Allysha’s P.O.V

I woke up with a warm feeling in my chest. He was the first person I thought of when I woke up. I rolled over and pulled my phone off its charger and saw that Jongin had messaged me.

Have a good day at work! HWAITING! >.<

I giggled to myself before responding.

Make sure you come see me later so I can change those bandages. And TALK TO SUHO. Today please?

I sighed before getting up for the day. I walked into the bathroom and began to wash my face. As I ran my sudsy hands over my cheeks, I remembered the kiss that he planted there. My skin turned a little pink under the bubbles and I grinned to myself. I rinsed off feeling more refreshed than ever. I changed into a simple black turtle neck and a denim skirt. I giggled as I tried to roll up my black stockings but Satoori bit the toes and tried to pull them off again. I gave in and let him run away with them. Then he came back and nuzzled my shins. Everything he did was just adorable. I finally was able to put them on and put on my boots so I could leave. Today, I’d be working with a girl around my age. Lee Hi. I loved her voice so much it made me jealous. It was so deep and soulful and so full of emotion. As I did my own makeup, I threw on my headphones and listened to one of my favorite songs by her called “Because”. I shivered as her beautiful melodies hit every empty spot of my body and I grinned feeling so satisfied. I continued to listen to her songs on the way to work.

When I arrived, I set up in the makeup room along with 3 others.

“Who are you working on today, Areum?” I asked as the petite girl pulled her hair behind her ear.

“Uh…I’m working with Taeyang today.  He’s got a variety show on schedule.” She said with a nod.

“Oh I love Taeyang. He’s so sweet.”

“What about you?”

“Lee Hi. I’ve been listening to her since I woke up this morning so I’m just excited.”

“You’re only excited because you’re new.” Areum chuckled as we sat in the chairs waiting. “What about you two?”

Choi Jun was very talented. I looked up to him more than all of the other artists. We just called him CJ.

“I have Minzy soon, Dara this evening, and tonight I’m heading to the Mnet studio for AKMU.” He replied with a sigh.

“Wow, you’re pretty busy today.” I marveled.

“Don’t remind me.” He chuckled.

“You can do it. I know you can.”

“Aww you’re my number one fan, Allysha!” he joked causing us to giggle a little. “And you So Ra?”

So Ra was very high fashioned. I wanna have her job one day. She was so eccentric from her asymmetrical hair cut to the fur puffs on her sparkly gold heels.

“G-Dragon around 12 and then CL has a photoshoot at like….2 in the morning. Why? I don’t know but I’m working that. You know what that means.” She said.

“A day’s work of coffee?” Areum giggled.

“Exactly.”

We all had a good laugh as I felt my phone vibrate. A message from Jongin.

I tried to talk to Suho…I’m nervous. Could you do it with me?

I sighed before responding.

We’ll get together at lunch ok? I get off early today. So whenever you’re ready.

I rubbed my eyes as I set my phone back down. A bunch of greetings happened behind my back and I quickly turned to join in. Lee Hi was small and very adorable. Much more adorable than people thought. In my opinion that is. Taeyang and Minzy walked in and hugged everyone. I never got hugs at SM from anyone other than Lay and Amber Liu when I saw her. Sometimes Henry but I also didn’t see him much either. There was heavy pleasant conversation between everyone as I curled Lee Hi’s hair. Joking, eating, working. I even got invited to Taeyang’s next party. I then began to pay more attention once I went in for makeup. We put her in some gray contacts and I did a light smoky eye. lip gloss, a mauve colored blush. It was quite easy because her skin was so nice and her face was cute so there was very little to be done for her. Soon as I popped the black lace bunny ears on her, she was done. She thanked me for my work and we shook hands before she picked up her things to leave.

“Good work on her.” CJ said as he flat ironed Minzy’s bob.

“Thank you very much, sire.” I bowed before cleaning my materials to pack up.

“So what’s the rest of your day looking like?” Minzy asked.

“Uh, I have some friend’s in SM who want me to have lunch with them. Kai and Suho. So I’m gonna do that….after that probably nothing. What I need to do is go shopping for this dumb Halloween party. Kai wants me to go with him so I’m gonna do that. Then I’m gonna come to Taeyang’s party. Saturday night, right?” I asked to double check so I could put it in my phone.

“Yes, and you can bring your roommates if they’re not doing anything.”

“Arasseo.”

“Maybe I’ll join you for costume shopping later. We’ll meet up!” Minzy added. I was shocked. YG literally was a family. I was a little too excited about that.

“I’d love for you to!”

“Cool! I’ll text you when I’m done with my schedule. Do you have my number? No you don’t cuz I don’t have yours either, haha.” She grinned.

We exchanged numbers and I even got Taeyang’s number so we could talk about the party in case he needed anything. Once I finished packing, I said my goodbyes and left. I called Jongin and told him that I was finished. In about an hour he would be done with his schedule and could meet me with Suho. So I took that time to go home and grab a jacket.

We met on the rooftop of some swanky restaurant Suho picked out. We sat down on each side of the table and ordered drinks.

“So how was work today guys?” I asked.

“It was…intense.” Suho answered looking at Jongin with a raised brow. I stared at the two of them before realizing that maybe something happened.

“Jong…”

“It was alright.” Jongin mumbled playing with the leaves of the flower in the centerpiece, avoiding all eye contact.

“You don’t have to lie right now. It’s Allysha. She already knows.” Suho said. He was wrong this time. In fact, I didn’t know. Suho sighed before continuing. “He got in an argument with the makeup artist today.” I looked at Jongin shocked as he lowered his head some more. Like a puppy who knew he took a on the floor and that it was wrong. “He said the foundation they put on him was too light. He wanted it a little darker.”

“Only a tinge! I looked like a ghost… I just… I wanted to look like me.” Jongin said defending his actions. I don’t think he was wrong for at least wanting some color in his life. But I also didn’t want him getting into trouble trying to follow by my example.

“Jongin, the point is that, we as idols, have very little say in what we look like. Especially at this point in our career where we could make or break everything. We have to let the professionals do their job.” Suho said.

“Which I guess brings us to the real reason why Jongin brought us all together tonight…” I said looking at him. I nudged his shoulder and he looked at the floor. “Go ahead, hun. Say what’s on your mind.” I whispered to him.

Suho looked genuinely concerned for his dongsaeng. He wanted to help in any way he could like I knew he would.

“Suho…..My skin is dark. And I hate it….but Allysha speaks so highly of it. She makes it sound so beautiful… I wanna be able to love myself….but when people keep trying to change my image…it’s hard. When people put the lightest makeup on me and everyone says I look handsome or cool…. I want them to be able to say that to me when I’m not Kai… Also I keep running to her house in crazy hours of the night and bothering her just for her to make me feel better and so she can calm my nerves because I didn’t think you’d understand….”

I listened to him as he poured out his heart. It was true. I so desperately want him to see the beauty that I see in him. And I want him to feel better about himself. Suho looked as if he might cry.

“….and also…I ed up one night…After the concert….I went to take a shower….I scrubbed patches of my skin off until they were pink and bleeding and…..I hear voices that tell me that I should conform. But my heart knows that everything Allysha says about me is true-”

“Stop…” Suho said. He put his head in his hands and sobbed for a bit before wiping his face. “Why would you think that I wouldn’t- like……how….Of course I understand, Jongin. Jesus….I didn’t know that you hated yourself that much… I didn’t know that we were making you feel this way….If I…..”

A tear fell from Jongin’s eyes and I pouted with a small smile as I rubbed his back comfortingly.

“Jongin…next time you have a problem, please talk to me so I know. And talk to Allysha. It seems to have helped you so far….”

“I will… I also need to go with her tonight so she can fix my bandages… I was also wondering if Sehun could do the water dance for a while….at least until these heal up?”

“Of course.”

“Now was that so hard?” I asked him with a smile, the hair on the back of his head. I was really proud of him. It wasn’t the solution but it was a step in the right direction. I couldn’t change everyone else’s thoughts but if I could change Jongin’s and let him know that he was perfect regardless of what other’s thought, he’d be set. He wouldn’t need me anymore…. That saddened me a bit… Knowing that one day, he wouldn’t need me anymore…