BEHIND THE SCENES

chapter 152: no longer you and i

At this moment, Jennie glanced down at Yoongi and their eyes met, and she smiled.

"I wonder how things are going inside."

"It'll work out well, for sure-" Yoongi commented nonchalantly. "I think Jungkook probably settled it well... if not, there wouldn't be any fireworks show, would there?"

"Well, it could very well be a distraction-" Jennie suggested, but let out a small chuckle as well. "You're literally the most chill boss I have ever seen."

"That's because I'm not a boss," Yoongi reiterated. "I'm just someone here to help you all achieve your dreams."

It was silent for a while as the two focused on watching the fireworks show.

"You were so amazing earlier." The words just slipped off Yoongi's lips after a few moments of silence. "So brave, so amazing."

Jennie burst into laughter. "I was shaking."

"I know, I saw-" Yoongi laughed as he glanced up in the sky once more, watching the dark night sky being lit up in different colours of light. "But you still pushed through... I must say I'm really impressed."

Jennie giggled as she raised her eyes to the sky once more. "Thank you."

It was silent for a while between them, other than the occasional squeals from Jennie from how beautiful the night sky was. But the whole time, Yoongi wasn't looking at the sky. He was looking at her.

"Jennie."

Jennie was distracted by the fireworks. "Hm?"

"Be mine."

There was an awkward pause as Jennie froze at the exact position she was, before slowly and very stiffly turning her neck to look at him. Her eyebrows raised and her eyes glassy - she evidently wasn't sure if she had heard him right or not.

"Huh...?" Jennie let out an awkward chuckle, trying to conceal how nervous she clearly was. "What did you say, oppa? I don't think I heard you correctly."

"I said-" Yoongi leaned in and whispered into Jennie's ear so that she could hear him properly this time, over the loud sizzling sounds of the eruption of fireworks. "Be mine, Jennie Kim. And in turn, I'll be yours."

Jennie backed away quickly, staring at Yoongi blankly in the eyes. "I thought..."

"Mm, I thought so too-" Yoongi agreed before he could even hear what Jennie thought - he already knew. "But I guess now's finally the time to challenge my fears. If it's with you, I feel like... I'm no longer afraid of what the future holds."

Jennie just stared at him, unable to believe her ears.

"You didn't just teach me what to do with words, like what most people do-" Yoongi carried on, as he held her by her hands. "Instead, you showed me, you demonstrated to me what to do with your actions. You taught me what it was like to be brave, to always challenge yourself and how to always look forward in whatever you do. You taught me how to dream bug and fight for what I want. You yourself struggle with so much, yet you never once left my side - you were always right beside me, cheering me on, teaching me how to become a better person. You are so, so strong, Jennie Kim. You are stronger than anyone out there knows. At first, I tried my best to ignore you. I tried my best to tell myself that as long as I didn't catch feelings, nothing could hurt me. I was wrong - your existence was so healing. Slowly, the more I interacted with you, I slowly began to cry less and smile more. Smiling soon turned to laughing and laughing soon turned to looking forward to living - something I never had in a long, long time. Your mere existence has become so important to me over the past year that I almost forgot what life was like before I met you. You make me want to become a better person everyday... and I think that's what makes me so drawn to you."

Jennie just stared, her mouth agape.

"Do you have nothing to say...?" Yoongi let out an embarrassed chuckle. "I already said so much though...?"

"No, I just-" Jennie slapped herself to her senses. "I just feel like I'm in a dream right now - I've dreamt of this day too many times for me to remember. I- I just- I'm literally shaking right now."

Yoongi could feel her hands trembling in his and couldn't help but smile at how freaking precious she was.

"I tried my best to express my thoughts as best as I could-" Yoongi admitted with a shy laugh. "I know it isn't perfect, but I've been trying hard, Jennie-ya. I've been constantly working hard to be more honest with my feelings every day. So... how was it? Was I expressive enough?"

"It was perfect," Jennie half-whispered, with emotional tears in her eyes. "It was the best confession I could ever ask for. Wait- that was your confession, was it...? Or did I interpret that wrongly again-"

"No, it was-" Yoongi giggled as he held on tightly to her. "That was my confession, Jennie-ya. That was me asking you if you'd be my girlfriend."

"When do you need my answer by?"

Yoongi was stunned by Jennie's response. "Oh, do you need a while to think about it? If that's the case, how long do you need? You can take as much time as you want-"

"What about now?"

Jennie grinned as she leaned forward and planted a light peck on Yoongi's lips, causing him to back away, his face looking slightly horrified as his hands flew up instinctively.

"That's my answer, Min Yoongi-" Jennie said shyly as she looked away, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear out of her face. "I've waited for you for so long, liking you since forever... do you really think I haven't had enough time to think it through...?"

Yoongi just stared at her, wide-eyed, fingers still pressed gently over his lips.

"Ya, why are you looking at me like that!" Jennie burst into laughter as she pulled Yoongi's hand away from his lips. "You make it look like I just took advantage of you or something. Excuse me, sir - you were literally the one who asked me to be your girlf-"

Yoongi was the one who leaned forward in one swift action and planted a longer, more impactful kiss on Jennie's lips this time.

Jennie looked giddy with happiness. "Woah."

"Mm-" Yoongi's eyes darted around nervously as he bit his lower lip, nodding for no reason as he backed away, looking giddy with excitement. "Mm."

Jennie watched him for a long time, a smile slowly spreading across her face as she did so.

"Min Yoongi, I'm in trouble."

Yoongi looked up briefly, but looked away the moment their eyes met, blushing furiously. "Hm? What is it?"

"I'm in deep trouble-" Jennie swallowed hard. "I don't think I'll ever stop liking you."

"Well, you don't have to worry about that anymore-" Yoongi smiled as he looked down at Jennie's hand in his and slowly placed it on his heart. "You feel my heart...? How fast it's racing right now...? You already have my heart, Kim Jennie. It's not you and me from now... it's us. Regardless of whatever fears we may face - the media, the fans, our psychological barriers, our traumas, our biggest stresses... we can face it head on together as one from now on. From this point onwards, it's us - we're on one team... and you don't ever have to stop liking me."

And under the colourful exploding lights in the night sky, Jennie only had eyes for him.

"Us..." A smile crept onto Jennie's face as she rested her head onto Yoongi's shoulder. "I like that."