Shin Woo walked along a row of boutiques and fashion stores. There was no special occasion, nor did he have a date. He just wanted to be by himself, so that he decided to put on his hat and thick-rimmed glasses and go out.
"Have you seen their new music video?"
"Hey, I heard Kim Han Ji is coming back to Korea! Jeremy must be so happy~"
Shin Woo overheard some girls talking in front of ANJELL's latest advertisement, an endorsement for a men's clothing line.
They had the photo shoot just last week, and he couldn't help but chuckle to himself as he remembered how the designer on the set insisted that they exposed their abs for the photos. If it were only him, Tae Kyung, and Jeremy, it would be alright. But then, there was Go Mi Nam. They had to make all sorts of excuses. In the end, the demanding designer compromised by having Shin Woo and Jeremy wear their polos open, while Tae Kyung and Mi Nam wore buttoned up suits.
"Go Mi Nam is becoming more and more handsome as he stays longer in the group!" one fan squealed.
Shin Woo smiled to himself as he walked by, going completely unnoticed.
Maybe I'll have some ice cream before I go home, Shin Woo thought to himself, remembering that day when he followed Go Mi Nam down the famous Myeongdong Street.
It had been a month since Kim Han Ji left, and since then, seeing Han Ji's good intentions for Tae Kyung and Mi Nam, Shin Woo had also come to accept that Mi Nam would be happy with Tae Kyung. Not that Shin Woo would stop being a good Hyung to Mi Nam. He just thought that less effort and more appreciation for what Mi Nam brings to the group would be the key to his moving on.
Shin Woo entered the ice cream shop inconspicuously. He took a seat in the corner table and waited for a waitress to take his order. After ordering, he looked around, quite satisfied with how successful he was in hiding his identity.
His food arrived quickly. He was just about to take his first spoonful of creamy strawberry chocolate ice cream when a girl entered the shop. She was wearing a fitted plain black shirt and jeans, as well as a pair of rubber shoes. She had her brown hair pulled back in a ponytail, and wore no accessories except for a pair of pearl earrings.
Shin Woo would have ignored the stranger, except that she came up to his table and, for some weird reason, knew that the man sitting there was, in fact, Shin Woo.
"Kang Shin Woo-sshi," said the girl, holding out an ANJELL CD and a marker.
"She knew it was you?" a sleepy Jeremy asked.
Shin Woo had just told them about the peculiar girl who asked for his autograph in the ice cream shop. It was three in the afternoon. Mi Nam had just come back from visiting her aunt, while Tae Kyung was taking a break from polishing a new song he was writing. Jeremy had just woken up from his afternoon nap.
"But – but how?" said Jeremy again, wiping his eyes as he did so.
After Han Ji left, it seemed like the Jeremy who knelt in front of her and proposed with an elegant diamond ring vanished entirely, to be replaced by the usual child-like, naïve Jeremy.
"Shin Woo Hyung! You don't think she's a – a stalker, do you?" said the blonde, shivering at the thought. Shin Woo laughed.
"I'm sure she's just a very sharp fan to have noticed it was me when no one else did."
"Shin Woo Hyung is very appreciative of his fans," said Mi Nam, beaming at Shin Woo. Tae Kyung, as usual, noticed this and diverted Mi Nam's attention to him.
"Go Mi Nam," he said haughtily. "Are you done practicing your solo song for our new album?"
"Ah – I've practiced it, though I will again tomorrow, Hyung-nim," Mi Nam answered innocently. Now that she was smiling at Tae Kyung, the band leader was satisfied.
Shin Woo smiled to himself and got off the couch.
"I'll be making us some tea," he said, proceeding to the kitchen.
"Ya, Shin Woo Hyung!" Jeremy yelled, following him. "The author of that fanfic I was reading finally updated! You find out that Tae Kyung Hyung and I have a relationship!"
Shin Woo winced but all the same laughed at how Jeremy could yell about such things just like that.
"Yes?" Shin Woo answered the girl. She was holding out an ANJELL CD and a marker when she said his name, but made no other movement or noise.
"I – I – can I please," the girl stuttered upon being addressed. "Can I have your autograph?"
Shin Woo smiled.
"Sure."
"Thank you!"
He took the CD and marker.
"What's your name?" he asked. He didn't usually address fans when signing their things, but since she was the only one around, Shin Woo guessed it wouldn't hurt to do so.
"Ran," answered the girl. Shin Woo waited for a full name, but the girl did not speak again, so he proceeded to write.
Ran,
Thank you!
Please continue to support ANJELL!
Sincerely, Kang Shin Woo
Shin Woo closed the CD case and handed it to the girl. The girl took it and bowed one last time with a small "Thank you," and then left hurriedly.
Only after she had left the ice cream shop did Shin Woo realize that she left her marker. He looked at it for a while, and then put it in his pocket. He doubted he would see the fan again, but decided to keep it anyway.
"Why do we need to go here so late again?" asked Jeremy as he and the rest of ANJELL got off their van.
It was already 6 PM, but they were called to an urgent meeting by no less than the AN Entertainment president himself.
"President Ahn said he had something important to tell us," said Tae Kyung. He was the one who talked to the president on the phone.
As they entered the building, they saw Manager Ma and Coordinator Wang going up the stairs with another person, a female, they didn't know. The three proceeded to the corridor leading to President Ahn's office.
"Who's that?" Tae Kyung whispered to Shin Woo, wary of strangers. Shin Woo, having no idea himself, just shrugged as they climbed the stairs as well.
When they reached the corridor, they found Manager Ma and the girl, as Coordinator Wang went to her own office. Now that they were nearer, Shin Woo realized that he had seen the girl before.
"Mi Nam-ah, how are you?" Manager Ma said, turning to the newest (and only female) member of ANJELL.
Before Mi Nam could answer, President Ahn emerged from his office in a jolly mood as usual.
"There you all are!" he exclaimed, clapping Manager Ma on the back. "Ya, you're all here. Have you already been introduced?" the president continued, pointing to the members of ANJELL and to the girl. Both parties shook their heads.
"Ran, I'm sure you know them," said President Ahn, looking at the new girl.
They were now all seated in the president's office. The girl nodded.
"Well, guys," started President Ahn, looking at the band members this time with a smile. "This is Ran. She will be joining your production team."
"Ran?" Tae Kyung repeated.
"Oh, it's Haruno Ran, Hwang Tae Kyung-sshi," said Ran, bowing politely to the boys.
"Haruno?" Jeremy echoed.
"Ran is half Japanese," explained Manager Ma. "She grew up in Japan, but she has been in Korea for about four years now."
"What will she be doing in the team?" Shin Woo asked.
He smiled at Ran to hint that he recognized her. Ran, however, nervously bowed in return.
"That brings us to my announcement," answered President Ahn, turning serious. "As you know, Kim Han Ji's Asian tour is ongoing. Now, during the tour period, we have some matters to settle with respect to coinciding contracts and such. For that, I will have to go on the road with her team."
Mi Nam and the others sat silently, absorbing President Ahn's statement.
"In the mean time, while I am away, Manager Ma will be fully responsible and in charge of your activities and projects. The work will be difficult and enormous, so that we decided to promote Ran to have an extra hand," said the boss, winking at Ran as he did so. "Basically, she will be performing the tasks of an assistant manager."
"Assistant manager?" Tae Kyung spoke again in a rather cynical tone. "What do you mean 'promote'? She's just, what, a highschooler?"
Ran could not help but chuckle at the remark. Jeremy caught her eye, however, so that she stopped almost instantly.
"What Tae Kyung means is that you look young for such a job," explained Shin Woo, still smiling.
"Ran is roughly as old as Mi Nam and has been with the company for a few months now," said Manager Ma. "She just looks young."
"So, I will be leaving certain documents for you to review while I am away. Manager Ma and Ran will take care of you four, alright?" President Ahn concluded, making a toothy grin.
"Haruno Ran-sshi," Shin Woo called after the meeting. Everyone was filing out of President Ahn's office and Ran was the last to go out. Shin Woo waited discreetly until everyone was walking ahead well out of earshot.
"Kang Shin Woo-sshi," Ran replied, bowing before resuming her pace.
"Assistant Manager, huh," said Shin Woo, smiling. "So that's why you knew it was me even with the disguise."
"I've seen Shin Woo-sshi wear it a number of times already," Ran explained, bowing her head in apology.
"Why ask for my autograph there, though?"
"Well, it's not allowed here at work to ask for celebrities' autographs," the girl answered sheepishly.
"Shin Woo Hyung," Jeremy called. "We're going to get dinner now!"
"Coming!" Shin Woo yelled back.
He turned to Ran, gave a bow, and then winked and walked to the rest of the band, who were waiting at the van.
New fic! Wrote this on a whim so forgive any errors, I plan to edit and refine later. Reviews and comments please! Kamsahamnida! :D
