A sign that the universe is against her appears merely a week after the awards show. YG has decided to kick off the new year with a collaboration, and who better to collaborate with than one of the hottest boy bands in the industry?

Jennie thinks she’s hiding her dread well until Lisa finds her banging her head against one of the bathroom stall doors after the announcement.

“Is this another Korean tradition I don’t know about?” Lisa asks in bewilderment as Jennie drags her out, hot-faced and muttering.

The stylist is alarmed to see Jennie’s forehead all red and swollen, and Jennie gets an earful about it as she’s getting her makeup done.

“Are you alright?” Jisoo asks her when she’s moping around the practice room robotically going through the motions of the collab routine.

“Yeah,” Jennie says, staring at her reflection. Out of the corner of her eye, Jisoo makes a face at her.

“Are you that nervous about the collab?”

Jennie’s face goes hot. “No! I’m fine!”

If anything, Jisoo looks even more skeptical. Her face gentles, and in that moment, Jennie sees why the usual delivery boy always goes jelly-legged when he sees Jisoo.

“You know I’m here anytime you want to talk, right? Just give me the word and we can go get some ice cream or bingsoo.”

Jennie’s belligerence crumples like wet tissue and she looks down in shame, “Thanks, unnie. I know.”

Jisoo pats her on the head like a child. This is the reason why Jennie has always clung to Jisoo. She sees right through Jennie’s strong front to the cowardly girl within, and still treats her like a younger sister.

When Bangtan shows up, it’s a little awkward at first. The air is rife with uncertain glances and nervous coughs as they attempt to combine the routines they had practiced separately.

It’s only when Lisa, in all her typical guilelessness, offers to help a particularly duck-footed member with a difficult move that the awkwardness finally starts to dissipate. A couple of the Bangtan boys strike up a conversation with Chaeyoung about her recent acoustic performance, making her devolve into a mess of blushing gratitude. Jisoo finds comradery with the oldest member who looks like he could be her long-lost brother.

Jennie finds herself off to the side, partially involved in Chaeyoung’s conversation but too shy to actually say anything even though both boys (V and Jungkook) try to involve her. She notices that Yoongi is sitting down at the back, not even being subtle about it, even though practice isn’t over yet.

“That’s Yoongi-hyung,” Jimin says, scaring the wits out of her as he appears at her side. She feels her stomach jerk as he smiles at her, eyes curving kindly.

He’s so handsome she could puke.

“Oh, yeah, he um, raps?” Jennie stutters, just saying anything that comes to mind. “He looks like he raps well.” What on earth is she saying.

“He does. It figures you would’ve noticed the rappers first, huh? Since you’re from YG and all.” Jimin laughs bashfully. His golden skin looks like it’s glowing. Jennie averts her eyes.

“Yeah, it kind of comes with the job,” Jennie affirms, shyly returning his smile. She’s about to ask Jimin about himself (where he’s from, what songs he likes, if he ever stays up till dawn thinking about what-ifs) when she catches her reflection in the mirror behind him.

She’s pink-cheeked and grinning like a loon, but what makes her breath catch is Yoongi’s narrow figure at the back, cheek nestled in his palm as he watches her with dark eyes nearly hidden under uncombed blond bangs.

Their gazes lock through the mirror, and she gulps unconsciously. It might be her imagination, but she could swear that he winks at her.

Ridiculous.