Jungkook hears Namjoon raving about Kemy long before he ever meets her. Apparently she’s talented, trained by Zico, a breath of fresh air. Apparently she’s the Real Deal.

It’s bizzare hearing Namjoon actively praise another idol rapper of his own free will. There’s no doubting that Jiho is better than he’ll ever be but Namjoon can barely find the time to praise Sangwon, yet alone some unknown rookie rapper with two mixtapes to their name.

"She can’t be that good," Jungkook snaps when he feels Namjoon has made his point well enough

Namjoon snorts, “how would you know?”

"If she was that good I would have heard of her. She’d have been underground or something,"

"Because you were so well known before you debuted?"

"You saying I’m good?" Jungkook smirks, shoving Namjoon’s shoulder as hard as he can get away with.

"I am. But she’s a hell of a lot better than you,"

And in Jungkook’s opinion, the gauntlet is laid down there and then

The first thing Jungkook does when he has a moment to himself is take to the internet to find out just how bad the situation is,

"," he mutters as First starts up and a girl that he can only assume is Kemy begins to rap. She’s not perfect, but she’s actually rapping and not just saying company prepared lines over a beat.

The dorm door swings open, “what are you doing?” Yoongi sounds tired enough to sleep standing,

"Checking out this new rapper Namjoon was going on about earlier,"

"Any good?"

"I guess,"

"Pull your headphones out and let’s have a listen then."

A second rapper, noticably less talented that Kemy has taken over so Jungkook selects the first video he can see with her name in the title from the Youtube suggestions, pulls his headphones out and turns up the volume.

And as luck would have it, this track is better.

"," Yoongi says, rubbing his eyes, "she’s good. What crew is she with?"

"No crew. She’s an idol trainee,"

"Bull,"

"I’m serious, they’re called A.Kor"

Yoongi yawns loudly and collapses onto his bed, “you’re lucky I’m too tired to fact check you’re ridiculous claims right now.”

Rolling his eyes, Jungkook switches his phone to silent and stands up to get the lights, “honestly hyung don’t you trust me?”

Yoongi is asleep before the lights go out.

It’s two days before Jungkook hears about the scandal. Work tends to take him out of it and he’s become used to getting all the news late, to being told nothing but the essentials by his managers. But still, it irks him that he didn’t know sooner.

"Have you been keeping up with the Do The Right Rap contest, hyeong?" Jungkook asks Namjoon in the most offhand manner he can manage.

Namjoon shakes his head, “nope,”

"That girl rapper you showed me is in it,"

"Which one?"

"Kemy,"

"Huh," Namjoon’s eyebrows twitch in what looks suspiciously like irritation, "how’d she do?"

"She…err…she dissed Park Bom,"

Like a whip, Namjoon snaps to attention. He’s unmistakably angry,

Jungkook flinches in surprise, “what?”

"Oh it’s alright for some I suppose," Namjoon says, then stalks off muttering something about ‘the last time I was ever given complete free reign’.

Blinking, Jungkook watches him go wondering exactly which nerves he managed to touch accidentally before returning his attention to his phone and playing the track again.

Maybe he doesn’t agree with everything she says, but he can’t deny that Kemy’s way with words goes a long way to convincing him that she’s right.

They meet at the most awkward time. A.Kor are leaving the building in a rush on their way to another schedule and Bangtan preparing to take to the stage. Jungkook rounds the corner, ahead of the pack and moving far too fast.

He nearly crashes into her.

"H-hey," Jungkook stares down at Kemy with wide eyes. It’s a shock seeing her up close and personal, he’s become so focused on her music that he’d half forgotten she was a real person. More than real, she’s vibrant, grinning ear to ear.

She’s pretty, and Jungkkook has no idea how he could have forgotten something so important.

"Err…hi?" Kemy laughs, stepping aside and moving past him before the rest of A.Kor can catch her up. Jungkook’s eyes follow her till she disappears around the corner and Taehyung comes into view.

"You know her?"

Jungkook grins, “not yet”.