4- word count 1050; warnings: none

The first time Rae-kyo takes me to his place, he hardly gives me time to take in the details of his large apartment before roughly pressing his lips to mine, pushing me back against the wall. As midnight strikes, hours later, the older man gives me a sweet smile as if what we just did was casual and relaxing, though my hair is knotted and my lungs straining. “I hate to do this but I have to go in early tomorrow…” I take the hint, gathering my clothes and making a less-than-graceful exit.

The second and third times are no better, but his sweet smiles and lingering stares make me feel like he wants me around. His harsh actions scream need, not aggression.

That is, until I’ve finished working with his company and he sees me less and less. As soon as our schedules are dissimilar, Rae-kyo makes sure not to waste our limited time with idle chat. The weeks pass in a series of heated restless nights that leave me aching and unnerved- he never asks me to spend the night when we’re finished, but he’s happy to make use of my bed on the rare occasions that we stay in my place. It never occurs to me to think of this situation as manipulative, or abusive.

A month or so after Bangtan departed, I get a call from Big Hit entertainment. “The boys will be shooting their music video soon, and getting ready for their tour. They’ve requested that you come for the shoot, and some were asking if you could make more routines for them.” My lips part into a grin. “Of course, I would love to work with them again.” When I get the information, I text Rae-kyo to tell him I’ll have to cancel dinner for Friday, as that’s when filming will begin. His response seems curt, even in text.

The first thing I see when I get to the location for the video is Taehyung’s laughing face as he throws himself onto me in an enthusiastic hug. “Ri-nim!” he cheers, and the other six quickly crowd around me to join the hug. Seven pairs of arms envelop me, seven voices harmonizing in my ears. My laughter comes out in a bubble of pleasure, though the tight squeeze is harsh on my limbs. “Ah, you’re crushing me!” I gasp in mock pain, my bright expression showing them that I don’t mind one bit. Namjoon’s voice rumbles deeply against my ear-

“We’ve missed you, Ri-nim.”

A little sigh escapes me as I pull away to look at them all, their shining faces reminiscent of school boys.

“I’ve missed you, too.”

In celebration of the new album release and the upcoming tour, Big Hit throws a little pool party, to which the boys immediately invite me. I put on a light pink bikini set and black shorts, a white tank top covering my torso while I make my way to the private pool the studio is using for the equation.

As a fan and a young woman, it’s certainly less than unpleasant for me to be surrounded by boys in swim trunks. They have no reason at all to be shy- intense training and dance have sculpted them into seven perfect models. I chatter happily with the other staff until Jimin runs up to me, his dark hair already soaked from his many dives into the pool. “Come swim with us Ri-nim!” he urges, taking my wrist and pulling until I set my drink down obediently.

Suga cheers as I approach the edge of the pool, while Jin calls, “Come in, it’s nice and cool!” The sun had set already, the glow of the pool lights casting a ghostly sheen over the singers’ skin.

“Alright, alright.” I laugh, stepping over to a chair and pulling my shirt over my head. Once I slip off the shorts as well, I return to the water’s edge, kneeling down and then dipping my legs in; the water is colder than I expected, making my skin horripilate and my muscles shudder. Glancing up and sliding down, I catch the eyes of all seven boys staring at me.

“What?” I ask, glancing at each of them in turn. “You told me to get in.”

Jungkook looks almost scared. “Ri-nim, you’re-” Namjoon digs and elbow into the maknae’s ribs. “Ya, don’t say anything inappropriate you devil.”

“Sorry, hyung.” is the sheepish reply. It’s then that I realize why they were staring, and I let out an embarrassed laugh. I suppose it isn’t often that they see girls my age in revealing bathing suits, not when they’re unable to socialize outside of Big Hit.

Jimin breaks the tension by splashing J-Hope in the face, causing the older dancer to splutter and flinch. “Hey, stop! You’ll get chlorine in my eyes!” the sunshiney young man pouts, glaring at his dongsaeng until the boy giggles out an apology. This, of course, begins a splash war. I’m too far in to avoid getting hit by the flying water, so I cover my face with my hands instead.

“Ah, stop it!” I squeal. “You shouldn’t splash your teacher this way!” Namjoon chuckles, bringing his hands to a halt just as he was about to hit water into Jin’s face. I hear the water ripple behind me as one of them moves.

“Ri-nim, what’s that scar on your back?” Taehyung asks. Jin starts to scold him for the insensitive comment, but I hold up a hand to tell him it’s fine. The scar he’s referring to is a deep and jagged mark over the area where my ribs meet my spine.

“A man tried to attack me when I was younger, but I fought back and got away. The scar is what he gave me, but his scars are probably worse,” I admit with a shrug. Rae-kyo had once said that the scar was bad for my image as a performer- he’d even offered to find a doctor who could shrink it with surgery. There’s a moment of silence until Namjoon says, “Scars are just what happens when our bodies grow back stronger,” in a thoughtful tone. “Your scar shows that you are very, very strong.”

I don’t stop smiling for the rest of the night.

A/N: You've got drama coming be ready  >:)