK hyung had to fight with her making her hurt her toe. She was hurt, and in pain yet she ordered chocolates for us. Every time she always thinks of us, not her pain,” sobbed Jung-Hwa and threw himself in Korain’s arms.

Korain immediately hugged his little brother and patted his back. “It’s okay, JJ. Some people are born angels. They always think about others no matter how much pain they are in. And God looks after them. I am sure she is fine. There must be a problem with her phone. MY will call us saying that she is fine, mark my words.”

“Yes, JJ, she is fine, I know it,” Him-Chan sniffled.

“Stop crying everyone, you are making me cry,” shouted Thae.

“Everyone, let’s go inside and wait for MY hyung to call,” said Jeong-Eun.

“He is right,” said Korain and pushed everyone inside the house.

Kyung-Soo drove as fast as he could. His heart was beating out of his chest. He was breathing heavily. He just wanted to ditch the car and ran to Nivritti. Somehow, he was feeling that the car was delaying him. He wanted to see Nivritti as soon as possible. If something would have happened to her, he would just die.

Young-Chul glanced at Kyung-Soo and placed his hand over his shoulder. “Just concentrate on the road. Don’t think about that. We will find out soon enough,” said Young-Chul. Kyung-Soo looked at him and nodded.

“Do you have a mask in the car?” asked Young-Chul.

“I might have one, look in the glove compartment,” gulped Kyung-Soo. His throat felt like thrones were sticking out of it. It was getting difficult for him to gulp. His lips, his mouth, his throat, everything felt dry.

Even though the AC in the car was on, he was feeling hot. He opened the window and let the air in. He exhaled and inhaled for minutes trying to calm himself down. Young-Chul was busy looking for a mask in the glove compartment. Finally, he found one.

Their car reached Nivritti’s building and as it was late at night, the parking area was almost full. Kyung-Soo had to drive all around to find an empty space. “How many cars are here?” shouted Young-Chul in frustration. “here!” he handed a mask to Kyung-Soo.

“We are here, she is fine, we are here, she is fine,” Kyung-Soo kept repeating and parked the car like a pro.

“Who is supposed to calm whom?” mumbled Young-Chul.

Both the men were sweating due to worry. It was getting difficult for them to breathe. Suddenly Young-Chul’s phone rang. It was Him-Chan. “Did you guys reach her house?” Him-Chan asked.

“Just reached her parking area. Will call you after we enter her house,” replied Young-Chul, urgently.

“Okay, okay,” said Him-Chan and disconnected the call.

Both Young-Chul and Kyung-Soo jumped out of the car and ran up the stairs to Nivritti’s apartment. They skipped several stairs in hurry and breathing heavily, they reached her door.

Young-Chul pressed the doorbell but there was no reply. He was growing impatient, he kept pressing her bell unable to hear any sounds from inside.

“Oh, move!” shouted Kyung-Soo and pressed the code in the keypad. He flung the door open, and both ran inside.