Namjoon grabbed at her waist, pressing her body against his. She swatted his hands away and pushed him, a laugh escaping her lips. “Are you crazy? Have you any idea how many sunbaes live in this complex?”

            He bit his lip, a little too seductively for her heart to handle. “So? Maybe it’s time everyone found out.” The thought sort of made his heart rate pick up. How beautiful would it be if the world knew? Namjoon couldn’t help fixating on the concept of not having to hide just how much he loved the girl at his side. Sure, their relationship was relatively new compared to those other idols and sunbaenims who had to painfully hide their own relationship. Yet, Namjoon couldn’t help being selfish. She was everything to him.

            Jae’s eyes widened and she smacked his arm. “You are crazy! We’d both be dead.” Though she had doubts, because she too reveled in the idea of openly being with him. She laughed lightly, taking his hand. “If you don’t care, think of the boys. Fans can hate collectively.”

            He sighed, his hands tightening around hers. “You’re right. I guess I’m just left with writing lyrics about you. It’s a win-win situation I suppose,” he sighed.

            Jae unlocked her door. “Oh wow, now I’m just feeling used.” Their laughs were interrupted by Nae’s passive form on the couch. Her cold gaze met the two, her eyes just catching the sudden release of each other’s hands. She continued to sip tea as if nothing of great importance had just occurred. “Nae, hi,” Jae breathed.

            The fake plastered smile Jae knew too well appeared. “Hi, would you two like some tea?” Nae’s analytical eyes noted the look of bewilderment on Jae’s face as she looked at Namjoon. How she hated her stupid face. “I can make some, I really don’t mind,” she cheerfully continued.

            Namjoon pursed his lips and nodded. “That’d be great. Thanks.” His eyebrow arched as she disappeared behind the kitchen doors. He’d heard horror stories about her, not from Jae, even though she had a fair share. His bottom lip protruded as he signaled toward the girl. Jae shrugged, herself surprised by Nae’s behavior. In all the time she had come by the apartment, never had Nae offered her tea. Jae figured it was due to her technically not living with the girls as of yet, but of course it was much simpler. Nae refused Jae. 

            What the two didn’t truly understand, was Nae’s quick thinking process. Growing up with divorcing parents, manipulation was the one tool she had mastered. She always got what she wanted. If Nae didn’t like Jae, she’d take every opportunity to tear down the pedestal everyone held her on. The plan brewed just a little too fast in her mind. The pretty woman dipped the tea bags inside the mugs. Namjoon would be much too easy to influence. She almost felt bad. “Here you go,” she announced as she placed the mug before the couple.

            They nodded in gratitude as they sipped. Namjoon sat by himself on the love seat. Secrecy was paramount around Nae. Though she’d never truly done anything malicious toward Jae, the small jabs she took at her on a daily bases told her a different story entirely. Her gut told her Nae was not to be trusted, yet her kind heart wished to give her the benefit of the doubt. “What are you up to today Nae?”

            Not much, I’m looking into a possible musical to take part in,” she replied, the bitter undertone present. It wasn’t a secret to the agency or the girls that the demand for Nae was much lower than that of Dae and especially Jae. Perhaps if Jae hadn’t asked that innocent question, she would not have felt compelled to actually follow through with her diabolical plan. “And you two? What brings Namjoon sunbae here?”

            Jae felt her heart quicken. How naive she had been to think that taking Namjoon to the long talked about luxurious apartment would have no consequences. They were becoming too comfortable. Making more stupid decisions and even more idiotic mistakes. “Oh, we were on our way to a set location when I realized I forgot my phone here this morning. Namjoon just wanted to see the dorms. Compare SM to BigHit.” To Nae’s disappointment, Jae too had her own secret skill. Perhaps, lying for so long that she was okay when she really wasn’t, allowed her to gain the talent of seamless deceit.

            Nae pursed her lips and nodded. “Oh, well you can go get it. I can keep sunbae company.” She only needed a short amount of time to plant a seed of doubt.

            Jae took out her phone from her side. “I already got it while you were making tea. Thank you, though.” Jae’s own quick thinking made Namjoon choke on his sip of tea. His eyes lingered on her and he had to quickly remind himself that they weren’t alone. Though he desperately wished they were. Abruptly, images of Jae’s curvaceous body came to mind. His breaths became quick, the only thing to pull him out of his small day dream was the sudden ring of Jae’s phone. “Sorry,” she whispered as she stood up to take the call.

            A small grin appeared on Nae’s face. Here it was. As Jae disappeared into the hall, she released a heavy breath to gain Namjoon’s attention. “I hope it’s not him.” Namjoon’s brow furrowed, his head cocking to one side. “Didn’t you see her face?” He pursed his lips together with a slight shake of his head. “She only looks that upset when her ex calls her.” Ready.

            Namjoon leaned forward as his heart began to race. The thought of Kyungsoo always made his throat tighten and his chest heave. She’d been with him and he’d broken her heart. Two things that drove him mad day and night. Though it was ridiculous to think that he could be the only man she could have feelings for, he couldn’t help it. He cared for her so dearly.

            “I know she hates to talk about him,” Nae continued. She bit her lip. “He broke her heart. Yet, she loved him.” She took a sip of her tea as she prepared her last words. “We tell her not to answer his calls.” She sighed, her intense gaze on Namjoon. “I guess it’s hard to forget your first.” Aim.

            Jae returned slightly agitated. “Sorry about that.”

            “Who was it,” Namjoon couldn’t help asking.

            “No one,” she rebuffed. “We should get going.” Fire.

*     *      *

            Kyungsoo’s legs worked hard to get to her building. It was as if his heart was leading the way, he was on autopilot. His heart to hers. It beat even faster as it came into sight, a grin appeared on his face. He’d done it for them. Stayed away from her because that’s what they wished for. It was awful and distasteful, but he had done it. However, Tao was gone. He’d left this morning, leaving behind ty note. Quite honestly he was surprised to be as excited as he was, he should have been angry to know that he had worked so hard to fix things when there truly was no point. She was all he could think of now.

            As if by fate, there she was. He caught a glimpse of her and quickened his pace. In that fraction of a second, as his eyes covered her beautiful face, he thought about their future. He'd take her into his arms, he'd kiss her, he'd tell her he loves her. They would be together at last, wreaking havoc.

            Their eyes connected in the dead of night and he noticed the light disappear from her eyes. She struggled to breathe as she finally saw him after months. Kyungsoo’s pace slowed, coming to a halt. He had difficulty standing as he noticed her arm linked with another man. A man he knew. The girl he loved. The happiness he craved.

            Time froze.

            He was the first to break the spell as he approached the couple. She'd gotten to know his expressions, his thoughts, his actions. Jae had broken away from Namjoon effortlessly. His loving eyes stared after her as she charged Kyungsoo and placed her hands on his chest. "No," she forced.

            His dagger eyes met her gaze and his expression softened. She had known he'd hit Namjoon in a matter of seconds. The unclenching of his fist confirmed it. She gave Namjoon an apologetic shrug, before dragging Kyungsoo away. "So you're with him now," he spat once a safe distance away.

            "No, no, no! You don't get to do that. I waited for you. You never showed," she hissed.

            His stare flicked from her to Namjoon and back. "You didn’t wait too long," he said with a clenched jaw. He shook his head angrily.

            "Too long?" The tears threatened her eyes. "I thought I meant something to you. Anything!" She shoved him. "I opened myself to you! I trusted you and you didn’t even have the decency to break up with me. No, you just cut me out. Threw me out like I was nothing." She pushed him once more, all he could do was gape. She was right. He had left, he had ended it, but it didn't mean he hadn't broken too.

            "Are you sleeping with him," he blurted out before he could think properly.

            Her cheeks flushed. She hadn't. Yet this wasn't something she had to explain to him. "That's none of your business," she retorted.

            He rubbed his eyes in frustration, his initial anger resurfacing after she evaded the question. His mind was spinning as he recollected the way her soft cheeks filled with color when she was embarrassed. She had to be. By the looks of the man, who was watching them attentively ready to strike, he appeared confident and brawny. "I think I can understand now," he continued furiously. "Bangtan is rising in popularity. You only sleep with idols for stat--"

            A harsh slap halted his words. Namjoon couldn't hear their conversation completely, only pieces of it. He'd heard her say that he had thrown her out, something that wasn't his business, and him understanding something. However, her slap had made him flinch and words weren't necessary. His mouth slightly hung open and his eyes met hers for a moment. There she was, the strong, independent girl he had fallen in love with. He was ready to help her, but she didn't need his aid. His chest abruptly tightened. Oh , he loved her. As he watched them, he desperately wanted to believe that she felt absolutely nothing for Kyungsoo, that all of it was in the past. Yet that strong emotion said something different. Could it be a coincidence? Nae mentioning Kyungsoo only a week ago and him before them now, such a chance was impossible.

            "Don't you dare," she cried, the tears finally escaping her. He held his cheek in shock, in regret, in sorrow. "You were enough.” She angrily sighed, wiping at her tears. “I think I might have loved you, but there’s nothing left now.”

            Kyungsoo's heart ached at the sound of her crying and her use of the past tense. He moved forward in attempt to comfort her, but she stepped away. "Jae."

            She shook her head. "Just leave me alone." He painfully watched as she ran away from him and into Namjoon's arms. He guided her into her building, not gaining a single glance back. Fate was a funny thing. An awful, vengeful thing.

            “Are you okay,” Namjoon questioned as they took the elevator to her floor.

            She sniffled and wiped her tears away. Her hold around him tightened and she nestled into his chest. “Yeah, I’m good now.” He smiled gently, laying his cheek on her head. “I’m sorry he came around.”

            The elevator opened and he held her hand as they walked to her door. “It’s okay, it’s not your fault. Just let me know if he bothers you again. I’ll kick his .”

            She laughed. “As if I’d let you do that. You’d only damage your image.”

            “You’re more important than my image.” He her cheek and leaned in to kiss her lips tenderly.

            She bit her lip when they locked eyes. “Do you want to come in. Watch a movie?” He silently nodded. It was strange entering her apartment this time around. Sure he’d been inside dozens of times, but never alone and there was a different perspective now as he was her boyfriend. “Do you want something to drink?”

            “Water’s fine,” He replied as he sat on the small couch. He made himself comfortable, reaching for the remote. “What movie did you have in mind?”

            “Something scary,” she shouted.

            He laughed. “You always want to watch something scary.”

            “I don’t do that depressing crap.” She handed him his glass. “I’ve had enough for a lifetime.” His eyes studied her. What was her pain? What exactly was Jae’s baggage? He couldn’t help wanting to know what happened with Kyungsoo? Did she love him? He stared down at his hands. It had to be serious for her to have reacted like that.

            “Well, I wouldn’t mind listening to some of it,” he subtly replied.

            “Listening to what?”

            He placed his glass on the coffee table. “The depressing things in your life.”

            Her brow furrowed. “Joonie. No. Let’s not ruin this night further.” He nodded slowly. She drew nearer, taking his hand. “Hey, it’s not that I don’t trust you. I do. I just— it hurts.” She nestled her cheek against his shoulder. “I promise to tell you. Just not now.”

            Her words from earlier finally became clearer. "I opened myself to you." Was he not worth that same trust? Was Nae right? One does in fact struggle to forget their first...

*     *     *

            Kyungsoo charged through the dorms, filled with pain, anger, regret and so much more that could not fit in his chest. His breaths were quick and they left him light-headed. He furiously kicked a soccer ball that had been lying on the ground. The ball barreled into a few glasses sitting on the counter, this created an echoing of glass shattering. A pounding of footsteps came down the stairs as the boys came to investigate.

             As soon as Kyungsoo saw Kai's face, he lost it completely. "You," he shouted, as he charged toward him. Once more, the young men had to react to the ensuing violence.  Kyungsoo only managed to grab Jongin's collar before Chanyeol and Sehun restrained him. "Are you happy? Because of you I lost her. If you would have just kept your mouth shut, if you had just allowed us to be happy. But no. You had to be selfish. If you couldn't have her, no one could." He fought against his restrainers. "But in the end, we all lost her because of you," he spat. He sighed and tilted his head back, no longer fighting. "She has him now.  She doesn't need me. She doesn't need any of us."

            They hesitantly let him go as the thought sunk in. "We have to stop this," Suho announced. He placed his hand on his chest. "I get it. Trust me I do. She-- She was an important part of our lives." He let out a breath and momentarily closed his eyes, remembering his adopted little sister. "But we have to take responsibility." He laughed cynically and threw his arms into the air. "We ed up!" He glared at every single one. "There is very few of us that have no blame, but what is there to do? What is done, is done." He pinched the bridge of his nose, his throat tightening with the oncoming tears. "The best thing we can do is let it go. Let her go." He bit his lip. "She's happy. We can do it for her."

            Kyungsoo stormed out with the idiocy of such a comment. As if he could do that. As if he could ever let her go and let her be "happy" with someone who wasn't him. One by one, the members disappeared. The only one remaining was Chanyeol. At that moment he made a decision. He was to see her, to clear the air. And if in the end she wished to have him out of her life, he'd accept it and perhaps at last he'd have some closure. Perhaps selfish, he was beginning to lose his mind with all the dreams he was having about her.

            At times she was just there with him in the silence, smiling like she always did. Other times they were simply memories, just instances of happiness they shared together. The most painful were the dreams in which he would hold her in his arms, where they were together and he could kiss her and love her without a care in the world.

           The thought of her carried him to sleep and back awake the next day, as well as practice. It all became a blur as he made his way to her front door and knocked. No answer. He rested his back against the hallway, willing to wait the entire night if he had to. After twenty minutes, his promise had become all the more real, however familiar laughter struck him awake.

            Yoongi nudged her as she imitated his rapping style. She had his mannerism and rhythm down to a T. Her accuracy was causing him some discomfort. "Stop," he insisted. She continued, making him cringe. He abruptly took her into a bear hug, easily lifting her feet off the ground. She laughed, shouting his raps even louder. He let her down and threw his arms into the air. "Why am I even here?"

            "Because I offered you food and a place to sleep." She breathed knowingly. Their snickers ended when they noticed a figure by the door. "Chanyeol," Jae realized.

            "Hey," he whispered shyly, his hands in his pockets.

            Yoongi eyed him suspiciously. Jae had never been fully open with the sadness she had experienced with EXO. He had simply noted it with her words, with her reaction when their names were mentioned. Quite honestly, a part of him did not want to know. But as he stood there, his neck slightly warm in jealousy, he began to wonder. Especially when the young man before them was tall, handsome, and broad shouldered. There also was the way he looked at her...

            She forced herself to close her gaping mouth as she stared at her old friend. "What are you doing here," she managed.  Chanyeol gulped and then hesitantly made eye contact with Yoongi. Jae cleared . "Oh right. Chanyeol this is Yoongi, Yoongi this is Chanyeol." The young men bowed and shook hands, both keeping their eyes locked on one another. They'd come across another several times at music shows, had greeted one another before, but not like this.

            Chanyeol incredulously stared at the blond haired man. This must have been him, the man Kyungsoo had mentioned, the one who had stolen her heart. He looked so different from Kyungsoo. He looked rough around the edges, but handsome nonetheless, outspoken yet tranquil, a brawler yet warm. Yoongi bit his lip and gave Jae a slight nod as he took a few steps back and gave them space. He allowed them privacy as he leaned against a wall and texted, his ears still catching some of the conversation.

            "It's good to see you," Chanyeol nearly whispered. His chest swelled as his eyes noted his ring still hanging on the chain around her neck. How stupid he'd been to wait his long. His large fingers traced over the leather bracelet she'd given him.

            Jae softly smiled. "Yeah you too."

            Chan rubbed his palms together nervously. "Do you want to catch up tomorrow night." That smile she had grown to adore appeared. "Maybe get some hot chocolate or fish cakes."

            Her grin grew, somehow not hesitating to make up her mind. "Yeah, that sounds good. Tomorrow at seven?"

            He nodded happily, suddenly relieved that being with her was as simple as asking.  "I'll see you tomorrow."

            “See you then.” He grinned ear to ear and boldly brushed his hand against her arm. Her heart raced at his sudden interaction. He bowed to Yoongi as he briskly walked by, happily counting down the hours to see her again. Alone.

            Yoongi silently eyed him as he made his way back to Jae. Her immense grin had him silently fuming, but he had to remind himself that she wasn’t his girlfriend. She opened the door and led him in. “So, why did you two break up,” he probed quite perceptively.

            Jae’s cheeks burned and gaped in astonishment. “We—Chan and I never dated.” Yoongi noted the informality and even nickname, there were much more than colleagues he knew that much. “Just friends, we’ve always just been friends,” she aggregated with slight nervousness.

            Yoongi’s eyes narrowed as they always did when he knew something. “Right.” She glared at him assuring him that it was true. She grabbed a glass and poured some juice. He continued to watch her as she handed him the glass. “So, which one did you date?”

            Her face turned a shade darker of red. “What?” She cleared and acted as if the left overs in her fridge were the most interesting things in the world. “Who said I dated any of them,” she added nonchalantly.

            “Please, Jae, you’re talking to a genius here. I’m very observant.” He took a sip. “The rest may be totally oblivious, but I see it.” She turned around to look at him. “I see the way they all look at you, the way your body becomes all ridged when they’re around, the way your ears turn a little red when you hear one of their names.”

            Jae was thoroughly impressed by how attentive he was, instead of looking further into why he studied her so often. She sighed and took a swig from his juice, as if it were a shot of vodka giving her courage. She groaned and crossed her arms. It was hard to lie to Yoongi. “Fine, I dated one of them.” Yoongi feigned a triumphant smile, when in reality his heart was a little torn. “But it wasn’t Chanyeol.” She ran her hand through her hair and scowled at him. “I mean I really liked him.” And there it was, that nostalgic beam returned.

            Yoongi’s eyebrow rose. “If not Chanyeol, then who?”

            She wrinkled her nose, a little frustrated the way Yoongi always managed to get things out of her without even really trying. A part of her felt excited to tell him because she’d held the entire situation in for so long. “I dated Kyungsoo,” she nearly whispered.

            His eyes narrowed as he recalled their names and faces. “Black hair, large lips?” She nodded and her mood changed completely, the embarrassment she had, had swiftly transformed into sadness. He kicked himself for being such a nosy . “Hey, I’m sorry if I overstepped.” He reached for her hand.

            She weakly smiled. “No it’s okay.” Her grip tightened on his hand. She nervously laughed. “Namjoon already knows, it's alright if I tell you.” She bit her bottom lip, her eyes glued to his. “I dated Kyungsoo in secret, we fell in love, his group members found out and they were not particularly happy about it.” She gulped. “They made some stupid pact or deal and basically Kyungsoo was not allowed to date me.” He watched as her eyes darted back and forth, her brow furrowing. Her lips pursed together for a moment. “So, we broke up on very bad terms and I felt betrayed by people who I thought were my friends.” Yoongi’s eyes widened as she let out a deep breath. “So yeah, that’s it. At least the Cliff Notes version of it.”

            His eyebrows pulled together, not understanding her reference. He pushed his juice back toward her and she laughed before taking another swill. “So they’re jerks?” She handed him back the drink.

            “I used to be so sure that they were.” She thought of Chanyeol’s utter joy to see her, his cute grin. “I don’t know if I even come close to believing that anymore.”

Author's Note: Hey guys, sorry for the delay. This semester has been a little intense! Hope you enjoyed and don't be afraid to leave a comment down below!