17

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Why is she with Jungkook? She doesn’t deserve him.
Our Kookie is too precious to be with a snake like her.
Break up with him. No one likes you and you are ruining his career.

Sighing at the last comment, I buried my face in my hands, refusing to let the burning tears behind my eyes pour out.

Jungkook, I’m sorry, I’m so so sorry.

The muted buzzing of my phone brought me out of my grief and I took a peek at the screen, only drown in guilt as Jungkook’s name flashed. With a shaky hand, I held the phone up to my ear, prepared for a barrage of questions and a flood of anger.

“J-Jungkook,” I stuttered, voice cracking in nervousness. “Forgive me.”

“How?” Jungkook asked, sounding frantic, but not angry.

“My sister,” I said, feeling the tears well up as I clutched the phone with both hands. “She followed us and took the picture. What should we do?”

“I-I don’t know,” Jungkook said, voice quivering. “Come to the concert, I’ll feel better after seeing you and we can talk about this then.”

“Alright. Does Bang PD-nim know?” I asked.

“He gave me a phone call just earlier, but he didn’t seem too upset,” Jungkook said and I breathed a small sigh of relief.

“I’ll be on my way then,” I said, wiping my eyes with the back of my hand.

“I’ll be waiting,” Jungkook said softly. “We can do this, don’t lose hope.”

“Okay,” I said and hung up, the line going dead with a flat drawn out beep that reminded me of a dead heart monitor. Grabbing my staff pass, phone, and wallet, I ran out the door, an increasing feeling of dread growing in the pit of my stomach. The sharp screech of tires made me stop and my eyes widened when Hannah’s car stopped in front of me.

“Get in,” Hannah said, lips pursed in a grim line and eyebrows furrowed. Nodding my thanks, I quickly got in and Hannah immediately tore down the street, barely giving me enough time to close the door.

“Was it Ashley?” Hannah asked, expression her calm, but her voice revealing her barely restrained anger.

“Yeah,” I muttered, hateful comments flashing through my mind. I sighed and unlocked my phone to scroll through the comments again. Hannah’s hand closed around my wrist and my eyes snapped towards her.

“Don’t, it’ll only make you feel worse,” Hannah said, forcing the words through gritted teeth. “It’s all just meaningless hate. They don’t know what’s really going on.”

“I think I should know how much this is going to affect Jungkook’s career,” I said, gently removing her hand from my wrist. “His career is more important than our relationship.” A thick moment of silence passed and I glanced over to Hannah, trying to judge her reaction.

“Don’t you dare say that,” Hannah whispered, clenching her fists. “You don’t know how important you are to Jungkook.”

“Then tell me,” I replied, clutching the phone tighter in my hands.

“You should ask him yourself,” Hannah said, sounding eerily calm. “Just know that you mean more to him than you think.” I sighed and the rest of the ride passed in silence, my nervousness almost tangible. There were already thousands of fans waiting outside by the time we pulled up to the venue, many glued onto their phones with expressions ranging from annoyance to outrage. I swallowed thickly and pulled my hood up as I opened the car door. Grabbing Hannah, I immediately started towards the staff entrance.

“I bet she’s only she’s only dating him for money,” someone sneered. “She must have no heart, taking advantage of someone as innocent as our Jungkook.” I flinched and began to walk faster, but Hannah stopped me.

“Excuse me, but do you know anything about their relationship?” Hannah scowled, her hand on my arm in a vice-like grip. “Do you know how Jungkook feels? Do you care whether Jungkook is happy or not?”

“Well of course I care about Jungkook’s happiness,” the girl said eyebrows furrowing. “She’s obviously taking advantage of him. There’s no way Jungkook could possibly be happy with her.”

“Don’t talk as if you know everything about this,” Hannah snarled, seething as she glared at the group of girls who were slowly backing away from her.

“Well what would you know then?” the girl shouted, voice shrill and angry. “It’s not like you know anything and if you were a real fan, you’d see how that woman is harming Jungkook!” Hannah swelled up like a balloon, a second away from bursting and sending a wave of anger crashing into the girls.

“Hannah let’s go,” I whispered, tugging her arm. “They're not worth it and we’re wasting time. The concert is about to start soon.” Hannah grit her teeth together and with one last glare at the girls, she stomped away, pulling me along with her. Sneaking around the hordes of fans crowded around the entrance, we made it to the staff entrance, flanked by two security guards. I flashed my staff pass and they quickly moved aside to allow Hannah and me in. The halls were crowded with frantic staff rushing around with mics and cables, while stylists ran back and forth with makeup and stage costumes. Dodging the crew, we followed the signs to the dressing room and slipped inside. Immediately Jungkook saw me and came over, already dressed, hair styled, and makeup on. Hannah quietly slinked to Jimin, who was still getting his hair done. There was a heavy tension in the air and all the members looked worried, constantly glancing at their phones.

“Jungkook, I-” I began, but was immediately swept into a hug, his heading resting on my shoulder.

“Are you okay?” he whispered, wrapping his arms tighter around me. “God, I’m so sorry. If only I had been more careful, none of this would have happened. What if someone hurts you? We might have to break up. Please just know that I would never leave you willingly unless you wanted me too. I-” I shushed him and he leaned back, arms still around my waist. His eyes were beginning to water as he stared at me.

“None of this is your fault,” I said, smoothing out the furrows between his eyebrows. “I should be the one saying that. My s-sister leaked the photo.” I bit my lip and looked down, bracing myself for Jungkook’s anger.

“Why is this your fault Michelle?” Jungkook said, lifting my chin up until I met his eyes. “You couldn’t have possibly known that she would do it.”

“Then let’s just say it was nobody’s fault,” I said, leaning my forehead gently against his. “Right now, we have to focus on saving your career. All the fans pretty much hate me, so the best we can do is ask Bang PD-nim to make a statement that it was actually photoshopped and that you’re not dating anyone.”

“I don’t want to deny our relationship when people know already,” Jungkook sighed, lips pulling in a frown as he encased my hands in his. “It doesn’t feel right and I don’t plan on hiding you away forever. The fans have to know that.”

“Jungkook, maybe in the future, but right now, your career is more important that me,” I said, cutting him off as he opened his mouth. “You and your hyungs have worked so hard for this, and I don’t want our relationship to get in the way of that. You can’t let your hyungs down by letting go of what you’ve achieved.”

“How could you say that? How could you say that you’re not as important as my career?” Jungkook said, grip tightening as he looked down. “I’m not going to say that you are more important than my career, but you are just as important. I don’t want to have to give up either.”

“Jungkook, look at me,” I said, bringing his head up like he did to me before. “If you don’t want to give up either, then you have to let go of one for now. Just for now, tell Bang PD-nim to release a statement. We’ll figure it out from there.”

“I-” Jungkook protested, but I silenced with a pleading look. “Okay.”

“Just for now Kookie, things will change later,” I said, leaning in and brushing a soft kiss across his lips. “Now go. It’s the Olympic Gymnastics Arena. Make the most of it.”

“I’m not going to give up on you. Please don’t give up on me,” Jungkook said with a forced smile, and was gone, walking out of the dressing room, leaving me alone to wipe my building tears. I sighed and glanced over to Hannah, who was in deep conversation with Jimin, both exchanging worried glances. Deciding not to interrupt, I sat down next to Taehyung, who was scrolling through his phone with an agitated expression.

“Hey Tae,” I said with a heavy sigh and buried my head into my hands.

“Please don’t leave Jungkook over this. He’s never had a serious girlfriend, but he’s fallen in love before,” Taehyung said, locking his phone, the twitter icon flashing before the screen turned black. “He’s the happiest when he’s with you. The only time I can recall when he was this happy when we debuted. I hope you understand how important you are to him, and to all of us.” Taehyung sighed and rubbed his temple, a drastic contrast from the usual Taehyung, the one that always smiled and was full of energy.

“Taehyung, have you been through this before?” I asked. I didn’t miss the faraway look in the eyes and the way he talked as if he was in pain.

“I broke up with my girlfriend when we were promoting N.O. because I was scared. Scared that my career would end before it even reached its peak,” Taehyung sighed, closing his eyes. “It was one of the worst decisions I’ve ever made. If I could change things, I would have tried to keep our relationship alive for as long as I could.”

“You loved her didn’t you?” I said, squeezing Taehyung’s hand.

“With all my heart,” Taehyung replied, hand shaking as he blinked the tears away. “I don’t want Jungkook to have to go through what I did. Yoongi-hyung and Namjoon-hyung also experienced the same thing. Jungkook loves you, and unless you have no other choice, please don’t leave him.”

“I hope I can stay with Jungkook, but I can’t promise that it will happen,” I sighed rubbing a hand across my face. “I can only promise that I’ll fight to stay with him.”

“I guess that’s really all we can do,” Taehyung laughed bitterly and my heart squeezed uncomfortably in my chest, his pain seeping into me.

“BTS, onstage in five minutes,” a crew member said, peeking into the dressing room. “Please get everyone to the stage entrance.”

“Don’t give up,” Taehyung said, giving my hand a squeeze before heading out with the other boys, all downcast with frowns etched onto their faces. Seokjin and Yoongi gave me sympathetic glances, but Jimin and Hoseok were stone-faced.

“I’ll go too. I don’t have a staff pass and it’s too risky to be back here without one,” Hannah said shooting me a reassuring smile as she stood up. “Everything will work out. Just don’t let anyone tell you what to do.” With that, Hannah left, leaving me alone to my thoughts in a deserted dressing room. Burying my head in my hands, I breathed in deeply, trying to calm my nerves down. The slight vibration of my phone made my look up sharply, facing paling when I saw the caller ID.

“Y-Yes Bang PD-nim?” I said, flinching as my voice broke in nervousness.

“I need you to keep your interaction with the boys to a minimum,” Bang PD said getting straight to the point, voice cold and calculating. “The public knows your face and I cannot risk damage to the boys’ reputation.”

“I understand,” I said, voice faltering until it was barely more than a whisper.

“Any further course of action will be decided later. Lay low for now,” Bang PD said and promptly hung up. The muffled sound of music began to leak through the walls, along with the rambunctious cheering of fans.

Jungkook shouldn’t have to choose.

Sighing heavily, I rubbed my eyes and scribbled down a quick note to the staff.

I’m sorry but something popped up. Good luck with the concert.

-Michelle

Swallowing my guilt, I left the dressing room without a second glance headed down the hall toward the exits. Pulling my hood up, I pushed the exit open and put my head down, glancing at the small groups of fans still loitering around the venue entrance. Using the various cars in the lot as cover, I made my way into the crowded streets, effortlessly blending in with the endless river of people. Hailing a taxi, I scrambled into the back seat and gave the driver my address before scrolling through Twitter again. Supportive comments were few and far between, further crushing my spirits. As the taxi screeched to a stop, I handed the driver a few bills and climbed out, heading reluctantly to the front door.

Good thing Ashley’s at the concert.

Unlocking the door, I breathed a sigh of relief when I found the house empty. Kicking off my shoes, I furrowed my brows at the strange scuff marks on the tile floor that weren’t there this morning. A few pocked marks littered the wall above in a straight line, looking suspiciously like the indent of a fist. My confusion grew as I saw the normally orderly cushions in disarray and Mrs. Lee’s coat hanging haphazardly on a coat hanger.

Did something happen?

Flicking on the dim basement lights, I sunk into my mattress, frustration making my fists clench and lips purse together. My phone vibrated, a soft ‘ping’ echoing around the room. Glancing at the screen, my eyes widened when I saw the small blue Twitter icon flash teasingly. Ignoring the slight trembling of my fingers, I swiped the notification and sighed in relief for the second time.

We apologize for any misunderstanding over the picture that has been released over Twitter recently. The photo is photoshopped and Jungkook is not dating anyone at the moment. We thank you for your understanding.

-BigHit Entertainment

There were already a few thousand comments despite the tweet being released only a half an hour ago and my mind flooded with apprehension. I swallowed thickly and clicked into the comments, already preparing for the worst.

Thank God it’s fake.
I can’t believe I was fooled. Why would someone do that?
It was probably an anti trying to start a fan war or something.

Conflicting emotions of relief and disappointment assaulted me at the same time. Relieved that fans were buying it, yet disappointed that they opposed dating to such an extent. As I continued to scroll, my building smile melted away.

The photo is real. My friend saw them together.
It looks too real to be photoshopped.
BigHit is just lying to cover it up. Let’s face it, Jungkook is dating someone.

Hannah’s incoming call blurred out the screen before I could read more and I sighed, accepting her call.

“Are you at home?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Jungkook was looking for you.”

“Tell him I’m sorry for leaving. Bang PD-nim released a statement.

“I know.”

“Some fans aren’t buying it.”

“I know.”

“What should I do?”

“I don’t know. Are Mr. and Mrs. Lee home?”

“No, but it looks like they left in a hurry. Mrs. Lee forgot to take her coat. She always takes her coat.”

“The boys are really worried about you. Jungkook can barely focus. I’ll do what I can but keep it together.”

“I’ll try. Also, tell Jungkook to stop worrying. Everything’s going to be fine.”

“Michelle, first convince yourself before you try convincing him. Don’t blame yourself.”

The line clicked dead and the Twitter screen came up again. Deciding not to torture myself any further, I shut the phone. Heading back to the living room, I began to clean, knowing Mrs. Lee would make me do it later if I didn’t. Arranging the cushions, I caught a glimpse of Mr. Lee’s phone lodged between the folds of the couch. Frowning, I dug it out and placed it on the coffee table.

What’s got them so rushed that he even forgot his phone?

Just as I finished hanging Mrs. Lee’s coat, the lock clicked on the door and it slowly swung open, revealing a distressed Alex and Mr. and Mrs. Lee, both with heavy frowns and ashen faces. As soon as Alex saw me, his face reddened and he ran, swinging his fist at my face. I didn’t have the time to react before a blinding pain blossomed on the right side of my cheek. Stumbling, I leaned against the couch to steady myself as I stared at him in shock.

“What was that for?” I said, backing away until there was a reasonable distance between us. I winced as I could practically feel the bruise forming on my cheek.

“It was all because of you,” Alex snarled starting forward again, fists clenched in anger. I immediately began to back away again, only stopping when Mr. Lee placed a hand on Alex’s arm to halt him.

“What do you mean?” I asked, eyeing Mrs. Lee warily as she stepped forward, features composed into an expressionless mask. Once again, I didn’t have time to react before Mrs. Lee’s hand delivered a sharp slap across my already bruised cheek. Grimacing against the pain, I held a hand up to my face, eyes widening when I felt liquid. My fingers came away red and I saw the studded rings on Mrs. Lee’s fingers.

“You ungrateful child,” Mrs. Lee said, shrill voice ringing in my ears. “We took you in and this is how you repay us.”

“What exactly did I do?” I asked, on the verge of shouting, pain and anger clouding my coherent thoughts.

“Ashley’s in a coma, that’s what,” Mr. Lee spat, brows furrowing as he seethed. My body stiffened as I stared at Mr. Lee in disbelief.

“How?” I asked, voice dropping to a whisper. Alex scoffed and Mrs. Lee clicked her tongue.

“She got into a car accident on her way to the concert she was going to,” Mr. Lee scowled.

“How is this my fault?” I retorted, shock wearing off and anger replacing it.

“You decided to get into an argument with her right before she left,” Alex said, ready to start forward again. Mrs. Lee stopped him with a firm hand on his shoulder. “She couldn’t focus while she was driving. So it’s your fault!” It took me a moment to process his childish claims, but when I did, I began to laugh. I laughed until tears came out of eyes. I laughed at Alex, I laughed at Mr. and Mrs. Lee, I laughed at everything that was going on.

“I’m sorry, but I still don’t see how it’s my fault,” I said, wiping my tears, a smile still plastered on my face.

I’m going to regret this later.

Alex was reaching his limit and his body was beginning to shake visibly from anger. Mr. and Mrs. Lee looked equally outraged, Mrs. Lee’s face turning red. I smiled mockingly at Alex. “It’s not my fault,” I said, tilting my head to the side.

Alex roared and lunged forward. No one stopped him.

~

I'm alive. Yes I'm sorry for delaying the chapter, but it's finally done. I promise this story is going to get somewhere so please be patient. I think this story will be a maximum thirty chapters but we'll see, Enjoy.