Chae knew that convincing her manager that this was a good idea was going to be difficult. She knew what attending the same event could potentially stir in the media. The scandal! Dispatch would have a field day. But she could not help it. She wanted to be next to Jungkook, she wanted to talk to him and laugh along side him. The time they spent together alone was proof that they were more than compatible. He made her laugh so effortlessly, almost like she knew her for ages. And what was best is that she made him laugh as well. While together time slipped through their fingers and in the blink of an eye they would realize that they had been talking for hours.

Neither of them complained. They liked the same things: blueberry cupcakes over banana ones; r & b over electronic music; baggy clothes over a tight fitting wardrobe (with very specific exception Chaeyoung added vigorously); cozy Italian restaurants over popular and “it” places; spring over summer; the beach over the mountains; amusements parks over museums (with another long list of interjections by Chae), and so on.

However, that didn’t mean they didn’t disagree in other areas: Chae liked planning a drawing while Jungkook liked eyeballing his art; she enjoyed binge watching series whereas he was more of a movie type of guy (not that he would mind watching any series with her, but that he kept to himself); Chaeyoung preferred a colorful clothing palette and he loved black. A lot. (but he would love to plan a couple outfit, he thought), and more things.

Funnily, their differences brought them closer. In some occasions one managed to convince the other of something they at first were totally against. For example, Chae successfully convinced him that Mondays were better than Fridays; in return, Jungkook accomplished something (in just one hour) that not even Lisa had been able to do: persuade Chae to try avocado. She, of course, didn’t try it again but small conquers eventually add to winning a battle. He brought out the adventurous part in her and she accentuated the inner artist that Jungkook was so steadfastly trying to conceal. From everyone. So, put simply, with them it was not a matter of completing but rather a matter of complementing.

And she loved that. Hence her effort to reassure her manager that everything would go smoothly with him at the event. Not that he had confirmed her already, but her heart hoped. A girl could dream, no?

For this reason, there she was in the middle of the dorm living room wholeheartedly pleading her manager to put his name on the list. Lisa was watching a drama next to her, Chae eyed her curiously because it seemed that she was more interested in her phone than in the tv show. Chae made a mental note to ask her about it later since, at that very second, she had a mission to do. And for the sound on the other end of the line, it didn’t seem that it was going like she had expected it to.

“But unnie he-“, Chae tried to argue. She failed miserably.

“No,” her manager said bluntly, leaving no room for discussion. Chae’s heart shrank, this was not happening. For the first time in a long time, stress in the word long, she had the initiative to invite someone to an event that was important to her, and this was what she received in return? A scarce no with no explanation whatsoever and the nerve to cut her several times.

“Unnie, this is unfair. It’s not even like we are dating,” Chae retorted back to her manager, tears starting to appear in the corners of her eyes and a small node in the back of forming. She was sad and angry. But mostly angry. She was ing 23 years old if she wanted to invite a friend to an event, she should be able to. They were blackpink, they were not rookies anymore, they could have a life outside of being worldwide stars.

Nonetheless, her manager was unyielding and firm when she replied, “No is no”. Chaeyoung felt the urge to throw her phone across the room and she would have but she felt someone nudging her left shoulder. It was Jennie motioning in a “give me that phone” manner. And Chae did. She placed the phone in her palms and turned to Lisa who was now looking at her with empathetic eyes and opened arms, dramas and chats long forgotten. Chaeyoung reached her side and settled her head on her right shoulder. Lisa just hugged her.

In the background Jennie diplomatically argued with their manager. Everyone knew that to get something done, solve a management problem or style advice it was always, always, a good idea to talk to Jennie. She was just good at treating with people. Her whole shy demeanor one hundred percent changed once she was dealing with the company or making decisions. Jennie looked not almost but undisputedly like a CEO when she did so. She got it from her mom, all the girls knew.

Jisoo entered the living room, phone in her hands and spoke: “What is going on?”, her eyes never leaving her game. Lisa swiftly said, “Jennie is convincing manager-unnie to let Chae add Jungkook to the guest list for tomorrow’s YSL event.” Somehow the fact that Lisa made a perfect summary of the situation she was in made Chae smile. She loved these girls. They were their ride or ride, forever. Through thick and thin they were there for her, and she was there for them. The universe worked in mysterious ways, indeed. She was thankful that her luck had led her not only to achieve her dream of becoming a famous singer but also to obtain three sisters.

To Lisa’s response Jisoo’s eyes speedily left her screen for a nanosecond, somehow that was all she needed to assess the situation. Her quick witt and smarts gave her that ability. “Oh,” Jisoo half-shocked said. Chae moved her gaze to the floor when she heard Jisoo add:

“Don’t worry”, Chae turned to her unnie, “Jennie will convince her.” And just like that everything seemed so simple, so achievable. Not like moments ago.

“There are few people in this world that Jennie can’t persuade”, Lisa further interjected Jisoo’s assertive yet brief intervention.

Chae smiled, again. A laugh resonated through the living room. Jennie was laughing? Minutes ago her manager was certainly not in the mood to talk

“Trust me, unnie! Those pants were to die for!”, Jennie voiced out, the tone she used with close friends while gossiping ruling her words. The three girls out of the conversation watching in awe. The new Zealand raised singer was a natural negotiator.

“I know! I was just as surprised as you”, Jennie copied her manager’s excitement. Over what they were excited and shocked was a mystery to the other girls. Jennie continued undisturbed.

“I’ll take lots of picture next time, I promise,” Jennie turned to the couch where her friends sat while following her every move. Chaeyoung’s imploring eyes made her remember that she had a job to do.

“Speaking of promises…”, Jennie casually commented, “I promise everything is going to be okay.” Each word more convincing than the last, her tone and rhythm drenched by deadly accuracy.

“He’s probably not gonna go,” Chae looked a bit dejected at her words but soon Jennie winked at her and she knew that this was part of her unnie’s plan, “And if by some reason he manages to find time to go…”, Jennie said elongating the “if” to convey that his most likely would not happen (which in truth she did, but that was beside the point, she had to calmly convince their manager), “He won’t even be able to see Chae… She is going to be so busy attending the guests and giving interviews and posing for pictures and blah blah blah”, Jennie finished mimicking a cartoon. Lisa and Chae laughed.

A few seconds of silence and then Chae saw Jennie showing her thumbs up at her. She did it. She convinced her manager. Chae jumped off the couch and started dancing happily. Then she ran to hug her unnie who was still on the phone. She placed a small gentle kiss in Jennie’s cheek followed by a soft spoken, “Thank you. I owe you big time”.

In her grateful-filled hug, Chaeyoung managed to hear their manager say: “Tell Chaeyoung to be careful. We don’t want another scandal like last time”. With last time Jennie and Chae knew what she meant: Jennie and Kai’s dating scandal. Jennie quailed at the mention of her previous relationship. It was not a nice breakup. They were both so young and honestly… immature. They loved each other, but they just had different priorities at the time. He wanted to take a break from the public eye and travel the world. She wanted to skyrocket her singing career and make Blackpink one of the most renowned girl groups in K-pop. They both achieved their priorities. Alone.

Well… He was not so alone. And neither was she. He found someone else to accompany him; she had her members. But they didn’t have each other.

Jimin had been her anchor at the time, Lisa, Jisoo, and Chaeyoung were too. Except they didn’t understand her like Jimin had. Jimin has just gone through a very messy breakup as well. At the time they would complete each other’s sentences of how in sync they were, and, sincerely, they still are.

It took all of Jennie’s strength to mumble, “We’ll be careful.” On that note, she hung up the phone and gently released herself from Chae’s consoling hug. Jennie was exhausted. Remembering her past relationship always drained the few stamina reserve she had.

“It’s done, Chaeyoungie. Have fun and be careful,” Jennie told Chae with her eyes fixed on hers. “I’m tired. I’ll go to sleep now”. Chaeyoung knew why her unnie completely changed her mood, but she decided to not press. She too understood how sometimes all you want and need is to be alone. She hugged Jennie one last time and whispered a small “Thank you”. Jennie departed from her arms once again while Chaeyoung reached their kitchen.

As Jennie walked to the hall that connected to their respective rooms Lisa directed her attention to her mysteriously fatigued unnie. Lisa’s gaze followed Jennie and added, her words drenched in concern, “But you haven’t eaten, unnie!” Her tone was accusatory mixed with care.

Jennie dismissed her concerns with a sluggish wave of hands and a low voice “I’m too tired to eat.” Lisa was not convinced and wanted to continue her worrisome-filled denunciation, but was stopped wide open by Jisoo.

“She’ll be okay,” Jisoo reassured her, her pupils transmitting more than her words. Jisoo was very expressive when she wanted to. A true actress, Lisa thought. The Thailand-born nodded and smiled back.

“Now,” Jisoo stood up, fixed her pajamas and sat next to Chae who was now eating kimchi, “Lisa, you should help Chaeyoungie pick something scandalous for tomorrow,” Chae almost choked as she heard her unnie’s words, this was completely the opposite of the entire conversation that had taken place a minutes ago between Jennie and their manager unnie; Lisa opened to ask the reason when, suddenly, her confused expression turned into a devilish grin. “Your wishes are my command, unnie.”

Jisoo grabbed Chaeyoung by the wrist and dragged her through the apartment until they reached Chae’s room. Lisa was already inside the room, carefully opening the different outfits YSL had sent Chae to choose from for tomorrow’s event. She, being a procrastinator, postponed the decision as much as she possibly could. However, now here she was completely confused about why two of her best friends wore mischievous smirks.

“What is going on?,” Chae naively asked, not prepared for the answered.

“We,” Jisoo said as she grabbed Lisa by the shoulder and shared a smug look with the dancer, “are going to change the fact that you and Jungkook are not dating.” Lisa assented enthusiastically.

“We are going to make you look so scandalous that he won’t know what hit him,” Lisa explained as she pointed to the outfit options laying in Chaeyoung’s bed.

“AND”, Jisoo continued, “after that he’ll have not option but to ask you on a date.” The elder singer finished and Lisa passionately agreed, moving her head up and down.

“Girls, there is only one problem,” Chae said as she sat on her bed, caressing the beautiful dresses and the soft fabrics, a somber look reigning her delicate features, “He probably won’t come.” Lisa and Jisoo looked at each other, annoyed, really at how much Chae doubted that Jungkook would not move heaven and earth just to be a few seconds next to her. They both sighed, irked at her lack of confidence and complete ignorance of the fact that Jungkook was totally smitten by her.

“He will go,” Lisa said softly as she sat next to Chaeyoung and grabbed her hand. Jisoo did the same. And in a strangely comforting sort of way, Chaeyoung knew that if Jennie were in the room, she would have done the same as her friends. Sat next to her and calm her nerves, her anxiousness.

“Now, let’s create the iest outfit we can manage”, Jisoo, Lisa and Chae laughed. And in their hearts, they knew Jennie was at that very second with them.

“You won’t go, I-” Namjoon said to Jungkook, a trace of sadness filling his words and the air of the living room. He hated that he had to be the realistic one and cut short Jungkook’s hopes of attending Chaeyoung’s event.

“We’ll manage,” Jungkook interrupted him, not ready to accept that fact that he might not see Chaeyoung one more time.

“And how do you suppose we’ll manage?” Namjoon asked, irritated at both being bluntly interrupted and not having the energy to deal with a stubborn Jungkook.

“The shoot won’t last that long, I can leave early and-”, Jungkook started talking, spitting out, really, anything that came to his mind as a possible plan to arrive on time at Chae’s event.

“And what?”, Namjoon spit out as well, the tension in the air was beginning to become uncomfortable for the rest of the members that were in Namjoon’s living room, “What do you suppose we do when we are six instead of seven for an entire previously scheduled contract we had with this company??!!”, Namjoon ended, his tone never rude but harsh nonetheless.

“All I know is that I will go”, Jungkook did not quaver from Namjoon’s implicit challenge nor his serious gaze. Namjoon broke eye contact with him and sighed, deeply. His whole demeanor changed, now his face looked a little softer. Jungkook was their maknae, after all.

“I’m not saying I don’t want you to go,” Namjoon looked to the floor, searching for the right words, the perfect words to transmit how he felt and what he thought; Jungkook felt a little pressure release, he had thought that Namjoon was against him attending the event. “…god I’ll even beg Bang PD-nim if that means you’ll get the permission to attend the event”, Namjoon confessed, and it melt Jungkook’s heart the extent to which his hyung was willing to go in order to help him. But at his words, he knew that Namjoon’s negative response was a byproduct of something more, something apart from his blessing to see (and possibly date) Chaeyoung.

“But we made a commitment. We have schedules to attend and they hired BTS”, with that Namjoon looked straight into Jungkook’s eyes and then the leader moved his eyes to the silently observers, the other members, sitting awkwardly in the living room of their old dorm, “They didn’t hire BTS minus one member,” Jungkook gulped, he knew where this was going, “a missing member which, might I add, is missing because he is a) too busy publicly attending an event for a high fashion brand he doesn’t endorses, b) neglecting commitments with our sponsors, and c) leaving his six friends to cover up and apologize, profusely, for his actions”.

The room felt silent. Everyone in attendance knew that Namjoon’s words were true. First, it would be very strange, and it would stir the public’s conversation, seeing Jungkook attend an event with a brand he was not officially associated with. Second, they had known about this engagement for months now. It was a photo shoot followed by a series of interviews before their trip overseas. They had been preparing for this holiday special some time now and the fact that Jungkook totally forgot the date they were supposed to shoot this scenes for the special spoke if not badly, then poorly of his commitment or interest with the group projects. Third, it was true. Jungkook was rarely reprehended. He was the smallest one in the group, his hyungs usually apologized and received the scolding instead of him even when the only one at fault had been the golden maknae.

It was not that his hyungs didn’t mind taking the blame once in a while; but to do so repeatedly would cause anyone to become tired of doing it. Jungkook understood. He knew this was a selfish act and that he had to be more responsible, he would be from now on. And yet he just couldn’t let this opportunity go. He knew that him attending the event would change, something, what he didn’t exactly knew, but something…something important. Or at least that was what his hunch told him. And he was usually right when he made decisions based on that. Nonetheless, his hyungs, his brothers, were another part of him. And he valued them and their opinions very highly.

He felt tears prickling in his eyes, “I did ask”, Jungkook lowly vocalized. “I will not do it, even though I very very much want to, if you tell me no”. Jungkook looked at Namjoon, his last hopes starting to vanish after all the truths Namjoon had told him this evening.

Namjoon saw the determination starting to vanish Jungkook’s eyes and inside his chest he knew that was so unnatural. Jungkook’s eyes should be filled with passion, and hope and dreams, not of hopelessness, desperation, and sadness. Those black orbs were not meant to be gloomy. Namjoon sighed again. He looked at the other members, and Namjoon had the very accurate impression that they thought the same as his. Seeing Jungkook so defeated was wrong. They all nodded at their leader, reassuring him that everything would be all right. This certainty didn’t come from foreseeing the future, but from the shared belief that as long as they were together, everything would be okay. As long as they had each other’s backs.

Namjoon approached Jungkook and hugged him briefly only to then grabbed him softly but firmly with both of his large hands, “I’ll figure something out,” Jungkook’s eyes glowed, “go and make sure that you charm her.”

“Thanks hyung”, Jungkook replied, remembering how much he cared for his hyungs.

“Now, who is hungry??!!”, Jin screamed. “Chicken is HEEEEEEREEEE”, Jin motioned to the three bags filled of cardboard boxes. Somewhere in between the conversation, Jin had received the chicken order, and now was standing triumphally in the corridor. Everyone screamed back, they were all very hungry.

The members hurried over to the kitchen table. Everyone except Namjoon, Jungkook noted.

The leader had patted his right shoulder, grinned at him, and unlocked his phone. Namjoon went to corridor, very clearly leaving to a quieter room. Jungkook glanced at Namjoon’s back and managed to hear, “Hey, PD-nim! Yeah! Everything is good, we are great…”

Jungkook mentally took a picture of his hyung. Namjoon is one of the people in the entire world he respects the most.

He really owed him. Big time.

The next day, 8:00 pm

BTS’s shoot ran late. Even though Namjoon had made everything in his power for Jungkook’s arrival on time there was simply something they didn’t count on: luck. All the members were on board with the plan. They were supposed to let Jungkook shoot all his scenes first, then the group ones, and at the end the rest of the members would shoot their respective individual scenes. The golden maknae had nearly cried at his hyungs’ generosity. But the universe was playing against him this day. The director and film crew drove over nails on a sketchy road on the way to the studio and, consequentially, ended up with a flat tire on the outskirts of Seoul in rush hour. In another time they would have cancelled the shoot for the day, but their trip to the US was two days away so they didn