"Get up!"
Shin Woo frowned and rolled over. He pulled the pillow off his face and looked up into the face of his irate band leader. He rubbed his face then threw that arm over his head to look at Tae Kyung.
The older man was fuming mad. His face was almost as red as the shirt he was wearing. His nostrils were flaring out and Shin Woo swore that he saw smoke coming out of his ears. He finally sat up and looked at his friend.
"Why are there pictures of you and Jaye all over the internet?" Tae Kyung demanded as he tossed his tablet onto the bed.
Shin Woo took it and flipped through all the pictures. There wasn't anything too revealing, just him hanging out with a friend. But he couldn't help notice that in the pictures Jaye was really gorgeous. It could have been the way she looked at him with so much trust and assurance. There were more of the two of them holding hands and looking quite comfortable.
"What's wrong with this?" he asked.
"Are you two exclusive? Are you just hanging out with each other? What is going on that you have been photographed like this?"
Shin Woo sighed as he got up. He walked to the bathroom and Tae Kyung followed him, standing in the doorway as he brushed his teeth and washed his face. He had a right to be aggravated but wasn't this going a little over board?
"I don't mind you being close to her, but pulling her into publicity like this. She's never liked it. It's why I've never really pushed for it when she's told me that she didn't want to do anything. Just honor her wishes, and don't hurt her," Tae Kyung said.
Shin Woo finally straightened his backbone. He tossed his toothbrush back into its container. "I'm not the one who hurt her with a thoughtless comment."
Tae Kyung stared at him as he pulled clothes from the closet. Shin Woo glanced at him briefly before deciding that he needed to get dressed. The lead singer was already ready to go and if he went to the other side of the house the others were ready as well.
Shin Woo wasn't sure what annoyed him the most. The fact that Tae Kyung was annoyed at the pictures or that he had no clue what thoughtless comment to which he was referring. Tae Kyung said so many things that it was obvious he wouldn't remember them all, especially when it came to the people closest to him.
He went downstairs and found Mi nam, Jeremy, Hee Yi, and Mi Nyo in the kitchen. Melissa had already gone back to Britain but would be returning in a month. But it didn't affect Jeremy in the least. He was still as upbeat as ever. Nothing really bothered him and if it did, he never let on.
They all filed out to the car. Shin Woo put his headphones in and looked at the notebook he had been carrying around for the last week. He read over the words scribbled in English and Korean. Half the song was already written but something had stopped them in the middle. They were both stumped by something that should be very simple.
They reached the television station and were immediately taken to the green room for makeup and hair. Tae Kyung and Shin Woo sat on opposite ends of the room and refused eye contact. One was thinking of what his friend had been talking about and the other's thoughts were focused on the lyrics.
With two minutes to show time, they were escorted to the studio and positioned just behind the sliding doors. They could hear the hundreds of screaming fans but they couldn't touch them. They were waiting for the hosts to finish their introduction of the show, but it left them nervous to be back on TV for the first time in eighteen months.
Finally they were given their cue and wlaked out on stage. Everyone was on their feet. It didn't matter the age. Everyone seemed to enjoy A.N. Jell. After five minutes they were finally able to take their seats.
The first few questions were normal: what was their inspiration for the album, who wrote most of the songs and music, and what was the meaning behind the new edgy sound? The new album was a little more rocky and edgy thanks to the guitar riffs Shin Woo had come up with on the spur of the moment that Tae Kyung had agreed to.
Things were smooth until they opened the floor for fan questions. Most of them were centered towards Tae Kyung and Mi Nam since they were considered the looks of the group, leaving Jeremy and Shin Woo to whisper to each other.
But there was always one person who had to ruin a mood. She was at the very back of the crowd and wasn't very tall, but she wielded the mike with deadly accuracy.
"I have a question for Shin Woo. Everyone has been upfront with their personal lives, telling who they are dating out of respect for their fans. But you have kept your girlfriend secret until now. Why is that?'
Shin Woo fought the urge to frown and narrow his eyes. He knew the question was going to up, but he didn't anticipate there to be so much poison behind it.
"I don't have a girlfriend. The woman in the pictures is a friend of mine and Tae Kyung's. We were just hanging out last night when those pictures were taken," he replied.
The emcee took it from there. "I saw those pictures and they look very convicting. That woman looks like she's completely in love and your look doesn't deny it."
"I don't have a girlfriend. We're just very comfortable with each other."
Suddenly there was a picture of Jaye on the monitor before them. For the first time, Tae Kyung and Shin Woo shared alarmed looks. The picture really did look like they were a couple in love, but he knew exactly what they were about to ask.
"Now that is some really blond hair. Is that natural or dyed?"
Tae Kyung took the lead. "It's completely natural. I've known that woman for most of my life and she's always had blond hair. If she were here, you would see bright blue eyes to match it."
"So she's not Korean?"
"No, she's an American that came to Korea to study and just never left. She has to go back from time to time to renew her green card, but she's lived here for the last few years."
The emcee looked back at Shin Woo. "Are you sure you two aren't dating?'
Shin Woo smiled. "I'm positive we're not dating. There are probably going to be more photos like these so please understand that we're just friends. If things change, I will let you know immediately. I'm not hiding her."
The crowd was mixed with disapproval and acceptance but that's how it always was in the life of a rock star. He remembered what had happened when Tae Kyung had first made a public statement. The fans had already known he was seeing Mi Nyo because of the concert in which he hugged her in front of 15,000 fans. Mi Nam and Jeremy had faired a little better.
The interview wrapped up and they were escorted back to the green room. They grabbed their belongings and went out to the car. Shin Woo checked his phone for any messages and found he had one voice mail. He hit the button and put the earpiece up to her ear.
"Shin, it's Jaye. I know you're wrapping up your interview, but call me once you get done. I had some reporters come to my door this morning."
She didn't sound alarmed but he knew it had unnerved her. The last thing she wanted was to have her name in the press for having anything other than being known as a lyricist. Any scandal would force her to stop her dreams.
He pressed his speed dial and put the phone back to his ear. "It's Shin. What about reporters coming to your door this morning? What happened?" He saw Tae Kyung look sharply at him, and he held up his finger to quell his questions.
"They somehow found my name and address because of those photos. They were let in by one of the other tenets and were camped out in front of my door when I walked out to go to work this morning. Luckily my boss banned them from entering the shop but they're still outside my work. I have lessons this evening, and I'm pretty sure the kids' parents don't want their pictures taken." Even on the phone she sounded calm. He could hear the noise of a busy café in the background so she had to be on break at work.
"They didn't touch you did they?"
"Other than the normal pushing as they tried to push their way to the front to get a picture, no. They didn't touch me. Jin banned them after I walked through the door so I've had the usual noise and touching."
"As long as you're safe."
Tae Kyung wrenched the phone from his hand and pressed it to his ear. "Are you sure you're fine? No one touched you in an untoward manner?" He made a face when she obviously told him off. "I still stand by the fact that I punched that jerk in the face for groping you even if you could have handled it. Now back to the topic at hand. I'll send a car for you after work. What do you mean no?"
Shin Woo laughed at the argument that his friend wasn't going to win. Tae Kyung may have near absolute authority when it came to the bad and making music, but Jaye gave him a run for his money. She obviously exasperated him with her stubbornness that matched his. She was a lot nicer though.
He handed the owner his phone with a look of superb annoyance. Shin Woo looked at the screen and saw it was still connected. "It's me."
Jaye sighed on the other end and cursed slightly. "I don't think it's safe to work at my house for the time being. Photographers will stake it out until they get something gossip worthy."
"The studio and our house are out as well," he added.
"That leaves a hotel. My dad's a prime member at one of the best ones in the city. I'll call and tell him I'm using his points to book a suite. He's always telling me to do what I like."
"All right. That sounds good to me."
"Then it's decided. I'll text you the room and key number. I have to get back to work. See you tonight." She ended the phone call after that.
He rubbed his forehead, completely annoyed with the turn of events. He had known that the pictures were going to be a cause of interest, but he didn't think the photographers were going to find her as fast they had. He thought they had at least a couple of days before they found her.
"You can't work at her house anymore," Tae Kyung mirrored his thoughts and the conversation.
"I know. We're making plans. I'll let you know what's going on when she tells me," he replied.
"Thank you for not chewing my head off anymore. I understand what you meant when you said thoughtless comment. Jaye never says anything so I never know what she thinks. She just smiles and goes on."
"It seems most of the time she lets what you say slide, but it's those little thoughtless things that build up." He looked over at his leader and band mate. "Just continue working on our album. I'll take care of Jaye. If something comes out of it, you can't complain."
He could see that it killed Tae Kyung to give up control but he couldn't focus on the album and Shin Woo's scandal. Shin Woo was supposed to be writing a song with Jaye but now they had to do it in a secluded area with plenty of security. He hated that as much as Tae Kyung did but it was how it was going to have to work.
When they got home, he went straight to his room and replaced his dirty clothes with clean ones. He wasn't going to be able to come home for a few days. Once he was packed all he had left was the waiting game.