A/N: Korean, Chinese, English, Thai

Last update before my trip! :)

GOT7 and Sehun head backstage with you without a backwards glance.

***

Sehun disappears as soon as you begin to stir weakly.

Moments later, you blink your eyes open to a face you've never seen before.

Stifling a shriek, you clap your hand over your mouth and try to move away, but are trapped by the couch. Tears come to your eyes as you bite down on the fear that threatens to overwhelm you.

Silent and unthreatening, the redheaded idol stays passively on one knee in front of the couch, deliberately remaining lower than you.

After another moment of hyperventilation, you get yourself somewhat under control.

"W-who are you?" you question shakily, lowering your hand. You clench your fists in an effort to remain calm. You can't break now; you can't show anyone you're vulnerable. Especially not the stranger in front of you.

Mark looks away as if pained by your query.

"Nobody," he murmurs softly. Forcing a smile, he meets your eyes and asks gently, "How are you feeling?"

For some reason, you begin to notice, this stranger makes you comfortable. He seems strangely familiar, and irrationally, you feel almost…safe. And it terrifies you to no end.

"I'm… okay," you mutter, looking everywhere except for at the guy who won't stop looking at you. And who, you realize, has been speaking English, as if he knows you can. Even though you obviously spoke in Korean, first.

"The claustrophobia…"

You blanch and stop breathing. Your eyes shoot to his face, which contorts in the kind of expression that can be labeled as agonized. How does he know?!

Mark bites his tongue as he restrains himself from reaching out to you. , Jewel, don't make it harder for me, I wish I could just-

"寶貝?"

The familiar deep timbre has you scrambling off the couch and running full tilt into Kris without a second thought. His arms go automatically around you, holding you close as silent tears finally escape from your eyes.

Mark stands up and fists his hands, watching unhappily. She has someone else now... That should be me.

"Hey," Kris says softly after a moment of shock. "I've missed you."

This clears your head and brings you back to Earth with an unhappy thud. You look up at him, briefly, and step out of his arms. They hover in the air for a second more before dropping reluctantly.

"Sorry," you say emotionlessly, staring at the ground. "I didn't mean to cause trouble again." Hearts break as you bow deeply to the ten EXO members crowding the doorway.

"Jewel, no! You never caused trouble," Kris says, frustrated.

"You just never stayed long enough for us to tell you that," Luhan continues.

Unable to meet their eyes, you just stand quietly, staring at the ground.

"Jewel-" Wiwat barges through EXO and into the room, followed closely by a security guard who tactfully retreats when everyone glares at him.

"Who are you?" Kris and Mark demand. The wiry Thai ignores them.

"Are you okay? What happened?" He takes your shoulders and spins you around, examining you. "Are you hurt? Did you train too hard this morning? You should have eaten lunch."

Eighteen people look on, clueless. One stares, wide-eyed.

"Next, let's welcome BTOB!" Suho and Baekhyun announce from the TV.

"I'm fine," you say dully.

BamBam starts to whisper a running translation to the other five members at the back of the room.

"You are not ing fine," Wiwat hisses, frustrated. "Tell me what's wrong!"

BamBam lets out a small squeak of innocent dismay at the crude language. Noticing, Chanyeol casually slips around the unfolding drama to join him, easily towering over GOT7. They look up in shock, but just roll their eyes and ignore him as he flashes a bright, harmless smile with plenty of teeth.

"Wiwat, please," you plead.

Chen and Tao drift over to join Chanyeol. Sheepish grins make GOT7 wrinkle their noses and disregard the two.

"You better explain right now. How do you know these idols?"

"It's long and complicated and I just can't deal right now."

"Jewel, I dropped the Mona Lisa thing this morning, but a guy only has so much patience," he warns.

"Fine!" you snap, irked out of your misery. Before you can begin from when you first met Kris on a plane flight, though, a commotion is heard in the hallway.

"Why is it so crowded in here?" someone complains. "Oh? Kyungsoo-yah! What's going on?"

"Hyunsik-ah, I don't know. You should ask Kris hyung. I'm only here because the rest of them are. Is this your dressing room?"

"Mm, we're sharing with GOT7. 'Scuse me, Sehun, Kai," the same voice says cheerfully.

Seven more boys file into the room.

The tallest newcomer points at you in shock. "Mona Lisa!" he squalls.

You look at him, unnerved. He's like a really tall, really hyper baby. "… ," you observe as your gaze falls on another. Piercings and leather aside- "Pen, is that you?"

Peniel's eyes jerk to you in surprise. "If it's not J. Lee!" he crows and practically teleports over, engulfing you in a hug as Wiwat and Kris watch on, disgruntled. Mark stands aside, wistful.

"What are you doing here?"

"Going through hell," you grumble vaguely as you hug him back in disbelief. It's like a ing reunion. "How have you been?"  

"Well…" he grins and waves the rest of the newcomers over. "Meet BTOB!"

After a moment of confusion, "Born to Beat! Annyeonghaseyo, BTOB-imnida!" they greet and bow.

"Well, I never!" you punch Peniel in the arm playfully, spirits lifting. "I always knew you could do it!"

"You did not," he informs you self-righteously, with that laughable accent of his that you've missed. "And, , Jewel, that punch of yours!" He laughs.

You laugh also, but it's a little too loud, a little too high-pitched.

***

In the absence of English translators (Kris, Mark, and Wiwat are still standing and watching you), the rest of EXO, GOT7, and BTOB start to mingle.

"Does anybody have any idea what's going on?" Hyunsik asks.

"She's the Mona Lisa!" Sungjae squeals.

"Yah, shut up!" Sehun warns.

"Yah, don't tell Sungjae to shut up," Minhyuk warns.

"Shut up, Sungjae." Ilhoon rolls his eyes.

"But the Mona Lisa-" the maknae repeats himself in disbelief. "Do none of you watch Weekly Idol? Or watch the news?"

***

"Who are you to Jewel?" Mark asks Kris abruptly.

"What's it to you?" Kris furrows his brow. "Who are you, even? GOT7? Mark, was it?"

"Just tell me," the shorter idol insists, eyes fierce as they stay locked on Kris'.

"A friend," Kris answers, bewildered. It's Mark, right? Why did I just answer him? And how does he know Jewel?

"More than a friend?" Mark demands, more for his own selfishness than for your own good.

"Perhaps in time, if she'll let me," Kris answers honestly despite himself, gazing at you. "But it's not possible right now."

Mark's heart clenches painfully. Do I look at her that way?

"Why are you asking-"

"She's vulnerable, you know that? She's fragile, but she'll never let you see it," Mark interrupts. It's past time for me to let her go. "You need to take care of her, or something like what happened out there will happen again. You can be sure of it."

"How do you know?"

Mark ignores him, resolutely carrying on. "Certain things trigger panic attacks, like being restrained or crowded. She usually manages it well, but it gets the better of her when she's upset by other things. Try to minimize these."

"Why should I believe you-"

"She doesn't get close to people easily. When she trusts, she trusts with everything she has, so that the smallest things they say or do can bruise her. She has scars in her heart that are deeper than you can imagine. Don't ever ask about these. She'll tell you. In time." Mark surrenders the information with a heavy heart. The sense of loss is overwhelming. 

"Mark-"

"She tends to try and run away from things instead of staying to try and resolve them. When this happens, and it will, you need to go after her. Always go after her. Even if she tries to push you away, even if she says she hates you- You need to go after her. Never let her be alone."

"Jewel doesn't know you," Kris points out skeptically.

Mark hesitates. "Not anymore," he answers quietly. "Not anymore."

A/N: What do you think will happen? Comment down below! :)

What do you want to happen? Do you want BTOB and GOT7 to stay in the picture?