Serendipity 奇缘 - Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Will I make it in time?

* It's time for love... Somebody to love...*

"Hello... Ning..."

"Kiki where are you now?"

"...erm... at home??? I just woke up... What's wrong?"

"WHAT!!!! AT HOME!!!!"

Ning's voice boomed through my handphone.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING??!!!! IT'S TVXQ'S AUTOGRAPH SESSION TODAY AND YOU ARE STILL AT HOME!!!"

"What are you talking about? Isn't the autograph session later in the late afternoon at 4pm??"

"KIKI, WAKE UP!!! DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT TIME IS IT NOW??!!! LOOK AT THE TIME NOW!!!"

I reached lazily over to my alarm clock to take a glimpse at the time.

"OH MY GOSH!!! IT'S 3PM ALREADY!!! Why didn't my alarm clock ring???!!!" I screamed. I had set the time to wake up at 11am, as we had a long night the night before, so I took the day off to rest.

"YEEEESSSSSS! Hurry over now or you'll not make it in time! Don't you remember that they'll be leaving for Korea tonight?!!! Hurry!!"

"Okay, okay, I'm on my way now..."

I threw my mobile into my bag, and ran around the room madly, trying my best to get ready as fast as possible...

After 15 minutes of mad dashing around, I've finally managed to get everything ready as well as myself. I made a final check for my mobile and my album before dashing out of my house.

"Come on... come on.... where are all the cabs when you need them???"

I waved frantically at the cabs going pass, but none were empty. I took a glimpse at my watch. It was already 3.30pm. The autograph session was going to start at 4pm. Desperate, I tried calling for a cab.

"All our operators are busy at the moment. Please hold and we will attend to you shortly." Thank you for calling ABC Cabs." The pre-recorded operator's voice rang through my mobile.

"I can't believe this!!!"

I started running down the road, hoping to have better luck further up. I saw an empty cab driving towards my direction.

"Thank god."

I started running towards it, while frantically waving my hand.

The cab stopped.

Just a few metres before me, and I ran towards it. Just as I was reaching it, a guy came out of nowhere and hopped onto the cab. Furious, I ran up to the cab and banged on the window. The guy wound down the window.

"Excuse me, sir, what do you think you are doing? I hailed this cab first."

"Oh, is it? But I was standing further front of the road than you, so what makes you think the cab stopped for you?" The guy was indignant of my complaints.

"But... but... I was already running towards it..."

"Uncle, can we get going? I'm in a rush here." The guy said to the cabdriver, and started winding up the window.

"Hey... you... can't.... do... this..." I shouted, banging on the window as the cab started driving off.

"AHHHHHHHHHH"

My heel got stuck in the one of the crevices of the drain beside the road, and I tripped and fell. Onto the road.

I was furious.

Not only at myself, but also for not being able to wake up on time.

And also for having such bad luck on such an important day like this.

This is the last day that I can see Jaejoong again before he leaves for Korea. And ALL THESE have to happen TODAY?!! Why am I so unlucky? Why can't I be lucky for once in my lifetime?

I pushed myself up and sat on the side of the road, and gathered my spilled stuff into my bag. I took a look at my mobile. There was a crack across the screen, but it was still working. Next I took a look at my album. The case was cracked from the fall.

Looking at all my messed up stuff, I couldn't help but start feeling sorry for myself. I fought back my tears by blinking them away. I took a look at the time.

It is already 3.45pm.

There is a possibility that they'll be late, all celebrities start their promotional activities late... So I still have some time... Cos they'll be at least 15 minutes late, and with the fans queuing in the front, I still have time...

I tried to stand up.

"OUCH!!!"

I felt an immense pain on my left ankle. I tried to take a few steps but the pain was unbearable, so I sat back down on the side of the road. I took a look at my ankle. It was slightly swollen, I think it's probably a sprained ankle. And on inspection, I realise that my knees were also bleeding from being scratched by the rough road surface when I fell.

I was definitely in no condition to walk around trying to vie for a cab now.

"I have to get there. No matter what... It's the last day... I have to see Jaejoong again before he leaves..."

With this thought in my mind, I bit my lips and pushed myself up into a standing position. My ankle was hurting like crazy. I tried to block the pain out by concentrating on getting a cab. Finally after another 15 minutes, I managed to get a cab.

The time now is 4pm.

I hopped on one foot onto the cab.

"Uncle, I need to get to HMV as soon as possible. Can you please drive as fast as you can?"

"Miss, are you okay? You look like you are in pain..." The cab driver asked.

"I'm okay. Just hurry Uncle."

Once inside the cab, the pain came back and my knees were still bleeding. But I just sat with my hand grasping my bag and wallet tightly, getting ready to pay and hop off as soon as we get there.

*It's time for love... Somebody to love...*

"Hello?"

"KIKI!!! WHERE ARE YOU??? WHY AREN'T YOU HERE YET? THEY'VE ALREADY STARTED THE AUTOGRAPH SESSION!"

"WHAT!!!"

"YES!!! Seems that they have a last minute radio programme that they have to be on before they leave tonight. So they're rushing through this so they'll be on time for the programme."

"I'm on a cab now. You go ahead first. I'll queue at the back myself. See you."

I threw my phone back into my bag.

"Uncle, how much longer before we reach HMV?"

"Erm it's hard to say, I think about 30 minutes or so, cos there's a traffic jam now in the city area. Peak hour... What to do?"

"Oh no... Please just go as fast as you can okay?"

I was now very worried. They could seriously go off before I reached the place if the traffic was bad. I've been stuck in traffic for more than 20 minutes before during peak hour in the city area.

After another 20 minutes...

*It's time for love, somebody to love*

"..Hello..."

"KIKI!!! Have you reached yet? I'm done already...."

"You're done ALREADY!!!"

"Yeah... They are only doing stamping and handshaking... So the queue is moving very fast..."

"Oh gosh I can't believe this..." I thought to myself.

"Where are you now?"

"I'm still stuck in traffic.... I think I'm 5 minutes away, but my cab's not moving..."

"Why don't you just get down and run over?"

"Run over...??"

"YES!!! RUN OVER!!! It'll be faster..."

"...I'm not sure my..."

"Oh gosh I think the last person in the queue has stepped into the mall already... Hurry!!!"

I put down my phone and looked at my swollen ankle.

"Uncle, how much longer before I'll reach HMV?"

"I think another 15 minutes, the traffic is not moving at all..."

"Okay uncle, I'll get off here and walk over... Thanks."

I paid the driver and hopped off the cab. Once I stood on the road on my feet, I felt the pain soar up my entire body.

"*Deep breath* Just do it! You can do it! Come on!" I thought to myself.

I reached down and took off both my heels, and started half-limping, half-running, half-hopping towards HMV, with my heels in my hands.

Needless to say there were loads of people staring at me as I struggled past them.

I was already sweating like mad when I reached HMV, with my shoes in my hand. I struggled into the mall, biting my lips, hoping that they were still there...

And there they were, on stage, stamping and shaking hands with the last five fans.

I struggled half-limping, half-running, half-hopping towards the stage, and rummaged through my bag for my album. The person in charge was staring at me when I walked towards him. I must have looked like a mad woman running along the road without my shoes on, and with bleeding knees.

"Are you okay? You're bleeding..."

"Yes, I'm okay... Can I still go?"

"...Yes..."

I passed the album to the person in charge. I wanted to wear my shoes back, but by now my ankle was already swollen to 1.5 times the size of my original foot, and the shoe didn't fit anymore, so I threw my shoes into my bag and waited for my turn.

I looked at Jaejoong as I waited for my turn. He was smiling while shaking a fan's hand on stage. I bit my lip as another wave of pain soared up from my ankle.

"You can come up now."

That was my cue to step up the stage.

I looked at the steps and felt another jab of pain soar up my body. I took another deep breath, and bit my lip harder.

"Okay." I nodded, and started limping up the steps.

When I reached the top of the stage, I heard someone from the audience shout "Hey you're bleeding!".

I looked down at my knees, and realised that my untreated wounds had been agitated by the running to start forming two "waterfalls" of blood down my legs.

"Your album please."

I passed my cracked album to the person in charge. He looked at me in disbelief, shaking his head, and placed the album onto the table.

I tried to use my bag to cover my bloody knees, and used the side of the table to balance myself as I walked towards them. Jaejoong was shaking the last fan's hand when I was at the table.

U-Know was the first at the table, followed by Xiah, Jaejoong, Max, then Micky.

U-Know smiled when he saw me.

"Hey Kiki... How come you're so late? I thought you're not coming already... Are you okay?" He started stamping my album.

"Sorry I'm late. I was caught in traffic.... Yeah I'm fine...."

He looked up at me after stamping and reached out his hand for me to shake. I struggled a bit to free my right hand to shake his hand.

"See you later yeah? *wink*"

"Yeah..." I limped towards Xiah.

"Kiki!! Are you okay? Why are you limping?" Xiah asked.

I didn't think that they'll notice when I was hiding behind my huge bag and the table. Jaejoong looked at me when he heard that.

"Hi Xiah... I'm fine.. Don't worry...It's just a cramp for standing too long... Just stamp my album and shake my hand... Don't wanna make you guys late for your next appointment..."

Xiah smiled, "Okay... If you say so...", and he reached out his hand for me to shake.

I shoke his hand and tried to walk over to Jaejoong instead of limping. But once I placed my swollen ankle down, the pain made my face wrench. I closed my eyes and took a step forward nevertheless.

I opened my eyes when I stood in front of Jaejoong. He was looking at me worriedly. I forced a smile on my face.

"Hyung... Can you stamp nuna's album so that Micky and I can stamp it too?" Max interupted.

"Max, don't interrupt." Micky nudged Max.

Jaejoong looked at me, and looked down to stamp my album. As he pushed the album over to Max, he realised that my album case was cracked. And he looked up at me.

"Why is this cracked? Did you fall just now? Are you hurt?"

Jaejoong tried to lean forward to try to look at my legs.

"Erm... I dropped the album this morning when I was rushing out, so that's why it's cracked.. I'm fine... I'm fine... Really... I'm okay..." I raised my hands to try to stop him from leaning forward.

"Jaejoong, just shake my hand and let me move on and get down okay... There're a lot of fans around here... And your manager...." I looked consciously at the fans and their manager nearby who were starting to wonder what's taking me so long.

"You sure you are fine?"

"Yes. I'm fine... It's just a cramp... It's nothing serious..."

I extended my hand out to him. He stole a glance at his manager, and shoke my hand with his.

"I'll see you later after this okay? Wait for me at the escalator."

"Okay..."

He withdew his hand and smiled. I moved on to Max.

"Nuna!!! I missed you. Thought you were not coming when I saw Fifi but didn't see you..." Max said excitedly, then stamping my album.

"Me too Max... I thought I almost couldn't make it in time..." I murmured.

"Huh?"

"Nothing..."

He extended out his hand warmly and when I extended my hand, he took it and shoke it roughly and playfully like a child.

"I'll miss you nuna... See you later okay? You're sending us off later right?" Max asked.

Everyone turned and stared at Max as if he had said a foul word. I blinked in surprise at his unexpected question.

"Erm... Kiki, come on over, it's my turn now, Max's taking too long..." Micky pulled the album over and tried to divert the attention to something else.

I started limping over to Micky's side of the table.

"But... I..." Max replied.

"Max!!" U-Know and Xiah chorused.

Micky stamped my album and passed it back to me. I smiled and placed it into my bag. Then he extended his hand out, and I took it.

"Thanks for everything... You've been great to have around..." He smiled while he shoke my hand.

"Don't mention it. I'm just being a host to foreign guests... So sorry that I haven't been a really good host..."

"No... You've been a GREAT host... We.. We ALL... love you..."

"YES WE DO!!" Max interrupted.

"Ha ha... Especially Max here, as you can see... Ha ha..."

I smiled. They were such warm, friendly, and down-to-earth guys. You won't believe that they were celebrities.

"Yes... I know... Thanks... Max... And thanks... Micky..."

I turned to step off the stage. As my hand left the table, my weight fell back onto my two feet, and a jab of sharp pain shot up from my swollen ankle. I limped slowly towards the steps. When I reached the steps, Fifi was already there waiting for me, as like the rest of the audience, she had seen my bloody knees and swollen ankle.

"Are you okay? Don't tell me you ran here like this???!!!! You're bleeding like crazy... And your ankle is so... "

"SHHHH... Don't let Jaejoong hear you..."

I turned to take a look at Jaejoong. The host had gathered them at the front of the stage to say a few last words to the fans before leaving. I turned back to Fifi.

"Shouldn't you be seeing a doctor or something now?"

"It's okay. It's not that bad. Just let me go clean up the blood before Jaejoong sees it. Can you help me to the restroom?"

"*sign* okay..."

I hopped towards the restroom with Fifi as my support. Jaejoong stole a glance at the crowd as the host was speaking to the others, and he saw us hurrying off to the restroom.