Hobi wandered out of the coffee shop. As he sipped his coffee, he realized how hungry he was. He was supposed to meet the guys in an hour in the hotel lobby. They were headed to the stadium to practice for tonight’s concert. But he was famished. He looked around for somewhere to eat. There was a little diner on the next corner. Perhaps he’d stop in there…
A few moments later, he pushed the door open and asked for a booth. A waitress came and took his order. Hobi licked his lips. He was looking forward to eating that steaming pile of pancakes.
A few minutes later, a waitress came out carrying his plate of pancakes. He watched eagerly as she headed his way. Then he stared in consternation as she walked by him and set his breakfast before a girl seated in the next booth. A moment later, a different waitress set a plate of eggs before him.
He glanced up and began to speak. He heard someone else echoing his words, “I’m sorry, miss, but this isn’t what I ordered.”
He glanced up in surprise. The girl in the next booth turned around and looked at him. Her eyes widened in shock. So did Hobi’s.
It was her! AGAIN!
Their waitresses glanced at each other.
“Pancakes?” one asked.
The other nodded. “Eggs?”
More nodding. They switched plates, and Hobi at least got the breakfast he’d ordered. As did the irritated girl.
Hobi took a bite of pancakes. He closed his eyes to savor them for a moment. Then he opened his eyes. And found her staring back at him.
“Really. Are you stalking me?”
“I could ask you the same thing.” He took a sip of his caramel macchiato. “And I could probably make the charges stick.”
“What? What are you talking about? I was here first. You followed me. And I might point out that I was also at the coffeeshop first.”
“You really don’t know who I am, do you?”
“What? No. Why should I?”
He shook his head. “Never mind. It doesn’t matter.”
“OH MY GOSH! HOBI?!!!!” A girl suddenly gushed ten feet from him. But that distance was halved in the next instant. And then she stood before him. “HOBI! IT IS YOU! Can I get a selfie with you?”
Hobi glanced at the cute Japanese girl yelling at him. He smiled. She must be an ARMY. “Sure,” he responded. “But please, just one. I need to eat and get to the stadium. Are you coming tonight?”
The cute girl nodded. “OH MY GOSH! MY FRIENDS WILL NEVER BELIEVE THIS!”
“Sure, they will,” he responded dryly. “You’ll have photographic evidence.”
“Oh, yeah, right.”
The irritated girl was watching this scene. She laughed at Hobi’s response. Perhaps the guy had a sense of humor, after all.
She watched as Hobi smiled into the girl’s phone. Then, he gave her a huge grin as he said goodbye to her.
“Doesn’t that drive you nuts?” She hadn’t meant to ask it. It just popped out.
He glanced up at her as he shoved a forkful of pancakes into his mouth. He chewed. He wasn’t in a hurry to answer this rude girl.
“I love my ARMYs,” came his bizarre response.
“I’m sorry. You love your WHAT?”
Why was everyone yelling at him today? It was his birthday, for goodness’ sake!
He sighed and set his fork down. “If you want to talk to me, why don’t you come join me? At least then, you won’t strain your neck turning around to look at me.” He paused to grin wickedly. He couldn’t resist the chance to tease her. “I know I’m irresistible. You can admit it. It’s all right.”
She huffed and turned away. But then a moment later, she slid into the booth across from him. She eyed him. He did look vaguely familiar. After a few moments, she just shook her head. “Nope. I just can’t place you.”
“You’d probably recognize one of my six best friends,” he responded by way of a hint.
She narrowed her eyes. SIX best friends? Was that supposed to be a clue to his identity? Then she remembered what he’d said to the girl. Something about the stadium. What was going on there tonight? Oh. Yeah. A concert. Who was the band?
She couldn’t remember.
