Harsh Truths are Hard to Swallow
Sparta and His Valkyries [Will be rewritten!]Hey Guys! Hope you guys had a great weekend!
So like I mentioned in a previous chapter, I just released a side story called "Jin's Devil Shoulder and Angel Wings." It focuses on my AU Jin. Hope you read that as well. That story, after the prologue chapters, will run parallel to this story and will have Jong Kook as well. The Prologue Part 1 has a Jong Kook cameo, though from much earlier in the time line (back in 2005).
"Wait, he saved you?" Jihyo whispered, staring at Naeun's intense eyes. "What do you mean by that?" The two women didn't realize that Yeseul was standing behind a wall, eavesdropping them.
"It happened last year." Naeun took a deep breath and explained it.
Flashback
Naeun was walking from the bathroom back to the dressing room. Apink had just finished a performance for the SBS Inkigayo, and Naeun had to take a detour while going back to the dressing room.
"Hey, Naeun-ssi?" She turned and saw a burly man in a suit. She immediately recognized him as the executive of one of the larger entertainment groups and bowed her head.
"Hello, sir." She bowed slightly.
"I saw your team's performance, and I really like it. Especially the new y concept." The executive complimented.
"Thank you, sir." Naeun bowed before trying to make her way through, but he was blocking her. "Excuse me, bu-"
The executive interrupted her, walking closer. "Say, do you want to come to dinner with me? I heard that Apink's contract is expiring soon, so I wanted to discuss it."
"That's great," Naeun spoke, feeling more caged by the minute. "But I would really prefer to talk about it another time, with the rest of my group. Please, excuse me." She tried to force her way through, but then he raised his arm to block her.
"You know, it's poor taste to refuse dinner with someone who can ruin not only your career but also your teammates' career with a phone call." The executive growled, leaning closer. Naeun winced and pulled back, trying to keep distance between them. "But you're a good girl, aren't you?" The executive reached out and gently grabbed Naeun's chin. "So, what's your answer?"
"Please, don't!" Naeun trembled, tears coming down her cheek.
"Get away from her, now." She heard a familiar voice and saw Jong Kook-oppa, standing. "Picking on little girls now?" But unlike the singer's normal cheerful self, the Sparta was boiling in silent anger, glaring at the executive. "Naeun,-ah, it's alright. Come here."
Naeun quickly pushed past the executive and ran behind Jong Kook.
"I think you're late for a meeting now," She heard the male singer growl at the crude man. "If you prefer, I could carry you there, if your legs are not working properly in the next 30 seconds."
The Executive huffed at Jong Kook, and the two of them had a staredown before the former walked off, letting off expletives. When he was long and gone, Jong Kook turned around and saw Naeun sobbing quietly. He gently put his hand on her shoulder.
"Hey, hey, it's alright. He isn't here anymore," Jong Kook replied softly. "Come on, let's go wash your face before you go back, okay?" Naeun nodded slowly and Jong Kook escorted her to the bathroom. She quickly washed her face and came out of the lady's room, seeing Jong Kook with a steaming paper cup in his hands.
"It's tea." He said and gave her the warm cup. "Here."
"Thank you," Naeun whispered as she sipped on the tea and sat down on a nearby chair. Jong Kook sighed and put his hands in his pockets.
"Are you feeling better?" Jong Kook asked. "Did he do anything to you?"
Naeun shook her head. "No...but he threatened me if I didn't say yes, then Apink will..." The girl sniffled.
"Don't worry about that." Jong Kook knelt down so that he was on the same eye-level with Naeun. "If he tries anything, I can make some calls with people I know. So don't be scared of him."
Naeun looked at Jong Kook. "Do you know him? Personally"
"That guy...." Jong Kook growled as he stood back up. "He and I have history." Jong Kook stated. "So yes. I know that piece of filth. If he bothers you or any of your teammates, don't be afraid to call me, okay?"
Naeun nodded. After finishing her tea, Jong Kook escorted her back to the Apink dressing room. Before she went in, Naeun turned around and bowed once more. "Thank you for everything, Oppa."
"Hey, anything for my dear hoobae." Jong Kook smiled, and suddenly Naeun began feeling strange warm feelings for the man. "Take care of yourself."
End Flashback
Naeun finished telling Jihyo her story. "That's what happened. And ever since then, he's been looking after me whenever we worked together. And at every one of those times, those warm feelings grew stronger. Imagine how I felt when I learned that another woman had stolen his heart."
Jihyo couldn't speak. She had no idea that such a thing had happened. Even Yeseul couldn't believe her ears. Neither of the older women knew that Naeun had such a connection with the man that they both loved.
"I...I didn't know..." Jihyo stammered. "I don't know what to say..."
Naeun held back the impending tears. "That's why I can't stop. Even if the woman standing in my way is Han Ye Seul or you."
"M-me?" Jihyo spluttered at Naeun's reaction.
"Don't try to hide it. I wasn't born yesterday." Naeun spoke calmly. "I knew that you liked him too. Your trying to stop me just now proves it."
Jihyo opened , but no words came out. According to the fortune teller, the Cupid was most likely to have Jong Kook. And Jihyo figured that Naeun was the Cupid.
"Anyway, it doesn't matter," Naeun spoke. "I know how I feel for him, and I don't want to see him in the arms of another. I'll regret it if I just let him go." She picked up her lunchbox. "And I know I can give Jong Kook-oppa more than you and Yeseul-sunbaenim could,"
"More? What do you mean?" Jihyo asked. Both Jihyo and Yeseul, who was still hiding, wanted to know what Naeun could offer that neither could give him.
Naeun looked rather embarrassed at first, but looked up at her rather brazenly. "Well, not to be rude but, I AM much younger." That cold hard fact stabbed through Jihyo and Yeseul's brains so hard that both women couldn't talk.
"Anyway, it was nice telling someone the truth, Jihyo-unnie," Naeun spoke. "It's refreshing to finally tell someone everything. All I have to do is tell the same thing to Jong Kook-oppa." She walked away, leaving a stupefied Jihyo and Yeseul.
Yeseul POV
Yeseul took a deep breath before walking away. She had to process everything that she just heard. So not only Jihyo was after her man, but this girl called Naeun as well. If anything, this girl was even more dangerous than Jihyo. She was beautiful, devoted, and, like she said, much younger than either herself or Jihyo.
And from her story, she had very good reason to be devoted to Jong Kook. It wasn't like Jihyo's case, where Jihyo ignored Jong Kook's feelings right until her relationship went public. But it still wasn't right!
She decided to confront this girl and turned around to talk to this girl, but saw Jihyo.
"Hey." Jihyo spoke flatly "So, I suppose you heard what Naeun said."
Yeseul took a deep breath. "Yeah."
"So, what are you going to do? Confront her?" Jihyo raised an eyebrow. "You saw what happened when I did."
"You aren't his girlfriend." Yeseul nearly growled.
"No, but I am a woman who loves him," Jihyo stated. "I'm ashamed to say this, but that girl is madly in love with Jong Kook-oppa as well."
"She's young! And yes, her story was like cut from a drama. But she is old enough to know what not to do!" Yeseul shot back.
"You can tell her that all you want." Jihyo sighed. "But she pointed out that her being younger is an advantage. And that's a cold hard fact that neither of us can challenge. So it's you, me, and Naeun."
"Don't think too highly of yourselves. There is only one, and that's me!" Yeseul snapped. "What is it with you people? Trying to take a taken man. Not just you, but her!" She pointed at her. "Jong Kook belongs to me."
"All's fair in love and war," Jihyo spoke and turned back. "Come on, Jong Kook-oppa must be waiting for you," She walked away, leaving Yeseul behind. The actress sighed before following Jihyo. She didn't like this at all one bit.
Jin POV
The Running Man shoot was super fun, more fun than Jin has had in a while. After a series of strange games, his group got teamed up with Somin, who nearly fainted at the delight. It was definitely a great change of pace of the Kpop idol. Going around everywhere for concerts and shows and acting drove him insane sometimes; it was finally great to just stay in one place and have fun.
The rest of his bandmates grilled Jin at any free time they had on his family relationship with his uncle and why he kept it from them. And Jin had to explain to them again and again that he didn't want his relation to overwhelm his own achievements and talents, much like it did with Soya. But since BTS has risen to unseen heights in the past year, not to mention Jin's acting debut in the Justice League film, he felt safe just to reveal it. Of course, he could have revealed it better, but Jin just wanted to get it off his chest and be done with it. Not to mention the friendly punches to the arm he got from Namjoon and V.
On top of that, Jin had to reveal how he was "helped" his
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