---- Chapter Sixteen-----

After informing the girls she wouldn't spend the day shopping and wandering around with them, Chaeyoung expected angry retorts or disappointed groans. But no. Instead, she received thumbs up and knowing smirks. Even Jennie, whose mood still remains dark, managed to wiggle her eyebrows at her.

They leave by mid-morning, determined to see as much as they can of the city, which gives her a few hours by herself as her date only starting a little later, ensuring her plenty of time to shower, pretty herself up and find something cute to wear. 

Part of her regrets watching them go off without her - she really wanted to explore too - but her decision is firm.

She has a date.

Chaeyoung allows herself to squeal, because why not. It's not an event that happens to her often, thus it's totally squeal-worthy.

And no one is there to anyway.

It's been years since she's had a date, her last one going back to her early days as a trainee, and even back then, she barely had any free time as every hour of every day was focused on working hard in the hopes of finally debuting. And the dates she did go on, she never came close to what she's feeling right now.

Like a kid on Christmas day. But multiplied by a hundred. Or a thousand.

After dumping the content of her luggage on the floor, she critically examines each piece carefully, a frown appearing on her face as the pile on the ground grows larger while her suitcase empties. She didn't exactly pack with the possibility of a date in mind, but since they would stay in the hotel, she supposes the casual option would have to do. Besides he's seen her in plenty of dresses already. 

Grabbing the chosen items, she then goes to the bathroom for a shower. She stays a long time under the hot jet of water, trying to relax as she feels her blood pumping at an alarming rate from excitement and anxiety. 

Calm down, Chaeyoung. You've survived a handful of monthly evaluations as a trainee, a date is nowhere near as nerve-wracking as those. But no use. With a sigh, she stops daydreaming and speeds up as time is moving forward while she's standing there endlessly. Her hand is shaking as she grabs her sponge, putting the double quantity of her washing gel, and she starts scrubbing herself three times over, finding slight comfort in the pomegranate smell that invades the stall.

Afterward, she changes into the selected outfit; black leggings that accentuate the length of her legs and a knitted baby pink sweater falling loosely just below her with her white vans completing the outfit. Since she took too much time choosing an outfit and showering, she has no time to straighten her hair, so she dejectedly twists her brown mane into a bun.

At one o'clock sharp, she hears the knock on her door just as she puts the last brush of mascara on her lashes. She tries to settle down her nerves as she skips to the door, eager and nervous at the same time. What happened yesterday still feels like a dream that her broken mind made up to brighten her life.

The first thing that greets her when she opens the door is his slow smile, which brings out her own - no, it wasn't a dream since Park Jimin is really standing at the doorstep of her hotel room - and she runs an appreciative glance at his tightly-fitted black jeans and his dark blue shirt that makes his pale blond hair stand out even more.

How is it possible for someone dressed so simply to look yet so perfect? She's always noticed his kind eyes, his beautiful smile, and his angelic voice. Then his warm personality drew her in, but he is utterly always a sight that has a heart in a frenzy every time her eyes fall on him. A confession is not in any way stopping her heart from acting up, and she doesn't think anything ever will, really.

His smile however slowly turns into a frown as he steps inside, observing her closely. "You look exhausted."

Chaeyoung's hands automatically fly to her face, gliding across her cheeks and under her eyes. She put dark circles concealer and more foundation than usual. It wasn't supposed to show. "I'm okay," she answers as chirpy as possible, but she avoids his stare because she knows how unconvincing she sounds.

He sighs as he enters her hotel room, closing the door behind him. His hands cup her cheek, eyes wandering all over her face, and she can feel his concern radiating off him, which makes her heart swell in answer.

She chose well.

"Please, don't lie. You can tell me..."

Chaeyoung sighs in disappointment, all toward herself. Why can't she for once act like a normal person and be all refreshed for her first date with maybe the most perfect man on this planet? "I haven't been sleeping well since...the rehearsal. I've been having disturbing dreams."

An understatement. If she thought her night after the rehearsal was bad, her nightmares proved her wrong by growing worst last night. She thought the amazing evening she spent with Jimin would overshadow the bad memories the rehearsal brought out, but no. She dreamt of creepy backstage hallways, haunting voices in the speakers overpowering her voice while she tried to sing, and everlasting blackouts.

She'd woken up five times before wearily giving up completely on sleep.

"Mm. Can you tell me about it?"

Besides her therapist, she's never recounted her dreams to anyone before. Lisa might have gotten the digest versions of a few of them after she awoke to her cries and comforted her, but otherwise, she hates talking about them. They're a very private part of her, pieces of her broken self, but it's Jimin. With whom she feels safer than she's felt with anyone in a long time.

Because it's him, and because she doesn't want to reject his request, Chaeyoung tries to get the words out, she really tries. opens, words gather in her brain, but they refuse to come out. Instead, she bursts into tears.

Jimin immediately pulls her into his arms, hand drawing comforting circles on her back. "Shh. It's okay. You don't have to say anything."

"I'm sorry." She wants the tears to stop, but they won't. What kind of girl bursts into tears in front of their date, for their very first date, the day that followed the confession? It's so embarrassing, but she's so tired, and she feels so powerless, even in her own body. "I'm such a mess. You don't know what you're getting into..."

His fingers gently massage her scalp, trying to calm her down. "I do know. I'm not blind. I can see how hard a time you're having. I could've run the other way, but I'm here and I'm not going anywhere."

His words only make her cry harder. He tightens his hold, softly humming a soothing melody close to her ear as he waits for her to calm down. He's done the same thing at Minho's party, she remembers, and she buries her head in his shirt as she lets his voice guide her away from her torment.

She doesn't know how long they stay like this, but by the time her tears dry, his shirt is soaking wet. As she moves away from him, her hands fly to hide her eyes that must be so swollen and red.

"Give me a moment to refresh and we can go."

"Forget the date. You need to rest."

Her hands drop to her side in shock, the ugly state of her face forgotten. A different sort of panic settles within her at his words. He thinks she's crazy, he wants to take back his confession, he regrets kissing her, he wants to leave. "What? No, I-"

"Tsk. You look like you slept two hours in the last 48 hours. You're in the middle of your comeback, your schedule is full. You need to rest. I'll stay with you."

She blinks at