you're not tarzan

"So are you two like together or whatever?" Irene shifts the topic of discussion, gesturing Yeri to have a pillow from the couch.

The girls are gathered around the living room, having their mundane group talk every end of the day. Once the question shoots, the four girls have shifted their attention to the poor girl who fake coughs when she hears the question.

It's a sensitive topic, Seulgi thinks. They're only three years into the career and dating is definitely still a grey area to her, or at least at some point. She goes by the book; no dating until the dating ban is lifted, but sometimes she just doesn't care and wishes that they are actually in the same company which make things so much easier and clearer.

Everyone sees the dating ban as a breeze, and albeit the 4-year ban does exist, no one really follows it because the agency will cover up for you anyway. Also it's a marketing ploy to put fans at ease for almost half a decade, and the company does not really see this secret as inappropriate either.

Seulgi sits up, legs crossed as she leans against the headrest, hesitating to answer the question directed at her.

"Did you say anything about him going to the jungle?"

"He what." She jolts up from her position, eyes wide towards Wendy who asked.

"You mean you didn't know?" Joy says it rhetorically. "It's posted as an article."

"Does everyone else know besides me?" Seulgi deadpans.

The other girls nod.

Seulgi heaves a frustrated sigh and runs a hand through her hair.

True enough, she sees his name on the front page of Naver, him going to Cook Islands to film Law of the Jungle for a week or so.

She just feels inexplicably worried. She knows he has a back injury and his knee hasn't been in good condition ever since his comeback. And trying to survive in the jungle for a week is undoubtedly dangerous, doing more harm than good.

There are also so many questions in her head, like: why didn't he tell her about this? and she has to hear this news from other members instead?

So she decides to text him.

why didn't you tell me you were going to the jungle?

She gets a reply almost instantly, and she feels stupid because she was supposed to feel angry, but in return she gets this sense of excitement whenever she sees her phone screen light up with his name.

i didnt want you to worry

but im already worried.

i'll be fine.

does this mean i won't be seeing you this saturday for the music show?

we can still meet when im back

it's not that easy.

She tosses her phone on the bed and silently thanked God when the device bounced to the edge of the bed, barely succumbing to the pull of gravity.

Wendy enters the room just then, and spots Seulgi sitting by the desk, a sulky look plastering her usual bubbly face.

"What did your  boyfriend do to make you upset?" Wendy laughs half-heartedly, sitting on Seulgi's bed and retrieving the innocent phone she vented her anger on.

"Jaebum is not my boyfriend," Seulgi emphasizes, glaring at Wendy. "And I'm not sad."

"Sure to the two statements," Wendy jokes, already making herself comfortable on her best friend's bed. "Spill."

"I'm just worried," Seulgi groans, "does he think he's Tarzan or something? It'd be torture for himself."

"He will be fine," Wendy assures her, "he's old enough to take care of himself."

Seulgi sighs for the nth time that night. Maybe they're right; he will be fine.

stay safe. is what she says before he leaves for the airport.

i will, see you when im back

She finds so much comfort when she sees the reply, and then she goes into her own little mess because only Im Jaebum can make her go crazy with his words.

Sitting in the SUV on the way to her next schedule, her mind drifts to the first time they sat beside each other at an awards show, the first time they actually conversed. And then she looks at Wendy beside her, earphones plugged. Seulgi has this small grin on her lips when she remembers Wendy was actually the mastermind behind them, (along with Jackson) who thought it'd be nice to give Jaebum her number.

She just prays that he'll return in one piece.

"Did you all hear about Solbin?" Joy asks everyone.

"The girl who tried to hit on Jinyoung but failed?" Jackson mocks before earning a smack on his head from Jinyoung.

Joy and Jackson are the best at gossiping in the two groups re