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“You kissed her?!”

“Hoseok.”

“You actually kissed Anna.”

“It was on the cheek, Hoseok,” I corrected. It was a very important detail to note. “It wasn’t anything crazy.”

“I don’t know, hyung, it sounds pretty crazy to me,” he told me, his eyebrows raised so high that they were hidden behind his bangs. “I mean, you put your lips on her and she didn’t fight it. That’s a pretty big deal in my book.”

I rolled my eyes. “Why couldn’t it have just been a friendly gesture?”

“Because you like her, hyung. No matter how much you deny it, it’s so obviously true.”

Ah, so he was back at it with that. But he stared me down so successfully that I couldn’t help but give in. I sighed. “Fine, so maybe I have started to develop feelings for her. But can you blame me? She’s… so unique.”

“No, I can’t blame you!” He grinned from ear to ear, finally hearing what he’d wanted to for days. “She’s an amazing girl and you guys have clicked since the day you met. It was only a matter of time before I heard this.”

“But how would I, you know, make this happen? In all my time here, I’ve never once considered developing a relationship with anyone so I don’t even know where I'd begin.”

“I don’t know, hyung, it sort of sounds like it’s already happening.”

“I guess but it’s not enough,” I frowned. “But she’s my co-worker now more than ever and I feel like I shouldn’t mess with that dynamic. Plus, I’m about to go away for two weeks-”

“Wait, wait, wait. Hold up. You won’t be here for two whole weeks? For what, an overseas event?”

He looked at me like I was crazy. I guess I couldn’t blame him. “Yeah, they’ve set up a fan-engagement tour in Southeast Asia for some of the rappers. Namjoon, Zico and Bobby will be coming along, too.”

“Okay, and have you told Anna?” He questioned, clearly not caring much about anything but that. His support was exquisite. “I mean, amongst anything, isn’t she expecting you at the studio tomorrow?”

“Yeah, but I figured Joon Yeong or Mylo woud take care of telling her for me."

“Nooooooo,” he groaned loudly, scrunching his face in dismay like the drama queen he was. “Come on, hyung, you’re never this dense.”

I raised my eyebrows at him dubiously. “Enlighten me.”

“You can’t just kiss her and disappear! You should be the one to let her know, at least so she knows you won’t be around to help her with her album.”

I opened my mouth to retaliate, even though I also secretly shared his sentiments, when shuffling from outside in the hallway began to make its way in.

“What’s going on in here?” Jimin asked as he invaded the dorm he shared with Hoseok and Yoongi. Taehyung and Jungkook followed close behind, really just sticking with their hyung and not thinking much of anything.

“Yoongi kissed Anna.”

Well, until then. All three boys stopped short in their strides, bumping into each other like the messes they were. All eyes landed on me, wide and surprised. But all they saw was a less than pleased expression cross my face.

“Jung Hoseok,” I scolded harshly.

“Fine. He kissed her on the cheek,” he implemented my correction from before, as if that was specificially what I was scolding him about.

I could’ve lived with the others not knowing anything for a very long time. In fact, that was how I was planning on having things play out. But Hoseok clearly hadn’t once thought the same way and I temporarily resented him for it. My resentment only continued as my younger friends gave me attention that I certainly did not want.

“Wow, hyung. Good job,” Jungkook commended first, quite impressed.

“It’s about time.”

“Park Jimin, she only got here two months ago.”

The eldest of the three new entries merely laughed, ignoring my snapped dismissal of his input.

“This happened after we showed up at the studio last night?” Jungkook asked, fascinated by the unexpected news.

“Yeah. I walked her home from the studio and eventually, I sort of just… kissed her. On the cheek,” I added in spite of Hoseok, who rolled his eyes at me.

“How was it?” Taehyung questioned. “Did she slap you?”

He earned a few chuckles at this despite being completely serious. I, too, took his question to heart because realistically, had Anna disapproved of my bold move, she's the bold and strong-willed type that would've done just that.

“No, she blushed. Like… really blushed.”

“Well, yeah. How else would she react to the guy she likes kissing her on the cheek?”

There it was, another voice adding to that seemingly unanimous speculation. I raised an eyebrow at Jimin. “And how are you so sure she likes me?”

“For the same reason we've been so sure that you’ve started liking her- it’s obvious.”

I looked to Jungkook, knowing he’d give me the most level-headed feedback out of anyone in that room. “Has it really been that obvious?”

When he looked at me sympathetically, I knew what answer was coming. He shrugged innocently. “I mean, if I didn’t know any better, I’d think you two were a couple already. Neither of you are very subtle.”

“So, yeah, it’s obvious,” Jimin concluded for him. I couldn’t even get mad at them if it was really so evident. I groaned, roughly running a hand over my face.

“God, she better like me then. Otherwise, I’ve probably been making a fool of myself.”

“It’s hard to imagine that she doesn’t,” Hoseok finally reemerged into the conversation, having been quiet since our three friends entered the room. “I mean, look at the friendship she’s created with you. Clearly, she's found some sort of interest in you.”

Taehyung nodded. “Yeah, sometimes you even give Chun Hwa a run for her money,” he added.

“That can’t be true,” I strongly disagreed. “Anna and Chun Hwa are practically attached at the hip.”

“Yeah, except when they’re not. Then, it’s your hip she’s attached to.”

“It’s almost always due to work or when we’re all together, though,” I argued, though it seemed to go right through everyone.

“She talks about you a lot, too,” Jungkook added, seeming to have only just come to that realization.

“She does?” I asked too hopefully for my own good, my mindset momentarily doing a complete 180. I shook my head, knocking myself out of it. “I mean… how much time could you possibly be spending with her to know that? We’re all so busy.”

“We were both filming for a variety show last week. Didn’t I tell you that before?” He asked, dismissing my attempted dismissal.

I waved him off. “I can hardly keep up with my own schedule. Forget about someone else’s.”

“Even if it’s you girlfriend's?”

“No, no, no,” J-Hope stepped in, shaking his hands. I momentarily thought that he was suddenly on my side. Very momentarily. “She’s not his girlfriend yet. There’s still work to be done.”

“Okay, hold up. All of you,” I interjected, getting to my feet and standing in the middle of the four guys. The shenanigans had certainly gone far enough. “‘There’s still work to be done’? Come on, now. Can we not be so… weird about this? So, I like the girl. Big deal, feelings happen sometimes. And I get that this girl happens to be a good friend of ours but you’re all being ridiculous. If a relationship develops, so be it. But let it develop naturally, please. I feel like I’m back in high school again with the way you guys have gone and over-dramatized this.”

Jimin sauntered over to me with an understanding smile on his face and slid an arm around my shoulders. “We know, hyung. We just can’t help but get excited for you. Sure, we love Anna but you’re one of our best friends. And for the first time since we’ve met you, you’ve found a girl you’re really into. We want you to be happy and she does that for you. And we love seeing that.”

I found myself getting really touched by his words and I wasn’t sure how to feel about it. We weren’t exactly stingy with the compliments but we rarely got this deep. And based on the looks on the others guys’ facs, they were all thinking exactly what he said.

“Thanks guys,” I addressed them all genuinely. “But you know, as one of the oldest friends in our group, I’m supposed to take care of all of you.”

“Quiet, you’re ruining the moment.”

“Park Jimin.”

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The next morning, I followed Namjoon into the large travel van that was to take us to the airport. The street of Entertainment Avenue was slowly feeling life as artists flooded out of their residence halls to attend to their own schedules, whether they be on property or off.

Driving up the short street, we passed many faces we knew, some of the guys lowering their windows to yell out to those in their own friend groups. I wasn't expecting to see my friends who were more involved in acting and variety, like Taehyung and Jin since those activities were typically off-property, but everyone else was music and performance-focused so I was expecting to see someone.

Lo and behold, my eyes landed on five of my idiots together as they exited the small cafe on property. Anna’s one arm was balancing a tray of four coffees, one of which Jungkook was reaching around her to snag, making her scold him comically. Her other arm was linked with Hoseok’s, who was clutching a brown paper bag full of baked goods in his free hand and was entertaining the group. What a shock.

Following those two alongside Jungkook were Seulgi and Jimin, both of whom’s eyes seemed to form permanent crescent moons as they reacted to Hobi’s shenanigans. It was a scene that the paparazzi and fans standing outside the gate a few feet away were absolutely eating up, though it didn’t seem like any of my friends noticed the incessant camera flashes. It could've been considered a genius pry for publicitiy, and it was. Just a completely unintential one.

The five, dressed ready to dance, crossed in front of our van, which kindly stopped to allow them to do so. They casually waved at our driver in thanks, not once realzing that two of their friends were inside.

"She's cool, that Anna girl. I'm glad Director Jung decided to take a chance with her," my manager spoke from the seat in front of me, his head turned slightly to generally address me. 

"You met her?"

"Yeah, I bumped into her this morning. She recognized me as your manager. Very polite."

I hummed, no longer thinking much of his revelation and turning my attention back to my friends. It was a small campus, you could bump into anyone on the inside. My eyes lingered on the five while security attempted to clear the street outside the gate of all the fans so we could exit. A smile played on my lips as I watched them. Namjoon was the same way from beside me.

See you in two weeks, my friends.

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Hello! I know I don't typically write author's notes but I just want to write a quick one to thank all of my readers so far (even if it is a very small crew of you lol) but specifically give a big, warm thank you and shout out to Krystalsidd for giving this story its first upvote!! It honestly put the biggest smile on my face when I got the notification so I can't thank you enough! Your support already has been unbelievable and this was just the icing on the cake. Wish I could give you a better thanks, but I'll never forget that you were my first reader and now my first upvoter!

But thanks to everyone in general as well! Anticipate a Yoongi birthday special chapter tomorrow or Thursday :)