2.

Winter was already there. The girls were supposed to debut in February but Yerim and Nam Joon didn’t agree with this. After four months to their side, she was afraid they won’t be ready in time. 

The songs were good, only one of them was behind at dance and the hype just began because of an online show about them. However, the major point was that the band still didn’t have a name.

“They could call them Bang Girls” giggled Hoseok, drinking a Diet Coke when Yerim was at her third beer. 

They were in a small street restaurant close to the Big Hit building. The fact that BTS was a nine-year-old band and not active for two years was a blessing for all the company’s workers. Some fans still came around the building but most of them were there for the new boy group who debuted two years ago and just began to have major successes.

“When the managers need your help, they will call you, but now, please don’t talk unnecessary,” grumbled Yoongi. 

Yerim didn’t know why he decided to come with them tonight. He helped her a lot the previous days with the “hip-hop” unit but it was the first time than after Hoseok’s calling for a drink, he chose to follow them. 

“If you are here to kill the mood, why did you come?” remarked Seokjin, asking at the same moment for another bottle of soju. 

“I just needed a break, this new producer (he looked at Yerim) asked me a lot of works those previous days, and I knew it was her turn to pay.” 

Hoseok and Seokjin nodded. Sometimes she really missed her sunbaes from SM but she knew they would be treated the same or even worse. When Nam Joon still didn’t react after another Yoongi’s burning to Hoseok, she turned her head in his direction: he was looking very seriously at his phone. 

“Sunbae, everything is OK?” 

“Yeah Yerim, everything is actually really good! Guys (his face lightened up), we finally have the date of return of our lovely maknaes!” 

If she saw Hoseok drunk numerous times since she started working with them, she never saw him “high” like this. On his left, Seokjin was crying and drinking beer at the same time and her right, Yoongi was smiling. She never saw his face lighting up like this. 

“I’ll finally be called hyung again” murmured Nam Joon, and Yerim only burst out laughing. 

They talked about how their power will be back with the return of the maknaes when Hoseok turned to face Yerim: “you know that hyung and me (he nodded to Seokjin) we are not the only Red Velvet’s fans from BTS”. 

She tried to look back to her memories, remembered the laughing and blushing of her members when BTS mentioned them. 

“More specifically ,” continued Yoongi, “one of them couldn’t stop listening to some songs written by one of the Red Velvet’s member. But I won’t talk bad of my maknae… Oh my mistake, one of the maknae. Why did you do this hyung?” 

Seokjin just smashed his elbow: “If you don’t want to talk bad about them, don’t talk at all.” 

And for the first time, Yerim was the witness of how Kim Seokjin was the only person who could handle Min Yoongi. She didn’t want to ask more but her heart began to beat more and more. If what she seemed to understand was true, maybe her teenager crush wasn’t only one-sided. 

~ ~ ~

The return of the maknae line was supposed to happen in the next few days. Kim Yerim didn’t really care about it but it was the opposite for her girl group. 

“Unni” started Jeonghee, the main vocalist of the group “  did you meet Taehyung sunbae when you were an idol?

Yerim tried not to roll her eyes. Obviously, she met Taehyung sunbae in the past, she even hosted a KBS Gayo with him in 2019. If those girls weren’t so young… 

“Yes, I met him many times,” she mumbled.

“Did you were a fan of them?” This time it was Yejin, the leader and older member of the group. She was also the one with Yerim had the most difficulties to connect with. 

“I really respect them as sunbaes in the industry but it’s not the time to talk about it. We need to review track number 3 if you want to release your mini and debut on time.

~ ~ ~

After another night in the studio and sending the girls to their dorms, Yerim just wanted a coffee and maybe some ramens. However, going to the convenience store was too hard for her: she couldn’t feel her legs and going to the vending machine was already a great challenge.  

In front of the machine, she searched in her pockets for like five minutes but didn’t find any cash because yes, she had to be in front of the only vending machine which worked only with coins and not a phone. 

“Go on, pick whatever you want,” murmured a deep voice in her right ear, putting money in the machine at the same moment. With a blend brain, she chose a coffee can and turned to thank the voice owner. 

Thankfully, the can wasn’t open when it felt on the floor because she would have coffee all over her feet but also on the guy in front of her.

“Jungkook-sunbae, I’m really sorry,” she tried to bow and bent at the same time but her head collided with what was supposed to be her sunbae chest. She bowed for the second time and aimed to take her leave but Jungkook retained her by the hoodie. 

“So the rumor was true, you really quit SM and joined us.” 

“Like your hyungs didn’t say anything to you for four months?” Yerim grumbled. She didn’t know why hostility was in her voice. Even if it wasn’t