After that it’s hard not to notice him—Min Yoongi, Suga, that rapper who laughed at her. He’s always in the group, and whenever she looks over to catch a glance of Jimin, her eyes catch on his dumb blond head. Sometimes he’s watching her back, stare lazy and unfathomable. She never knows what he’s thinking when he looks at her like that, but it never fails to make her tense up.

She always looks away first.

When Jisoo catches the tail end of one of their staring battles at an awards show, she leans in to whisper-yell, “Which one do you like?”

“Huh? What are you talking about, unnie?” Jennie reorganizes her expression. She’s been told her poker face looks more pissed off than nonchalant, but it’ll have to do.

Jisoo giggles at her. “Don’t play that card with me. I can tell when you think someone is cute, and you’ve been throwing glances at Bangtan since we were seated.”

Lisa, who’s sitting on Jisoo’s other side and caught maybe half of the conversation, nearly yells, “Bangtan? What about them?”

Both of them shush her in panic. It may be loud in the venue but Bangtan is literally sitting only a table away. The closest member glances curiously at them but swiftly turns his attention back to the performance.

Jisoo looks mischievous. “Jennie likes someone in Bangtan!”

Jennie looks scandalized. “I do not!” She sputters as Chaeyoung and Lisa squeal in unison.

“Why are you getting so red then?” Jisoo teases.

“The lights—the ing stage lights are red!” Jennie waves at the ceiling and scowls when her members just laugh at her.

Now Bangtan is definitely looking at them. Jimin is holding his fist over his mouth in amusement. Yoongi quirks an eyebrow at her when he sees her looking, and Jennie reflexively glares back.

She nearly kicks herself for the reaction but she can’t help. He’s so annoying!

She doesn’t notice how he huffs under his breath and hides a grin.

A nudge from Chaeyoung catches Jennie’s attention. “Don’t be embarrassed,” Chaeyoung says secretively. “I think a couple of them are really cute too.”

“Like who?”

“Like…V or Jungkook…or Jimin,” Chaeyoung says shyly, looking down at the last name. Jennie feels a little sick.

She wants to tell Chaeyoung that she thinks Jimin is cute too so they have something to share, but her embarrassment clogs . Chaeyoung liking Jimin makes much more sense than Jennie liking Jimin. Jennie doesn’t look like a nice girl or act like one; she has a reputation.

So Jennie keeps shut and squeezes Chaeyoung’s hand underneath the table cloth. “That’s cool. He was kind of hot when he did that shirtless act of his,” Jennie teases and just as expected, Chaeyoung squeals and holds her red cheeks.

Jennie wonders what would have happened if they weren’t idols, and there wasn’t a whole industry to fight through to get to someone. Maybe then Jennie could’ve stopped Jimin in the hall and talked to him like a normal person. No expectations on their shoulders, managers breathing down their necks, fans watching from every corner, or rumors lurking in every shadow. If it was just—them.

Here she is getting dramatic over a simple crush. Jennie tries (and fails) to focus on the show.