Kang Seulgi is not what Joohyun expected. Even through the pixelated screen of her computer, Joohyun can tell that Seulgi is prettier than Joohyun initially thought. Between the red hair and the sharp lines of her makeup, Joohyun’s no longer sure what to think at all. Granted, Joohyun only really got a crash course into all things Seulgi last night. 

 

Nevermind that Joohyun’s currently in her virtual fansign. 

 

“Hi!” Seulgi greets, all bright smiles and curved eyes. Her voice is soft but enthusiastic and she even waves, a blurry hand moving back and forth across the screen. “You’re Joohyun, right?”

 

Joohyun swallows. “Y-yes, that’s me.” 

 

Joohyun’s feeling incredibly out of her depth now. She’s already awkward with most strangers she meets, but to now be put in front of someone famous, alone for the next two minutes, with nothing to talk about because Joohyun’s not even a fan, well, where does she go from here?

 

“Are you nervous?” Seulgi asks kindly—far too kindly than what Joohyun would normally expect from someone of her status. 

 

It makes Joohyun swallow, cheeks flushing in a way she hopes isn’t showing up on camera because being pretty and talented is one thing but to also be nice on top of that? That’s something else altogether. 

 

“A little bit,” Joohyun admits, and Seulgi’s smile softens, bleeds into something gentle and caring. 

 

“That’s okay. You don’t have to be nervous,” Seulgi reassures, leaning forward in her seat so that she’s closer to the camera. “Is there anything you’d like to ask me?” 

 

Joohyun looks down to the sheet in front of her, the one Yerim had hastily given her before shoving her into the room with her laptop. On it is a series of questions written in Yerim’s messy scrawl, ordered from most to least important if Joohyun’s remembering right. She reads the first one quickly and sighs. 

 

Yerim owes her big for this. 

 

“Could you sing a line from your favorite song?” Joohyun requests, barely holding back the grimace at the cheesiness of the request. 

 

Seulgi doesn’t seem to mind, though, only tilting her head thoughtfully. “From one of my own songs or in general?” 

 

Joohyun shrugs. Yerim didn’t specify so Joohyun doesn’t think it matters. “Up to you.” 

 

“Okay,” Seulgi agrees then looks up in thought, brows furrowed and lips forming into a pout. The sight of it is undeniably cute, and Joohyun cringes at her own line of thinking, distracting herself with making sure that the video is recording so Yerim can view it later. 

 

Joohyun was never the type to fawn over celebrities nor did she even particularly care about them to begin with, but Yerim did. Yerim loved screaming over idols and going to music shows, spending an obscene amount of money on merchandise she didn’t need just so she could form some sort of shrine around her room. Joohyun didn’t get it, but she did love her sister, so when Yerim came to her, begging and pleading because she’d used Joohyun’s name to enter the fansign to avoid the wrath of their mother, what was Joohyun to do other than begrudgingly agree to speak to Yerim’s favorite idol on her behalf? 

 

Now, here Joohyun sits, about to be serenaded by someone Joohyun’s learned Korea considers to be one of the best idols of the decade. And again, she’s not even a fan.

 

“Don’t go away, always stay by my side.” 

 

Joohyun’s eyes shoot up at the voice, shocked by the smooth cadence and the easy way Seulgi flits through the song. It’s both soft and powerful, light but strong, a testament to her many years of hard work and training, and Joohyun is mesmerized. It’s only two short lines, but Joohyun finds herself transfixed, awed by Seulgi’s delivery and the way her eyes are shining even through the grainy camera like she’s singing the song the way it was meant to be sung—for Joohyun and Joohyun alone. 

 

Joohyun can maybe understand it now. It’s easy to fall in love with an idol when they look at you like they’ve already been in love with you the whole time. 

 

“How was that?” Seulgi asks, finishing the song with a shy quirk of her lips. 

 

“That was…” Joohyun shakes herself out of her stupor, blinking rapidly as she tries to remember how to speak. “You’re really good.”

 

Seulgi laughs. “You sound surprised?”

 

Joohyun blushes, remembering that she’s supposed to be playing the part of a devoted fan. “Right. Yeah, no. I just mean, you sound even better live?”

 

Seulgi tilts her head again, eyes crinkling up in amusement. “You’ve never seen me live? Aren’t you in Korea?”

 

“Um. Yes, but I’m….a new fan?” 

 

Seulgi nods in understanding. “Ah, I see. No wonder I didn’t recognize you. I was sure I would have remembered a face like yours.”

 

Joohyun feels her cheeks heat even further. It’s a line Seulgi’s probably delivered hundreds of times as an idol, but the awkward laugh afterwards and the scratch at the back of her head has Joohyun foolishly believing that maybe this time Seulgi really meant it. Maybe this time it was more than just standard fanservice for the sake of making someone happy. Maybe this time Seulgi wanted to come off as flirtatious. 

 

Joohyun cringes at herself again, slapping her thigh softly to remind herself that one) she’s not even a fan so this stuff shouldn’t even be working on her and two) even if it was working, there’s no way someone like Seulgi would genuinely be flirting with someone like Joohyun. 

 

“Well, hopefully, we’ll be able to meet each other soon,” Seulgi says, easily side-stepping the awkward atmosphere that came with Joohyun’s stunned silence. “I’ve missed seeing luvies face to face.”

 

“Right,” Joohyun nods. Luvies, her fans, which Joohyun is one of at the moment. 

 

“Is there anything else you’d like to ask me?” Seulgi questions. She looks to the side for a moment, frowning slightly before turning back to the camera with a regretful expression. “We don’t have much time left, unfortunately, but you can ask me anything while I sign your CD for you?”

 

Joohyun looks down to Yerim’s sheet again, trying to find a question she thinks would be suitable, but there’s nothing that could be easily answered while multitasking. Yerim clearly takes her job as a fan a little too seriously. 

 

“Actually,” Joohyun starts, watching as Seulgi pulls a CD in front of her from out of frame along with a marker. “Can I be honest with you?”

 

Seulgi pauses from opening up the CD, her full attention on Joohyun now. She nods encouragingly. “Of course.”

 

Joohyun sighs, wondering if she should really do this, but then she looks at the CD on Seulgi’s end and the sheet of paper on her end and knows there’s no way she could let Seulgi autograph something for Joohyun that should rightfully belong to Yerim. 

 

Joohyun’s not even a fan. 

 

“I’m not actually a fan of yours,” Joohyun says, watching as Seulgi’s brows shoot up in surprise. “I’ve never even listened to any of your songs until yesterday when my sister showed them to me. She’s the real fan. She just used my name when signing up for this to avoid our mom; I don’t think she realized you guys would be diligent about checking ids. If you could, I’d really appreciate it if you signed the album for her instead. It’d mean a lot to her.”

 

Seulgi pauses for a short moment, and Joohyun wonders if she somehow offended her with her honesty. But then Seulgi grins, shaking her head fondly as she drums her fingers against the table in amusement. 

 

“So that’s what happened. No wonder you were so surprised by my singing,” she says, propping her chin up on her knuckles as she meets Joohyun’s gaze with bright eyes. “So, tell me. How’d I do? Have I successfully changed your mind? Are you going to listen to my songs on your own now?”

 

Joohyun leans back in her chair, crossing her arms as she pretends to think about it. She already feels more comfortable now that she’s no longer interacting with Seulgi under false pretenses, and Seulgi seems to feel the same, smirking as she waits for Joohyun’s response. 

 

“I guess I could stand to listen to a song or two every now and then,” Joohyun answers, and Seulgi laughs, full and unrestrained with her head thrown back. 

 

“Not so easily swayed, huh? I guess I’ll just have to work harder then.” Seulgi shakes her head at her, pulling the cap off her marker and turning the CD case over to its back. “What’s your sister’s name?” 

 

“Yerim. And she’d never say it, but I’m sure she’s convinced she’s your number one fan.” 

 

Seulgi begins writing diligently, pausing only to beam up at Joohyun. “Well, tell Yerim that anybody who can convince their sister—who doesn’t even like me—to sit in for my fansign is definitely someone I’d consider my number one fan.” 

 

Joohyun frowns at her. “Hey, I don’t not like you.”

 

The corner of Seulgi’s mouth raises. “But you don’t actually like me.”

 

“I just don’t know you very well,” Joohyun tries. 

 

“I’ll just have to convince you then.”

 

Joohyun arches a brow, confused but not opposed to this newfound interaction taking place. “And how are you going to do that?”

 

Seulgi’s smile is mysterious as she says, “I have my ways.”

 

She goes back to signing the album, and somewhere in the background of the call, Joohyun can hear a timer start to go off. A voice follows after it, hurrying Seulgi who simply waves it away—unbothered. She finishes signing the album with a flourish, capping the marker easily before turning back to Joohyun. Those sharp eyes surprisingly kind and so much more than Joohyun expected.

 

“Thank you for speaking with me, Joohyun,” Seulgi tells her, mouth quirking up in a tender smile, “even if you don’t like me.”

 

“Hey—”

 

“It was nice getting to talk to someone who doesn’t care about all this.” She gestures around herself and then adds, tone bashful, “Hopefully, you weren’t lying when you said you liked my singing?” She chuckles awkwardly and continues on. “Tell Yerim I said hi, and I hope I get to speak to her myself someday. It’s fans like her that make everything worth it. I wouldn’t be where I am without her. I’m really grateful for her love.” Then, when Joohyun thinks she’s finished, Seulgi bites at her lip, seemingly contemplating something. Finally, she says, “Also, you’re a really good sister for doing this for her. She’s lucky to have you.”

 

Joohyun flushes at the compliment, charmed both by Seulgi’s words and the sincerity behind them. No wonder Yerim likes her so much. How could you not? 

 

Joohyun opens to speak, but another voice interrupts, reminding Seulgi once again that Joohyun’s allotted time is up. Seulgi simply waves it away once more, nodding for Joohyun to continue. 

 

“Thank you for being so understanding,” Joohyun tells her. “I’m glad that of all the idols Yerim could have liked, she picked you. You deserve all your success and more. You’re—” Joohyun cuts off, shaking her head at where her thoughts have strayed. “Looks like you convinced me after all. I guess I do like you now.”

 

Seulgi beams, just the right amount of smugness within it for Joohyun to still somehow be endeared. 

 

“See? I told you I have my ways.” 

 

Joohyun laughs, and the voice on the other end speaks up again, louder and more insistent. Seulgi rolls her eyes but acquiesces, turning apologetic eyes to Joohyun. 

 

“I have to go now, but it really was nice to meet you, Joohyun. Maybe next time we’ll meet each other it will be in person? At a live performance?” she asks hopefully, and Joohyun shrugs, playing coy.

 

“We’ll see.” 

 

Seulgi laughs, shaking her head fondly. “You drive a hard bargain. I guess I’ll just have to keep working hard to impress you, then.” Joohyun thinks that’s ridiculous since she’s already impressed by Seulgi, but she stays mum because maybe she likes that Seulgi feels like she has to work for Joohyun’s attention. “Tell Yerim I said hi, okay? Bye now! Have a good rest of your day!”

 

Seulgi waves at the camera enthusiastically, and Joohyun follows, albeit much more muted. “Bye, Seulgi.” 

 

The camera cuts off, nothing left but the empty screen saying the call is finished. Joohyun blinks at it, still stuck on the image of Seulgi’s smiling face, looking at Joohyun like she was the only person in the room. It makes her cheeks warm and her heart jump just to remember it, the memory still so fresh in Joohyun’s mind she can practically hear Seulgi’s voice still ringing around the room.

 

Oh no, Joohyun realizes with a groan. 

 

She’s become a fan.

 

 

---

 

 

Later, Yerim watches the recording back with a squeal, eyes wide and slightly misty when Seulgi starts to sing. 

 

“Unnie,” Yerim laughs, pausing the video to point at the image of Joohyun in the upper corner, eyes wide and slightly misty herself. “You look like you just fell in love.”

 

Joohyun slaps at her because she can’t exactly deny it. She maybe did fall a little bit in love the moment Seulgi started singing, but that’s entirely irrelevant. Especially because Yerim absolutely loses her mind over Seulgi saying her name and acknowledging her existence. 

 

“I have to show this to everyone!” she says, running out of the room with her laptop clutched fiercely to her chest. 

 

Joohyun can only watch her go, hoping that as a fan she never reaches that level of adoration. 

 

Days after that, Yerim’s CD arrives, and with it another one as well. 

 

“Look, unnie,” Yerim says—awestruck—holding out the extra CD for Joohyun to take. “She signed one for you as well!”

 

Seulgi did. An entire CD with Joohyun’s name on it written in Seulgi’s neat handwriting. Joohyun traces over the marker with something akin to reverence, admiring Seulgi’s penmanship as she reads the message over and over again. 

 

“What’d she say?” Yerim asks, trying to read over Joohyun’s shoulder, but Joohyun holds it away from her, glaring when Yerim attempts to get closer. “Fine, keep it to yourself. I’ve gotta go show everyone what she wrote to me anyway.”

 

Yerim runs off, and Joohyun turns back to her CD, reading it just one more time to make sure she didn’t imagine it. When she’s sure she hasn’t, she pulls out her phone, a new number ready to be added to it.

 

 

---

 

 

Dear Joohyun,

 

I really enjoyed talking to you. If I still haven’t changed your mind, maybe we can call again and you can give me another chance. Just us. No time limit.

 

xxx-xxx-xxxx

 

I’ll be waiting.

 

Kang Seulgi, the idol you don’t like.

 

---

 

a/n:

titled after this song

written initially for the #ggflashfic fest on ao3. be sure to head over there and check out all the other amazing works in that collection.

twitter: @holcene