Together

Epilogue

2 Years Later

It wasn’t easy being the girlfriend of the lead singer of a famous band. What with all the fangirls to deal with, the jealous looks from behind the long cameras of fanclub presidents for instance. Whenever Mitsuki and I along with the bodyguards would the boys out of hotels or restaurants, girls would swarm around us like bees to honey, hands stretched out to get a touch of Zelo’s hair, or Daehyun’s arm. The over crowdedness that surrounded them took a while to get used to, at first I often found myself fighting the urge to scream at them to scram. They wouldn’t be able to listen though, because they already screamed loud enough whenever Jongup would flash a shy smile their way or Himchan pose for a girl’s camera.

Yongguk found it all too amusing, surpassing our low expectations regarding fanservice as he’d occasionally call them cute and make hearts out of his hands. The female voices would reach a new level of loud but the rest of us as well as Yongguk knew that he was just giving them false hope, because his heart already belonged to Himchan.

There was the makeup too. The thing is, being a band in Korea meant putting on even the smallest amount of makeup for every little occasion. The makeup was supposed to be minimalistic and “natural” looking but it only made Daehyun’s face appear uncharacteristically pale and cakey. It covered all his imperfections that I thought made him more attractive and real. It’s not the same as thick eyeliner or face paint, it’s a little cynical in that it needs to be used even for the tasks unrelated to having a flaw free face, like in their studio tour for a variety show, or when they went to volunteer at a hospital. Daehyun looks better without all that makeup.

♥ ♥ ♥

Our hotel setup was easy, grouped in twos by age order for the guys and us girls together. Mitsuki would sneak off into Jongup and Zelo’s room in the night and sleep there, cuddled up in Zelo’s arms. I would feel lonely without my best friend there by my side but then feel thankful for not having it as bad as Jongup, who had an extra cuddly couple at a bed across the room and (when Yongguk wasn’t busy writing lyrics) an extra heated couple on the other side of the wall. Jongup often has his head beneath his pillow when he forgets his earplugs to block out the noise coming from the room of the two eldest band members. Yongguk already had the weirdest of ideas and Himchan was always eager in trying new things so they fit like puzzle pieces.

We slept in hotels often because the guys toured regularly. Since their debut about two years ago, they’d been in high demand at music festivals and gigs both nationally and internationally. Sometimes it was hard keeping up with their fame and the glamour of a world idol that sticks to them wherever they go but, whenever we’d make it to a theater after a 6-hour-road trip to their next act, seeing the words: SHOWING: B.A.P in bright block letters on a big, glittering sign for the whole city to see was all worthwhile. Himchan’s gleaming eyes despite the darkness of the deep night as he fell in step beside me to stare up at the theater sign and the soft murmur of the other guys joking around on the sidewalk behind us made me believe that they had really made it, that we had finally made it.

In the emptiness of the night, Daehyun wouldn’t act as rowdy as he did during the day, so he would quietly stalk up beside me, his warm hand falling naturally into mine. Without looking at him directly, I’d adjust our hands fittingly, appreciating his soft breathing in place of his usual daytime loudness. His eyes don’t normally light up because he always has to smile for the cameras and carry the plastered happiness the lead singer of a band should for the public, but after that long car ride, to finally reaching our destination, the lights of the sign would reflect into his eyes, almost like stars, when he would look down at me with a small, pleased smile. Whenever he looks at me, his eyes grow visibly soft and it still makes my heart pound in my chest. His eyes on a regular don’t have the same fire in them as when he’s performing on a stage, his voice gliding on the build-up of the music coming from his band members’ instruments, everything blending into stunning sound. When he looks at me, the energy in his eyes are fiercer than that but so subtle, that only I can recognize the feeling.

✧ ✧ ✧

Our hostility has calmed over the years; like I’d told him, the insecurities we had in high school were almost non-existent now that we’ve met so many new people with helpful and good intentions that we would have never encountered if we’d clung to our high school pasts. Daehyun has struggled to let go of that anchor, but his schedule is too busy now that he has no time to mope about past school troubles, so it seems like this hectic career path comes with benefits.

Ivy became a model, preparing to start her first drama later this summer and still keeps in touch with Himchan through email. Himchan gushes about her latest photoshoots regularly over the hotel breakfasts and Yongguk has to shut him up by stuffing orange slices or other fruit into his mouth to prevent any sneaking fans from recognizing his loud voice.

Their airport fashions are a hot topic, with Himchan and Yongguk placing in first of course. The fans take their matching bracelets and T-shirts or sweaters as friendship oaths instead of the couple clothing they actually are. Zelo is a hidden fashionista, strolling through airports sporting daring clothing items and bold colored socks and hats; sometimes Mitsuki has trouble keeping up but gets excited when Zelo picks out their couple clothing instead. Youngjae dresses minimalistic and classy, his go-to clothing being glossed in slick black. Jongup dresses sporty, showing off his muscles for the cameras and for Himchan; his dancer-like body fitting into a jersey loosely. Daehyun comes in last place as picked by fans, without Mrs. Jung to dress him like a rich ladies’ man, he’s left choosing on his own and most of the time, choosing wrong: mix-matched patterns, too-ripped jeans, weird colors. It’s cute actually. Anything he does, weather he messes up on it or not, I love him all the same. He always has good intentions.

♬ ♬ ♬

None of us are attending college. Mitsuki and I will consider it after two or three more years of staying by the guys’ side but our minds might change. Mitsuki had converted herself into the official manager of B.A.P. She was a natural at it too, always good at talking to people, convincing uppity producers, forming connections, getting B.A.P’s name even further out there. She was an extraordinaire. Mitsuki was fluent in Korean and English, though having lost a bit of her native tongue, Japanese, when she moved to Korea at a really young age. She was the boys’ own traveling translator when they started to attend interviews overseas.

We were on a world tour right now, having already stopped at Australia, England, and Malaysia; now we were in the U.S.A.

Before the actual concert tonight, a You-Tube show wanted to interview them so we went into a black room with large stage lights bouncing on the boys’ hair as they took their seats across from the interviewer girl. She was a little nervous but she kept her cool as she asked them some really interesting questions, not your generic,  boring and dispassionate inquires. Mitsuki took the usual routine of translating back and forth, Himchan attempting to answer in English occasionally, making the interviewer blush as his eyes focused in on her as he spoke smoothly.

I watched them from my place behind the main camera, taking in how official they looked, how professional they were for the interviewer’s comfort and they really looked like stars. Like the stars Himchan could only dream of being back in high school, and here they are, shining so brightly even just sitting down. Their presence was no joke.

The interviewer moved on to her next question, a few more minutes left of the interview; in her clear, friendly voice, she glanced down to her cue card and then spoke, “It says here that you attended Seoul High, can you tell us about your experience?”

She looked expectantly at all of them, but maybe she might have zeroed in on Daehyun, the lead singer.

Daehyun adjusted the mic between his fingers, bringing it up to his lips. He surprisingly did not need a translation, bringing a hand up to cut Mitsuki off before she even uttered the first translated word; he understood the question. The rest of the guys were tense, as well as Mitsuki and me, knowing the sensitivity that came with the question, the memory of all those years of his stressful experience. But he isn’t the same as he used to be, he doesn’t allow words to bring him down, it’s only the words of the ones who care about him that he has to tune into the most, and trust in.

Daehyun cleared his throat. “It was good because I had my friends with me,” he said in perfect English.

The interviewer ooh-ed in approval, letting his answer sink into the silence.

Daehyun looked straight ahead, maybe at me, but I couldn’t be too sure. I met his eyes anyway, searching for an emotion in them and for once I saw clearly, he was thankful.

- fin -

❀ ✉ ❀

Author's Note: *wipes tear* roll the credits folks!! the end!!!!!! :') this final chapter is dedicated to my dear Author E! It was her birthday this 23rd ;uuu; ily child you're my #1 bff ;W; i tried posting this earlier on the actual day of your bday but i had a bit of writer's block in the middle of it!! I knew how i wanted to end it i just didn't know how to get there lolz u_u i hope it didn't seem rushed!! anyway i can't believe this is really finished! we'd been talking about it for months and it gives me flashbacks of that one month u spent stalling on the first chapter in that journal of wonders of yours lol and here we are: completed!! TTuTT thank you soooooosoosooo much to all the subs and comments and our upvote! We appreciate all your support and love on this journey. Hopefully we can meet again with a new fic in the future? hmmm...lol. stay safe and enjoy your vacations~<3 love you all :-) -L