“Your hair’s amazing,” I gushed, playing with strands of silky hair.

Taehyung laughed bashfully in his chair while Kanghee nodded proudly next to me, smiling down at him. “I know, right? I don’t even need to use that much product, it’s naturally amazing.”

Grinning, I started to gather up two chunks of hair and held up the pigtails. “Taehyunggie, can I get you ready instead? Come on, I’ll never pull your hair.”

Kanghee was immediately opposed to the idea, and she rushed forward with her arms flailing. “No, no! That’s not allowed, you sneak! He’s my alien to dress up, so go over there and stick to your own station.”

Laughing openly now with an abundance of mirth, Taehyung watched as I dragged my feet while I walked away, pouting. Even Kanghee ended up laughing at me, and satisfied because I’d made them smile a lot for a handful of seconds, I settled in my own chair with a grin. I pulled out my phone while I waited for my boys to get back, one from changing and the other from going to the bathroom.

Namjoon came back first, returning from using the facilities, and I got up to let him take the chair instead. I picked up my sponge and foundation and got to work putting on his makeup while he practiced his rap for the song they were about to go out to perform for the first time other than the music video shooting. Still feeling pretty upbeat, I tried joining in, failed, and made him laugh. I watched his nerves disappear and felt better about sounding like an idiot.

Now satisfied with my work, I took a step back and nodded my head in major approval. “You’re ready, superstar.”

He laughed and stood up, stretching a little, and nodded when he got a look at himself in the mirror. “I appreciate you, sister,” he told me in English, and I grinned widely for him; we exchanged a high-five.

I was already switching my stuff around for Jungkook when he zipped over and plopped onto my chair, his elbows propped on the arms, hands folded casually, his legs crossed at the knee regally. I stared at him, my eyebrow slowly inching up towards my hairline. “You know I’m only teasing when I call you ‘young master’, right?”

He smirked wryly, and I was reminded once again that he was so not a little boy anymore, and he was actually quite the golden man. I was having my own war of hormones. “Noona. I’m not trying to be a young master. I am a young master.”

I stared at him for a few moments in unresponsive silence before I turned down mutely to grab my comb and hair spray, deciding to just keep my comments to myself. He laughed, thoroughly entertained, and held still while I got to work on his hair. I was greedy for little moments of contact, and to be able to touch his hair was the most addictive part for me. His eyes kept closing when I ran my hands through the thick, silky strands, and I read it as him feeling comforted. Just imagining how rough that Sunhwa character must have been, my blood started to boil.

I heard a distinct little sound come from the guy in my chair and I paused to lean over and stare at him. Pursing my lips to better hide my smile, I resumed working on his hair and let him sleep at least a little more, extra gentle so I wouldn’t wake him up by mistake.

He reacted a little when I started doing his makeup, but he went right back to sleep when he realized it was only me touching the makeup to his face. He mumbled an apology, which I of course found adorable, and I carefully finished up. Then I had to wake him up, but I didn’t want to because I felt too bad. I stared down at him, my arms crossed.

Seokjin noticed as he was walking by and backed up towards us, looking from Jungkook’s sleeping form to me. He broke into a smile. “Can’t wake him up?”

I grinned sheepishly. “I don’t want to. I feel bad.”

He waved his hand at me.  “Nonsense!” he said laughingly, then reached for Jungkook—for Jungkook’s chest, actually. I stared in amazement as the oldest member of BTS began to physically assault the youngest.

Jungkook jerked awake in his seat, instantly struggling to get away from the dirty hands. I covered my mouth to stifle my laughter, and took a couple of steps back when Jungkook started to kick unconsciously. He even began to mumble, “Noona, what are you doing all of a sudden?” When he was finally fully aware of what was happening, he looked up at Seokjin with a betrayed expression on his face. “Hyung!” he said in a disapproving tone, and Seokjin only laughed as he backed away, giving me a thumbs-up and returning to Kanghee.

Now apologetic, I looked at Jungkook tentatively. “Uh… You can go over to the sofa now if you want. I bet you’ll be more comfortable there.”

He glared mildly at me, and I knew he was only being a tease again. He grumbled unintelligibly as he wriggled around in my chair, settling in again to find a comfortable position. He crossed his arms and closed his eyes. “I’m fine here, thank you,” he half-grouched.

Amused, I held up my hands. “Okay. My bad. Don’t mind me then.” I started to walk away. “But if you get a kink in your neck, it’s not my fault, you little punk.”

He looked over at me suddenly, and then moved quickly as if to come after me. I jumped and squeaked a little as I broke into a run to get away, “intimidated” by his “threat”, and he ended up laughing in the chair. Recovering my composure, I cleared my throat and fumbled with my cardigan, tidying it up because it’d almost fallen off my shoulders. “Okay, whatever,” I said again, needing to have the last word.

Jungkook rolled his eyes. “Dummy.”

Gasping, I whirled around and marched right back. “What did you call me?”

Taehyung joined us, looking at Jungkook. “Are you bullying your elders again?”

While Jungkook shook his head, I nodded mine vigorously. “Yes, yes he is. He’s being quite the little butthead.”

Taehyung shook his head with exaggerated disapproval. “Oh, Jungkookie. You never learn, do you?”

Strolling over, Jimin looked at me, the victim, and then at Jungkook and Taehyung. “What? Is he at it again?”

Taehyung nodded, and Jimin sighed deeply, shaking his head regretfully. “We can’t control him. He’s in a league of his own, this one.”

Just as Jungkook was about to defend himself, Jihyuk started to wrangle everybody up to deliver them to the broadcast room. I was confident Jungkook and Namjoon were in top condition, and watched them file out. I didn’t stand too close to Hyori, though, our relationship still rocky because I was still working with Jungkook, and… Maybe because I was still working there in general. She was still pretty upset, and I knew she had a right to be so I respected her space.

Solmi nudged me. “Hey. Is it just my imagination, or are you two closer?” she asked me quietly, referring to my friendly relationship with Jungkook.

I shrugged. “I guess so.” I was aware that Hyori was actually listening rather intently, even if she was trying to appear very absorbed in cleaning up her station.

Solmi noticed it too, and she bent down to pick up some clothes that had been dropped by accident on the floor. Straightening up, she looked at me and nudged for me to follow after her. We walked out towards the changing room the boys had been using, and of course we found a huge disarray. Leaving Hyori behind, Solmi nodded at me. “Okay. Tell me what you couldn’t tell me in there.”

Leaning against the wall, I opened up to her, confiding in her. I could tell she was trustworthy, and I took the opportunity to talk to her because she was also more experienced and she was being supportive, and I needed a lot of that. She listened intently, nodding her head, smiling at times, awwing at others. When I was done relaying everything that had happened the past couple days, including the small interaction as I’d arrived to the company building the day before at the same time Jungkook had been walking up, she was looking at me with her eyebrows hidden behind the fringe of her bangs.

The first thing she said was, “He doesn’t act like that with just anybody, Melo.”

I stared at her. “What do you mean? What does that mean?”

Scratching just above her eyebrow thoughtfully, Solmi looked skyward. “Well, to be honest, it sounds like you two are beginning a rather playful courtship.”

It was now my turn to raise my eyebrows. “What? Beginning a courtship?”

Solmi nodded rubbing her elbow with her free hand. “It sounds like the young master, as you call him, is being rather sly by taking advantage of your lack of true love for your boyfriend,” she said quietly, starting to smile. “You know, I know it’s forbidden, but it’s too cute. I rather like this whole thing—if it were a drama, or a movie, or even a book, I’d be so hooked.” She stared at me mischievously. “Well, then again, I already am.”

Baffled, I stared at her with my brows furrowed. “Unni, you said so yourself: it’s forbidden. I mean, it’s not like we can… It’s not like he actually likes me, like really. He’s just being friendly and getting along for work.”

Solmi sighed and rolled her eyes. “Oh my goodness, of course you’d think of it this way.” She shook her head at me and reached forward to bop me on the head. “Melody! Honestly, do you really think so little of yourself?”

I stared at her. “Well, I…guess so?” I answered uncertainly, still trying to make sense of her.

She exhaled loudly again, bending to pick up random articles of clothing, straightening them out, folding them, stacking them neatly on top of each other. I started helping as soon as I saw what she was planning on doing. “You’re a pretty girl, Melomelo. You’re young, hardworking, and you’re responsible. You’re nice, you’re considerate, and you’re funny when you’re not trying too hard.”

I paused. “Hey. I don’t try that hard to be funny.”

She laughed and then paused to really look at me, still smiling. “Honestly, honey, it’s the company’s fault. What were they expecting would happen? You’re a catch, and these boys are young and don’t have many other female interactions. Unfortunately for them, we’re it for a while, until their roll slows down a little more.”

I stared at Solmi quizzically. “You’re not actually telling me to go for it… Are you?”

She shrugged. “I believe in destiny, Melomelo. I’m waiting to see how this unfolds, just like you.” Her eyes flew up to meet mine seriously. “One thing I do suggest, however? Breakup with Jihoon. He doesn’t deserve to be led along if your heart is meant for another.”

I didn’t know who my heart was meant for, to be honest, but she had a point. It definitely wasn’t meant for Jihoon.

My poor, poor phone that had nothing to do with my suddenly complicated life stared back at me in silence while I sat in the waiting room next to Kanghee. I hadn’t gotten any important messages from Jihoon, and our conversations were so very…boring. Boring in the sense that they went absolutely nowhere. It was rather pathetic, yet he seemed to be fine with small-talk. However much I liked playing video games, he didn’t even know enough himself to really keep up that topic, yet he kept on with the same subject. In the end, I gave up talking to him and started scrolling through pictures of unique hairstyles instead, wondering if Kanghee would let me do her hair sometime soon. I was also totally avoiding the subject of breaking up with Jihoon.

Kanghee nudged me and offered me some of the candy she was munching on, which I gladly accepted after taking a tentative sniff. After I finished the little bit she gave me, I came back for more, making her laugh.

“Is something wrong?” Solmi asked, and both Kanghee and I turned to look, wondering who she was talking to.

Hyori was rifling through her bag, obviously looking for something. She noticed me looking, then turned away again. “I couldn’t find my phone, is all.” She then held it up for Solmi to see. “Found it.”

I frowned to myself, but I didn’t know what to do to make Hyori less upset. Even Solmi just shook her head at me, telling me to let it go for now.

Kanghee patted my knee, offered me more candy, and then pointed at my phone’s screen. “Do my hair like that tomorrow before the kids show up.”

I looked at it closely. “I could probably do it now, if you want.”

She gasped. “Really? It looks like it could take a while.”

I shook my head with a grin. “No way. I’ve done something similar on a friend from school, and it didn’t take that long at all.”

Kanghee jumped up and ran to my chair, plopping down gracelessly. “I’m ready!” she cheered, and I laughed, getting up to join her. I my curling iron so it would have time to heat up while I undid the two braids she’d done herself.

“You looked so cute with your braids,” I told her, a little sad to undo her hair.

She waved her hand around airily. “Thank you, darling, but I’ll look cuter with this hairstyle—oh my goodness, your hands are amazing!” she said, just as I started to run my fingers through the wavy tresses.

“And your hair is so soft,” I crooned, even leaning in to inhale because I had caught the faintest whiff of vanilla. Confirming that the delicious scent came from her, I jumped up and down a little. “Unni, your hair is amazing!”

She giggled. “Why, thank you!”

Solmi barked, “Quit being buddy-buddy over there!” but of course she was only teasing.

Kanghee and I both turned around to stick our tongues out at her, making her laugh, and then I proceeded to comb through Kanghee’s hair, careful because there were a couple knots, using only a little detangling spray. I used the blow-dryer on the spots I’d gotten wet, and then started separating her hair and clipping it up, leaving a few sections loose to begin curling.

“Wow,” Kanghee sighed. “I could fall asleep right here. No wonder Jungkookie fell asleep earlier.”

I hurried myself a little as I curled her hair, using some heat protecting spray, moving quickly in case the boys came back soon. “You want to know the reason why I’m so careful?” I asked, beginning to smile.

“Yeah,” she confirmed.

“I had an older sister who used to do my hair all the time, more than my mom. She was eight years older than me, so she liked practicing hairstyles on her little sister.” I laughed. “She was merciless. She was the exact opposite of gentle, and my poor scalp is still too sensitive because of her.”

“Aw, poor thing!” Kanghee said with a sympathetic giggle. Her expression then turned serious and she stared at me through the mirror, watching my reflection. “Wait, Melomelo… You had an older sister…?”

I nodded quietly, focusing still on her hair. “Cancer,” I said quietly, my eyes trained on the work I was doing. “She was twenty years old.”

I could feel Kanghee’s gaze on me, but I didn’t dare look up. “You were only twelve.”

Nodding once, I pretended to burn myself to change the topic. “Ah! Unni, your hair is on fire,” I teased, laughing lightly.

She gasped. “Hey! You sounded serious, you almost gave me a heart attack!”

I laughed some more, focusing on the present for now. “But I am serious. Your hair’s super hot.” I showed her my red fingers and we both giggled.

With all the familiarity in the world, Jungkook sat down next to me and took out my headphone, putting the earpiece in his own ear. I paused, turning to look at him with mock-irritation, my eyebrow up. He leaned in and looked at my phone’s screen, too, completely invading my space. I was more amused than annoyed, which was uncharacteristic for me since I was usually uncomfortable with people getting too close.

“What’s that? My next hairstyle?” he asked, beginning to smirk at the picture of long, blueberry colored hair styled in azure waves down the model’s back.

I began to grin widely, nodding my head slowly. “Yes. Yes, it is. I was hoping to surprise you, but I guess it’s time you knew. This is going to be the new you.”

He burst into a fit of laughter, shaking his head at me. “Noona, you’re terrible.”

Still grinning, I shook my head and resumed scrolling through the hairstyles, fascinated with the various possibilities. There were even some men’s styles that I was interested in eventually trying out on Jungkook and Namjoon if I could get the green light.

Jungkook leaned in closer, keeping my headphone in his ear. He stared straight ahead, listening avidly, and then tilted his head towards me even more. “What song is this?”

“It’s called ‘I Found’. Why?” I turned my head to look at him, looking away from my phone’s screen. It was somewhat of a mistake, because our faces were too close, our noses close to touching. My face heated immediately, and I leaned away a little at the same time that he did, his own complexion gaining a scarlet color.

Embarrassed, Jungkook cleared his throat and stared straight ahead but didn’t do anything else, like leave as I half-expected him to. He nodded his head continuously. “You should send me this song whenever you have a chance,” he murmured tentatively, and I nodded quickly.

“Yeah, sure thing,” I told him, fumbling with my phone to go ahead and do that now. My heart was going insane, and my brain was electrified. I was able to see Solmi looking rather smug across the way, smirking as she was looking up at the ceiling.