My Summer in Seoul

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Love Shot

Grace

My feelings didn't matter today.

Today they were on the comeback stage.

And I was nervous as hell, as much as I wanted to slap Lucas across his perfect face—I knew that this was important. My texts with Lucas made me want to vomit but the point was, I said my peace, he kind of said his and it was what it was. I mean I couldn't fix it. He hurt me, I hurt him somehow, it just...was a thing. I promised myself I'd work my ass off, take a few deep breaths and just make it work.

Their first real live performance before their schedule exploded all over the place. This performance would be what everyone judged them on.

The fact that it was live stressed me out, not because they hadn't already done it but because behind the scenes, I knew every single move that stressed the members out.

So, watching it was extra nerve-wracking.

The outfits were a bit different.

Everyone was in black.

They all had a red lip gloss on with dark eye makeup and contacts in making them look other-worldly.

Sookie was doing jumping jacks next to me.

Rae was doing push-ups.

Lucas was pacing, color me shocked.

Jay was staring at his phone like it was pissing him off.

And Kai was flirting with Solia.

Even though she was attempting not to look like she was responding, I could feel their sexual tension from where I was standing ten feet away.

Lucas still wasn't talking to me.

And I figured he'd just written me off almost the same way he'd decided he was interested. Maybe he was one of those guys who could just bury their emotions and choose to feel when they wanted to.

Whatever.

I couldn't babysit both his feelings and mine, not when I was so stressed out my chest hurt.

"Five minutes," Uncle Siu announced as he walked into the room rubbing his hands together. He spoke in Korean next.

I only imagined he was asking if everyone was ready.

I gave them their space and walked backstage, where Dae-Jung was already standing looking ready to puke.

"You okay?" I asked.

He waved me off. "A lot is riding on this comeback."

"Please don't remind me, I might need to go buy more Tums."

"Tums?"

"How long have you been away from the States?" I joked. "Antacids. I'm probably going to go down in history for the youngest girl to get ulcers after this job is over."

"It should be fine." His handsome face truly had paled.

I elbowed him. "Jay's gonna kill it."

He relaxed a bit, his smile secretive, proud. "He always does."

"So?"

"Let me be outrageously extra right now, okay?" His eyes met mine. "Did you sleep last night?

Ugh, Kai had asked the same thing, followed by Sookie pointing at my eyes—that was fun—and Jay then offering to give me his eye cream, and lastly, Rae telling me to go sit like I was eighty.