After lunch, we remain at the table where I’m suddenly caught in an interrogation by the guys.

 

“What have you been doing, cutting off contact from us?” The eldest Jin asks, his brows furrowed. Yoongi looks at me with as much interest in the question.

 

“School.” It may seem like a vague answer but it’s pretty much all I’ve done the past month.

 

“This oppa is going to have to buy some nice food for you soon,” Yoongi tells me, shaking his head. “How many times have I told you not to skip meals?”

 

I roll my eyes at me. “It’s always been me telling you not to skip meals.”

 

“So why weren’t you eating?” He shoots me a look and I turn away in guilt.

 

“Noona, noona, the hyungs have been bullying me you weren’t there to stop them!” He flicks imaginary tears off his face.

 

“Since when did we!” Taehyung jumps up to defend himself.

 

“When are you bringing us to eat again?” Jimin blinks his small eyes at me, and I know he’s talking about Auntie’s restaurant.

 

“You can go on your own too,” I say, smiling. “Auntie would welcome you anytime.”

 

“Byeol ah, I learnt a new girl group dance, let me show you!” Hoseok automatically starts dancing while singing his BGM. The guys look away embarrassed at his over exaggerated moves but I laugh at his silliness and clap when he’s done. We high-five when he sits back down.

 

I realise Namjoon has been oddly quiet so I turn to look at him, only to blush heavily when I meet his eyes. Leaning lopsidedly with an arm over the backrest of my chair, he flashes his handsomely electrifying smile at me. I return his smile as I lean back, tilting my head back to rest on his arm. Namjoon looks down at me fondly and gently sweeps a strand of stray hair off my face. In front of us, the guys clear their throats and awkwardly look away.

 

“Bangtan is up after five more groups perform,” someone comes in to tell the boys and quickly exits when she sees me. I sit up and Namjoon retracts his arm.

 

“Only one week of promotions,” Namjoon says, standing. “Let’s burn the stage up!”

 

As the leader of BTS, he sure is overflowing with charisma. He starts the cheer by placing his hand palm down in the middle, and the rest of the group follow. When all seven hands are gathered, Jungkook suddenly takes my hand and places it right on top.

 

“You are part of the family now, aren’t you?” He winks at me. Sensing my hesitance, Namjoon wraps a comforting arm around my shoulder.

 

“I’ve got your sofa to thank for this album,” Namjoon whispers into my ear. Not giving me time to think more, Namjoon kicks off the cheer by counting and everyone joins in with much envied coordination. Unknowingly, a warm smiles spreads across my face.

 

Sitting at a corner, I watch as everyone rushes around preparing to go live. Their stylists and coordinators and other staff came in a while ago and are helping the boys with their makeup and outfit. Just as a young lady stylist tidies Namjoon’s outfit, I pull up twitter on my phone and busy myself because I don’t know where else to look.

 

I look up when the light above me is suddenly blocked out by a large shadow. I raise an eyebrow at a frowning Namjoon.

 

“What?” I put away my phone when he pulls me up from my seat.

 

“What, what? Don’t you feel anything when some other girl is tidying my outfit?”

 

My expression softens into a smile. “You’re mad that I’m not jealous?”

 

“I…” Namjoon pouts at me, and I reach out to arrange the necklaces tangled around his neck. He shivers slightly at the skin contact, a subtle shade of pink spreading across his cheeks.

 

“There. You okay now?” I ask, sitting back down again. Expecting him to carry on with his preparation, my heart beats like crazy when he suddenly leans down, his lips grazing my neck.

 

“You can’t just tease me like that and expect to get away with it,” he whispers, his voice tickling my ears.

 

“Let’s go!” The guys are called out for standby as their turn is up next. Namjoon disappointingly pushes himself up but I pull him down again and lay a quick peck on his lips.

 

“Do well and come back,” I tell him before he’s hurriedly ushered out of the room.

 

One minute, two minute, Bangtan is finally up on stage and the music plays. I watch them perform through the screen in the room and my heart swells with pride when I hear the staff talk about how good the boys are.

 

As they sing and dance, three songs pass by quickly. On their way back, some of the boys stay outside for a while as a camera films them and the rest shuffle in to catch their breaths. I stand when I see Namjoon, grabbing a tissue to wipe his sweat but he suddenly hugs and leans into me as he tries to steady his breathing.

 

“Well done out there,” I say, patting his back.

 

In that moment, I feel like I’m in heaven but as cursed as I am, it seems that my happiness will always be short-lived.

 

For the rest of the promotion week, I would visit the boys at the broadcasting station and bring different treats every day. Yesterday I bought drinks and today some tarts I’d thought looked pretty while passing by a bakery. It is also today that reporting outlets released a news that shocked everyone, especially Bangtan fans.

 

 

Under the headline is a picture of their waiting room, a screenshot of a video where Namjoon is hugging me. My face was hidden from the camera’s view but the affection is obvious that this is no simple relationship.

 

On the bus toward the broadcasting station, I frown at the news report displayed on my phone. A text from Namjoon pops up on the screen.

 

From: Jun oppa

[Where are you?]

 

I contemplate on whether or not to reply. Sighing at the tarts I’m carrying, I hit the reply button.

 

To: Jun oppa

[What now?]

 

My destination is still a distance away but I alight prematurely at the next stop. Sitting at the bus stop, I blank out into space.

 

Maybe I should just go home. Flagging down a cab, I’m about to give my address to the driver but my ringing phone interrupts.

 

“Soo?”

 

“Come to my place first. You’ve got reporters outside your building.”

 

Sighing again, I give Soo’s address to the driver instead.

 

 

The more news reports I read, the more my head hurts. Circulating around the internet are pictures of Namjoon and I together before we were even actually together. There’s even a picture of that time we accidentally met at the supermarket. Soo opens the door before I can even ring the doorbell. She pulls me in and looks around cautiously before closing the door.

 

“The comments on the articles are really no joke,” I say, lying down on her sofa.

 

“You’ve been reading comments?” Soo looks at me in disbelieve. “Why would you do that!”

 

“I’m just hoping he isn’t reading them…” I rub my temples as the throbbing continues. Funny how fans can turn their backs on the idols they proclaim to love deeply so quickly these days. No matter what, it won’t change the fact that I’m the female lead of this scandal.

 

“So what are you going to do now?” Soo pushes my legs off the sofa and sits.

 

I remain silent for a long time. “I don’t know.” Will me leaving him solve this? But then what will that make of the hardships we’ve been through?

 

“Hello? She’s with me. There are already reporters outside her house, I don’t even know how they got her address. You’re coming? Okay. See you, bye.”

 

“Was that Namjoon?”

 

There is banging on the door and Soo goes to open it. Namjoon rushes in and almost trips over his own feet.

 

“Oppa!” I jump up from the sofa in shock but luckily he did not fall and injure himself.

 

“Let me know when I can come back,” Soo says before leaving the house, a look of worry all over her face.

 

I nod. “We’ll be fine,” I reassure her, a lie to also comfort myself.

 

There is silence for a while after Soo leaves.

 

“Don’t even think about it,” Namjoon says, reading my thoughts. “I’m not letting you leave me again.”

 

“No one’s leaving.” I take a step forward and pull Namjoon into my arms. Seeing his face, I know that he’s read the comments. There is no one else that needs comforting more than him right now.

 

“I’m holding you to that,” Namjoon says, pulling back to meet my eyes.

 

I smile, hopefully reassuringly. “Let’s get through this together.”

---