----Chapter Twelve----

The pictures of the photoshoot are released one week later and it becomes the favorite subject of everyone. Both their fans go crazy, some in a 'they should totally get married and have lots of babies' way that freaks her out, others in a vicious way. 

She's received some dreadful hate comments that made the girls so mad they went as far as creating anonymous accounts to fight back. Chaeyoung really tried to prevent them from doing so as it would only aggravate the situation, but no one listened to her and she was forced to watch them go crazy.

Jisoo seemed to have the devil's fun writing insults as colored as the ones thrown at her while Lisa incorporated way too much punctuation and used words she wasn't supposed to know - she later confessed to learning them from the iKON's boys - and got blocked so many times it turned into a competition. 

Chaeyoung later wonders if maybe, they acted that way so she could worry more about them than the comments, but the verdict's still out.

Thankfully the worst of it died down after a few days, but Chaeyoung still can't stop herself from reading the newer ones.

Don't touch him, - that was the photographer's decision. Sure, he hugged her and there was hand holding behind the scenes, but they don't know that.

He deserves someone better - it was just a shoot, not a promise of eternal love...

She's too ugly for him - that would be for him to decide...right?

Her voice is annoying, it didn't fit with his, why are they posing together now? - because there was demand? Just not from those fans it seems...

Blackpink - why drag her whole group into this?

She eventually stopped reading them, as they got only worst the more she scrolled down.

Those type of comments used to really hurt her. She took all the mean words to heart until Jisoo took her aside one day and scolded her by ranting about how some people would simply write mean words just because they could. Unlike Jisoo, Chaeyoung still couldn't find hate comments funny, but in the end, they're easily overshadowed by all the positives response she's gotten.

The public wants more of the both of them.

Chaeyoung doesn't think it'd be possible for more to happen. Their song has finished its run in the drama. Furthermore, they both have their own busy schedules to follow and the demand for her is on the rise. Following their photoshoot, YG has received a lot of CF offers for her. There's also her upcoming solo song for the OST soon, and Yang Hyun Suk told her he's expecting more offers to come her way after its release.

Their comeback is happening in three days too. The timing is too perfect. Not just her, but the other girls have all beneficiated from their solo activities. Blackpink is on the rise. She's happy about all of it, but she's definitively going to miss working with Jimin. 

"Chaeng! Don't despair!" Lisa energetically strides through Blackpink's practice room, then swirls around them with a huge smile. They're currently perfecting their newest choreography since none of them want to make any mistakes for their first performance in front of their fans. Lisa had gone on a bathroom break for the last thirty minutes, but since she's already mastered every step, the girls can't be mad at her for stepping out a bit.

"What's up?" Jisoo asks, glad for the break.

"You all know that we're going to the special festival Inkigayo is hosting in the Philippines in two weeks, right?"

"Well, duh. We're doing our newest songs, plus it's the first time we'll perform overseas besides Japan," Jennie answers, cracking a smile at the thought. They're all excited to go. It's a rare opportunity for them since they've never gone on the specials of the music shows hosted in other countries.

"Well...You'll be happy to know that I've been entrusted with the list of all the groups that are going! They'll only release it tomorrow, so isn't it exciting to know before everyone else!" Lisa clearly thinks so, eyes sparkling with glee.

"How did you get that?" Chaeyoung asks.

"Jiwon oppa gave it to me. Seems he got it from Minho who got it from Block B's Zico who got it from I don't know whom."

"So who's on the list? Must be some good names to get you this excited," Jisoo points out.

Jennie makes a move to grab the list from her hands but Lisa raises it above her head, way beyond the smaller girl's reach. Far from admitting defeat, Jennie starts tickling Lisa's side which soon gets the youngest rolling on the floor in hysterics. It's then easy for Jennie to grab the list and scans the names.

She stares up at Chaeyoung and smiles. Chaeyoung doesn't need her to say the names out loud to know that BTS is on the list and that makes her insides all happy and warm.

"Ah, that's good. Our little Chaeyoungie was starting to mope around from missing him so much," Jisoo teases as she catches the look between the two girls.

"Yes, exactly!" Lisa yells from the floor. "We'll be there four days. Maybe they'll stay as long too. What more romantic place to confess your love than in another country!"

"I'm not confessing my love," Chaeyoung protests which earns her three sets of eyes rolling in her direction.

"If you don't say anything, another girl might snatch him from right under your nose," Jisoo warns.

"We have a dating ban."

"That never stopped anyone, and you know it. It just means you can't get caught," Jisoo counters. "We have one life to live, Chaeng. Maybe it's greedy to want both the career and the romance, but if you don't take risks, you'll miss on some things."

Chaeyoung stares at her three members who are all watching her. "I do know that. My...my therapist says I should do things that make me happy." She still stumbles over the word, but it's become easier to her talking about her sessions with her to her members.

"And being all lovey-dovey with him would definitively make you happy!" Lisa concludes as she finally gets up to her feet in one graceful move. "Plus, it's not like you need words. Just grab him and kiss him until he's about to drop dead from lack of oxygen."

Jisoo laughs, clapping her hand like a seal at the suggestion.

"Yah, Lalisa Manoban! Who have you been kissing like that?" Jennie demands, running after the taller girl who shrieks and steps behind Chaeyoung.

"No one!"

"Liar!"

Chaeyoung turns around and grabs Lisa's shoulders. "Yes, do tell us."

"Tell us, tell us!" Jisoo bounces around them, pointing her finger at Lisa who is now wishing she'd stayed quiet.

Watching Lisa squirms under the torture of the two older girls is oddly satisfying, but Chaeyoung can't seem to enjoy it fully. Her head is full of thoughts and worries.

Blackpink is coming back.

And she'll see him again soon.

--

Three days pass too fast and before Chaeyoung can blink, the day of their long-awaited comeback is finally here.

They released their album and music video two days ago and now it's their first music show performance. They're leaving for the Philippines soon for the special festival hosted by SBS too.

Chaeyoung is finally, completely back to work with promotions, performances, and interviews lined up.

She's nervous, but it's what she's been waiting for. To climb back to her real life by working like she used to do. Like it never happened.

Like it was just a creepy movie she watched and wants to forget completely.

Work will be her salvation.

Her psychologist thinks she's not completely ready, and the woman is most definitively right - she has degrees displayed all over her walls to back her words up after all - but Chaeyoung needs this to return to normality.

She needs this to return to the old Chaeyoung.

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