Playing with Fire: A BLACKPINK Story

Chapter 2: Too Soon

2018.

I had always known that K pop idols' lives were busy, but I didn't understand just how intense that lifestyle was until I was able to witness it up close and personal. The girls were required to adhere to a strict schedule that monitored and carefully controlled almost every aspect of their lives.

From a monetary standpoint, it made sense. YG needed to make sure their brand remained safe and on top of the world. The best way to do this was with countless hours of practice, strict regimens, and plenty of mandated fan interactions (which were of course, carefully controlled).

On the other hand, it made me feel a little uncomfortable. The girls seemed to just accept that this was their life for the foreseeable future. They had little choice in anything, even where they lived—they told me that the House had been given to them as part of a reality show to increase fan interest. I supposed that they were used to it, but that didn't make me feel any better about it.

We were on our way to their practice the next day at the studio, being driven there in a YG black SUV, with me in the passenger seat and the girls sitting next to each other in the back. The driver, who was just another YG employee, did not interact with me or the girls, and I wondered if he had been instructed to act as if we were not even there.

I figured that I could do the same in response.

<Do you ever get tired of this?> I asked the girls from the passenger seat. Traffic wasn't too bad today, but even so, I was keeping my eyes peeled. Being stopped between two cars was a potential disaster if someone decided to pull up on you with a weapon.

They didn't seem to understand what I meant, looking at each other for a moment before responding. <This is just what we do,> said Lisa.

<This was our dream," cut in Jennie. <We work hard for it.>

<Yeah. Do you think it's worth it?>

No one said anything to that for some time. Eventually, Jisoo broke the silence. <Some days, yes. Some days, no. Today, yes.> She offered me a small smile. <Today I want to dance.>

But what happens on the days you don't want to dance? I wondered to myself. The answer was obvious, of course. They would need to do it anyway.

After we got to the studio, I climbed out of the SUV and opened the back doors for the girls to get out. It wasn't technically part of my job, but I figured if I was going to be keeping them safe, I might as well do everything I possibly could.

<Thank you,> said Rosé with a bright smile as she got out.

I didn't say anything beyond giving her a quick nod, keeping my eyes on the street and the passing cars. No one seemed to be paying attention or noticing. I had a feeling my job was going to be a lot of that before the tour got started. Surely, no one would be stupid enough to go after YG's prized girl group in the middle of South Korea.

The studio was staffed with enough people to make my presence non-essential, so I wandered out of the practice room and into one of the upper levels to keep an eye on the street below. The building itself was unmarked and probably rented, which meant the general public had no idea what was happening here. If they did, it would have been swarmed with fans at every possible moment, which was clearly not the case.

There was a hallway on the second floor with floor-to-ceiling windows that I decided to use as my watching point. Below me, I could hear the thump of the bass as the practice began, even through the soundproofed walls. The practice must have started. It would continue for the next few hours, during which my plan was to keep up my vigil and check in on them every now and then.