Jungkook woke her up the next morning by pulling the covers off her head and ordering, “Get up, you're going to school today.”

“Huh?”

“It's Monday, and you can't hide over here forever.”

He pulled her hand and she sat bolt upright as the full realization of his words hit her.

“What? School? Today?”

“Yep.”

“I can't!”
“Why not?” asked Jungkook calmly.

“My classmates… they'll eat me alive!”

“Why haven't you been answering your phone?” he asked.

“It's with Yoongi. Did something happen?”

“Ha Na was frantic – she called last night, absolutely hysterical.”

“Does she know everything that happened?”

He smiled. “Is there anyone in this country who doesn't?'

“Is she all right? What did she say?”

“She's going back to school today and she's going to yell at you for not calling her.”

“Did she say anything else?”

“You'll have to ask Namjoon hyung, he's the one who spoke with her. And your mother called, too.”

Her stomach dropped. “M-my mother?'

He nodded. “She was out of her mind, Seung Hee. She's coming over tonight – are you are all right with that?”

She nodded.

“That's good – I'm glad you made up.”

That reminded her – she still hadn't forgiven him yet for betraying them all. And why was he acting all close to her now, as if he really cared?

Jungkook pulled her gently out of bed. “Come on, get ready.”

He got out so she could change into her school uniform, and she found him sitting all alone at the table. She wished he would go away, but at the same time she didn't want to be left alone.

“Where are the others?” she asked.

"Sleeping. Since we don't have a scchedule, might as well sleep, right? Except... I can't sleep."
After what you did it's no wonder, thought Seung Hee. She hated thinking these thoughts about him... he was her friend even if he had betrayed them all.

Jungkook knew what she was thinking, she was sure of it, even though he didn't comment.

Seung Hee tried to eat, but it just wouldn't go down. Finally, Jungkook said, “I called Mr Shin. He'll come to take you to school.”

“Mr Shin?”
“You don't like him?”
“I do,” she muttered. “It's just… Yoongi doesn't seem to like him very much...”

Jungkook laughed softly. “Aish, really! Why do you think that?”

“Huh?”

“He's jealous."
"Yoogi is jealous? No way...”
“He is,” insisted Jungkook. “He comes home to find you all excited about clothes Mr Shin bought, and all you talk about is Mr Shin – about how nice and funny he is.”

“I didn't talk about Mr Shin all the time!” said Seung Hee indignantly. “And anyway, he has nothing to be jealous about. Mr Shin is just… my manager.”

“I know,” said Jungkook. “Here's something about Yoongi hyung you should have noticed by now: he's very possessive and he gets jealous for no reason.”

She laughed – even though she had known it all along, he had confirmed it. “He's stupid!”

“Then would you like it if he got close to other girls?”
Seung Hee remembered seeing him with that model – aish, she should have murdered that model!

“No,” she said quickly – she couldn't be put in the same bag as Yoongi!

“Liar,” said Jungkook.

“I don't get jealous!”
“You really can't lie.”

He laughed softly.

“Yah!”
“Don't 'yah' me, kid!” Jungkook smiled, almost like the old days, full of warmth and happiness.

Seung Hee couldn't help but be reminded that Yoongi used to tell her not to say 'yah' at him – except she ignored that now.

“Why are you smiling?” asked Jungkook.

“Nothing,” she replied, blushing.

“I know you're lying.”
“It's just... Yoongi used to say that to me, too.”

Jungkook groaned and pretended to hit his face. “Aish, Yoongi Yoongi Yoongi! Is he the only person in this world?”
Strangely, his eyes flickered to something behind her, but Seung Hee didn't see anything when she turned to look.

“Maybe not the world,” she said. “But he is the most important person in my world.”

Jungkook's eyes flitted to that space behind her again.

“What are you looking at, oppa?”

Jungkook smiled pleasantly. “Your dear husband was there and he heard you.”

She twisted around just in time to see a red-head duck out of sight, and turned as red as his hair. “Oppa!"
Jungkook grinned, looking very pleased with himself. “I think you two will talk again – I think your sweet Suga will come cuddle with you tonight.”
“OPPA!” Seung Hee leapt to her feet, face flaming, as Mr Shin came in.

“Whoa there,” he said. “Where's the fire?”

“Nothing!” She picked up her bag. “Can we go now?”

“I just solved a lover's quarrel,” chuckled Jungkook, sending Mr Shin a meaningful look.

He grinned and said, “That's great! You two will cuddle tonight, then!”
“You're doing this on purpose!” cried Seung Hee as the two high-fived. “I'M GOING!”

Flushing furiously, she went outside, ignored the two reporters and climbed into her seat in the van. Still laughing, Mr Shin took his place at the driver's seat.

“Poor Seung Hee,” he said. “Suga is mad at you, huh?”
"Stop it!”
"Ok, ok,” chuckled Mr Shin, and began to drive. “This is the last day we'll be seeing each other.”

“Why?” asked Seung Hee “Are you going to be replaced?”

“You didn't know?”

“Know what?”

“Your contract with K Entertainment is void – you no longer need a manager.”

“Void?” asked Seung Hee. This couldn't be true – Yoongi had told her that she had signed a slave contract! "How-"
"I'm not too sure about that myself, but it's cancelled all right."

“Does this mean I won't have to go on shows?”

“Only if you want to – no one will make you do anything.”

“How did this happen? I mean, who pointed out that my contract-”
“Suga did,” said Mr Shin. “I think he overreacted, don't you? Having you in the entertainment industry isn't bad, and you could really help him.”

She did not hear what he was saying – it did not matter. All that mattered was that Yoongi had found a way to free her from the contract… herYoongi had actually gone and fought his own agency for her…

"Here,” said Mr Shin, holding out her phone. “He told me to return this.”

She checked her missed calls – there were thousands. There were at least five hundred from Ha Na and her mother, and several from classmates and teachers. Did people really want to talk to her that badly?

“We're here,” said Mr Shin. “Wait… is your school normally like this?”
Seung Hee looked out of the tinted windows and almost changed her mind and told him to take her back home. In front of the school gate, there was practically every single female student in the entire school, and quite a few male students, too.

Seung Hee gulped. What were they doing over there? It was almost as though they had been waiting for her...

 

* * * *

Manager Woo did not even look up from a file he was reading when Yoongi came storming in his office.

“I was expecting you, Min,” he said. “I'm glad you've decided to apologize-”

“I have nothing to apologize about,” said Yoongi. “Did you have to do it?”

“I don't know,” said Woo, and Yoongi couldn't believe how impassive his face was. “What did I do?”

“You tricked her...”

“Oh, that,” said Woo. “She wanted to help you, Min. She practically worships you – how did you do that?”

“You knew that I would never have approved of the contract,” said Yoongi. “Do you realize that you took advantage of a person's ignorance?”

Woo smiled coldly. “If I were you, I would drop the mater. There's nothing you can do about it – the contract has been signed.”

“Cancel the contract immediately.”

“I can't do that, Min. However, if you keep meddling in this matter, I'll consider it as breach in contract and I'll see you in court.”

“Breach in contract?”
“Your contract states that you cannot meddle in company matters. Your, er, wife is now a company matter, so back off.”

Yoongi smirked, and a frown appeared on Woo's face and he demanded, “What do you find so funny, Min?”

“You said you'll see me in court, right?” said Yoongi, still smirking. “If you don't cancel her contract you will be seeing me in court, but on my terms.”

Woo raised an eyebrow.

“Lee Seung Hee is eighteen years old,” said Yoongi. “She is still below the age of nineteen and you did not consult me, her legal guardian, in this matter. It is the law that a legal guardian signs any contract for someone below the age of nineteen, and since she signed it by herself, the contract is void.”

Woo's mouth fell open.

“You're her guardian?” he asked in disbelief.

“I am,” said Yoongi. “I can sue the company for this.”

Woo was cornered and he knew it. He cleared his throat, avoiding Yoongi's hard look.

“Where is her contract?” asked Yoongi.

“I'll deal with it,” he muttered.

“From now on, Lee Seung Hee has nothing to do with the company.”

“Leave now,” ordered Woo, pointing towards the door, shuffling papers about.

He left after saying, “Don't even talk to her again."

Call him controlling and paranoid, but he didn't want to lose her. Fame did things to a person – hell, he was in no way the same person he used to be before, and he was too scared. Scared that if she changes, she'll see all his faults again and not want him anymore. Protecting her wasn't the whole reason why he didn't want her in the entertainment world. Call him selfish, but that's all right – after all, isn't everyone selfish to a certain degree? Yoongi was a person, he had every right to be as sefish as other people.

 

* * * *

 

Mr Shin wished her luck and told her that he would wait outside for her, and that she should come running if something happened. She nodded, took a deep breath, and opened the door.

Everyone stared, pointed, whispered. She had expected them come rushing at her and maybe beat her up, but the only one who rushed to her was Ha Na.

“Yah!” she said frantically. “I saw you on TV and the articles and I was out of my mind! Are you ok?”
“I'm fine-”
“Then how could you not call me even once?” hollered Ha Na.

“Ha Na...” said Seung Hee, trying to calm her down. “People are looking...”
“I don't care!”

She gripped Ha Na's hand and took her past the crowd of staring and whispering students to stand closer to the school building. People still pointed, but at least no one could hear them.

“I hate you!” hollered Ha Na. “Those hours I spent worrying is time I'll never get back!”
“I'm sorry!”

They hugged, and Ha Na told her all about Busan. The bell rang, and they went to their first class together. With Ha Na, everything seemed normal – like she had never been suddenly revealed as the young wife of a Hallyu star.

Once they reached the classroom, though, everyone stared and the room erupted in whispers.

“She married Suga...”

“She doesn't look like someone special.”
“He should have a perfect girl.”

“How did she manage to catch him?”
“Did she blackmail him or something?”

"Maybe – why else would he even have anything to do with her?"

She held her head up and took her seat, and tried not to listen.

“I bet he's just pretending to like her for the TV.”

“You're probably right – his agency told him to act like that.”
“He's a Hallyu star and what is she? Nobody!”

A different group of girls crowded around her desk. Those were the rival fan-gang, and Seung Hee tried to keep out of both group's way as much as possible. This group was the exact opposite: they were sickeningly sweet.

“You're so lucky!”
“You're the luckiest girl alive!”
“You must know everything about him!”

“Can you introduce us to him?”
“Yeah, can you? Please?”
“Also to BTS?”

She said nothing – this was the safest way to deal with them. That way, she would say nothing offensive and they wouldn't beat her up.

The teacher entered and the girls went back to their seats. The teacher looked at her and said, “Congratulations, Lee Seung Hee.”
She wished the ground could swallow her.

“He is your legal guardian now, right?” said the teacher. “Does that mean that he will come to your school meeting and your graduation?”

The girls all squealed and Seung Hee almost grimaced. Even her teacher became crazy! People were falling over themselves just because he was a Hallyu star – and now they would try to use her to get close to him.

The same thing happened in every single class, and at lunchtime, that group of girls sat at Seung Hee and Ha Na's table. They acted as though they were great friends with Seung Hee, complimenting her and inviting her to come hang out with them. Ha Na was pushed to the side and ignored, and no matter how hard Seung Hee tried to include her in the conversations, the other girls ignored her.

Those girls followed her around like the plague, even when school was over they followed her out to the gates. Seung Hee kept a tight hold on Ha Na, who looked as though she wanted to escape.

“Are you waiting for someone?” they asked.

“Don't tell me – oppa is coming?!”

They all started screaming and it took every bit of self-control for Seung Hee to not yell at those girls to go away – but they were actually quite helpful, because they protected her from the other gang who would undoubtedly beat her up.

It was starting to get late, but the girls did not leave. Finally, it was just them, Ha Na and Seung Hee. That's when she began to really worry – where was Mr Shin?

The girls began screaming all over again when a red car came in sight – and Seung Hee's heart skipped a beat when she saw it. Yoongi had come to get her – that meant that their fight was over. Except why was he coming now, in front of those annoying girls? She would never be able to shoo them away now…

They began to scream even louder when Yoongi rolled down the window and yelled, “Yah! Hurry up!”

He finally noticed the girls, and Seung Hee thought that it was about time, too – they were crowded around his car screaming, “Oppa!”

“Oppa, I love you!”
“Oppa, you broke my heart!”

“How can you be so handsome, oppa?”
“We are Seung Hee's friends, oppa!”

Yoongi nodded. “It's nice to see you,” he said, which made them gasp. “Are you all studying well?”
“Yes, oppa!”

“Good, because exams are coming up, right?”
“Right!”

“You should go now, and study, ok? Good luck!”
His eyes found Seung Hee's and he told her to get in with a jerk of his head. This drew a collective gasp and squeals.

She rolled her eyes but got in. “Can you go now?”

He ignored her. “Choi Ha Na!” he called.

“Choi Ha Na?” whispered the girls.

“Why her?”

“Yes?” said Ha Na breathlessly.

“Get in.”

“Oh, but-”

“I said get in – now.”

Ha Na meekly got into the back, and Seung Hee glared at him as he began to drive. This would be all over the school by tomorrow... why couldn't he try to at least be careful? Was it really too hard to have a peaceful life? And he had no right to speak like that to Ha Na... Gosh, look at him, acting as though nothing had happened.

She was so tired. Of everything, including fighting with him. But her blood boiled anyway, and she found herself starting another fight.

“Why did you come pick me up?” she demanded.

His grip on the steering-wheel tightened. “Are you ashamed of me, too?” he asked.

“I wanted a quiet life at school!” she cried. “You… because of you I can't have one! And how could you talk to Ha Na like that?”

“Seung Hee,” whispered Ha Na urgently. “Don't bring me into this.”

But Seung Hee wasn't having it – Yoongi could boss her around all he liked, but not her friend.

“You can't boss Ha Na around,” she said.

“So,” said Yoongi in a low voice. “You won't let me tell your friend to do something but you let people talk trash about me.”

“It's always about you, isn't it? For your information, the only trash talked about anyone was of me!” she said. “And anyway, you've had a lot of trash talked about you before – shouldn't you be used to it by now? All those scandals with models...”

There – she had finally gotten it out. Truthfully, those scandals bothered her – a lot.

Except maybe she had gone a little too far. Ha Na was staring at her, horrified, and Yoongi's eyes became as cold as ice. The atmosphere, which had already not been very good, suddenly turning stifling. No one spoke or even looked at each other. Ha Na did not even tell Yoongi that they were going the wrong way to her house.

When they reached the dorm, he got out and did not even bother checking to see if they were following him.

Inside, the atmosphere was just as bad as it had been in the car. Hoseok and Jungkook were sniffing, Taehyung and Seokjin were staring at a phone, and Jimin had his fists clenched and he glared at everyone.

Namjoon noticed them first – actually, he noticed Ha Na. He kept his gaze on her and asked, “What are you doing here?”

Ha Na smiled, and Seung Heenoticed that she trembled a bit. “It's been a long time, oppa.”

“I know,” said Namjoon; he did not smile. “I've had a lot of things to think about.”

“I thought so.”

Seung Hee looked at them; they had almost identical expressions of sadness, longing, and understanding.

Namjoon stood up. “I'll take you home.”
Ha Na nodded and turned to Seung Hee. “Bye, then.”

“Ha Na,” said Seung Hee. “Did something happen?”

“I don't know; I have to go home now.”
The doorbell rang, and Namjoon answered it. He stepped aside to let the person inside, and Seung Hee was so glad to see that person. What with a terrifying Yoongi, a departing Ha Na, and a sniffling Jungkook, that person was exactly who she needed.

---