---Chapter Fifteen---

"You can't go wearing that."

"Why not? I don't even want to go."

"Because you're Kim Jennie. You care about what you wear even if you're going to a party you don't want to attend!"

The two girls are standing in their hotel room, arguing about Jennie's outfit. She's wearing baggy black sweatpants that have been washed too many times and should be used as rags instead of a clothing piece, and an oversized black hoodie with the words 'Girls on top' in huge bold white letters. To complete the outfit, on her head rests a black cap with 'Bite Me' on the front. It's a far cry from her usual party outfits or even her usual casual outfits. How those clothes ended up in her suitcase is a great mystery to Chaeyoung.

"I'm not in the mood. Plus, this is comfortable."

"At least change your pants? They look like they might rip apart at any time."

Jennie looks like she's going to be stubborn about it but finally allows Chaeyoung to pick another bottom item for her as long as the rest stays.

Chaeyoung is not completely happy about the compromise, but she's not about to refuse either. It's understandable that Jennie isn't in the mood for a party after her disastrous alteration with their manager, but brooding alone isn't the solution either.

Rummaging through all the clothes Jennie brought, Chaeyoung finds a winner with a pair of skinny white pants with chains pending on the side. Without too much fuss, Jennie changes into them and they're finally ready to go.

"Jisoo's been texting me for the last ten minutes. Everyone else is already there, it seems."

"Ugh," is the only answer Jennie gives her, but before Chaeyoung can open the door, Jennie grabs her elbow. "Chaeng...are you sure you want to go? You just had a hellish day yesterday, and today was taxing too...Jisoo will understand if you want to skip."

Chaeyoung shakes her head with a smile. "You didn't have such a good couple of days either and besides, if I don't show, people will start some rumor about how broken I am."

She hasn't heard anything, but her little panic attack that resulted in vomiting backstage must've been witnessed by people and the news must've circulated around. People in this industry love gossip after all. The juiciest it is, the faster it circulates until it's all that people talk about. She'll step inside the BTS' suite and she's sure everyone will stare at her and whisper behind her back about how messed up she is.

Jennie's knowing stare makes Chaeyoung wonders once more if her other members do know about the chit-chat people are spreading about her, and the closer she observes her members - which she's been doing more since her interaction with the female idol in the restroom on the day of their comeback stage - the more she leans toward a positive answer. She feels like a coward however, and doesn't know how to approach the subject, or if she should even bring it up at all. Nevertheless, the fact that her members might shield her from nasty words and more burdens her and tears her apart at the same time.

"Then let's both skip. People will start some other kind of rumor instead," Jennie jokes to lighten the mood. It's a success since Chaeyoung chuckles at her suggestive comment and Jennie joins in the contagious sound.

"Jisoo will really kill us if the two of us don't show," Chaeyoung says after they both calm down, and Jennie gives a long sigh before opening the door and leading them on BTS' floor.

Better get this over with.

When they arrive, Jisoo welcomes them herself as if the grand suite is hers. She frowns at Jennie's hoodie but lets them inside without comment. "Thanks for coming," Jisoo says softly instead and Jennie forces a smile before going her own way after a quick scan of her surroundings, without a glance back.

Jisoo shrugs, unhurt by her friend's quick retreat. At least she came.

"Where's Lisa?"

Jisoo points to a group hanging out in the living room which includes Bobby, Hanbin, and Junhoe. "Thanks for coming by the way, but don't push yourself too much just to make me happy..."

"I'll try to stay as long as possible, but I don't know. I'm really tired."

Jisoo pouts as she pats Chaeyoung's head like she does for Dalgom.

"Jisoo, come on!" Seulgi's calling her and Chaeyoung affirms she'll be fine on her own. Jisoo leaves her with a mouthed 'try to have fun' before sauntering toward Seulgi.

Resigned, Chaeyoung decides to join Lisa and the boys. Taking a deep breath, she convinces herself that she can do this. No one is paying any attention to her.

A quick survey of the huge luxurious suite informs her that most of the idols who performed at the festival which ended barely two hours ago are in this room, wide awake, full of energy and having the time of their lives.

Jisoo must be glad.

It takes all of her courage to take the first step forward, and when there's no alarm ringing throughout the room signaling her arrival and no heads turning toward her, she starts breathing normally and it's easier to take the second step, with more confidence.

She's not halfway to Lisa's location before Jimin appears in front of her. A smile immediately appears on her face when she sees him. "Hey."

"Hey yourself. I was starting to think you wouldn't come."

Was he waiting for her? Chaeyoung tries to tell herself how ridiculous that idea is, but she can't find another way to interpret his words. "Jennie kept stalling, and if I'd left before her, she wouldn't have come at all."

He nods slowly, then offers her a timid smile. "Dance with me?" He offers his hand to her and she doesn't hesitate long before taking it. Jimin leads her among the large crowd of dancers and once he finds a spot he's satisfied with, he claps his hands on her waist. Hers find their way behind his neck and they start moving to the rhythm of the music.

Eyes locked, they sway in sync, no flashy moves, just the two of them lost in each other. He pulls her a bit closer and leans his head down so their cheeks are touching.

"You did good in your performance." His voice, so close to her ears, sends delicious shivers all to the way to her toes.

"Thanks. I was so scared to mess it up," she admits. She has no idea how she managed to make it through her performance without breaking down, she barely even remembers it at all. She also missed the whole part where they got back at the hotel, only coming out of it when she entered her room, like she suddenly woke up from a dream with only vague flashes carrying over.

But his words before had given her strength, along with her members' support, and the concert is now an achievement she can highlight on her list of 'challenges to face'. "Thank you for yesterday. I'm glad you came by. What you said...I felt better after hearing your words," she admits shyly.

"I'm glad."

She's melting. But all his words and the way he acts with her makes her question his reasons. Does he also like her? Because Park Chaeyoung may be naive sometimes, but friends don't dance the way they're currently dancing, she knows that much. And if she thinks back on how he previously acted around her and helped her...the more she dwells on it, the messier it gets inside her head. It's driving her crazy.

She drops her head on his shoulder, conflicted, her uncertainties eating her up from inside.

When he came to her room after the rehearsal, she almost pathetically begged him to stay, but what right did she have? That he came at all should be enough, but she greedily wanted more even though she told herself that she was fine with her little crush the way it was.

Liar.

Needless to say, she hasn't slept well that night. Weird dreams of concerts and Jimin's voice had plagued her night.

It left her with questions with no answer.

Where is this going? Does it have a chance of going anywhere or is she the only one hoping for more?

She doesn't know.

She wants to know.

As if sensing her inner battle, Jimin stops their movement. "What's wrong?"

"What does this mean?" She regrets the words as soon as she says them. God, why can't she think carefully before speaking?

Chaeyoung starts stressing when he doesn't answer. Has she messed up? He might be disappointed that she's showing her insecurities; her sister always says that men like self-confident women. But she can't continue like this, her feelings for him are choking her, and with everything she keeps bottled inside her, that question which turns around in circle inside her head every day finally broke free from the cage Chaeyoung tried to lock it in.

He moves away from her, and Chaeyoung's heart tugs painfully in her chest, and god she better not cry, but he's not running away from her. Instead, he steps beside her, his hand resting on the small of her back, and he's leading her away from the room. "Let's talk somewhere quieter."

Before she has a chance to react, he's already navigating her through countless groups of noisy people who pay no attention to them, and the deeper they go in the hotel suite, the fewer people they encounter until he ushers her into his room.

The light of the moon shone in the room through the curtain, revealing a huge king-sized bed with a pile of clothing items sitting at the end of the bed and on the floor below, with two half-opened suitcases discarded in the middle of the room.

"I was in a hurry. I'm not that much of a messy person usually," he defends when he sees her scan the room.

"If you say so." The next moment, he's in her personal space and pulling her in a hug. She squeals at the sudden movement but her arms naturally find their way around his back. She closes her eyes, savoring the moment. 

His hugs really turn her to jelly.

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