*4 months later*

She told him she had to leave early, and this was the only thing he could think of to make her stay. So now she sat at the breakfast table of the group's homestay and looked down at what he placed in front of them. He tried to ignore the blank look on her face.

“We’ve known each other for 18 months—a year and some change—almost two years,” he says, as she sits rod stiff, staring down at the papers he had placed in front of her ten minutes ago.

“And we’ve only been ing for four.”

Jackson could feel everyone flinch around them at her bluntness.

“It’s been more than that,” Jackson whispers back. Sweat is rolling down his back, as he waits for her to say something else.

“What is this?” She asks. She finally looks up at him, pushing the paperwork towards him.

“It’s a press release,” he says, “That says we're dating. But it doesn’t mention who you are, and we’ll work to keep it quiet.”

“Yes, it’ll be work, because every media outlet is going to be gunning for stories about who you’re dating, how long you’ve been dating, and so much more.” Chrissy gets up from the table, and the members move out of her way as she goes to the window to look out at the city of Paris. “Is this your way of asking if this is okay with me? To tell the entire world that we’re dating when you didn’t even ask me... we didn’t even have the conversation about what we are, and now you’re asking me to put out a statement to the press in front of your members. Did you guys know about this before he brought it to me?”

Only JB looks at her and nods while the rest of GOT7 avoid her eyes. 

“And your company knows about it because you had to have it approved and the press release drafted up. So you told the entire company about us dating and every member of the group, before you talked to me about it?”

“I’m sorry,” Jackson says, standing up from the table. “It's just… this is how I’m used to doing things. I’m an idol. But you’re… you're my piece of normal.”

“And you want to merge those, I understand that. You want me to be a part of your world, more than I am now. I want you to be a part of mine too, but I didn’t expect to have this conversation after you’ve had it with other people first, and then tell the world a second after I made my decision.”

“We didn’t mean to gang up on you,” JB says, “We just wanted you to know that we’re all here for you guys. That we support you.”

Chrissy looks out the window again, and the boys take her not yelling at them as an apology. JB claps Jackson on the shoulder and everyone but Jackson and Chrissy file out of the kitchen.

Her phone goes off on the table, and Jackson can’t help the sneer as the name on her phone pops up. Her ex-husband.

“What does he want?”

“That’s the reason I have to leave early—”

“Because he wants you back?”

“No. Oh God, no. He doesn’t even know I’m in a relationship. No one does. And that’s a part of the problem, Jackson. I don’t talk about it or post about it on social media because I can’t. Even if I just post that ‘I’m taken’ and that’s it, people will still talk, still ask questions. And there’s only so much I can say without them thinking I’m lying or a side chick or something. Even with this press statement… I can’t post pictures of you or us on my social media. I can’t tell everyone, just in case information gets leaked. You get to tell the world that you’re in a relationship and that you’re happy, but I don’t get to do the same thing to protect our privacy.”

“Then we’ll tell people who you are,” Jackson says, “Kai from EXO is doing it with his girlfriend.”

“That is not the same thing! They had photos leaked, and even now they’re facing scandals that might get him kicked out of his company. Is that what you want? Your fans will rip me apart, especially because I’m divorced and have only been that way for 18 months.”

“I don’t care what—”

“Yes! You do! You care about what your fans say, because you love your fans. You care about your fans so much, and that’s why you work as hard as you do. I know you, Jackson. You never want to let your fans down, so you're constantly working, constantly practicing. And it’s not a bad thing, I love you for that, but you care what they say, what they think. I do too.”

Jackson sits back down in his chair, shoulders slumping as he looks at her across the breakfast area. “What do you want me to do? This is the world I live in, the world you’ll be a part of. Do you think I can’t protect you? Is this you saying no?”

“Jackson!” Chrissy yells. “I’m not saying that. I’m just saying that this isn’t easy.”

“It’s not supposed to be easy!” Chrissy jumps as Jackson slams his hand against the table. “It’s a relationship, and relationships aren’t easy. They’re hard work. You should know that, you’re divorced.”

It felt like the air was out of the room as Jackson deflates, wishing he could take the words back. He can see the anger in her eyes and her pursed lips like she’s trying to hold the words in. 

Chrissy doesn’t look at him anymore. She walks out of the kitchen, past the boys all sitting in the living room looking down at their laps, and into her room. Jackson rubs his hands over his face as he hears the door slam. 

A few seconds later, they can hear the door opening and slamming. Jackson gets up from his chair and walks into the living room in time to see her putting on a jacket. She grabs a hat from the front door. 

“Where are you going?” he asks her.

She says nothing as she swings the door open and walks out. She doesn’t stop even as multiple people call her name. She just puts on sunglasses, the hat, and pulls her phone out of her pocket. She stands by the elevator waiting for it to open without even really looking at anything. As it opens up, she steps in and presses the button to the lobby, the entire time fighting the rise of emotions in her. 

She doesn’t want to cry; she doesn’t want to yell and shout and say things she doesn’t mean, but the wave of pain in her chest is threatening to come out and overtake her. The elevator door opens up just as a single tear slides down, hidden by the sunglasses, and she wipes it away. 

She pulls up a map on her phone and walks through the lobby, still fighting the building emotions. She opens the door and is met with a wall of reporters and fans staring behind her into the doors, hoping to see someone, no doubt a member of GOT7. None of them would be stupid enough to come out, though. 

Chrissy turns away from them and walks down the street, thinking, “How was their location leaked? Probably in a Vlive or something.”

Just before she takes another step outside of the wall of fans, arms sweep around her, grabbing her back and squeezing them to her, knocking her sunglasses off. The sound of thousands of camera shutters and shouts and questions assailed her all at once. 

“I can’t lose you,” Jackson whispers in her ear. People circle around them, and Chrissy looks back to see Jackson without a mask or anything on. Everyone knows who he is. And now they all know who she is. “There’s no turning back now.”